Year End Snapshot

I know a lot of people are reviewing this past year and making plans for the coming year.  I know I have done some of that as well however I want to take a moment and just do a snapshot of my life right now:

• I actually have some cash in my pocket (not everyone can say that!)
• I’m still joyful for the time I’ve been able to spend with my family over Christmas (not everyone can say that!)
• Even though I’m on holiday, I’m writing code today and its working (not everyone can say that!)
• I love my job!!! (not everyone can say that!)
• I’m excited that I get to spend the night partying with some friends who have stuck with us through a lot of stuff – good and bad (not everyone can say that!)
• I’ve just received two emails about some “successes” in the planning stages of a couple projects that will affect at least a hundred, if not more, co-workers in spreading the Gospel (not everyone can say that!)
• I know that I am deeply loved not just by family and friends, but by God (not everyone can say that!)

It’s said that as the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, what you have on your heart at that time will go with you through the next year.  Eleven years ago, I went into the new millennium with a few week old baby (she was some friends’ newborn and we had just recently gone through a miscarriage) lying on my chest, the next year our son Alex was born. The above list contains the things I will have on my heart tonight.  What will be on yours?

Shopping for Christmas

Ok, my Dad is the hardest person to buy for for Christmas and his birthday.  Why?  If he sees something he likes, he buys it.  Right then, right there.  (serious impulse buyer at times).  When he came to visit us in Europe, we were in town and we got to the end of the street and I asked my Mom where Dad was and she said, “Shopping”.  He literally went from store to store hitting almost every store on the main street.

Anyway, Krista and I are about practical gift giving and so we like to know what people want/need and give towards that (and vice versa).  But some people have a very open idea of what they want (huge lists that take that old printer paper that’s continuous to fit it all) so it may be easier to say WHAT YOU DON’T WANT!

Try this out – in the comments area, say what you DON’T want in the following areas:

1. CD (or artist or music genre):
2. Book (or author):
3. Restaurant Giftcard:
4. Retail Store Giftcard:
5. Tool/Gadget:
6. Type of Clothing:
7. “For the house” type gift:

Now name one thing (keep it under $50 or 50 Euros) that you wish someone would get for you. Who knows, maybe that one person out there is reading this too.

Please comment only to play along.  No rant or raves about commercialism and all that as you can do that on your own site – I’ll probably blog something about that later this month anyways.  Thanks.

PS – This is not my original idea.  I’m stealing it from this blog.