Saturday, September 30, 2006

who could resist?



Friday on my mind


It's Friday. So much has happened this week.
Importantly: I forgave someone.
My company did not get the next big thing.
John announced formally that he is leaving.
I worked hard at work and even harder on my home.
Story #1.

Hugs. How important are they? Why do we cringe sometimes from hugs?
I am wondering about how much we pray. Do we ever pray enough?
I heard a story about a preacher man who was in a hotel with his son and it was this preacher man's practice to tip the maid; feeling that the maid was an underpaid & overworked human. This preacher man also had conducted an informal survey of tipping. Christian tipping and how restaurant workers of
America preferred not to work Sundays since the church going crowd after worshipping and learning to live like Christ would go out to eat and leave meager tips. So the preacher man and his son were leaving said hotel and the preacher man discovered he only had one 10 dollar bill. It was his practice to leave a tip mind you but not generally a 10 dollar tip and since this was the only cash he had he was reluctant to leave it. So being contemplative of what to do...the preacher man and his son prayed. Prayed as to what they should do....leave the 10 or go their merry way. Upon completion of the prayer the son said; "Dad, sometimes it's more important to take care of other people" and it was decided.
P R A Y E R works.

How will anyone ever know you are a Christian???
Is it important for others too know????

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

I thought like my brother and have decided

maybe taking the 5 minutes to write this all down gave me the perspective I needed. No dumpster.

Peace of mind is coming to me.

logic, where art thou?

I am praying and I am lost...I have dug a deep hole in my home restoration projects. I have had countless assistance from my brothers and sisters in Christ and yet I am lost. I am usually VERY good at making decisions, but this time, I am confused...to get a dumpster or not. How do I proceed? Peace of mind comes to mind. What is good is how I should proceed. FULL STEAM AHEAD....the roof is semi done, @ 1:39AM (Monday morn) the porch roof caved in, I have literally a ton of trash that the trashmen drove by after sizing it up and yet...I need to cast my worries aside. WHY do I ponder the simple things? Why am I moping around when there is work to be done? I have already placed a call to the drywall guy. I continue to pray, for mine is not of dire need. The day began many hours ago and yet I walk around aimlessly trying to get perspective.
Chaos. I long for work where I know proceedings, where I know good from bad.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

PLEASE CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR A CLOSE-UP OF HOW BAD MY ROOF WAS/IS

obligations

TODAY I have no SERIOUS obligations. I have been asked to attend Elizabeth's b-day party ( i think she is 3) and my daughter and I may look at some vehicles. This is the 1st time in a long time I have no obligations to others; to be or do something for someone and frankly, it is super sweet.

I am going to plant a few plants in the garden!
Completed in the afternoon
I am going to remove the window unit air conditioners!
1. 11:47 AM EST Completed; four window unit air conditioners removed to storage in basment. We own the largest colossal window unit ever built...it took Taylor and I to remove it.

I am going to measure around my bedroom windows and closet to purchase wood to put up around their perimeter!
I measured and went to the exotic wood store...pine is not my even in my thought process. It has been determined that I need much better measurments and a serious thinking cap as I ponder mathmatically my wood needs.
I am going to listen to loud music!
2. In progress ELO
I am going to party like it's 1999!!

TOMORROW,
is church and after that.....put-up-a-new-roof-day
I started ripping the 5+ layers of shingles and left the bottom layer of original cedar shakes intact till tomorrow.I grunted and I groaned, there is a pile of old shingles on the front yard that will be additional work. It was tough, tougher than I anticipated and I may actually have to take off from work on Monday to complete this job. The roof is bad, real bad.
I am going to insulate and sheath it then shingle it. It is only 200+/- sf. This is serious man work. I already called out at church ( I was usher) something I never do....but a roof is a roof and my family needs one even if it is only over the computer room. So I sit here; filthy from the roof...scarfing up blue organic tortilla chips and Green Mountain Gringo Salsa (Hot) and life is good. I certainly could have afforded to have someone do this....something I have not been always able to say or do (afford it) but, I don't know....there is something about this type of labor, labor I am capable of that it is reminiscient of the time I chopped down a 40' maple tree in my backyard with four garages within 25' and one garage abutting the tree...that one I could not afford to have someone do (I kept calling them and hoping the tree surgeons would lower their prices) and today the tree is gone and when the tree went down....the main trunk that is;
I stood on it.
Soon, God willing, I will stand on a new roof.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

granite park bench

i sat on the bench and looked down and there was this image. i could barely see it. most people don't see it. God is not hard to see. open your eyes to Him. look for Him. seek Him out...do this and you will have joy, peace and serenity.

GET REAL!


Taken at the Borders store in Center City Philly.

My emotion;

Anger & Laughter

The line won't be long...guaranteed.

Consumer Report


I love books and CD's.
I have been an Amazon.com user since it's inception when they used to send you a free gift just for taking a chance and ordering from them.
For a few years I drifted away....stopped reading as much and enjoyed the Barnes/Borders experiences which as an aside, I believe that Borders has a much better music selection then Barnes and Tower have ever had. So lately I have been buying books and music again and having the luxury of the internet able to price shop.

Let me tell you....I have the 25.00 annual B & N card and Amazon SMOKES B & N prices every single time.

Just ordered:
1 Citizen Cope Every Waking Moment
2 Kira Salak The Cruelest Journey
Amazon.com 28.00
Barnesandnoble.com 35.00
Borders.com 37.00

I went with amazon.com

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

motivation


so, what motivates you?
i am told time and time again that it's money
i don't believe it

Monday, September 18, 2006

my backyard


they are two different spiders

they live in my backyard

they are not friendly with me

they make their webs new everyday

the one spider has lived in the same spot for five years
unless, of course, this is a child of the original

i like them both



Friday, September 15, 2006

the ride home

this is what my ride home looked like the other day from the big city. the window of the train was smitten with the grime of the city. the city was cast with the shadows of the clouds and yet the thoughts of the gazer were of pleasant things.
Homeless people I know:
Yolanda- usually outside of the Rite Aid with a sign. Very nice. Sometimes is reading a bible.
Carl- Plays guitar for the transit folk for which I am greatful. He plays some great blues; Neil Young and Dylan. I am fairly sure he is an addict.
Rob- Rob is truly, truly homeless. We once bought a coat rack from him for 10 bucks. He is the most present of the three.
Willie- Willie pretends to be homeless but is really a serious alcoholic. I once ran into him in the bank making a deposit I don't give him contributions anymore.
One eyed-Jack- I think his real name is John. He's very cool.
They all live in the city viewed from the window. I sit and type at my desk in my house, they are uncomfortable with themselves...how do I tell them about Jesus?

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Concert Tickets


So I have always wanted to see Paul Simon....I think he is an amazing songwriter. Me & Julio, Kodachrome, 50 Ways, Homeward Bound and the list literally goes on and on. I am picky about who/where/when I see artists perform. I like intimate settings for most performances. Paul has a new album out...I haven't heard it but I have read the reviews...top shelf like most of his stuff...I knew he would tour....ugh...over the summer, the Borgota (Atlantic City casino). Very $$$$ and the last place I want to see any artist. Then I see the announcement this AM....The Tower Theatre....the date he's performing is clear. I have a race to do ALL day during the sale.....I need a friend and fast.

the moon...

the moon is always changing. it changes it shape and it's color, yellow, orange, grey, clouded, blue, red, covered in haze, white in the daylight and brite in the nite. it's never the same and it's beauty will astound you, it was made to govern the nite as the lesser light.

STOP, gaze, soak it in....listen: For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Question of the week

The famous QOTW....the question of the day has long disappeared.

This week's question:

Who will win the Superbowl?

My bet's on the Bengals.

My hometeam has a stronger chance then you think....GOOOOOOO EAGLES!

MONDAY!

Ok...scream it, MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah...that's better. Its a full week ahead of us campers, a full week of work and play. I am ready are you? Are you ready to change the entire world or are you ready for boredom. Fight with your teeth gritted and the whites of your eyes blazing. Live like you were meant to live. Get your mojo on. Turn it on full vloume and go and scream life to the masses. Most of all....be yourself you were made like Him.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

contracts and embedded chips


so my freshman (HS) son had HW (that's what we call homework; we are a lazy family). The homework was for ME to sign his contract....needless to say we went over the importance of a contract and I got the normal....I know, I know from the high schooler. Three teachers had him sign contracts....most of them mentioned attitude and behavior and language....really they were talking about respect. We need to respect ourselves before we can respect others. Work it.

So my friend (she really hangs with my wife) Donna has some kind of minature exotic dog...actually wait here I have pics of this beast on my hard drive...k...you still here? Good. Well she had a chip embedded in his back....it isn't GPS mind you but it can be used to identify him. His name is Brutus.

Chip embedding....I want one.

free?




freedom

Define it.


Freedom is not knowing the meaning of the word, "freedom".

your turn.

WYOMING

Wyoming one of the 50, states that is. To me it is magical, beautiful and a land of enchantment. I was only there once, yet maybe not. In my mind I have been there more often then not. It is not the home of much...maybe that's why I like it so.
Here it is 1:30AM and my mind is racing, to and fro, back and forth. When I visited Wyoming, that one time...it was an adventure. A grand adventure...that's what I love. Thrill. Perchance. Majesty.
Creating those "adjetives" everyday and making them into nouns....is that what I do?
Racing...at times I want to finish. For as long as the race is...I am never finished.
Sometimes my posts....here in the blog world should not be posted.....is this one of those?
(I have an archive full of unpubished posts)
PURPOSE screams at me. I will hit "Publish" but for no reason but to satisfy my mind.

Enthusiasm....for no reason, fight to fight.
listen and you will hear the wolves....

NORMAL?
No, just enlightened.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

MID-LIFE

HA! If only I knew this was 1/2 way through my life @ 43 years old. So I am watching a video of my rock-star debut @ camp last August when I rocked out doin' some praise and worship with three other guitar players...and I watch the video and...wait...no...yes...there it is....my head bent down as I look to see what I am playing on my guitar and I saw it....my bald spot. My youngest son is always readily pointing it out...this was my first glimpse of it....it DOES EXIST! HOLY COW!

I have been thinking a LOT lately....what am I doing...where am I going....what else do I want to do?? What if I truly had only a year left to live....would I work? Would I play??? Would I travel??? It is hard to fathom that question cause we all know...when it is our TIME....IT'S OUR TIME and when the BIG MAN calls us home...well we have better accomplished what we have wanted to accomplish....I have been thinking a lot about MOTIVATION lately. What is it that motivates me....recognition...a pat on the back seems to come to mind. Self-motivated...that is what I want, to be 100% self-motivated to succeed w/o wanting the pat on the back.

BRB have to go tuck the young one in ...he has his first day of High School tomorrow.
Stay put...

I'm back!!

Prayer, fellowship, teaching & the breaking of bread...these four things are what is important to me....I long to see and acknowledge the sunset daily. I want to see His handiwork in all things. I want to stop being cynical, I want to stop getting angry. I want to live a life for Him who gives life. Pray for me...and I for you.
Next time you see me...take a look @ my baldspot...it's pretty cool.