You have got to be kidding me...

ODB.org

Remember when I said that the Our Daily Bread devotionals usually smack me right in the face? I couldn't believe my eyes when I read the devotional for this morning - "Fix your eyes". This obviously has a dual meaning for me as I have been struggling to do just that for the past two years - fix my eyes. While the status of my eye issues is in "healing" mode for the rest of the summer (the doctors will re-evaluate next steps in September), the struggle to fix my eyes on God remains something that occurs from second to second. Here is some insight into how I think (for those who are squeamish, stop here, hehehe) -- my overly active mind is always trying to solve some problem from work or thinking about a close friend or thinking about my family or (the scary part) thinking about "scenarios". I like to plan and prepare whenever possible. Somewhere along the way I got into a habit of thinking about scenarios with people that would never, ever happen. Imaginary interactions that often upset me when I think of how the unlikely events would turn out. Like I said, I like to prepare and plan, so my plan is to "fix my eyes" and my mind and my whole being on the living God that is real rather than the ludicrous scenarios that distract me from being the man I want to be.

Wow, that was more intense than I intended. I have been thinking about this topic a lot this weekend as I had time to myself. If you get time to comment, what kinds of things, thoughts, etc distract you from fixing your eyes on the living God?

This blog

I also thought (being the planner I am) about the structure of this blog. I decided on a planned structure, but I am not going to be totally rigid about it. There will be some days or weeks that will be ad hoc. Yes, I am capable of ad hoc. ;-) Here is the plan for now:

Sunday - Friends

Monday - music

Wednesday - We-way-shun-ship Wednesday (watched Princess Bride last night)

Friday - Recipes

Those who know me realize I don't know a lot about the Wednesday or Friday topics, but I will give it a shot!

Friends

My first friend entry is about my best friend. We have known each other for over 16 years now (we can't remember the exact year we met). We met in a Internet group mailing list back before the World Wide Web became popular (I should write a short history on the Internet sometime). Since then, we email and call each other multiple times per week. I appreciate the friendship the most because I don't have to "maintain" it. Do you know what I mean? I don't always have to be the one that calls or writes to say "What is going on with you?" Our friendship developed into something we describe as "closer than brothers". I thank God for the love and support that he has given me, especially the past three years after the breakup of my LTR (long term relationship).

We are also travel buddies. Do you know how difficult it is to find a travel buddy? We like many of the same things and have the same attention span for museums, etc. I drag his butt into adventures he wouldn't have otherwise done. He grounds me with his attention to detail about our destinations and the unique perspective he brings to each trip. I learned how NOT to take Airborne, how the power of medication can make any trip bearable and how a brave little man can inspire you to continue to push your life forward wherever you travel.

After amazing adventures in Hawaii and NYC in the last year, our next trip will be to San Francisco in September. I am looking forward to it. I am still trying to talk him into the trip to Australia. hehehe

Thank you, my friend. I love you very much, my brother.