If I am honest....

If I am honest…on my 33rd birthday 

Today is my 33rd birthday. I figured this was a good time as any to be honest with myself. 

I have been happy, sad, anger and mad. But it is best knowing that I am forgiven, giving grace and mercy with tomorrow being another fresh day. 
I have gone to a NASCAR race for free and paid to sleep in a tent for a week.
I have worked in Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio and North Carolina. Been in airports more than I care to say and hotels too. But plenty of rental cars have been driven (not commuted) and hit their governors!!
I have crashed two racecars, and two street cars. Plus a ton of Figure-8 and demo derby cars (turning a Delta 88 into a Delta 44) and auto-crossed for a magazine one time. And had a time I was saved from getting plowed by a grey Dodge pick-up going the wrong way on I-75. 

I am blessed 

I have built houses in Newport News, VA and shovel three foot of muck out of living rooms in New Orleans and Mississippi. Been to West Virginia after floods, Tennessee after storms and went to Mississippi 8 weeks after Hurricane Katrina.
I have danced to Cotton Eyed Joe and N’Sync, looked crazy too. Been crazy on a dance floor, in a go-kart and at the breakfast table. 
Been to Cedar Pointe, Sea World, Disney World, museums, zoos, aquariums and auto shows 
I have gone fishing, gone hunting (but mostly sat in the woods and froze) and gone racing.
Been to many churches, wish I could go back to some and some I wish never to step back into. 

I am blessed 

Went to Italy, went to Canada and went home too. 
Been in the newspaper and magazines
I have ate at McDonalds, Taco Bell and Wendys…all in one day.
I am a former board of director’s member, secondary response disaster relief worker, youth mission trip chaperone and camera man 
I have cried after a football game and laughed at funerals. I have driven a racecar called Old Glory and been called Captain America 
Been to racetracks at Indy, Bristol, Daytona, Michigan, New Hampshire, Grattan, Flat Rock, Toledo, Dixie, Auto City, Merritt, Mid-Ohio, and Waterford Hills. The last two I actually raced at. 105 mph at Mid-Ohio and flipping at Waterford Hills (with a few wins). Plus I have a sand trap named after me! 
I have played softball, baseball, basketball, 7 man football, volleyball, tennis, golf (well at least I continue to attempt to play), racquetball, croquet, and I know a ton of card and board games. 

I am blessed

Concerts - I have seen newboys, MercyMe, Jars of Clay, TOBY Mac, S.C. Chapman, Michael W., Rebecca St. James, Tomlin, Chrowder, American Idols (Mandisa, David Dunn & Colton Dixon), Kid rock, Chicago, Trans Siberian Orchestra, the Doobie brothers and many more. 
My kids are awesome, 1B and 1C to my amazing wife (and she did not require me to write that)! 

I am blessed 

The best days of my life…knowing Jesus, being baptized, my best-friend telling me she would marry me, wedding day and the day Jasper and Raelee were born. 
The worst…there are those too.

I am blessed 

When you ask me what I do for a living, I usually say I am an engineer. I work for a great automotive company. I wanted to be an engineer since 7th grade. I was inspired by Alan Kulwicki. A Polish Catholic engineer from the mid-west (Wisconsin) that left everything behind to be a NASCAR racecar driver and owner. I figure if he, a northern redneck, could be an engineer and go race, so could I! I think it turned out alright. But of course I am more then just an engineer. I should say..."what do I do for a living...be the best husband, father and follower of Jesus Christ I can be. Learn from Him, wiser peoples and be better tomorrow than I was today."
I get to go to Frankenmuth (very soon), Cedar Pointe, Michigan International Speedway, Mackinaw and Winter Jam in 2015…I get to create memories with my wife and kids…and I can not wait.

I am blessed. 

I have loved and been loved and I am loved. I know I have loved and not been loved back. Probably made that mistake too. 
I have great friends, best friends, and people who were friends. 
I have had people walk away and had to do the same.
I have been grateful, been cursed and probably cursed a few times too many. 
Some things God has taken away from me. His choice, not mine. And I am better off for it. 

I am still blessed 

I definitely do not have it all figured out, I just want to be better everyday
I want to give life…not take it. Sometime I don’t do that. I am sorry. I have lived a complete life. I am blessed. 

This may have been a little self serving, self focused and probably with a lot of grammar issues. Thanks for reading.

I love you all. 

 Jesus died when he was 33. When I turned 16, 18, 21, 25, 30…none of it was a big deal to me. But the last few weeks I have just reflected on my life. It was time to be honest…I am blessed.