Happy Thanksgiving

I promised a picture of the Nova so here it is.

From Blogger Pictures

Also here is a picture of the motor I have coming.

From Blogger Pictures

Time to spend some time with the family. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and finds they have a lot to be thankful for.

Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

The Mind Is Amazing

The power of the mind is amazing to me. This post is inspired by a discussion me and my mother had the other day. I don't even remember the specific topic were were debating but it came down to whether or not something was a guess. I was saying that it was a guess and she was saying it wasn't. The amazing part to me is that I was sitting there thinking that she was not making any sense in her validation, yet I knew she was sitting there thinking the same thing about me. It is kind of like the old quote "reality will bend itself to fit your perception". We were both fully convinced of our logic and reasoning, thinking our reality of the situation was the correct view. Consider this as another example: You're driving down the road and someone pulls out in front of you, not cutting you off but not speeding up to your pace very quickly forcing you to hit the brakes. You get on their bumper a little bit giving them the hint that they are obscuring traffic and should have waited for a bigger gap. They are the problem. Well from the other side: Your sitting at a stop sign waiting to pull out, you see a good size gap and decide to take it. You get into the lane and accelerate at a moderate pace reaching the speed limit yet the guy behind you gets all over your bumper so you decide to stay right at the speed limit and not a mph faster to give the guy the hint that he is driving to fast and needs to slow down. He is the problem. Both people are so wrapped up in themselves they cannot see it from the perspective of the other. They are both trying to teach the other a lesson, yet no one is learning anything. It is a matter of being open minded, which I believe is a tightrope walk. You don't want to be so closed minded you can't understand other perspectives, but you don't want to be so open minded you just accept anything put before you as truth. I think the perfect balance is represented in another great quote "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it".

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Bought A Motor

It is official! About an hour ago I bought a brand new Chevy 350 crate motor. It is the "GM proformance parts" package long block. I bought only the long block because I have a good intake, carburetor, water pump, and complete exhaust system from when I took the car apart. I might have to buy a new distributor set up but that wouldn't be a big deal. So once the motor gets here it shouldn't be to long before the car is running. I already opened up the RV storage and gave her (the car, yes it's a she) a good rinse, plus I tried to clean the rims as well as I could unfortunately they have suffered a bit due to my neglect but they did clean up better then I expected. I will try to get some pictures up in the next post or two.

Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe."

Buying The Van May Wait

So here is the deal. I won't be leaving on a road trip until around June some time. I got real excited when I got my student aid check and was stoked on buying a van right now. Well, since I will be getting another check around the end of January which will more then cover the road trip itself I started thinking. I don't have a vehicle, except for my motorcycle, and with winter knocking on the door that is not good. My parents do have an extra vehicle but it is a Ford truck with a 460 motor, that gets 10 gallons to the mile (I know I did that backwards, it was on purpose). So then I was thinking of going to the local dismantler and buying a $500 beater I can run to the ground, which I have done before only from a private party. Then it donned on me, I have a 74 Nova sitting under the RV cover on my parents side yard. Many years ago I pulled and disassembled the motor with big dreams for the rebuild but ran out of money about half way through. It got pushed to the bottom of the list over and over to the point I had almost forgotten about it. So now I have pretty much decided to use the money I have now to just buy a decent long block crate motor and use the parts I still have to get it turn key. Man I miss that car, hope it hasn't started rotting away. Hopefully I will bring it out of hiding soon and I'll get some pictures up.

Ecclesiastics 7:9 "Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools."

Buck Knife

I made my first road trip inspired purchase today in the form of a Buck knife. I didn't really have a decent knife and figured I would get some use out of one especially once I am on the road. I was surprised at how cheaply you can acquire a good knife like a Buck knife, mine was only 32 dollars. Here is a picture of it.

From Blogger Pictures

It is a fixed blade, I figured it would last longer that way. I really dig it. Anyway I should be going to make an offer on the van some time this week so I will definitly let everyone know how that goes. Other then that I am just doing a lot of research, making sure I know what I'm getting into.

Hebrews 13:16 "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."

I Have The Money

I got my student aid check in the mail today. So I can pay off some debt now and can afford to buy a van. As I've said before I think I found the perfect one for what me and my friend want to do. We'll see when the guy puts it on the lift and does a complete inspection but if something is wrong no biggie, there are a lot of vans on the market, I'll just have to do some more shopping. That being said I've already been thinking of the mods I would want to do to it. It is already a conversion van but I am thinking of trying to fabricate a top bunk over the rear bed so as to save space in the middle section. I would love to put a little counter unit in with a sink and propane stove. I have been doing a lot of research and don't think it would be that expensive or labor intensive. It wouldn't be the greatest construction in the world (aesthetically) but it would be functional. Having a gas burner would cut down on food expenses immensely! Although I would need to look into having a mini fridge or something so as to keep food for cooking. I think the issue of food is the one that I am most worried about. I definitely don't want to be eating at restaurants every day, that's too expensive, but I don't know if it's feasible to keep much fresh produce. Maybe someone could give me some tips on what they have done or what they think is the best option here.

1 Peter 3:12 "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

More About The Van

So I called the guy that runs the shop where the van that I want to buy is. I found out that it is a 1987 Chevy G20 conversion van. It has 54,000 miles showing so that is probably 154,000 and hopefully not 254,000. He is waiting on me and my friend to come up with some money for a deposit of sorts to show we are serious before he puts it up on a lift and gets it sale ready, that is because he has a huge inventory of vehicles most of which he would make more money on. If he gets it on the lift and finds out there is some serious problem then we would get our money back. I don't anticipate it having any real problems though, besides the paint being faded the body/interior looks really good. You can tell the previous owner took good care of it which probably means it was mechanically maintained as well. I think I might get some maps and start looking into the route we will take and what main sights we want to see. I hope June comes soon, I am ready to go.

Ephesians 5:18 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;"

Entry 11/19/08 (9:56PM)

I think I found the vehicle that I will be taking my road trip in. It is for sale by a charity foundation who receives donated vehicles in order to turn around and sell them for funds. It hasn't even been in the shop for a full inspection yet but the mechanic did say he drove it and it seemed to be in good condition. It is a Chevy conversion van and I forget the exact year but it is an 80's something. The interior is almost perfect still, the paint is faded but who cares. The guy said it depends on what all it needs when he does get it in the shop since some things they are required to have in good condition prior to sale, like the brakes, but he thinks he will be selling it for 1,200 and I am pretty sure I could talk him down to 1,000. Now I just need my second financial aid check to come in the mail so I have the cash in hand. Even though I am planning the trip for June of next year I wouldn't mind getting the vehicle now and doing some cosmetic and preventative maintenance as I can afford it until the trip is at hand. Besides having the vehicle will further set the trip in stone. I am excited.

1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

Entry 11/17/08 (7:08PM)

I am stoked! My friend says she is on board one hundred percent. So the hunt for a vehicle has started. Her father actually has a conversion van that would be perfect but she is not sure he would be willing to loan it to her for the trip. She is going to talk to him about it but in the case that he doesn't go along with the idea I have started looking around. I have already found a few vans for six hundred bucks and under that are said to be in good running order. They are not the best looking things but that is not the most important thing, besides I am pretty skilled with a rattle can. I've also begun making a short list of the "must haves", besides the obvious things like clothes I have included things like knives, playing cards, and some other odds and ends. Anyway I am excited and will say that the summer road trip/van dwelling experience is a go. If anyone has some tips or knows where to find a good vehicle for cheap let me know. Until next time.

Exodus 20:16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

Journal Entry 11/16/08 (9:39PM)

I talked to a good friend of mine the other day about my road trip idea and asked her if she would be interested in joining my on the journey and now she is seriously considering it. We will see because she is kind of one of those people that are hard to nail down on anything specific, she tends to change her mind on things non-stop, like most females I know. I hope she decides to commit to taking this trip though. She would be a blast to have as company and is one of the only people I know that would be alright with the whole "winging it" style of trip I want to take. So she said to give her a couple days to decide one hundred percent. I have already started doing a little research on how other people have made these kinds of trips. I find the best help to be from people who are van-dwellers because, lets face it, that's what my friend and I will be doing for a couple of months while we travel around the country. Anyway I am pretty stoked on the idea of her making the trip with me so I hope she doesn't decide against it. Until next time.

Proverbs 19:9 "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

Journal Entry 11/13/08 (9:38PM)

Alright it has been a few days since my last post. I am now eating solid food again. I just started today. Breakfast was a little rough, it didn't make me sick but I did feel a bit funny. There is a noticeable difference in the amount of food it takes to fill me up. Overall I feel great and loved the experience, so glad I did it. I don't doubt that I will do another one sometime in the future. I don't know as though I feel closer to God but I definitly would say I am more focused on God. Physically I only lost ten pounds which is signifigant for only seven days but not as signifigant as I was expecting. Hopefully I will be able to control my portions better and continue to lose weight though. I could afford to drop another fifteen to twenty pounds. I mentioned it before but overall the greatest thing I've come out of the fast with is a new found focus of sorts. It is not just a focus on God, but a broader focus on life so to speak. I am more focused on school, unfortunately it is too late so salvage my Spanish class but I won't allow my other three classes to slip. I decided to cancel my myspace account because I realized I was wasting to much idle time on there. I just want to focus on more beneficial stuff, going back to my post "only that which is beneficial" using my own advice. I feel good!

John 14:6 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Journal Entry 11/11/08 (9:01PM)

Alright this is going to be a short one. I have a little homework to get done for tomorrow and I am tired. So I went for a bike ride rather then a jog yesterday. It felt good, didn't feel extra fatigued. Although I have noticed I have been getting tired earlier in the night. Only one day left though and then I will be back on solid food. It is going to be hard not to pig out, I have to start small and work my way back into eating full meals. I will give a more encompassing summary of the whole experience once I am back to a normal diet. Until then.

Proverbs 10:25 "When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever."

Journal Entry 11/09/08 (10:37PM)

I am hungry! Today it the fourth day of my fast and for some reason it has been one of the hardest. I am not really getting the hunger pangs so much as just really wanting to eat. For those that might be worried I assure you I am getting plenty of nutrition. I am getting my protein through different algae such as blue-green algae. I have actually only lost about five pounds so far, which is less then I was anticipating to be honest. Anyway back to today being hard. It definitly didn't help that my family was celebrating my nieces second birthday and they had delicious smelling pizza and berry pie. The smells really get to me. My mom told me she was proud of me today for being so strong and sticking to it, so that gave me some much needed extra motivation to see it through. It would be so easy to say forget it and grab a piece of pizza but I won't. Oh yeah, I made a smoothie the other day out of one red apple, a bunch of strawberries (sorry don't know the exact amount), and one banana, it was delicious! On the other hand I made a cucumber carrot juice today and I wasn't to impressed with it, I think I used to much cucumber for my taste. I don't have school tomorrow and am thinking about going for a jog in the morning. I haven't really exercised at all since fasting and am wondering what my energy level will be like. I'll take it easy to be safe but I am feeling really good so I don't think it will be a problem. I'll let you know in my next post, until then.

John 14:2 "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?"

Journal Entry 11/08/08 (4:26PM)

Well the third day of my fast is winding down. Today was much easier then the first day. Yesterday I did cheat a little bit by having a milkshake, which is against the fast because of milk. Being that this is the first time I have done a fast of any kind I am not taking it to seriously so that I can test the waters so to speak but I definitly felt guilty about the shake, so now I know. Feeling really good overall. I have been in the Word everyday and feeling less temptation to indulge in some things I have been struggling with. I think so far it is safe to say the most beneficial thing about the fast is that it helps you focus certain things. This blog however is loosing my focus at the moment so until next time.

Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Journal Entry 11/06/08 (9:43PM)

Just a quick update. The first day of my fast is coming to an end. I feel that it went very well. I had some hunger pangs but nothing unbearable and they usually only lasted a few minutes anyhow. I haven't tried a lot of juice combos yet but so far I really liked a mix I made with one red apple, one pear, two kiwis, and a stalk of celery just to help get all the kiwi juice out. The hard thing is not the hunger pangs but rather the pure habit of eating. Even at times when I wasn't feeling hungry I would think "I should grab some chips" or something else to munch on. I have always known and admitted I love food but this fast is already, in the first day, making me realize how much of my old eating habits were not based on necessity. I anticipate tomorrow to be easier than today but I will keep you informed. Until next time.

Romans 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."

Journal Entry 11/05/08 (11:58AM)

Hey another AM post. Well by the time I finish typing it it will be in the PM, but I always use the time I start typing. So we have a new president. If you have followed me at all you know I did not vote for him but I will pray that Obama turns out to be a good president. I do not believe that our president is a man of God but I'm sure he will still do God's work. Maybe he will be the antichrist, he is quite the socialist, he is a man of the people and the people love him. The antichrist is going to be a smooth operator much like Obama. Anyway I won't stir the pot anymore.

I bought a juicer yesterday. I mentioned in a previous post that I was thinking about doing a juice fast, at least I think I mentioned it. So I played with the juicer a bit last night and looked up some recipes. I haven't had any solid food yet today but I think I will officially begin the fast in another day or two. I might need to have a couple morsels of solid food today and tomorrow to work myself onto a pure juice diet. Once I officially begin the fast I am thinking I will continue it for seven days. I'll keep you all updated on how I am feeling and let you know what my favorite drinks are. Until next time.

[After thought: Just donned on me that Obama's first term will be over in 2012... a popular prediction for doomsday... hmmmm, weird.]

1 John 2:18 "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour."

Journal Entry 11/03/08 (2:35PM)

Well it turns out the message I heard in church yesterday has really stuck with me. I am catching myself all the time thinking "why can't I have this" or "I deserve to have that". It is unfortunate how often I am catching myself, however it is great that I am not stopping myself and changing my thinking to "at least I have this". A prime example is how I get down on myself for some of the things that I have done in my past. Now instead of getting down about what I did I am thankful for all the stuff I refrained from doing. It is tough but I am working on it.

So it might contradict the first part of this post a bit but I've got to rant about the fairer sex a little. For a long time (a few years) I had the mindset that I didn't want a girlfriend. This was because of a few failed relationships and the fact that I was realizing there were some big personal issues I needed to deal with before I could bring another person, of the character I was desiring, into the equation. Well I feel like I am a very different person now, very much so for the better, and as such am interested in finding that special someone. To be honest there is nothing else in this world that I desire more then my own family (wife, kids, dog... etc). I think because of some things in my past and the changes I have made I am a little picky, which honestly I don't see as a negative thing. Except that I don't find a girl I am interested in very often. So when I do decide that I might be interested in someone I tend to, oh I'll just say it, obsess a little. I feel like if I lose the opportunity there may not be another one in the future. I know that thinking is flawed but I want to find that love so bad I have a hard time being patient in the search. Another part of this that drives me crazy, and is a contradiction to the above paragraph, is that I see what seem to be great girls with guys that seem to be complete tools. I know I am not a tool, I may not be the coolest guy in the world but I am no tool. So why is it that I can't seem to land a cool chick? I will be the first to admit that I don't have any real "game" to speak of but I will tell you another thing, I am real. I will admit that I am not a player, but I am committed. I know I would be a great boyfriend/husband/father... I just wish I could find the girl who knows that. Well that is enough for now, until next time.

1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

Journal Entry 11/02/08 (3:07PM)

Well good afternoon. So this morning I went to Capitol Christian Center with Casey. The message was good, it was about being thankful for all things. The pastor talked about how if we measure our lives by others and are envious rather then thankful for what we have then blessings will not come our way. We have to be thankful for what we have first, and then more blessings will come. So as I said the message was good but to be honest I still felt something wasn't right. Maybe I just don't like the "super" church environment. It was even little things like the fact that their program was literally a magazine. Now it was only about ten pages but still, I felt it was a little flashy. My thinking is that they could save some money on stuff like that and instead use it to do missionary type work. Another thing, and this is more just a personal preference, was that the preacher was a little overly charismatic for my taste, for me when they go overboard on that it takes away/distracts from the message. I really want to find a church I feel comfortable and connected at.

So I am really strongly considering a cross country road trip this summer. It has always kind of been a dream of mine to travel in a somewhat continuous manner, not just a weekend trip to the favorite theme park. When I think about doing it part of me screams to start planning it now, then another part of me says it will be more fun to just play it by ear. The journey itself will be so beneficial. I will learn more about myself and who I truly am, plus I can only imagine the different people I would get to meet and possibly witness to. I would definitly like to take the journey with a friend so that there would always be someone there to share the good and bad times with, I just am not sure if anyone would be willing to commit to it. If I were to go at it alone I have even contemplated doing it on foot or bicycle, hitchhiking when necessary. We shall see, it is still a ways off but I am giving it some serious consideration. I think I will give myself to the first of the year to decide one hundred percent if I will do it or not.

Back to Casey since I am sure some of his "fans" will be asking questions. He is enjoying being offline. He told me he feels as though a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. Personally I think I could already see a change for the better. He appeared less stressed, but at the same time more focused on his life. He did say he is considering doing some contract work in the programing/web design area. That's about all that I feel comfortable sharing at this time concerning him. So as I always say, until next time.

Isaiah 12:5 "Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; Let this be known to all the world."

Journal Entry 11/01/08 (3:12PM)

Well I think it has been a day or two since my last post, about time I get another one up. Not too much has been going on lately. I have just been a little more busy with school work then I had been. I have a couple projects I am working on plus I kind of was slacking on homework for a couple weeks so I am playing catch up on that as well.

Update on my dad buying a Ferrari. It looks like he will be the owner of the Ferrari pictured a few posts back. It did need a new alternator so that is being fixed and then he will be picking it up officially. He has already located a great mechanic in the Roseville area called Salerno Motorsports. I could not find a website for them but there are many great reviews all over the web concerning them.

On another note I am looking into pay per post advertising to gain a little more income from this blog. We will see, I don't want to be writing blogs promoting junk products but if there are some things that I can research and honestly endorse as a good product why not make a few buck promoting it on my blog? I definitly won't let that take over my blog, it is still going to be a personal journal first and foremost.

On that note I want to start getting more "personal" with my posts. I realized the other night that they are more and more becoming just a recount of the days activities. I want to be more expressive of my thoughts on life and the things I am felling. It is hard though because a lot of the times I get into one of those reflective moods I am not in a position to sit down and type what I'm thinking. Maybe I could start carrying a little notebook with me and make notes whenever I get a thought that might be a good morsel to share on here. At any rate I will try to put more of my mind on here. So until next time.

Job 13:24 "Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?"