My Name is Joel Quile ... and I'm a Bloggaholic

This just in...I spend way too much time reading other people's blogs. I don't know why it is so fascinating to me either. I mean - is their life that much more exciting than mine? OK, so maybe it is. But here is the bottom line - I find myself not blogging because of lack of time but yet I always find time to read the blogs of others. What's the deal with that? (insert your own Jerry Seinfeld accent here) Perhaps, I dunno, if I actually spent less time reading the blogs of others I would have a few extra minutes to actually write my own blog. And now with the ability to comment on the blogs of others...goodnight...that is like "crack" to the blogging junkie. Serious, I used to check Cope's blog once every few days - now I check it after lunch. I know, I'm sick. I don't even care what Cope writes anymore (I don't think he does either) but it's the comments that lure you in. Can I get a witness? Some of my friends post prayer requests on their blogs. Prayer requests for others and the tragedies that they are going through. I am asking for prayers also. But not for others, no. Pray for me. I'm a bloggaholic. I'm a blatant blunk. A blino. Pray that I don't lose my job, develop carpal tunnel, or suffer vision loss. Pray that ...

I've got to run real quick - my computer just told me that this Eskimo guy in Anchorage just posted about ice fishing. I don't know this guy - but boy - what a life! I can't wait to read his blog.

A Hull of a lot of Hydrophobics

Unless I find myself a convention for sarcastic sermon writers, I probably won't use the above title. On June 6th I'm preaching in Redwood City at the church we were at for over 8 years. I wanted to go with the above title of "A Hull of a lot of Hydrophobics" but cautiously (and wisely) went with the title of "A Hull of Hydrophobics" but the above title is the one that floated my boat (pardon the pun) Anyway, back to work.

I Got My "Phil"

Just returned from Northern California from doing a wedding in Marysville. Flew out to Sacramento on Friday compliments of my son, John and arrived at 11:40am. Without checked baggage I arrived in the "express" line at a rental car company that shall remain nameless (hint: OJ) at about 11:50. With less than a handful of people in front of me I was sure that I would be in my car with in 10 minutes. I was surely wrong! By the time I approached "Phil" (going out on a limb and guessing that was not his real name as he was from India/Pakistan and spoke perhaps 20 - 30 words of English) at 12:31pm. I politely but persuasively told "Phil" that I had just waited in line over 40 minutes and that while it was not his fault that he would have to upgrade my $19.99 a day Kia/Neon reservation to something a bit higher as a way to satisfy my frustration. "Phil" said what would you like? I respectfully replied, something better than a Kia but for not a penny more than $19.99. "Phil" then responded with the words that would turn a good trip throughout the Sierra Foothills into a great trip: "How about a Mustang convertible?" Not wanting to show my hand I said with a classic poker face, "that would be ok."

"Phil" handed the keys to a brand new 2004 white convertible Mustang (white leather seats, kickin stereo, blah, blah, blah) and off I went into the windy and wonderful highways of the mountains that meet Tahoe. It was awesome. I got to see mom, pappy, dad, Garron, Ali, & baby Kaili. California is beautiful and I had forgotten how much I loved that state. The wedding went great and the driving was pretty good too.

Thanks "Phil". You turned a Kia of a weekend into a Mustang of a trip.

Wise Guys

I just returned from a meeting with my board. I call them a mock board because it doesn't seem right that a guy like me should have a board. In my mind, important people function under a board. Grant calls it a mock board because he says that they just sit around and mock me. There is a tad truth to that theory. My board consists of Bob Strader (Coach), Grant Boone (Boonedog), Phil Schubert (Schubs), and Kent Smith (Kent Smith). We meet about once or twice a month for the sole purpose of keeping me focused on my purpose here in Abilene - to prepare to plant a church. The bible says that plans fail for lack of wise counsel. I've had many plans succeed as well as many that have failed. I have no doubt that our vision for church planting will be a success and these four Godly men are a chief cause for my confidence. I've been called a lot of things in my life - "wise guy" being one of the more common characterizations. I may not be the wisest guy around but setting myself and my dreams under the collective wisdom of this board is nothing to be mocked. In fact, its down right smart.

Scared of Sixty

I'm scared of getting older. No, it's not the fear of failing health or a deteriorating world that scares me, but rather it is Time's cruel joke of exposing the ignorance of our youth. If you had sat me down at 16 (many tried - none succeed) for a talk about "life" I would have venomously fought it with every fiber of my body. Why - because I didn't want to hear such wise answers? No - in truth it would have been because I honestly thought I knew all the answers. Today in my mid thirties I find myself looking back at my "youth" with a jaw-dropping awe of all that I didn't have figured out. That is all fine and good until you take such a propensity to realize just how 20/20 hindsight really is to it's logical extreme: If by God's grace I am granted life into my sixties then I assume that I am going to look back at my life today with the same, "what was I thinking?" awe that I view my adolescence today.

And that my friends, scares me to death.
And to pour salt in the wounds of such realization...I don't have much tangible history from my teens (thank the Lord) but with today's technology there is a good chance that that much of what I do and think could actually be preserved digitally for another 30 years.

Like this blog.

And that scares me even more.
(How can you get scared past death?)

See, I have so much to learn.