(Due to Ananda Girl's prompting...)
Thanksgiving comes first! If only because of the food.
I'm a pessimist...and it probably shows...but I see Christmas ads before Thanksgiving as a mark of the degradation of our society. Specifically as concerned with greed. Corporate greed.
Ok, that's all done... Thanksgiving food is awesome! Why would anyone in their right mind want gloss over it or dilute it with thoughts of Christmas? If we took the presents out of Christmas, yet left the massive potluck style dinners of wonderful food, I would be perfectly content.
On the other hand, Christmas isn't quite Christmas anymore. Maybe that has something to do with my preference for Thanksgiving. I haven't been as successful as I would like in teaching my kids what Christmas is really about. I'm not going to go into the reasons why, but suffice it to say that it's difficult. All the commercialization and other influences seem to overpower any attempt I make at moving their focus.
Now that I think about it, I think it is easier at Thanksgiving to work with my kids and show them what thanksgiving really is. Christmas celebrates the birth of our Savior, but Thanksgiving gives us a prime opportunity to live like He wants us to.
But I sure like Christmas decorations. Now...if we did the same for Thanksgiving...would it be the perfect holiday?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Opportunity knocks....sometimes not very loudly
I wonder. It seems people and situations have been coming into my life lately that have a hint of professional and social networking to them. I haven't really been looking either.
The first was an invite to 'Wing Wednesdays' from a customer of ours, Tim. He's also the bro-in-law of my boss, but my boss doesn't go to the lunch. Tim is kind of the ring leader, but even if he's not there, at least 2 or 3 other guys show up. They all have something to do with construction, but there's an engineer/designer, a concrete contractor, an electrician, a HVAC guy, a lumber yard guy, Tim (the builder), and me (the truss guy.)
So we hang out, shoot the breeze, eat $0.50 wings and that's about it. One guy pays and it rotates. I like it. It's nice to look forward to and it seems like they still want me to come after attending for a couple months now.
Then there's the odd golf tournament that we (the company) sponsor. Being a building supplier, we're close to the start of the process, so we usually do the sponsoring and not get the invites as customers, but that's ok. It's good to meet new people, get to know your fellow industry people and have a good time. Free drink tickets aren't too bad either.
Our local salesman invited me to a tournament on Tuesday. It was cold. The weather report said 60 degrees, but it sure was a cold 60. Cloudy and rainy. And I played horribly. Couldn't hit a drive to save my life. The last few holes weren't too bad, but sheesh it was frustrating. Anyway...
I also started attending a new study at our church. It's not really a Bible study; we're studying ancient and not-so-ancient biblical philosophers. We're starting with Saint Augustine, Martin Luther, and John Calvin. I've never really done anything like this and I just hope I'm up to the task.
But it's certainly another opportunity. There are a lot of smart guys in there and not all part of the same industry. Rather than professional networking, it's social. I haven't done too much of that lately. And I'm also hopeful that I can find a mentor there. I've been thinking quite a lot (and not praying enough) about finding a mentor. Our pastor did a series of sermons on the books of Kings and one of the things that jumped out at me is that the most successful kings had godly mentors to help them. When they ignored those mentors, they got hit pretty hard. Not that I aspire to be a king, but I desire very much to become a better father.
I'm not really looking for opportunities like this, but I'm glad they come. I just hope I'm aware enough to take advantage of them.
But through it all I wonder at our God. I wonder at the way He works. It just confirms to me that there is a heavenly Creator. One that loves us as a father would love his children. One that guides, teaches, and prods as necessary.
The first was an invite to 'Wing Wednesdays' from a customer of ours, Tim. He's also the bro-in-law of my boss, but my boss doesn't go to the lunch. Tim is kind of the ring leader, but even if he's not there, at least 2 or 3 other guys show up. They all have something to do with construction, but there's an engineer/designer, a concrete contractor, an electrician, a HVAC guy, a lumber yard guy, Tim (the builder), and me (the truss guy.)
So we hang out, shoot the breeze, eat $0.50 wings and that's about it. One guy pays and it rotates. I like it. It's nice to look forward to and it seems like they still want me to come after attending for a couple months now.
Then there's the odd golf tournament that we (the company) sponsor. Being a building supplier, we're close to the start of the process, so we usually do the sponsoring and not get the invites as customers, but that's ok. It's good to meet new people, get to know your fellow industry people and have a good time. Free drink tickets aren't too bad either.
Our local salesman invited me to a tournament on Tuesday. It was cold. The weather report said 60 degrees, but it sure was a cold 60. Cloudy and rainy. And I played horribly. Couldn't hit a drive to save my life. The last few holes weren't too bad, but sheesh it was frustrating. Anyway...
I also started attending a new study at our church. It's not really a Bible study; we're studying ancient and not-so-ancient biblical philosophers. We're starting with Saint Augustine, Martin Luther, and John Calvin. I've never really done anything like this and I just hope I'm up to the task.
But it's certainly another opportunity. There are a lot of smart guys in there and not all part of the same industry. Rather than professional networking, it's social. I haven't done too much of that lately. And I'm also hopeful that I can find a mentor there. I've been thinking quite a lot (and not praying enough) about finding a mentor. Our pastor did a series of sermons on the books of Kings and one of the things that jumped out at me is that the most successful kings had godly mentors to help them. When they ignored those mentors, they got hit pretty hard. Not that I aspire to be a king, but I desire very much to become a better father.
I'm not really looking for opportunities like this, but I'm glad they come. I just hope I'm aware enough to take advantage of them.
But through it all I wonder at our God. I wonder at the way He works. It just confirms to me that there is a heavenly Creator. One that loves us as a father would love his children. One that guides, teaches, and prods as necessary.
Monday, September 7, 2009
What to do...what to do...
My littlest turned 3 yesterday. She'll always be petite. Still wears some 18-24 month sized clothes. When they talk about percentiles, she doesn't even register on the scale.
But she is so sweet. A hug from her will cure the crappiest day. Almost is as sweet is how, when I lay down with her to get her to sleep sometimes, she'll reach out to hold my hand. It's enough to break my heart.
And it's beyond enough to make me feel like crap when I'm trying to decide what to do with my marriage. I don't know that God is still asking me to stick it out. We tried talking again the other night and it was the same old stuff. Some times it seems like she doesn't really want to save the marriage and is purposefully saying things to push me away. Other times I think that she trying to say something that is meaningful and along the lines of reconciliation, but the actual words she uses aren't that. And that's all besides the fact that she's still contacting at least one of the guys she slept with....*sigh*
I'm pretty much decided to separate from her. Besides the money issue, I don't know what to do about my girls. The only reason I wouldn't fight for sole custody is because of the crap that they would go through. I know of at least one case in my family that the dad rightly fought for custody, but basically because he was the only one with a full time job, and had a higher income potential, did he not get it. He has a lot of kids too. The judge thought it unreasonable for him to take care of 6 kids and have a full time job. Which makes sense, but sucks for the kids too as some of them don't really like their mom. My situation isn't that bad. My girls love their mom too, but at this point I doubt whether or not she can show them what a Godly marriage can be. I still believe that we could have that together, if we both seek Him, but I don't think she is.
I'm not really even considering legal divorce, just a separation. It's hard not to think what about what it might progress to though.
And I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose my job.
Fun times.
At least the weather is absolutely gorgeous. I took the rare opportunity to go golfing today with a co-worker and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Played a new course and didn't do too bad. Not as well as I would have liked, but you can't ask too much when you're making blind shots. I figured out what I've been doing wrong on my drives and actually corrected it. And I was able to give my co-worker a tip that helped his putting. Good stuff.
But she is so sweet. A hug from her will cure the crappiest day. Almost is as sweet is how, when I lay down with her to get her to sleep sometimes, she'll reach out to hold my hand. It's enough to break my heart.
And it's beyond enough to make me feel like crap when I'm trying to decide what to do with my marriage. I don't know that God is still asking me to stick it out. We tried talking again the other night and it was the same old stuff. Some times it seems like she doesn't really want to save the marriage and is purposefully saying things to push me away. Other times I think that she trying to say something that is meaningful and along the lines of reconciliation, but the actual words she uses aren't that. And that's all besides the fact that she's still contacting at least one of the guys she slept with....*sigh*
I'm pretty much decided to separate from her. Besides the money issue, I don't know what to do about my girls. The only reason I wouldn't fight for sole custody is because of the crap that they would go through. I know of at least one case in my family that the dad rightly fought for custody, but basically because he was the only one with a full time job, and had a higher income potential, did he not get it. He has a lot of kids too. The judge thought it unreasonable for him to take care of 6 kids and have a full time job. Which makes sense, but sucks for the kids too as some of them don't really like their mom. My situation isn't that bad. My girls love their mom too, but at this point I doubt whether or not she can show them what a Godly marriage can be. I still believe that we could have that together, if we both seek Him, but I don't think she is.
I'm not really even considering legal divorce, just a separation. It's hard not to think what about what it might progress to though.
And I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose my job.
Fun times.
At least the weather is absolutely gorgeous. I took the rare opportunity to go golfing today with a co-worker and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Played a new course and didn't do too bad. Not as well as I would have liked, but you can't ask too much when you're making blind shots. I figured out what I've been doing wrong on my drives and actually corrected it. And I was able to give my co-worker a tip that helped his putting. Good stuff.
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