And It Begins…

The first of many upsets this year.

FOXNews.com – Brown Beats Coakley in Massachusetts Senate Race.

Recommended Reading

For most of my life I was not much of a reader, I’m trying to become one. I tend to read more non-fiction than fiction. I’m sure that says something about my personality. I guess I read to learn and if I want to be entertained I go to the movies or the Discovery Channel. Below are some books that have impacted my life and I highly recommend.

This book literally changed my life. This is the book I attribute the survival of my family over the last year and a half. The principles taught in this book are not new, but have been long forgotten by the “have-it-now-pay-for-it-later” society we’ve been living in. Recent economic woes seem to be changing that trend. This plan is simple, yet it is not easy. It will require you to rethink managing your finances.

Again, the priciples in this book are so simple they’re extremely difficult. In fact I might even call this one virtually impossible. It would require a total transfer of power from government to the citizens… and that ain’t gonna happen. If the Fair Tax were implemented it would completely solve our economic troubles and make the United States the economic powerhouse we once were. I feel so strong about this one that I bought two copies, one to read and one to give away.

This is my handbook on life. I would recommend a study bible like this one. I would like to say I read the Bible more than I do, but I try to go to it at least once a day.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

TEN-acity

This weekend was the tenth anniversary of our church Mountain Lake Church in Cumming, Georgia. It was a celebration of all that God has done in and through this church in the past ten years. This was not, however, just a celebration for Mountain Lakers. This was a powerful message for all of us. I would strongly urge you to take some time (52min.) and watch. There are some amazing testimonies toward the end of the awesome, transforming, healing power of Jesus Christ.

TEN-acity: Jan 10th 2010 Shawn Lovejoy 11:15 AM service from Mountain Lake Church on Vimeo.

If your in the area and your not connected with a church, come and visit Mountain Lake. We’ll change the way you think about church.

By the way, my story: Before Christ ~ Lost & Lonely After Christ ~ Loved, Forgiven, Blessed

(RickPearson.org)

The Life and Times of…

The inspiration for the name of my blog. One of my favorite movies.

Not Feeling It

Even though I am feeling much better lately, I’m just not feeling like blogging much these days. I’ll think of something during the day and think, “That’s a good blog topic.” But then when I sit down in front of my computer, I either don’t remember what it was I wanted to blog about, or I’m just too lazy to put that much thought into typing it out. I have flirted with the idea before that maybe this blog has run its course. I don’t think so. I think I’m just realizing a pattern in my blogging. It seems to come it spurts then periods of dry spells where nothing seems worthy of a blog post.  There is really no point to this post except I just feel the need to post something. I’m still keep up with my blog reading… well, for the most part.

Oh well, here’s to an exciting 2010 worthy of much blogging.

This past year and a half has been quite a whirlwind for the Bobo’s. I lost my job and my mother had a stroke the same week; I went back to school for a total career change; my dad had open heart surgery; I changed career choices 3 times; had a bout with anxiety/depression.  Through it all my wife has been right by my side encouraging me, supporting me, being patient with me, loving me. I have truly been blessed to have her as my partner in life.

What seemed like a misfortune at first has allowed me to be there for my family when they needed me most. I was able to be there for mom and dad during their recoveries. I have gotten to spend a great deal of time with my children which didn’t happen when I was working before.  The pace of life is picking up again with school and now a part-time job. But I still try to spend as much time with my family as possible. I try to date my wife and two girls, individually, at least once a month. This doesn’t always happen but we do it as often as we can. We also try to have a family game night once a week. No television, just us playing cards or board games.

Through it all God has taken care of us this past year and we are very thankful. I look forward to seeing what this next year brings.

Oh yeah… how could I forget, we also got a new addition to the family this year…

Sparky

Friday Flashback (late edition)

Back in the day I was somewhat of a concert connesuir.  I’ve seen everyone from Pink Floyd to Alabama to The Monkees. I heard this song on the radio today and it reminded me of one of the rowdiest concerts I’ve ever seen: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Southern Accents tour in 1985.  As far as the music goes, it was one of my favorites. But I’ve never seen so many people getting drug out of a show by the police before or since. Maybe it was a full moon that night, I don’t know.

Indoctrination of Our Youth

I was watching “A Dennis the Menace Christmas” with my children the other day. It is a Dennis the Menace version of A Christmas Carol. It was a really bad movie. A couple of things stood out to me. Mr. Wilson (Scrooge) repeatedly refered to Christmas as “shameless Capitalism at it’s best”. In the trip to the future the atmosphere had been ruined and the “angel” or “elf”, it was never clear which, stated, “I guess we should have listened to Al Gore.”

Of course Mr. Wilson finally gets the “Christmas Spirit”, but there was never a retraction of the “shameless Capitalism” remarks. I’m really not surprised by this. Hollywood has always been part of the far left. I just hate the fact that they can’t even make a children’s Christmas movie without plugging in their political views.

Resurfacing

I’ve been noticeably absent from here for a while. I hit a rough patch back over the summer that came out of no where. Anxiety attacks, severe insomnia and a general feeling of dread. The weird part was, it came out of nowhere. I’ve had some bumps in the road before but nothing like this.  The lack of sleep was the worst. It just seemed to compound everything. At one point I went 4 days with about 2 hours of sleep. And it wasn’t a solid 2 hours, it was a few minutes here and few there… awful. I finally broke down and went to the doc and got some help. It still took me about a month to get back on a regular sleeping pattern again.  The anxiety issues took a little longer. But after about 6 weeks or so the medication kicked in and I was feeling a lot better.

I also figured out what I want to be when I grow up. I thought I knew and then during all of this I couldn’t seem to settle on anything. But after much prayer and many conversations with people wiser than I, I have decided to go for Clinical Laboratory Technology (a lab tech). I spent some time with my sister on the job, she’s been a lab technologist for 20 years or so.  Seeing what goes on in a lab and getting some hands on with a microscope really peaked my interest. And I will still be able to use those skills for my ultimate goal in the future… to serve on the Africa Mercy of Mercy Ships.

In October I began a part-time job. It’s not much, but it gets me out of the house and feeling like I’m contributing to the economic well-being of my family. This was a huge step in regaining some sanity. After a year and a half, it was time for me to get back in the work force.  I was getting pretty discouraged because I was applying for everything I could and nothing was opening up for me. Then on a whim I called a friend of mine and asked if he had any openings and what do you know? He just had a position open up.

So things are finally getting back to normal around here. Just in time for Christmas.

ABCs of the FairTax

It’s no secret I’m a strong supporter of the Fair Tax. I also realize that it has about zero chance of ever happening. It would take all the power our of the government, and neither side of the isle in DC will ever let that happen.

Here’s a link to Herman Cain’s ABCs of the Fair Tax. It’s worth a look and dreaming.

ABCs of the FairTax on wsbradio.com.