It's here, the time off that I looked so forward to. I have plenty of things to do, but I don't really want to do any of them. Well, there are things that I think I would always like to do, but the opportunities don't really present themselves in my current situation. I think that there is never any doubt that I would like to go flying. If I had a completed airstrip and a serviceable ultralight, It's questionable that I would brave the 50 degree ground temps that would probably turn into 30 degree temps aloft plus a 40 MPH wind chill factor from the open cockpit!

A significant chapter in my life is coming to a close. I was informed earlier today that my divorce papers are ready for signing. After 34 months of separation and many failed attempts at reconciliation, there is no doubt in my heart that the time has come. Still, a person who has the ability to be honest with himself can't help feeling bittersweet. I'm no exception.

A dear friend of mine has invited me to go ballroom dancing with him and his wife. It sounds fun, but I don't know how to dance. This particular night, there will be three 30-minute lessons for people of all skill levels. For more than 20 years I have wanted to learn how to dance, but this is one of those things in which the confidence that I posses in most things just crumbles to pieces and I feel very self-conscience about even taking a lesson! I will get over it no doubt, maybe tonight if I go, but in any case, I will eventually learn how to dance if the good Lord allows me to live that long!

The tree and the ditch revisited

Here is a diagram of what I thought happened in my car/tree encouter before I saw the tire tracks after work. After seeing the tracks, I can't explain how I didn't end up in a creek, upside down about 20 feet below the road surface. It's like the car was picked up when it was backward, moved 50 feet forward and turned around another 3/4 of a circle.

The tree and the ditch

This morning I got out of bed 10 minutes early for some unknown reason. I get in my car and head toward work in the dark. About 3 miles from my house I round this corner and there are a couple of trees in the road, spanning all but about 3 feet of the road. I'm going about 60 and the roads are wet from the rain last night. Even though my car has anti-lock brakes, there's not enough time to safely apply them. I head for the 3-foot gap and make it, unfortunately my left rear wheel slipped off the road and started the car spinning in a clockwise direction on the other side of the tree. I spin about 3/4 of a circle on the road, about 1/2 more off the road in the right-side ditch about 100 feet past the tree, all the while praying for safety. The car comes to a rest almost 90 degrees to the normal direction of travel. I get out and inspect my rare Thunderbird SC 5-speed for damage. In the dark, it appears that the damage is minimal. I start walking back towards my house because I don't have a cell phone. When I get about 100 yards from the tree, I see headlights of vehicle appear over a hill. I wave my hands frantically trying to warn the driver about the tree. They slow down, but drive right past me. When they see the tree, the vehicle stops and reverses to where I was standing. They man in the truck asks me if I hit the tree. I told him that I made it past and was in the ditch. He says he has a winch and was wondering if it would do me any good. I tell him that it would be great. I get in the truck and he is listening to gospel music. We drive to the car and I spend a few minutes on the wet, muddy ground searching for a place to hook the winch cable. Then I get in the car and the winch has no problem pulling me back on the road. I inspect the damage again...my right front fender is squashed a bit and could be fixed, but I'll probably just replace it. I thank the man and introduce myself. I won't post his name to honor his privacy. I ask if I can pay him and he tells me that if I call the sheriff and report the tree being down, that would be payment enough. I thank him once again and get in my car and drive off. On the way, I stop at a country store and ask the attendant to call the sheriff for me and he agrees. The rest of the drive was fine and I even got to work on time. I give to God all the praise and the glory!

God's simple plan of salvation

My Friend, I am asking you the most important question of life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is: Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die?

http://www.godssimpleplan.org/gsps-english.html

Compassion International Child

When Kristy and I went to the Mercy Me concert in late October, at the end the of the concert the guys in the band did their pitch for Compassion International. I had heard the pitch several times in the last few years, always wanting to sponsor a child, but not having the means to do so at the time. This time, conditions were just right. I had just finished paying off my car, freeing up $156 a month. Of course, I already had allocated the funds to something else but I felt Jesus tugging at my heart and remembering James 1:27 (paraphrased) "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." Kristy and I ended up with two different "child packets". One was from a South American country, Ecuador I think. The other was from a child in Ethiopia. Kristy made the choice of the Ethiopian girl named Terefech. Here is her picture. She looks so sad.

Beautiful sunsets from the gulf coast

Took these over the Thanksgiving holiday at Englewood Beach, Florida. Several different nights.