Safe and Semi-sound

Well, today was another of those great ones, a red letter day, a day to remember, to mark it in the book. We started out from Atlanta at 9:00 am as the fog was the fog of fogs and covered the whole of Northern Georgia. But I convinced my two traveling buddies that we could drive out of it about 30 miles South of Atlanta and would you not know that is just what we did, and it really was not that bad either. All the drivers were slower then normal, only drove about 60mph instead of 80mph. So all went well and we were on the way to the Tampa area as per the prearranged plan as agreed by all who were concerned, that is me and the two traveling buddies. Another 8 hours or so of driving depending on the number of rest stops needed, and we would be at the next stop. However as we were some distant yet from that Tampa area, one of the traveling buddies made mention of how she hates the Tampa area and what about just driving through to Marco, rather then spend the money on a hotel room(in the Tampa area) ( that she hates) how about finding out if we can get into the house a day early, even if there is a fee. This was determined to be the case and the fee was the same as the room in the hotel( in the Tampa area) ( that she hates) so it was cancel the room and drive on through. 11 hours after leaving Atlanta we made it to Marco Island and got the keys in the lock box and opened the house, unloaded the cars, had some pizza and brew and set about to put our things in some fashion of order. Of course we are now able to celebrate the New Year in the comfort of the house rather in some hotel room( in the Tampa area) ( that she hates) Happy New Year!
This was a much better plan, and we should have set that one in motion in the first place, but hind sight has always been better the foresight. So here we are at last, a slight bit of frazzle, I am so proud of Patty for driving all that way, what a trooper my live long buddy is.

The most excellent adventure begins

The big trip to the South of the Land called Florida has started. Leaving the great city of Fair born Ohio behind along with part of the most precious part of my being. As I look forward to being in the warmth and enjoying a well spent time with my wife and my sister I also look back.
The 30th of December the year 2007 and both cars are packed, the garbage is on the street and I am ready to set sail for warmer weather. Patty will drive first and I will drive Char in her car to bring up the rear. It really makes a good way, as Chars car has this radar thing going and when Patty sets her cruise at 70 I can set the cruise at 75 and the radar thing keeps Chars car exactly the same distant from Patty's car. The only time that does not work well is when some crazed driver rams his or hers way between us. Then Chars car slows down and get the spacing right and when that same crazed driving moves out the car zooms forward with all the gusto of a nascar trying to take the lead. But 8 hours of driving is enough for all of us and so after several rest stops and keto walks, That is Chars little dog who is traveling with us, we arrived in Atlanta area about 4:30pm which gives us enough time to unwind and relax with "happy hour" before getting something to eat. We were thoughtful enough to ourselves to bring along the source of "happy hour" and the means to unleash the contents from it's container. New Years eve, our next stop will be in the Tampa area and we did not have the total forethought about that "happy hour". As I have planned this trip to take two days and two nights so as to arrive on the 1st day of 2008 and with driving times that meet not too of a rigorous schedule we need not leave this pet friendly hotel until about 9:00 am as well as trying to miss all the commuters going into Atlanta, if they plan on working on New Years eve, that is. So breakfast with our complimentary tickets and then off we will be.

Waiting

Well, I just don't seem to get around to filling some of the blanks in the blog as often as I probably should, but never-the-less a few of those blanks are being filled in now as I sit waiting for the arrival of my daughter Ann and her husband, that would be my son-in-law Tom with the delightful pair of granddaughters Victoria and Margaret. Now of course some new little one is coming alone, a small, very small dog, one of those Mexican types. How could I say no! what am I crazy! As it is I am one of those people that has a very difficult time dealing with too much commotion which is the usually case when there is a lot of people, even my darling family, which I love extremely. But it is still a lot of noise and motion, and the like when ever more then me is around. Soon the house will be filled to the brim, Tom and Anne will be the basement people and Victoria and Margaret with share Patty's office room, which Mom has been using as her TV room, and of course Patty's mom will remain in the "guest" room, then we will also have the joy of Sarah, Jason, Isabelle and little Sophia. Elliot will stay home. Jammed to the top, with people everywhere, Why do I feel so badly when I want to escape to my office for a moment? These are my children and grandchildren, and it is so great to have them here, yet I know me and you do too, I have to get away from time to time just to keep me from getting to loud inside, my heart needs quite times. This will be four days of great times though and I have to remember to take pictures of the four generations Mom, Patty, Ann & Sarah and the 4 granddaughters. It might be the last time we have that opportunity. Then before I know it, drive mom to Chicago, pick up my sister in Kankakee and the three of us shuffle off to the South, the way South, really far South, and still use the "In God we Trust" money. ( that will be another post someday soon, stay turned)

someday

Someday seems too far away, so much to do, yet someday, worked on the tool room today, perhaps I will get it done, someday. Assembled the new router table today, I am going to make my own picture frames, someday. Thought about the railroad today, someday I will begin, if I ever get the track plan done someday. Put some Christmas lights up yesterday, need more someday. I spend time in study of God's Word, I prepare the lesson in Exodus for the Wednesday Night Bible study I lead. Someday, I may not have to prepare, I will be there. It seems to me there is so much that has to be done someday, or should I say things I would like to get done, someday. Yet at best I have this day. I lay my head upon my pillow at night, snuggle in between the sheets, a relief from the aches and pains within this frame I live in. Spend a few moments being dizzy, wonder if that will go away someday. Then I think about how thankful I am I had this day, and what I was able to do, and wonder if my Lord will give me another day, a day which is called someday.

A Place

Today I had to fill in as one of the Adult Sunday School Teachers, in fact within the class I attend. This is not my normal time spent, as I do the Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study, so I was a bit outside my comfort zone, but then God does that from time to time, get us to move to a place we normally do not visit. This place is not a constant either, as it is a every moving, ever changing place. You see, for the most part I, like many others, I believe, are very comfortable in the place we have made for ourselves. We have developed a view of the world, a view of God, a view of his Word and we see all this within the realms of our own thinking, our own view, our own frame of mind. I think, and perhaps you do to, "how does this fit into the way I think" we interpret the scriptures from our own point of view. And in the course of this thinking we have remained in our own place. No spiritual growth, no personal growth has occurred. As if we say to ourselves, I love sitting in this mud, I am comfortable in this slime of my present thinking, my present belief system, God, no matter what he says, is not going to change my mind. Oh how stubborn can I get! God teach me to open my heart and my mind to your way of thinking, to your way of doing, to your way of loving, and in doing so my place will change.