Thursday, December 29, 2011

Another Year - 2011

I am trusting and praying that all my family and friends out there that read this blog (yes, all six of you) are having a wonderful end to the year 2011. My prayer is that God will continue to bless you and show you his grace and mercy.


I look back on this year with much thankfulness as God has blessed me with my travels this year that I was able to visit with so many of my friends and family. Now as this year is ending, I pray that all of you will experience the same blessings in 2012.


And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” God's present to us! Our Saviour was born. --Luke 2: 8-12


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

More Stuff

A couple of years ago I bought a new laptop and retired the old desktop computer that was more than an antique. It served its purpose alright but was so slow and starting to get noisy again. The new laptop sat very unobtrusively in the middle of my desk because it was so small, even though the old computer was still hooked up and ever present. But I did notice that every once in a while I had to push a few things aside on the desk whenever I sat down there.

Now fast forward to a couple of months ago when all of a sudden I noticed that even I could hardly even get into the office (a 7 by 9 foot entry room off the living room). Where did all this stuff come from? Why are there so many stacks and piles of paperwork on the floor, and getting higher and higher? The desk was overrun with clutter, The file cabinet had almost as much on it as in it. The two bookcases in the room were spilling their contents out onto the floor just adding to the mess already in the room. I realized I have been doing a lot of cleaning out these past couple of years but why is “stuff” still getting in my way? I guess that every time I start cleaning in another room, the room next to it becomes the staging area. It seems like I am just chasing myself around the house as I try to de-clutter one room at a time.

In the process of cleaning out my “stuff” these past couple of years, I ran across an old photograph of when I was setting up the office as a computer room with my first computer. WOW! What a clean and organized room! Nothing extra on the desk and nothing on the floor either. Will I ever have an office like that again? That picture was motivation enough for me to get busy and organize my office. Now that my old desktop computer is gone, the carpet in the room is gone, the extra bookcases are gone and much of the clutter on the desk is gone, how long will it take until my desk is cluttered again?

Maybe this photograph of my "new" office will motivate me keep it that way!!!


Possessions

I have been taking inventory of my life and the way I live. What I am finding is that there is a lot of clutter in my life. Life produces “stuff”. What does a person do with all this “stuff”? And by stuff, I mean things that one can really live without. Usually all these “stuffs” are things that are hardly ever used. So what to do? Do you give it all away? Do you just set it out on the curb for the garbage truck? Do you take time to find someone that can really use it? Do you just pile it up in the basement or garage like all the other “trophies” in life waiting until we might be able to use it?  Right now I am asking myself, "why I'm asking so many questions", when after all, it's “just stuff” and doesn't really amount to anything of value anyway.


We all know what God has to say about these “Worldly Possessions” don't we? Yes, in the end they will all burn up and none of it will count for our salvation or our justification. And yes, God did give us things to enjoy and to use so don't get me wrong.  Don't  think that I am saying that we all need to go back to living like our pioneer forefathers did either........................
But, by the way.............................., how did they get by with so little?

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Ice Fishing

I went ice fishing the other day and I didn't catch any ice at all!!

All I caught was some fish!!!





Tuesday, December 20, 2011

LAUGH, LIVE, and LOVE

These are three of the key ingredients of enjoying LIFE. It's a fact that laughter is the best medicine. Laughter keeps you young and healthy. Laughter brings friends into your life. So LAUGH OFTEN!!



When you feel healthy, you want to live. And life has so much to be thankful for. And thankfulness gives so much to live for. So LIVE WELL!!



As God loves us, so we are to return his love and also love each other. ….. So LOVE MUCH!!



What else can be said? And what better philosophy to hang on your walls to remind you of good times?


Monday, December 5, 2011

The Renaissance Feast



I have never been to a Renaissance Feast. The event of music, song, and antics along with dinner is put on by the Minot Chorale.  My good friends and pastor invited me to the event since their son takes part in the festivities.  It is always so refreshing to be able to go out to events like this with such good friends where get-togethers and good conversations make these times so very special.  Yes, a good time was had by all.