Exciting times....

Hello to everyone. I hope and pray that all of you are doing well. Things on this end have been going very well lately. Things at work are chuggin right along at a good pace. Staying somewhat busy although the slow down of the economy is somewhat concerning to me. However, FedEx does a superior job at being proactive rather than reactive to things like this. We've been in spending cutbacks for several months now.

I am on vacation this week. The plan was to come to Texarkana to see the folks for a day or two and then head down to Austin. However, my brother in law and nephew had to come up this way for a funeral of a family friend, so I at least go to see them. I wasn't really looking forward to driving another 450 miles after having driven almost 500 to get here. Tall guy...cramped car...trust me...doesn't work out too well LOL So basically I have been in Texarkana all week. I got to see some friends, and of course have enjoyed my time with the family. It's always great to see family. I had an absolute blast with Brett, my 3 year old nephew. We wrestled and played cars and watched movies. It melted me when he gave me a big hug and kiss then told me he loves me. He told me I need to come to his house to play more often. I asked him when, and he said "Next week!!" :-) Kids! So sweet! It is hard at times, living so far from them but hey...God has me in Tuscaloosa for a reason.

Speaking of that..within the next couple of months, I am actually going to be looking to buy a house. I have no plans to leave Tuscaloosa within the next couple of years. I am getting tired of shelling out good money for a roof over my head and at the end of the month, having nothing to show for it. I want something that I can own. Some liquidity if you will. I've already got one guy who wants to room with me and if I can get one more (will be looking for 3 bedroom house naturally), they will make my mortgage payment for me. I am choosing a 3 bedroom for several reasons. First, I can probably find at least one guy to room with and help me make the payments. If I only find one, I can make the 3rd bedroom either a guest bedroom or an exercise room. Second, if I do decide to transfer, or get transfered, then FedEx will buy the house from me. Naturally, they have restrictions and conditions, but I can get help with that. My boss has done the whole thing a couple of times now. Who knows though? I may even keep it as a rental house, depending on how far I transfer if that ever happens. Plus it ultimately leads to this: most people looking to buy a house are going to look for a 3 bedroom because of marriage and kids and all. I will admit, that is in the back of my mind too. If I get married, the extra rooms will probably be beneficial. Especially if kiddos come along.

I can honestly say that at this time, I am the happiest I have been in a long while. Life is great! The church group that I am involved with is awesome! These are some of the most inspirational and loving people I have ever met. The congregation as a whole and the group that I study with on Sunday nights are awesome. I have grown so much as a Christian since moving to Tuscaloosa, that it will be hard to leave, if I ever do. Over the past few years, I may have become more of a 'rock' with my emotions, and much more difficult to read, but trust me, I am so happy right now and am excited to see what chapter is next in my life.

I leave you with this quote that I heard not so long ago. It can be applied to everything you do in life, and it is something that I am getting better at myself:
"Never let the odds prevent you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do."

~God Bless~

Need to breathe

Hey All,

I wanted to give a quick update. My friend Misty is doing better. She's being stubborn and trying to do too much and strained her neck, but she says she's feeling fine. I can't really scold her for doing too much too fast...Lord knows after my surgery I hurt myself a couple of times trying to do too much too soon. Dunno why we do that as humans...I guess we're so accustomed to being busy that when we CAN'T do anything, we refuse to accept it.

The title of this post refers to something that I need to do. Lately things have really been getting to me that shouldn't. Things that I normally wouldn't give a second thought are bugging me and it's really been affecting my mood. So far, it has not affected me spiritually, but I do need to step back and take a break before it does. I know myself well enough to know that if I do too much more..I'm going to completely shut myself off from everyone, and that is not healthy either physically or spiritually. It's just that a couple of things over the past two or three weeks have not really gone as well as I had hoped, on top of the fact that other than the one day off at work for Christmas and one day for New Year, I haven't taken a day off since October. It's weird to say but right now I am burned out on life, and I am "existing" rather than "living". Thankfully, tonight I was able to spend some good quality time with friends from church as we watched the Super Bowl. That really helped a lot.

So....I have asked for the last week of this month off. I still have to burn ten days worth of vacation before the end of May, so I figure now is as good a time as any to use half of it. I dunno what I'll do or where I'll go, but I will probably go home and spend some time with the family..maybe even go to Memphis to see a couple of friends that I haven't seen in a while...or possibly even go to Austin to see my sister and bro in law and the kids...right now I just don't know, but I do know that I just need to "get away" before I snap. lol

I also have decided with almost certainty that I am going to go to Alaska this summer. I think all that needs to be ironed out is when a convenient time for my friend is. I have been friends with this person for years and need to go see her. I've never been to Alaska so she will be bestowed with the honor of being my tour guide :)

I will close this out with another prayer request. You guys receiving this have been amazing with my prayer requests in the past so I throw this one at you...my friend Steve, in Buffalo, NY. His mother was recently diagnosed with an as of yet incurable disease. He is very very close to his family. Please pray for the family, definitely his mother and her doctors. Please ask your friends to pray for her....I have personally never met her, but from what he describes, she is a truly amazing Christian woman.

~God Bless~