Just Another Saturday Night

After a busy day at Walmart, I came home at 5:30pm. I'm still sore from the injury to my sciatic nerve that affects my left hip and knee, but I am able to work a full shift. My dear wife had a delicious supper ready; shrimp alfredo with bowtie pasta and broccoli, which is not my favorite vegetable, but tastes good in alfredo sauce. After the meal we settled in to watch my new favorite "reality" show, My Big Redneck Wedding on CMT.
Yes, admittedly, I could (and should) be doing other things the night before church. This show makes me laugh.....even with the bleeped out bad language. Watching this show makes you feel better about your own family. Check out the show...new episode next Saturday night at 7:30pm, repeats throughout the week.......it is cable, after all.

Our new president is busy on the job. Closing Guantanomo bay, releasing terrorists, restoring funding for abortions on overseas military bases,.....on and on. Some would say that Christians should not pray for this president. I disagree. We should pray for President Obama and his administration, and those who hold Cabinet positions of leadership. God placed him in this position, for this time in history. We do well to remember that. Of course, having said that, I favor a GOP ticket of LA Governor Bobby Jindal for Prez, and AK Gov. Sarah Palin for another run at VP.

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

Finally........Back to Work

I'm happy to report that indeed, I have been cleared to return to work, which I did after receiving the required release from my doctor this morning. Clocked in at 11:36 am.......doctor was running behind schedule, plus he suggested eating some food with my pain pill before going in. So I did. Left at 7pm........very tired. But very glad to be back on the job, and to STILL have my job. That was the important thing.

Now that I am back on schedule, I am off the next two days. My days off typically are Sunday, Thursday, and Friday. I am still part time, 32 hours a week. I will discuss more hours with management when I am completely recovered from the injury. And I received my 1 year evaluation today. My official 1 year anniversary is March 11. They do these early. I received very nice comments from my department asst. manager, and beginning the pay period that includes 3-11, I will get a 40 cent per hour raise. I am thankful.

I'm tired...........so it's time to rest. More later.

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

Not quite yet

I reported to work at 10 am. I was told by personnel that without a doctor's release without restriction, I cannot return to work. I see the doctor tomorrow @ 9:30am, at which time I will implore him to give me said release. I cannot be off work any longer. I still have pain, which is to be expected, but it is manageable. So I need to get back to work. My co-workers in the meat dept. have been shouldering the load, and I need to get back and do my share.

Former Illinois senator Barack Hussein Obama is now the 44th President of the United States. May God's hand be upon him, and those who work for and with him, as they take on the task of governing this nation.

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

A MUST READ COLUMN

If you want a feel good story today, go to the ESPN widget at the left, and click on Gainesville State. You've got to read this. It will bring tears to your eyes. Maybe it will inspire you to great things.

Just click it. It's worth the time.

Getting Better

Since my last post I have been feeling better. I am able to walk short distances without the cane, which is a lot of improvement since Thursday. Of course, I am not yet fully recovered. That is made plain within about 2 minutes............but it is improvement. I am very thankful.

Today at our church a young boy, almost 8, who had received Christ as Savior last month, was baptized. We don't have many occasions like this, so when it happens, it is always special. In our church, we believe that baptism is an act of obedience to God which occurs AFTER the individual has trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation. Many churches teach sprinkling which, in their view, actually 'washes away sin,' then the person gets confirmed as a member of the church through classes typically taken as a young teen.

The previous 2 sundays I have sat on a stool behind the pulpit while leading worship. Today, before the first song, I symbolically put my cane on a nearby bench and walked to the pulpit, and had complete freedom of movement. I am grateful and thankful to God for this. I still have pain, but not nearly to the level of even 3 days ago. I go back to work at Walmart on Tuesday. I won't be 100% ready, but I must go back, or face losing my job. Which I cannot afford to have happen at this time. I see my doctor on Wednesday morning before work. If he had his way, I'm sure he would have me off work until I recover completely. These days, that's just not an option.

Good NFL playoff game in progress.........after 3 quarters: Arizona 24, Philadelphia 19.
Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore later, @ 5:30 central time.

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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Bitter Cold

Woke up this morning to bitter cold. It is, at the time of this post, -11 degrees in Rantoul. I don't recall it being this cold since at least 1996. Makes me want to stay home.

I still am having pain, especially in the left knee. I am getting concerned that I might not be fully ready to return to work............yet I must. And so I just go day by day, and see what happens.

How bout those Illini!!!!! Bruce Weber's team beat Michigan AT Michigan last night 66-51. Illinois' record is now 15-2. Michigan was ranked 25th. I wonder if the Illini will be ranked now.

Only 5 days to go until the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. No matter what your political views are, this is an historic occasion in America.

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.