C's Blog

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T14:17:00.007-05:00

Happy Easter everyone! Spring is finally here and I have to say that I am glad to see winter go. It seemed like an extremely long one this year, but days like today definitely make it easy to forget. This is a great time of year. Things are starting to come to life and break out of that winter funk...especially me.

Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
and into an inheritance that can never perish,
spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you...
- 1 Peter 1:3-5

TODAY SUCKED!!

2010-01-18T18:28:00.006-06:00

Monday, January 18th 7:07 P.M.....

Been at work for over 14 hours.
Everything I touch today falls apart.
Missed my junior boys basketball game.
Just downed an entire box of thin mints.
Think I'll go home and pray for a better day tomorrow.

Sorry for the negative post.

New Year, New Decade...

2010-01-01T11:35:00.003-06:00

I know it has been a while since my last post, but I want to wish everyone a happy New Year.

It's amazing to think back on the last 10 years. So much has happened and it doesn't seem that long ago. 10 years ago I was a senior in high school preparing to graduate and move away to college. Today, I'm a married man, with a mortgage, a car payment, and I'm dreading to go back to work on Monday after 2 weeks off of work. This by no means is a bad thing, it is actually a great blessing, but 10 years ago I probably would have never envisioned myself where I am today.

From 2000 to 2010 a lot has happened and a lot has changed in my life. God has blessed me with lots of new friends, a good paying job, a wonderful and beautiful wife, and a great family. All these blessings I'd like to say were all part of my 10 year plan, but that would be a lie. To me these blessings are all proof that God is in control and has a plan for us all.

I'm excited to find out what the next 10 years have in store for us.

Saturday Night in Alliance

2009-06-06T23:39:00.003-05:00

It's Saturday night and I'm laying in bed at the Holiday Inn Express in Alliance, Nebraska. You might be asking yourself, "What is Cole doing in Alliance, Nebraska on Saturday night?" Well let me answer that question for you. I'm working!

Despite taking a 10% pay cut for the 10 months and being forced to take 2 days off a month, I know I shouldn't be complaining about traveling and working on the weekend. I know there are people all over this country who are working this weekend or who would give anything to be working this weekend. I understand that! However I think it's human nature to be pissed or to complain about stuff like this. Or maybe it's the fact that because even though I'll be required to take two days off this month, I'm giving those two days back by working this weekend. Now my boss is good, so I'm sure he'll make it up to me, but in the heat of the moment I feel like complaining.

As I lay here in bed typing this blog I'm also watching Dirty Jobs on the Discover Channel. I think I want to become a cranberry farmer.

Texting

2009-05-31T23:13:00.004-05:00

So I heard on CNN Headline News this week that the New York Times did a study on how text messaging effects teens. They say that text messaging can cause anxiety, sleep deprivation, distraction in school, and repetitive stress injuries (sore thumbs).

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/health/26teen.html

This article seems pretty serious and as if there isn't already enough issues facing today's teens, instead of making life easier technology is adding more struggles to the lives of today's adolescents. Its funny to think back to when I was a teen and what it was like even to have a cell phone and then actually being in a place where I had service to use it. Its amazing think about how much things have evolved/dissolved (however you want to look at it) over the last 10 years. To think that something meant to be used to help people communicate over long distances is now a contributor to the deterioration of today's teenagers.

I can picture the generation of humans being born 50 years from now. Imagine a plump, jittery little boy with short round legs, disproportionatly small hands and fingers, a freakishly small mouth (just large enough to suck food through a straw), and large beady eyes that are only good for seeing short distances. Thanks Mr. Bell.

3 years...

2009-05-28T17:44:00.003-05:00

Can you believe it! Amanda and I have been married for 3 years now. It's amazing! Not the "I can't believe we haven't killed each other" amazing, but the "I never saw myself at this point in my life" amazing. Time has really flown by and there is not a moment that I regret.

I love Amanda more than anything and I couldn't imagine being married to anyone else. She is a strong, beautiful, and smart woman and as many of you would probably agree she is the perfect person to put me in my place. I've learned a lot over the past three years and I couldn't be where I am today with out Amanda. I'm looking forward to another year together.

Motivation

2009-05-12T19:26:00.003-05:00

Its been about 3 weeks since we've been back from Texas and I'm having a hell of a time trying to find motivation to do anything. I'm sure its partially due to the fact that I've had the crud for the past week and a half. I've got a list of things to do at work, that I've been avoiding. I've finally gotten myself to go to the gym which I've been avoiding for that last few weeks (and I'm paying for it). The weather has been beautiful lately and all I want to do when I get home is nap. I've even been leaving work early (well at 4 when I'm suppose too). I need to be going fishing or taking Royce on a walk, I think he's even been frustrated with me. So I'm going to spend the next few hours this evening to do something productive and try get myself motivated again.

What do pigs call swine flu?

2009-05-03T16:19:00.006-05:00

Check this out!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/03/swine.flu.canada/?iref=mpstoryview

Is this why the government is so adamant about changing the name of the swine flu virus to the H1N1 virus? Are they trying to avoid a lawsuit from the pork industry for falsely accusing pigs for passing the "Swine" flu to humans. Sounds like we may owe our flat nosed friends an apology.

That Canadian farmer who gave his pigs "swine" flu must be one one lonely dude to pass this virus on to them.

On a sad note...

2009-04-14T19:42:00.004-05:00

Jr's Barber Shop is permanently closed for business. After 30 plus years of grooming and shaping the heads of Manhattanites and K-Staters, Jr, at the age of 78 has officially retired from the hair cutting business. This means for all of us whose heads have been graced by Jr's scissors there are no more soothing shoulder rubs after a long day at work, no more monthly doses of second hand smoke, no more dirty jokes, and most of all it means hundreds of us will be on the streets looking for another good barber. And just for those of you (Amanda) who don't know what the big deal is; a good barber is like a good bartender. He is someone you can confide in, someone who will always pretend to listen to you no matter what you are saying, and someone who will always respond to you with some of the best generic advice you'll ever hear. A good barber makes a haircut personal. It will be hard finding another barber I trust as much as Jr.

So here's to you Jr. It's been a pleasure getting my hair cut by you and I hope you enjoy your retirement and I hope its filled with lots of fishing and lots of time with your grandchildren. Aggieville won't be the same without Jr's Barber Shop.

Learning from Life

2009-04-12T22:33:00.003-05:00

The other day Amanda and I were eating at Carlos O'kelly's, one of our favorite restaurants and I happened to mention that I would like to read a book...so we quickly asked for our check and ran over to Hastings. When I have these moments I've got to jump on them because they fade fast. I'm not normally someone who has the desire to read.

I picked out a book called "Choosing to Learn from Life". I have no previous knowledge of this book or its authors it just looked like an interesting book, plus its relatively short (170 pages) and has big words. I think its actually something that is meant to be a small group discussion type book. Anyways, the point is that this book is about how God uses moments in your life to teach and provide opportunities for growth and how we should try to recognize these moments and learn from them.

I'm sure it's no coincidence, but this book seems very fitting for my life right now. Not that there is anything profound in it (I'm only half way through it). It's just that lately my life has just seemed to be so busy and hectic, mostly at work, that I haven't taken time to think about what God could be trying to do in my life. This book as helped me, at least lately, to try to slow things down and observe and listen to what is going on, what God might be try tell me.

We all have those moments in our day to day life that seem to drag on, whether they are good or bad. Well the new prespective that I'm trying to use is this: think of life like you are studying film for football or basketball game and you slow the film down, maybe even pause it, so that you can get a better look at what is going on. I think that is what God does for us and its up to us to recognize those moments and observe and listen to what He has to say. So my charter for the next couple of weeks is to keep this in the back of my mind throughout the day and to try and be more observant and to take advantage of these learning moments.

Here we go...

2009-04-05T15:42:00.010-05:00

After church today, for some reason I feel really motivated. Not sure why. God's is probably trying to tell me something. And of course I feel motivated now, on Sunday, when the weather is crappy and its a perfect day to stay inside and nap all day (as Amanda is doing). I practically wasted a perfectly nice day yesterday.

Anyways, not sure if it was the sermon today at church or what, but I feel motivated/moved to organize/start a fundraiser. Its not the first time I've thought about this. In fact as recent as last Friday a friend was telling us about a fundraiser she is organizing and it kinda got me thinking again. Originally, this thought popped into my head a few months back when I saw a blurb on TV about Hoops of Hope started by a 13 year old kid. Hoops for Hope would be a fun one to organize, however, other than the basketball side of it, not sure if I feel that passionate about children orphaned by AIDS in Africa (I know that probably sounds bad).

I tried brain storming this topic with Amanda and after about 30 minutes I think I frustrated her enough with my random, unorganized thoughts that the conversation was beginning to get heated. However, before we reached the boiling point, there was one idea that seemed to stick out above the rest. Providing a vacation for families affected by cancer. This was something that was given to Amanda's family when her mom had cancer. Not personally being through a situation like Amanda's I really can't relate to what it would have been like for their family. I can only imagine how it would be nice as a family to escape the lifestyle and monotony that occompanies cancer, even if its only for a little while.

Thats an idea anyway. A start. Not sure when or how this idea will mature, but I think God is definitly trying to work something out with me. For now I'll just continue to pray on it and we'll see where it goes.

For those of you who know me, you may be use to me coming up with ideas like this. Or saying I'll do something and then never follow through, well I agree and that is one reason why I've decided to restart my blog. I've also decide, with a little persuasion from Amanda, to start a 101 Things To Do in 1001 Days list. This is all an attempt to hold myself accountable for the things I say.

So to close this entry, I'll apologize for my rambling, but I'll warn you there will probably be more entries like this.