My entries here may become more sporadic because I have been hired by www.examiner.com to write at least 4 articles a week as the Wichita Evangelical Examiner! Very exciting, I know. And in only 5 days, I've already earned $1.30! So it's not a job that's going to pay all my bills, but it's fun and an exciting new opportunity to connect w/new people.
Anyway, check out my articles here: tinyurl.com/mattgray
Maybe I will try to duplicate all my articles here on the blog, too, but I'm making no promises.
If any of you are interested in becoming an examiner in your city, email me (matt@twomitesministries.org) and I'll send you a video that shows how to put down that I referred you so that I get a bonus! Thanks!
Have a great day, y'all. Peace.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
New Opportunity!
Welcome back, everyone! I don't know why I said that; you probably didn't actually go anywhere.
Anyway, I am no longer completely unemployed! I have a new job that takes "on average 3-6 hours a week." And I have no idea how much it pays! But it's a job, right?
Well, I'm sure it won't support the lifestyle to which I have become accustomed (anything higher than living under a bridge), but it's something that I think will be very fun, so that is why I am excited about it.
OK! Enough suspense-building already! Here it is:
I am the "Wichita Evangelical Examiner" at www.examiner.com
You don't know what that means? Of course you don't! So I will tell you. This website has 90 cities in the US in which they hire "examiners" to post articles about a specific topic. The articles are supposed to be specifically relevant to the city they are in. I am still going through the process of getting everything approved & set up, but when I go live, I think this is the address you'll find me at:
http://www.examiner.com/x-17356-Wichita-Evangelical-Examiner
So come visit! Choose me as your favorite examiner! Subscribe to me! Actually I don't know what it means to subscribe to a specific examiner, but I guess I get paid more if people do it. As I get into this thing and learn more about how it works, I will have to let you know more.
Have a great day!
Anyway, I am no longer completely unemployed! I have a new job that takes "on average 3-6 hours a week." And I have no idea how much it pays! But it's a job, right?
Well, I'm sure it won't support the lifestyle to which I have become accustomed (anything higher than living under a bridge), but it's something that I think will be very fun, so that is why I am excited about it.
OK! Enough suspense-building already! Here it is:
I am the "Wichita Evangelical Examiner" at www.examiner.com
You don't know what that means? Of course you don't! So I will tell you. This website has 90 cities in the US in which they hire "examiners" to post articles about a specific topic. The articles are supposed to be specifically relevant to the city they are in. I am still going through the process of getting everything approved & set up, but when I go live, I think this is the address you'll find me at:
http://www.examiner.com/x-17356-Wichita-Evangelical-Examiner
So come visit! Choose me as your favorite examiner! Subscribe to me! Actually I don't know what it means to subscribe to a specific examiner, but I guess I get paid more if people do it. As I get into this thing and learn more about how it works, I will have to let you know more.
Have a great day!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Over the hump
Yesterday I felt like I achieved critical mass in getting settled into my new place. Suddenly it's not overwhelming; it feels like I can finish unpacking and organizing without having to stop everything else in my life. It's really more psychological than anything; it probably has something to do with the fact that I only spent two hours on it yesterday, and it made a world of difference. Now I can actually sit at my desk and accomplish things (I'm sitting at it right now!!!!), and my bedroom looks more or less like a bedroom that someone lives in, not one that was recently ransacked or hit by a typhoon.
So now I feel much more encouraged about pursuing some other goals, too. I've been entering some songwriting contests recently. One is part of a Gospel Music Association conference I'll be attending in Nashville at the end of this month, so I am much more motivated to practice those songs, in case one of them makes it to the finals and I have to (get to) perform it live!
I also have the goal of getting back in touch with certain people-- my prayer partners, some personal friends, etc. It's so easy to sit for a couple hours on the computer, then realize that I didn't do the things that were most important. So emailing is at the top of the list again. Because, really, my own relationships are a lot more important than checking three times a day to see what was said at the Sotomayor confirmation hearings, watching a video to see how well Obama did at throwing out the opening pitch at the All-Star game, reading about the trash-talking that's going on in the UFC, or any of the other earth-shattering events that yahoo thinks are so important.
I will say, of course Sotomayor's confirmation IS a significant issue that I should be aware of and do have opinions about, but the number of times I read about it or watch videos of it each day is NOT going to impact the outcome. And, honestly, I think the outcome has been certain for days (if not weeks). Does anyone sincerely believe there is a chance she will NOT be confirmed? Her confirmation seems more of a foregone conclusion than Obama's election was in late October.
So how did I get on the subject of politics? I could devote many full-fledged posts to political topics. Maybe next time. For now, I will close.
Peace.
So now I feel much more encouraged about pursuing some other goals, too. I've been entering some songwriting contests recently. One is part of a Gospel Music Association conference I'll be attending in Nashville at the end of this month, so I am much more motivated to practice those songs, in case one of them makes it to the finals and I have to (get to) perform it live!
I also have the goal of getting back in touch with certain people-- my prayer partners, some personal friends, etc. It's so easy to sit for a couple hours on the computer, then realize that I didn't do the things that were most important. So emailing is at the top of the list again. Because, really, my own relationships are a lot more important than checking three times a day to see what was said at the Sotomayor confirmation hearings, watching a video to see how well Obama did at throwing out the opening pitch at the All-Star game, reading about the trash-talking that's going on in the UFC, or any of the other earth-shattering events that yahoo thinks are so important.
I will say, of course Sotomayor's confirmation IS a significant issue that I should be aware of and do have opinions about, but the number of times I read about it or watch videos of it each day is NOT going to impact the outcome. And, honestly, I think the outcome has been certain for days (if not weeks). Does anyone sincerely believe there is a chance she will NOT be confirmed? Her confirmation seems more of a foregone conclusion than Obama's election was in late October.
So how did I get on the subject of politics? I could devote many full-fledged posts to political topics. Maybe next time. For now, I will close.
Peace.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Lovely evening
Tonight one of my roommates is trying out his new grill. And I am reaping ALL the benefits!!!! Mwa-ha-ha-ha!
And I actually got my desk organized so that I can sit at it and do things! And I actually straightened things up in my room enough that a person can comfortably walk around w/o tiptoeing around boxes everywhere. It's not much, but it makes me feel more settled here in my new place.
Well, the burgers are almost ready, so I am going to close! Peace, everybody.
And I actually got my desk organized so that I can sit at it and do things! And I actually straightened things up in my room enough that a person can comfortably walk around w/o tiptoeing around boxes everywhere. It's not much, but it makes me feel more settled here in my new place.
Well, the burgers are almost ready, so I am going to close! Peace, everybody.
Monday, July 06, 2009
Finally Home
It's amazing how quickly a month can go by without blogging. Especially when that month includes two trips out of town and moving to a new place.
Last month I went to Wisconsin to see my cousin graduate from high school. Since I was up there and so was my sister, I took advantage of the opportunity to ride home with her and see the place she & my brother-in-law moved into a few months back when they left Michigan for Indiana. So that was a week-and-a-half of fun family time. My sister & brother-in-law are renting a nice house while they make plans on buying a house of their own in the area.
One funny incident while I was there: I realized on Monday (my first day there) while they were both at work that their wireless internet wasn't working. Three days and several phone calls later, Tim noticed that there was a cable outside the house that had been cut. They are the first people to live in the house, and apparently the cable never got buried after the house was built, so when the guys came to mow the lawn, they ran it over!
So besides being a funny story, that is a great excuse why I didn't blog the week I was there.
Then upon returning to Wichita, I began in earnest making the arrangements to leave my lonely apartment and move into a house across town with a couple friends from church. The whole moving process is always quite an ordeal, and this time did not disappoint in that aspect. The week I happened to be moving included a mission trip, a church conference, and two weddings that many friends were obligated to and oral surgery for another friend on the day I moved. So finding help was a little more difficult than usual, to say the least.
For some reason, still unknown to me, I decided to rent a van and do the bulk of the moving on a Thursday. I wound up w/one person helping me from 12 to 2 and two others who couldn't help till between 3 & 4 in the afternoon. Sitting alone in my apartment at 2:30 w/the van almost loaded, but not able to finish by myself, I was totally kicking myself for not waiting till Saturday when most people wouldn't be working. "Why did I do this?!?" I cried out in a very frustrated manner. "Why didn't You prevent me from making this foolish choice, God?"
But the other two friends showed up and we got most of the stuff moved-- as much as would fit in the van I rented plus some more in the cars. And, as usual, God did work things out in mysterious ways that I don't understand, even though I didn't realize it at the time. I decided I would just get a couple friends who had said they were sorry they couldn't help on Thursday b/c of work, and we would finish moving the rest on Saturday morning. Well, b/c of the above-mentioned activities that weekend, I wound up with NO help on Saturday. Think if I had rented the van to move the furniture on Saturday! I would have been in BIG trouble.
So anyway, I have no idea why I rented the van for Thursday, but now I see that was God watching out for me, not just my foolish choice.
And this past weekend of Independence Day, I rode w/my parents down to Hot Springs AR for a family reunion at my aunt & uncle's. They have a house on a lake there, and it was a wonderfully relaxing time. As mementos, I have sore muscles from tubing and possibly the most interestingly-shaped sunburns I've seen. I was very excited about this new concept of spray-on sunscreen, but I guess I got a little TOO excited and wasn't diligent about covering ALL parts of my legs or stomach or shoulders or arms. They were some pretty hardcore burns, too, so I'm sure the results will be visible on my skin all summer long. Live and learn, I guess!
So I'm home!!!!! Next comes the conclusion of the wonderfully enjoyable activity of unpacking and settling in. Talk to you all again soon.
Peace.
Last month I went to Wisconsin to see my cousin graduate from high school. Since I was up there and so was my sister, I took advantage of the opportunity to ride home with her and see the place she & my brother-in-law moved into a few months back when they left Michigan for Indiana. So that was a week-and-a-half of fun family time. My sister & brother-in-law are renting a nice house while they make plans on buying a house of their own in the area.
One funny incident while I was there: I realized on Monday (my first day there) while they were both at work that their wireless internet wasn't working. Three days and several phone calls later, Tim noticed that there was a cable outside the house that had been cut. They are the first people to live in the house, and apparently the cable never got buried after the house was built, so when the guys came to mow the lawn, they ran it over!
So besides being a funny story, that is a great excuse why I didn't blog the week I was there.
Then upon returning to Wichita, I began in earnest making the arrangements to leave my lonely apartment and move into a house across town with a couple friends from church. The whole moving process is always quite an ordeal, and this time did not disappoint in that aspect. The week I happened to be moving included a mission trip, a church conference, and two weddings that many friends were obligated to and oral surgery for another friend on the day I moved. So finding help was a little more difficult than usual, to say the least.
For some reason, still unknown to me, I decided to rent a van and do the bulk of the moving on a Thursday. I wound up w/one person helping me from 12 to 2 and two others who couldn't help till between 3 & 4 in the afternoon. Sitting alone in my apartment at 2:30 w/the van almost loaded, but not able to finish by myself, I was totally kicking myself for not waiting till Saturday when most people wouldn't be working. "Why did I do this?!?" I cried out in a very frustrated manner. "Why didn't You prevent me from making this foolish choice, God?"
But the other two friends showed up and we got most of the stuff moved-- as much as would fit in the van I rented plus some more in the cars. And, as usual, God did work things out in mysterious ways that I don't understand, even though I didn't realize it at the time. I decided I would just get a couple friends who had said they were sorry they couldn't help on Thursday b/c of work, and we would finish moving the rest on Saturday morning. Well, b/c of the above-mentioned activities that weekend, I wound up with NO help on Saturday. Think if I had rented the van to move the furniture on Saturday! I would have been in BIG trouble.
So anyway, I have no idea why I rented the van for Thursday, but now I see that was God watching out for me, not just my foolish choice.
And this past weekend of Independence Day, I rode w/my parents down to Hot Springs AR for a family reunion at my aunt & uncle's. They have a house on a lake there, and it was a wonderfully relaxing time. As mementos, I have sore muscles from tubing and possibly the most interestingly-shaped sunburns I've seen. I was very excited about this new concept of spray-on sunscreen, but I guess I got a little TOO excited and wasn't diligent about covering ALL parts of my legs or stomach or shoulders or arms. They were some pretty hardcore burns, too, so I'm sure the results will be visible on my skin all summer long. Live and learn, I guess!
So I'm home!!!!! Next comes the conclusion of the wonderfully enjoyable activity of unpacking and settling in. Talk to you all again soon.
Peace.
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