Fun Family Weekend!

So I have been living in Houston since May. I have a house in Pendleton, but haven't been there in a few weeks. I did get a chance to spend to spend this past weekend having an awesome time with my family. I would say it was the most fun we have had as a family, well since I can remember!

My sister flew in from Amsterdam with her boyfriend to spend a few weeks. The reason our whole family came together was for..da da da dah dum, my brother Greg's wedding. Let me tell you, he could not have had a better day and wedding. Everything went super well and everyone was so happy. The wedding itself was short and sweet and the reception was SO fun. Everyone danced and had a great time, even my dad danced for the first time in his life!

Is your world spinning too?

The excitement never ends in this life I've been living lately. It seems that on a daily basis, something crazy happens. It keeps the days always interesting, that's for sure. Well today was no different. I was running around all morning trying to finish up work that had to be done because I had to fly out for my brother's wedding this weekend. I had my day planned out perfectly and had one more task to do before I hit the airport routine. On my way there, out of nowhere I get slammed in the side by a nice young lady pulling out of a parking spot. This complicated my plans a little but gave me the perfect opportunity to exchange insurance information, ha! It was her fault so that made me feel better, probably not her. The cops don't even come to investigate these accidents, you just feel out a paper and drop it off, big city life! So I did make it in to Charlotte and was heading home and the nice Moody family allowed me to stay at their home for the night :) They are such a great couple and God is able to demonstrate is mercy and grace as people see Chris and Lod live their life :)

Off to sleep after a really long long day!

BUMS BUMS BUMS

So about a month ago, I was rapping about helping people in the parking lot of the hotel I stay in and have stayed in for the last 3 months. There are constantly people asking for help as businessmen like myself, leave their hotel. I love to help people, but am very cautious in giving money etc. I will buy food in a heart beat but rarely give money. This man about a month ago told me that he was broken down and in need of some food to hold his family over until they could get their car fixed, which should be soon. He knew all sorts of technology and was dressed just like me. I questioned and questioned him and finally agreed to buy him some food.

I told him to hop in my car (keep in my mind I always carry a 9mm on me) and as soon as he did. I smelled a stale alcohol smell. I asked him, "Have you been drinking?" and he goes on to tell me that he is a Christian and does not drink alcohol. I kept telling him that I was pretty sure that I smelled it and I told him "I hope you are not lying to me, because I enjoy helping people but when someone lies to me, it pisses me off." (It was to that effect) :) He insisted he was telling the truth and at this point, I knew he was not. I still decided to help him and I wanted to drive him to the place he told me his car was because I knew I would not find his car there and I wanted to see his face when he knew, that I knew, he was busted. To make a long story short, he said that I couldn't drive in the parking garage where his car was ( a lie) so I dropped him off. He then went and thanked me and told me that Jesus would take care of me, BLAH BLAH BLAH.

Well how about this...I was walking out of my hotel yesterday and guess who approached me in the parking lot. Sure enough, I see this man walking towards me. Keep in mind that I do not drive the same SUV every week, you could find me in a Jeep Liberty, Chevy Trailblazer, Chevy Surburban, etc etc. THIS GUY DID NOT RECOGNIZE ME. As soon as I rolled down my window, he started telling me the same story and I just stopped him VERY QUICKLY. "I recognize you and I have just busted you trying to scam me!" I pretty much said in a voice that he might fear for his life :) I told him that I had helped him before and I did not appreciate him taking advantage of my generosity. I told him that I am a Christian and enjoy helping people but when they take advantage of that, they ruin others chances of getting help. I wouldn't let him get a word in and just railed on him for about 5 minutes. He kept trying to justify himself but I would not let him. He then went on to tell me that he was divorced and having to pay child support and I went on to tell him that it was too bad, because I am not going to help you! I was pretty frustrated with this man and really wanted to take my wallet and beat him in the head with it :) Yes, I realize that is not like Jesus. I didn't do it.

This guy preys on businessmen that only see him once, too bad I am here for a while, I can't wait until I see him again!

MAN I DO NOT LIKE DISHONESTY!

i'll have the usual

So I made it to Charlotte this morning after staying with my buddies Ed and Julie Edwards.  I used to have to wear ear-plugs at their house for different reasons, now they tell me to wear them because of the new baby.  She slept all night and I didn't hear a peep out of her. 

I also didn't make my flight, so I'm on a lil later one, I always wonder how these small hiccups in your time path of life affect you.  :)

From a Simmons Beauty Rest

As I am just now laying down in my bed after a long week of work, I feel like that night before your first day of school. You know the feeling right? It's this little tingling in your stomach and almost a sense of being a little bit alone. I cannot really describe with words, but maybe if you could see me, I might run around the room and spin a few times, you could then say I was crazy and a fruit loop which I don't really eat anymore, but they are good.

It seems that most of my life, things have just happened. I wanted to go to school in the Navy and do Nuclear Engineering and discovered I was color-blind. Plan out. I took a semester off in 1998 and sent college applications, Clemson responded, the other got lost in the mail. That was an easy decision. I wanted to go to seminary out of college, all of those doors closed and a door that should not have opened, opened, so I took it. These were all easy. It seems now I am facing decisions that I could not have planned for and I am a little overwhelmed. If you know me, you know that I rarely get overwhelmed and have always felt like I have a Christian world-view that has helped me put in perspective this quick life we have here. During this time of decision, I believe that is driving me back to God and seeking Him more than I have been, makes you wonder if God controls these things in our life :) I know He does. I want to be a good steward of this life He has given me and am learning that I just have to seek Him, seek wisdom, and make wise decisions.

I have learned also that this life is going faster than I ever thought and I am now grabbing it by the horns and planning a lot more for my life. It's crazy that I might be a husband and a father one day. Well, honestly it's a little bit scary too. That might mean I can't eat out everyday and hopefully will have a wife who can cook and encourage me to not go to Zaxby's.

With eternity in the backdrop, our lives are so quick. I am just so scared I am going to wake up one day, be 50, and wonder what I did with my life. Does anyone else have this kinda feeling? So I write all of this to say I am going to plan a little better for my effect (with God's grace) on eternity.

If I have ever come across to you as someone who has it together, I don't.

Ever Been Lied to?

I don't know what it is, but when someone lies to me or is dishonest in any way, it gets UNDER my skin big time.  It makes me feel so cheated and I often want to punch them in a Jesus kinda way.  Okay that didn't make sense, but you know what I'm rappin. 

The hotel I stay at is often visited by guys who prey on the businessmen coming out into the parking lot.  A common scheme is for a guy to walk up to you and say that he is out of money and his credit card has been declined because the hotel overcharged him.  A guy did this to me a few months ago and usually they dress very nicely to look much like another businessman.  He told me that he was having trouble getting back home after taking his sister to the cancer hospital.  I looked in the car and the woman in the car did look very sick so I filled his tank up with gas.  As he drove away, I knew I had been scammed and it really got me.  I can just hope that he repents of his sin and hope that he doesn't one day fall into the hands of a just and good God. 

The guy this morning said the hotel overcharged his card and I could have easily walked in and asked the hotel.  I have been at the same hotel for 3 months and might as well be running the front desk.  He also said he was in the oil field and my coworker with me had been in the oil field for a number of years and could have easily called him on his story.  I didn't do anything, just told him I didn't have any money.  My coworker gave him $5.  As he drove away, he had brand new tags on his car.  GRRRRRRRRRR.

I just wrote this blog at 8:25PM EST sitting in the middle of traffic while downloading data from a meter on a pole.  This is a funny life right now.  And as I was writing that, a woman named Michelle, a refugee from New Orleans has just told me about her life and why God allowed her to go through the things He has.  I told her that one day, if God does bring her out of the situation she is in, she might look back on that valley and realize she learned to pray, read, and get rid of sin.  Okay, I'm loading up my equipment and hitting the road.  Thank you Verizon Wireless card for allowing me to write this blog.  Thank you God for blessing people with brains to create wireless cards.

White Trash Stache Bash

To see all of the pictures from the "White Trash Stache Bash" click here.
There were a few scandalous people and outfits at the party, but all and all, it was way fun.
Jason's stache was quite nasty and mine was Tim Mcgrawish. :) Lee looks like a redneck panama Jack.

Bad Attitude

I woke up at 3:45AM this morning to drive to Charlotte to fly out, well for none other, Houston, TX.  The day started off with a nice ticket that requires my court appearance.  I got on the interstate and as soon as I did, bam, small town trooper gets me.  Anyone know anyone around Laurinburg,NC? 

I get to Charlotte and of course the airline confiscates my rounds of ammo.  Telling me that they are not packed correctly.  I explained to the nice man at the counter that I travel every week for the last 3 months and travel with the same container every week and through about every airport with no problems.  I tried to be as nice as I could, but I really didn't like that.  So now, when I get to Houston, I have to go buy more.  It is so stupid the hoops we have to go through in this country to travel anywhere.  I wish we didn't have to deal with terrorism.  It would be a lot easier if they just made everyone walk naked through all the lines, this would eliminate all the searching.  Okay, maybe not, we would have lots of other problems!

I will take a nap on the plane and wake up a lil happier about flying. 

...

if ever simple song I wrote to you would take your breath away, I'd write it all.....  "Hey There Delilah"....Sandy doesn't like when I listen to it, but I sneak behind his back and listen.  He will be married soon, sniff, sniff. 

Sunday Night Packing Up

Yes this is a picture of Jason Grier from high school. Yes the is also a good picture of God's grace and seeing how far He has brought Jason in the "looks" dept. Praise Him.

Jason is having a party on Friday at 10:00PM in Columbia at 3505 Park Street if anyone is interested. This is no ordinary party. This party is a "White Trash Stache Bash" party and consists of everyone wearing their best redneck gear. Many of you from Dillon will come as your normal self, this is okay, and welcomed. Tavaras will come as our token brother from another mother, but he has been known to rock a camo hat and chew on straws.

Facebookers can find Jason's party here.

Back to Houston for the week :)

Life in a Rental Coche

So another week closes and it has just been long and busy as usual. The days all seem to be always crazy and it's never dull that's for sure. I've learned something about myself over the last few months that I never really knew even though the Bible is very clear about it. We need rest. We need to Sabbath. It's just been go go go for the last couple of months and I just really haven't thought about it. I haven't taken a real vacation since I started working and usually only take a day here and a day there. Americans needs vacations as a break. Christians need a break from their day to day to rest and reflect on life, repent, breathe, relax, eat, and just spend time with the Lord. I just haven't really done that in a long time. I have no real excuse. I heard my pastor at church say, "it's not that we don't want to read the Bible, it's that we don't plan to read the Bible." I just plan my day away on a daily basis because it so hectic. I went from a guy to never plans anything to a guy who has about every minute of the day with a note beside it. I live by email, cell phone, Avis, Continental, and Jason's Deli. Today it all just seem to add up and God just reminded me that I need to rest.

He has blessed me with this ability to just be easy go. I rarely worry about anything and never really have bad days. I just enjoy life and have a good time. This is a gift from the Lord and nothing that I can take credit for. So many things just didn't go right today, they just kept adding up. I had so many places and things to do, then my cell phone of 4 years finally breaks. This was a bit frustrating and God reminded me to start writing stuff down instead of a cell phone being my idol. Well, I pulled over on the interstate after getting into ATL airport and took it apart, put it back together, Praise God it worked for the rest of today. (this is apart of my daily life in my job.)

I've been looking forward to watching "The Bourne Ultimatum" all week. I live for the weekends and seeing my friends and hanging out. I rushed all the way to the movies only to find out it was sold out. I got pissed off. I NEVER, well RARELY get just pissed off. Maybe 1 time every 2 years. I got in the car and just went home. I just laughed when I was driving down the road in my Avis Ford Taurus, (I just sold my Wrangler) on the ride back from the airport. I pulled over on an exit, met a guy, he gave me money, I gave him keys. Well anyway, I just stopped in my brain and being pissed for a moment and acknowledged to the Lord that I knew I was pissed off and I laughed. I said out loud. "I'm pissed off." I have no idea why at this moment. It just seemed like all of the last few months just kinda summed up into one moment. So through all of that paragraph of raps with God on my ride back home, God reminded me that I need to rest and breathe for a little while.

Moday 3AM - drive to ATL
Arrive in Houston.
Work a week.
Friday - Fly Back
Weekend - rest.
Sunday - book ticket for
Monday - fly back to Houston.

I am just learning how to balance everything and get my priorities in line. I need some time in the Avis car this weekend as I go look for a "newer" ride somewhere! I also have some big decisions to make regarding my future and I would appreciate your prayers. I want to make the right moves in this life but ultimately I know God is Sovereign and knows. He has given me opportunities and I want to be a good steward of those.

I really enjoy writing and writing this blog made me feel better. I'm laying here in bed with my nice lil lap pad (that protects my future generations) and believing that heaven is going to be sweet, full of rest, and a table with good food, good friends, and the King of the Universe, forever. Forever.

Traffic

I don't really get mad in traffic and usually just find it funny what some people do.

This guy pulled in front of me really REALLY close this morning and right as he did, I notice a huge dent in the back of his fairly new car, I thought, "he has done this before."