I Hate Thieves

I hate thieves...

We woke this morning to find Nick's car on blocks. Here is the most pathetic part to the story. The truck with tires and wheels is worth about $200. So now it is worth even less.

So far we have had an EKG machine stolen out of the back of Lori's car, misc personal items stolen from other vehicles, vegetables stolen from our garden, the neighbors tires and wheels stolen a month ago, Nick was accosted by essex three weeks ago and his backpack was attempted to get taken, the neighbor had a $2500 bike stolen, and now Nick's tires and wheels were stolen last night.

Those are the things in my neighborhood I know about... After awhile you have to ask yourself when is enough enough? It gets pretty frustrating that is for sure.



Looking for crime statistics in your neighborhood? Check out www.portlandmaps.com and type in your address. Go to the crime link... you will probably wish you hadn't.

Now I have seen it all!

Time for a rant. Grayson was out this afternoon checking on the status of the garden and wanted to pick a couple more zucchini. He quickly discovered that someone came into the yard last night and whacked away the main vines which held at least a dozen zucchini. Some were ready to eat while others were just a few inches in length.

What the heck is wrong with people. I am so frustrated with our community we live in some times I could just freak out. I can't imagine that whoever stole our veggies was intending on eating them. Besides the issue with the zuke's, I just fished some Burger King bags out of the pool, complete with open ketchup wrappers and french fries. Who knows who bathes in it when we aren't home...

I guess my next home project is an 8 foot wall around the house. That ought to give it curb appeal.

Here's where I want to be today...

I am feeling very stuck in a rut today and have been for several weeks. I know where I wish I was and I see where I am and I haven't figured out how to get from where I am to where I want to be. This photo today pretty much represents where I want to be... Not necessarily on this exact peak per se, but just someplace different. Up high, doing what I love rather than down low, feeding off of the bottom like a carp in the Willamette river.

I don't know... just looking at a day like today and as I roll along the rails and see people with their families and walking dogs and running along the paths... I just wish sometimes my schedule was normal so I could do those things too... Alright... rant is over. I did right a poem today. Not the most uplifting but it came out of somewhere inside me... Guess everyday can't be a bowl of cherries.

weapher

here's the poem

stuck in a rut and you don't know why
doesn't really matter how hard you try
things stay the same no matter what you do
it all falls apart when the day is through
round in circles till the sun goes down
falling asleep on your face is a frown
wonder what to do when the dawn is near
start all over again till it all seems clear
but as the sun rolls round to the other side
you look at yourself and swallow your pride
stuck in a rut and you don't know why
then you ask yourself why should I try

Greed vs. Contentment

As I drove past the gas station today I had to stop for a moment and take this picture. I am amazed at the greed of the oil companies, tobacco companies, and other major corporations. And to top it off, the amount of money it costs for us to live in this country is becoming insane. Yes, we do have an abundance and are blessed with many conveniences that give us a very comfortable life. However, those abundances come at a high price.

Let's just look at the oil companies for a moment. $2.88 per gallon for fuel. And that is low compared to what it was just a few short months ago. The oil companies are recording profits in the hundreds of billions of dollars per year and the average American is living paycheck to paycheck.

The Bible tells us what God thinks about such abundance.

Ecc 5:10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

1Ti 6:6-11 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

I know that I am never going to be one of the select few that has such financial abundance. Even if I did, God calls me to be content in the simple things... food and clothing. We must as Christians pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. What a great list to pin on the wall and strive for.

So as the oil companies strive to fill their pockets with our hard earned money I find great joy in knowing that I am working towards filling my eternal bank with the things that matter. Though I would love to have all of the financial needs in my life met, I know that God will take care of me if I pursue Him first...

just a thought...

weapher


edited 02-01-2008
check out this link $40.6 billion last quarter for exxon alone!!! Disgusting!