footprints of my life...

Winning Big!

So I have had a good evening. Started out with a nap right after the last post about Skype. Then I got up, showered and went to Brent's place and grilled out with his classmates. Then on my way home about 9:00 I really didn't have anything to look forward to so I decided to stop at the Grand Casino in Gulfport. I knew it was a risky idea but one of my roommates is gone and my other roommates' wife is here so I didn't feel like going back to the house just yet. Anyway... I had planned on only getting 20 dollars out of the ATM when I first went in and that is exactly what I did. I already had 7 dollars in my wallet and that got spent in like 2 minutes at the slot machines and I didn't win a dime. Slot machines are evil.

So I walked around for awhile just watching the hustle and the bustle... Casinos are kind of a strange place... mostly older folks it seems like, sipping their free drinks and smoking cigarettes. I saw people just walk up the the rullet table, lay down 100 dollar bills on red, loose and walk on to the next table. I'm thinking, "these people have way to much money or no brains." It's likely the no brains is more accurate.

Anyway, I watch a 5 dollar minimum bet rullet table for about 10 minutes and I start thinking... "twenty bucks isn't going to go very far," so against my better judgement (this is where the lack of brains comes in) I went and got another 20 bucks out of the ATM, (I am just glad my bank, USAA, pays my withdrawal fee) went back to the table and started playing rullet.

I was doing well for about the first ten bets winning more than I was loosing... I suppose I got about about 15 - 20 bucks up at one point... but I had only been there for like 15 minutes tops so I didn't want to leave yet. Well about that time I started loosing... the ball hit black about 10 times in a row and I kept betting on red. I was also putting 5 down on Black 24 about every single time hoping it would hit. Well, I played for about another 20 to 25 minutes and I was down to 8 bucks. I put 5 on Black 24 and split the 3 dollars on 0 and 00. If I lost that I decided I was going to get up and leave and feel sorry for myself. But the roller said, "BLACK 24, we've got a WINNER!!" Take 5 times 36!! What do you get?! That's right 180 bucks!! I won 180 bucks!! Now, subtract the 8 dollar tip I gave the roller, the 7 dollars on the slots and the 40 I took out of the ATM I still came out with 125 dollars and I had only been in the casino for about 45 minutes. I cashed in my chips and left right there. Didn't even think about putting another bet down. This was the part my brains came in handy. I took my money and ran. Now I am 125 dollars richer... and it will be a really long time before I set foot in a casino again, if ever. I won. I beat the casino!! But there were 1000 other smucks there tonight who lost twice as much as I won... but do I care... not really. Now I know that gambling can be bad. But I think just about anything can be bad if you don't do it in moderation. So for me, one night at the casinos was not a bad thing. Even I would have lost. I would have left even if I hadn't of won. It's when you keep taking more and more money out and telling yourself... just one more time... that it starts to be bad.

- footprints of Chad, 12:11 AM

.: [0] Comments :.:

Friday, September 26

Skype

I tried SkypeToday for the first time since I downloaded it. Worked fairly well. I wouldn't say it was wonderful but it was good and hopefully it will be improved on. It worked really well at first but later in the conversation there started to be quite a bit of lag time (which was probably due to being connected by dial-up) between when I would say something and when the person I was talking to would hear it and that was just really annoying. Really clear though. I was very impressed with how clear it was. I guess only time will tell if Skype will come in handy while I am over seas in England. I think it will. And if they keep improving it, Skype may become the communication tool of choice in the not-so-distant future.

I am going to Alabama this weekend with my friend Brent. We are visiting some friends of his stationed in Montgomery. Should be a good time. I am really looking forward to spending some quality time with Brent. We haven't had that much opportunity and this will be it because he goes back to Utah on the 4th. It sure was nice having him down here to begin with though. Made the transition that much easier.

- footprints of Chad, 6:39 PM

Friday, September 19

BCOT, Europe and Skype

I've been at BCOT (Basic Communications Officer Training) for two months now. It's been good for the most part. Going to class from 3:30 to 12:30 is a bit different but I am getting used to it. The people in my class are great. I am actually living with two of the guys and having a really good time. I've made some pretty good friends since I've been down here but only a couple that I will keep in contact with... but that is to be expected. It's going to be cool to have friends all over the world. Two of the people that I have become friends with are going to Germany when we get done. I am definitely looking forward to visiting them there. Hopefully I will get to do some skiing. I found out not to long ago that my mom has a cousin that lives in Germany and loves to ski... and he wants me to take a trip to Germany and go skiing with him. Can't say no to that.

The fact that I am moving to Europe really hasn't sucken in yet. I suppose it won't really sink in until i've been there awhile. It's something I have always wanted to do. I mean it is really a dream come true. I am serving my country... something I have always wanted to do and I am living overseas... also something I have always wanted to do.

It is such a blessing to be living out a dream. However, I will be missing my friends and family. But it is only two years and then I will be back stateside. And with communication like email, and this new P2P voice chat program called Skype I think it will make things much easier.

Skype is just came out about two weeks ago. I haven't tried it yet because I don't have a headset to try it with and they are still working out some of the bugs in the program. But it is supposed to allow to people that are online at the same time to have a voice chat, just like a telephone call, but it will be over the internet and it will be free.

Thanks Jeremiah for showing me this new program. I am looking forward to testing it out.

- footprints of Chad, 8:19 PM

.: [0] Comments :.:

Wednesday, September 17

I don't know who wrote this but I thought it was pretty cool. My friend Dave H. gave it to me. Thanks Dave.

Believe and Be Satisfied

Everyone longs to give himself or herself completely to someone, to have a deep relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But, God to a Christian says, "No," not until you are satisfied and content with living, loved by Me alone.

I love you, my child, and until you discover that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until with Me- exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or longings. I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan existing, one that you cannot imagine.

I want you to have the best. Please allow Me to bring it to you. You just keep watching Me, expecting the great things. Keep that satisfaction knowing that I am. Keep learning and listening to the thing I tell you. And you must wait. Don't look around at the things others have gotten, or that I have given them. Don't look at the things you think you want.

Just keep looking up to Me or you'll miss what I have to show you. And then, when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love more wonderful than you would ever dream of. You see, until you are ready, and until the one I have planned for you is ready, you have to wait. I am working this very minute to have both of you ready at the same time. And until you are both satisfied exclusively with the life I've planned for you through Me, you won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me, and this is perfect Love.

And dear one, I want you to have the most wonderful love, I want you to see in the flesh a picture your relationship with Me and enjoy both materially and concretely the everlasting beauty and perfection of love that is offered to you with Myself. I love you utterly. I am God almighty.

Believe and Be Satisfied

- footprints of Chad, 2:58 AM

.: [0] Comments :.:

Sunday, September 7

College Football

I spent the entire day today watching college football. It was a much needed break from class and traveling. I think college football is great. The majority of the players are out there because they love the game. Most of the players that play Saturday afternoons will not move on to play on Sundays. College football is so exciting too. You can count on every single weekend an underdog team winning and surprising some team that was supposed to whip them to shreds. Today I saw two teams come back and win games in the 4th quarter. Come back wins are great. They came back from deficits of 19 and 23 points... I love games like that... they are so fun to watch.

I am also encouraged when watching post game interviews with players and they credit Christ for helping them during the game. I am sure there are Christians on both sides of the ball and I don't think God takes sides, but I like to see athletes giving credit to the Father for their success. Today after Miami finished there come back the quarterback was doing a post game interview and gave all credit to God for giving him the strength to carry on after being down 33-10. And as soon as the interview over he rushed over to the prayer huddle in the middle of the field with players from both sides kneeling and giving praise to the Father. It is so encouraging seeing college players giving praise to the Father.

I love college football! Go KSU Wildcats!

- footprints of Chad, 1:26 AM

.: [0] Comments :.: