GNC & A Wrench

      Today I returned to volunteer work for Good News Club at a public school near us for the first time since we've been back from vacation. It's been a hard year -- attendance started above 100 students but has tapered off to 80 or so I think -- and the kids have been extremely rowdy. Part of that is due to a glaring lack of equipment, the sound systems that we have access to are not powerful enough to do a very good job. The rambunctiousness is also caused by the student to leader ratio, the overwhelming number of students has thrown the system off balance quite a bit. Despite the problems, though, the other leaders have shown a lot of dedication and have really put a lot of effort into presenting the Gospel to these children. All it takes is the salvation of one of their souls to make this entire year worth the effort; it's in the Lord's hands!
     I picked up my chainsaw from the shop today. I still need to test run it, but I trust
the guys there did a great job, they always have. I accidentally overtightened one of the bolts that holds the bar on and popped it off. Since I didn't want to bother with the headache of finding and ordering the part as well as taking the chainsaw apart to replace the one bolt, I just left it with them this time. Looking forward to working with it again next week; the saw is definitely not a giant, but it sure is a trooper! Also had the fuel filter changed on it to see if that would help it start up a little faster... it's been temperamental of late.
     Stopped by the lumber yard on the way home and picked up a breast cancer awareness tool apron for my mom in honor of our current house projects and her recent bout with cancer. My real reason for going was to pick up a wrench extension so that I could work on my truck. I got the extension, and then got home to find out I had the wrong size. Oh well, so I ended up using the travel kit wrench in the truck, not quite as convenient, but sufficient. Jacked the truck up and rotated the tires... something I had been procrastinating about for a while but the tire treads were at noticeably different heights, so it was time. I had been hoping to get an alignment done on the truck and just ask the shop to rotate and balance the tires for me, but since the truck drives in a straight line I couldn't justify the 75 bucks or whatever it would have been. At the same time I didn't want to ruin the tires, so I figured I'd just go ahead and do it myself. Felt a couple sprinkles of rain right when I was starting to work on the truck and prayed that it would hold off, so it started raining as I screwed on the last bolt cap! Glad the Lord does the weather and not me :) I probably looked pretty interesting out there: all muddy (intermittent sprinkles most of the time), with black tire junk, slightly wet, and wearing a headlamp (it was dark by the time I finished). For some reason I always think about the mole on Winnie the Pooh when I'm wearing that headlamp, it looks a lot like his except not quite as cool and authentic LOL
     Today I am thankful for: 1) TurboTax so I don't have to write out all of my business income and expenses and depreciation and assets and deductions and yada yada yada by hand, 2) my alarm clock to make sure that I don't waste too much of the day snoozing, 3) tool repair shops that you can trust, 4) ability to help out with Good News Club, and 5) a perfectly flexible and controllable job with great customers.

Joke of the day: Show me a coal miner (or mechanic) who wears a flashlight on his helmet (or head), and I'll show you a guy whose work makes him lighthearted. How appropriate :) have a great day and try out the comment area if you could, I fixed a glitch and am curious to see how it will work!

Source: the 365 DAY Clean Joke Book