Carageous!

Well if I told you there is something that I really hate, then this tops it by a huge margin. Car Buying! I think it is one of the most vexatious experience I have ever faced. Since D started working, I have been hitching rides with everybody, including the DART train. Not that it hasn't been fun riding the train 4 - 5 times a week, but just the fact that I had to leave early from work, hitch a ride to the train station, pull S out of his work to pick me up @ Forest Ln Station and make him take a detour to drop me @ church, made me ponder over the idea of an extra car. Well then, there comes the question of what to buy! D surprisingly wanted a "mini-van". I know, I know. How cliche! But that's what she wanted. I on the other hand, was debating between a smaller car which was good on mileage or a bigger SUV, which was...err...pretty much useless! So guess who won! You got it...before you know it we were looking for a freakin' mini van!

Well now, where do we get one? So, based on the skills I had acquired over the past 2 years of looking for an extra car, we started. But apparently, browsing for cars and actually buying one are totally two different things! I just couldn't find one we both liked. So one afternoon we decided to take it to the next level and went over to a reputable used car dealer in the area. Although from the minute I walked in, I insisted on the disclaimer that I was there to check it out and not actually buy, it made no impact on 'em used car salesmen. By the time they realised that, an hour of "trying to sell the car to me" had gone by and they started acting funny. They were trying to intimidate me, force me and almost threaten me. But I tactfully wriggled out of the hands of the evil used car salesmen, vowing never to return back to a used car dealer again.

But after mustering up some courage, we were back in a used car dealership in a week! But this time with more research, confidence and of course an escape plan! And for the escape plan I had to call in reinforcements. With V on his way and A on the phone, I felt even more confident. We found the car we wanted, but then comes the part I totally suck at, "negotiating". I would have walked out of there with the quoted price, if not for V. We were able to get it down by a grand. Although I think it is a great accomplishment, I am sure V begs to differ.

So here we are, after 4 long years of wanting to buy a second car, with a mini-van in our garage. Hopefully we don't have to visit a used car salesman in a long time. But you never know!

And if you are in the market looking for an used car and in need of some good advice, you know who NOT to call! :) As always its all good! Go Minivan!

Peace!

Just Jewelry?

This is from today's ODB reading.

God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. —Galatians 6:14

Some Christians make it a habit to wear a cross. It may be on a necklace or a lapel pin. It may be worn thoughtlessly as a decoration or prayerfully to let people know of the wearer’s personal faith.

In April 2006, a Methodist church in the city of Dudley, England, found out that it would have to pay a fee to put a cross on its new building. Yes, a fee was required because under British law the cross is an advertisement. It proclaims to the world, whether on a person or a building, that the blood-stained cross of Calvary is our only hope of forgiveness and salvation.

Our Bible reading today tells us of the cross—the instrument of execution used on our Savior (Matt. 27:22-26). The crowd in anger shouted, “Let Him be crucified!” The cross is a sign of His death, and must not be taken lightly. This should cause us to examine what the cross means to us. Is it a witness to our eternal hope in the saving death of Jesus on Calvary?

While wearing the cross may be a challenging mark of discipleship, far more challenging is our Lord’s command that we “take up [our] cross daily” and learn what it means to follow in His footsteps (Luke 9:23). And that includes a willingness to practice costly discipleship. -- Vernon C. Grounds

“Take up thy cross and follow Me,”
I hear the blessed Savior call;
How can I make a lesser sacrifice
When Jesus gave His all? —Ackley

Because Jesus bore the cross for us, we should be willing to take it up for Him.

Peace!

My Pride!

Arghhh!!

Terrible, terrible day! Nothing seems to be working right today! My code is not working right, my laptop keeps hanging up on me, people don't do their jobs right...and not to mention the super crappy weather outside......arghhhh! Had to vent it somewhere! Thanks God for blogs! :)

Peace!

Snow in Texas

It was one of those "uncommon" things that happened last night! We had snow in Dallas and it accumulated a few inches. It was a beautiful sight to see in March especially after a 75°F weekend! Although the drive to work this morning was not as pretty, it was totally worth it!

Peace!