Pride Comes Before the Fall

A current situation at work prompted me to think back on the past few years, and back into high school. Sometimes I forget that gaining of certain knowledge can lead to arrogance, if it is not received in humility. An old friend of mine used to remind me frequently that "pride comes before the fall" and sometimes the fall really hurts.
I still remember what it was like to be picked on when I was a kid and to be looked at as weird and different. I think it is easy to forget what it meant, when people started looking up to me. So there I am, when the table has turned and I'm the funny guy, and people laugh when I make fun. It felt so good, the power to know that people liked me, but it was false. False power that can turn at any moment, and I know I was wrong. There is nothing funny about that.I know that I must apologize, because if I don't, I will know that I will have changed and become someone that I am not. To make fun of others is to make fun of myself, and it hurts Jesus the Christ as well.

Life or Death

On October eleventh of 2008, my grandma Gene died after about one year of Alzheimer’s. On that day I knew I would never see her again on this earth, though she had never truly been the same. To me she was already dead, though very much alive and probably more happy in the last year of her life than the past fifty or more, before her mind, her identity had changed.

I do not know if that has helped me accept her death more quickly or if it is the fact that that I know I will see her again. That was only confirmed when a bird flew into the mass during which at that very moment the priest was saying a blessing over her casket. I really believe that God was seeking to us in that moment. Either way when I think of death, my own or another Christian, I think of renewal, reunion, and rest.

Death for a Christian is not a curse or a disease or a genetic flaw afflicted to the entire human race, but generally a portal - whether within the right time, or prematurely - to a new life, to already lost loved ones. To me I see it as the last sacrament. Even though death was initially the curse for the sins of Adam and Eve, God seeks to restore order to his creation by supplementing his sacraments: forgiveness with baptism, the infilling of the Holy Spirit with the last supper, and resurrection with death.

I am going to see her again. And if after a lifetime of hardship and loss I can look forward to seeing those I love in heaven. Then I have no reason to fear death, or reject it, or stave it off. Of course that is looking at it simply without the mess of current relationships and worldly stresses and the inherent need to secure the future of the world for our children pulling at oneself. But the only hope in the end is to let go and rest in the security of God's promise and His plan.Even so I will miss seeing her when I go over to the house to mow the lawn... If it's still there next summer. That's another issue all together.

Tattoo

Got my first tattoo last night. It's awesome. The Jedi Knight Sword symbole and the new legacy series flames. Tattoo done by Jaimi from Studio 14 here in BG. She's good.

Sick of Gas Prices? Buy a Bike from Me!

Anyone in the BG area want a bike? I have a total of seven bikes, four tenspeeds and three mountain bikes that have been abandon for one and two years. I'm going to fix them up and sell them. Don't need a bike? Ok, but let me know if you know someone who needs one. I already have two hits

Why I Can't Read

I just can't believe myself. The kriffing article states:

Under the proposed settlement, GM will send cash reimbursements to class members
who paid for Covered Repairs performed within seven years or 150,000 miles
(whichever is earlier) after the original owner or lessee took delivery of the
vehicle, and who submit timely and valid claims.

Where the crap does it say that an only the original owners can make claims? It doesn't! Wow, Adam is really dumb. Okay maybe not dumb, but is deffinitely feeling like a jack-ass. But anyways, I still think the average gm owner is getting screwed. If their is a problem with a gasket, issue a recall.

Why GM Is Not the #1 Seller of Vehicles In the USA

The other week I posted a blog about the GM Dex-cool settlement. Since then I have gotten a number of responses to it and also just by talking to people. The problem with the settlement is the fact that there is a loophole where GM can get away from reimbursing thousands of car owners. This is the loophole:

Under the proposed settlement, GM will send cash reimbursements to class
members who paid for Covered Repairs performed within seven years or 150,000
miles (whichever is earlier) after the original owner or lessee took
delivery of the vehicle, and who submit timely and valid claims.

This basically screws over the average GM car owner because the majority of GM vehicles bought by car owners were bought used, after the vehicle had been leased for two or three years. If a lessee finds the problem one year before their lease is up they will simply wait until they turn their car in, and get a different one for the next two or three years. Then the dealer will flush the coolant and put the defective vehicle on the lot to be sold. Then an unknowing buyer comes along and buys the car with the problem, which had not been solved. This is only one example of what can happen, and where GM gets off the hook.
This is very unfortunate for GM owners like my parents, and several other people that I know. I just want to get the word out so people won’t make the same mistake again. I believe that Toyota was last year’s #1 car seller in America (C&D Magazine, correct me if I’m wrong).
This makes me wonder how much the lawyers who drafted the contract were payed to put that loophole in.

Dex-cool Sucks

There is a lawsuit against GM involving their vehicles that use Dex-cool antifreeze/coolant between the years 1995 and 2004. They are settling, but I think that the average GM customer is still getting the shaft. The problem, Dex-cool just sucks. It's corrosive and eats away at certain gaskets and can cause the need for an average $800 repair. My parents just found out that their lower intake gasket needs preplaced. Because the gasket is not doing its job, coolant is getting into the crank-case, and oil is getting into the coolant. Slowly these chemicals, which are now in places where they shouldn't be, have been eating away at certain sensors. Further, there is all sorts of oil getting up into the intake and throttle-body causing the car to idle rough, lose horsepower, and decrease fuel economy. For more info, or to file a claim, go to www.dexcoolsettlement.com. All claims must be filed by October 13th. If you own a GM car I would strongly suggest asking a mechanic if your car is affected.
GM has made claims that they have fixed the problem in models after 2004. However, working at Valvoline Instant Oil Change I have seen that this is not true. I have seen newer vehicles with the same problems, including a 2006 Impala that came in last week.
If you have just bought a brand new GM vehicle, I would strongly suggest switching coolants right away to either the original green coolant, or to the new G-05 or yellow coolant. I would recommend G-05 because if 100% of the Dex-cool isn't flushed out it mixes better than the original green coolant. Also make sure the mechanic doesn't just pull the plug on the radiator and fill it back up. Instead they should use a coolant flush machine.

I John 1:7

If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His son, purifies us from all sin. I John 1:7
This is one of my favorite verses and chapters. It’s a matter of fact look at truth, sin, confession, and God's nature. What happens when we walk in the light? Confession of believers (that's inclusive plural; inclusive only to those who confess, and more than one must confess.) brings about fellowship, the kind of fellowship that allows two people to call themselves the church and experience the presence of God. Along side that fellowship comes purification. His blood purifies the confessors who are now believers. However we cannot experience this fellowship if we are not honest. "We" that is again inclusive and plural. So love, honesty, confession, and forgiveness are essential parts of the believer's lifestyle. All are essential the fellowship of believers. The next part says that "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." That means that no believer is above another. That again is important to the life of a believer. If we weren't all on the same level, we wouldn't exactly be able to fellowship the way God intended.

Cool Lightsaber Dool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc1nvKdL4JA

Not Going to Worry

I haven't really done my homework yet except maybe I’ll be training the new kid "Teddy" today and the rest of next week. No kidding, his first name is Theodore and his dad is a mechanic at Tireman. Get it. Teddy. Theodore. Anyway, the area manager is getting an action plan, which could possibly be a good thing. Just think about it, if he gets fired then all his friends that are in managerial positions might not get babied anymore, and maybe possibly the BG store might possibly not get crapped on so much. That would be so much better for the district. On the other hand, if they bring in one of his old friends to replace him though, we’re screwed. That still might not be too bad for me though. If he goes, that means that Tom may eventually be fired. That's good for me because I'm next in line for the assistant manager position. Sort of, actually D kind of is, but Russ would rather have me. Anyways, I'm just speculating. It may never happen. If BO actually saves his butt and pulls through the action plan, there will be no consequences for Tom and I will be stuck as a senior tech. Then of course there is Teddy. He wants to move up the management chain, or so he says. If he does, then he is next in line for assistant manager. Russ is pretty positive about him, but I think he could be a butt to train, because he did oil changes over at Tireman. That's just not the same as SuperPro. That could just turn out to be a matter of convenience though. Oh well, nothing is certain. Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow, what you will eat, or even what you will where tomorrow. So here I am and I am not going to worry. Hmm, I’m hungry, what should I eat when I get home?

How many other words can you make with these --> "Let it"

As I pass my 24th birthday, recall that VIOC is probably a dead end career-wise, and wake up every morning knowing that there is a call on my life, I wonder if I'm fulfilling my call. I know that I will be entering another stage in my life soon, but I don't know what it will involve - it's the story of my life. No seriously, I feel like I'm Moses who just got a job working for this dude named Jethro watching over sheep in the desert. Needless to say, I don't think the next stage in my life will involve parting any seas, no matter what color they claim to be. lol.
I've been thinking about going somewhere and just spending some time alone. When I mentioned that to mom she told me about some monastery in Fremont or somewhere in that area. She said P. Scott and the Flickster went there a couple of times. I think I might check that out. It's supposed to be absolutely silent which will be awesome. I know I will here from God. I just don't think He's going to tell me what I want to know. I think I've said this before, but it took me till I was 22 to figure out what I wasn't supposed to do. I could be fifty years old before I actually know what I am supposed to do.
Still have to call Scott and figure things out. And figure out how much vacation time I have. And train at least one more person at work to cover me while I'm gone.

Wanna Go On A Bike Ride?

Anyone want to go on a bike ride with me? No seriously. But it's not just any kind of bike ride. It's a 78 mi per riding day or 63 mi per day for seven weeks (June 4 - July 28 2008) , that's 3120 miles total, so it's not for people who aren't fit. The most one will have to ride is 110 mi and the least is 40 mi. Actually I need at least 14 to 26 people to ride with me (me and 14-25 others) and raise $4985 dollars together (that's $360-$191 a person). I also need them to sign up and to make a collective deposit of $300 dollars for The Ride:Well Tour by Feb 15th. It's also for a good cause, to help raise money so Blood: Water Mission can build wells in Africa. Blood: Water Mission was founded by Jars of Clay and they do have a link on their MySpace sight, just to give it a little bit of legitimacy. Just to be clear, transportation will need to be booked at the individual's expense to cover transport from beginning and ending sights, Santa Monica, CA and Washington D.C. That also includes bikes and equipment. Please visit the links above before you commit.

Priceless Moments

I went to a few bars last night. Justin and I shared a Mike's Louisiana something or another pizza at Jed's, it was good. No, make that amazing. The beer could have been better, but I'm not a big beer lover anyways. Then went to BWs and played pool. It was fun games and I had some good shots. Then at uptown we all had a cherry bomb and toasted to Christen and the guy she is going to Africa with on their mission trip, and also Justin going back to the Findley "Hot Topic."
I went to the doc's today and he found that my thyroid was abnormally large. Last winter he found the same thing, but not in the summer. Weird. So I got some blood work done and saw Erica Grossman (Ropp) and Brendan's fiancée Holly in the ER reception room. Oh yah! The lab lady was fun, what a crazy old kook! For a minute there I thought I was going to get a sucker, but no, and no snoopy Band-Aids either, just the patriotic ones. Last but not least I would like to give props to MasterCard...
Prescription refill trip to doc - $100
Unexpected trip to blood lab - $ 60
Cost of prescription at the pharmacy - $12
Seeing Skip Glassford trying to grow out a beard - priceless!
Props to Skip too. Sure it's a little gray in some places, and maybe not as full as my dad's, but nevertheless it does look good on you Skip!

Lacking

So if our church expands any more I don't know if we will be able to do it at my place anymore. With me the Taylors, Danielle, and the Dilbones it was pretty tight. Then the new people, who I keep forgetting their names, didn't show up. We might have been able to fit them in, but anymore and it would have to be Grounds for Thought, when it comes to me hosting. The discussion was quite good too. Sara said something that I'm still mulling over. God's been telling us that we are "lacking." It's true, sometimes it just seems like a social club and every once in a while we do something to help out people in the community. We have also been lacking individually too. Personally I know I need to be more intent spending time in prayer. I also think that I'm supposed to get to know the guys in my apartment more. Not a lot else going on recently. I'm going to be 24 on the 25th. What the crap!? I thought I was 23 but if you do the math what's 2008 - 1984? After evaluating my life, I would say that all around for a 24 year old I'm lacking.

Mandalorians and the Church

Though most mandalorians were associated with love of war, bounty hunting and a lot of bloodshed, there was at least one mandalorian who chose not to kill unless she absolutely had to. In fact, she always chose bounties that required the "hard merchendise" to stay alive. Once she saved another bounty hunter's life, even though had been trying to kill her. Even more, a lot of her bounties she chose because she had lost her family in the mandalorian war - her birth family, not her adopted mandalorian family - and she wanted to help others find their families. Not that she was a saint, but Mira was probably one of the better, more honorable mandalorians.

I think that one of the things that the church is horrible at doing, that it could take a look at people like Mira - even if she's a fictional character - and learn from. Let's just face it, the Church should be in the business of restoring and creating families. I think that the current structure of a lot of churches is built for other purposes and doesn't help families at all. Sometimes, like in my father's case, it destroys families. Take for instance the current norm of separating the age classes: teens, preteens, children, toddlers, adults, seniors, college kids, you name it. Of course the target is getting families to attend, but even more important is the number of people that attend. Let's just face it, if your goal is number's that kind of structure works, but it doesn't really help the family stay closer, it doesn't nurture the family - just the individual, and it doesn't help restore families.

Of course churches with this kind of structure try to compensate by having times where families get together and fellowship. Come on people; let's come back down to reality. Anyone on a board or committee should know that just because some program was made with a specific purpose in mind doesn't mean that when put in place; it will be used for that purpose. Often times, the program will be exploited or the purpose ignored, even in so called "healthy" churches.

It's time for a new structure that is centered on the worship of God, but is done by the family and with the family instead of numbers. This is why I am a strong advocate of the house church. It takes place where the family is at, or rather where several families are at. It doesn't separate the age groups, and the whole community is involved in raising and teaching the children and can be involved because they know each other that well. When one family is hurting, (physically, financially, relationally) the other's can pitch in and help. The sad thing is that often it takes people becoming "disillusioned" about the church to become a part of a house church. Instead I think people should do it because right now, it's the best model there is.

Blogg Forward

Here is a link to a friends page. He says some good stuff.

Mando'ade

If i were to ever switch cultures, I would become a Mandalorian. Personally that would solve a lot of my problems. First of, if I was a Mandalorian, my roomates would start doing their dishes and clean up after them selves. Seriously, there is just somthing about that T-shaped visor and a full suit of beskar that just says "don't mess with me and do your frikindishes you dickat!" Okay it's not just the reputation that's atractive, it's their passion for life, living on the edge, doing what they believe in no matter what the consequenses might be. They have a passion for family and a unique way of cellebrating the dead. Being divorced by their family is one of the worst things that could happen to them, and addoption seams to be one of their themes. Interesting, bloodlines don't matter to them. If your a mandalorian, it's not because it is your haritage, it's because you chose it as a way of life. It's funny most mandalorians are highly influenced by the dark side, become bounty hunters, and do a lot of killing, but also share a lot of traits with Christians - not that "christians" haven't done their fair share of killing. To bad they don't exist, because I think that Jesus would like them.

Zirk Tom! I don't like him (J/K)

I worked with Tom yesterday. We did seventeen cars, that's still high, but not as high as the legendary twenty-six on one Sunday. I expected to have a high count just because he and I worked together. It wasn't so bad working with Tom. In fact, I think that Tom plays an important role in the company. He always seems to be able to break down tension. The downside is he just needs to get his butt working sometimes and not be so lazy, stop talking on the phone when there are cars in, and spending extended periods of time over at Barneys. He just doesn't make a good assistant manager. Me, well I just need to suck it up and work with Tom every once in a while. If D's not allowed to be an assistant manager because he can't get along with people, then why should I think I can get the same position and expect to also be selective about whom I work with.
On another note, GM fittings suck. Yes, that's right and they are a waste of time. Take Daimler-Chrysler's Jeep line. A lot of their vehicles can have anywhere from two to eight or more zirks to lube. Usually all of them will take grease. Ford SUV's which usually have two or four zirks, with the exception of their big Econolines which have about fourteen zirks. Usually most of them take. GM on the other hand will have two to eight on their cars and up to eleven or thirteen on their trucks or SUVs’. About an average of half take grease on the cars while the trucks or SUV's are worse. Often times, I will come across one that doesn't take any or just one or two take grease. Here's one thing you might consider. The reason car manufacturers are going from zirked fittings to sealed fittings is to take one more job out of the production line. It saves the manufacturer money.

Apathy and Belief: part C

In the xbox game KOTOR II the main character, known as “the exile” walks into a force vision. In this vision he sees his mentor who talks to him. Then some of his companions make some accusations against his mentor. When the exile refuses to do something and just watch them attack her, they each in turn say to him, “apathy is death” and then turn on him.
All throughout the game the exile faces his past and relives the choices he had to make as a General in the most devastating war in galactic history. Over and over again he faces the same question, knowing what he knows now; would he have still gone to war against the Mandalorians, or would he have waited and sought wisdom with the Jedi council, while whole worlds were slaughtered.
At the end of the game the exile must make a decision. Will he go and face the greatest of the Sith on his own, or will he do nothing. If he goes, he may turn to the dark side, or he and his companions could die and the last of the Jedi would be gone. He would have to face his past at the very place where he had been stripped of the force. If he does not go and face his past. If he does nothing, then the sith lord with which he has a fatal bond will kill herself ending his life as well. Such an action would bring death to the Force itself, and “kill all who feel the force” a.k.a. all jedi or those who are force sensitive.
In the end, the exile goes and faces the Sith, and finds that the whole battle is about belief. As he faces the one known as Lord Sion, he convinces Sion to believe that even if he were to defeat the exile, Darth Trayus would not let him live. He convinces the Sith lord to let go of the force. Since the Force is the only thing that is holding Lord Sion’s body together and therefore keeping him alive, Lord Sion dies. It was Sion’s belief in the Force that kept him alive, and when his beliefs changed, he died.
Finally the exile faces Darth Trayus, the one to whom he has a fatal bond. After seeing Lord Sion die, the exile finally knows that it is only his belief in the bond that is holding Trayus’ and the exile’s fates together. After that he is able to defeat her in lightsaber combat without losing his own life and bringing death to all who feel the force.
Though these are not real life examples, the game shows these good examples of how our beliefs can hold us back or make us excel. It shows us that just our mere beliefs can bring life or death. If Sion’s belief in the force would not have been shaken, the exile would have been defeated. It also shows good examples of how apathy can bring about destruction. Take for instance, if the exile had done nothing, the results would have been tragic. In the end, apathy can be just as dangerous as wielding a gun and what we believe about ourselves can determine the outcome of a situation before it begins. That is why we must be careful about what we believe and what we say. That is why we must not fail to act.

Apathy and Belief: Part B

There are too many people who walk around defeated day after day. They are cold, silent, and starved of hope and most of them can’t or won’t even acknowledge it. Sometimes this pattern stems from being defeated in their daily lives. These people can’t see a way out of their own troubles and can’t even see to help others. That’s why people who can do something must acknowledge that they must do something, and take action.
Sometimes there are people so beyond hope that there is no doubt that they are already condemned and hopeless. These people need something or someone that is out of this world to come and rescue them from their utter hopelessness. I have seen too many healings, and too many people delivered from addictions and struggles to believe that anything is hopeless. God will help anyone that is in a hopeless situation, as long as they want help from Him and ask for it.
Sometimes it takes other people interceding on behalf of the hopeless for God, in order to bring them to hope. That is why people who know Him must do something for those who are hopeless. That is why they should not be indifferent, but in stead intercede.

Apathy and Belief: Part A

Why is it that people have a tendency to make excuses to do nothing? If people are faced with the question to do something about people in another country who are dying of hunger, they talk about how their support might not get to the people in need. How they will starve anyways. They don’t look into it to see if their premise is true, to see if there is a better way. There are enough people in this world who react to plight in apathy. They react to the needy with indifference. We don’t need people who make excuses to remain cold. Instead, people need to look at a broken system and figure out a way to make it work. Take action and make it better. Those who complain about the lack of a good way to help are those who should make that bridge.

There is a movie about a couple of Irish vigilantes in America who turn on the local mafia and start assassinating the leaders. In the beginning of the movie, a priest puts it right. At a funeral he talks about a person who was gunned down by the mafia, and at the moment of their death cried out to God. He says that often the first question people ask themselves is, “why did God let that happen?” But, he says that the question people should really ask themselves is “why didn’t anyone else do anything?” He says that often the biggest killer is apathy.

So I say it again…there are enough people who do nothing. There are enough apathetic people in this world to kill a multitude, who have killed multitudes. Often people think that they are powerless to do something. They believe that they do not have the means or the knowledge to help people or to create a way to help people. However, all too often the only thing that is holding them back is their belief, or lack thereof. Apathy is not only a passage that leads to death, but also the point at which they become defeated.

Another Day In the Life

Guess what? Okay your three guesses are up. I found a message on my cell with my mom going nuts telling me to "call her back because I was going to be so excited because I wouldn't believe what she found". Apparently she was going to garage sales and found a Fender acoustic guitar for ten bucks. Then she bought it for me. It just needs two strings and a peg. So I guess I'm going to take up guitar. That probably means that I'm going to have to put my keyboard up for a while, cuz I don't have much room in my room.

I missed church Sunday. It was supposed to be at my place, but I had to switch it at the last minute. My sister's boyfriend called me sounding confused and wanted to talk. At first I said I'd come over after lunch, but then my conscience got the best of me. So I drove over to Findlay instead of preparing for church. I didn't know if he was suicidal or anything. When I got there the outer door was locked, so I tried to call him and it automatically goes to voicemail. So I walked around and noticed a fire escape. Luckily, the window into their apartment wasn't locked. Anyways, he was okay and just wanted to talk.

Sometimes, I want to smack my sister though. He's such a nice guy, but she is using him. He's also very unaware of the various illegal things she has been doing. I know that the only way she can change is for God to give her a new life. I know that He will, but it seems so far off.

Just a Day in the Life

So I got my car's water pump done, and it's no longer leaking antifreeze. Yay, I'm so excited! I thought I was going to mess up and have to take it all apart again, but it seems not to have leaked over the past couple of days. I went over to the Dilbones last night. The Grossmans, and the Sterbas were there too. I think it's fun that sometimes the kids are our primary entertainment. Lots of piggy back riding, tickling, and excited laughter. On another note, living with other guys you don't know is not always fun. I would prefer the guys I had last year to the ones this year. No one cleans up after themselves. People seem to spill all sorts of food and drinks on the floor and in the fridge and not clean them up. Dishes pile up and flies and gnats are everywhere. That's not even the half of it. It seems there are only two of us that clean up after ourselves. So last night when I got home I took the dishes and put them in a trash bag by the dumpster. The funny thing is no one seems to be upset.

Car Stuff and Self Doubt

I've been having fun with my water pump lately. I finally got that last nut off. Then after looking at it I decided to take off the engine housing that it was sitting on. I'm glad I did, because I would have had to take it all apart again. The gasket was so corroded that I went and got a replacement. After replacing that, I decided to take the splitter hose off (for the heater core and lower radiator lines) and resealed that with silicon base cement. All I have to do is take the pulley off the old pump, put it on the new, and put the pump on the housing. Not that anyone cares.
Anyways, I've been thinking a lot about people who do things like heal or lead great masses of people to Christ. I wonder what kind of struggles they have, whether or not they experience doubt, or how they cope with being in the spot light. After so many people telling me that "God has great things in store for [me]" and wondering what it is that's going to be, I might possibly have a glimpse. I never worried about it, but now there is so much apprehension, and so many more questions. Where do I begin? Somehow, I don't think I will have a choice, really. It's going to happen no matter what.

Good News

Well, my dad's treatments just seem to be starting to work later than expected. That is very good. He's doing great and I'm very happy about it. There is also an expirimental treatment for people dependant on steroids that my dad is considering. Basically they burn the inside of the lungs. I hope he gets it done. I'm still working on my water pump. Just one more bolt to get out of my way and it is off. Then I'll have to deal with a nother series of problems, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

My Christmas List

So we won’t be doing tomatoes until Monday, which is okay. I hope dad can help, he seems to be getting worse, despite all his treatments at the pain clinic. If you don't know his back and hips bother him all the time, severely enough to be on multiple pain medications, get multiple epidurals, and get his nerves fried and still be in pain. Please pray for my dad to be healed. He doesn't want to give up and neither do I. I want more than anything for him to get better. This pain seems to be the only thing that is keeping my dad from getting healthier. If not for the pain, he could go off steroids, water pills, pain reliever, and begin a more active lifestyle - not to mention get some decent sleep - one that I want to be involved in. I want this more than anything else right now.
On my list of things to do this weekend...
get my bike fixed
fix my car's water pump
spend time with family doing what Wilhelm's do
not much of a list, but that's good enough.

Tomato Juicin' Seasin'

Well people we are coming into the Wilhelm's favorite time of the year. Yes, it is the tomato juicin' seasin'. I took great care to mark it off on the calendar at work in advance. Usually we do it on Memorial Day, but this year the farmers couldn't pant until late, so we will be doing it on the first of September. I love our tomato juice. It's so good, sometimes I like to heat it up and drink it from a cup.
So I don't like K. W. Jeter as an author. Not enough action or dialogue, or sometimes too much dialogue. Fast paced in some places, but mostly boring. This is the first star wars book I truly to not like, but I bought two thirds of the Bounty Hunter Wars trilogy, so I might as well read them. Still haven't found out how Boba Fett escaped from the sarlacc, except for blowing it up.

Cars, Trains, and... ice cream and bikes?

Not much going on in my world right now. I'll be going to work in 1.5 hours. My bike needs fixed. I think the ball bearings in the rear wheel are bad. I'm going to take it to work and take it appart, then I'll see if im right. Anyone have any 18 speed rear wheels they want to get rid of? If the ball bearings are bad, I hope I can just buy the bearings.
Last night was fun. We laughts so much at DQ, even though Greg doesn't like DQ he had fun, though may be I shouldn't have made fun of his moose mating call. Good times. Glasses raised to cheesburgers, blizzards, sundays, friends, and funny commercials. oon-ss oon-ss oon-ss oon-ss... ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah! I think we killed it, but we'll never live it down.

The Good Life

Church on sunday was amazing. Joe came with me. He is living in my appartment and we had a deep discussion the night before. It was good to have him there too, and good to be together as well, esspecially after going to St. Mark's intermitently. Speeking of St. Mark's we discussed how important it was for us to be connected with other saints in other settings, and get connected with other believers in other churches, not just house churches. This is one reason why we wanted to have the community worship event that we did in the spring.
Either way, God was there. When we talked about the scriptures, everyone had something to share, and we all connected in one way or another. God spoke to me so clearly, and we had a great time of prayer. I wish every week was like this, but it isn't always. I think it's up to God, but either way it is still good.
I can't wait till Justin and Tracy move next door.

Tips

So here are some pointers for getting your oil changed at a fast lube.

1. Lose the cell phone - though it's kind of rood to be on the phone while doing business with someone, this isn't the main reason you shouldn't be on a cell phone. It really is a hazard, and there has been plenty of close calls, from almost driving into the pit, to almost getting run over.
2. Don't ask if it's a Jiffy Lube...especially if it's not a Jiffy Lube
3. If your going to pull in and you notice that all the bays are full, don't drive away expecting that you are going come back in ten minutes to get right in. Especially around lunch hour or the end of first shift. Chances are it will still be busy.
4. 15 minutes before close is absolutely the worst time to come in. Yes we are supposed to be there to serve the customers, but of course there is idealism, and then there is realism. Don't get me wrong I try hard to be nice to those last minute Jacks, but not everyone is always perfect, all the time.
5. Please, DO NOT SMOKE. Just imagine all that combustible petroleum sitting right on top of you. Actually, not all of it is combustible. Anything synthetic or semis-synthetic will be stable enough for you to throw a match on it, but I wouldn't trust conventional, even if it's brand new. You really don't know what the molecules are like, even after you refine it. Now the used stuff, we could have up to seven hundred gallons at any given time. At my store, that alone is enough to pulverize our store, sky bank, and not to mention the twelve pump gas station right next to us.
6. Don't go anywhere. It's a fast lube, and it's going to take less than ten minutes. Unless you buy extras. Anyways the whole idea is fast, so if your not there when we get done, and there's cars waiting...you'll just have to trust us to drive your car out.
7. Listen. We just might have something to say, and if you don't think we are trying to sell anything usefull, say no three times. Then go home and do a little of research. Most of the things are recommended or endorsed by all sorts of experts like AAA or the Car Care Council.
Have fun