SPlog

This Christmas kind of snuck up on me. With college and work up until the week of Christmas, I didn’t have much time for most of the family traditions that we normally did to prepare for Christmas. Also not to mention that my best friend got married the Monday before Christmas. I have been so busy, then I realized “On no, only 4 days until Christmas” time to get the Christmas shopping completed. Anyway, this Christmas I tried my best to remember the real reason we celebrate, not because of shopping, or gifts, or even the manger, or the angels. The real reason I tried to focused on was why he came in the first place. I think that this could be the best Christmas for me after all, even though I didn’t do my regular “traditions” I kept my attention to the cross, and what Jesus did for me.
We still had a great Christmas day. It snowed all night, and we had our first “White” Christmas in over 5 years. Our Church had a candlelight service the night before, and my quartet was privileged to sing two of our songs. The whole family came over for Christmas Dinner, including both brothers, and their family. We then opened all our Christmas presents. Our main gifts were given by playing the “Dirty Santa” game. It was a blast! I ended up with a $15 gift card to Subway. YUM!!
The family stayed until late that evening/night. We played video games, and board games, computers, and iPods. It was fun. My mom and dad got each a ipod touch for Christmas, that we got to play with, getting it working for them, and showing them how to work it. My mom literally jumped up and down when she found out she can access all her facebook stuff from her touch.
I enjoyed spending a lot of time playing with my niece and nephews. They are so much fun and joy. We ended the night by watching the Disney Pixar movie, UP.
Now Christmas is over, just as fast as it started, and as I end the day, I sit back and thank my God for all his blessings He’s given me… A wonderful family, Time to spend with my niece and nephews, great in-laws, the peace and joy we shared today, Heat from the cold outside, but most important for the sacrifice that makes Christmas worth Celebrating, not because he came, but why he came, so that I could have a personal relationship with God.
<!–Sam Paasch–>

This Thanksgiving fell on my Dad’s 50th birthday. So we went to his home town, Garden City KS, to celebrate with his twin brother. Everyone.. even all my cousins, aunts, and uncles on my Dad’s side were there (for the first time in about 10 years). It was amazing to see everyone in the same place. We spent all day Thanksgiving with family, and were able to take wonderful pictures of the whole family, and even put on a concert. It was very nice.
The following day we also spent there. Spending time with all the family. It was kind of weird now being older and watching the little kids play around with the stuff that we used to play with. It made me be thankful for what great memories I had with my family.
<!–Sam Paasch–>

Well, our quartet has been searching for a high tenor now. We have a sub right now, one with an amazing high voice with crystal clear singing capabilities, my sister. She has been filling in the position since Noah Lyons left. The blend of our quartet voices are unbelievable. We pray to get some more concerts soon. These last few months have been pretty rough trying to get everyone caught back up.
We’ve been working on Christmas songs lately. And were able to sing at our home church, Hillside Baptist, for the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. It went very well, although I am glad to get these songs out of the way, and now we can focus on our regular ones again. Who knows, maybe we can focus on a demo cd pretty soon.
<!–Sam Paasch–>

Friday (Sept. 18th), my mom had to go to a Mary Kay meeting (she’s a consultant now) so Abigail and I decided to spend time together. I had $5 gift card for the Palace movie theater (Thanks to ArborCare of the Ozarks), that shows movies, that are no longer in regular theaters but still not released on DVD yet, for a low price of $2.50 a ticket. So Abigail and I watched Aliens in the Attic for free. I had no trouble getting Abigail’s interest to go because Ashley Tisdale plays in it. The movie is about four aliens who try to control the earth by mind control devises that only work on adults. So it’s up to the kids to save stop the aliens and save the planet. It’s hilarious throughout the whole movie, I haven’t laughed so much in the movie theater for a long time. I definitely recommend it. Rated PG.

<!–Sam Paasch–>

I’m back at OTC again, but this time as a college student. In fact a full-time college student, so my free time has shortened like crazy. This semester I signed up for Psychology, Economics, Public Speaking, and Chemistry. Fun!?! Anyway, after a hard semester of late nights, early mornings, little sleep sometimes, I finished with one A, and three B’s. Praise the Lord. My future plans are to complete spring semester, continue during the summer for Math and Physics, and then go to Missouri State to finish my degree.

<!–Sam Paasch–>

Well while I knew School was getting ready to start up, and that my summer job would end soon. I started looking for another job. I found Palen Music. I always thought it’d be cool working at Palen, and I even tried once before at their old north location. But I never thought about getting the position I have now. Palen Music hired me to work on their graphic and web design (which I love to do anyway in my spare time.) So now I get to work, doing what I love to do, in an environment that I love, music. To check out my work on their website go to palenmusic.com

<!–Sam Paasch–>

This year was my last year being in the teen department at my church. I went to camp being a high school senior. My church goes to Sagmount Baptist Youth Camp. It was great all week long. We had an awesome time, and a great spiritual revival. My church brought 5 guys, and about 15+ girls. (yeah.. outnumbered again!)

For sports most of the games like volleyball and basketball, we just used the 5 guys. (Yeah that’s right no subs) Technically we were supposed to have 6 for volleyball, but we decided to make do and fill in the gap ourselves. We actually won our first couple of basketball games, witch was amazing because some of the games was us 5 against 10-15. One of the games we were against 5 small churches combined together.

Our volleyball games were the same. No subs, so we had to play the whole game. It was actually to our advantage because the good players were rotated more quickly on our team, compared to a team of 10-15. We had several close games, but all-in-all we amazingly took first place. It was awesome.

I was entered in several talent categories, including piano and preaching. I got superior ribbon for piano. For preaching, I set a new camp record; longest sermon. It was my last year, and last time to be able to preach in front of 200+ for awhile, so I didn’t abide by the time limit, and preached four minutes overtime. I got the lowest score because I had 120 penalty points. Anyway I also did a piano duet with my sister, and halfway through we switched places (it was cool), and toward the end I got to much “into the song”. People told me that I started to bob my head a little. I told Abigail before to just relax and go with the flow, so I guess I took my own advise a little too seriously.

Every year there’s a Bible quiz for those who choose to participate. We study long ahead of time, and then at camp take the quiz. Then on the last day the top three teams (2-4 people in a team) battle it off in a quiz-off. This year the team I was on got to be one of the three. So we studied harder than ever and ended up taking first place in that too.

Although this was my last year, I really think it was the best year I’ve ever had a camp. And I really thank God for the chance I got to participate, and for the people who took time off to make it possible.

<!–Sam Paasch–>

As I’ve mentioned before, I sing with the Steppin’ Out Quartet. We have been singing for over a year now, and I love it.

Every year for the Sunday closest to the 4th of July, our church has a big dinner on the grounds during a concert, followed by a big fireworks show. This year my church asked the quartet to sing for the concert. It was great.

<!–Sam Paasch–>

This past June my truck broke down, so I had to get another one. Well I’ve been looking for a job for a while, but then I had to really get a job real quick. I was able to get hired for the summer at ArborCare of the Ozarks, the best Tree Service, period. This meant that I would be working outside the whole time, which I was used to anyway with mowing. So I started working 40 hours a week.

I liked working for ArborCare. I somewhat liked the physical labor, and I got to know my co-worker real well too. When my mom found out that part of my job would be operating a log chipper, she then didn’t want me to have the job. My Grandma even told me not to show up for my first day of work. But I got through it without any serious injury…lol. (I have to admit that the first week on the job I had a little roping problem and got smashed against a pile of logs and the curb.) But I still loved working.

I got to know my co-worker real well during this time. He climbed the trees to cut the limbs while I dragged them off to be chipped. He trained me how to effectively cut the lower “suckers”, and to crown clean the tree. I got to run the chain saw, gas trimmers, and even the stump grinder a couple of times. The only thing he couldn’t teach me was climbing the tree, (if only I had worked there a bit longer just to climb at least one tree..)

I really liked the boss, and the owner, (small inside joke). They were really good to me and I can see that they really take care of their workers. They really made the experience on the job great. My summer went by quickly because I was always busy, but I will never forget this job, or the people I worked with.

<!–Sam Paasch–>

As many people know already. This spring I bought a 1979 Chevy Silverado. It was big silver and beat up. It ran great though, and started up everytime (after I got a new battery.) Anyway this is the story of how my truck “The Beast” died.

For a couple of weeks The Beast had a problem.. It leaked a lot (oil).. in small amounts, but all the time. I guess it was from old age, as many deal with a leaking problem in their late age. Then toward the end of his life The Beast started having some congestion, as it coughed all the time.. (a clicking noise from the moter) I didn’t realize it at the time but it was caused from the leaking problem.

On Wednesday night the 3rd of June.. it made it’s last run.. on the way to Sonic from church, The Beast had a terrible cough this night. I tried to get it to the nearest gas station to check it’s oil level, but it was too late.. on the way it collapsed from Congestive Heart Failure (The engine locked up). I pulled it over into an empty lot to examine it, called for emergency medical help (my Dad and my Youth Pastor, John Bingham) but it was too late The Beast had died of a heart attack. Apperently it lost a load (all it’s oil) on the highway earlier the day as it was soaked underneath.

We will mourn the tragic death of our long lost friend The Beast. It was faithful ’til the end. It’s memory will always live on as Sam’s First Truck.

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The following Saturday, June 6th,I was able to purchase a new silver truck.. A 1999 Dodge Dakota. It’s name was debated for a while.. as it definitally wasn’t a beast.. it was too sleak.. so the name The Bullet was given to it… (not referencing the alcoholic beverage) It is “The Bullet”.. NOT THE SILVER BULLET!!!.. Anyway… I know i’ve had it for a month now and haven’t updated any post.. I’ve been busy with my new job… What is my new job? you ask? Well that is another story for another note on another day..

THanks for reading..

Sam Paasch