Random Thoughts & Personal Matters...

• Yesterday was a good day; both personally & vocationally.
  
  
• Personally: (1) Renae and I received some exceptional news. (2) We received some more good news. (3) We are ecstatic about #1, and as hopeful about #2 as we have ever been.
  
  
• We are counting our blessings.
  
  
• I’m going to write in my prayer journal tonight.
  
  
• Vocationally: A lot was accomplished in the offices yesterday. We are planning, strategizing, working on systems, and preparing for the future. In fact, we have been very productive the last few months.
  
  
• Some good things are about to happen at PCC.
  
  
• Did you read my blog yesterday (A Leader is Sure of His or Her Calling)? It was the truth if I have ever told it. Not everyone will get it, but some of you will. It takes resolve to hang in there – especially if you are in the ministry – because there is so much always working against you. There have been times when the only thing that has kept me going was the assurance of my calling. Read between the lines and insert your own experiences.
  
  
• I heard on the news last night that an 18 year old girl was involved in an automobile accident that occurred while she was texting while driving. She is in serious condition at Sacred Heart Hospital. That is why you should never text while driving.
  
  
• It’s also the reason I never jog along the edge of the highway or a busy road. I always use side roads for my running route.
  
  
• Not everyone who calls himself a pastor…. is.
  
  
• The office environment at PCC is a lot of fun. About half the week it is very quiet while everyone is hunkered down in their office. The other half of the week it is loud and boisterous. Sometimes it feels like a professional environment, and other times it feels like a frat house – yea, a fraternity. I am usually the instigator of trouble or distractions. When I finish with my office work, I will stroll through the hallway and enter everyone else’s office asking them “what are you working on?” - And they better not say “Solitaire” or “Facebook.”
  
  
• Sometimes in staff meetings we argue. Tensions get high. But at the end of the day everyone still loves (and likes) each other, which is a stronger bond than the “business” we are discussing. This is why we get along so well and is also why we can get stuff done.
  
  
• It means something to belong to a team that has camaraderie. We laugh together and work together. But what is most meaningful is this - we share one another’s burdens. Working so close to each other means that it is very difficult for us to keep secrets or hide things. For instance, when something is going on in our lives (personal hardships, family matters, etc), we can’t hide it and often share the experience together. You can only do this with people you absolutely trust.
  
  
• On so many levels, that’s what it means to belong to the family of God.
  
  
• I enjoy long drives through Blackwater State Forest. It is a simple pleasure and it’s one of the things I enjoy doing the most. There are hundreds of miles I can drive through the pines without seeing a man-made structure or building. Its effect upon me is the same I experience when I go to the mountains; it’s very relaxing & helps me de-stress. Yet, this local jewel is right here in SR County and I don’t have to drive thirteen hours to get there!
  
  
• I am still exercising and watching what I eat. At the beginning of January I ramped up my exercise routine by adding weight training and bike riding to my habit of running, as well as increasing the intensity of each workout. Plus, I have cut back on calories and started eating super foods.
  
  
• I’m still not eating sugar. Although some sugar still sneaks its way into my diet by hidden sources, I do not eat cookies, cake, candy bars, ice-cream, etc. I’m also avoiding white flour products. I eat brown bread.
  
  
• I love to cook. I love my kitchen knives too; they are professional quality and make a big difference. I cut up a lot of fresh produce each week, which makes up about 70% of my diet.
  
  
• I am sick of Wal Mart. It’s too crowded and looks dirty all the time. I stopped shopping there a few months ago, and now do most of my grocery shopping at Publix. It’s a little more expensive, but worth it to me. The fresh produce is always better. Plus, I can find unique food items like Pesto, Tapenade, and five-grain Italian wheat bread, among other things.
  
  
• I clean my truck every couple of weeks and usually give it a deep cleaning. For me it feels better to be driving around in clean vehicle.
  
  
• I love getting up before daylight each day and smelling coffee as it brews. I am definitely a morning person.
  
  
• You’ll go farther in life if you trust people rather than distrusting them. It's worth the occasional hurt.
  
  
• Money is the root of…. why people appear on reality TV and make fools of themselves.
  
  
• Life has been hard for me and Renae. But life has also been very good to us. The rewards outweigh the hardships. Our lives are full.
  
  
• Some very good things are about to come our way.