New Years . . .

O'Neal and I have been extremely blessed this year---
and 2007 is shaping up to look even better---
I am happy-Oneal is happy--
I love my family--I love my work---and Im ready for '07

I am EXTREMELY motivated this year---

I have a real good feeling about it...

Smile...

I've never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful. ~Author Unknown

New "Old" Pics

Someone just gave me some CD's with more pics from the World Series last year---I am officially ready for baseball again...

A great Christmas Moment . . .

You know--You wonder if youre doing any good with kids --then they do something that makes you know you are...I let O'neal open his presents and get the stuff out of his stocking and he was very thankful...as always...Afterwards--i went in the other room and in a few minutes Oneal came in and told me to go look in the kitchen and also in my stocking...In the kitchen, was a box that had the First note in it--(Click on and read it)---He had boxed up his Playstation Portable and gave it to me--

then in my stocking was the second note---he said I had to get something in my stocking or it wouldnt be right---I hugged him and told him thank you and to be honest--teared up a little---He has a great heart and is very thankful--and I am very proud of him...

Christmas with the Franks...

Great time as always with my GREAT family---and No --Its not champagne --but the boys drank all the sparking grape juice...But I still made sure none of them drove home...

People still amaze me...

So..I was standing in line to pay for lunch yesterday...and behind me were a couple of guys I dont know but I do know of them...The conversation just amazed me...Now keep in mind these are professional people with really good jobs--both of them own a business that I think does really well...here is what I heard...

#1: I dont want to go to work...
#2 Yeah me neither...I dont want to do anything
#3: I never did want to work...Never have
#4: I think I was supposed to be born rich..and something went wrong...

Now these guys were serious--not kidding, no laughing...dead serious...
They both have a line of work that most people would die to have...

It just shows how much of a "spoiled rotten brat world" we have become...

Me--I like work---is it always fun...NO...
But it lets me put my hands to something and complete something...a sense of accomplishment you cant get anywhere else...

I know Adam and Eve wasnt supposed to eat the apple...and we have to work because of it...
But I have to think that the good thing out of all that is-- we can now EARN a sense of accomplishment out of how we live our life---we can work hard, provide for our family, accomplish lots of things---all the while giving thanks to God for the chance and ability to do it...

He gave us the power to choose---and the power to earn things in life...
So if you dont want to work or be productive--whether its a job you go to or a stay-at-home Mom----get on board or get out of the way---you're missing out on something great...

One from Dad . . .

This looks promising as my desktop background. Only about 4 more months!!
God has allowed me to wade this creek for 43 years, catch fish, have fun and fellowship with Him.
I don't know why He pets me so much. (Someone told me He felt sorry for me.) I love being petted by Him.
It's even better than My Mom, whom I still miss.

3/4th of my Grandboys are seasoned aqua waders. The 6 yr. old has already expressed a strong disire to go.

If I had a picture of Heaven, I'd alternate with Indian Creek. I'm looking forward to both.

Yall have a blessed warm weekend and remember, "Every warm day we have this time of year, Is one less cold day, cause Spring is coming".

Christmas Play 2006

This is a great one this year---And one I will remember--this will be O'Neals last one as a kid...He will be moving to the youth group before the next one...They did great and I love a good kids christmas play at church...

Yo...Adrian!

I had a good friend that traveled to Philly last week for business..and I told her --you have got to stop and grab a couple of pics of the steps and the statue made famous by Rocky Balboa...this is what I got--Awesome isnt it.

Yeah --I know it's just a movie--but hey--my feelings are ---if you dont like Rocky movies...you are definitely missing the bigger message--its not really about boxing --its about determination---

It's one I write about all the time---
It dont matter what you do in life---just dont quit, dont give up ---keep punching and it all gonna be good...

To quote Rocky..
"It aint about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."

B-Day

BIG Happy Birthday to one of my best friends --Michael--

We're still young Brother...But better than we have ever been--
I wouldnt go backwards for nothing...

"My brother from another mother..."

Check out his blog -- HERE

Imagine . . .

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends, and spirit - and you're keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends, and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.

Brian Dyson, CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises from 1959-1994

One very important ingredient to life....

LAUGH--a lot...it is so important--I learned it from my Dad and he learned it form his Dad. Laugh as much and as often as you can...surround yourself with motivated--happy people..and guess what you'll be---motivated and happy. Of course, there are always times to be serious--just dont let them take over...

I laugh a lot and enjoy my life...and I'm gonna do so til I drop...

Young Again . . .

Can you believe it ...

Vince Young led them to a victory again---except this time instead of winning on a field goal---He said---"I think I'll just run it in"---It was beautiful and his TD in OT--was fantastic...Im loving watching him and the Titans play...

Young said Titans owner Bud Adams approached him after the game and asked what he was thinking on the winning run.
"I just told him I felt like my mom was chasing me with a belt," Young joked.

Thank-FULL...

You know--one of the things that I believe keeps life in motion and in the right direction--is being thankful...It has for me...

Thankful to the "Big Man Upstairs" for every good thing in my life...Thankful to be surrounded by some of the best people on this earth---and that is not an exaggeration--that is a fact... at work, at church and at home. Great Family and Great Friends...and some incredible new ones.

I really like my life and where it is headed.
I have goals set, the plans to reach them and the support from all the above to make it happen...

VERY cool place to be in...

Some more Pics . . .

I cant believe how big O'Neal is getting. . . he is a good kid... growing into a good man . . .

Christmas Card Time Again . . .

I love this time of year--We even worked in Mojo the Dog this year...

1 of my "Top 5" Christmas Movies...

I watch this every year---

Cleaning House . . .

Most people do it around spring.

Open up the house, go through all your stuff, sell it, throw it away, or whatever. We look around, find out what we need and dont need anymore...and it is much better after that.

We need to do that with our lives.

At least once a year find out what you need and dont need in your life. Keep in mind where youre going, see what is not needed anymore and get rid of it.
Find out what to keep-- 'who, what, when, and where'---that improves you and puts you closer to where you want to be...your goal. It's real easy for our life to become a junky closet full of stuff we dont need --Habits, thoughts, and sometimes even people...

So if its not gonna lift you up---give it up...

Immaturity Part II

Being two --or several different ways.

When what you believe is determined by who you are around at the moment...it is a very sad place to be in.

These types of people have no solid footing in life. Always changing, never knowing...

Their life is always determined by someone else....

always dust in the wind...

Young team back to the old days . . .

With a young team , you have to take what you can and enjoy it---The last two weeks the Titans have been fun to watch again...Vince Young has been throwing and running, and in true Titan tradition...they wait til the last second to win...and they took out both "Mannings"...thats a feat in itself...


See, I like the Titans---and will root for them forever--
Because they are our team--Good, Bad and Ugly...
They are our "Tennessee Titans"

God and Grit Part II

I blogged about a good friend of mine a week or so ago who was in a bad accident...Let me tell you, It is amazing how he is doing. He is already home and moving around pretty good...he is nursing some broken ribs and a replaced elbow---but all of his internal injuries are pretty much healed up...I believe God had a big part in this...if you know the accident he was in, you would be amazed...one of the ER nurses told his wife that she had seen someone else come through last year that had almost the exact same injuries and it took him 3 months to get out of ICU. What should have taken 3 months --basically only took 11 days.

I talked to him tonight for a while and he told me during the accident --he thought he was dead and gone. He blacked out--when he came around a few minutes later--he couldnt see--and he said --he knew then he was alive and it was time to fight. He said the only thing he could think about was seeing his wife and kids ---and the fight was on - and you know what ---he has won every round so far.

God and Grit...

I used to joke with him, like all guys do to each other, about being a wimp.

I think I'll find a new way to laugh with him...I think we will laugh and enjoy life, because every time we coach ball with the kids or snow ski --Ill know thats one more time that could have been taken away.

I think I'll call him Rocky from now on.

Great Story From "Pickles" Blog

John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"He was a natural motivator.If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"He replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood."Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or..I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life! I choose the positive side of life."Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested."Yes, it is," he said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood.You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.I saw him about six months after the accident.When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins...Wanna see my scars?"I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place."The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter," he replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live.""Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.He continued, "..the paramedics were great.They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into theER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action.""What did you do?" I asked."Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said John. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes, I replied.' The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity'."Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because ofhis amazing attitude... I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.Attitude, after all, is everything.“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worryabout itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34