I don't do New Year's Resolutions

2006 is almost here, and I'm sure most folks are thinking about the resolution they want to make for the new year...I hate that part...so trite...you know your gonna break it anyway...why not just make the resolution when it needs to be made, and stick to it?

one of my friends was sharing about scars http://brownsquirrel.blogspot.com/2005/12/scars.html and it made me wonder what I've come thru to get to this point in my life. I think I've had my share of bumps and bruises for sure...I don't think a day goes by when I wish I'd have finished college and gotten some kind of degree...but that probably wouldn't have guaranteed me any kind of job stability...

It's been said you can't teach character....and I mostly believe that. Character is taught, but not like manners or etiquette. Character is a life lesson, and a tough one at that...I realize that to have something meaningful written on my tombstone, I have to live my life with meaning now.

the first day back to work sucks...

especially after a long weekend. Christmas was great, as I thought it would be just because I'd get to see my family, and Holly's too. Got the drill I asked for, a 12V Makita cordless. Got a couple new pair of jeans. got to spend some quality time with Holly, not just two days.

What did you get?

¿so this is Christmas?

one of the things I like about my job is the non-retail part of it...I don't have to deal face to face with the people who bought the product I'm shipping out. I was thinking about this last night and just pondering that I really haven't gotten into "Christmas" yet, or at least as the world does. Christmas for me is so much more about my family than the gifts I give. It's about time shared with the ones I love. Don't get me wrong: I love giving gifts. I just prefer to give all year long, not just one day.

I think it was a couple of years ago that I really latched onto Christmas and my faith. We celebrate Christ's birth every December 25th...but shouldn't we celebrate it every day? Maybe some of you have beaten me to the realization, as I'm sure I'm not the first person to think of that...it's kind of funny in a way...Christmas and Easter...the time to attend church for the "casual" church goer...and yet so interconnected...without birth you cannot have death....and without Christ's death we cannot have everlasting life, or even life to it's fullest here on Earth.

Dear friends, I hope that you have a most excellent Christmas this year, wherever you are and whoever you are with.

it's been some time since I've put up a post with any real substance to it, so here goes.

I'm finally looking forward to Christmas. Over the last few years, it's taken me longer and longer to get to where I enjoy Christmas...partly because of work and stress, but mostly because I'm tired of what Christmas has become....espcially this year with the big debate of Christmas vs. Holiday...I've found myself saying Merry Christmas to anyone, but especially those who say Happy Holidays :P

work is going well. I'm getting a raise that takes effect after the new year, and I'm not that far off of a promotion in position, based on the time I've worked and the skills I've attained.

I've got to put brakes on my truck. Bob is gracious enough to lend me his driveway and tools to do the work. I'm hoping I don't have to put rotors on, just pads, but the sound when I press my brake pedal tells me I may have waited a bit too long...I'm pretty sure I can do all the work for under $100 in parts.

I finally got the new hard drive for my laptop...I was waiting for it to ship from the guy I purchased it from in Florida...It's in my laptop now and it's SO MUCH faster than it was...definately desktop replacement material.

Holly and I looked at rings last weekend....I was caught a bit off guard by price, but it'll all work out in the end :)

I think that's about it...

Chad

What would Jesus Drive?

What would Jesus Drive?

worth a laugh

random thoughts

there's nothing quite like cutting doughnuts in the fresh snow of a parking lot

people driving in the snow are morons...espcially in big cities

four wheel drive is good, but it doesn't help you stop

no I didn't hit anyone

fresh snow is beautiful

money sucks

Christmas is coming soon, and I still don't like Christmas music

I really want new tires for my truck, but can't really justify buying them until I need them

I miss my friends and it's mostly my schedule that does it to me

I was praised at work for my git 'r' done attitude

beginning...again

Romans 1:13-15 (NLT)
I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see good results, just as I have done among other Gentiles. [14] For I have a great sense of obligation to people in our culture and to people in other cultures, to the educated and uneducated alike. [15] So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach God's Good News. (emphasis mine)

I decided I need to actually read my Bible...I keep finding silly excuses for not reading at least a little bit everyday. I keep a small Bible in my attack sack (my backpack), I have a Bible program on my computers for crying out loud. I can't use the excuse that I don't have time, because I do, I just choose to squander it on other things that are decidedly less important than my spiritual well-being.

Sunday night I had the privilege to worship with a band called Casting Crowns. They're a newer Christian band from the Atlanta GA area. The main focus of their music isn't the happy, "never have a bad day", CCM sugar coated stuff that all too often is played on radio (The Fish)...instead, they focus on kicking the church in the butt, in love of course. I felt my heart break as I thought about my church, and how we as a body are so quick to let each other settle on shallow things, rather than bleed together and wrap each other's wounds...and I know that Ridgewood isn't the only church like that, hence a generation of 20- and 30-somethings looking for love in all the wrong places, and not to God to supply the stuff of their hopes and dreams. My thought is: what am I doing to help point these people to God? Simply going to church doesn't do it...the guys I work with all know I go to church...am I living a life that show's Christ's love to them, so that I can be read by them as though I was the book? That's why I absolutely have to be in God's Word daily...

bleah

I hate being sick...I've managed to almost shake my head cold that's had me down for the last 2 days...my usual formula of lots of orange juice and rest is working, just taking a little longer than I would have liked. I probably could have gone into work, but didn't want to chance being to weak and having it all start over again...

so far I've managed to watch The Matrix, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and I'm working on Unbreakable right now.

it might be time for some more chicken noodle soup...