Memorial Day

I am sitting here at work on Memorial day (having accomplished all my work for the day), wondering how un-American it is that we (TCM employees) are not celebrating those who have served and are serving this wonderful country of ours by taking the day off. It was someone's (TCM's Union) idea to not take memorial day off, but take Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day off instead.

Now, I have nothing wrong with Dr. King. In fact I have the utmost respect for such a huge civil and American icon. The celebration of one man's life that has had such an impact on how America is today deserves to be honored.

But, how much more the men and women of this country that have given their lives so you and I and Dr. King could even have the privilege of living here. It is the freedom that the men and women serving in our armed forces provide that even allowed Dr. King to let everyone know that he had a dream.

Thanks to all the men and women in our armed forces!

Graduation

I am currently sitting in a Panera Bread restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska. Jennifer and I traveled here last night for Jillian's graduation from cosmotology school. Jennifer and I are super excited for Jillian and her next step which is to begin working at a salon! Jill called our house a few days ago to tell us that she has a job lined up already, which an amazing feeling. I remember when I graduated; knowing that I had a job to go to right after finishing school. Security. That is the feeling that I had, and I felt the same for Jillian after hearing her good news.

Jennifer is out with her Mom having lunch at a tea room, and then they are going to paint some pottery. So, I am flying solo in Omaha mooching free WiFi off of our good friends at Panera. I enjoy Panera. Sitting next to me, keeping me company in my personal isolation is a large hazelnut flavored coffee (good, but not as good as Austrian coffee) and a cinnamon chip scone. I wonder if they enjoy scones in Britian, or if it just a stereotype that we have. Something to ponder on.

I stopped by the studio that Geoff works at, Malone and Co. It is so cool to me that my brother-in-law is a professional photographer. Check out their website and blog at the link above.

Grandparents

Grandma & Grandpa Collins,

Jennifer and I love you.

Crown Financial

Jennifer and I attended a Crown Financial Ministries seminar tonight. We are actually graduates of the 10 week Bible study, but decided to go to this weekend course as a refresher. The Lord has blessed Jennifer and I greatly in our financial situation. Lord willing by July 15th, 2007 we will be totally out of debt with exception to our mortgage! In just about 19 months, the time since starting the Crown Bible study, we have managed to pay off 3 credit cards, a student loan, a personal loan. This was daunting at times, but the Lord has been very gracious and faithful with our finances even when we were not.

It is very exciting for both Jennifer and I to be out from underneath the burden of debt. But on a personal note, I am SUPER EXCITED!!! I made the worst financial decisions starting in college, and have been strangled by debt since then. The first of my really stupid financial decisions was to put the down payment for a motorcycle on a credit card (I thought college was supposed to make you smarter...guess not). Anyways, after many more financial decisions of not much less lunacy as the previously stated, I was trapped.

The Crown Financial Bible study taught me to look at finances from a Biblical perspective and gave me a better understanding of how the Lord would have us use His money. Together with my wonderful wife and the Lord, we are almost out of debt!!!

WooHoo!!!

Delinquent

I am officially a blogging slacker. This is typical of me. It's like running, you see...

I am a sprinter, I go fast for a short period of time and then I am through. Like my blogging experience I was blog blog blog and then that's it. Never to be heard from again.

Until now. Perhaps I am well rested and ready for another sprint, or perhaps I have been conditioning myself during my time away to run an endurance race. Let's start with a "1 mile fun run". I don't want to be too ambitious!

Marriage

I love my wife.

Leftovers

I don't like to eat leftovers.

But I do because it saves money.