Being thankful, Day #7

Today i would like to express thankfulness for my sister.  I've spoken about her here in this blog before, and a lot of my perceptions were off base.  There is still a lot i do not know about her, but i do enjoy her company when our families get together.

She is 10 years younger than i am, having been born to my father and step mother.  She was born while my brother and i lived with them.  That is a cloudy time in my memory, mostly because there were a lot of court dates and she was, well, a baby. I do not have personal memories of what it was like for my step mom or dad, she under went open heart surgery at a very young age.   Over time i only saw her during my visits.  I have failed to take a lot of time to get to know her well, but she has always been a friend and encourager.  Now she has a family of her own, and although she lives like in another world, we still chat occasionally and get together for holidays.  While many may not see how i could be thankful for a sister i am not apparently in constant contact with, she has been a part and factor in my life since she came in to this world.  She has been a part that has helped shape me in to who i am, and for that i am very thankful to have her as my sister.

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Being thankful, Day #6

Today i am thankful for the Word of God.  This is something i have researched for over two decades.  I wanted to know why i could believe the Bible, why it is relevant to my life, and why so many different translations - just for English.  I already have a few posts on this topic so i will not be exhaustive here.  Today i am thankful for the Protestant Bible because it brings me peace, it brings me a sense of understanding in an ever changing world that often does not make sense.

For example, my nation votes for its leadership today.  There are many things i am concerned about, most of which i do not have any control over.  But God's Word shows me that He is ultimately in control, that even when the storms rage, or i disagree with those in leadership positions, He is always there.So, i know that even if the person i voted for, is not in office in the near future, i know that, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 ESV)

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Being Thankful, Day #5

Today i will share about my thankfulness for the career i have.  Men often evaluate their own worth through achievement.  A, "look at what I have accomplished" type of mentality.  When i was growing up, i never dreamed of having a family or a job that even remotely resembles what i do now.  I will not elaborate here, but my youth was, for the most part, not the most supportive, the most nurturing.  When i dropped out of High School half way through my senior year (i wouldn't have graduated anyway), my mother never asked my why i was home or anything.  I took a job with a friend in a warehouse for a company that sold pool and patio furniture during the summer, and Christmas decorations, etc. in the off season.

I was once asked by a fellow Guardsman how i got in to the IT industry.  He wanted to duplicate my path to get to his dream job.  I simply told him, you can't get here the way i did.  Not without God.  He didn't like that answer, but it was the truth.  I was delivering pizzas when a friend of my Beloved called and said her employer was looking for someone.  I went in and didn't get the job at first.  I was the second choice. Three days after being informed i did not get the job, i was called back and asked when i could start as someone else had quit over the weekend.  That company then sent me to training for wide area network (WAN) protocols.  When my beloved became pregnant with DS1 (see 2-Nov) i stepped up my education efforts and borrowed money from the in-laws to attend Novell courses.  I never passed the CNE, but submitted a resume to a telephone company, and was hired because i happened to know their ticketing system and a little bit about Novell.  This company then spent money to train my up in the ways of Cisco.  Along the way i asked a lot of questions, etc. but i struggled to pass Cisco certification exams.  After i was called up to active duty with my National Guard unit i ended up looking for another position.  In order to be home in the evenings i had to take a 2 Paygrade and 20% (cumulative) pay reduction.  Nine years later, i am still a contractor with the same agency i took that paygrade reduction for.  I am actually in my dream job, despite feeling completely inadequate for. 

In today's climate, and for much of it since my High School days, typically a H.S. dropout, without a College degree, or any industry certifications, does not sit in the chair i am sitting in today.  Now, i am not saying all this to boast about what i have done, because i am here despite myself.  I am thankful for this job, because i am able to provide for my family, and i am doing what i really enjoy and am challenged by.  I am even beginning (again) to pursue those industry certs... why, because i can grow and learn from them. 

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Being thanksful, Day #4

Today i come to my DD3.  Back in September of 2000, my Beloved felt God telling her that He would bring about healing through her daughter.  Well, at the time, we had only the two boys.  When she told me i confided in her that i was feeling led that we should have another child as well, to which she replied, "you don't understand, this is going to have to be written across the sky!"  Alrighty then.  So we both prayed about it.  The boys were too young, so we didn't mention anything to them, but about a week later, one of them said, "Dad, i want a baby sister.".  That floored my Beloved and me.  While we were convinced at this point we had a lot of traveling coming up, etc., so life sort of got in the way.  Thanksgiving family trips, and then my mother passed away.  It was not until early Spring in 2001 before we remembered. 

Where we didn't have to wait long for the boys, DD3 took her sweet time.  My Beloved ended up using about 3 at home tests, all of them came back negative. Then a blood test, negative.  Then another at test negative - all of this within the span of about 2 or 3 weeks.  Finally, a second blood test showed that she was indeed pregnant.  It was about time!  My Beloved was about 6 weeks late by the time of the positive test.  She was born post 9/11, and i was called to active duty when she was less than six months old.  It was a long 13 months.  Four months before returning home, she was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis.  Long story, but this turned out to be a 'false positive'.  While DD3 still has at least two CF "Variant" genes, and her body does not seem to absorb fatty foods, she has slowly grown in to a fine young lady.  She loves to play soccer, and animals.

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Being Thankful, Day #3

Today i would like to express my thankfulness for DS2.  I refer to him as my Aspie, my Beloved refers to him as my "twin".  She often claims that she was just the host.  I am not quick to pick up on various traits.  Sure, i might notice hair color, or eye color if i am really lucky, but my beloved often is amazed by how many traits we share, and not just "personality issues".  8)  The shapes of our ears and feet are very similar, and with the exception of skin tone and hair color, she says there is no denying him as my son.  Not that i would ever want to.  

DS2 has a great personality, and an incredible laugh.  He enjoys music a LOT, and he has recently been asking to come with me on errands.  This is just awesome to me.  We don't often talk about deep things, but just having him close by has been really cool.  DS2 was a surprise only in that my Beloved and i had decided to no longer 'avoid' having another child, and God pretty much immediately brought this young man in to our lives.  He has brought with him a whole new set of challenges, completely different than DS1, but he has also brought a completely different type of blessing as well.

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Being thankful, Day #2

Today, i would like to express my thankfulness for DS1.  I still remember vividly the day my Beloved told me she was possibly pregnant.  I was working the midnight shift at a Ops Center, and trying to carry a full load of college credits.  She was working full time as well.  I was really tired and having a hard time sleeping during the day, so i was really beat.  I am listening to the shower running, and i am almost asleep when she walked in and tells me, "I might be pregnant.  Go back to sleep."

Hahaha - there was no way i was going to sleep that day.  We went to the doctor together, etc.  It was truly life changing.  We had a really hard time picking his name.  His name now is the first name we both agreed on, and in a lot of ways i feel that it really does fit him.  Ever since he was born he has been strong willed.  While we had a lot of trouble parenting him when he was 3, and we jokingly say that he was lucky to survive his 12th year, he has truly matured into a fine young man.  It is really wonderful to see all the things God is doing in his life.  I continue to pray for him, that God would sustain him, and help him as he grows up.

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Happy Reformation and All Saints Day

Happy All Saints Day.  For me Reformation Day is of more import, but that was yesterday, so.  :)

Today's blog will only be brief.  I am going to try and do 30 days of what i am thankful for in celebration of Thanksgiving Day, that we celebrate here in the United States.

Today, i am thankful for being able to worship the Lord Jesus Christ without fear of direct retribution.  To be able to have access to a plethora of information, both pro and con, and being able to make up my own mind without a sword to my throat, or gun to my head. 

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