Bnet has a very interesting story about 10 careers which pay well, but which do NOT benefit society. I agree with most of them, with cavets like the author includes – Chriropractors do give some benefit, some self help books are ok, some health experts can help you, etc. I have a dream that someday #9 will not be true, but I believe it may always be. http://team-swap.com/?p=426

I know the Knoxville mayoral race ended a week ago, but … well I was busy … so here is my two cents. I was not surprised Madeline won, I was surprised she won so handedly. I thought the combination of Haslem money, a down job market looking for business leadership, a push back from conservatives concerned with Rogero being too liberal, and Padgett’s father’s long line of Knoxville political connections would lead to a closer race.

I recently came across a really cool product, a pencil made out of recycled blue jeans. They act like a standard #2 pencil, i.e. you can sharpen them, and run about .30 to .50 cents a piece. A great thing is that they actually write pretty well. One place to buy them is here, but I am sure you can find other places to buy them as well.

America’s military (specifically it’s special forces) did a great job finding, and taking out Bin Laden. The military found their target, did their background work, prepared well, and struck precisely. The combined strike force numbered in the hundreds when support forces, logistics experts, flight crews, etc are included, but on the ground were 79 commando’s and a dog. That is right a dog.

Being a dog lover, and a dog fan in general, the following two stories about the use and growing impact of dogs in the miliary make me happy and I wanted to share them.

NPR store here and ForeignPolicy.com story here

For those interested there is a interesting war dog memorial on the UT Knoxville campus as well.

Though many are discussing the parts of Paul Allen’s forthcoming biography where he, Mr. Allen, alleges that Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer and others tried to cheat him out of a large part and the value of Microsoft’s stock. To me though the more interesting thing is Mr Allen’s discussing (summarized at FT.com here) where and how Microsoft got offtrack and feel behind. The three key area’s Mr Allen points too are Microsoft’s size (inability to react due to internal politics and legacy frameworks), the corporate culture (fiefdom’s and intellectual isolation between departments and sectors), and lack of visionary leadership (less capable managers, and Steve Ballmer’s fast follower mindset). Overall these are the same things I personally have said about the Redmond gang for a long time.

That said, I still run more Window’s boxes then I do Mac or Linux ones, though my Android collection is growing.

Current computer count –

Myself @ Home – 2 Window’s Desktop’s online (one dual booting XP / 7 and one XP only), 2 windows laptop’s (1 XP, 1 Windows 7), a G4 Mac, a Linux box, a ready to power up backup offline XP desktop, and a personal Android smartphone.

Myself @ work – a XP desktop, a XP laptop, and a Andriod tablet assigned to me. Regular access to a shared Windows 7 tablet.

In my garage @ home and offline – one good XP box looking for a good home, and 3 old 2000 / XP PC’s that need to be recycled.

My wife @ home – a Windows XP desktop, a Windows 7 laptop, and a Windows Phone 6.0 smartphone currently, but is considering a move to a Windows Phone 7 model later this year.

My wife @ work – a XP desktop

So even with Microsoft having problem most of what my wife and myself use and access daily are based on Microsoft products. The only platform with increases around us in the last year has been Andriod based devices.

God is really showing me His grace and wisdom right now. After about 10 years with the same pastor (at two different churches) and lots of deep relationships with some great Christian brothers, God is leading me and my wife to step out and find his next home for us.

My wife has not felt that she fit in at our past church for a few years, but due to her medical issues she has not been able to attend regularly. That has left me pretty much solo at church 90% of the time (she made Sunday school seven times in 2010 and church maybe double that) for the last few years. My wife has not pushed to move anywhere else because she knew I was connected and that she was not involved or interested in a deeper involvement through that time. Throughout this time God has really taken my relationship with Him in new ways. I was very active in several ministries, but about 6 weeks ago He just brought me to a point where I knew it was time for a new place.

I told me pastor and the people that will have to take over the two ministries I ran 3 weeks before I left. I told them God was lead me / us elsewhere and that I was willing to train and help as need those that were going to have to step up and step in. It seems that people just would not believe me, as the last Sunday I was there no one seemed to believe me when I said it had been great serving with them. Odd that when a person of their word tells you something you don’t want to hear it still is not believed.. Anyway, we left on great terms and can always return if God leads us back. This really is the best way to exit a church.

Currently, I am praying that God will lead us to a new home soon. It may or may not increase my wife’s commitment, as she has to get well physically before she can engage spiritiually, but I know God has something new and special out there for us. We have 3 or 4 churches we are going to visit. We may not need to go further then that, but we may have to expand the search if God does not land us at any of those four.

Anyway, I share this to say / remind you that God does not always want His people comfortable and He never wants us to be complacent. Just because you are deep in a ministry / ministries and a body does not mean that God wants you to stay there.

So, I challenge you to take yourself to God and ask Him where HE wants you to be, ask what HE wants you to do, and know that HIS will and placement is perfect. HE will not take you anywhere HE does not want you to go and HE will not really bless you until you find HIS place for you. Seek HIM and then follow HIM even if it is life shaking.

SirusXM has a short term station called TIGER BLOOD RADIO. It is a limited run 24 hr a day channel devoted to CHARLIE SHEEN and his current meltdown / news…… REALLY!! Not the middle east, not oil exploration, not deficit deduction plans, but CHARLIE SHEEN 24 hrs a day!! This is REALLY STUPID!!!

[H/T to Milton Stanley for this one]

Jeff Weddle of Anti Itch Medication has a great post up about how we are all dying and how so few take the time to deal with eternity when it is not directly facing them or a loved one. Both points are true, and it is unfortunate that few people really care about eternity before they face it. My recent post on how real Hell is follows along the same line.

To all the readers of Being Frank Happy Valentine’s day. Hopefully you are with the one you love today, and if not hopefully you have found the greatness that is you within your singleness.

He has not left you, He has not forsaken you, and He will never forget about you. You are loved.

Regardless of who you are, where you are, what sex you are, how old you are, and any other “you are”, Tenth Ave North has it right -

You are more than the choices that you’ve made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You’ve been remade.

‘Cause this is not about what you’ve done,
But what’s been done for you.
This is not about where you’ve been,
But where your brokenness brings you to