Nightmare…
I had a nightmare that I saw my former sister-in-law…
I couldn’t even get out the words, “I am so sorry.”
-D-
Monthly Archives: December 2011
Mobile Minutes: Gone
Mobile Minutes: Corporate Temptation
No, unlike your thought from the title, this is not about my Starbucks addiction.
I wonder, because of our human nature, if it is possible to take blessings and corrupt them. If it is the case, I’m finding myself in a rather frightening position.
My job is an insane blessing that can only be described as divine. However, I’ve started to note that I’m purposefully finding myself enveloped in work specifically to keep from other emotional gains. There is growing friction between this taste of capitalism and divine character.
-D-
Mobile Minutes: Traffic
I may be playing a game of seek-n-find with Dur in KC rush hour right now.
…she’s never driven in KC before…
-D-
#getyourpraiseon
Walking out of another store, phone rang.
My boss.
Like, from my original job down south.
She was watching my file transmissions and decided to call and check up on me.
A comfortable voice!
…I love random acts of verbal affirmation…
-D-
Mobile Minutes: Road Trip!
Finished the stores early, heading down south with L-MAC.
Things to do:
Food
Shop
Starbucks (with a twist)
Day=Win.
-D-
Mobile Minutes: Nearly Died…Twice…
I was not aware that my job could even remotely be dangerous, aside from cutting yourself with a bread knife…
That was until today.
I had a few stores to run to today, ones that I”m not familiar with and never interact with.
While at the first store, I noticed an employee working on the beverage unit [fountain/where you get your drink filled]. I wasn’t aware of what was taking place until I heard this, “POP!”, behind me. After being coated in carbonated water, I proceeded to run to the back of the store to turn off the valve and hope that my electronics were not doomed.
Death 0:1 D
By the time I got to third store, it was already a rather nutty day, store four wasn’t even going to happen, and if I messed around too long in store three I’d be late for church. When I walked into the building I noted that it was one of ‘those’ stores. The ones in which you realize that you’re going to be there a few hours…at least. So, after eating, I started working throughout the store, peaking in ovens, walk-in coolers, are the usual stuff. That’s when I decided to walk into the storage closest. Once the door was opened, only one thing came to my senses: rotten eggs. Anyone who has worked with piping knows that, that smell means only one thing: natural gas. So, I got to evacuate a building today. The gas company was called. They came out. Found a leak in the main, even though this store I was at didn’t have anything powered by gas, it was the store located next to it. Needless to say, we saved four stores from possibly going up in smoke, not to mention myself.
Death 0:2 D
Victory.
Yes, this job entertains me in ways I can’t even properly describe.
-D-
#getyourpraiseon
Individual came to church this evening to discuss the orphanage that MoVal assists with down in Guatemala. He made the note that it’d be nice to have a few laptops, older models, there just to teach the kids some basic typing skills.
*Happy Dance*
Just lately I’ve been wondering what to do with those two spare laptops I have stored away.
-D-
Mobile Minutes: Prayer Time
Is it not amazing how we can place stress on ourselves without even trying?
Today was interesting…
For those of you just now catching up on this life; here is the cheese.
I was to be on vacation this week, but due to certain circumstances, the vacation disappeared and I wound up covering eleven stores this week. This is after I planned out this week. So, I’m attempting to do both, and after Day 1 of this, I’m rather tired already.
Because of being tired; I’m already having sleeping problems, and my mind is currently fixated on what the next process is in my life, and today kind of scrambled that up.
A man at a coffee shop today [Starbucks] started talking to me about my trade, and went on to say that he is friends with the CEO of my company [my life is a circus]. He wound up with my business card and is going to say something to the CEO next week when he sees them. I’m taking him for his word because he came off sincere [nothing to lose anyways]. If that’s the case, certain things could transpire that would throw my life into a rather random, hysterical cork-screw. Additionally, I’m busting my butt at work right now anyways, which always looks good.
So here is the dilemma coming up [bullet point time!]:
- Work: This company has continued to bless me in crazy, crazy ways. If the pattern holds true, more insanity lies over the horizon. Will I continue to stay with this company and see how far I can make progress [the teaching gig got kicked out the window]?
-OR-
- Soccer: Do I pursue the dream of running my own program, getting involved in the college circuit and attempting to coach the game I love? It’d require risk, but could lend itself to be revolutionary in my life an the area in which I currently call home.
All drama aside, as MC put it, if the extreme of life took place, I could be heading out of the Midwest, into the coastline, international, I have absolutely no idea. Today’s experience was such a ‘God-thing’ that I’m still struggling to understand it. K8 said it was the perfect fairy tale unfolding.
Currently, I’m just tired [shocking], and unsure of what’s next. Definite prayer time.
…best experience I’ve ever had…falling asleep while talking to my Father…
-D-
Mobile Minutes: Worn Out
I ran around and did three stores today.
Meeting with a old college buddy at 3:00.
Check.
Random Russian guy with ties to the CEO of Subway talked to me for a while, took my business card for when he meets the CEO.
Check.
Worked with L-MAC on his sermon for next week.
Check.
Tormented K8 while she traveled.
Check.
Feel completely worn out.
Check.
Four stores tomorrow. Church that night. Should be a 200 mile today. Still need to get a run in as well.
One store, and a road trip with L-MAC on Thursday [HAIRCUT!]
Three stores, find Dur when she comes up, and a soccer game at 7:30 on Friday.
I do not have this, merely by God’s grace is this all going to be possible.
-D-
X: Perfect Christmas
An alarm clock didn’t operate correctly.
A Kindle wound up inside the house, not a Nook.
Somehow between the three of us [MC, Jim, myself] we wound up with two George Foremen Grills.
Yep, that’s Christmas.
I should confess right here, before this digital audience that for the longest time Christmas and I, we didn’t see eye to eye. It just wasn’t my thing, and if we’re going to be brutally honest about it. It’s because of jealousy. I was either jealous of the cute couple visiting family, the newly weds on their first Christmas, the giant TV, new car, everything and anything you could imagine; I was jealous of it. One year I got cleaning supplies for Christmas [this is not a joke], I resented the holiday [which is even worse given the faith-based background that I cling to].
So I set out to make Christmas better for myself [mistake #1]. I found the girl, spent Christmas together, eventually she dumped me, but her parents did get me some sweet gifts. It still wasn’t right, I wanted more. I wanted to be married. So, I got married and celebrated Christmas with a family full of drama, asking why I’m not employed, and of course dragging ourselves to five million Christmas services throughout the area. Even though, with the new photo equipment, socks [I love getting socks for Christmas, seriously], and a Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card, with my wife. It still wasn’t enough.
It was never enough. I was never content. Christmas and I would be in bitter hatred for eternity.
[This is where I tell some great story about the 'true meaning' of the day.]
Truly the day started prior to the day, starting on Saturday evening with Christmas Eve service, in two churches; MoVal and my parents church. Due to awesome timing I was able to be dragged…I was able to walk…into both services. Honestly, both were great and I was in a surprisingly good mood. When we got home, MC had this strange desire to open presents that night [...all those years as a child, being told no...]. I was proud of my gifts this year, due to financial blessings I was able to get my parents some nice stuff; mom [from me] got one of those Homedics alarm clocks that shoots the time on the ceiling, and has those ‘nature’ sounds that you can fall asleep to. Yeah, she enjoyed it. Too bad there was no power pack installed in the darn thing and it caused me to go back to BB&B today to replace it [new one works great], also got her a Tazo tea cup with some Joy tea. Jim, I got a new tumbler from Starbucks that can survive his roughness at work, and, because of an awesome deal, a portable jump start device for his truck [I was so, so happy to get this]. For both of them I got a George Foreman grill after they found a way to kill their old one. Reasons unknown to me I got so wrapped up in watching them, that I forgot about my gifts [which included a Kindle, now a Nook, that nearly got me to scream in the house...AND SOCKS]. Afterwards we went to bed, got up went to our separate churches and had lunch. It was great at MoVal, some of the kids came up to me to tell me about their awesome gifts, there were ‘talks’ with a few about Guatemala in the summer, and overall just a lively, super-loving atmosphere. Did I mention that in the middle of December in this near tundra, that it was almost 50 degrees and sunny? We had an awesome lunch of deer steaks, sweet potatoes, and corn. Afterwards I went down south to Sam’s to see his family and hang for a few hours [I got home at midnight].
On my way down, after genuinely saying thank you to my parents for the gifts I received [note: this is day three of me trying to finish this post], I began to reflect on the concept o what my day had entailed. Yes, the gifts were mind blowing, and the family was great. However just realizing that in such a short time that I’ve gone from nothing to everything strictly due to God’s sheer grace was eye-watering to say the least. What was more rocking was acknowledging that grace and knowing that it doesn’t even compared to the concept of what Christmas was and is.
After arriving at my final destination for the evening, after the gifts, food, and even some Wii bowling, my friend and I, after some time, had some alone time. His wife went to bed, because she worked all day, and him and I just sat there, drinking a tea that tasted like a campfire [true story], and just speaking about God, church, and spiritual challenges. So many things that him and I, over all these years, never really touched on. It was a blessing to see such growth in this guy. Obviously he took a huge step when he took his vows and got married [and has done an awesome job], but to hear his conviction, his thought process, to be able to see this spiritual growth of a friend into a man; encouraging doesn’t even describe the beauty of the process.
As Christmas winded down, I found myself back in my car [shocking], and just reflecting on the day. Smiles, families, friends, Christ, growth and the unthinkable.
Warmth covered my skin, and love filled my soul, and for the first time in 24 years I finally got it; I finally figured out what Christmas really was about.
-D-
P.S. Thanks MC! The driving gloves are divine!
