Random Ramblings

See now I told you I wouldn't be able to keep up the steady stream of blogging. Things have become hectic for me this month, but I'm ok with that.

In years past things have traditionally been slow with work during the holidays. This year has been, in many ways, different, good different. Work has been extremely busy, which in my line of work is always a great thing all around, well other than the long work weeks.

So there was the first of many excuses to come. But to be honest I want to take this blog elsewhere right now. To the faithful readers, which according to Google there seems to be quite a few of you, I have been for the most part keeping up well considering the situations of late with my daily readings. The mornings when I can make them have been times of great reflection.

I have been blessed, and I am blessed. When I think of it all it's almost extravagant. And to be honest, I find that at times, I question why have I been so fortunate. Not that I am complaining, but it's really a great thing.

It's funny though, I just came back to here after finishing the rest of this post. Blessings are an odd thing to me. It seems that they can be almost taboo. If i go on and on about them, it lends itself that I am bragging. But the catch 22 is that I find it hard to be thankful for something that you don't verbalize. I suppose there is a middle ground, I hope I found it. I assure you, this is not a post about me bragging by any means. More so it's just that I am grateful, and well it's my blog and where else can one say what's on their mind these days? So if you don't like it, deal with it?

So beyond the whole work thing, a few weeks ago my Dad had to go in for open heart surgery. That's never a 'good thing' to have to endure. While it's a great thing that such things are possible and flat out amazing that they can even figure out how to do such operations, it is still a scary place to be in. Cut to the chase, he came through the surgery with no complications and is currently recovering more and more each day. So things are well.

To the point of the story though. It's weird to be forced into a situation like that. Death, even within Christianity, is not something that is considered dinner conversation. Going through that really helped put things in perspective. I find that I personally face events of any size and magnitude by accepting the worst and praying for the best. Beyond that i don't know that i want to expand into this too much for the purpose of this blog, perhaps in time another blog is in order. I leave this portion with that thought that I am fortunate to have a loving family.

Moving on to the next thing that has been on my mind. I started this blog while at my Sales Conference. Oh yeah, so I just got back from a week in the Arizona / Las Vegas Area. This makes the third year out there. I must say it looses the appeal the more often you see the city. Maybe that's just to me, but I was ready to get back home by the end of the week. I found myself sitting in one of the Global Plenary (they use this word, i think it's actually a synonym for 'having part of your brain removed') asking how did I get here? After almost 3 years working here it still feels foreign to me when surrounded by some many people. I consider myself lucky to have been placed in this position as it's not a typical post college job. But then again, i find that very little in my life seems to be typical, so I just accept it at face value and move on.

Finally, all the support from friends and family that I have had while going through this part of my life has been simply amazing. My church community is just stinking great. I find that the more I am away from it, the more and more I realize what a blessing it has brought to me, and continues to provide.

I bring all of this up because I find myself asking what have I done to deserve this? Or more importantly, what have I been doing to overflow these blessings to those around me? I don't know that I have an answer for this or really anything. I do know that it is something that has been on my mind as of late.

Maybe some more posts to follow up, I will atleast get you some pictures from the trip at a minimum.

I know for many reasons it's going to be a long month for me. Two straight weeks of customer presentations to kick it off. So hopefully the time will pass quickly.

Things I learned last night

I spent last night at the driving range with Tice and Greg. And while it's true that there were some others that definitely had a much crazier night (Beemer, I really want to see this candle), It was eventful out at Knights Play. I learned that Tice has a chicken wing, Greg can't keep his back straight, and i'm pushing my drives. All of which results in some ugly slices. Thanks to some random old man, whose 83, he wanted to make sure we were aware of that, we all got that worked out.


Due to the year always starting out slow I've had some time free to keep up on some posts. I'll try to keep up this pace of posting although we all know that just won't happen.

true story, and yes its better than the cat story

Small Group. Our group has bonded quite a bit through the year(s) that we have been meeting such that even after Hungry's dissolution we have stuck it out meeting for the community to talk about what is going on our lives, and occasionally we talk about God as well. It's definitely grown into a nest of trust as we all seem to, despite the obvious differences in all our personalities, bond.

Well with any group of guys names of jest are a dime a dozen. Each with our own very inappropriate names for each other that the mention of them will pretty much shut any of us down. Well since I host the meetings, my name was one of the original, well before they rose to the level that they are at today. If you haven't been to my house then you will probably be confused, but I have garnered Martha. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I seasonally decorate, or maybe just because I can cook, or most likely it's the whole gambit.

So now on with the story.

So small group met at Hi5 last night, can't beat the menu deals there. That's value. As we are all just sitting around chatting it up, I find myself in conversation with beemer and I start to notice what exactly I'm doing. I'm there folding my napkin. Seriously, WTF? As soon as I make the realization I quickly go to scramble the evidence but alas, my hastily maneuvers drew more attention to the events and thus no avail in obscuring. Beemer has called me out. Taking the moment to draw every ones attention to the events that had just transpired. I sit there in utter disbelief, but it was true none the less.

With that I concede and accept the name. But with one last statement. Apparently my pies are good enough to be controversial; so with that I'll end. (and that was the first time ever making one to boot)

Revelations in Resolutions

I find that I am very process driven. Whenever I pick up something I step back figure out the trick or repetition and then I go all at it to the goal. With that I find that in many things this is a blessing, as an example, with work there are many things that my peers and managers just don't understand how I make them happen. The converse of this is in the biggest example my walk with Christ.

I fully comprehend the grace of God's Love in that there is no check list for me to complete to make it to Heaven. But as one grows closer in their walk, it's a natural tendency to want to come even closer.

Being born into a Christian family, quiet times is something that I can always remember since around Middle school (kind of the point where you really start to understand religion beyond the flood and David and Goliath). As with that I've had many rides in this rollercoaster of faith, yet it's amazing how you can still find something new in that 'old turn'.

Two years ago I made a resolution to do the Bible in a year program. At first I was slightly skeptical at it as I had been through a number to times before, just never that organized. I was shocked at how it affected my life through that year to put it simply. Coming into 06 I was on somewhat of a high with my walk with Christ, and bringing that into grace and love, I felt I didn't really need to make the same resolution again. I knew that I didn't have to have some sort of checklist daily telling me to do this and that.

Well I was wrong, quiet times quickly ceased last year, and every effort to bring them back to times of value would work shortly and would then be extinguished. As the year winded down I began to figure out what had happened.

As this new year came into being, I made a repeat resolution of sorts. As of yet it truly has made a difference for me. There is something special about that time in the morning before the sun comes up that just fills each day with new meaning. Each morning my Personal Assistant wakes me up reminding me of the commitment and it happens. It's like it takes that nudge of 'you need to fulfill this commitment' for me to get started; and then it flows into the full feeling of grace and love and spending of quality time, not because I have to but because I really want to.

Now it may just seem ridiculous to you reading this, but to me its what works, and while it may only be 4 days in, I have no fear in it faulting. I think I have a thing about failing when I know I have full control over succeeding, I just won't give up easily.

As for it being a resolution, I guess maybe just timing alone made it become my New Year's Resolution as I see no need for a special occasion to make a positive change in my life. Any day is the right day to make life better for yourself.

I'm leaving on a jet plane

Many a times i amaze myself beyond belief itself. Today, was not one of these moments. After takeoff i go to zone out and pass the short evening flight with the new toy and some tunes. This is where trouble begins. Unbeknownst(yeah trust me its a word) to me i had left the ipod playing in my bag the day before, i found myself now in quite the pickle. Being in the front row the stewardess had taken my personal carry-on bag and stowed it in the front where i couldn't gain access. Thus leaving me with a dead ipod a book that just wasn't drawing my attention and my camera, thus i just played a bit with the clouds as i came back in to RDU.

To be honest it's just simply amazing to me. Such beauty. I like to fly.

I'll add some more posts for some current happenings and thoughts soon...

have a fantastic evening