Living Hazzardously

Little pieces of our journey with Jesus

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Judge not ye scumbags

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Is it an easy thing to point out other people’s faults? Intellectuall honesty means we should be able to see our own faults with more clarity?  If this is true, why am I so blind to identify my own shortcomings? What does the bible say about this?

Matthew 7:3-5 talks about self examination so that you can rightly judge others, it does not say to not judge others but rather, examine yourself first… 

Luke 6:41-42 Talks again about a small fault in another person while ignoring a massive fault in your own life. Again, not saying to ignore another persons fault, but rather examine self in an honest and intellectual manner FIRST

Hypocrisy of looking at another persons faults instead of your own and clear instruction to first do this self examination so you can examine another without deception and bias, leads us to see a clear path.  

Constant & honest self-assessment is required to avoid self-deception and to ensure we are living according to faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Rather than hiding flaws, making cheap excuses for your own faults, Christians are commanded and urged to perform self “fault finding” and then to resolve that fault before helping others… So in a way, it’s putting self first? 

Paul admits his own struggles in Romans 7:15-24

We are told to confess sins to one another James 5:16

The old saying (para phrased) “Judge not! Least ye be judged” leaves out the next part “For in the same manner you judge others is how you too shall be judged”

On this Mothers-Day, let’s seek forgiveness, let’s self examine, let’s restore our honesty to self. 

Moms are never perfect, but neither are kids and husbands and brothers and sisters and dads and wives and ALL HUMANS. 

In loving memory of my mother who struggled her entire life with the idea of judgement & forgiveness. I thank the Lord he made this clear to her in the year 2009, when she was released from the oppressive  terms of “JUDGE NOT” and “FORGIVE AND FORGET” by opening her bible with me and reading the scriptures for what they really had to say. 

Happy Mothers day to my dear mother, who is now dancing in heaven

And to my loving bride who finds she needs to forgive my way too often.

In journey with Christ, and his love. C.

The thankless job

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Jess and I struggle from time to time with the thankless job of providing. Yes, it’s thankless, almost always. It got me thinking today as I was feeling “grumpy” and hurt about not getting thanked this week.  

I remembered the story of a man (let’s call him Jim) who helped his neighbor (lets call him Bob). Bob was sick, Jim cut his lawn without being asked. As Bob continued to be sick for some time, Jim just kept cutting the lawn. Week after week, grass turned to snow shovelling, and eventually back to lawn care. At first there were some random thank-yous and words of appreciation. Slowly that faded into smiles and nods but eventually that even disappeared. It just became “what Jim did”. The next winter Jim noticed Bob was doing more activities. One day Jim noticed Bob’s car loaded up with skis and winter accessories. The next weekend Bob was loaded up to go snowmobiling. Jim had never asked for anything in return, he just helped Bob, that was it. Jim had felt compassion for Bob in a time of need. 

The next snowfall came, Jim left the snow on Bob’s driveway and sidewalk. Jim didn’t clear the snow from the snowplow either. Jim simply cleared his own and left the neighbors as is… Bob opened the garage door that fate-filled morning and with how deep the snow was on the driveway, he couldn’t get to work… With great indignance, Bob stormed over and launched a formal complaint on the front step of Jim’s home. Bob cited how he was going to be late for work because of the inept behavior of Jim. “How can you treat me so poorly!” Bob bellowed through the door as to make sure his words would pass Jims wife and clearly reach Jim’s selfish ears! Everyone in the neighborhood would now be clear on how worthless a fellow Jim was… not clearing the driveway in a timely manner…. TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! 

As Bob stormed off back home, he saw Jim’s wife walking over, winter boots, parka and a snow shovel. Bob spun around, rised his voice…. starting his rant about how lazy her husband must be to send his wife out to do his job… She simply replied “I’m sorry for my husband’s neglect, I will be handling the snow removal from now on, you see, Jim had a heart attack this morning before he got to your driveway and he died.”

I know this is a made up story about a man that was in need and came to expect and feel entitled to Jim’s labor, but how often do we do that same thing? Ohh I’m sure the names are different, and the expectations are different.  It may be “Snap” or maybe it’s called “public benefits”, “Economic assistance” or “Financial assistance”… or maybe it is snow removal or lawn mowing…  

My point is this, if we are doing something out of the goodness of our hearts, we should give like Jim’s wife gave. The goodness of our giving should always point to the goodness of God who gave more than any person can give… God gave us what we don’t deserve. And keeps giving. 

God gave us eternal life, how do we repay God? Do we go skiing? Do we go snowmobiling? Do we make sure to catch the big game on Sunday morning? Do we become indignant when we feel like we deserve More? Or do we shovel our neighbor’s driveway, expecting nothing in return? Do we go to church? Do we read his word? Do we want to get to know God? Invite God over to our house? I know I don’t give God all he deserves, how about you?

Find someone today, say thank you. Then find that dusty old bible, read Proverb chapter1 verse 7.

Give thanks today because you have a lot to be thankful for, and let somebeody who helps you know they are appreciated.

In the service of our Lord, C.

Where have all the workers gone?

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WARNING!! incoming rant. I warned you!

Are you interested in learning a great trade? Are you interested in making a good living? Are you interested in living where others go to vacation? 

If you answered yes, then I have a deal for you!! 

If I could hire a good employee, I would hire him tomorrow… It’s an odd thing that 44.8% of the population in North Itasca don’t have jobs!

“In Itasca County, MN, the labor force participation rate for the population aged 16 and older is approximately 55.2%, according to 2020-2024 U.S. Census Bureau data. This implies that roughly 44.8% of the population aged 16+ is not in the civilian labor force (not working and not looking for work). 

Census.gov +1”

I personally have more than 3 full time jobs. 

I turn down work alot… because I just can’t do more work. I’m getting older, I am slowing down, my knee is messed up from years of hard labor and I discovered the 36” pipe wrench is a lot heavier now.

Nobody is interested in working for me… ARE YOU KIDDING?? NOBODY WANTS TO WORK PERIOD!! The HVAC-R industry is screaming for new workers, but there are none, and when you do find one, they struggle with… working. 

A great man once said “Most folks miss opportunities because they usually are dressed in cover-alls” (or something like that.) But the reality is much more than a generation that won’t work.

REGARDLESS of what I pay, they just don’t work. 

And now the new laws on “safe and sick time” (1:30 hrs is paid time off), family leave time off (20 weeks off out of 52 weeks) And then fees If I pay a guy $100 for working, I also pay about $40 MORE to the government… on top of his pay… then he still needs to pay his taxes and fees… Did you know I need to pay the government a huge portion of money just to work for myself? I pay the first $16 dollars of every $100, TO WORK FOR MYSELF! Then I start to pay my taxes and fees… the bottom line is if you bill for $1,000,000.00 in gross sales, you actually only earn about $60,000.00.

A little one man HVAC shop, it’s no wonder I can’t find anyone that wants to work. 

I can get $1200.00 each month if I decide to not work…Plus money for smokes. 

The last three guys I’ve hired either don’t show up, show up and sit around on the phone or just stand there looking at me while I do the work…

Over my lifetime in the trades, I’ve had hundreds of techs work under my supervision. Some techs showed up in flip flops and shorts to work in a large boiler room. Some techs have thrown their tool bag over the edge of a roof because I “told them” rather than “asking them” to remove the hood from an exhaust fan at Famous Dave BBQ on South Robert street … .

I helped run a business that grew from just the owner and myself to over 10 guys. I worked for the largest non-union shop in the Minneapolis St.Paul area. I’ve built 200 ton refrigerated Corn coolers. Replaced and repaired boilers of 500 HP. I have Maintained my Chief boilers licences for over 20 years. I got my refrigerant handling licence before they had a registration program… 

I have been a maintenance tech, an install tech and the lead troubleshooter.

I’ve been the tech that quotes and runs large repair and replacement jobs.

I’ve seen the Stubborn, the Cocky and the Humble.

I’ve worked with the Dangerous, the Overly safe, and the Clueless. 

I’ve managed the Introvert, the Extrovert and the Backstabber.

I’ve Hired, Fired and Trained. 

Worked for the man, worked with the man and been the man

I have seen it all!! So why am I telling you this? Something has changed! I mean dramatically changed. 

I’m writing this out of frustration for you, my customers… I wish I could hire a guy that wants to work, learn a trade and carry on the long traditions we had in our industry of learning on the job.

A quick Google search reveals these disturbing facts

The trades are the way to go as a young guy starting out…  it’s harder to find anyone to fill the ever increasing hole in labor and prices are reflecting this even more.  Only a few short years ago I could replace a furnace for under $4000.00, now it’s closer to $7000.00… but soon that same furnace will cost $12,000.00 because the market will demand it… Imagine a bidding war at -40 degrees to have a furnace replaced. How much would you be willing to pay when your furnace dies at -30 degrees? Because the highest bidder gets the furnace when there are 4 furnaces to replace and the tech can only do one furnace… 

In closing, it’s an excellent time to be in the trades as a young guy, starting out… want to make $1,000,000.00 in three years after starting up? Well, that’s actually an easy goal in HVAC, even up here in the middle of nowhere. (just remember, that’s $1,000,000.00 gross, after the government takes its cut you will have $60,000.00)

But don’t worry, at least your employees will get time off that is paid. 

So bottom line, I don’t blame the younger generations, I blame the older generations, they built this mess, and my generation is just surviving the mess, the younger generations are living in this mess and the Gov keeps taking more and getting bigger… 

I grew a great opportunity to pass this trade on to the next guy that wants to do well in life, turns out, they all moved west. 

I try to stay out of this topic for the most part but today? Well, its a mess.

Good thing I know Jesus, How is your relationship with Jesus? 

God Bless, C.