lessons

Here's a few things I've learned this month.

1.) In my two day trip to Chicago I learned that every joke I've ever heard about cabdrivers is true.

2.) Everyone has an agenda. It may not be good or bad, just theirs.

3.) Lack of discipline in any area of your life effects every area.

4.) Gavin loves my impression of "The Swedish Chef"

5.) A new computer with a lot of memory and new gadgets is awesome, but connecting to the internet with dialup at only 32k still sucks. It took my computer 6 minutes last night to load my myspace page. ( I can't even attempt to look at people pages with music.)

6.) Ethan knows way more about Star Wars than any 3 1/2 year old should. Do you know what color Mace Windu's lightsaber is? He does.

7.) I'm in mourning due to the writers strike. I'm not a fan of much reality TV. Except for "Beauty & The Geek" the most hilarious show you're not watching.

8.)Black Friday shopping is for idiots. I was one of them this year. The only benefits were that I got almost all our shopping done in 3 hours & I stumbled upon a Wii. I was in the right place at the right time.

9.)Going to Chicago for a work trip, interesting and kind of fun. Having to share a hotel room with the boss due to a reservation mixup, uncomfortable and awwwwkward.

10.) I really HATE the Christmas song ... "The Holiday Season".

Reason, let's look at some lyrics...

"It's the holiday season
With the whoop-de-do and hickory dock
And don't forget to hang up your sock
'Cause just exactly at 12 o'clock
He'll be coming down the chimney
Coming down the chimney
Coming down the chimney, down!"

It will be stuck in your head all day now. You're Welcome!

(WHAT DOES " WHOOP-DE-DO AND HICKORY DOCK" HAVE TO DO WITH CHRISTMAS!! I THINK THEY JUST NEEDED SOMETHING TO RHYME WITH SOCK. THATS JUST LAZY SONGWRITING!!!)

God Bless us, Every One!

-Shawn

Stole It From Jamie

Well, I'm at work again.
Monday after Christmas. All businesses are closed except for us apparently.
We're supposed to close at noon. So the rental Manager and I are trying to find cool stuff on the net.
So I've been readiung through some journals, some random and some from people I know. I stole this "get to know mw list" from Jamie's entry back in July.....

1. full name: Charles Shawn Stinson
2. glasses/contacts: neither, but beginning to think I might need them soon.
3. birthdate: 02/19/75 - This year I'll actually be "in my 30's" not just 30.
4. religion: Christian
5. siblings: 2 sisters, one older and one younger.
6. Nicknames: "Shawny" or "Shawny-poo, in Elementary school "Gilbert", @ a previous job "Andre", or "Shawn-boy" to my Dad
7. Where you want to live: I'm pretty happy where I am now. But I wish I was a little closer to town. I currently have to drive 10 miles just to get to a gas station or convenience store.
8. Birthplace: Columbus, MS
9. Ever gone skinny dipping? no
10. Favorite movies: Face Off, Tommy Boy, & Any Back to the Future Movie.
11. Favorite Book: I love the Dark Tower Series By Stephen King. And The Book Of James.
12. Favorite Type of music: Acoustic Alternative & Rock
13. Favorite types of cars: old Jeep Cherokees (the old ones with the boxy look)
14. Favorite Saying: "It's all good"
15. Favorite Fast Food: Subway
16. Favorite Ice Cream: Mayfield's Moo-lineum Crunch
17. When Do You Go To Sleep: 11pm to midnight
18. Funniest Person you know: It's a tood up between Kristi & Joseph Kinnaird
19. Favorite holiday: Thanksgiving - The great food of Christmas without the rush to try to see everyone.
20. Favorite Food: Mexican, specifically Chicken Quesdillas
21. Favorite Television Show: anything CSI
22. Favorite junk food: Ice Cream
23. Favorite sappy love song: "Everything I do, I do it for you" That dates me some doesn't it.
24. Favorite Drink: Diet Dr. Pepper
25. College: Montevallo, Shelton State, UAB @ Walker Cellege, & UAB
26. How Many Kids You Want: 2
27. What Kind Of Job You Want: TBD
28. Pets: Cat & I want a dog
29a. FAVORITE SMELLS: Breakfast @ Grandmaw's
29b. LEAST FAVORITE SMELL: Vomit
30. FAVORITE SOUND? Ethan Running through the house.
31. FAVORITE COLOR? Blue
32. STORMS - COOL OR SCARY? Cool
33. IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OF HALF FULL? Half Full
34. What CD is in your player? The Legend Of Johnny Cash (Greatest Hits)
35. What's the most annoying thing people ask you? "Why do you live in Jasper?" People talk about it like it's the last city before you reach the edge of the world.

I'm a clock watcher

Well, Here I am.
At work.
It's 2:18 and today is "Festivus". (Seinfeld reference)

I've been told I can leave early, but not before 3:00. That means I'll be leaving at 3:01.
I'm so ready for Christmas. I'm really excited about Christmas this year. I can't wait to see the boy's response when he sees all his gifts from Santa on Christmas morning. Of course since he's not even 2 so he currently has no idea that he's going to "rack up" in a couple of days.
Here's what he's getting from us....
A Tricycle
A "swirling sawdust workbench" complete with tools.
A large metal Tonka Dumptruck
An art Easel (Easle?) with a chalkboard on one side and dry erase board on the other.
A remote control Car
A "Little People" Farm
some clothes
some chalk and accessories for his easel.
some bath tub toys
and finally a figure 8 electric race track. You know the kind with the two cars and the triggers to race around it.(The box says for ages 8 and up so I guess I'll always have to play with it with him, for safety of course.)

I'm glad we're building a new house. We're going to need the room for all his stuff. This list does not even include the gifts he'll get for all grandparents and great grandparents and aunts and uncles. It's going to be great.

But also with this fun comes the issue of scheduling the madness. Here's our schedule as it stands right now....

Today... go by Walmart for last minute presents and christmas snack foods. then get home and wrap presents.
Tonight..Possibly open some presents with Ethan and Kristi. (We've always opened one on Festivus because we're so impatient.) The hang out with Kristi's Parents and sister for milk cookies and a ]viewing of the Christmas Classic "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation". I'm laughing just thinking about it.
Tomorrow morning...Go to Kristi's parents and have Christmas with them.
Tomorrow Noon...Go to my parents and have Christmas with My immediate family.
Tomorrow evening.. @ 5pm lead worship at the Christmas Eve Communion service at church. then go hang out at home or with the Allred's some more.
Tomorrow late night... help Santa assemble gifts and get everything in order for Christmas.
Christmas morning...Santa Claus @ our house
Christmas midmorning..Breakfast with Kristi's Grandparents and aunts and uncles on the Allred Side.
Christmas Mid to later morning...Lead 10am worship service at church
Christmas Lunch...Christmas with Kristi's Mom's side of the family..
Christmas afternoon...Crash and burn. Try to get some rest and enjoy the booty we collected over the past few days.

I'm tired just thinking about it.

One final thing....
I can't express how awesome it is that The Creator of the universe did what He did for us. I don't want to get into a heavy theology thing right now, but I've been thinking about the fact that on the one hand God gave his only son to walk the earth like us, experience what we experience, then die a horrible death to save us from our sin. (Even though he did rise again.) I would never give my son for anybody. Ever.

Then on the other hand I realize that because Jesus is God, God sacrificed himself. He choose to come here and go through what he went through just so that we could have a relationship with him.
To know that God came in the humble way that he did says so much about our God and our Lord and the things he finds important.

I am so thankful for the gifts he's given me, including my family, my job, my church, my possessions and my friends. I am so unworthy.

"And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?"


Charles Wes­ley, Psalms and Hymns, 1738.