Awww, do I have to go???

I have really enjoyed the past few days. I've been off from work since Wednesday. It was certainly time for a break, and I am very thankful for the time off. On Thursday we got HD cable installed. We got a plasma TV when we moved into our new house last year, but we weren't in a position to get HD cable so I've been waiting since then to get it, and the day has finally come.

As a quick aside, on Tuesday -- after talking to the cable company representative -- I bought an HDMI cable and (thanks to my dad's help) routed the cable through the wall over the fireplace where the TV is mounted to the cabinet where the new cable box would be. I knew this was a risk because the cable company uses component cables for their HD boxes, but according to the rep they also offer some HDMI-capable boxes and the technician who came to do the install should be able to give me one with an HDMI port. Well, that didn't work out. The tech called their office and they have no HDMI-capable HD boxes. I am most disappointed, because now I have to pull that HDMI cable out from the wall, take it back to the store, and run the five-part component cable through the wall. In the end, though, I know it will be worth it. (But I am dreading the process -- I had worked for two hours trying to get the HDMI cable through before Dad showed me a much better way.)

The HD service is awesome, though, well worth the extra $10 or so it is costing me. The only downer is that I don't watch that much non-sports TV and there is NOTHING on during the summer. I am very much looking forward to football though! ;-)

Wednesday was a restful day for me. The kids had spent the night at Mom and Dad's Tuesday night so it was quite quiet at the house. After Holly and I played a game of two of Age of Empires II, she went birthday shopping with her parents, so I worked on imaging and installing Windows Vista and Office 2007 on one of my team's laptops for work. (Sounds boring, perhaps, but if I didn't do it then I don't know when I'd get to it.)

Wednesday evening I began teaching a series on Heaven and Hell for the high school class at church. I taught this material in an adult class during the first quarter of this year, and I really enjoyed it. I'm working with one of our elders who is teaching the book of Acts on Sundays. Both has been a good study so far.

Saturday we went to Wetumpka and played volleyball with friends from church...in the rain...and it was awesome! If you've never played volleyball in the rain (I hadn't) it really adds a different "spin" on things -- pun definitely intended. We had a great time.

Today Holly's parents and Amy were over for lunch. We had a good time and we hung some picture frames and a mirror Holly's parents had bought her for her birthday. Thankfully Holly's dad is good at that because it just really isn't my "gift".

Reflecting on all of this as I write it has helped me be even more thankful for the restful week this past week and for how good my Father has been to me. He continues to bless us so richly and so far beyond anything I deserve.

I'm reminded of two verses from the book of James:

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. ... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." (James 4:8a, 10)

May GOD help us all as we strive to do just that.