I felt there was no choice but to share this entry from my "2008 Bad Drivers Daily Calendar".
I find the logic and reasoning to be absolutely sound and without fault.
Reflections on 34
I meant to post this on my Birthday yesterday but Yahoo was having so many problems it had to be delayed.
As I enter the 34th year of my earthly existence I find myself very tired. This is the most overworked, burned out, and over burdened I have been at any given point in my life (thus far). This is due to multiple factors at work, Jess’s Wreck, financial situations, no real vacation for 2 going on 3 years, and the list could go on and on. If I was doing one or even two things wrong I could correct it but when all the factors start out as a little tiny snow ball at the top of Mount Everest no matter who you are when the snow ball gets to the bottom you are going to get smashed.
Don’t take me wrong I still love my job it has just been a very demanding year. You combine that with doing everything possible to assist Jess with her recovery and all the issues resulting from her wreck; it has made for a very long 2008 to this point. As Jess alluded to in her recent witness on the church website it has been very rough for us this year. I am not depressed, I am not ungrateful for all the Lord has blessed me with, I am just drained. The reason was put very plainly to me in the sermon this week at church when I put this passage up on the screen.
Matthew 11:28-29 (Mes)
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on
religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me
and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you
how to take a real rest… Learn the
unforced rhythms of grace."
This awesome passage can not only be used for religion but also for all areas of your life.
So as I set back once a year to reflect and take an inventory as I often do for personal goal planning (just never published it), I have decided one very important thing.
I suck at giving my burdens to the Lord.
(Don’t really know if you can use those two words in the same sentence, but it gets my point across) Sure we all surrender some things to the Lord and some of us surrender nothing but the ones of us who are weighed down with matters of this world are not surrendering enough. As a very type A+++++ personality with a dash of OCD this is very difficult for me to do. I generally end up being harder on myself then other people, I always expect more from myself then I do anyone else.
So what is the answer?
- A 12 step recovery plan?
- A self help book?
- Run away from all my troubles?
- Quit my job and begin following my favorite 80’s band’s around to all the state fairs?
I say none of the above.
- How about spending more time in God’s inerrant word The Holy Bible.
- How about deepening my faith beyond my daily routine.
- How about stepping outside of my Christian "Comfort Zone"
- How about surrendering more to the Lord
- How about working on my Prayer Life (Needs a lot of work)
- How about taking time in my life to allow God’s never ending Grace to wash over me enough to slow me down a little.
Once you get this eternity thing worked everything else has got to be gravy.
To some this may seem a little too personal to be posted on the Internet, but hey I don’t care. I cannot be the only one in this world who has let everyday life that has nothing to do with eternity wear them down to a pulp. This life is not all that there is so why live everyday like it is?
I am still young, and there are still many more years ahead then there are behind. (The prior statement is both to the best of my knowledge and statistically speaking) These are things that I need to change now so that I can really live my life. So as I tried to develop a personal mission statement for this year, this one immediately came to mind and says it all to me.
Refocus, Re-Prioritize, and Balance.
You are only as old as you feel and right now for me that is not 34. It’s time to take care of this issue before it takes care of me.
A beautiful witness by my wife
Happy Father’s Day Dad
Hard to believe that he’s been gone 19 years this November. Sad thing is I do not even remember the last Father’s Day that I had with him. I am sure that beyond a hastily chosen card I did nothing for him. But then I think remembering a passed father is not about every holiday that you spent with him. It is about all the times that you remember so vividly that you can describe in every detail.
For example I can remember riding home with him one night from a Boy Scout meeting. It was about 8:30 on a summer evening and Dad was listening to the 8-track player in his Black Chrysler New Yorker. “My Way” by Frank Sinatra was playing and we were passing the corner of 5th Ave & 11st St at what was then the “First National Bank of Huntington” building. We had the windows down and I was enjoying the cruise through town.
Why do I remember that so vividly? What was so special about that moment that it was seared in my memory? It was when Dad introduced me yet again to the music of Frank Sinatra but I actually paid attention that time. I remember thinking that this is not too bad, maybe all Dad’s music is not awful. Today when I listen to my Frank Sinatra music I think of Dad every time.
It is not always huge events, Holidays, or all the times that you think you should remember that end up being important to you when a parent passes. It is all the little times that you spent with them that mean nothing right then but yet live with you so vividly forever for one reason or another.
Happy Father’s Day Dad
A Memorial Day Thank You
Thank you American Solider that guarantees my freedom.
Thank you American Solider that has laid their life down to keep this great nation free.
Thank you American Solider that has been spat upon, wrongly accused, and disrespected by people that are free only because of your sacrifice.
Thank you American Solider for standing sentinel around this planet to ensure my freedom.
American Solider I owe you a debt that I can never repay. This memorial day I say thank you for all of your sacrifices on my behalf.
The Strategic Air & Space Museum Visit
This may bore many of you but I had the best time at the Strategic Air & Space Museum. I will walk through some of the pictures with you in the sideshow below. However after reviewing the pictures I realized I never got a picture of the fully functional flight simulator. This was so great I did it twice. I never really thought I would get to try all those great aerial maneuvers that I’ve studied.
While in the simulator I performed a Split S, Scissors, L4, and a few others. I must have had that simulator all over the place because there was a crowd looking at me when I exited the simulator. But hey I had a hell of a time!
Now onto the pictures!
Jake’s Earth Hour Celebration
Please join me tonight between 8 and 9 PM.
It is my plan to turn on every light, appliance, & power tool in the house. With any luck I can increase my carbon foot print to that of an Al Gore type mansion.
Happy Easter to All
You know there are allot of things I could put in this post. Insightful commentary, audio/video, or a bible passage. I will just say this.
Tomorrow we celebrate the raising of our savior Jesus Christ from the dead. This perfect man died a gruesome horrible death for the imperfect people that he loves. We are and were not worthy of this gift. Please do not waste it.
He is risen indeed!