Random Thoughts 10/2/06

I thought I'd finish these up from earlier today; I was feeling a bit pekid earlier…

• I was recently made aware of an interesting new movie, Facing the Giants. It looks like a Hollywood-made high school football movie along the lines of Remember the Titans or Fiday Night Lights. But it's actually produced by a church with a "media-ministry." The main star and director is the associate minister of media at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. They rent the equipment for their movies and most of the actors are volunteers but they get good reviews. I'd be interested to see their work.
• For some reason Blogger has withdrawn the invitation for me to upgrade my blog to the next level. I've been working on it this summer with all kinds of ideas for layouts and color schemes and organization, but now that I'm ready they won't let me. Oh, well. I'll just have to be patient.
  
• Shannon and I are taking the Dave Ramsey financial peace class at our church. It's amazing what you can do when every dollar has an assigned place to go. It takes discipline but we now have an actual (and doable!) plan to eliminate all of our debt while still building substantial savings. And it gets better: Shannon called one of the doctors we owe for Graham and he completely forgave a $1200 bill, just because we asked! When you let God run things, it's amazing what He'll do!
  
• Mom went to the hospital today with chest pain, but the doctor was able to rule out anything serious. I think he said something about the pain in her chest being all in her head, but I could've heard that wrong. Besides, what does he know, he hardly looked thirty years old and everyone knows you can't trust anyone under thirty.
  
• I turn 30 on Wednesday.
• I had my first loss in Fantasy Football this year, and wouldn't you know it – it was to Dustin.
  
• Graham is perhaps the happiest baby we've had. We always thought Tanner was quick to laugh but Graham is just a bundle of joy (so long as he's near Mom). Here's a picture of Graham Ryker sitting in Daddy's chair (notice the rare absence of Mom!):