Road Trip!

Well, not your normal, cross the country with a group of friends and/or family, camping out under the stars, visiting historical landmarks, and cultural icons, and long lost relatives, but just… driving to work. Yes, my life is not normal. I get paid to drive 9 hours across state lines, into Arkansas and back.

So I am asking for any suggestions on how to pass the time.

Normally I have been scanning radio stations or just thinking in silence. But there has to be some more informative, educational, fun, interesting things to do for hours on end. And that is not hazardous to driving.

And as far as road trips go, that has got me thinking of past road trips. My family has been on some monster road trips. The first that I can remember (driving in my mom’s belly from LA to Pennsylvania and back in a VW bug does not count) was with those crazy parents of mine moving from Oregon to Texas.
4 kids ages 7, 5, 3, and 1? Packed with all our belongings in a yellow school bus, towing a pickup truck behind us. Dad took out all the seats and stuffed all we had into that bus. It was great for us kids. We had a huge bed, and play area the whole trip. I don’t remember much about that trip, but what I remember was the good time we had. We being the kids. I will have to ask my parents how well they enjoyed it.

Another road trip the family took was the reverse route visiting the grandparents. The first leg from Texas to Colorado with some friends of ours. A 24 hour drive with 6 kids, 2 adults crammed into a Buick. That was crazy as well. I think I was 14 at the time. And that was just the first leg. We ended up driving our grandparents to Oregon, then took the bus from Oregon to LA to visit some relatives there, and back to Texas. Wow, those were the days!

So anyway to get back to topic… any suggestions? I was thinking books on CD, but I need a good source, preferably inexpensive. How about the iPod? I have heard good things about it. Any driving games that can be played solitaire?

This should be interesting. And since I am spending a 9 hour commute at least 4 times a month right now, I probably should be spending more time planning it. So thanks for your help.

No Debt!

The day is quickly approaching when I will be debt free! As many of you know, this is the goal I am presently pursuing. The reasons are many, and the story is long, but the fact is that I know without a doubt, this is the goal that I am supposed to fulfill right now.

The first and primary reason I am getting out of debt is because God made it very clear that is what I am supposed to do. The Bible is pretty clear when it comes to debt. It says to owe no man anything, that the debtor is servant to the lender, and that no man can serve two masters.

But that has not always been the case. Up until a little over a year ago, I was floundering. I was in debt, with a good job, but no real direction. I have been investing in various projects for the last 10 years, with limited success. Which was part of the reason I was in debt. I have also been switching from job to job which is the other big reason I was in debt. For 10 + years I had been trying to become “financially independent” on my own. From investments in real estate, to foreign currencies, to gold and silver, my finances were just that… mine.

I came to the realization that I had been trying to become financially independent on my own. My finances were mine. And quite honestly it was embarrassing. I had read so much. I knew so much. I had tried so much, but I couldn’t do anything. I had created this mess. And even though I had said that I had given my life to God, I had never given Him my finances.

So I finally decided to give Him my finances. And that has made all the difference. First I sought wise counsel, and found it. Next was humbly taking that advice, even though I disagreed. I had had a budget, but not followed it very well. So I had to get much more self disciplined with that. I had to tithe, strictly, and right off the top.

And so I changed what I was doing from my way to what God said. And I can say nothing more than that God has tremendously blessed me. And I am floored by how much. I have approximately halved my credit card debt in this last year, and should be able to finish off the rest by this coming April or May! Absolutely incredible. And I cannot take ANY of the credit. The grace of God is the only reason.

There are several ideas bouncing around in my head. And I hope to broach some of those subjects in later posts. Ideas on getting out of debt, reasons to get out of debt, spending, saving, investing, etc. But for now, if there is any advice right now that I would give and give heartily it is… Get out now! Stop spending so much. Do not use credit cards. It is a trap. Do it God’s way. Ask Him how to do it, and to what extent. He will bless if you give your finances to Him. I know it! I live it!

Happy Birthday!

11:58 AM and I am 30 years old. It has felt strange for the last couple of weeks, but it is not sounding so bad right now. Don’t feel any different. Here are a few thoughts…

Where I thought I would be…

Married at 18,

And therefore 4 kids, oldest probably 10.

Financially independent if not a millionaire.

Career in the computer industry.

Nice big house with big library in the country.

Where I am…

Still single.

1 neice and 2 nephews with another little one on the way, none of my own.

Still in debt, though nearing completion of that.

Current career in the oilfield.

Small fixer upper house in the city.

It’s a little sobering. But I can honestly say I am good. I am blessed. And when I consider my relative position in this world, I can only stand in amazement. I am still young. I am healthy. I have a great church. I have great friends. God has saved me. I still have an incredible family. I live in the richest country in the world despite its problems. I really can pursue anything I want.

In short, I am tremendously and incomprehensibly blessed. And even more amazing, is that I have so much I am excited about and look forward to. See you all around. Have fun.

I get paid for this!?

I am very blessed. I just got in from an equipment run to another rig about an hour away, or for me, a paid sightseeing trip. I am on the clock, while I am up here in central Arkansas, plus I get paid mileage. It is a perfectly clear day. Cool and sunny. Perfect to drive the mountains of Arkansas. I thoroughly enjoyed the drive.

For those of you who wonder what I do… I am an MWD hand for Crescent Directional Drilling. Finally I feel like I am equipped for a new job. My computer experienced, combined with the last year of roughneck experience, really prepared me for this job. I am comfortable and competent for once.

My job consists of the responsibility for our tool which we run in the hole. Once we are drilling, I take the directional readings from the tool and give that information to those who need to know. I am in a much safer position, a trailer on location, instead of the rig floor. I am doing much less manual labor, which has its drawback in that now I have to schedule some kind of workout, or I will get way out of shape. So far, I have been eating poorly, but not as much, so I don’t believe I have gained the weight. I am out of shape however.

Because I am in the trailer and not on the rig floor, I have access to the internet just about all the time. Thus part of the reason for the blog, and increased internet activity.

Anyway, that is what I am up to at the moment. The biggest drawback is the fact that my schedule is quite varied, with no set days off. I will take it for now though. I am blessed, and I cannot and will not complain.

From this...

To this...

To Blog or Not to Blog?

I am reluctant to start a blog. I have been weighing the pros and cons, and have finally decided to take the plunge.

I am almost 30. 30 this week! Some would say I am still young, some would say I am old. What is it about a nice round number that makes us stop and think? We humans are funny that way. Not too much difference really between 29 or 31.

Anyway, it is crazy to me that I am already 30 years old. And I know many people have said the same things I am feeling. That I do not “feel” 30, and time just keeps speeding faster and faster.

Honestly, I feel like I have wasted my 20’s. I have just kind of skipped by, and let life take me along. I have learned, but I have not really studied. I hope to change that.

Here are a couple of topics I am currently pursuing, or hope to pursue…

God…Jesus…The Holy Spirit – Who are these that would actually want a personal relationship with me!? And what does that mean? How do I get so carried away with other insignificant things?

No debt! –

Prepared for life and all that entails – Solidify beliefs, build character, prepared for family

Learn to learn, and learn to teach

Anyway, here’s a little I hope to accomplish with this blog:

I hope to share a little about myself to those who may be interested

I hope to get back to journaling somewhat

I hope to get some of these crazy ideas out of my head so I can quit thinking about them, and possibly get some good feedback on them.

Thank you so much for your time, and I look forward to communicating with you all.

Sincerely,

Jimmy