WinterJam!

It’s Saturday evening @ 11:45 & I’m sitting here with my head still pounding and my body still bouncing to the beat from the WinterJam concert that my wife and I went to tonight! For those that haven’t heard or been to a WinterJam concert it features Sanctus Real, Hawk Nelson, Newsong, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, & The Following. It was 3 ½ hours on pretty much non stop rock and roll for Jesus! It was awesome!

I’ve been to both Steven Curtis Chapman & Newsong concerts in the past and I can tell you this, they never rocked out at those concerts like they did tonight! It’s nice to see that some of the guys that have been around for awhile can still rock out with the kids! Oh, and by the way… Hawk Nelson has been compared to AC/DC from 25 years ago. I don’t agree! AC/DC has never been as good as Hawk Nelson was tonight!

Lest I should save this until the end, out of the 7500 or so people that were there tonight a little over 1000 made a commitment for Jesus! Pretty awesome for a Christian concert!

Be Blessed!!!

BIG SCOTT

The Promise!

Sometimes it sure can be tough waiting on God to move in your life. One of the things that have been on the heart of both my wife and myself is finally getting our finances in order. Before I got sick a couple of years ago we were doing a pretty good job with our finances but not being able to work steady for over a year really put us in a bind. It is only by the grace of God that we were able to stay afloat this long.

Now I’ve finally got a great job selling cars. With the paychecks that I have to look forward too in the next couple of weeks along with our income tax refund we are planning to get caught back up on our bills and finally give us some breathing room. Things are looking good for our financial future for once. It is that future and that hope that the Lord has given us that gives us the strength to push on.

About three weeks ago I had talks with our store manager, Kelvin, and Alan from the corporate office. We discussed whether or not I could make it in the car business and if I could survive the slow winter. Both men told me I had the talent and encouraged me to hang on. The next morning after having my talk with Kelvin I got up and turned the TV on to TBN and the first thing I heard was evangelist Marilyn Hickey say “Winners never quit and quitters never win!” That was my confirmation that I needed to stay right where I was at and do my best, give God the praise, and let the Lord do the rest. I’m glad I did because I’ve had a good month ever since then.

A good salesman, regardless of what he sells treats his job like his own business and builds a solid customer base. That’s what I’m doing now and it’s starting to pay off. Like I said, I’m having a good month this month. Right now I’m in second place at our store for the month and from what I’ve been hearing city wide I’m doing exceptionally well. For this I give God all the praise. I know that my success comes from the Lord. If it wasn’t for me finding favor with the Lord I sure wouldn’t be selling the number of cars that I’ve sold this month!

I can tell you this, if you’re thinking of giving up and throwing in the towel seek God first. Seek to find out what the Lord has in store for your future. Are you where God wants you? Does God want to bless you right where you’re at? Does God want to raise you to a higher place? Of course he does!

You’ve probably heard of Jeremiah 29:11 which says “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Keep reading and see what verses 12 – 14 have to say! “In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes.”

That’s a promise I can gratefully accept!

Be Blessed!

BIG SCOTT

Feeling Old!

It’s been said that age is mostly a matter of mind. If you don’t mind it doesn’t matter! I had one of those times this past week that can you feel just a few years older. I’ve been having some problems with my eyes so I thought that I’d check out the vision benefit on my new health insurance and get my eyes check out, for the first time in twenty five years I might add!

The eye doctor had me in the chair and had that thing on my face where he spins around the different dials to see which settings you can see better with. After a few minutes of spinning the dials the doctor pulls his contraption back and says “Well it looks like you’re going to need bifocals.”

Bifocals! I’ve never even wore glasses before and now I need bifocals! I immediately felt about ten years older! And the to pour a little salt in my aging wound the doctor explained to me that it’s not unusual for people “my age” to need glasses for the first time. When people get to be my age their eyes start to change and may need a little help.

I told the doctor that I could see just fine at a distance and that I didn’t have a bit of trouble when driving. My doctor told me that I had a mild case of astigmatism and that glasses would make my distant vision even better. Once again he told me it was an age thing. At the rate we were going I felt like the doctor was going to recommend a walker for someone at my fragile age!

Until I get my prescription glasses the doctor had me get a pair of reading glasses at Wal-Mart. As a consolation I can see much better to read now. I should also give kudos to my wife. She did a great job of making me feel better by telling me that my glasses make me look more sophisticated and intelligent! It’s great having a wife that knows how to make you feel better!

Be Blessed!

BIG SCOTT

Resolutions!

Wow! So much for 2006! I can’t believe it’s been a month since my last blog! One of the things that I resolve to o for 2007 is to be more consistent in everything that I do and that includes my blogging! Speaking of resolving, last night at church we had a big party to welcome in the New Year and during that party I wrote my “Top 10 Resolutions For The New Year”

Here we go, see what you think of my resolutions.

1: Worship God more intensely.

2: Study God’s word every day.

3: Purge anything not of God from my life.

4: Spend more quality time with family.

5: Start my diet all over again.

6: Build my business selling cars.

7: Manage time better.

8: Get finances straightened out.

9: Apply myself at college better.

10: Finish writing my first book.

I got to thinking the other day and I realized that I haven’t been worshipping God with the passion that I have done in the years past. I used to really get into Praise and Worship singing, praising, raising my arms, and in general just really getting into an intimate place with God. I really haven’t done that since I had my breakdown close to two years ago now.

I now realize that the praise and worship that enjoyed in the past is something that has really been missing in my life. I really feel that if I get my spiritual life back in order where it needs to be then everything else will follow. It’s not that I haven’t loved God, it’s just that I haven’t drawing anywhere near close enough to him.

Another biggie that I have facing me in my life is starting my diet all over again. When I went on my diet about three years ago I stayed on it for about eighteen months and I lost about 145 pounds. I went off of my diet at the same time I was diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder. Between the meds that I was put on and just basically giving up on life for a time I really put back on some serious weight gaining back nearly every pound that I had lost. This time I plan to loose the weight and keep it off for good!

I’ve also been given the opportunity to build a great business selling cars. When you’re working for a new car dealer you basically have to treat your job as your business. If you do that you can build a great customer base and make a very nice living. That is exactly what I plan to do.

Also, I plan on continuing in college part time. College is something that I have to do for me. One of my biggest regrets is not finishing college the first time. A big piece of me on the inside will not be settled until I have that Bachelors degree.

Finally, this book that I’m writing is something that’s been on my heart for years and years. I’m about half done with my book. My book is excerpts from my blog over the past couple of years. Hopefully in the next few months I’ll have enough good blogs wrote to get my book to my publisher.

So there it is, my resolutions for this New Year. What are your resolutions? Did you even make any resolutions? I’d love to hear what your resolutions are! Drop me a line and let me know! I might even choose some of your resolutions as topics for future blogs. Don’t worry, you’ll remain anonymous. I’ll protect the guilty! He He!

Be Blessed!

Big Scott

George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation

General Thanksgiving

By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America

A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and affirm THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of the States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the final and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our federal and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wife, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789

Ethics Check

OK, it’s time to get down to some serious writing again!

I had a wake up call today from my boss. In a nutshell my boss told me that he had some concerns about my ethics. When your trying to live for Jesus and someone calls you on the carpet and wants to have a talk with you about your ethics you’d better pay attention. In my case I had strayed a little bit farther from the middle then I should have. In fact I was farther left of center then I even realized.

Today’s talk brought back to me the fact that when we drift off of center of where God wants us we normally do not drift a whole bunch at one time. Rather when we drift we do it a little at a time. A smidgen here, a little bit there, and so forth. The problem is that when we don’t crawl back up on the proverbial altar and get back in the center of where God wants us on a very regular basis it doesn’t take long and we can really be going the wrong way.

That’s what happened to me, I started getting a little bit off of center little by little and the next thing you know my boss is having an ethics talk with me. The good news is that I wasn’t having ethics problems with my customers be dishonest or anything. The bad news is that I was having ethics problems in the way I was treating my fellow employees. I know where I got off center.

There are a couple of guys I work with that have basically zero morals and I let their behavior affect me. One of the guys sells quite a few cars and he will do whatever he can to get your customer away from you. If your headed for a customer he will take off running and cut you off to get to the customer first. He will then tell you that he is exempt from the rules because he sells so many cars. My problem is that I let this guy get under my skin and that was wrong of me.

I had to take a step back today and reexamine where I’m at. I had to once again to make the decision that I’m going to let God fight my battles for me. I was wrong to try and pay back this guy for what he did to me. Like I said, my battle belongs to God. 1 Peter 3:9 says “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.”

The lesson learned today: Don’t repay evil with evil, rather do what’s right in the sight of God and he will bless you.

Be Blessed!!!

BIG SCOTT

RUN! RUN! RUN!

Wow, I can’t believe it! It’s been almost six weeks since my last blog update. Things have been going by at warp speed for the past month or so. With work I’ve been in training every morning, Monday through Friday for the past month. Then add to that I alternate working until either 7:30 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. every other night! When you’re working 65+ hours during the week you don’t have much time left to blog or much anything else for that matter!

This past month I’ve been fighting to get sales. All throughout the month I kept wondering if I was doing something to make God angry at me. Day after day I kept missing sale after sale. I was really starting to get desperate. One thing that became apparent to me though was that it wasn’t just me, I found out that everyone else at our dealership wasn’t doing very well either. In fact, car sales were way down city wide last month for some reason.

Looking back on the month I figured out that God probably wasn’t angry with me. In fact I finished the month tied for second place for the total number of cars sold. I finished the month on a high note selling two cars on the last day of the month. I plan on using this momentum to start this next month off on a high note.

Training should be over after this week and I’ll see if I can’t start getting back to writing some of my more witty blogs!

Be Blessed!

BIG SCOTT