Here it is the 20th of February in the heart of Texas. Plenty to talk about, not enough momentum to do so.

I am currently in the midst of cleaning out our sewer line (again). Someone (I believe I can pinpoint the guilty party) doesn't understand that you can't flush half a roll of toilet paper down the toilet in one sitting (pun intended). At least it's not 22 degrees like it was yesterday morning (with moisture heavy on the air). It's about 37.

(Break)

Ok, finished cleaning out the clog in the line and will clean out the other way to get my $22.00 worth. I threaten every year to replace the clay pipe with pvc. Maybe this Spring?

Glad I held off getting the potatoes, peas, carrots, radishes, lettuce, brocolli, and cauliflower planted. Probobly will now wait until we have a "good" ten day forecast. Going to do some companion planting this year. I would like to plant by the signs but don't know if I have the patience to do so.

Got the van back last week after the wreck. Runs fine and looks good. Got a couple tires out of the deal though the rubber was plenty good already. All for only $250. The only bad deal is that the horn is extremely wimpy. It's so wimpy that I'm afraid to use it...someone might have a wreck laughing. Needs a testosterone booster, I guess.

Always good to see "fruit" in the lives of our children. My oldest, Stephen, is visiting a young man in jail. He has been witnessing to him for quite some time now. Stephen hasn't tooted his horn about his service to the Lord, he just goes about doing His business in a quiet way. (Maybe he can learn to control his toilet-paper urge as well :) )

Great is the Lord and great to be praised!...

Nice chilly February day here in the heart of Texas.

Pray that everyone had a good past week. For some reason, I didn't have such a good week. I am trying to figure it out, pray through the problems, change what I can, and leave the rest to the Lord.

Here is a short summary of the "problems":
1. I missed two techical foul free throws in an intramural game.
2. Discovered that my children aren't perfect.
3. Told of a job in my department at school for which I am not qualified.
4. Learned that I am turning 50 next month.

As to problem 1 combined with 4, I turn to the wisdom of "Dirty" Harry Callahan, "...a man's got to know his limitations."

As to problem 3, I will continue to work and get good evaluations. I am always way over the College and Department norms in my student evals. Can't do much more without more schooling, which may or may not ever happen.

As to number 2, I guess that apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Will try to love the offending party with the love of the Lord and apply Deuteronomy 6 in both our lives.

Here's to next week :)

It's after midnight, so technically it's Tuesday the 7th. I'm going over some work for tonight's class (feels like tomorrow still): Decison Tree Analysis, Incremental Line Balancing Heruistic, Longest Task-Time Heuristic, and more break-even analysis.

You might ask, "Why are you still up?" A very good question.

One of my students asked me to play on his intermural basketball team. We had a game at 10:00pm this evening. What he didn't tell me is that I would be the sixth player. I.e., we only had six players total. Needless-to-say, I got in as much basketball as I wanted. It was easily as difficult as running a hard 5K. My heart rate is finally down around 80 and slowly dropping. My son asked me if I was going to take a shower after I had already taken a shower, because I was still hot.

I am praying to be a witness to these students both in my actions and with the gospel of Jesus Christ. From what I heard on the court, they need to hear it!

The Lord is gracious and blesses His own.

Skipped the Super Bowl this year. Mainly because I believe that it has come to represent much of what is wrong with our culture. Or maybe because my heroes have always been Cowboys (of the Dallas nature, that is). Trying not to be a legalist about it, but it seems pretty silly to go to the coliseum when you might be the next meal for the lions.

In John 4, Jesus meets the woman at the well and after their discussion she goes back to town and "tells" others about Jesus. As the town comes back to meet the Lord for themselves Jesus says to His disciples, "Our mission is simple. You need to put your children in the Samaritan schools and use them as a tool to reach them for Me."

In Deuteronmy 6, the people of Israel are commanded to place their children in Caananite schools as a primary means for reaching the lost. This, of course, replaces what was inserted in verses 1-6 by revisionists.

After Pentecost, Peter and Paul, in discussing the best way to reach Roman citizens, command the followers of Jesus to put their children in the temples of the Roman gods in order to allow them to reach the non-believers.

I could comment on the above, but find it unnecessary to do so.