2 Years ago my wife discovered a fun web site called http://www.wheresgeorge.com/. It is a web site that is designed to track where your money has been. You enter the serial number and series number of any U.S. monetary bill; 1's, 2's, 5's 20's, 50's even 100's. You then enter the zip code where you are currently and release your bill back into circulation. Some people buy rubber stamps that have "Wheresgeorge.com" written on it and they stamp the bill before spending it again. This increases the chances that some one will re-enter the bill into the Where's George system. If some else does enter your bill into the system, you will get an e-mail telling you where your bill has gone to and how far it's traveled. If you enter a bill that once belonged to someone else, you will see where the bill has traveled before you "captured" it. They even have a note section, where you can tell something about the bill. Some just tell where they got the bill (Got it a Wal-Mart, or Got this bill as part of Birthday Gift, etc...) or something about the bill (Bill is torn on one corner, someone wrote something on the bill, or bill is crispy and new, etc...). It's a fun site that can get a little addicting. I was entering every bill I came across for a little while before I slowed down and started entering bills occasionally. But it is fun to get the occasional e-mail about someone finding one of your bills! Have fun!
Update: 3-9-2008 (as of today I have entered 1,547 bills with a monetary value of $13,114! When I first discovered this site my OCD and I had a blast...I had to work hard not to enter every bill that came across.
About ME
- Mr. E
- Grand Prairie, Texas, United States
- Mr. E is a Christian, Husband, Father of 2, former Army Officer and Texas Rangers Baseball fan.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Feeling Small and A Little Scared
Today I started my new job! I am feeling a little overwhelmed from all the new information about my job duties and responsibilities. I am not sure where to find the resources I need to fulfill my job functions. AHHHHH! Don't run away, Don't run away. I know that God put me in this job for a reason and He will not fail to prepare me for what I need to do. I have been assured by my co-workers, and my wife, that it might take 3 months to feel "not so lost", and in about a year, I should feel comfortable with the job. The feelings I have right now remind me of a song I heard last night while watching an episode of Animaniacs with my family. The song is called "Yakko's Universe". Here are the lyrics:
Everybody lives on a street in a city
Or a village or a town for what it's worth.
And they're all inside a country which is part of a continent
That sits upon a planet known as Earth.
And the Earth is a ball full of oceans and some mountains
Which is out there spinning silently in space.
And living on that Earth are the plants and the animals
And also the entire human race.
It's a great big universe...And we're all really puny
We're just tiny little specks...About the size of Mickey Rooney.
It's big and black and inky...And we are small and dinky
It's a big universe and we're not.
And we're part of a vast interplanetary system
Stretching seven hundred billion miles long.
With nine planets and a sun; we think the Earth's the only one
That has life on it, although we could be wrong.
Across the interstellar voids are a billion asteroids
Including meteors and Halley's Comet too.
And there's over fifty moons floating out there like balloons
In a panoramic trillion-mile view.
And still it's all a speck amid a hundred billion stars
In a galaxy we call the Milky Way.
It's sixty thousand trillion miles from one end to the other
And still that's just a fraction of the way.
'Cause there's a hundred billion galaxies that stretch across the sky
Filled with constellations, planets, moons and stars.
And still the universe extends to a place that never ends
Which is maybe just inside a little jar!
It's a great big universe...And we're all really puny
We're just tiny little specks...About the size of Mickey Rooney.
Though we don't know how it got here...We're an important part here.
It's a big universe and it's ours!
It's funny sometimes how a kid's show can remind us big folks, just how small we are. We should never get "to big for our britches" and think we are more important than what we are. Although Yakko claims "we don't know how it got here" in the song, I know exactly where the Universe came from. It was created by GOD! And even though we are "about the size of Mickey Rooney" in comparison to the entire universe. God the Creator still cares for little old me. So don't be afraid to be afraid, and tell God that you are scared. He will comfort you. After all we are His children!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Learning How to Forgive
Many people are held up in their spiritual and relationship growth because they are still holding on to something from their past that they just can't seem to let go of. Someone has said something to them or hurt them in someway that caused pain and anger and although they have tried to forgive that person, they still hold on to bitter feelings, anger, and resentment. In the book Men Are Like Waffles and Women Are Like Spaghetti, there is a section about how to forgive and not let the past control your present life and relationship with your spouse and God. It gives you six statements or steps to follow to pattern your forgiveness in a practical way to help you work out the situation. They are:
1) I forgive (name of person) for (name of offense). This specifically names the offense and person who caused this offense so we can focus directly on that problem. Do not be vague about this.
2) I admit that what happened was wrong. It is not an admission of guilt for what we have done (unless we are trying to forgive ourselves), it is just an honest, non critical, confession that something wrong has happened. If nothing wrong has happened then there is nothing to forgive.
3) I do not expect (name the person) to make up for what he or she has done. A courageous statement of reality. No one can make up completely for the mistakes they have made. The pain will still be there. The memory will still linger. There is nothing you or the offender can do to "undo" it. You must forgive, offer repentance and try to start over.
4) I will use the offense to define who (name the person) is. When you define others by the things they have done wrong, it encourages a process of decay in your relationship with them. But if you define them as a person with a problem, or a person who has made a mistake, then you can define them as an "adopted child of God" who is in need of God's forgiveness. Rather than think negative about your offender, pray for them and turn them over to God.
5) I will not manipulate (name the person) with this offense. If you continue or try to emotionally blackmail the other person by bringing up the offense in an attempt to control their behavior, for positive, or negative, gain, then you are still letting the offense control your life. You are not fully enjoying the freedom of forgiveness and looking forward to the life ahead of you. Lucky for us Jesus does not constantly bring up our sins, He died for, to try to manipulate us.
6) I will not allow what has happened to stop my personal growth. This is very important. We too often allow the sinful offenses of others to dictate the course of our life. We become emotionally committed to behaviors that make us prone to depression, anger and resentment. Forgiveness allows us freedom to grow in our relationships. It releases the anchors that have been dragging us down. When we truly forgive we can love freely with nothing holding us back.
For more information go to: Farrel Communications and order a copy of the book.
1) I forgive (name of person) for (name of offense). This specifically names the offense and person who caused this offense so we can focus directly on that problem. Do not be vague about this.
2) I admit that what happened was wrong. It is not an admission of guilt for what we have done (unless we are trying to forgive ourselves), it is just an honest, non critical, confession that something wrong has happened. If nothing wrong has happened then there is nothing to forgive.
3) I do not expect (name the person) to make up for what he or she has done. A courageous statement of reality. No one can make up completely for the mistakes they have made. The pain will still be there. The memory will still linger. There is nothing you or the offender can do to "undo" it. You must forgive, offer repentance and try to start over.
4) I will use the offense to define who (name the person) is. When you define others by the things they have done wrong, it encourages a process of decay in your relationship with them. But if you define them as a person with a problem, or a person who has made a mistake, then you can define them as an "adopted child of God" who is in need of God's forgiveness. Rather than think negative about your offender, pray for them and turn them over to God.
5) I will not manipulate (name the person) with this offense. If you continue or try to emotionally blackmail the other person by bringing up the offense in an attempt to control their behavior, for positive, or negative, gain, then you are still letting the offense control your life. You are not fully enjoying the freedom of forgiveness and looking forward to the life ahead of you. Lucky for us Jesus does not constantly bring up our sins, He died for, to try to manipulate us.
6) I will not allow what has happened to stop my personal growth. This is very important. We too often allow the sinful offenses of others to dictate the course of our life. We become emotionally committed to behaviors that make us prone to depression, anger and resentment. Forgiveness allows us freedom to grow in our relationships. It releases the anchors that have been dragging us down. When we truly forgive we can love freely with nothing holding us back.
For more information go to: Farrel Communications and order a copy of the book.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
The Story of Us
Yesterday I watched one of my favorite movies...The Story of Us! It is a great movie about marriage. What I like most about the movie is that it presents a fairly accurate account of how a marriage really is. It is full of changes, disagreements, arguments, tears, occasional yelling, kids, and temptations. But it is also full of happiness, growing, sex, children, family and laughs. It's the, "You never listen to me!", "You haven't grown up!", "You won't let things go!", "Your just like your mother!" And it's the "I Love You!", "I'm sorry!", "You make me happy!" and the who's gonna go put the tooth fairy money under the pillow! Marriage is not easy!
Like many marriages both sides sometimes feel that the negatives far outweigh the positives in our relationships. We began to wonder if it is worth the struggle to "make things work" and we start to wonder if we would be better off separating or even getting divorced. We wonder how it would affect the lives of our children. If we continue to listen to these lies and stay focused on the negatives, we will sacrifice all we have worked for and give up!
I hope, however, that we choose to stick it out! Not just for the kids, but for US. I hope we can see that despite the struggles their is a growing and changing relationship that God has put together. I hope that we can look past the arguments and learn forgiveness, love and respect. I hope that we, like the characters in the movie, choose "Chow Funs"! Watch the movie.
Like many marriages both sides sometimes feel that the negatives far outweigh the positives in our relationships. We began to wonder if it is worth the struggle to "make things work" and we start to wonder if we would be better off separating or even getting divorced. We wonder how it would affect the lives of our children. If we continue to listen to these lies and stay focused on the negatives, we will sacrifice all we have worked for and give up!
I hope, however, that we choose to stick it out! Not just for the kids, but for US. I hope we can see that despite the struggles their is a growing and changing relationship that God has put together. I hope that we can look past the arguments and learn forgiveness, love and respect. I hope that we, like the characters in the movie, choose "Chow Funs"! Watch the movie.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Harry Potter and The Deathly Flea Dip
OK, so the title is a bad play on words, but it fits the blog.
I finally finished reading the last Harry Potter book yesterday. Good book and a good series. I was satisfied with the ending. I don't want to write to much in case some one reads this and I spoil the ending. I have enjoyed reading all the Harry Potter books and I have enjoyed the movie versions of them as well.
As far as the deathly flea dip...I purchased a package of Sergants Gold Squeeze-On Flea Control for our family dog. I followed the directions carefully and applied the product. Within 4 hours our dog was acting very strange. His head would involuntarily twitch and shake, one of his back legs did the same, and then he started wheezing when he breathed. I looked the product up on the Internet to see if anyone else had this problem. I found several sites telling me that their pets almost died after using this product and some small animals, especially cats, did die. I called the 1-800 emergency number on the back of the package and talked to someone who told me to wash the product off and give my dog Benadryl. The next morning our dog was still twitching, despite the baths and Benadryl. I called the 1-800 number for customer service on the back of the package and this time reported the product to the Sergeant's Company. They told me to take our dog to the vet and have him checked out in case their was a dangerous reaction to their product. I took our dog to the vet, and the vet told me that they get reports frequently about the squeeze on flea products (not just Sergeant's), except for Frontline products. The squeeze on products can have adverse affects on small pets' nervous systems, that can sometimes be deadly. The vet proceeded to give our dog a muscle relaxer and doggy Valium to try and calm his nerves. If the shaking does not stop after the weekend, the vet will do a blood test to see if she can narrow down the problem further.
What a scare! My kids are gone for the week and I almost kill our dog with a bad product. What really makes me mad about this is that the Sergeant's company did not even put warnings on the package telling the symptoms of negative reactions to their products on pets. It does say if their is a negative reaction to wash off the product immediately. That's it! No warnings about shaking, wheezing, nerve damage or possible death. I am not a suing man, but if our dog dies, I will expect Sergeant's to pay. Not only is our dog just an investment of money, but he is also a family member. Be warned, DO NOT USE SQUEEZE ON FLEA CONTROL PRODUCTS, UNLESS THEY ARE APPROVED BY YOUR VET! THEY COULD KILL YOU PET!
I finally finished reading the last Harry Potter book yesterday. Good book and a good series. I was satisfied with the ending. I don't want to write to much in case some one reads this and I spoil the ending. I have enjoyed reading all the Harry Potter books and I have enjoyed the movie versions of them as well.
As far as the deathly flea dip...I purchased a package of Sergants Gold Squeeze-On Flea Control for our family dog. I followed the directions carefully and applied the product. Within 4 hours our dog was acting very strange. His head would involuntarily twitch and shake, one of his back legs did the same, and then he started wheezing when he breathed. I looked the product up on the Internet to see if anyone else had this problem. I found several sites telling me that their pets almost died after using this product and some small animals, especially cats, did die. I called the 1-800 emergency number on the back of the package and talked to someone who told me to wash the product off and give my dog Benadryl. The next morning our dog was still twitching, despite the baths and Benadryl. I called the 1-800 number for customer service on the back of the package and this time reported the product to the Sergeant's Company. They told me to take our dog to the vet and have him checked out in case their was a dangerous reaction to their product. I took our dog to the vet, and the vet told me that they get reports frequently about the squeeze on flea products (not just Sergeant's), except for Frontline products. The squeeze on products can have adverse affects on small pets' nervous systems, that can sometimes be deadly. The vet proceeded to give our dog a muscle relaxer and doggy Valium to try and calm his nerves. If the shaking does not stop after the weekend, the vet will do a blood test to see if she can narrow down the problem further.
What a scare! My kids are gone for the week and I almost kill our dog with a bad product. What really makes me mad about this is that the Sergeant's company did not even put warnings on the package telling the symptoms of negative reactions to their products on pets. It does say if their is a negative reaction to wash off the product immediately. That's it! No warnings about shaking, wheezing, nerve damage or possible death. I am not a suing man, but if our dog dies, I will expect Sergeant's to pay. Not only is our dog just an investment of money, but he is also a family member. Be warned, DO NOT USE SQUEEZE ON FLEA CONTROL PRODUCTS, UNLESS THEY ARE APPROVED BY YOUR VET! THEY COULD KILL YOU PET!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Thank You!
Thank You, Oh Lord! Thank You for my new job! I prayed to You and you have answered me. I put my trust in You and you have not failed me. I prayed for a job that I was qualified for, and You provided one for me. I prayed for a job that I could be passionate about and I was told by my new employers that I would "love" this job. I prayed that "if" there was any weakness I might have that would hinder my job, that You would provide a way to overcome those weaknesses. My new employers have bent over backwards to assure me that any weaknesses I have expressed to them, they would help me get the training and help I need to grow in those areas. I prayed that I could be a servant for You and fulfill my desire to do missions for You. My supervisors have told me they have always felt that what they do is a mission to them, and that I would feel the same way. I prayed that You would find me a good job by August 15th, and I am starting August 1st! Thank You! I give Glory to You, My God, I will be your humble servant.
As your servant, I ask my LORD for one more thing; keep me from listening to and believing the lies that are already pouring into my head. Lies that are making me question my abilities and talents, that You have granted me. Lies that are telling me, I will not succeed, that the job does not pay enough. Lies that tell me I am making a mistake. Help me to believe and focus on the truth that You, my God, are in control and that You are taking care of me and my family. Help me to trust that You will continue to keep Your promises.
I am Yours! I am a servant of Jesus Christ, empowered by Your Holy Spirit. I give You the glory for my abilities and my new job. I will not listen to the lies. Thank You! Thank You!
As your servant, I ask my LORD for one more thing; keep me from listening to and believing the lies that are already pouring into my head. Lies that are making me question my abilities and talents, that You have granted me. Lies that are telling me, I will not succeed, that the job does not pay enough. Lies that tell me I am making a mistake. Help me to believe and focus on the truth that You, my God, are in control and that You are taking care of me and my family. Help me to trust that You will continue to keep Your promises.
I am Yours! I am a servant of Jesus Christ, empowered by Your Holy Spirit. I give You the glory for my abilities and my new job. I will not listen to the lies. Thank You! Thank You!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)