One last note I forgot and then I promise I'll leave you alone. I have an immense amount of work to do in the next three weeks so I might appear to be falling off the wagon again (which could be the case!) but it also might just be the strain of a enormous application roll out we will be doing on March 29th. So far testing has gone well but the opportunity for trouble always exists with such a large roll out as we are planning.
So long!
Bye!
Or, writers for hire! (I just like the sound of the title! :-)) Freelance writers, to be precise!
One thing I have always wanted to do is to have a business of my own. It does not have to be fancy but something I can feel proud of and maybe make a little extra money.
Kim and I have looked into a lot of options over the years and have made some bad mistakes in times of over zealousness but we have never really got any idea to take. To be perfectly honest, we have not put into our desires the effort it takes to start even a small little business so the blame falls squarely on our shoulders but not for lack of ideas, just effort. I think it was Thomas Edison that once said something like, "Invention is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration", we fall squarely on the 10% side...so far. I have discovered I am a slow learner but one thing that I have learned is that beginner's luck works fine when playing a new game but not for business. It takes planning and clear thinking to get up and running. A dose of courage can't hurt either!
We have friends (no details because I don't have permission to write about them) that are starting a new business and I can't think of better people to to do this task. They are brave and smart and have a double portion of creativity! They love the Lord and I know they have put in a lot of prayer to this business, as have a lot of us, and I am excited for them and hope the Lord will bless their socks off with this new endeavor!
Well, having said all of that (you can see I have come out my lax state!) I would still like to get a business started and what I would like to do is freelance writing. I have been reading about it and it sounds like something I could do. I just don't know how to get from here to there. One thing I need to stop doing is procrastinating! Though, on second thought, one of the ways one can make some side money is to write informational reports on subjects you know and I DO know procrastination, so maybe I could write a document on "The Ten Steps to Becoming A Professional Procrastinator". It could be a best seller! I know a lot of people are good at procrastinating but my ten tips would take these folks to the next level, a professional level! I'll have to put some real thought in on that...but not today.
So, though I have little to nothing planned and the only asset I have right now is a desire to get something started, I do have one step I must take. The father of a friend of mine used to do copy work before he retired. I have been told he would be glad to talk with me about this dream of mine but, as noted above, my professionalism will not yet allow me to try and setup a time to meet with him...yet. This just strengthens my position as a professional procrastinator but does nothing to further my dreams.
Next, I know a lot of folks who are in a number of businesses in the area that I could try to hook up with through networking and possibly land some freelance work. But...
But what if I can't do it? What if the person who hires me doesn't like what I've done? What if I fail?
None of these questions are valid because they project worry onto the future in which I am not privy to know. In the vernacular of the Bible, I need to have faith that God will direct my paths if I leave my plans in His hands.
This does not mean that I will be successful in this world's eyes but that I will be successful in God's eyes. He knows what H e wants me to do and if I feel led in a certain direction it does no good to worry about the "what if's" they are irrelevant if I am trusting God. It does not mean that they won't be painful but how do I know what will work and what won't if I don't step out in faith and take a stab at it? I can only speculate on what could go wrong and that can lead to unfounded worry. Sinful worry. What is "sinful worry"? Worry is sinful worry. We are taught to trust and not to worry. Worry says that we don't think God will take care of us and fear of the future causes us to focus on our circumstances instead of God's provision.
Ok! I get it! If I think God has called me in this direction I need to move. It is no less sin to not do what God has called us to do than it is to do things we know we should not do. Sin is sin.
Though I do not have a solid plan I will move forward with what I do have and let God fill in the details. Sounds like a plan to me! Hey! That's exactly what I need, a plan! Praise the Lord!
I will now, finally, bring this to a close. I'm so glad to be writing again and I enjoy sharing my heart with all of you. As always, feel free to contact me and share your heart with me!
Bye!
Yes, I know...The last post was dated Feb. 20, almost a month ago! I hate that but I have been very busy and also a bit lax in keeping up so this is just some fluff until I get my blogging feet under me again.
My alma mater, Ames High School, played one of the local high schools in the Marion area, Linn-Mar, last night for the Iowa 4A High School championship basketball title and it was a great game! I was excited that Ames got there in such grand fashion, 25-0 season, but I had to cheer for Linn-Mar because I know some of the players and their families.
Though Ames won, Linn-Mar gave them the closest fought game that Ames had had this year only losing to Ames by ten points and, a good half of those points were due to the fact that Linn-Mar had to foul to try and get the ball back. It was a great game!
In most of the other Games Ames has played they have been forced. out of courtesy to the other teams, to take out their all-star, Harrison Barnes, to keep the game within a merciful amount. You see Ames has beaten most of the teams they've played this year by an average of thirty points, thus, Barnes has only averaged eleven minutes of game time. The play of Linn-Mar forced Ames to keep him in the game the entire time and Linn-Mar was down their top scorer due to a "misjudgment" on his part that caused him to lose his spot on the team for the remaining games of the season. It could have been a different game. No doubt that Ames was tested. It was a great game and Ames looked really good! I understand why they are number one in the state. Wow!
One of elders at my church happened to see Harrison Barnes play against West Des Moines Valley a while back and reported back that he was not as impressive a player as everyone thought but I must respectfully disagree, I thought he was outstanding and every bit deserving the press he has received. Not only that, but rumor has it that he is an excellent student and leads a morning Bible study at the high school. This kid seems to be in good shape all around.
It was a really good game, and even though Linn-Mar lost, they played like champions and have no reason to hang their heads though I understand the disappointment. There is no room for shame though! They played a real titan of a basketball team and turned in a better performance than any other of the twenty-five schools that faced Ames previously. Great job guys! And congratulations on a fine, fine season, Ames! It makes me proud that I was once black and orange follower too!
Logan was sick ALL of last week with what we believe was Influenza B but on Saturday he was fully recovered and could not wait to get out of the house. It was good to see him back to full strength!
Alyssa competed at state for speech yesterday and, though I don't understand the whole process, she got all one's which means she did really well. Now she just waits until tomorrow to see if she makes All-State. She likes the idea of all one's but she says she would be content to keep the one's and not go to All-State. She has been so impressive in my mind and it appears the judges think a lot of her performance as well. We'll see...Stay tuned.
Bye!
