What's new?

So we finally made it through the last grueling six weeks of night shift.  I also have some other great news:

I rarely talk about work here at AKT, but I'm making the rare exception today.  A few weeks ago a position opened up in our department and I looked it over.  It seemed like something well suited to my strengths and prior experience, so I threw my hat in the ring and what do you know, I got a promotion.

This means moving out of the hourly ranks and back into a salaried position.  It's also a great opportunity to build my career, in that it could lead to other promotions later on.  In fact, most people who move into this position move over into others after a few years.  We'll see how that goes, for now I'm just excited about learning some new things and working more closely with the other specialists in our department. I will also  be interfacing with people I've never met, so that's something else to look forward to.

I'm also thrilled that I finally feel like I have my feet back under me.  God has indeed blessed our family and this, for me at least, was a huge one, in that it gives me a big boost of confidence and a new sense of achievement.  Come Monday I'll have my own personal space again (something I haven't had since I left Merck). 

So rejoice with me!

Peace,
Crotalus

ONE MORE WEEK!

Of outage that is. 

You can do it Charlie Brown. 

Now let me go get a few hours' sleep before nightshift.


Peace.

Mid-Outage drawing

We are a little over halfway through the outage, and boy are we getting tire of it at our house.  I've been on nights all outage long, so while the family is asleep I'm up.  It makes little sense to switch my sleep around on my off days (Thurs and Fri), so I just stay up all night while they sleep.  Soon I'll wake the boys, get them off to school, and finally go to bed.  I'll get up when they come home.  Tonight I'll get to be with them while we go to Statesboro to get some frames for our family portraits.  Lord, please help me to be alert and 'on' while I'm with them.  And give us a good time of enjoying each other.  Amen.


I read a bit last night, folded a little bit of laundry, watched 'That Metal Show', and drew a few drawings.  Here's one I did, that is very Buscema-ish.  I call it 'Reclaimed'.  It depicts Jesus coming back for His church, and also mimics a crucifixion pose.  For some reason He looks angry.  Maybe just the warrior side of Him coming out.  Anyway, here it is:

There is something about my art that is always kind of 'in your face'.  I'm about as subtle as a brick. Oh well.  My art will probably never hang on many living room walls, for obvious reasons, but I like it.

When God talks

I was on the way to work yesterday and really needed a word from God. Now, while I don't recommend the FM radio over the Bible, sometimes I do believe God speaks to us through the radio.  After all, He put talent into musicians for the purpose of speaking His truth and praising Him, even though many of them don't acknowledge that or use their talents for Him.  Still, sometimes they write songs for Him in spite of themselves.  And this time He sent one of those my way:

And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality
Closer to the heart, closer to the heart

The blacksmith and the artist
Reflect it in their art
They forge their creativity
Closer to the heart, yes closer to the heart

Philosophers and plowmmen
Each must know his part
To sow a new mentality
Closer to the heart, well closer to the heart

You can be the Captain
And I will draw the chart
Sailing into destiny
Closer to the heart, yes closer to the heart
I said closer to the heart, yeah closer to the heart
Closer to Your heart, I said closer to Your heart.

(Thanks to Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Peter Talbot, and Neil Peart for writing that, and to God for inspiring them.  Sometimes I dig me some Rush.)

Anywho, this seemed to be a recurring theme for the night.  I spent the next 12 hours at work and listened to two podcasts I'd downloaded.  They were by my good friends Wunderkraut and his brother-in-law Jon.  WK was preaching on stepping into your destiny, while Jon was talking about love.  It all tied together in my spirit and really ministered to me.  Add to the mix a new book I've been reading called "Tally Ho the Fox", given to me by my good friend Phil J, and I was more than ministered to, I was also inspired.  There has to be more to our lives than just making a living.  We have to love people, achieve our destinies, and make a difference.

God let that be true for my life.