Eight Hundred and Five Feet

by Chet 31. May 2011 08:52
So I own 800 feet of prime Morgan County pond front. That's how long it is if you walk the edge of my pond all the way across my property. I set out yesterday to trim the tall grass around the pond. When I do trimming I typically just fill the gas tank and work till it runs out. I can't do all my property in one day anyways - time and energy don't allow it. So I'm getting near the end and wondering if I'm going to run out of gas before I finish... it has been long, hard work. And I ask myself, "What will I do? Will I stop short of my goal, or will I go get more gas and finish the job?" I get to the end of the pond and am amazingly not out of gas. So I do like I always do and keep trimming, planning to go until I run out of gas. I run out of gas not FIVE FEET after I left the edge of the pond. And of course, what's playing in my ears? A song by Lincoln Brewster about a passage in the book of Isaiah about God giving us strength to walk and not faint, run and not be weary, etc.  ... [More]

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God of the Compost Pile

by Chet 31. May 2011 08:47
I love this analogy by John Piper and figured I'd better get it recorded here so I don't lose it (again). The Compost Pile - John Piper So what about the compost pile? Picture your marriage as a grassy field. You enter it at the beginning full of hope and joy. You look out into the future and you see beautiful flowers and trees and rolling hills. And that beauty is what you see in each other. Your relationship is the field and flowers and the rolling hills. But before long, you begin to step in cow pies. Some seasons of your marriage they may seem to be everywhere. Late at night they are especially prevalent. These are the sins and flaws and idiosyncrasies and weaknesses and annoying habits in you and your spouse. You try to forgive them and endure them with grace. But they have a way of dominating the relationship. It may not even be true, but it feels like that’s all there is—cow pies. I think the combination of forbearance and forgiveness lea... [More]

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Piling Rocks by Moonlight

by Chet 13. May 2011 22:04
I suppose to be more accurate I should say that I'm blogging by the backlight of my laptop's screen, but piling rocks by moonlight sounds much more idealistic. Plus, I AM outside on our deck, at 10PM, with a cup of coffee, and everyone else in my household either in bed, in a stall, or out for the night. (And no, Erin is not the one in a stall.) And it's not at all quiet. The bullfrogs are out. The peepers are out. Occasionally the sound of an unmufflered ATV drifts across the fields. And junebugs. They appear to have shown up early. Nonetheless, here I am. Finally quiet. It's been a busy, yet not so busy, week. So often I get lulled into this idea that I'm either succeeding or NOT succeeding based on how busy I am. So during a week like this week, I'd be utterly confused! I picked up a nice sized project for a client where loyalties go both ways, and have another project on the horizon that is so big in scope that it defies my imagination; yet my role in it is to scale it down to t... [More]

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More than Conquerers - Stories of Two Chets

by Chet 2. May 2011 22:39
A few days ago, Mark Layton (our associate pastor) put a post on Facebook about testimonies for the revival services we're having right now: “I am asking for volunteers to share a testimony about how God has delivered you from a difficult situation and made you ‘more than a conqueror.’” I’ve been through my share of spiritual ups and downs in my life, and sure, some of them have felt like victories… but “more than a conqueror?” I wrote back and said “I find that some of my best of days are simply battlefield victories and skirmish triumphs.” When I think of conquerors, I think of people like Brian Jennings, our guest speaker, referred to yesterday. Missionaries who give their lives to their work and don’t live to see the results of their labors. Martyrs who die for their faith. People that really give up something valuable, you know? People like this guy – Chet Bitterman. Not only does he have a cool name, but he... [More]

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Compelled

by Chet 2. May 2011 08:00
“The flower falls and the grass fades away, but the Word of the Lord stands forever.” (something like that)God, I want my life to MATTER. I want TODAY to matter. Is that selfish of me?You are the maker of all things, the master of the universe, the designer of DNA… and yet I find it so easy to wake up in the morning focused on myself… my success, my purpose, my lack of sleep, or my need for coffee.Re-center me on Jesus today. Remove me from the equation. Solo Gloria Deo.Does just saying that make it happen? Of course not. What DOES, then? How DO I put the focus back on you and take it off my own joy, misery, busyness, and rest?Perhaps I’m somewhat like Sampson. Destined to bring you praise, but living futility in my own strength. Glory eventually did come to you, Father, but not until he was literally removed from the equation. I choose to give you my life. Make me a living sacrifice. I want my days to LIVE for you (although I’d be fine with dying ... [More]

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About Me

Chet Cromer

Hey there. My name's Chet. This is my blog. By trade, I'm an IT Consultant, focusing on data driven software and web development. By identity, though, I'm much more than that. I am an adopted son of God, strong and courageous. I have plenty of faults, but they do not define me. I have a past, but it is not my destiny. I have lots of blood relatives, but most of them do not share hemoglobin with me, but rather simply the blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

This is one of my spots to write. I love writing, but don't do it enough. I run a website called A Walk Through The Word that is also all about writing, but it's more in the context of a once-a-year trip-through-the Bible. This is simply my spot to let stuff out. To vent. To praise. To commentary on whatever it is I want to commentary on.

I'm building a new site called ME2U. This is a set of tools for adults invested in the lives of teens and kids who need useful communication tools founded on accountability, safety, and persistent positive input.

And so that's that. Read along. Discover who I am and what makes me tick. I hope here that you will find glimpses of a life beyond the shallow world often defined by our careers, relationships, and expectations.

If you'd like to catch me on some other parts of the web, just Google me... there's only one other "Chet Cromer" that I know of, and I think you'll be able to tell the difference. Or you can find me here:

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It now appears that every member of my family has a blog. My wife has a most interesting take on the world, and I've set up a blog for each of my kids for me to write them notes, share memories and photos, and hopefully prepare a gift to hand them later in life.

Erin: Myrtles and Muffins

Colton: coltoncromer.com

MaKenna: makennacromer.com

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