Thought

The AF has skill levels for every job. At specific time-framed increments all Airmen go through knowledge and skill training. The levels are 3, 5, 7, and 9-level; I have no idea why they aren't just 1 through 4. Yesterday I took and passed my 7-lvl upgrade test for ATC. In air traffic it's not too big of a deal, though. We controllers have our own upgrade training that is more rigorous and intensive; that will come next spring.

Anyhow, I'm rambling. My point is that before I walked out the door I said "Wish me luck!" Candi reminded me that there's no such thing as luck for this type of thing. She said (this is a paraphrase), "I will hope that you prepared and studied for it!" (smile). How true it is!

I started reading Proverbs about six months ago. I do that one-Proverb-for-each-day-of-the-month thing. I have a bunch of stuff that I was planning for and thinking about doing - decision-type stuff - so I decided to pick out everything that Proverbs says about planning, decisions, counsel, etc and write it down together. I found that almost every chapter in Proverbs talks about planning, how planning and preparing will produce good fruit, failing to plan is dumb, and about how invaluable it is to get plenty of wise "counselors".

It also says it is good to be married to a wise woman! ... yet another undeserved blessing from God.

What things are you planning for? What things should you be planning for?

5th of July

Another fun day today. We went to the zoo. We always stop to see the gibbons first thing. We love watching them swing around - I'd love to be a gibbon for a day. They were also whoopin' and hollerin' a lot. I can't put a sample of their whoop on here, but you can stop by and Christian will do it for you; he's good. Then we checked out the otters, played in the splash park for a bit.

They did a demonstration of the king vulture. It's amazing to see a bird that large fly, almost hover, above the ground for yards. They had trained him to do a bunch of tricks (jumping through hoops and the like). I just am amazed at God's creativity and how almost all animals can amaze us if we take the time to really explore how they work. I think I got a pretty good picture of him.

All in all, it was a good time. We ate at Chuckie Cheese and cruised home in time for me to go to work again. I'm almost finished with my paper on which interpretation of Revelation I think is accurate. The instructions were for it to be a minimum of five pages. I'm at ten pages and not quite finished. I think it's time for a first draft edit session.

Then, guess what!

4th of July

Well, today was an o.k. day. It started out hot. Then friends came over for lunch (I didn't burn the chicken, yaaa!). Then I went to work and did homework. It was a very quiet night. All the controllers came to the tower, grilled, and stuck around for the fireworks. Candi and the kids came for a while (until Wyatt got too antsy). Then I did homework until 11. To say I'm a party animal is an understatement. Here's a pic of the show.

Dubai Islands

A co-worker showed me pictures of some of the development in Dubai. They are undertaking massive building projects, which include several hundred man-made islands laid in the ocean in shapes which will be habitable. They are being sold for 7 to 35 million dollars a piece. Where did I leave my piggy bank?...


The first two massive projects undertaken were two palm trees. This is a link to a progressive slide show of 2001 to 2006 when one of the Palms was nearly finished.


Here's are pictures of the completed products.

What I may bee

I just had a break-through. This week in my current college course, Daniel and Revelation, we are writing a paper on the four approaches to interpreting the book of Revelation. I just had a revelation of my own - I am a classical dispensationalist. That was close. Now I can rest well; at least, when I finish my paper; 200 out of 1000 words done.

On a side note, I got stung by a bee on my iron horse yesterday... again. This time it was the right arm. This time it was a bee or a wasp that I killed before it had the opportunity to strike again. This time he got me right on my right elbow and it is swelling up pretty good. I don't think pictures would do it justice on the blog.

I'm beginning to think my body, in reaction to the bee stings I've had this summer (five so far), is developing an allergic reaction (if that's strong enough of a word). I have been stung a few times in my life - no big deal. This time the swelling goes from almost my wrist to half way up my tricep. It's really itchy (which rhymes with Richie - what's up, brotha!).

The swelling is kind of sweet because it makes me look like that guy from Lady in the Water - only on the right side, too.