Great Day!

Today has been a great day!

• It started early with meeting with some guys at 6:30am for a time of prayer. I look forward to getting with these guys and starting the day and the week!
• Went for a nice, 4-mile run. Perfect weather. Not too cold. Not too hot. Just right.
• Took it easy around the house for a while with the family.
• Spent some time at the office doing some sermon prep for this Sunday.
• Had several conversations today with folks about yesterday at Bagley Swamp! Great stuff! Life change is happening and is becoming contagious.
• Spent several hours on the road today, driving to my parents in Winston-Salem. Listened to a book via my new Kindle. That was really cool!
• Stopped by Dicks Sporting Goods and purchased some new running gear. Found the running pants I've been looking at for a while for 1/2 the price.
• Went out to eat with Mom & Dad at our favorite Japanese place. Looked forward to it all day. Was not disappointed.
• Got Mom & Dad's cat to chase a laser for a long time. Cats can really be funny.
• Looking forward to a good night sleep. For some reason, I always sleep well at Mom & Dad's.

How was your Monday?

Just Saved $1000!

I can't believe it.

No, I'm not trying to sign you up for anything, or trying to get you to buy anything. But I did just save over $1000 for 2010. Here's what I did.

I've been seeing these commercials for the new phones, blackberrys and droids. I've had my HTC smart phone for over 2 years and was looking to upgrade. I was excited about all of the bells and whistles that those new phones have. In fact, I would really like to have an iPhone, but AT&T doesn't have service where I live, so no iPhone.

I started comparing phones and realized that I really didn't need to use my phone for the internet. I can tweet by using text messaging. I mainly used my smart phone to sync my contacts and calendar.

I started searching, and found software that could sync my Mac's calendar and address book with an LG enV3. I could get the LG without getting the data plan, saving $70 a month/ $840 a year.

When I went to Verizon to make the switch, I was told that I had to keep that old plan I had, since we still had 2 Alltel phones that would not work on the new plan. So, I wasn't going to save any money. How much would it cost to get 3 LG phones? Buy one ($79), get one free. Then have to buy the third one. I would get a $50 rebate on the first one, so $108 for 3 phones, not so bad.

The lady entered my information into the computer, stared at the screen, and said I've never seen this before. Somehow, I had some kind of credits or something, but I was going to get all three phone for $11.64 after I get my rebate. Wow!

They talked me into getting insurance on my phones @ $6 per phone per month. The insurance would replace the phone if it is lost or broken. If a phone is broken or lost, we don't qualify to get a new phone for 2 years, so we would have to pay retail, about $300. Counting all 4 phones on our plan, that's $24 a month in insurance. After thinking about it, I called and had it canceled.

Here's why. Over the two years that we would have the insurance before we would qualify for a new phone, we would pay $576 for that insurance on all 4 phones (4 phones x $6 /month x 24 months). That almost paying for two $300 replacement phones. Since we don't have a history of losing/breaking phones, I thought we would keep the $576. We can use it to replace a phone if we mess on up or for something else. I'm voting for something else.

How are you saving money?

Trampoline #4

One of the Christmas gifts that we bought for our family this year was a trampoline, our fourth. No, we don't have four of them out in the yard, but we have worn three of them out.

Why get another one? Are we secret gymnasts? I don't think so. The kids play on it from time to time.

But our favorite is to play '21', the basketball game. We have 10 foot basketball goal next to it, the boys and I get on our knees, Katherine stands up, and we play. It is virtually a huge wrestling match, with very few rules. Lots of laughter, a few bruises, and something that we have done for years. The colder it is, the better. We've even cleared snow off of it to play. It's something special that we do together.

Tonight, we broke in the new one.

Oh, yeah. I usually win.

Number 1

Yesterday I posted about listening to the Daily Audio Bible last year and by doing so, I listened to the entire Bible last year. Well, yesterday was #365 and today is #1. Yep, starting it all over today.

Also, went on a long run this morning. Looking forward to running in the Shamrock Half-marathon on March 21. I like running, but need some goal that I'm working toward. So, for now, the Shamrock will do.

What have you been up to so far this year?

Number 365

Today I listened to the last Daily Audio Bible podcast of the year, therefore have listened to the entire Bible in 2009. Yeah!

I plan to listen again in 2010 and so can you. The Bible is divided into 365 daily readings, with each day having a reading from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. The readers will offer some introduction to each book of the Bible and will usually offer some insight after each day's reading. Check it out at www.dailyaudiobible.com.

Here's the easy part, the days that I couldn't get the podcast due to being away, it was real easy to catch up. I could listen to more than one at a time while traveling, exercising, or whatever.

I don't suggest that you just listen to the Bible and never read - but I have found this to be a great supplement to my regular study. Join me in 2010.

Getting Clean

Our van was filthy. It seemed like it has been raining for months. Our driveway was a mess. Mud holes and mud left a brown haze on our van and little incentive to wash it. We could wash it, have it spotless, and drive on our driveway once and be back where we started.

So, while we were visiting family after Christmas, I decided to take the van and go through one of the 'spotless' car washes. Kaleb went with me and we picked an 'Auto Spa'. The lines were long for two-bay automated wash. We waited patiently and even calculated that the 'super wash' lasted 7 minutes. That's what we were getting.

We were in luck. The 'super wash' was only $6, $2 off. Cool. We spend out 7 minutes getting sprayed on, soaked, rinsed, clear coat protected and a bunch of other stuff. Finally, we're done and clean.

We were home admiring how clean was when Kaleb says, "I've never noticed that before." What?

One of the wheel covers was missing. Dang! Must have come off in the car wash. So we went back to get it.

There was still a line at the car wash. Luckily, when we arrived, the car in the bay we used was leaving. I ran up to the car waiting to enter and asked if I could look for my wheel cover. Sure!

Kaleb and I ran in quickly to see if we could find the wheel cover. Not seeing it, I was on my way out when the laser sensor detected me and assumed I was the next car and proceeded to blast me!

The half second I was in there was enough to soak me! I mean, soaked to the bone. When I ran around to the car wash exit, I found my wheel cover.

Kaleb didn't get a drop on him, but he did have a big smile on his face.

Didn't Take the Easy Way

Yesterday was my bride's birthday. Usually the kids and I just buy a cake from the grocery store to make things quicker and easier - but we didn't do that yesterday. Katherine and I made Amy's birthday cake!

Don't get too excited . . . it was box cake. You know - the kind that you empty the box, mix in some oil, eggs, water and then bake for 30 minutes.

We had fun, but I couldn't wait for the layers to cool to put icing on them, so I stuck them in the fridge. It worked. Also, being a big fan of icing, we put more than the normal amount to make it 'extra good'.

For some reason, that cake looked better and tasted better - at least to Katherine and I. Sometimes it has to do with what you put into it.

Oh, yeah, Happy Birthday Amy!