Reed here.
Anyone living in the Dallas area today will certainly attest to the fact that it has been raining cats and dogs ALL day today. I personally enjoy this weather, particularly when it is sandwiched in between lovely weather like we have been having recently. Its a nice little curve ball (I couldn't resist the sports analogy there, especially with the baseball playoffs in full swing).
The reason I am loathing walmart at present has to do with my umbrella. Jess and I went to walmart probably around a month ago now, because it was raining that day and we both needed new umbrellas. Normally we would go to Target for something like that, but we were on our way home, and there happens to be a super (yeah right) walmart close to our apartment. I only needed something small, and there were some ok looking ones for only $5, so I got one.
I got what I paid for.
I have used the infernal thing no more than 3 times now, and it is already starting to fall apart! I really wish more companies would take the time to make a lasting product. I guess I should also admit that I should be willing to pay a little more for the quality that I desire.
The whole thing just reminded me how disgusted I am that walmart has become an integral part of our society. To be honest I do admire them in a few, select ways. If you are out to simply make a profit, they have a rather remarkable business model. The fact that 3 members of the Walton family are among the 6 richest individuals in America attests to that. But the fact that they pressure their suppliers to produce items at as low a cost as possible leads to corners being skipped, or workers being unfairly treated, so that in turn leads to a drop off in quality. Walmart sells so many things that are really just pieces of junk, but because those pieces of junk are so cheap, people keep going back to buy the same junk over and over again. Even people like myself that despise the store buy things there from time to time, simply because of the price, and the "deal" we think we are getting. The brand of consumerism that they perpetuate sickens me, plain and simple.
The Wal-mart Effect, by Charles Fishman, far better articulates many of the points that I have inadequately tried to express.
Ok, now that I am finished with that rant, Jess is a little run down from work over the last few weeks and not feeling well as a result. Please pray for her, that her health would be good, and even more importantly that the Lord will continue to give her a good attitude towards her job so that she can bring Him glory. School is still going well, but I have definately reached the point where I am ready for the semester to be over. Hopefully I will still put a priority on studying and doing more than just "getting by".
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Random Thoughts...
I get to go to the chiropractor tonight! I'm so excited! My neck needs it! Like REALLY bad needs it, plus this guy let's Reed come in so the three of us visit while he adjusts my neck! It's like a little hang out :)
In other news, I'm looking forward to sleeping in on Saturday...the past couple I haven't gotten to, but ya know what, every once and a while, you just need a good sleep in Saturday morning! Plus my throat feels yucky lately and I think resting will help.
Dang flu going around. I REALLY hope I don't catch it.
Alright, sorry for the short update, just taking a quick little break!
In other news, I'm looking forward to sleeping in on Saturday...the past couple I haven't gotten to, but ya know what, every once and a while, you just need a good sleep in Saturday morning! Plus my throat feels yucky lately and I think resting will help.
Dang flu going around. I REALLY hope I don't catch it.
Alright, sorry for the short update, just taking a quick little break!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Confession
I need some prayer right now...
I have been idolizing cars lately. My beetle recently had to have a rebuilt engine put in ($2000 August) and then just yesterday we picked it up from the shope for some other $350 dollar expense. Then this morning the check engine light came on again...I called Reed and apparently the catalytic converter isn't quite right from the last time it got replaced, so the repair guys left it and told Reed we should take it back to the shop who first did it so they can fix it for free.
Everytime something goes wrong with it, I instantly let my mind reel on ways that we can fix it.
I am having a hard time not taking control and just simply trusting and knowing that God WILL provide. Not might, but will.
It's hard, because I get frustrated about having a car that breaks all the time. I really WANT either to win or just get a new car. I will be honest, I feel like I deserve it. To the point where that is all my mind thinkgs about.
It's become and idol in my thoughts which is reflective of where my heart is.
So yeah, if you could pray for me, not for a car, but for this idol to be removed. That my heart would solely belong to the Lord and that I would let the things of this world drift off my thoughts like the fleeting things they are.
Lord, help me to experience YOU today and everyday...help me to let that be more than enough for me. Help to free me from the things of the world that pull on my heart, specifically a car. Help me to have true faith. Help me to walk in that faith, especially when things do not go according to my plan. Amen.
I have been idolizing cars lately. My beetle recently had to have a rebuilt engine put in ($2000 August) and then just yesterday we picked it up from the shope for some other $350 dollar expense. Then this morning the check engine light came on again...I called Reed and apparently the catalytic converter isn't quite right from the last time it got replaced, so the repair guys left it and told Reed we should take it back to the shop who first did it so they can fix it for free.
Everytime something goes wrong with it, I instantly let my mind reel on ways that we can fix it.
I am having a hard time not taking control and just simply trusting and knowing that God WILL provide. Not might, but will.
It's hard, because I get frustrated about having a car that breaks all the time. I really WANT either to win or just get a new car. I will be honest, I feel like I deserve it. To the point where that is all my mind thinkgs about.
It's become and idol in my thoughts which is reflective of where my heart is.
So yeah, if you could pray for me, not for a car, but for this idol to be removed. That my heart would solely belong to the Lord and that I would let the things of this world drift off my thoughts like the fleeting things they are.
Lord, help me to experience YOU today and everyday...help me to let that be more than enough for me. Help to free me from the things of the world that pull on my heart, specifically a car. Help me to have true faith. Help me to walk in that faith, especially when things do not go according to my plan. Amen.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Workin Hard For the Money
That's why I haven't blogged in a while...a real 10 hour a day job has caught me by storm and not to mention the 80 mile roundtrip that goes with it (I'm located in Fort Worth at the moment)
I really have been working like crazy! Work life has been quite an adjustment, but honestly, not as bad as I had thought.
Some mornings, I must admit, it's hard to wake up early (believe it or not readers, I wake up at 5:50 AM everyday to get out of the house by 6:50), but overall I enjoy what I do. Sometimes its stressful, but overall it's challenging and, dare I say, fulfilling? I must admit, this positive attitude is not from me...God has been so faithful and good to work in me and give me an amazing perspective on things.
Speaking of the Lord...I've been just in AWE of how amazing God is and how clearly He works! I mean sometimes I just can't believe how much I don't see the beauty and majesty that are in the ordinary things. And isn't that just how God works, He makes us look at the ordinary to see His might and power (I mean Jesus was an ordinary carpenter's son and a King whose triumphant entry was on an ordinary donkey).
The ordinary right now is my day-to-day life. I'm not going through a crisis, I'm not living the dream in a different country, I'm not out doing mission work all the time, and I most definitely am not doing anything that would appear glamorous or amazing for the Lord.
YET, He is still meeting me and challenging me through the ordinary, my experiences at work and at home and with family. Every moment can bring glory to Him. It's blowing my mind how much He is teaching me right now. I can't even put a finger on it all, but I experience God so much...and most of my time is spent at work!
I guess I am realizing that although our society describe's work as a mundane cycle of boring, nothingness, I'm experiencing God moving every day. Challenging me to show His light and love more and more. Whether that is in daily interactions with Reed, or maybe even just encouraging coworkers who are taking the CPA exam, I feel God's presence and it gives me joy.
I promise I want to try and blog more, I REALLY want to keep everyone up to date on life, especially with how God is moving at our church, it's amazing! He is so MIGHTY!
So hold me to it! Make me keep you in the loop! I don't want to keep you in the dark ;)
I really have been working like crazy! Work life has been quite an adjustment, but honestly, not as bad as I had thought.
Some mornings, I must admit, it's hard to wake up early (believe it or not readers, I wake up at 5:50 AM everyday to get out of the house by 6:50), but overall I enjoy what I do. Sometimes its stressful, but overall it's challenging and, dare I say, fulfilling? I must admit, this positive attitude is not from me...God has been so faithful and good to work in me and give me an amazing perspective on things.
Speaking of the Lord...I've been just in AWE of how amazing God is and how clearly He works! I mean sometimes I just can't believe how much I don't see the beauty and majesty that are in the ordinary things. And isn't that just how God works, He makes us look at the ordinary to see His might and power (I mean Jesus was an ordinary carpenter's son and a King whose triumphant entry was on an ordinary donkey).
The ordinary right now is my day-to-day life. I'm not going through a crisis, I'm not living the dream in a different country, I'm not out doing mission work all the time, and I most definitely am not doing anything that would appear glamorous or amazing for the Lord.
YET, He is still meeting me and challenging me through the ordinary, my experiences at work and at home and with family. Every moment can bring glory to Him. It's blowing my mind how much He is teaching me right now. I can't even put a finger on it all, but I experience God so much...and most of my time is spent at work!
I guess I am realizing that although our society describe's work as a mundane cycle of boring, nothingness, I'm experiencing God moving every day. Challenging me to show His light and love more and more. Whether that is in daily interactions with Reed, or maybe even just encouraging coworkers who are taking the CPA exam, I feel God's presence and it gives me joy.
I promise I want to try and blog more, I REALLY want to keep everyone up to date on life, especially with how God is moving at our church, it's amazing! He is so MIGHTY!
So hold me to it! Make me keep you in the loop! I don't want to keep you in the dark ;)
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The grind
Reed here.
Hello everyone, its certainly been a long time since I've left a post. I'm really tempted right now to make some witty reference to coffee and how its a metaphor or symbol of modern life and how this whole post will be allegorical and just spectacularly hilarious...
But I've got nothin. Just a bunch of hot air, and a Spanish quiz to study for, which at least should require some of my attention and mental faculty.
Where to start? Well, let me just say that it is better than amazing to have my wife back! The 2 weeks she was in New Jersey were no picnic. It was incredibly difficult to just focus on anything, and it is a wonder that I got all of my school work done. Even simple things such as sleeping were hard, and I didn't particularly pay attention to the little every day details, you know, like keeping the apartment clean and shaving. It is amazing how in 2 short weeks I can go from a respectable looking husband to a grizzly mountain man. I feel somewhat obligated to include a picture of the beard, but sorry, you're not getting one. While the beard was certainly a little scratchy and unpleasant, it was worth it simply for the personal entertainment of shaving it off in creative ways. Chinstraps and funky looking mustaches and goatee's amuse me for some reason, especially when they are on my face. I guess I am just easily amused :)
Well, Jessica and I are now trying to get used to her working 10 hour days, on top of my school work that continues to accumulate. The rough thing for Jessica is that she has been assigned to clients in Fort Worth until at least February, which means a 50 minute to hour drive each way. It makes my 40 minute commute to Denton every day seem easy, even though I feel like small parts of each of us are being ground into the pavement that we travel over every day (witty reference, get it... ha ha, man I'm hilarious...).
On a more serious note, all of this driving makes us wonder if Jessica's car will hold up. The check engine light has come back on in the beetle, so we've spent a few hours the last few days researching crossover suv's. If we had the money, we like the rav4. There were curiously some poor reviews for the honda crv. However this shakes out, we are just simply trying to dwell in the faith that the Lord will provide us with everything we need. I mean, He did save us from our sin, I think a troublesome car should be no sweat for Him ;)
Hello everyone, its certainly been a long time since I've left a post. I'm really tempted right now to make some witty reference to coffee and how its a metaphor or symbol of modern life and how this whole post will be allegorical and just spectacularly hilarious...
But I've got nothin. Just a bunch of hot air, and a Spanish quiz to study for, which at least should require some of my attention and mental faculty.
Where to start? Well, let me just say that it is better than amazing to have my wife back! The 2 weeks she was in New Jersey were no picnic. It was incredibly difficult to just focus on anything, and it is a wonder that I got all of my school work done. Even simple things such as sleeping were hard, and I didn't particularly pay attention to the little every day details, you know, like keeping the apartment clean and shaving. It is amazing how in 2 short weeks I can go from a respectable looking husband to a grizzly mountain man. I feel somewhat obligated to include a picture of the beard, but sorry, you're not getting one. While the beard was certainly a little scratchy and unpleasant, it was worth it simply for the personal entertainment of shaving it off in creative ways. Chinstraps and funky looking mustaches and goatee's amuse me for some reason, especially when they are on my face. I guess I am just easily amused :)
Well, Jessica and I are now trying to get used to her working 10 hour days, on top of my school work that continues to accumulate. The rough thing for Jessica is that she has been assigned to clients in Fort Worth until at least February, which means a 50 minute to hour drive each way. It makes my 40 minute commute to Denton every day seem easy, even though I feel like small parts of each of us are being ground into the pavement that we travel over every day (witty reference, get it... ha ha, man I'm hilarious...).
On a more serious note, all of this driving makes us wonder if Jessica's car will hold up. The check engine light has come back on in the beetle, so we've spent a few hours the last few days researching crossover suv's. If we had the money, we like the rav4. There were curiously some poor reviews for the honda crv. However this shakes out, we are just simply trying to dwell in the faith that the Lord will provide us with everything we need. I mean, He did save us from our sin, I think a troublesome car should be no sweat for Him ;)
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