One Lovely Blog Award

It has been a good day today.  Except for waking up with a pounding headache and being a bit stuffed up; the Advil helped that. First, I received word that I won the 2 year maintenance contract at UFV which comes with full medical and dental benefits, paid vacation and sick days, and a steady paycheck. To god be the glory!  Already happy, I came home and found out that Diane from http://hometogo232.wordpress.com/ nominated me forThe One Lovely Blog Award… Thank you very much Diane!  I have very much enjoyed reading your blog as well.  While I am not here for accolades, I am fond of pretty pictures on my blog, so… In order to accept the award I need to:

1. Thank the person who nominated me and link back to their blog.

2. Share 7 things about myself that you may not know.

3. Nominate other bloggers.

4. Notify the nominees that I have nominated them.

5. Put the logo of the award on my blog site.

7 Things about myself:

1. I go to work ill.  Nothing can stop me.  I have vomited into a trashcan and kept going. *gross* Fevers don’t even stop me. In the past 5 years, I have called in sick once and gone home early once.  I have likely caused numerous people to be sick as well…but with my new contract I have 30 paid sick days per year…Do people really get sick once every eleven or twelve days.
2. When I was younger I used to milk every sick day for what it was worth.  I would exaggerate my illness, or outright lie about my illness, to get sympathy from work and from my wife (which never worked).
3. About 5 years ago, while working as a security guard, I was attacked and stabbed with a hypodermic needle.  This time, I was really sick.  I took two weeks off and I had to go on antiretroviral meds (for HIV/Hep-C) that made me lose 35 pounds in 28 days, I developed PTSD and my marriage suffered a lot.  Soon afterwards I went into counselling for about 9 months. And came out with a different perspective on life (and calling in sick.)  During counselling I was brought back to repentance and had a renewed faith in God.  Oh and I am clean and we since have been blessed with a beautiful daughter (Meagan) 🙂
4. (enough of the sick things) I want more kids.  A boy.  To carry on the Smith name.  Because there are not enough Smiths.Who knows when I will get sick again! Let’s have more!
5. I went to beer school.  Yep. I know.  This is a real good point on a Christian blog post…but I can pour the perfect beer.  I am not gloating.  But I can. 🙂
6. I am not fond of Corn on the cob.  It gets stuck in your teeth.  I just don’t get it.  And I know I am in the minority.
7. I have been a staunch opponent of the smart phone. I have always proclaimed that phone should be a phone and nothing more…Last week I got a smartphone and I won’t go back.

Bloggers I am nominating for the one lovely blog award:

1. http://creationscience4kids.com/about/ I thoroughly enjoy this blog.  A stay at home mom, who believes in the literal 6 day genesis and teaches science accordingly.  Keep up the great work!
2. Joe Quatrone.  The first person to follow my blog on wordpress must deserve the award…and his blog is pretty good too…;) http://joequatronejr.wordpress.com/my-testimony/
3. A Miniature clay pot.  My favorite pygmy!  She survived the Colorado theatre shooting, has a great faith in God, and a very lovely blog. http://aminiatureclaypot.wordpress.com
4. Pastor J. at http://jelillie.wordpress.com/about/  We have our differences, theologically, geographically, and sociologically.  Yet, the one thing we do share in common is a love for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Oh and good Dutch cheese, nothing like Gouda!J
5. Rev. Wittiveen (or Pastor Jim.) Has a blog which I like to follow. He is a missionary from the CanRC in Prince Goerge BC.  God has blessed his work with a congregation of new beleivers, I think the congregation has 39 members in 4 years of his working! A wonderful man, who I rely on from time to time to keep me in line on my own blog. 🙂 http://www.jimwitt.ca/

Finally I want to say that while this “award” serves to recognize, or apprecaite fellow bloggers, and I do appreciate the thought and gesture, it is not at all why I write.  I appreciate the thought to be certain, but again, in the end, the most important thing is that God is glorified in everything we do.  God has given me the ability to write, the desire to see men be godly spiritual heads, He has given me the love for the lost and the love the downtrodden, and it is his spirit that keeps me going.  Give God the glory.