Life is good

My life is good. I planned it. Now it's by God's grace. Paul criticized some disciples for saying, "I will go to such and such a city and conduct business and make a profit." Rather say, "By God's grace I will go and do such and such."

I am so aware that my planning has come true by God's grace. Nevertheless I did plan this and by and large it has come to pass. I know how tenuous this is. Do not trust in goods that mold can rot. Money can rot quickly because of inflation or several kinds of financial disaster.

It's not quite what I hoped for 20 years ago. But it's pretty close. I had a plan, I worked the plan. Interest rates are sure not what we expected 20 years ago. But these things come it cycles. It's not totally unexpected.

That is why the lack of control on my Israeli trip was so startling. I know God's loves me because he worked to test me about how I would react to situations where I found myself desperately out of control. Would I still trust him and love him? I could have done better. But I knew God's presence in all that.

Part of life is good: I was reading in the WSJ that people are now using public hotel bars as a mobile offices. (Is that what WG does?) Some hotels think this is good for business and actually encourage it. It sets an ambiance that business travelers might see as friendly. These hotels have free wi-fi, great lighting, and sufficient plugs for laptops. If you are making a lot of phone calls you may have to take it outside. But it's a pretty cool idea. I should try the Hilton Americas down the road sometime.

But I have always planned to use my college library like that. It's going full circle. I used to hang out there when I was in high school, before I even matriculated there. Now I am hanging out there in my semi-retirement. I have a desk I always use. There is even a desk drawer. There is free wi-fi and a snack machine close by. But I always bring a lunch and some cold tea. It simulates going to an office to work. It helps to separate oneself from home.

I do some personal business, personal projects, personal reading, check email and Facebook. I don't do much corporate business but I do take some calls and email. More business people know my personal phone number than I'd like. I have no problem keeping busy for eight hours.

Then I might go to the gym on the way home. It's pretty cool.

Man proposes and God disposes. Each breath I take is a gift from God. Yet one still must have a plan. With no plan your plan cannot come true. As plans go my plan was pretty modest. It was a plan for retirement. I know a man from Hawaii who was very public about his plan to retire. He was working the plan while also living his life. His life included exercise for fitness and increasingly for adventure. While hiking a mountain pass he fell to his death. He was with a group. It was dangerous but he felt he had taken every precaution. Yet he died young, early 40's I think.

So one plans but one never knows how it will work out. We remember you RS, rest in peace.