Around Thanksgiving, it is common practice for people to contemplate and discuss those things for which they are thankful. As my family ate dinner this afternoon, my dad narrowed the scope of the topic by asking the question, “What are you thankful for that you weren’t thankful for last year?” This question brought new meaning to those things for which I’m thankful because it creates a basis for comparison. Rather than simply listing things for which I’ve always been thankful, it forced me to think of what God has done in my life over the past year, of those things for which I can give Him thanks this year that I couldn’t in the past.

I know it seems cliche, but I’m thankful in an even greater way than in past years for God’s work in my life. It’s tough to put a finger on precisely everything that God has revealed to me in the past year, but as I grow older, I can see His hand in my life in stronger and stronger ways.

I’m thankful for my family more so than in previous years. I’ve done a lot of thinking the past few days and weeks come to realize that I really have it easy, as far as my family goes. While we aren’t perfect, we don’t have any major problems causing constant dissension among us. We may argue now and then, but I know my parents and my brother and sister all love me. I’m thankful for the way my parents support me in my endeavors – whether with regards to school, computers / work, girls, or just life in general they’re always there to point me in the right direction.

I’m grateful for the friendships I have formed and cultivated this year. While I’ve always been thankful for friends at school and at home, having known each of my friends for a greater length of time allows us to have closer relationships, deeper discussions, and more good memories together.

Some of the friends I am most thankful for are Adam, Anthony, Ryan, and Lydia. While I knew Adam last year, rooming with him this year has allowed me to do a lot more with him, get to know him even better, and learn a lot from him. Even though Scott seems to have this notion that any two roommates will have disagreements now and then, Adam and I get along extremely well. Ryan, since he lives on campus this year, is around slightly more frequently. He’s provided me with much advice, for which I am indebted to him. Anthony, as a freshman, is one of the new guys this year and he’s been a great neighbor and friend. I’ve enjoyed getting away from school and discussing all sorts of issues with him. Then, there’s Lydia. It’s really hard to put into words all I’m thankful for with regards to her. She’s an amazing woman of God and has been a great friend to me these few months I’ve gotten to know her. I’m thankful that, like some other friends of mine, she’s not afraid to discuss deep issues, things that matter. She goes beyond what’s on the surface and delves into the heart of issues. There’s so much more to say, but I’ll leave it at that for now.

One guy I (intentionally) forgot in that list of friends is Stan. Because we’ve both been busier with school and certain female friends this year, we haven’t had as much time to hang out or even talk. But, I’m thankful that despite time spent apart, we can still hang out as if we’d been hanging out every day for the past six years. Time spent with Stan is always time well spent and I continue to learn and have fun with him.

Last March, I bought a car for $250. This car has taken me 12,000 or more miles and I’m thankful for God’s provision in this regard. Having a car makes working, getting to and from school, and going places with friends significantly easier and I’m thankful not only that God provided me with the car, but did so at minimal cost and repairs.

I guess all I’m thankful for could be summarized by God’s provision – the people God puts in my life and the material things He gives to me for survival and ease of living. In reality, God’s provision is no different than it has been in the past. I’m just seeing it in new and exciting ways and am grateful to Him for each and every one of them.

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

Source: Abraham Lincoln Online

A few days ago, my brother told me about a humorous flash cartoon entitled The Internet Soap Box. If you’re looking for a good laugh, I recommend that you check it out. For all you who pass around every chain letter that comes your way, it might be a bit sobering, as it makes fun of people who pass on such nonsense.

We had the first significant snowfall of the season today. This morning, I checked the forecast and saw the prospect of snow, but it sounded like it wouldn’t snow much and I didn’t expect it to stick. Instead, quite the opposite happened. Beginning at noon, it snowed for probably ten hours. At about three, Stan and I decided to head out to the Tiger Direct outlet store in Naperville. The combination of the rush hour traffic on the eve of a holiday and the crazy weather with poor visibility, resulting in accidents turned the normally brief 20-30 minute journey into one that lasted at least an hour. We finally got to the store, picked up what we needed, then set out for home. This drive, too, took much longer than it should have. In addition to skidding around briefly on some unplowed streets, we hit heavy traffic driving down Eola because of an accident at Butterfield. Traffic was moving so slowly that we got out of the car twice and had a brief, 2-3 minute snowball fight, without backing up traffic.

After coming home, finding out church was canceled, and eating dinner, I went back to Stan‘s house, where we watched Terminal. It was different – had some funny parts, but didn’t really turn out as expected. I was pleased, though, that it was pretty clean, without much dirty humor. That was nice, for a change.

Saturday night, I was a bit bored and I started experimenting with ideas for a new layout for my web site. I quickly drafted something I liked and have now tweaked it to near-“perfection.” I should get around to making it live before the end of the week-long Thanksgiving break I’m currently enjoying. Check back soon!

Well, I know there’s a lot more going on in my life than I write about…things along the lines of a girl, a new quarter starting Monday, and other stuff I can’t think of right now. Maybe I’ll write more about that later. Or, just ask me and I can tell you.

So I had my candle lit for an hour or two and it came time to blow it out. Not wanting the smell of the smoldering wick to taint the pleasant smell of Apple Crisp in the air, I got real close to the candle, took a deep breath, and blew hard. This shouldn’t have caused any problems. Sadly, I forgot that I was blowing not only on the wick, but also on the wax. Wax flew on my face, my laptop, my desk – all over the place.

So, I have learned my lesson. Do not use excessive amounts of air when extinguishing candles unless you want a wax bath.

And now, I need to head toward bed. I’ve got my EE-201 (Circuits class) final tomorrow at the bright early hour of 8 am. I’m going to read my Bible and maybe a little bit of Robert Whitlow’s The Sacrifice before my head meets my pillow.

I know I’m jumping the gun a little bit, posting this before I’m done with the first quarter, but finals week at MSOE generally leaves one with significant free time to spend as he chooses. So…here’s what my schedule looks like for next quarter. You can click any class title at the bottom to see what it’s about.

EE 290 : Combinational and Sequential Logic : Robles, Teodoro C.
HU 411G : German II : Stahnke, Carma M
MA 230 : Discrete Mathematics : Griggs, Edward J.
SE 280 : Software Engineering Process : Suri, Deepti
SS 455 : International Relations : Gloyer, Gilbert J

Okay…I know I haven’t posted in a while and you’re probably wondering what’s going on in my life. This week is finals week, and thus, I’m almost done with the first quarter of my sophomore year. Maybe I’ll get on here some time over thanksgiving break and post more details about my life.

Anyway…the reason I got on here is to tell all you AIM users to quit spreading around stupid rumors like this one:

Dear AIM users,

Because of our overloading of our servers, we are being forced to extract our non-active AIM users. Because this is a free service, AOL has exceeded the budget for the AIM service. We are asking that you send this exact message to 20 other AIM users to ensure us that you’re an active AIM user. Our system tracking devise will pick up this message to keep you on our active list. You have 72 hours to complete this task or your service will be canceled immediately. Starting January 1st, 2005, we will be charging a small fee for registering of a screen name for AIM. Thank you for your time and for using AOL or AIM.

Sincerely,

Mark Jenkins
AOL Owner and Founder

Messages like this one pop up all the time because some bored geek thinks it would be funny to make people think they’re going to have to pay for AIM. Why they would feel compelled to so something so stupid I’m not quite sure…then again, do spammers need motivation?

Do a simple google search if you don’t believe me and want more information.