Day 1 (or so)

So my goal is to blog once per day.  I know what people may be thinking, "You have already blogged today, give it a break."  Honestly, though, I feel that the first blog was an intro statement and shouldn't count as my first day's blog.  Therefore, here is my day one blog for reals!!

I have been thinking a lot today about my job and why God has placed me there.  After some prayer and retrospection, I feel that it is a little on the obvious side that it was God's plan for me to be there and ultimately stay.  He has not released me from there, so I can only glean that he still has something for me to do.  I pray that I am vigilant enough to identify my purpose there when it arrives and fulfill the task laid out before me. 

Thinking about my faith always leads me to thinking about how my life has led up to walking with Christ.  For those who know me, you know it was a long, windy, often bumpy, broken in several places road.  For those who do not know me, why are you reading my personal thoughts and feelings? 

There are several people who helped direct me to a relationship with Christ and they weigh on my mind from time to time.  One person who has been on my mind today has been my brother.  I have been thinking about Aaron a lot with this being a Christmas without him here and hoping he is safe as he lives in a turbulent part of the world.  I pray that he is comfortable, stays safe, dreams of his wife, and knows that we, here in my house, love him and keep him in our hearts.  

Aaron played a big impact on bringing me to Christ.  Ultimately, I am a person who needs convinced of things before diving in feet first.  My relationship with my brother when he was a Christian and I was not, was a little strained.  This is likely because I thought Christians were sad, lost, misguided, needy, and plainly wrong.  On top of that, I loved telling them that and giving my worldly evidence to back it up.  I still remember, with shame, arguing with him until he had tears in his eyes and had to leave the room.  I actually remember feeling triumphant.  How sad is that.

Anessa and I recently joined a small group. As in recently, I mean a couple months ago.  I shared with them how much of a testimony it was to me to watch Aaron.  Living in a worldly family with people who enjoyed arguing with him and pointing out how wrong and dumb he was had to be difficult.  The point is, he never stopped sharing.  He would live his faith in our faces.  He would take opportunities to tell us about his faith.  His courage made me think more and more "Wow, I wonder if there is more to this."  I began to wonder what would keep him at this when there was so much adversity.  Go figure, I soon found out that he was right, I was wrong, and there is a ton to this that would keep a man standing up to anybody. 

All in all, I have never told him how big of a part he played in me coming to Christ.  I guess I really should.  Aaron, if you read this, now you know.  If you don't read this, I guess I need to get on Skype and talk to you about it soon.  This really wasn't what I had in mind tonight when I sat down to type, but oh well, that is the point of a blog.  You just start typing and things just come out.  Anyway, Aaron, I love you, stay safe, I can't wait until you come home (but don't come home until you feel that is what is best for you and your family).

To any other readers.  God bless.  Thanksgiving is coming soon.  Try to think of your family and tell a member of your family one thing you haven't told them before.  Who knows, it could make you feel better and it may be something they needed to hear.