Lord of heaven and earth.
Lord of all creation.
Lord of heaven and earth.
Lord of all creation.
Of water earth and sky.
The heavens are your tabernacle.
Glory to the Lord on high.
God of wonders beyond our galaxy, You are holy, holy.
The Universe declares your majesty, You are holy, holy.
Lord of heaven and earth.
Lord of heaven and earth.
Early in the morning
I will celebrate The Light
when I stumble in the darkness
I will call Your Name by night
God of wonders beyond our galaxy, You are holy, holy.
The Universe declares your majesty, You are holy, holy.
Lord of heaven and earth!
Lord of heaven and earth!
Hallelujah, to the Lord of heaven and earth!
Hallelujah, to the Lord of heaven and earth!
Hallelujah, to the Lord of heaven and earth!
God of wonders beyond our galaxy, You are holy, holy.
Precious Lord reveal Your heart to me, You are holy, holy.
The universe declares Your majesty, You are holy, holy.
Hallelujah, to the Lord of heaven and earth!
Hallelujah, to the Lord of heaven and earth!
Hallelujah, to the Lord of heaven and earth!
Song: God of Wonders
Artist: Mac Powell with Cliff & Danyell Young
Album: City On A Hill
Perhaps you are now singing the song softly to yourself...maybe you hear the tune in your mind. Maybe you've never heard the song (if not, I'd recommend you buy the City on a Hill CD). To me and probably many readers who stumble across this entry, this song is considered an "oldie." The version of the song sung by Mac Powell of Third Day along with Cliff and Danyell Young of Caedmon's Call was released in 2000, so it is a few years old. It has been released by other artists since. I believe it has become one of those timeless classics that we will hear for years and years and years.
A few nights ago, the song came on K-Love as I was pulling into Wal Mart on an errand. For some reason, I just sat in the parking lot and listened and sang to myself. It was almost as if the Lord said...be still for a minute. There are too many distractions in your life. Focus on Me.
I found myself calming down and focusing on Him. Later in Wal Mart, still hearing the song in my mind, I realized I didn't own the song on CD, but would really like to hear it again. For grins and giggles, I checked the music section in Wal Mart. City on Hill wasn't there, but I did find the song on one of the WOW compilations and bought it. I enjoyed it all day on Saturday.
Sunday morning at church, as we were singing to start the service, yes, you guessed it, the second song we sang was God of Wonders. I've never heard it at our church before...but it was sung this past Sunday.
So...coincidence? Hmmm. Perhaps not. Sometimes I think God is having fun in causing unusual occurences just to make us think....and focus on Him...and praise Him.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Weekends Are Way Too Short...
...or maybe we just try to pack in too much...
This past Friday night was movie night at the house. Diane got home late from work, and I was just not moving too fast (more on that in a later post), so we decided to get Sonic for dinner. The movie? An oldie but a goodie...and one my kids had never seen...Star Wars (the original one that came out in the 80's...or...Episode IV for you serious fans). They now think it's the most awesome movie they've ever seen (but...you guessed it...they say that about every new movie). Star Wars was good enough for them that there were a number of showings throughout the weekend.
Saturday morning was sleep-in day, followed by some much needed house-cleaning. Saturday afternoon Clara attended a Pump-It-Up birthday party for a classmate while Hannah and Noah hung out at the house.
Saturday night was DATE NIGHT!! We don't get those that often, but thanks to Jeremy and Shea's offer to babysit for us, we had a much needed night away. First we had dinner at a local Mexican restaurant, then we went to see Glory Road. I'll give it 3 1/2 stars out of 5. Good story line, but several characters and the story line itself could have used some more development. I felt more like I watched a documentary than a movie. Don't expect something to the caliber of Remember The Titans.
Sunday was church, followed by lunch at our friends Keith and Gina Richardson's house (mighty tasty). The kids played there all afternoon. Diane and I went back to church for a couple of hours for "training." We're going to volunteer as teachers for the 5-year-old Bible Study on Sunday mornings. Fun, fun, fun! We almost chickened out once. Diane asked how many kids we could expect, and everyone in the room just laughed. The goal is 10 - 12 per room, but sometimes it goes as high as 24. Oh boy.
Back at Keith and Gina's after training and we settled in to a heated game of Settlers of Catan. I love board games. This is one we'll have to add to the game closet soon.
All in all, a very fun weekend...
This past Friday night was movie night at the house. Diane got home late from work, and I was just not moving too fast (more on that in a later post), so we decided to get Sonic for dinner. The movie? An oldie but a goodie...and one my kids had never seen...Star Wars (the original one that came out in the 80's...or...Episode IV for you serious fans). They now think it's the most awesome movie they've ever seen (but...you guessed it...they say that about every new movie). Star Wars was good enough for them that there were a number of showings throughout the weekend.
Saturday morning was sleep-in day, followed by some much needed house-cleaning. Saturday afternoon Clara attended a Pump-It-Up birthday party for a classmate while Hannah and Noah hung out at the house.
Saturday night was DATE NIGHT!! We don't get those that often, but thanks to Jeremy and Shea's offer to babysit for us, we had a much needed night away. First we had dinner at a local Mexican restaurant, then we went to see Glory Road. I'll give it 3 1/2 stars out of 5. Good story line, but several characters and the story line itself could have used some more development. I felt more like I watched a documentary than a movie. Don't expect something to the caliber of Remember The Titans.
Sunday was church, followed by lunch at our friends Keith and Gina Richardson's house (mighty tasty). The kids played there all afternoon. Diane and I went back to church for a couple of hours for "training." We're going to volunteer as teachers for the 5-year-old Bible Study on Sunday mornings. Fun, fun, fun! We almost chickened out once. Diane asked how many kids we could expect, and everyone in the room just laughed. The goal is 10 - 12 per room, but sometimes it goes as high as 24. Oh boy.
Back at Keith and Gina's after training and we settled in to a heated game of Settlers of Catan. I love board games. This is one we'll have to add to the game closet soon.
All in all, a very fun weekend...
Work?
OK...some of you just won't care...this is primarily a conversation starter for my white collar friends. We often discuss job satisfaction. This is an interesting article written by E.L. Kerstein, Ph.D. He founded Despair, a company that produces satirical business "demotivation" materials (visit their site and check out their lithographs...store/demotivators by product type/lithographs). It was published in the Harvard Business Review recently as one of the top 20 Breakthrough Ideas of 2006...and proposes a theory...employees may be dissatisfied because they have been taught to expect too much from their jobs.
Later...
Big D...
Why They Call It Work
The halls are alive with the sound of carping. Last year, only 50% of U.S. workers were satisfied with their jobs, the lowest point yet in a steady decline that began in 1995, reports the Conference Board. And with the exception of a few anomalous years, job satisfaction in the United Kingdom has been dropping since 1991, according to research done at the University of Kent. Participants in these studies complained, among other things, about lack of personal fulfillment; “robotic,” meaningless work; work/life imbalance; insufficient acknowledgment of efforts; and lack of influence with supervisors.
Conventional wisdom blames such pervasive disgruntlement on poor leadership and lousy work environments. But have working conditions in the past decade really degenerated so much for so many? The decline in satisfaction has persisted in periods when employees have had tremendous leverage and when they’ve been lucky to have jobs at all. Moreover, the average worker spends more than two hours of each eight-hour workday surfing the Internet, conducting personal business, or just “spacing out.” That suggests many employees have autonomy and a manageable workload.
Maybe employees are dissatisfied because they have been taught to expect too much from their jobs. In the mid-1900s, organizational behaviorists concluded that great work environments would produce happy, productive workers. At the same time, humanists began arguing that work should be a vehicle for growth and self-expression. Those ideas became part of the conversation for companies and observers of companies, including management consultants and the business press. Employees, as a result, came to expect that their jobs would be satisfying and meaningful and that their employers would help them grow professionally and develop their “true potential.”
Such expectations represent a corporate ideal akin to the romantic ideal that guides some people in their quest for a mate. Those animated by the romantic ideal believe that they will someday find “the one” and embark upon a life of bliss untroubled by personal faults, limitations, and weaknesses. Fortunately, most mature adults eventually abandon that myth. Those who don’t not only are doomed to disappointment but make life miserable for their mates.
Similarly, employees animated by the corporate ideal believe in the existence of a “right” job that meets all the needs on their own, personalized versions of Maslow’s hierarchy. But even a good job in a good company is bound to produce disappointment. In time, these deluded souls will realize that the business is more interested in what they do than in who they are. They will be required to perform tasks they consider tedious or misconceived. They will find that their input is not always welcome. As a result, they will feel frustrated, disappointed, and demeaned.
Much misery could be avoided if employees held less-exalted ideals about work. Why does a job have to be meaningful and fulfilling? Isn’t it enough that work is simply worthwhile—which is to say worth the employee’s time, considering his or her circumstances? A former student of mine sells a remedy for irritable bowel syndrome, a job she doesn’t find particularly meaningful. But she does believe that for someone with her skills, experience, priorities, and goals, selling this product for this company is certainly worthwhile. Consequently, she believes that she has a good job. And she does. The pharmaceutical company she works for pays her a decent wage, provides good working conditions, and does not waste her time. That should be enough.
Employees should not demand that companies imbue their lives with meaning. Employers and employees have something the other needs. One of the keys to a mutually beneficial relationship is a realistic understanding of what that something is.
E.L. Kersten (lkersten@despair.com), a former professor of organizational communication, is the COO and cofounder of Despair Inc., a company in Austin, Texas, that produces satirical products for the office. He is the author of The Art of Demotivation (Despair Ink, 2005).
Later...
Big D...
Why They Call It Work
The halls are alive with the sound of carping. Last year, only 50% of U.S. workers were satisfied with their jobs, the lowest point yet in a steady decline that began in 1995, reports the Conference Board. And with the exception of a few anomalous years, job satisfaction in the United Kingdom has been dropping since 1991, according to research done at the University of Kent. Participants in these studies complained, among other things, about lack of personal fulfillment; “robotic,” meaningless work; work/life imbalance; insufficient acknowledgment of efforts; and lack of influence with supervisors.
Conventional wisdom blames such pervasive disgruntlement on poor leadership and lousy work environments. But have working conditions in the past decade really degenerated so much for so many? The decline in satisfaction has persisted in periods when employees have had tremendous leverage and when they’ve been lucky to have jobs at all. Moreover, the average worker spends more than two hours of each eight-hour workday surfing the Internet, conducting personal business, or just “spacing out.” That suggests many employees have autonomy and a manageable workload.
Maybe employees are dissatisfied because they have been taught to expect too much from their jobs. In the mid-1900s, organizational behaviorists concluded that great work environments would produce happy, productive workers. At the same time, humanists began arguing that work should be a vehicle for growth and self-expression. Those ideas became part of the conversation for companies and observers of companies, including management consultants and the business press. Employees, as a result, came to expect that their jobs would be satisfying and meaningful and that their employers would help them grow professionally and develop their “true potential.”
Such expectations represent a corporate ideal akin to the romantic ideal that guides some people in their quest for a mate. Those animated by the romantic ideal believe that they will someday find “the one” and embark upon a life of bliss untroubled by personal faults, limitations, and weaknesses. Fortunately, most mature adults eventually abandon that myth. Those who don’t not only are doomed to disappointment but make life miserable for their mates.
Similarly, employees animated by the corporate ideal believe in the existence of a “right” job that meets all the needs on their own, personalized versions of Maslow’s hierarchy. But even a good job in a good company is bound to produce disappointment. In time, these deluded souls will realize that the business is more interested in what they do than in who they are. They will be required to perform tasks they consider tedious or misconceived. They will find that their input is not always welcome. As a result, they will feel frustrated, disappointed, and demeaned.
Much misery could be avoided if employees held less-exalted ideals about work. Why does a job have to be meaningful and fulfilling? Isn’t it enough that work is simply worthwhile—which is to say worth the employee’s time, considering his or her circumstances? A former student of mine sells a remedy for irritable bowel syndrome, a job she doesn’t find particularly meaningful. But she does believe that for someone with her skills, experience, priorities, and goals, selling this product for this company is certainly worthwhile. Consequently, she believes that she has a good job. And she does. The pharmaceutical company she works for pays her a decent wage, provides good working conditions, and does not waste her time. That should be enough.
Employees should not demand that companies imbue their lives with meaning. Employers and employees have something the other needs. One of the keys to a mutually beneficial relationship is a realistic understanding of what that something is.
E.L. Kersten (lkersten@despair.com), a former professor of organizational communication, is the COO and cofounder of Despair Inc., a company in Austin, Texas, that produces satirical products for the office. He is the author of The Art of Demotivation (Despair Ink, 2005).
Monday, February 20, 2006
A Thought To Ponder...Could It Be That.....?
This will probably be one of the more weird posts that I blog. In a discussion last night at a Bible study I attend, we noticed that an easy way to get killed in Old Testament Days was to have a good-looking wife. That got me to thinkin', and well, you know, when you chase a rabbit sometimes you wind up in all sorts of unexpected places.
Let's start with an introduction.
On Monday night each week I participate in a world-wide Bible Study called Bible Study Fellowship International (BSF for short). Many of you may be familiar. The concept is that everyone around the world is studying the same thing at the same time. It's actually really cool.
BSF has a four-fold approach. First...daily questions for personal Bible study. Second...discussion groups. Third...lecture by a Bible teacher. Fourth...notes. Notes on the passage prepared by BSF are distributed as you exit the lecture to further enhance your study. So...you basically study the passage four times each week. I'm amazed at how much better I learn about the passage due to the repetition.
A BSF "class," as it is called, can be either a women's class, a men's class, or a young adult class. I'm a part of the Memphis Men's Class.
BSF has a seven-year study. This year we are studying Genesis. Other studies, in order as they are coming up, are Romans, Matthew, the Life of Moses, John, Israel and the Minor Prophets, and the Acts of the Apostles. Then, you start all over again with Genesis.
Let's start with an introduction.
On Monday night each week I participate in a world-wide Bible Study called Bible Study Fellowship International (BSF for short). Many of you may be familiar. The concept is that everyone around the world is studying the same thing at the same time. It's actually really cool.
BSF has a four-fold approach. First...daily questions for personal Bible study. Second...discussion groups. Third...lecture by a Bible teacher. Fourth...notes. Notes on the passage prepared by BSF are distributed as you exit the lecture to further enhance your study. So...you basically study the passage four times each week. I'm amazed at how much better I learn about the passage due to the repetition.
A BSF "class," as it is called, can be either a women's class, a men's class, or a young adult class. I'm a part of the Memphis Men's Class.
BSF has a seven-year study. This year we are studying Genesis. Other studies, in order as they are coming up, are Romans, Matthew, the Life of Moses, John, Israel and the Minor Prophets, and the Acts of the Apostles. Then, you start all over again with Genesis.
I'm very excited that the Memphis Men's Class that I attend also has a children's program. So, my daughters Hannah and Clara attend with me and attend an age-appropriate program while I'm in my group and lecture. They study the same passage, complete with daily questions. Diane is in one of the Memphis day-time women's classes, and Noah attends with her. So five of the six of us are studying Genesis.
OK...you get the picture.
Now to the focus of this entry (I hope you're not disappointed after the verbose introduction). Tonight we were in Genesis 26 and were talking about Isaac. Isaac had settled in Gerar with Rebekah. Apparently, Rebekah was quite the doll (v. 7, "Rebekah, for she is beautiful.") Isaac had a trophy wife. A real head-turner. A '10.' BUT...when the men of Gerar asked about Rebekah, Isaac said that she was his SISTER. WHAT?!?! Well, apparently if he said she was his wife, he was scared the men would kill him to get his wife.
Earlier in the study, we learned that Abraham had been similarly deceiftul about Sarah. Apparently Sarah was quite the looker too (Genesis 12:11 "I know what a beautiful woman you are..."). On two occasions Abraham lied and said Sarah was his sister (well, actually, she was his half-sister, so he was only half-lying...but he did it twice so maybe two half-lies make a full lie...but I digress). He too was scared of being killed because his wife was so good-looking!
Finally, the point to ponder. I know the suspense is killing you. Here goes...it appears as though the culture in that day and time made it rather difficult to have an attractive wife. It appears as though it was risky...to the point of being occasionally deadly. The point to ponder? Could that cultural norm of husband killing as the preferred method to get a good-looking wife instead of hanging out at the local bar and sheep-roasting grill be the historical basis for the women of many middle-eastern cultures wearing veils...covering everything but their eyes with their garments? Could it be that the men, out of fear of their lives, decided that they didn't want anyone to know what their wives really looked like for fear that someone will kill them and take their wife?
Years and years and years ago, sitting around the fire one night while the sheep grazed nearby, some shepherd says as he is taking off his sheep-herding robe and head covering..."hey Roi, this lying thing saying that your wife is your sister...that ain't workin'...God keeps spilling the beans so no one will sin and sleep with your wife...what else could we do to keep from getting our throats slit because both of our wives are so fine?" Shepherd #2 says "dang, Lam, I didn't realize just how ugly you really are until you took off the head-covering-thingy...put it back on so I don't know what you look like." A few skins of wine later, Roi says "Hey...I got an idea...if no one knows what our wives look like...we're home free!" Thus, the modest head covering was born.
Hey...it could happen...things that make you go hmmmmmm.
OK...you get the picture.
Now to the focus of this entry (I hope you're not disappointed after the verbose introduction). Tonight we were in Genesis 26 and were talking about Isaac. Isaac had settled in Gerar with Rebekah. Apparently, Rebekah was quite the doll (v. 7, "Rebekah, for she is beautiful.") Isaac had a trophy wife. A real head-turner. A '10.' BUT...when the men of Gerar asked about Rebekah, Isaac said that she was his SISTER. WHAT?!?! Well, apparently if he said she was his wife, he was scared the men would kill him to get his wife.
Earlier in the study, we learned that Abraham had been similarly deceiftul about Sarah. Apparently Sarah was quite the looker too (Genesis 12:11 "I know what a beautiful woman you are..."). On two occasions Abraham lied and said Sarah was his sister (well, actually, she was his half-sister, so he was only half-lying...but he did it twice so maybe two half-lies make a full lie...but I digress). He too was scared of being killed because his wife was so good-looking!
Finally, the point to ponder. I know the suspense is killing you. Here goes...it appears as though the culture in that day and time made it rather difficult to have an attractive wife. It appears as though it was risky...to the point of being occasionally deadly. The point to ponder? Could that cultural norm of husband killing as the preferred method to get a good-looking wife instead of hanging out at the local bar and sheep-roasting grill be the historical basis for the women of many middle-eastern cultures wearing veils...covering everything but their eyes with their garments? Could it be that the men, out of fear of their lives, decided that they didn't want anyone to know what their wives really looked like for fear that someone will kill them and take their wife?
Years and years and years ago, sitting around the fire one night while the sheep grazed nearby, some shepherd says as he is taking off his sheep-herding robe and head covering..."hey Roi, this lying thing saying that your wife is your sister...that ain't workin'...God keeps spilling the beans so no one will sin and sleep with your wife...what else could we do to keep from getting our throats slit because both of our wives are so fine?" Shepherd #2 says "dang, Lam, I didn't realize just how ugly you really are until you took off the head-covering-thingy...put it back on so I don't know what you look like." A few skins of wine later, Roi says "Hey...I got an idea...if no one knows what our wives look like...we're home free!" Thus, the modest head covering was born.
Hey...it could happen...things that make you go hmmmmmm.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Random Thoughts At Weekend's End...
As we close out another weekend, some random observations...
- For the second weekend in a row, Memphis is the recipient of winter precipitation. Last weekend it was snow, this weekend it was sleet. It hit on Friday night at midnight, effectively icing us in for two days.
- Memphis (well, at least Bartlett, the suburb where we live), unlike our former residence of Dayton, does not salt its streets, so the ice doesn't melt. I'm fairly certain there's no salt truck in the city. Their might be a snow plow at the airport, but again, I'm not sure.
- The local televized meterological prognosticators can talk any weather situation to death, but when it's unusual (like a sleet storm), they bring in reinforcements.
- Meteorologists are proud of themselves when they get it right.
- Icy weather outside can't be used as an excuse to not paint the bathroom.
- When kids are iced in for a long period of time, they get bored.
- When kids are iced in for a long period of time, they fight a lot.
- The appearance of a can of paint and associated supplies is a magnet for kids.
- The wise person who said "many hands makes work light" probably didn't have kids. The wise person who said "too many cooks spoil the soup" probably did.
- Have kids help with painting a bathroom can easily double the amount of time it takes.
- Regardless of the extra effort involved and the amount of rework that might be necessary, it's really neat when your kids want to help.
- My son, Noah, has become a natural at giving words of affirmation. If he said "daddy, you did a GOOD job painting my bathroom" once this weekend, he said it fifty times. Each time was very sincere, and said with a smile...loudly. Each time literally made my heart melt.
- Our church cancelled it's services today, as did many churches in Memphis due to the icy streets.
- There are a LOT of churches in Memphis.
- Sometimes when TV stations list closings, they don't give enough information. One station I saw had, in its scrolling list of church closings from Arkansas (which is just across the Mississippi River from Memphis) that the First Baptist Church would be closed. But it didn't say First Baptist Church of WHAT!!! There are easily a hundred towns and cities within the broadcast area of this Memphis TV station within Arkansas and ALL of them have a First Baptist Church.
- Sometimes you can get too much information....but it was nice to know that Betty's Nail Salon in South Memphis was closed today. For those who might not be familiar with my city of residence, Memphis is the 17th largest metropolis in the USA. But I'm sure it was important to Betty's customers.
- The scrolling news ticker, plus the list of churches that were closed, plus the weather radar images, plus the winter weather advisory, plus the actual television show being shown, are all far too small when packed onto a 13 inch screen (the one I have in the bedroom).
- I'm not as excited about watching the Olympics as I thought I'd be this year. There's just something about the television coverage that makes it not as enjoyable, but I can't place my finger on it.
- I can go on forever with random thoughts because I keep having them as I record them...but enough is enough for one posting...
Friday, February 17, 2006
I Love My Job
Maybe this is just the week to post interesting e-mails I've received from co-workers. I'll try not to make it a habit. However, I got the e-mail below from a friend I work with and thought some of you might like it.
If you need a good laugh, read on. It is a bit off-color, but really funny.
==============
If you don't laugh out loud after you read this you are in a coma! Next time you have a bad day at work, think of this guy.
Rob is a commercial saturation diver for Global Divers in Louisiana.
He performs underwater repairs on offshore drilling rigs. Below is an e-mail he sent to his sister. She then sent it to radio station 103.2 FM in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, which was sponsoring a "worst job experience" contest.
Needless to say, she won.
"Hi Sue, Just another note from your bottom-dwelling brother. Last week I had a bad day at the office. I know you've been feeling down lately at work, so I thought I would share my dilemma with you to make you realize it's not so bad after all.
"Before I can tell you what happened to me, I first must bore you with a few technicalities of my job. As you know, my office lies at the bottom of the sea. I wear a suit to the office. It's a wetsuit. This time of year the water is quite cool. So what we do to keep warm is this: We have a diesel powered industrial water heater. This $20,000 piece of equipment sucks the water out of the sea. It heats it to a delightful temperature. It then pumps it down to the diver through a garden hose, which is taped to the air hose. Now this sounds like a darn good plan, and I've used it several times with no complaints. What I do, when I get to the bottom and start working, is take the hose and stuff it down the back of my wetsuit. This floods my whole suit with warm water. It's likeworking in a Jacuzzi.
Everything was going well until all of a sudden, my butt started to itch. So, of course, I scratched it. This only made things worse. Within a few seconds my butt started to burn. I pulled the hose out from my back, but the damage was done. In agony I realized what had happened.
"The hot water machine had sucked up a jellyfish and pumped it into my suit. Now, since I don't have any hair on my back, the jellyfish couldn't stick to it. However, the crack of my butt was not as fortunate. When I scratched what I thought was an itch, I was actually grinding the jellyfish into the crack of my butt. I informed the dive supervisor of my dilemma over the communicator.
"His instructions were unclear due to the fact that he, along with five other divers, were all laughing hysterically. Needless to say I aborted the dive. I was instructed to make three agonizing in-water decompression stops totaling thirty-five minutes before I could reach the surface to begin my chamber dry decompression.
"When I arrived at the surface, I was wearing nothing but my brass helmet. As I climbed out of the water, the medic, with tears of laughter running down his face, handed me a tube of cream and told me to rub it on my butt as soon as I got in the chamber. The cream put the fire out, but I couldn't poop for two days because my butt was swollen shut.
"So, next time you're having a bad day at work, think about how much worse it would be if you had a jellyfish shoved up your butt.
"Now repeat to yourself, "I love my job, I love my job, I love my job."
"And whenever you have a bad day, ask yourself: is this a "jellyfish bad" day?"
If you need a good laugh, read on. It is a bit off-color, but really funny.
==============
If you don't laugh out loud after you read this you are in a coma! Next time you have a bad day at work, think of this guy.
Rob is a commercial saturation diver for Global Divers in Louisiana.
He performs underwater repairs on offshore drilling rigs. Below is an e-mail he sent to his sister. She then sent it to radio station 103.2 FM in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, which was sponsoring a "worst job experience" contest.
Needless to say, she won.
"Hi Sue, Just another note from your bottom-dwelling brother. Last week I had a bad day at the office. I know you've been feeling down lately at work, so I thought I would share my dilemma with you to make you realize it's not so bad after all.
"Before I can tell you what happened to me, I first must bore you with a few technicalities of my job. As you know, my office lies at the bottom of the sea. I wear a suit to the office. It's a wetsuit. This time of year the water is quite cool. So what we do to keep warm is this: We have a diesel powered industrial water heater. This $20,000 piece of equipment sucks the water out of the sea. It heats it to a delightful temperature. It then pumps it down to the diver through a garden hose, which is taped to the air hose. Now this sounds like a darn good plan, and I've used it several times with no complaints. What I do, when I get to the bottom and start working, is take the hose and stuff it down the back of my wetsuit. This floods my whole suit with warm water. It's likeworking in a Jacuzzi.
Everything was going well until all of a sudden, my butt started to itch. So, of course, I scratched it. This only made things worse. Within a few seconds my butt started to burn. I pulled the hose out from my back, but the damage was done. In agony I realized what had happened.
"The hot water machine had sucked up a jellyfish and pumped it into my suit. Now, since I don't have any hair on my back, the jellyfish couldn't stick to it. However, the crack of my butt was not as fortunate. When I scratched what I thought was an itch, I was actually grinding the jellyfish into the crack of my butt. I informed the dive supervisor of my dilemma over the communicator.
"His instructions were unclear due to the fact that he, along with five other divers, were all laughing hysterically. Needless to say I aborted the dive. I was instructed to make three agonizing in-water decompression stops totaling thirty-five minutes before I could reach the surface to begin my chamber dry decompression.
"When I arrived at the surface, I was wearing nothing but my brass helmet. As I climbed out of the water, the medic, with tears of laughter running down his face, handed me a tube of cream and told me to rub it on my butt as soon as I got in the chamber. The cream put the fire out, but I couldn't poop for two days because my butt was swollen shut.
"So, next time you're having a bad day at work, think about how much worse it would be if you had a jellyfish shoved up your butt.
"Now repeat to yourself, "I love my job, I love my job, I love my job."
"And whenever you have a bad day, ask yourself: is this a "jellyfish bad" day?"
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Christ Laughing!
These are cool.At least I think so...that's why I'm posting them. I got an e-mail from a friend I work with (one of those "forward to 10 people" e-mails). As a rule, I don't forward such e-mails, but I suppose now that I have this blog I can share things I find interesting with friends without filling their e-mail boxes with large attachments and only if they choose to visit this blog.
According to the e-mail, when the initial sender's friends went to a seminary in Florida last March, they "saw an artist paint huge works (the size of a door) in 30-45 minutes. The artist prefers anonymity and says he wants the works to speak for themselves. Look carefully and see the drawings were signed, "Jesus Painter." Christ laughing! A concept I hadn't seen before. Beautiful pencil drawings."
I don't think I'd seen this concept before either, but I do like the drawings...I havea few more that I'll post in a separate entry soon.
Blessings!
Big D
My #1 Son is now 4!!!
Yes, Noah is now (as of January 30) 4 YEARS OLD!! He is an awesome young man and, as you can tell from the pictures, he smiles a lot. We are so blessed by the Lord to have Noah as a part of our family. Noah and several of his closest friends had a party recently at the local Chick-Fil-A (his favorite restaurant).
One Day In The Cove - Take 3
12:03 PMSaturday, February 11, 2006
Partly Cloudy
36.9 Degrees
Winds NNW at 9 mph
Yes, the melt has been quick. The snowman (deceased in the middle of the front yard) didn't last very long. Easy come, easy go. Fun while it lasted.
One Day In The Cove - Take 2
5:07 PMFriday, February 10, 2006
Snowing
IN MEMPHIS!!!
32.9 Degrees
Winds calm
Quite a contrast from the previous day (see the February 9 One Day In The Cove entry). But yes, it DID snow in Memphis (much to the delight of the local meteorologists who actually called it right). We got about 5 inches in the cove.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
And The Answer Is...Yes. Definitely Yes.
The question? Or...questions?
From the kidshealth web site...
1. Was your child's onset of illness sudden? Yes.
2. Does your child have a high fever? Yes.
3. Is your child's exhaustion level severe? Yes...definitely!!
4. Is your child's cough dry? Yes.
5. Is your child's throat sore? Yes.
6. Is your child's head achy? Yes.
7. Is your child's appetite decreased? Well...is nonexistent considered decreased?? If my child won't even eat candy, is that considered decreased? Sorry, back to the questions...
8. Are your child's muscles achy? Yes.
9. Does your child have chills? Absolutely yes.
So...given this brief time of questions and answers, the conclusion is...my child has the flu. More accurately, two of my children (Clara and Noah) have had the flu and are now in various stages of recovery (I can hear Noah coughing downstairs, but he's FINALLY eating again at least. Clara is back at school after having missed four days last week). One of my children had the "sudden onset" overnight and is now asleep in bed (Hannah). One of my children is now coughing (Elijah). My wife is feeling a little run-down (OH NO!!!). I, as the leader of the family, took the initiative and had the flu two weeks ago. Given the comments on the contageous nature of the flu, I was probably very generous. By the way, I tried my very best to set a good example and be pitiful.
Ahh, the joys of winter...
Big D.
From the kidshealth web site...
1. Was your child's onset of illness sudden? Yes.
2. Does your child have a high fever? Yes.
3. Is your child's exhaustion level severe? Yes...definitely!!
4. Is your child's cough dry? Yes.
5. Is your child's throat sore? Yes.
6. Is your child's head achy? Yes.
7. Is your child's appetite decreased? Well...is nonexistent considered decreased?? If my child won't even eat candy, is that considered decreased? Sorry, back to the questions...
8. Are your child's muscles achy? Yes.
9. Does your child have chills? Absolutely yes.
So...given this brief time of questions and answers, the conclusion is...my child has the flu. More accurately, two of my children (Clara and Noah) have had the flu and are now in various stages of recovery (I can hear Noah coughing downstairs, but he's FINALLY eating again at least. Clara is back at school after having missed four days last week). One of my children had the "sudden onset" overnight and is now asleep in bed (Hannah). One of my children is now coughing (Elijah). My wife is feeling a little run-down (OH NO!!!). I, as the leader of the family, took the initiative and had the flu two weeks ago. Given the comments on the contageous nature of the flu, I was probably very generous. By the way, I tried my very best to set a good example and be pitiful.
Ahh, the joys of winter...
Big D.
Monday, February 13, 2006
It's Been A Year?!?!?!
Yes, it's been a year. Elijah is now, as of January 27, one year old. He asked me to share a snapshot of him and his personal birthday cake.
He's walking now and talking too, I guess you could say, if you count 'ma-ma' as talking. He calls everyone 'ma-ma.' He calls Diane 'ma-ma' and he calls Hannah 'ma-ma' (and Hannah does help so much with him)...and he also calls Clara 'ma-ma'...but he also calls ME 'ma-ma'!!!!
Sunday, February 12, 2006
A Chuckle About Children
Thought some of you might enjoy this...I got it by e-mail from my mother-in-law. I know there's probably some humor in simply the fact of who I got it from, but it's a bit of fun regardless...
Big D
====
To those of us who have children in our lives, whether they are our own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students... here is something to make you chuckle.
Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to His own children.
After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And the first thing he said was
"DON'T ! "
"Don't what? " Adam replied.
"Don't eat the forbidden fruit." God said.
"Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit! "
"No Way! "
"Yes way! "
"Do NOT eat the fruit! " said God.
"Why? "
"Because I am your Father and I said so! " God replied, wondering why He hadn't stopped creation after making the elephants.
"Don't what? " Adam replied.
"Don't eat the forbidden fruit." God said.
"Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit! "
"No Way! "
"Yes way! "
"Do NOT eat the fruit! " said God.
"Why? "
"Because I am your Father and I said so! " God replied, wondering why He hadn't stopped creation after making the elephants.
A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and He was ticked!
"Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit? " God asked.
"Uh huh," Adam replied.
"Then why did you? " said the Father.
"Uh huh," Adam replied.
"Then why did you? " said the Father.
"I don't know," said Eve.
"She started it! " Adam said.
"Did not! "
"Did too! "
"DID NOT! "
Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own.
"She started it! " Adam said.
"Did not! "
"Did too! "
"DID NOT! "
Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own.
Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed..
BUT THERE IS REASSURANCE IN THE STORY!
BUT THERE IS REASSURANCE IN THE STORY!
If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and they haven't taken it, don't be hard on yourself.
If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you?
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!
1. You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.
2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children.
3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.
4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.
5. The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own.
2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children.
3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.
4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.
5. The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own.
6. We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in.
ADVICE FOR THE DAY: Be nice to your kids. They will choose your nursing home one day.
AND FINALLY:
IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION AND YOU GET A HEADACHE, DO WHAT IT SAYS ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE:
"TAKE TWO ASPIRIN" AND "KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN"!!!!!
AND FINALLY:
IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION AND YOU GET A HEADACHE, DO WHAT IT SAYS ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE:
"TAKE TWO ASPIRIN" AND "KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN"!!!!!
Friday, February 10, 2006
Points To Ponder On The Eve Of The Science Fair
At Random...
* Procrastination is hereditary.
* "Back in the day," science fairs started when you were in the 6th grade. Now it's the 4th.
* At least now it's in writing in the assignment..."parents can help."
* 4th graders shouldn't work with partners on science fair projects. Trying to get two 4th grade girls together who have the social schedule of my daughter is close to impossible.
* The amount of "help" needed from the parent on the project is in direct proportion to the desire of the parent to watch that night's episode of Survivor.
* 10 year old girls talk louder and faster the later at night it gets.
* 10 year old girls can easily get distracted from the task at hand.
* The perceived needs of parents' attention by the siblings of science fair participants increases in proportion to the amount of assistance needed by the science fair participant.
* Helping your child with a science fair project brings back very fond memories of when your dad helped you with yours.
* Why weren't computers, color printers, and digital cameras available when I was in school? Instead, we had stencils and magic markers.
* Spending time with your child and their friends is priceless.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
One Day In The Cove
11:00 AMWednesday, February 8, 2006
Scattered Clouds
46.4 degrees Farenheit
Winds variable at 3.5 mph
A quiet day in the cove in Bartlett
Early Valentines
We actually celebrated Valentine's Day OUT this year!! Yes, we did it early, but hey...as Colonel John Hannibal Smith of the A-Team used to say, "I love it when a plan comes together!" A fun night with my favorite girl.Thank you, thank you, thank you to our dear friends Libby and Wes for offering to baby-sit for us!! It's not often we are able to get sitters for four kids.
We started the evening with a fantastic dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Germantown, Yia-Yia's Euro Bistro. Then it was over to the Germantown Performing Arts Center to our front-row balcony seats for 90 minutes of Spyro Gyra. OK...yes, I know I just dated myself and I'm now officially OLD, but one of the genres of music that Diane and I really like is often called Smooth Jazz. When we were dating in Atlanta back in the late 1980's we'd often drive around and listen to Jazz Flavors, a night-time radio segment on a local station there. Spyro Gyra was often a featured artist.
It was a very nice, relaxing evening away from the chaotic world of Chateau Smith. The music was great, and it's nice to see people doing for a career something that they truly enjoy doing. As Jay Beckenstein, one of the founding members of Spyro Gyra, quipped during the show, "we've had one hit (Morning Dance) and have made it last for over 20 years..." Happy Valentine's Day Lady Di!
Monday, February 06, 2006
Ahhhhhhh......
...a sigh of relief. Imagine you've been working in a hot dusty yard (with angry bees) in the sun in July in Memphis for hours and hours, then you finish your work and sit in the shade with a glass of iced lemonade. A cool breeze blows. Fluffy cloulds roll across the sun in waves. Ahhhhhh.....
That's one way to describe my feeling at having found a church home.
For any who read this blog who are Christians, and you have ever gone through the process perhaps because of relocation of having to search for a new church home, you can understand what an exhausting, trying, arduous process that can be.
Quite honestly, sometimes you just want to give up. You'd rather stay in bed than fill out one more visitor's card. Your kids look at you with those puppy dog eyes when you leave then in one more children's program with people they don't know. Your kids are old enough to disagree with each other as to which church they'd rather attend. You become angry at God for no reason.
Our family has recently done this, and I am so happy to say we have finally found a home. Our new church home is New Hope Christian Church. Amazing, God honoring worship. Solid Biblical teaching. An atmosphere of service by all members (including youth...youth are involved in service in all parts of the church, not just the youth area). True koinonia. Genuinely friendly people everywhere we turn. Focus on Jesus Christ (Period). Very missions-minded. Excellent intentional pre-school and children's program.
Is it a perfect church? Absolutely not. If it were then I definitely shouldn't join. It has many faults. It definitely doesn't have it all together. But it focuses on the One who does.
For whatever time we have left in Memphis, my prayer is that me and my family would develop true servants' hearts as we join with this local body.
That's one way to describe my feeling at having found a church home.
For any who read this blog who are Christians, and you have ever gone through the process perhaps because of relocation of having to search for a new church home, you can understand what an exhausting, trying, arduous process that can be.
Quite honestly, sometimes you just want to give up. You'd rather stay in bed than fill out one more visitor's card. Your kids look at you with those puppy dog eyes when you leave then in one more children's program with people they don't know. Your kids are old enough to disagree with each other as to which church they'd rather attend. You become angry at God for no reason.
Our family has recently done this, and I am so happy to say we have finally found a home. Our new church home is New Hope Christian Church. Amazing, God honoring worship. Solid Biblical teaching. An atmosphere of service by all members (including youth...youth are involved in service in all parts of the church, not just the youth area). True koinonia. Genuinely friendly people everywhere we turn. Focus on Jesus Christ (Period). Very missions-minded. Excellent intentional pre-school and children's program.
Is it a perfect church? Absolutely not. If it were then I definitely shouldn't join. It has many faults. It definitely doesn't have it all together. But it focuses on the One who does.
For whatever time we have left in Memphis, my prayer is that me and my family would develop true servants' hearts as we join with this local body.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
UGA Proud
Congrats to the Steelers for their Super Bowl win...specifically Hines Ward, Super Bowl MVP and University of Georgia Bulldog alumni!! Go Dawgs!
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Did Anyone See That Truck...
...that hit me?
Wow!
Stomach flu...I can almost tell you how many bones I have in my body because all of them hurt over the past two days.
No gory details...but let's just say that some things can stop you in your tracks.
More later as the energy level slowly returns...
Big D.
Wow!
Stomach flu...I can almost tell you how many bones I have in my body because all of them hurt over the past two days.
No gory details...but let's just say that some things can stop you in your tracks.
More later as the energy level slowly returns...
Big D.
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