oh, here i am

I know that I haven't blogged for a while, but -- really -- there's not been too much to blog about. It's been a rather difficult few weeks, however, as I have been battling a bunch of stuff.

A few thoughts:

• We are shooting a video today and tomorrow for services at Grace this weekend. I am looking forward to the editing process...it should be pretty interesting!
• I finally ordered a new cell phone. Mine has been broken for over a month...but thankfully...is was time to upgrade anyway. I was going to upgrade to a BlackBerry or even switch over to AT&T's iPhone, but I just didn't feel right about spending the extra money (not to mention the increase in plan costs). So, I went with a generic old phone. Best of all, it was completely free. And I'm happy about that.
• Danielle and I are almost done Christmassing up our place. The inside is pretty much done; however, I need to tackle the outside. I think it has been difficult because we've had so much snow already (which makes it hard to do the outside stuff).
• Speaking of snow, we are now up to 45" of snow for the season so far. Keep in mind, our NORMAL snowfall for an entire winter is 83"....so we're more than halfway there already...and winter doesn't even begin for two more weeks! Incredible!
• We are now the owners of a snowblower. I can't begin to tell you what a difference blowing makes over shoveling. Night and freaking day.
• A dear friend of my dad's passed away over the weekend. Bob was one of the happiest people I've ever met.
• Bob's passing makes me think about my dad's life and how he won't be around forever. But, I've always said he is going to live to 105, so he has at least 35 more years. Thank goodness.
• I'm grateful for Pastor Mike and the time that he has invested into me. I am grateful for his words of wisdom and wise counsel to me during this season in my life. I am also thankful for the time that he is spending with our Wednesday night group (the band of misfits, as I call us). If there is anything that I have learned with this group of guys on Wednesday nights, it is this: that things don't always have to be as they've always been. This man, one of my pastors and a friend, sees something in us that we don't yet see. That he sees what he claims God sees in me gives me strength to continue pressing forward in the hopes that, one day soon, the new creation will take hold in me. That one day soon, the old will pass away...and the new will come.

Peace.