I met the greatest guy yesterday on the train. His name was Charlie & he was about 85 years old. He approached me because he needed some help getting his things on the train. We were both a few minutes early & so we had a few moments to talk before the train came. Now, the first thing you should know about Charlie is that he talked very loudly. Think of someone shouting & then turn it down .0036 notches. That’s about what Charlie’s default volume was. Another thing you should know is that Charlie was compelled to tell everyone person that passed within earshot “Merry Christmas!” He was such a joyful guy. I asked him why he was out today with a bag full of treats & a bouquet of flowers. “I’m going to see a nun,” he said. I told him, no offense, but it might take a little more than candy & flowers to win the lady in this particular case. He thought that was really funny & had a good laugh about it. It just so happened Charlie ended up on the same train as me on our return trip as well. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anyone as excited to see another person as Charlie got when I shook his hand & said, “hey Charlie!” He stood right up & gave me a big hug & laughed really loudly. He was way, way too happy to see a guy he had only met that morning. But you know me, I soaked it in with relish. He asked me if I could help him off the train when we got to the station which I was more than happy to do. On the train ride in I was able to sit & talk with Charlie for a while. He was just such a breath of fresh air & an amazing embodiment of the Christmas spirit. I was thankful for Charlie yesterday & I hope that we meet again someday. He gave me a fresh dose of Christmas cheer to make it down the stretch until Christmas. Thanks Charlie! Merry Christmas everybody!
Archive for the 'Holidays' Category
I’ve been thinking & praying a great deal about it lately. For the first time, it’s been so hard to see. I’ve always known the next step, but that’s been easy. It’s only ever affected me. Now I am part of a “we,” & “we” have to make a decision based on what’s the best thing for us. Brooklynne is done with graduate school in May, & it is time to start figuring out where to go from there. It’s easy to say that we should make this decision based on the most important things for us. Where can we find a community of believers to plug into that we can “jive” with? Where can we begin putting down roots to build a family? These & other things are our top priorities, but when we try to lay out possibilities to meet those questions, they are endless. It’s hard to narrow down from endless possibilities. I hate to make a life decision based on career opportunities, but what else is there to do when that is the only variable that can be known? I hate being in places like this, where the questions are far more numerous than the answers. Any advice from those further along the path of life is very welcome right now.
On a side note, Thanksgiving has been wonderful. I can’t even begin to express how thankful I am to have amazing in-laws that I truly feel like family around. It has been a very welcomed break from all the pressures of Boston. I am so thankful for a job that I love going to every single day. I can’t wait to get back to see my little buddy. I am unbelievably blessed to have such an amazing, beautiful, & gifted wife. I love being here to spend time with her while she doesn’t have 20 thousand things on her schedule. So anyway, please let me know if you have any wisdom to impart upon our decision making process for the future.
Just wanted to cover a few tidbits of randomness today.
1. It’s time to get back into the habit of posting more often. I’m afraid that the allure of twitter to sum up my thoughts in 140 characters or less just isn’t the same as really having a place to put more important subject matter.
2. At the same time, I don’t feel the burning need to write about hot theological topics as much as I used to. It’s not that I don’t feel passionately about them anymore so much as it is that I feel like it’s just white noise now. It probably was then, too, but I was too arrogant to see that; A. there is nothing new under the sun, & B. I didn’t have it all figured out at age 24 anymore than anyone else ever has it all figured out. So, I may write about theological & spiritual topics from time to time because they are very important to me, but I’ll try my best to make it relevant & not just white noise.
3. I love my job so much!
4. I miss being home during college football season more than any other time.
5. If you are playing Christmas music already, you need to stop it. It isn’t Thanksgiving yet. Public Law 179 category 7 clearly states that;
“Christmas, or holiday, music shall not be played, listened to, bought or sold, be it privately or in the public arena, until such time as Thanksgiving Day of the year in question has reached 12:00 noon CST. At such time, Christmas, or holiday, music may be played, listened to, bought and sold until, but no later than 12:00 noon CST on New Year’s Day of the ensuing year. Anyone accused, tried, & convicted of doing anything other than what is previously stated shall be swiftly & firmly kicked & punched repeatedly & without prejudice by Samuel L. Peters in one of the following areas of his/her own choosing; 1. The shins. 2. The groin (or “balls” as it were) 3. The face, esophagus, and/or clavicle 4. The pancreas or 5. The shoulder blade.”
6. Thank you. That is all.
Brooklynne & I are in Phoenix with her family for the Christmas holiday this year. I love coming to Phoenix because I am always reminded of how amazingly generous & gracious my in-laws are. I truly love & enjoy them every time we visit, & they always treat me so well. We are staying with Brooke’s mom, Felicia, & her step-dad, Jeff. They have three dogs. One of the really fun things this break has been watching our dog, Toby, & one of her dogs, Atticus, strike up a friendship. They are almost inseparable. They are always wrestling, playing with, or chasing each other. When they aren’t doing that they’re napping together on the couch. Its really funny to watch, & I’ve put together a video to show you what makes it so funny. I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season. Happy holidays & I hope you enjoy the video.
I shouldn’t have left you without a dope beat to step to.” I apologize if you didn’t get my late 90’s Aaliyah reference. Anyway, I figured that over a month is quite a while to go without posting even for someone who has so very little to say. Thanksgiving was wonderful. It was so, so, so good to be with my family in Little Rock & a much needed break from the Boyz in the Hood movie that is my life. Christmas is going swimmingly thus far in Phoenix. I’m realizing how lucky I am to have both an immediate family & in-laws that love me & treat me so very well. I can’t even begin to imagine how people who dislike their in-laws get through the holidays. Brooklynne is performing at the top of her class at Emerson, & Toby is weighing in at a whopping 12 pounds now. The day before we flew out of Boston we got 12 inches of snow & it was awesome! We filmed Toby’s first snow experience & I’ve posted it here for your enjoyment. I’m also posting our Christmas present to everyone. Brooklynne & I used the state of the art recording studios that she has access to at Emerson to record ourselves singing the best version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” ever. I’ll leave you with these & a promise that I’ll not wait so long before making a new post. Merry Christmas every one!
