New Year

Happy New Year!

I have started a new job which is awesome. I have a great team and a brand new property we are opening in Lafayette, LA. It is incredibly hard work but it is also very fulfilling.

Because of the new job I needed a new ride to get me to and fro. So I hopped over to Texas last weekend and picked up a Mazda RX-8. This is a sharp car with some great performance. It has much more power than the Bimmer. I do miss the Z3 but it was a good car and I was ready for a change. This car actually has a back seat, I have yet figure out what to do with it yet.

I am much more laid back and happy with life right now with the new job. During the time between jobs I had a lot of time to reflect on life and my relationship with God. I am convinced that this is why I feel better, and I am determined to keep it this way. Over the last year I let it slip away and was consumed by work and trying to make other people happy. This is not what life is about. There really is so much more.

Changing Seasons

Seems like I am not the only one going though a change in my life. Tonight we heard from Julio Melara at church. In the last year I have gained a very high respect for Julio and when he speaks I focus on the words coming out, because they have definite meaning behind them.

His message tonight was on changing seasons in life. Was there anyone else in the room? I know that I was certainly meant to hear this one.

One point I especially liked and will be thinking on over then next few days is: Many times in our lives our foundations are shaken. When this happens we turn to God, only to find that it was God who was shaking them. Sometimes God must get our attention, and that is the only way he can.

5 Preparations of the heart, for a change in season

1) Have a heart of Gratitude (take NOTHING for granted)
2) Heart of Expectancy (Expect God's hand in your life)
3) A Humble heart (reach for heaven, but do so from your knees)
4) Focused heart ( every battle you face happens in the mind first, focus on what is right and good Phil 4:8)
5) A Relentless heart (don't give up)

Gal 6:9 - And let us not lose HEART and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in DUE TIME and at the appointed SEASON we shall REAP, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

We all go through LOW (Lonely, Overwhelmed, Weak) points in our life. Use the Word to give you the strength you need to get you through these times.

Don't worry about the economy, your life,, money, children, or your job. God knows all of this and he isn't worried one bit. He created the heavens (yes all of the universe, that's a big place) and the earth. During all of this God never even broke a sweat. He did all of that so should a job or test or economy worry us when he is in control? NO!

Congrats Alex and Nancy

I have to say congrats to my long time friend Alex. He and Nancy finally tied the knot on Oct 25. I am so happy for them. They are a great couple and I wish the world for them.

I have known Alex since we were 6 years old. We were in Tiger Cubs together! Alex is a steadfast friend and deserves the wonderful woman he has found in Nancy.

Good luck in the future, and thanks for the wonderful memories!!!

Passing of a Friend

17 Years and 10 days, that's an old dog!

This was a sad weekend in the Brinson family, as we put our dog, Samantha Brinson, to sleep on Saturday Oct 10th. We are not worried about her though because as the movie says, all dogs go to heaven."

Sam has been a member of our family since the fateful day she showed up on our doorstep in 1992. She'd had 3 different owners (not including the breeders) in the first 6 months of her life! We were able to track down the original purchaser of her and she called the present "owner" of Sam. When he said that he hadn't even tried to look for her, during the days she had been missing, she asked us if we wanted to keep her. We of course said yes. I feel sorry for the other families who passed her up, because we have been more blessed than words can describe to have her as a part of our family.

Sam was an incredible dog, it will be hard to ever find another with such an awesome personality and the energy that she carried her whole life.

We will miss you Samantha!

Post Gustav

This last week has been a blur, with enough work and stress to last for 3 weeks. I personally was only away from the hotel for about 3 hours total from Sunday to Friday at noon.

Gustav while not a very powerful hurricane at landfall was still able to produce the windiest storm in the recorded history of Baton Rouge. You can see the effects of this throughout the older neighborhoods of the city, like the one I live in called 100 Oaks. Most of the city has been out of power since Monday morning. Many parts, including my neighborhood, are not expected to get power back for some time, as many as 21 days. At least the electricity bill will be low this month.

On Friday Kristin and I had had enough of the hotel and decided to get away for a day, and headed to Lafayette to her Mom's house. We picked up a generator from her Dad's house and settled in for an easy night.

Today I have done not much more than sit on the couch and watch College football and the history channel. Kristin filled the day shopping for a wedding dress. I found out that wedding dresses cost more than the typical man's wedding band. She wears the dress for maybe 8 hours but the man wears the ring for the rest of his life.

This was a much needed day of rest, for the both of us.

Now we just have to get ready for the Ike. The bright side of this is if I don't have power restored by then at least I won't have to worry about losing electricity again.

Riding out the Storm

"He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.Psalm 107:28-30"

Well it is finally here, after a week of constant preparation and anticipation, the storm is here!

The hotel is as ready as possible. The church is ready with text and email alerts to help whoever is in need. My apartment is as ready as possible, I just hope no major trees fall on it or the roof doesn't blow off. Kristin's house is as ready as possible.

Kristin and I, along with most of our management team are hunkered down in the hotel. We are considered "essential personnel." That's an exciting title. We have a full hotel with first responders. These people will be essential to restoring the area to normal as soon as possible.

The only weapon that we have is prayer. Prayer for low damage, strength, endurance, and focus. Focus for the task at hand, and on the one who makes all life possible.

We just have to do what the Casting Crowns song says and "praise him in this storm.". For, "When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.Proverbs 10:24-26."

Life Without Kristin

What started out as a dreaded 17 days without Kristin, has amazingly turned around completely. As I watched her leave New Orleans I looked at the next 2 weeks with a sense of impending boredom and loneliness. Now 14 of those days have past I now say "she's coming back already?"

Don't get me wrong, I have missed Kristin like no other, but I can't believe the trip is almost over already.

It makes me understand, slightly, how much she is in the same mindset, that she can't believe it's time to come home already.

Of course I also had a mini vacation with my family in St. Simon's Island, Ga. This defiantly distracted me from her absence a little.

I got to hang with my family for a few days. One of the highlights of the trip was getting to play Thomas' new course, Brunswick Country Club (www.brunswickcountryclub.com). This course was designed by legendary Donald Ross, the Bob Ross of golf course design. The course is elegantly treacherous; it is wide open but deceiving when it comes to distance to the pin.

I can't wait to see my fiance again but I have an idea after the last 2 weeks as to how fast it can go by. I don't know if I am making known very clearly what my feelings are right now. What I am trying to say is that I now understand how short 2 weeks can be. I feel for her because she has to leave a place she has come to love after what is in reality a very short time. I now understand, albeit very small amount, how she is going to miss Swaziland.

I thank God for the work she has done over there and the work Swasziland has done on her.

Kristin, I can't wait to see you again!