On a quest....for a "niche."

So, after a bit of research last night, I realize I have something new to "wrestle" with, learn about, and be challenged by. In an effort to explore ways of making an income that I haven't, yet, before, I realized that I can, indeed, use my interest in writing in the "blogosphere" about various subjects to bring in income through advertisements placed on my blog. Maybe I have been hasty but, I already began the process by submitting the requested information through Google AdSense. However, the challenge is that, if I am going to be marketable and be successful at this venture, I must find a niche to write about that advertisers would want to have placement on my site and people would be interested in. In other words, the ads must have a link to the content that I produce. So, now I am on my way to try and find my niche. I must confess, it is a bit awkward. When I was in the process of completing my undergrad studies in Public Relations at Oklahoma Baptist, I really enjoyed writing. I enjoyed the pre-writing process as well, the technical type of research that was required on occasion and the interviews that took place when preparing for a feature story. It was really fun and interesting! Vocationally, I don't know if I have done anything that was really fun and interesting since I worked as an independent sales contractor for a small business between '06 and '08! Now, I get to choose what it is I am going to write about! I probably sound like a little kid in candy store or a little kid in an ice cream shop (honestly, the candy store's from which that saying developed were before my time)! I am excited! Maybe even, "giddy!" I mean the possibilities are endless and I don't even know where to start, given the fact that I feel like I have such a broad range of interests. So, how about a little reader participation? If you are reading this and you know me well, obviously, you have an advantage; however, if you don't know me well, this is an opportunity for a new conversation which I greatly anticipate. So, I'll provide a bit of information before I pose the question. My major interests, as of today, as they relate to sources of income or otherwise are: blacksmithing, organic gardening, clean eating, cooking (making the kind of food that will make you slap 'yo mama and come back for more), vintage and antique stuff (woodworking tools, blacksmithing tools, industrial tools, military surplus, knives, american history), HAM radio (just received my technician class license), emergency preparedness, disaster relief, photography, and outdoor activities (canoeing, camping, fishing, hunting). Given all that I have just mentioned, lets conduct a poll. You tell me something that you would like for me to write about. Or, let's make this interesting, if there is a hobby or something that you are interested in and you just haven't had the time to check it out, drop me a line and let me see what I can find out for you and I'll post a blog about it? How about that? Let's do this together.

A time for change....

Until yesterday, the title of my blog was "All 4 His Glory." Why did I change it? Originally, my intention was to devote the subject matter of this blog, strictly, to biblical or theological sorts of posts. If you are reading this and you know me well, don't be a quiver, I didn't "fall from grace" or "go the way of the world," at least, I hope that is not what has happened. Honestly, I simply wanted the freedom to write on a broader range of topics and reach a broader audience than just those who might be interested in the primarily biblical or theological sort of posts. This does not mean that I want to glorify God any less or edify others any less, as those two objectives were the primary motivators behind my writing for "All 4 His Glory." Nor does this mean that I am trying, in any way, to separate the "faith" aspect of my life from "everything else," quite the contrary. Anyone who has any understanding of the Christian life and what the Bible has to say about it knows that one's faith and the truths of the Scripture inform EVERY aspect of a person's life and I concur. Therefore, in the most interesting of ways, you may find discussions of faith showing up in relation to some of the most unlikely topics, from this point forward. Stay tuned for examples of those "unlikely" subjects where a spiritual analogy, lesson, or application may occur.

A fresh start...

On January 28th of this year, I was terminated from the company with which I was employed. My first reaction was, "How am I going to provide for my family?" As a husband and father of three, my greatest concern was for the welfare of my wife, my sons, and my daughter. Sure, my wife and I have families that love us and were and, still, are willing to assist us as is the church family to which we belong; however, that doesn't change that as a husband and father you feel the weight, the responsibility of seeing to it that your family is taken care of. And, in my case, I held and, still, hold the responsibility of serving as the sole provider of our household. So, with all of that said, my first real reactions were of disbelief, uncertainty of how things would work out given the current economy and job market, shock (that this had happened to me), a sense of irony (I'll have to explain that later as it could be post all its own), and disappointment (that I had to drive home and tell my wife that I was relieved of my duties and the impact that would have on our family). The good news is, at this point, I really can't say that any of the things that I was, initially, "worried" about or was afraid of, have been confirmed with negative outcomes. Taking into consideration the fact that I am, still, technically, unemployed, you may wonder how I could say that I am not "worried" or have not received negative outcomes due to my loss of employment. Let me explain. First, when I arrived home and told my wife what happened, her words to me were something like, "It's going to be ok." I didn't, really, expect her to yell at me or cuss me or anything of that sort - I suppose I didn't really know what to expect but, received exactly the kind of response from her that I should have come to expect, one seasoned with grace and love. Second, despite my initial "worries," my Heavenly Father has provided for our needs and, I trust, will continue to do so according to His faithful and true promises, as found in the Bible. Third, I know there is a better way to make a living than where I found my self last employed. With that as the closing statement for now, I have realized that my God and Father in Heaven has provided me, in accordance with His will, purpose and plan, a "fresh start." An opportunity to take pause and consider what it is I can do to earn an honest wage to provide for my family, maintain a high level of involvement in my family, and serve my God and my community, faithfully, to fulfill the things that God has ordained for the life he has given me. So, I invite you on this journey to learn, laugh, love, cry, rejoice, grieve, contemplate, and discover the manner in which God truly intends for us to live life. I must confess, I am bored, tired and frustrated with the manner in which I have, merely, existed over the last six months to a year. I want to "live" as God intends me to live; beyond my selfish ambitions and above the average expectations of this world, many of which I am sure I unwittingly adopt. Will you join me? Will you embark on the same journey of asking God what, really, is it he intends for you to do in order to serve His purposes in this world? Maybe that means, instead of you being terminated, at some point, you leave your job to pursue that opportunity that God is calling you to but, you have always been a little to hesitant to step out in faith and pursue. Maybe it means turning off the TV and being more engaged with your wife, your husband, or your children on a more intimate level. Or, maybe it means turning away from habit of drinking too much alcohol or popping a few pills to escape the difficulties of this life to experience the fullness of life found in and through Jesus Christ and the camaraderie found with those that follow him now. Whatever the case, I ask you to embark on the journey with me to walk closely with God so that, together, we might find the way to eternal life and the peace of mind in this life of knowing we are fulfilling the work that God ordained for us to do.