To Stuff, or Not to Stuff

Have a Great Day!

I've Got a New Attitude

Today is Wednesday and I will be off to my "men's prayer/bible study/book reading/breakfast group" very shortly.

Today's chapter (we are still studying Max Lucado's, Just Like Jesus) is called "Finding Gold in the Garbage." In other words, if life gives you lemons .. make lemonade.

I have to admit, I tend to be just a tiny bit cynical, at times. Okay, let's cut through the bologna. I can be very cynical, at times (since the bologna has already been cut, let's fry it, put it on some bread and say.. most of the time).

I lost my rose-colored glasses (they made me look a lot like Elton John) several years ago and I tend to see the "worst case scenario" in almost every situation.

This is a terrible testimony for anyone, especially for someone in the ministry (negativity is a no-no .. gluttony is widely accepted and practiced without fear of retribution). I need to put a more positive spin on things and look at life through the eyes of hope.

Yeah .. like that's gonna happen.

Our attitudes can really set the tone for the day and determine how we approach "the good, the bad and the ugly" (ah-ee, ah-ee, ah .. wah, wah, wah .. that is the theme song to the old Clint Eastwood spaghetti western by the same name .. a stretch, admittedly).

Give a brand new bike to a pessimistic child and he can't be happy. He just knows he's going to wreck it and get hurt.

Wrap up a pile of manure and give it to an optimistic kid and watch his face light up. He just knows there has to be a pony somewhere nearby.

This Thanksgiving, I am determined to have an attitude of gratitude and see only the good in every situation.

Friday, I'll be my same old cynical self you've come to know and loathe.

I'm Re-Tired (Tired Again)

It's not quite 5 A.M. (that's sleeping in, compared to yesterday) and very quiet around here. I wanted to stay in bed, but there's so much to to do and so little time.

This is a short work week (that's good) and I have to have everything ready for Sunday .. today (that's bad). Wednesday rehearsal is now on Tuesday (tonight at 6:30) for the adult choir and we must go through Sunday's music and work on our Christmas pieces, as well.

We did have a bonus rehearsal last Sunday (that was just the day before yesterday) after church, but since the morning worship hour was more like the morning worship two hour, I cut it short (much like Cheryl's new 'do).

One of our members said later it was like we were just "going through the motions."

Just going through the motions.

When did we lose the magic? When did we start taking one another for granted? When did extra rehearsals become .. regular rehearsals?

I, for one, am not willing to give up on this relationship. We've been together for over nine years. I've invested a lot of blood, sweat and tears (what goes up, must come down) and I'm going to do everything in my power to "make it work."

So .. I'm doing the "Choir Love Dare" to help strengthen the bond between choral director and choir.

I will be doing acts of kindness every day for forty days (this will have to start in January .. I'm a bear to be around before Christmas) in an effort to make me .. fireproof.

With this economy, I can't afford to be fired.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

The hour is early (4 o'clock) and it's raining outside to "beat the band" (an expression that brings back painful memories to this former clarinet player).

I used to do some of my very best sleeping while it was raining. There was nothing better than a Sunday afternoon nap .. unless it was a Sunday afternoon nap with the gentle sound of rain outside my window. Now .. it just makes me have to go to the bathroom. Oh, what a difference a few years can make.

The forecast is calling (softly and tenderly) for A.M. showers (that's when I like to take them .. my hair is too oily to do it at night) and I hope the prediction is correct. The SonShiners choir is at 1:30 and I don't want anything to discourage them from coming (who am I kidding .. the people in that age category would walk five miles in the snow, if necessary).

Young people (a term that I now use for anyone under fifty) are not quite as reliable. On Sundays, if there is the slightest (or a snowball's) chance of precipitation, they turn off the alarm, roll over and .. play dead.

The days of having perfect attendance or bringing back a bulletin from where you went to church while on vacation .. are over.

I am fifty one. This means I fall (to pieces) somewhere in between these two philosophies. I would never think of missing church, but going in late to the office on a Monday morning because it was cold and rainy?

I'm no Joan of Arc.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

Once again, I am writing a "late night" (all that's missing is a top ten list) edition of the blog. This is starting to become the "norm" for Sunday .. the day of rest. However, I'm not complaining.

This morning's service lasted an hour and forty five minutes (it didn't feel like a minute over an hour and forty) .. and no one seemed to mind. Granted, there was a little bit of squirming down front .. but, Greg always does that.

Today was our annual Celebration Service where we look at the past year and all that God has done in the life of our church. He has done many wonderful things and it took a while (an hour and forty five minutes, to be exact) just to "count our many blessings."

I was amazed that most of the people "hung with us" for the entire service (only two or three left). The fact that we fed them afterwards at our traditional Thanksgiving luncheon, didn't hurt.

A great day with great results: two professions of faith, several college students joining by letter or watchcare, and four surrendering their lives to the call to missions (through the two year Journeyman program).

God is good ALL the time.

Real Men Dust

It's Saturday. Most of my friends will be watching sports or doing some type of sports-related activity. I will be doing some cleaning up around the house .. and liking it .. I am told.

This is the weekend before Thanksgiving (in case you have forgotten) and there is plenty to be done before number one son gets here on Wednesday (he is such a 'neat freak' and likes a place for everything and everything in its place).

Megan and Will won't be able to come home until Christmas .. ☹ .. which means I can give my undivided attention to Drew for two days (I'm sure he will be thrilled .. who wouldn't be?).

Chattanooga is only four hours away (it used to seem so far .. until number one daughter moved to North Carolina .. ☹), but Drew rarely makes it over in this direction. It could have something to do with the fact that I am always giving him advice and trying to tell him what to do (something any Hamilton really loves).

I don't mean to meddle. I just want him to be happy .. and this will only occur if he does exactly what I say. Why is that so difficult?

The problem is, I know this ticks him off (from the original Greek which literally means .. "ticks him off"), yet I continue to offer my opinion on everything from where he should buy gasoline to how he should cut his hair.

Part of this is genetic. My dad did .. and still does, on occasion .. this to me and I am simply trying to carry out a family tradition (btw, I tend to react the same way Drew does).

No one likes to be told what to do (this is especially true for me). However, we can usually learn a thing or two about ourselves that might help just a little bit in this journey called life.

Speaking of being told what to do .. I must go.

Evidently, there's a toilet with my name on it that needs cleaning.

Nacho, Nacho Man

Yesterday was rather long (per usual for Thursday) and when I got home, I just wanted to do some "chillaxin" (that's chillin' and relaxin' .. I forget not everyone here talks gangsta' like me). Cheryl had made some delicious black bean soup (which. by the way, I have enjoyed all night long), so we ate in front of the television .. something we would never let our children do.

When we finished watching a couple of programs we both enjoy (I love the DVR) and the playlist only included shows on HGTV, I retired to the back room and checked email (I'm so glad I did .. I won a free ipod, laptop, $100 gift card, and I can stop snoring like magic).

The Movie Gallery in Humboldt is closing and I had purchased a few "must see" flicks (using a couple of gift cards) for 60% off (which is still $8 or $9 more than Amazon's price). I decided to get in bed and watch one of them on the computer. Since Nacho Libre was ninety minutes long, it was the winner .. and I use that term very loosely.

While not a Citizen Kane, the movie provided a few laughs to a, mostly, serious-minded person like me.

I may not be giving this flick all the credit it deserves. In all fairness, I did sleep through (I told you I was tired) portions of the movie and probably missed some of the critical plot twists and turns associated with a typical Jack Black film.

I give it one thumb up or two stars.

YMMV.