New Years Eve

Well the year 2004 is certainly going out with a bang. The ongoing war on terrorism, the tsunami in Asia, Florida residents still recovering from 4 hurricanes, the Afganistan people trying to adjust to their new freedoms & democracy, the Iraqi people struggling under the onslaught of insurgents, a close Presidential race, the debate about same sex marriages, etc. The list goes on and on.

Inspite of all of these events in the world I still look with optimism upon the new year. I am personaly blessed tremendously by my Lord and Savior and I praise my Lord for each second I live and each breath I draw.

May God's blessing be upon you and your family. May you seek His wisdom and His will for you in all you put your hand to during 2005.

Why ?

I don't ask that simple question enough in my life. One simple word that when used properly and reflected upon adequately reveals more about our human condition that most of us care to admit.

Why do I eat what I eat?
Why do I act the way I act?
Why do I say the things I say?
Why do I beleive what I beleive?

More often than not the answer I find to questions of "Why do I..." reveals a life of based upon habit, tradition and emotion rather than a life of deliberate purposful action and thought.

Nature's Sudden Impact

After having riden out hurricane Ivan in my home in Gulf Breeze I have an appreciation for the power and impact of a Cat IV hurricane making landfall uncomfortably close but I also knew it was coming and had days to prepare. Homes 3 blocks south of my house experienced up to 12 feet of storm surge. In a perfect world the populations that lived on the coasts around the Indian Ocean could have had 5 to 6 hours advanced notice but in reality they had only moments. So many lives irrevocably changed in a twinkling of an eye.

NOAA has a pretty interesting article on the Tsunami.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2004/s2357.htm

Wisdom

I keep a bible on my desk at work and have been reading in the book of Ecclesiastes but for the past 2 mornings when I have come into work my bible has been opened to Proverbs 19 & 20. When I noticed that fact yesterday I did not think alot of it but when I found my bible open to that same page again this morning I thought possibly God or a co-worker wants me to read Proverbs 19 & 20. So I read those 2 chapters this morning. A couple verses that I found intriguing;

Pro 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

Pro 20:5 The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.

Something to reflect upon as I go through my annual "mental housekeeping" as the start of 2005 approaches.

Back in the saddle again.

The 4 day vacation from work was great but here I am back at work. I am hopeful that today will be a day of "catching-up" since the vast majority of my management & customer base is on vacation.

Home Again

My brother-in-law and I arrived back in Gulf Breeze around 9:30pm last night after a 5 hour drive. The road conditions were pretty bad for most of the trip. In New Orleans we saw 3 seperate accidents on I-10, the worst of which was a black Ford Excursion rolled on its side at the top of the "High-rise" bridge. Thank God for the emergency personnel working Christmas day!

White Christmas in Metaire!

Beleive it or not a couple hours ago snow was falling in Metaire. The kids played outside in and were even able to make a few snow/ice balls to throw around.

See the snow!
http://schermerhorn.home.mchsi.com/DCP_0072_3x5.jpg

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all.

May the love of Christ reign in you hearts and minds this day and every day.