If you have been wondering which high definition dvd player format to purchase, looks like you may want to go the way of Blue-Ray. Toshiba’s HD-DVD format may be going the way of beta vcr tapes. With Walmart and other big time vendors pitching their tents with Blue Ray, looks like it is just a matter of time. Do the link:
…take a listen
Well, there’s no easy way to put it. The last two weeks of my life have stunk. What started last week with the flu and back pain has evolved into simple dizziness this week. It has been very frustrating as I can deal with most kinds of pain, sinus stuff, etc. but dizziness just makes me very fatigued, lethargic and overall feeling horrible. I called the doctor earlier in the week and asked them about that. They suggested to just continue to take the antibiotic and see how I’m doing after that. Well, the antibiotic is over today and I’m still dizzy. I’ve been researching online some and apparently, dizziness can happen with flu often. I thought it might just be fluid in my head, but it doesn’t seem to be that. The last time I had flu was 2004, and I do remember being this dizzy. It lasted 2.5 to 3 weeks to finally get rid of it. Monday makes two weeks…joy.
It is an interesting process as I have really struggled with depression because of it. It has pretty much taken me out my game totally and that has been very difficult for me. Especially with so many deadlines that I feel are coming up. I mean, it has been weird. I feel like if I could just shake the dizziness, I would feel like myself again. Anyway, that’s why I’ve been away from the blogging world. Don’t know how much I’ll be posting until this thing clears up. Prayers would be appreciated.
….well, since my last update, I do indeed have the flu. Apparently I’m not the only one. Kim drove me to the doctor today, and he was saying that they have been slammed with people coming down with this..same symptoms and everything. I seem to be turning the corner, but now my back got thrown out. My last “back” episode was about a year and a half ago. I have an appt with the chiro. tomorrow.
Daytime tv is very interesting. I’ve watched back to back episodes of the outer limits, Living Single, Law and Order and any other tv show that is now only in syndication on satellite/cable tv. I should probably have my man card examined for this, but I even watched some saved by the bell episodes. I attribute that to my fever that has gone on for the last few days, though. Oops…gotta go….they’re about to crank up back to backs of “Good Times”…..please pray for me 
man, I hate being sick. I really do. I woke up this morning and my throat was scratchy, my head was throbbing, I had fever and chills. Right now I’m buried in my home office sipping coffee and going back and forth between napping and awake/cold and hot. Did I mention that I hate being sick? I am one of those people that is ALWAYS doing something…..seems like I either always have a deadline for something. So, being ill is totally inconvenient for me…just a bad time Don’t know about you, but I am the LEAST productive during illness. I really hope this is just a bug or something….Did I mention I hate being sick?
Kim and I will have been married 13 years on June 10th of the this year. When we married, we brought in to the marriage probably a combined consumer debt of about $24,000. Now that’s not too terribly bad considering I personally know people who have had close to $100,000 in personal debt, much of which is credit card debt. We set out by combining our debt into one card with a lower interest payment and making the minimum payment with an occassional $50 added in there here and there. At that rate, we would have easily paid of our debt by 2030. We later bought a house, bought a new car and had even more debt. But, that is what everybody does right?
One day I was driving around in my car, and I heard a guy named Dave Ramsey on the radio. His show was about money, he had some funny stuff on his show, but this dude was all about something I had not considered too much: Being Debt Free. I was thinking “Is this guy for real? Can people actually do that?” Well, I was hooked and couldn’t stop listening. People would call in to the show, some that were in some huge debt. Then, some would call in and he would let them scream “I”M DEBT FREE!!!!” Wow, I began to say, “I want to be there someday.” Fast forward through many dumb decisions, and by the Grace of God (and I mean that) and paying off some serious debt, we don’t owe anything except for our home.
That’s why we drive older cars…they’re paid for. If they give up the ghost at some point, then we’ll take what we have in our car fund and emergency savings and buy what we can, even if it is a “garage sale car” until we can save up enough for a nicer one. We’re still working on saving up 3 to 6 months savings, but we’re getting there.
If you are in debt and are tired of it, I would highly recommend picking up Dave’s book Total Money Makeover and be sure to check out his website. There are a lot of great resources there, too.
“…. the borrower is servant to the lender.” Proverbs 22:7
Kim and I have been getting some much needed repairs on our vehicles over the past month. We both own older cars, and there is a reason for this. I’ll post about why we own older cars and are not going out and buying new ones later on.
We had some work done on her 95 Honda Odyssey about 3 weeks ago that fixed an oil leak, replaced a power steering pump and a few other items. I affectionately call it the “Silver Bullet”.
Well, my 97 Honda Accord has been leaking some oil as well and the A/C hasn’t worked properly in a few years. I put a can of coolant in it every month of the summer (which around here is like 5 to 6 months), and it still struggles to keep cool. So, I took it in to the shop to get fixed and here is what I had repaired to fix the issues: new A/C evaporator coil, three oil seals replaced, timing belt replaced, new water pump among a few other items..if you’re hearing the ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching ($$$$$$$$$) sound in your head, then you would be correct….it cost more dough than I wanted it to, but it was necessary.
We picked up the Accord last night from the shop and man, does it cool now. Drives great! Pulled in to my driveway, and all of the sudden the engine oil light comes on, park it in the garage quickly, and turn it off. I get out of the car and the engine fan is humming trying to cool that puppy off. And then I smell it…..burning oil. I’m about to freak b/c I just know that my engine is laying on the garage floor. I check under the car and fortunately my engine is still intact but you can see where it looks like some oil is leaking down the sides. I think one of the new seals they just put in is hosed…..
It is night, the shop is closed, they are closed on Saturdays and Sundays so I call and leave what I’m sure sounds like a desperate message. So, here I am, it is Saturday, my car sits in my garage, and I can’t drive it. I’ve forked out a good bit of money already, and I’m REALLY hoping the shop will replace/fix what the issue is.
Last night I prayed about it a good bit and fortunately was able to sleep last night without thinking about it. Got up this morning and was thinking about the cars again and the Lord brought a verse to my mind that we had been studying in home group this week, particularly 2 verses:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ” Philippians 4:6-7
I really think that the Lord uses car ownership in my life to build my faith and trust. I’ve had some interesting tests of my faith over the years involving cars, some that I’ll share down the road. I’m going to give this back to the Lord and ask him to build my trust in Him and receive His peace. That’s easier said than done sometimes, but God builds our faith through trials. Right now, I’m praying that Jesus will not only “take the wheel” but will also take the transmission, the crankshaft, the oil leaks………….
