A Full Day Ahead

Today is a pretty full day for me.

• This my last day of dog sitting. I think Schatze and I finally have figured out how to co-exist. We have both enjoyed sleeping and eating a lot this week. I think she will be glad to have things back to normal in her life when Harold and Sherry return home.
• I'm off to church in a few hours. This will be my last Sunday at my church home here in Tennessee. I serving as a greeter. I hope I don't mess up the offering again. It's a lot more complicated than I ever imagined. This will be a worship service that will be bittersweet for me. I want to offer God my best praise and thanksgiving for what has been and what will be in my life.
• I'm having lunch with my family at 5 Guys. Looking forward to a good burger and those wonderful fries.
• I have a little time this afternoon to finish getting my apartment ready for my walk-through on Monday. I might even be able to sneak in a nap. That would really be wonderful.
• After this, I'm off to my friend Amanda's home for dinner and Wii bowling. I got a "C" in bowling at Ball State so I'm not sure that is going to be a pretty sight.
• Tonight will be my last night in my apartment. It will be just me and my air mattress. I told my parents yesterday that I think I have enjoyed this apartment the most out of all of the places that I have lived. It's been a good place for me to live and call home.

I hope you have a wonderful day. Again, I don't know how much I'll get to blog in the next few days. I will do my best to share with you what's going on in my life. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Another Step Closer

I am another step closer to making my move to Cincinnati. My parents came over to my apartment this morning and we loaded up their truck again. They head out on Monday for Cincinnati. I did some final cleaning at my apartment today and it's just about ready for me to do my walk-through on Monday. I will be a nomad for a few days while I wait to complete my last day of work in Tennessee on Tuesday. All of my earthly possessions in Tennessee will reside in my car until I leave for Cincinnati on Wednesday.
I don't know if it has really all sunk in yet. I feel a real peace in making this move. More than any other time in my life I feel as if this is where God needs me to be and to serve. I don't know why, but it seems clear to me. Now, this is not to say that I completely know what to expect in my new job. I don't. However, I just feel like God will work all of that out and my real job is simply to be ready to go where God needs me.
I still have a hard time figuring out why they would choose me out of all of the other candidates who applied. The thought of this deeply humbles me. While I have the same position now, I know they will have different ways of doing things in Cincinnati. I will have a lot to learn. However, I know that it is more than a coincidence that the exact same position I have now became available in Cincinnati just a few miles from my sister Stacey and my brother-in-law Rob's home. This is a God thing and God is up to something new and good in my life. God's grace floods my life at this moment and I am forever grateful.
I may not be able to blog in the midst of my transition over the next few days. I will do my best to get to a computer to share with you my amazing journey as it unfolds. I spent some time today trying to get some ideas about what to call my new blog. I still haven't settled on a name but I will have one for my first blog entry in Cincinnati. I'm still open to any suggestions you may have. Stay tuned for that announcement.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Time Keeps Flying By

This time in my life has been like a whirlwind. I am having a hard time keeping focused with all of the stuff involved in my transition and move to Cincinnati. Tomorrow my parents are coming over to my apartment to load up the last of my stuff and help me clean. I think we will be able to squeeze everything into my parents' truck and my car. On Sunday I am greeting at church for the last time and then having lunch with my family and dinner with friends. On Monday I have my walk through with my apartment manager. On Tuesday I'll work my last day at Habitat in Oak Ridge and am having dinner with more friends. On Wednesday I leave for Cincinnati.
It's hard to believe this all has happened so fast. My head is spinning. I keep thinking about all of the stuff I need to do before I leave and then once I get to Cincinnati: say goodbye to good friends, get a new drivers license, get my car licensed in Ohio, get my insurance switched over, get my new room set up, hit the ground running in my new job, buy some more winter clothes, go to Meijer, eat turkey . . . . The list goes on and on. Some things will be more fun than others.
I ask for your continued prayers as I go through this time of transition. I am grateful for your presence along my journey!

Busy Day

I am taking a vacation day today to try to finish packing up and cleaning my apartment. I'm think I'm at the point of just putting things in boxes without much sense of order or organization. I know it will be fun when I unpack. I'm sure I'll wonder later on why I packed my microwave with my CD's. I also have to finish making some phone calls regarding my utilities and insurance. That should be fun.
While this move has gone relatively smoothly, I am still not a big fan of moving. I'm not sure how nomadic people do it. While I've downsized and gotten rid of a lot of stuff (including a few office supplies), I still feel like I have too much stuff and I need to really do more to purge in the future.
Glee was wonderful last night. I can't decide which I liked best: Endless Love with all the voice-overs, Having My Baby (which I was singing in the shower this morning), or the wonderfully touching finale of Lean on Me. You can check out last night's episode on http://www.hulu.com/ if you missed it.
I hope you have a wonderful day. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Happy Birthday Stacey!

I want to wish my sister Stacey a very happy birthday today. I am blessed to have her as my sister. I am grateful for her hospitality as I make my transition to Cincinnati. I am looking forward to being able to spend more time with her in the future.
Happy birthday Stacey! I love you!

In Anticipation of Glee

I am very excited. I have access to cable this week and I looked on the television schedule for tomorrow night and it says Fox will be airing Glee. I am so very excited. This will be the first time that I have ever gotten to watch Glee when it aired on TV. I usually watch it the next day on www.hulu.com
Now, if Fox even thinks about pre-empting Glee tomorrow to cover a sports event, I may be forced to bring legal action against the company. There had better be a meteor headed right toward earth if they think they want to interrupt the program for some breaking news. On the other hand, if a meteor is headed toward earth, I can't think of anything I'd rather be watching when it hits than Glee. At least all of the Gleeks like me would die happy.
By the way, if you didn't get a chance to watch last week's episode of Glee, check it out on www.hulu.com The final musical number in which all the choir members are in wheelchairs is pure joy to watch. There needs to be more entertainment like this on television. It inspires and entertains all at the same time.
I hope you are having a great week. Thank you for being a part of my journey!

A Dog's Life

I'm dog-sitting again for my friends' dog. Schatze is a dachshund who is in her twilight years. While she can't see, hear, or move around very well, she does enjoy a pretty good life. I'm amazed that a dog that seems to hobble around most of the time, springs to life when it's meal or treat time. She is almost like one of those folks on those faith healing shows. She usually limps around and yet when food comes her way, a miracle takes place and she dances around with joy and excitement. In fact, she almost seems to float around the room like a high-powered hovercraft. I guess she saves all of her energy up for those times.
I was thinking today as I was doing some more packing and cleaning my bathroom in preparation for moving out of my apartment that a dog's life would not be so bad. Here are some things that are pretty cool about being Schatze:

• She gets a treat after each time she goes potty.
• When she is not sleeping she is eating.
• When she is not eating she is sleeping.
• Whenever she whines, there's a good chance she will get fed.
• She has at least three afghans with which to cover up.
• She gets words of encouragement (in addition to a treat) whenever she goes potty outside.
• She gets to take anti-stress tablets before going to bed.

I hope you are having a good week so far. Thanks for being a part of my journey!