Christmas

It's been an odd Christmas.

My great uncle passed away last week.  He had been sick for a while and it wasn't entirely a surprise, but that doesn't make it easier.  We will miss him.  All the more because he lived in Texas, it was just not possible to get there.  My mother however did get there, by way of Missouri where she picked up her parents.  They got on a flight, and apparently an 80 year old couple is a "potential concern" to the TSA.   I'm not sure why, but they were frisked on the way back.

I hear grandma kept up quite a lively conversation with the TSA agent the entire time, and grandpa let his runny nose drip on the back of the agent's head during his experience.

Oddly enough, it's about what i would expect from them both.

Merry Christmas

-Dave

Psalm 90:10
We live for seventy years or so (with luck we might make it to eighty), and what do we have to show for it?  Trouble.

Good People

I've said it before, but I work with good people.

Tonight was our company Christmas party, and it wasn't a big fancy deal, but it was an opportunity to get to know people i might not otherwise come across between 5 PM and 5 AM.  Stories were told, and laughter was had, but there was one story I wanted to retell.

A while back, one of our employees was working in a different building than usual, and received notice of a family emergency.  He was trying to get in contact with his normal supervisor, but being new, he didn't have the right number and ended up calling the office of our CEO and company founder.  The CEO happened to be working late, answered the phone, and stopped what he was doing to try and help. He came out into the shop to find me to communicate.  He had to look for me until he found me elbows deep in one of our machines trying to get it running.  Only to find out that it wasn't my guy.  It was the other Dave's guy, from the building across the street.  I offered to go over with a message, but he wouldn't have it.  He said, "No, no, keep working on that line."  Without another word, or even a grimace he  walked outside and across the street through the cold to take care of it.  He didn't even stop for a jacket.

I have worked in a lot of different jobs including churches, major food chains, heavy industry and factory settings, and even a Fortune 100 company.  And there aren't many senior executives who care about their employees down to the lowest level enough to put off the work that was already keeping them away from their family to help someone they had never met in a crisis.  Many will say that they believe their people are that important, but few will back it up with their actions.  He did with a smile what he could have delegated to me.

Like I said, good people.

-Dave

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.  Against such things there is no law.

Walker, Texas Cheeseball...

...you are so corny! My wife and I were watching some TV today, and we stumbled across a rerun.  This time the recurring bad guy had kidnapped the girl (I think that was her primary function in the show) and sidekick and was, in typically impractical evil villain style, slowly filling the room they were in with water.  All the while Walker raced to find them in time, dramatically.  Apparently a room full of water and Walker thinking hard weren't enough for the producers to fill the whole episode with action.  This meant the whole show was a series of flashbacks.  One after another, after another. So many that it was like a "best of" review of the entire series, and honestly it wasn't that good.

We laughed like crazy.  From disarming the the bomb at the last second, instead of taking the lanyard it was on off her neck and throwing it out the window, to outrunning the exploding phone booth, to wrestling with a bear and winning; it was hilarious.

It was great to just laugh together.  I can't think of anyone I would have rather made fun of Chuck Norris with.

So let the Chuck Norris jokes roll and the laughter too because when you have someone this great to share life with, it's all good.

-Dave

Proverbs 5:18
...may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Thankfulness

Today was an opportunity to get together with family and reconnect.  We spent the day making casseroles and frying turkey at my moms house.  My brother and I did most of it, and we didn't mind one bit. My limited cooking skills didn't cause any grease fires so I was happy, and my brother's considerably more capable skills made sure it was all delicious.  But in the end, what we are all most thankful for are the changes God is bringing about in our lives right now.

Here's the short list:

Jen and I are expecting our first baby next June.

My brother Matt and his wife are expecting their first TWO babies in March.

Mom is successfully recovering from back surgery.

Grandpa has in recent years forgiven old hurts and reconciled relationships that had been neglected for decades.

The list could go on and on, but it all comes down to one thing over and over again.  All in all: God is taking care of us during hard times and provides all we need to not only survive, but to thrive. So as the world ramps up around me for the Christmas rush, I want to make sure I stay focused on what it most important and just say, "Thanks God."

-Dave

Colossians 3:15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.

Coins

A few months ago a truck driver needed unloaded at work, and since my material handler was out that night, I was pulling his goods off the truck.  It took longer than if the regular guy had done it, because I'm just not as good as him. Plus I kept having to stop and take care of the various responsibilities of my own job.  Eventually I got it done and was filling out his shipping receipt when he walked up to me and started a conversation I did not expect.

He told me that he thought it still looked like a good company to work for, and how he wished he hadn't had to leave a few years ago when the economy went bad.  Then he did what made me remember him: He handed me a single gold $1 coin and said, "Here you're doing a good job and you should know it."  At first I refused the coin saying that a tip wasn't appropriate, but he insisted.  He said that it wasn't a tip, but rather a reminder to keep up the good work.  He said, "You're a good man, and you're working hard at doing a good job.  Keep it to remind you."

I still have the coin.  And on days when I need the reminder, I carry it in my pocket.

-Dave

Proverbs 18:21 (The Message)
 Words kill, words give life;
     they're either poison or fruit-you choose.

Communication

When I was in the military, one of the major areas of focus was on quick, concise and clear communication.  Everyone understood that failure to do so could be a matter of life or death someday, so getting it right was something that was constantly worked on.  There were specific lists of what was necessary for a successful message, and exact methods for ensuring those lists were covered.  This kind of information was deemed "mission critical" and (ideally) great lengths would be taken to disseminate it.  However, no matter the lengths taken, good communication was something that was always difficult.

In my current job, communication is something we struggle with as well.  We all understand that we want to maximize what we can do, without compromising on quality. However, shift changes may or may not include all the information that is most important to the next 12 hours to keep all the machines running as much as we can. Working men and women may not even have even given their supervisors this mission critical feedback, so it can't be passed on.  Shift leads may be overloaded and too busy solving the current crisis, be unwilling to take the time, or just not think it's needed.  Managers are often overloaded as well trying to schedule to meet demand while inspecting for quality and coordinating teams of people.  Quite honestly it's exhausting.   And to top it off I'm the new guy, so I am not even always sure what is critical, and the poor guy that follows me has to sort through a list of potentially useful information while I try to learn what is mission critical.

But, it is getting better.  We aren't there yet.  But it's getting better.  New people are learning what questions to ask.  Adjustments are being made in who is on what shift and what task or tasks they are doing.   My managers are constantly coaching and teaching me, offering me advice when I need it.  For that I'm thankful, because it's going to take time, and without the support and advice of those who do know, the rest of us will never know.  That advice, is simply a beautiful thing.

Dave

Proverbs 25:11 The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver
Proverbs 11:14 Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.

Woot! Fan club of 1

I have a follower!  I'm not sure what that means, but it feels pretty encouraging.

I started my blog last week, and somehow my good friend has already found it.  To her and her husband, thanks for caring enough about me to seek it out.  I'm not even sure how they found it as I don't even think my wife had read it yet.  Anyway, I always enjoy their blogs, so if anyone else reads this thing, they should go check em out:
lilshoemaker.blogspot.com
and
bigshoemaker.blogspot.com

Dave

2 Tim 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousnesses, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

A Rough Day

The idea of blogging is something I have kicked around for over a year now.  I keep thinking after work, or church, or a conversation, or reading something, "Man, I really learned something there, and maybe someone else would learn something from it too.  Maybe I should start a blog"

Sometimes the things I learn are just good, sometimes they are heartbreaking. Tonight was the latter. Tonight something happened at work that taught me a lesson, and I have to share it, even if it's to a blog that no one is reading, or even knows is being written.

The phone rang, and it was an employee's wife, panicked for the health of their unborn child.  I passed it on to him and he left immediately. He rushed home and took her to the hospital, saying on his way out the door, "Man this has been a hard year..."  Less than 6 hours later, he called to tell me that they had lost the child.  

I had no idea what to say.

My heart is breaking for them in ways I never expected.  I can't imagine what it must have been like for him to make that drive.  He just came to my shift yesterday, and in the face of this tragedy, I feel like I have nothing to offer him in comfort, or wisdom.   We didn't even know each other's last names, and yet as we hastily scribbled down phone numbers, I felt like I should be trying to help this guy somehow. 

I can't do much right now.  But I can pray for him, so I will.  

God be with him and his family.  Give them comfort, and let them know that you are a source of strength and peace that is not limited by tough situations.  May they know that even when they feel overwhelmed, you are big enough to handle it, and may they turn to you.
Amen

Dave

I'm going to go wake up my wife so I can hold her for a while.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 

 ³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.