Thursday, January 26, 2006

Stop burning bridges and drive off of them...

For the first time in a long time everything in my life seems to be clicking. Work is going really good. I feel very organized, and I feel that I'm planning ahead for events and everything seems to be falling into place. Over the last 6 weeks I've lost 15 lbs. and am exercising daily and feel great. I've been eating better, cut down on soda, and don't eat late anymore. My weight has always been something I've battled with, but up until now I've never really been committed to losing any of it. A new job possibility looms as I begin to apply to different schools for another RD position. This really excites me because I really don't know where I'll end up. I've started a Bible study with guys in the dorm, and it appears that there might be as many as 12 guys coming every week, which is double what I had coming last year.
Upon thinking about this today I realize that with my life as wonderful as it is I'd never even thought about giving thanks to God. He has blessed me with so much, and I never even gave it a thought. It's amazing how when things are going good we put God on the backburner and take credit for everything, but as soon as the trials of life hit we call out to Him or pass the blame upon Him. We should thank Him and praise him in good times and bad because He is worthy of that. I'm reminded of the apostle Paul who was so consistent in praising Him whether he was in jail, traveling, or visiting with people. Just something to think about...

Sunday, January 15, 2006

When I say "shotgun", you say "wedding"...

As I sat on my friend's porch tonight smoking a nice cigar, I watched as the clouds swayed across a moonlit sky. I saw many different clouds that formed many different shapes: faces, a truck, a bus, a flower, and so on and so on. Everytime I turned away from the sky and then looked back the clouds had moved and my shape was gone. As I stared out into the glossy gray night I realized that this is one of the "small things" in life I enjoy, and that for some time now I had not been paying attention. It seems that lately I've been missing the smaller things in life, or at least not appreciating them. It really is the small things that matter because they are particularly important to me, and I don't necessarily need anyone else to enjoy them, although sharing with others can be nice as well.

Shapes in the clouds, a starry sky, a cool breeze, a warm hug, a smile from a pretty stranger, a light rain, a sunset, crisp ocean water between my toes, the smell of the forest, a backscratch, a phone call, brownies, a postcard, a nice walk, laying in the grass, the sound of playing catch, a crackling fire, a good cigar, a comfy chair, people watching, a lost friendship renewed, comfortable silence...