Praying for Things That Cause Me Stress

On the advice of a co-worker, who works with stress & anger management; I am listing the top 10 things that cause me stress and I am going to pray for each one for one week! I am going to ask God remove any undue stress these may cause in my life. He guarantees that if I do this I will see a dramatic reduction in my stress levels and possibly my blood pressure as well.

Here is my Top 10 Stress Causes in no particular order

1. Food! -- I can't stop eating...I need to eat more healthy and less of it. This would also help my blood pressure and my high cholesterol.

2. Work -- I love my job, but the hours are often irregular and I do have to work some weekends.

3. My Family -- I love them to death, but every family has traits that bother you. Like not putting up clothes, dirty dishes or snack containers.

4. My Dog -- Back problems, peeing and pooping on the carpets and rugs. He is potty trained...why does he do that!

5. My OCD -- Why do I freak out over the clothes, the video games, the dog, and anything else that does work the way I need it to? It causes me to be very ugly towards my family and I don't like it.

6. My Dear Wife's Health -- She has to have some continuing test and procedures done and we have to budget to pay for that and I am concerned about how she is handling all of the stress related to them.

7. Wal-Mart -- I hate that store, but it is so darn close to the house. I hate waiting in lines, the lack of customer service, the parking, the blah blah blah.....

8. The House -- We really need a new roof, the kitchen ceiling to be fixed, new carpet and floors and some new paint. Not to mention furniture etc...

9. Our Yard -- We have no front yard! At least no green grass. Something is killing the grass in our front yard. We were told it is a fungus or maybe the trees are sucking all the water away from the grass??

10. My Father-in-Law -- Do I have to explain?

So starting tonight I will start praying for one of these things for 1 week, or do I pray for all of them for 10 weeks? I will pray for all of them tonight and check with my co-worker in the morning to get my directions right.

Super Bowl Sunday Update

It's the first day of February and of course it's Super Bowl Sunday. I'm not even sure how much of the game I will watch! I haven't watched much football in the past few years. I am more of a baseball fan. GO TEXAS RANGERS! I would watch the commercials during the Super Bowl but they have become stupid and offensive so there is really no need for me to watch it! If I did watch it, I would root for the Cardinals. It's there first time there and the Steelers have had plenty of Super Bowls appearances.

I think I will just catch up on my recorded television shows. I have a couple of episodes of Monk to watch and a Twilight Zone episode to watch as well. I could also watch the James Bond movie -- The Man With the Golden Gun -- that is here on loan from Netflix.

More importantly about today is; that 25 days from now is my 42nd birthday! Woo-Hoo!

The family and I are back from Great Wolf Lodge! It was a lot of fun for all of us. The waves in their "wave pool" were very strong. They would knock the breath out of you if you were not careful. I am glad to be home though.

Cat Domain

My son Caleb has created a new Internet site called Cat Domain! He really wants other people to join his various Cat Tribes. You can chat with friends, play games and even declare war on other tribes of cats. It's new so their still may be some kinks, but try it out anyway! Who knows it could take off and he could make some money to contribute to the college fund? He is a very creative young man and I love him for it.

Spending Some Quality Time with the Family

This weekend, the family and I plan to get away and spend some quality time together. We are going to Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX. Great Wolf Lodge is a combination, Hotel, Indoor Water park, Spa and Restaurant, that is great for families. We hope to have a great time! It makes up for the lack of a birthday party for my daughter Rachel, who turned 12 on January 16th.

As an "early" birthday event for my son, Caleb, who turns 14 on March 24th, we recently purchased tickets to see the Christian Rock Band, The Newsboys! We (Mainly I) have been wanting to see them in concert for sometime now. They are performing in Longview on March 6th!

I am looking forward to these events! The family and I really needed to get out and have some fun, instead of sitting at home becoming addicted to the Nintendo Game Animal Crossing: City Folk.

"Improving the quality of life" at the expense of the life of others.

President Obama, backed by Speaker of the House (Nancy Pelosi), has once again allowed federal dollars to be allocated to groups that perform abortions. (click here for an article over the newest Executive Order) I was really hoping President Obama would respect the rights of unborn American citizens. Speaker of the House, Pelosi, said this decision would give many women who are poor a chance to "improve the quality of their lives." Improving the quality of life at the expense of others I say. My quality of life would improve greatly if I just killed off a few people who bring down my quality of life; but that would be murder right?

What really disturbs me about the abortion issue is: We can charge a person with double murder for killing a pregnant mother and her unborn child. We can charge a person with murder for causing the death of an unborn child "without the consent of the mother, yet we recognize the purposeful choice to terminate the life of an unborn child, as long as the mother gives her consent to the procedure. What a two-faced nation we are!

I, for one, believed my children were alive when I heard their heartbeats and saw their moving forms on the sonogram. I believe that God gives us a soul at the point of conception, not at birth. I believe that allowing an abortion to take place is murder! It's my opinion and I am allowed to have it.

I do not agree with those who call themselves Christians, or any other person for that matter, who choose to bomb, harass, or otherwise harm those who choose to have an abortion. The choice to have an abortion is not an easy choice to make and many of those who do choose to have an abortion often feel much remorse and depression afterwards. Even the woman known as Roe in the famous Roe v. Wade case, feels terrible for what she chose to do. These women need love and support just like all the rest of us sinners! They do not need to be judged and hated like many of us choose to do.

I am just disappointed that President Obama and our Legislators are choosing to let tax dollars fund such a controversial procedure. Over 60% of the citizens of this nation believe abortion is wrong and yet our Congress and our current President are choosing to fund this procedure anyway. It is not the first time our elected leaders have chosen to ignore the wishes of the majority of its citizens.

Before you think I am just bad mouthing our new President. I do agree with him about closing our military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Our New President!

Congratulations President Barack Obama;

You have inspired many people in the United States to new heights of hope. It is a huge responsibility to fulfill their beliefs in you. You have stated you are a Christian; I believe you are. As long you as you keep God as your number one advisor, you shall have my respect as my new President. You, your family and your administration will be in my prayers. I will also pray for the Congress you will be working with and the Court Systems that will influence your term of office.

Don't disappoint me!