Aren't We Supposed to Make Contact This Year?

It has been often said that the month of March come in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Given its position in the calendar, March is prone to some stormy weather as it tries to transition from winder into spring. But generally by the end of the month things are beginning to calm down. Of course, this is not true of everywhere; and only 90% true of Michigan. (Interestingly enough, the phrase has less to do with the weather and more to do with the stars.)

This year I decided to take an inverse approach to the New Year. I decided it would be better to allow the old year to slip away and to let 2010 come in with minimal prompt. So as people all over the Eastern time zone were singing “Auld Lang Syne,” kissing a loved one, or generally getting toasted, I was sitting at my laptop playing Civilization IV and walking a movie on my desktop computer. I didn’t realize it was 2010 until 10 after the hour.

Seeing that a new year is upon us, I thought I should take the opportunity to offer my best wishes to everyone and to generally let people know I am still alive. I know it has been some time since there as a regular posting on the site. And honestly I have been wanting to write but thought it best to devote my attentions elsewhere. I have every hope and plan to come back to this site and continue writing. I miss it dearly. Besides I love having a creative outlet.

As I said so abruptly in September, my family is going through a trying period at the time. This has continued and is the main reason for my silence. When things have completed, I’m sure the Lord will wish me to make a disclosure of what has taken place. But as for now, I think it best to focus on the good things in life. Of course, prayers for God’s will to be done in our lives are always welcome.

Let me just mention a few updates. Amy is no longer having migraines. Shortly after my last regular post, she saw the headache specialist in Lansing and he put her on Depakote which relieved the pain. He also determined that her headaches were stress induced and made worse from depression. But she has been relatively pain free from the last 3 months.

The kids are continuing to get bigger. In November, we had parent/teacher conferences. With Abby we knew what her teachers would say. “Abby is a joy to have in class, but she worries a little too much.” So when we came out we were not surprised too much by what they had said. The next night was Corey’s appointment and we were not sure what they would say. I have often joked about how Corey would be the child I would get the phones about from parents, teachers, and angry school officials. However pleasantly we were glad to hear he has been excelling in the junior first program. You can also see he is trying a little harder outside of class to improve reading and comprehension.

As for my, by big news is that I am no longer working for EDS in Lansing. I have traded in my 36 mile one way trip for a quarter mile one way trip. In October, I started at Covenant Eyes in Owosso and it has made a world of difference in my life. For those who are not aware of CE and what they do, we are an internet filtering and accountability program that helps people break their addiction to internet pornography through building open and honest relationships. Quite literally, the program give people the potential to change lives and save marriages. And in the 3 months I have been there, I’ve had more deeply rewarding experiences than I did in 10 years with EDS. It was literally the hand of God directing me on this one folks. It had to have been because I hate change. Besides, I gave up a 401k and medical benefits for 3 months. Talk about your leap of faith. Its not to say we have not been sick at all during that time. In all actuality, The kids have had the flu, Abby has to have some blood drown, and Amy had a kidney stone and H1N1. But the Lord provided the means. (I managed to stay healthy.)

Christmas was fun this year. Santa was very generous or maybe believe the good act a little much because he got the family a Wii this year and an assortment of games. While the family was unwrapping it, I was using Abby’s video camera she had received from my mom to record the moment. Of course, from my vantage point the box did not say Wii. It said, “!!M.” Which in the Khoisan language, the “!” represents a click sound in the word. So I read the box as, “click click MMM.” This, of course, was what we Nicknamed the Wii in the setup menu.

Right now the current favorites are Wii Sports Resort and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. Corey has really taken to the Swordplay games on Sports Resort. He was also the first to get a Gold Medal in the Winter Olympics. (Using the character Yoshi, he won the Gold in Figure Skating.) Abby hasn’t really played the Wii too much yet. However, she did managed to take down both Corey and myself in a masterful execution of beginners luck at Swordplay. As for myself, I’ve enjoyed the 100 pin bowling on the Sports Resort and I have become obsessed with find all 80 points of interest on Wuhu island. (I still have 2 to go.)

Two other gifts of some importance to me are worth noting at this time. Amy got me a picture that I have been wanting for years. Its called, “Jesus Laughing” and it is my absolute favorite painting of Jesus. You can almost hear the laugh coming from it. Many would tend to think He is laughing at mankind in general. But I like to think considering the group of guys He chose as His closest friends, He had to have laughed once and a while.

My other favorite gift this year was a sword. My mom bought me a sword. Its actually a very simple and hand crafted Crusader Sword. I won’t go into too much details, but the purpose is related to the book, Wild at Heart. Maybe one day I will find a chance to write more about it.

Well, I’m going to take this chance to wish everyone a Happy New Year. May it be a year filled with hope, possibilities, and best of all; Love.

Peace and Love.

Jeff

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