Agent of Influence

Watching From The Earth To The Moon and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have wanted to go to the moon in 1960s era technology

Crazy Portuguese

Man, I don't know about you but this sandwich looks worth a try! Guess

its getting close to dinner time and I have an empty stomach or

something... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesinha (Sorry but

you'll have to copy/paste cause I can't link at the moment)...

Hawaii

Well, I'm thinking its official. I can no longer consider living in

Hawaii...Found out that McDonalds doesn't do value meals there...AND a

dozen eggs is like 5$ The eggs thing isn't quite as big a deal for me

as it might be for others since I don't do a lot of baking and I'm not

a huge fan of traditional breakfast foods...

Good day in total

Part Two of the day was pretty good. It was actually quite a bit better than I expected, which is always a pleasant surprise, right? Ran a couple of errands which was a nice productive way to get the afternoon started. Went and got a haircut. I know its not a big deal really but I was in and out within twenty minutes. Guess the post-church rush (if there is one for the haircutting business) hadn't quite started to pick up when I dropped in. If I had to guess I'd say people were still doing the lunch thing. Anyways, that was basically the kickoff. I felt a little bad cause I kinda semi-committed to lunch with some friends before I realized that I had things to do and I think that might have aggravated my girlfriend a little bit but she didn't say anything so I'm just going to go on the assumption that its all good. Good grief, I spent six hours at the house and made some serious progress. My dad and I teamed up on the light fixtures and we got about half of 'em done. The other half basically defeated us cause they were new-style light fixtures. Usually, that seems like a good thing but not this time. For whatever reason the fasteners on them didn't line up right. Guess I'm going to have to get a handyman to install them or something cause they definitely got the better of us. Does anyone else out there have medicine cabinets in their house? They put one in mine and man, it was fun looking down the hole in the wall when I finished pulling that sucker out! Now all I have to do is figure out a way to patch it. I'm thinking about just getting a sheet of drywall and cutting it to fit but feel free to let me know if there's a better way to do it. Well, now that I think about it as of tomorrow I'll have five days to finish getting it ready for move day next Saturday. I sent out a facebook invite last night and so far I've only gotten two replies. Of course both of them were in the negative. Its all good though, I won't start getting nervous until Tuesday or Wednesday cause most of the people I asked are kinda like me, slow on the reply. I'm sure it'll work out okay and if push comes to shove I guess I can modify and adjust and just reschedule it for a later date. 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ~ Hebrews 12:1-8  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:54-58

Interesting day so far

Church was very interesting today. The first thing that caught my attention was the banjo playing with whatever song they were doing as we walked in. Don't get me wrong, I really do love me some bluegrass but I'm not too keen on it first thing in the morning at church. The rest of the service was pretty good too. Maybe I reverted back to my traditional Southern Baptist upbringing but the actual service kinda threw me for a bit of a loop. There wasn't a sermon but it definitely was much more effective at getting you thinking and thanking. The ushers passed out these paper leaves and you wrote down the things you're thankful for and then you went down and twist-tied them to the branches. Once everyone had gotten their leaves tied on they took the 'limbs' up on stage and made this big tree out of the components. I guess I didn't get into the mood of the service cause it was definitely more of a distraction than an aid to worship or whatever. I was sitting there watching them getting the thing assembled and I couldn't help thinking how much it would've sucked if one of the people putting it together weren't paying attention and stuck the end of one of those metal branches into the light fixtures. Oh, and then one of the people I was sitting with had to pipe up at that exact moment and comment on how they were hoping the heat coming off the lights didn't catch the leaves on fire. Let's just call it a double whammy of distraction there. And I can't forget to mention the interpretive dance and how that totally brought to mind that scene in The Big Lebowski where Lebowski's landlord has the interpretive dance show. But in all fairness, the dancers at church had infinitely better choreography and were better all around dancers than that guy was

snapshot

Wherever there is sin, someone must die. We can pay the penalty for our own sin, which is our own eternal, spiritual death, or the death which Christ suffered can be placed on our account. His death can count for ours, and we do not have to die spiritually. Faith is the vehicle by which this transaction takes place. Whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but will have eternal life. (Good reminder I came across in this daily devotional I get) 

I don't know about you all but I go through these seasons of time...some bring contentment and happiness and others don't, to put it mildly. It seems like during the (much) less pleasant seasons of life I have to go through them simply and solely as a result of my own pigheadedness. I know I'm not the only one who needs the occasional reminder. 

In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.  I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul,Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. 24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!  ~ Psalm 31:1-5,7,23-24

I think its time for me to reset my routine. If you were looking in things wouldn't seem that insane, not by any stretch of the imagination really, but all the stuff that's been going on have started to get to me. I am so ready to get into my new place and get into the swing of living in my own place that its actually hard for me to put into words. I guess the best way to describe it is as a vague sense of being in the middle...transitional, that's as good a word as any at 1:30 in the morning. I think I could really use some strength and positive encouragement too. Once again, just this vague sense that there's transition in the air and I'm not at all sure that's a good thing. Lack of clarity rearing its ugly head. And that's never a good thing :-| On a much more positive note my bro/SIL and girlfriend all saw my new granite countertops today and it was unanimous thumbs-up all the way around. That made me feel really good! :-) Actually, my sister-in-law's reaction was pretty freakin hilarious. I offered to give her the phone number of the guy I got it from and she almost took me up on it...until my brother piped up and basically said he didn't think so (in pretty colorful language) ...Guess you had to be there to get the full effect, but trust me, it was pretty darn funny

WOW...99.798% sure I will NEVER

WOW...99.798% sure I will NEVER eat this!



SPAM VEGETABLE STRUDEL



Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

WOW...99.798% sure I will NEVER eat this!

SPAM VEGETABLE STRUDEL



 



Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

Just Another Day

Well, its finally the Wednesday before Thanksgiving...having the next couple of days off is going to be fun...

Gosh, why is it I feel like I just need to tune out the noise that's running through my brain right now...I can't help thinking sleep would be a magnificent thing at the moment even though I'm afraid to turn out the lights.