This is “normally” a Sunday Night Decompress, but unfortunately, I had a killer headache and did not feel up to typing this in.  My apologies.

• Sunday morning: Sid and I are going to go BACK to CrossRoads Community…but only for the 9:00am service.  Dave Ness was the guest speaker and we wanted to support him.
• It was REALLY WEIRD being back at CrossRoads.  But it was really great to see old friends.  Luckily there were no problems and we got in and out without a hitch.
• I don’t want to give my opinions on the music, A/V, or the message, that needs to be done in person and this is not the arena for those thoughts.  It was a good service and we did enjoy it.
• However, it was very hard for us to see some of the areas where we fought battles for were still being neglected.  That was tough.
• After services, we came home and waited for a call from Michelle Ness.  The only problem was, my phone was turned off….so we didn’t get the call and subsequently, made everyone late for lunch.
• We got to the Ness’s around 1:30 and ate an awesome lunch and then settled in for Bucs football.  And they lost, as usual, as of late.  A little depressing, but the Falcons got into the playoffs - Go, you Dirty Birds.
• All the girls went to do a little Post-Christmas Shopping, and Dave and I formed a band, and played Guitar Hero for 3 hours!
• Dirty Taco Rocks!
• The ladies got back and then we ordered pizza from La Prima, one of our favorites - it’s good to be home.
• We played a new game called Pass the Pigs, it’s like dice, only with miniature, rubber pigs.  It’s SOUNDS weird, but it’s really fun and addictive, much like bacon.
• Somewhere along the way, I developed a huge headache, I took some ibuprofen, and headed home.
• Sid stayed up to watch a movie and catch up with family on the phone, I crawled in bed to check email and chill.
• Sid come to bed and I crashed.

WEEKLY LOOK AHEAD

Monday - Sprint store to fix my phone, Barnes and Noble for a book, find a job, and start work on a new project, and mourn Monday Night Football.

Tuesday - Help some friends with their website, find a job.

Wednesday -  No New Years Eve plans yet, but we have fielded a few offers.

Thursday - New Years Day = FOOTBALL

Friday - Prepare for a yard sale (I think), find a job (See a pattern here?)

Saturday - New Years Yard Sale

Sunday - Visit a local church, Football, find a job.

It started with Tim and Vicky Boyers calling us and inviting us to go sailing.  We agreed in nanoseconds.  We got to Tim and Vicky’s around 10:00 and left about 20 minutes later…in a hour we were pulling up to their dock in St. Petersburg.  It was a Sunny, slightly cool, slightly windy morning, and the waves were 3 to 4 feet.

We loaded onto their lovely 1985 27′ Catalina sailboat and headed into the bay.  Even under motor power, we could tell it was going to be a little choppy.  About 45 minutes into the bay, we were under sail power and turned into the wind.  At some point the waves seemed to decrease and the ride smoothed out.  The temperature began to warm and it became The Best Day Ever.

We sailed around the bay for another hour and saw a few dolphins.  We at home made (by Tim) chicken salad sandwiches, chips, grapes, and carrots.  As we sipped our Sierra Mists were were just in amazement of how perfect the sailing was and St. Pete looked from the middle of the Bay.  We say even more dolphins and we could not get over how today had become the Best Day Ever.

Around 3:15, we headed back into the dock and disembarked.  We decided that we would eat at Philthy Phil’s, a local bar and grill located at St. Petersburg Beach.  We had fish buckets (Vicky had the chicken) which were outstanding as well as some cool drinks.  Did you ever notice that cold Corona and lime just TASTES better at the beach?  Anyway, we talked and watched the sun go down and it really had become The Best Day Ever.

After dinner, we drove a little further south down the beach, and wound up at Jimmy B’s on the beach.  It’s a local haunt that is part of a hotel.  The deal is that you show up, order drinks and food, and you can go down and swim on the beach, or the pool, then you can spend the rest of the evening listening to the outside or inside music.  It was awesome!  The guy we were listening to was playing guitar, bass, flute, bongos, shakers, and harmonica - all at the same time ( and yes, electronic recording devices were being used, but it was awesome!) And as the sun went down on the Gulf of Mexico, and I sipped my rum and coke, with my lovely bride and great friends with me, it truly was The Best Day Ever!

Tim and Vicky drove Sid and I back to their place and we hopped into the Tundra for our ride home.  Half way there, were got a text message from John Shelton, one of our best friends…he was inviting us to his house for a nightcap and fire pit….  Well, YEAH!  So we drove home, let Mollie and Harley out and then headed to Dade City to spend time with the Sheltons.  When we got there, John had a huge fire going in his fire pit and a turkey smoking in the smoker.  He made us Vodka and Cranberry jucies and offered me a mini-cigar.  Karla was wrapped in a blanket with Petey, their Jack Russel, and we began to trade stories and catch up with our friends…  About 2 hours later, we had laughed more than we had in the last month!  We got caught up and John teased us with his smoked turkey (it was extremely tasty!)  The stars were out and the Florida sky was as beautiful as ever.  It wasn’t too cool, and there was a slight breeze.

And as Sarah and I drove home we talked about how, even though we are both jobless and pretty much broke, we were two of the most blessed people on earth.  We had great friends and had enjoyed the simple pleasures of spending time with them and enjoying the friendships.  We had been able to go sailing and listen to some really awesome music.  We got to walk on the beach and watch the sun go down over the Gulf.  We even got to have some of John Shelton’s world famous smoked turkey.  I cannot think of any better day that we could have experienced, and as I fell asleep, wrapping my arms around my beautiful wife, and felt out dogs snuggle in for the night, I realized that  it TRULY was The Best Day Ever.

Thanks God.

I cannot adequately describe the emotions I feel about being in my house for Christmas.  Sarah, nor I, have jobs, and we are barely making it.  Thanks to our family and friends we have food and utilities, so we are able to live.  But it’s the overwhelming sense of being blessed that I cannot escape from.  I love Christmas, but I have not really enjoyed it as much as this year.

I missed Florida, our house, our friends (family), and just being where I am.  I am broke and behind on all my bills, yet I am more content than I have ever been.  It’s as if God has stripped everything away and I can see very clearly.

I have NO idea where 2009 will lead me, we don’t even have a guarantee that we will be able to stay in the house, but it’s a gamble we wanted to take.  I have no idea where I will be working or what I will be doing, but I know that I will enjoy it more.  I will count every day that I have a place to work a blessing.  A place to spend my time and energy, making something better than I found it.  I will also enjoy the fact that I am working to make the money to feed my family.  I will enjoy the very act of being able to provide for my family.

I will enjoy every moment with friends and family.  Every fire pit experience, every lunch or dinner.  I will even enjoy the frustrating things.  THAT is the gift that I have been given.  I am able to enjoy my life.  Jobs are a bonus.  Money in the bank is a bonus.  My wife, my friends, my family…all a bonus.

God has given me the gift of contentment.  I pray that I never forget the lessons I am continually learning.

Merry Christmas.