Priorities

Question I constantly ask myself.... How does someone do all of that
stuff... musician, technology, religion, family. I wish I had an
answer, I am not sure how I keep up with so much. I guess I am,
exactly who God made me. The biggest question for me tends to be
priorities. Hence the name of my blog.. I am consistently inconsistent.
Like most people, my thoughts and positions do seem to change a lot...

Quote that keeps coming back to me.. from "Chariots of Fire" .. asked
to the minister about why he runs...
"Why do you run? I run because God made me fast"

Just when I think I have got an order figured out, when I think I have
a plan.. I am reminded that I am just a bit player in a play written
by the greatest author of all time. As far as where I think priorities
should be.. my relationship with my God, then my Family, then my
myriad of Jobs.

Where the "rubber meets the road", family has to be first.. It takes
work, but I have repeatedly put my family first in my life, and it was
always the right decision...eventually.

Man, it can be tough sometimes...

Verse of my thoughts today: For I know the plans I have for you, plans
to prosper you, not to harm you. Jeremiah 29:11

On display

Charles and I have a recital tomorrow night. I love the singing. But I
hate putting on the "ego" .. Or... maybe I love it, but am ashamed at
my desire to be the best... fine line there.

Why is it that most americans have so little regard for anything fine,
refined, or requiring great discipline to achieve. I get the whole
"free spirit" idea. Am I just part of thinking stemming from another
age. I believe that God made me carefully and whole, and intended for
me to be exactly who I am. I am a singer, but I am so much more. Why
must we lock ourself into the cultural expectations all around us.
Even the church, today's institutional church, seeks to stereotype
us.. WHY? Why isn't each individuals value apparent to every other?
Why must we put ourselves on display, and "Ridi pagliacci" (play the
clown) The cycle seems so vicious. I logged on to the church
website and.... verse of the day..

Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy--think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

Is it that simple...?

Bill Collectors...

...I know they have a job to do, but they can be so aggressive about it!! I recently moved into my own place and did the whole change of address spiel with the Post Office and my Employer. Well somehow, somewhere, my check has not shown up. It's been almost two weeks. I'm almost out of gas (thank goodness for Honda's gas mileage capabilities) and some groceries would be nice.
So this chick calls me on Monday from a place that I owe a $65.00 payment to. I've already met her once and she's so snotty you just want to spank her and put her in the corner. She asks "when I'll be in to pay my payment"
and I said
"I don't know. I haven't rec'd my paycheck. "
"Why haven't you received it?"
"Because I moved and did a change of address and I think they lost it"
"Well I need to know a day when you're going to be in"
"I don't know, when I get paid, you'll get paid"
"Well pick a day"
"Wednesday"
"So you will be in on Wednesday then?"
"Yes, if I get my paycheck"
"No, you need to come in whether you get your paycheck or not"
"Well if I don't get my paycheck, I'll have no money to make a payment"
"You can borrow some to make a payment"
"Um, yeah, let's see, it's been almost two weeks since I've been paid and I'm going to borrow money to pay you? No, you're not that important to me, I'll borrow for myself first."
"I'm sensing an attitude Mr. Randall and I just want you to make a payment"
"This is not an attitude, this is me telling you the truth, I don't have any money, when I get money I will pay you. I don't see how this is so hard to follow."
"We'll see you on Wednesday Mr. Randall"
"Hopefully, good bye."

Well, I still haven't got my check and today is Wednesday, so I called her to tell her this is a courtesy call to let her know I will not be in today. She didn't laugh.

My first Blog from S. Dakota

...or anywhere for that matter. I guess this could be my online diary and also a way for people to check up and see what I've been up to. Not that I'm that important or anything (ok I am) but still, it's just a nice way to vent my frustrations on not being in California anymore. I left Cali by choice to come back here to South Dakota and finish school. I hated it the first week I was here, but by and by life got better. I lived up on a hill outside of town and it was horrible, I called it Witch Mountain I will not say it's because of my Aunt that I was living with but because the weather was really weird and freaky and the wind blew at least 65mph every damn day!! *grin*
Well I now have my own apartment in downtown Rapid City, and it's great. Has a lot of character and is only $300 a month, yup for a one bedroom apartment, pretty spacious. So I'm registered for school, I got a cool job working in the State Archaeologists office and life is good.
I just miss California today though, I miss my momma, my family and real Mexican food. Oh man do I miss good Mexican food!! I would honestly consider buying a plane ticket and flying back for the weekend just so I could get a super burrito from La Estrella on Yosemite in Manteca...mmm...
Anyways, so life in South Dakota is an adjustment, hardly any minorities here and white people galore!! Lots of Natives, unfortunately you see them down at the park passed out, it's really sad. I have yet to see one white homeless person, but many Native homeless people, it's weird.
This is a republican, conservative RED state, so needless to say that I haven't had that many interesting conversations with liberals. So despite all that, I'm pretty content. I do miss the fast pace of California though and I do miss the convenience of...well...everything. I miss hoodlums and thugs, vatto's and cholo's, the East Indians in the 7-11's I miss them all!! Oh, last night I had a dream someone here at work told me they were going to open up a 7-11 here in town and I got SO excited, now that's sad. I guess I just miss the diversity. California is really a great place to live and you never really know that, until you move to a square state in the middle of the country.
:-)