2009 is Left Behind

I only have one wish for you...

I only know you'll need one thing...

It's very simple, but extraordinarily hard.

As I look back on the goals I made in a year of slow plodding that burned up like a quick grass fire that someone had added gasoline to, I have to say, in the words of John Wayne: "Not hardly." No, I didn't accomplish what I had set out to do. No, my plan didn't groove so well. God had a different plan (I tell you more about it January 14th, but know that is nothing I ever was planning or looking for... it's a whole lot better!).

"What God's plan for your life?" (or something similar) was asked me semi-recently. It rocked my boat, and I don't mean rocked in the "cool", hip sort of way that it's used today. Somewhere along the line I conveniently forgot about God's plan. I knew a good thing to do. I knew what my few skills were. I could handle life. I had a plan.

God knows how to handle life a whole lot better, and I really do mean "handle". His ways are higher than our ways. His plan is long term. He knows tomorrow, he wrote it.

Marvelously, you are in God's plan. Do you know what your role is? My one wish for you in the Year of our Lord 2010 is to find that role. God has a plan. You have a role. His way is best.

- Trent

Breaking Anouncment: I Won!

Surprise!

I just learned that I won a bookmark contest!

Yes, I know some of you have moved on to higher things... but I would like to remind you that I will be receiving the prize money not you! : )

Uniquely, the contest was supposed to be an art competition, yet I took first place - the world is full of paradoxes...

- Trent Williams, Award Winning Bookmark Artist

Captors Revealed (Part 2)

After much searching, I have learned my captors identities:

Procrastination, Distractions, and Busyness

WARNING! If you see these thieves in your neighborhood BEWARE!

Even if you have not noticed them you may need to take a closer look. You must watch diligently. You should analyze studiously. You can't be too careful. Tragically, even if you do not find them, you cannot rest. Any moment, your life could be stolen.

Life is time: your life is your time. Guard your time and you will keep your life.

- You Know Who

Reappearance (Escape from Kidnappers Part 1):

I disappeared from the blogosphere months ago, kidnapped by some of the most dangerous and deadly villains in history. Recently I was able to break free from my captors. I am writing from an undisclosed location in the US. My time is limited. The technology my captors possess enables them to track my location if I access the internet for more than fifteen minutes.

I hope this message finds all of you safe (not fleeing from lethal desperados). I also hope you are not as pressed for time as I am.

My progress this year has been restricted… I will give you an update soon (exactly when is not appropriate to say – for health reasons).

I hope you are all studying the wise men and the shepherds. Their approach to God’s commands helped them become the inspirational, instructional, and influential men we read about each year.

I hope to give you a closer view of these characters in God’s marvelous story… but for now I must run…

May each of you have a merry and blessed Christmas,

-You Know Who

GOP beats pretty much everybody (including themselves)...

November 3rd election results are mixed. The GOP's incompetence has miraculously been overshadowed by their successes in Virginia and New Jersey.

Upstate New York is what I'm talking about. I'm originally from that area (I mean this in an extremely general way - almost the entire state is upstate!) so this one is close to (my former) home. Why couldn't the GOP step in and endorse/fund the conservative guy (why not just say "Ooopps! Our Chairman over in New York just blew it and picked someone who doesn't represent our values at all so were funding this Gentleman that does?)? Just because he was beating them fair and square?

[My info was gained partly from Politico.com and the Republican Michigander blog - which I recommend you visit for their take on this]

Texas Results:

Official Results site

Although a red state, Texas passed all of it's proposed constitutional amendments. OK that was the bad news... what's worse is that not even 10% of my county turned out to vote.

The almost, but-not-even-close-to-being, good news:

The closest contests were on two bad propositions...

Prop. 1 "The constitutional amendment authorizing the financing, including through tax increment financing, of the acquisition by municipalities and counties of buffer areas or open spaces adjacent to a military installation for the prevention of encroachment or for the construction of roadways, utilities, or other infrastructure to protect or promote the mission of the military installation."

(Why? Tax increase plus, governmental growth is BAD)

AGAINST:

44.80%

FOR:

55.19%

Prop. 4: "The constitutional amendment establishing the national research university fund to enable emerging research universities in this state to achieve national prominence as major research universities and transferring the balance of the higher education fund to the national research university fund."

(Increase in funding, especially at this time is BAD).

AGAINST:

43.26%

FOR:

56.73%

I think I very well may try to become Precinct Chairman...

- Trent

First Time Voting!

I voted because of the beaches. An amendment to the Texas Constitution would make it a constitutional right to access public beaches, not just a right, a constitutional right. That's right folks, a constitutional right.

Proposition 9: "The constitutional amendment to protect the right of the public, individually and collectively, to access and use the public beaches bordering the seaward shore of the Gulf of Mexico."

Wouldn't you want a constitutional right to access beaches (even if they were already privately owned)? Actually I voted against the proposition (did I mention we already have an "Open Beaches Act"?), how much of a right do we need to make visiting the beach?

This first time voter was elated to cast a vote creating measures that will lower property tax!

Proposition 2: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the ad valorem taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property's value as a residence homestead."

Proposition 3: "The constitutional amendment providing for uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes."

First time voting, but not the last!

- Trent

P.S. I just realized I missed posting in the month of October completely! I beg your forgiveness.

PPS. Unfortunately I wasn't able to organize a rally against government health care because of some things that came up (too bad).