Tim howington

I have lived most of my life like I played high school football, a little better than average. I played well enough to stay just a step or two ahead of the bench. But, no college expressed any interest and my University of Arkansas degree program was not funded by the Razorback Foundation but by the Tim Howington fund of beg, borrow and steal your way through. I married a sweet, gracious woman who has made my life wonderful. Her name is Terri and she has been putting up with me for 25+ years. We have a son named Joshua who is absolutely the best thing that ever happened to us. He is a very talented, quietly stubborn, creative, messy boy who is destined for great things. He wants you to know he loves cats even though we are technically a dog family. Right now he is obsessed with becoming an EMT.

I spent 16 years of my life as a vocational minister working with college students along with a short stint on a church staff. College students are a lot easier to work with and a lot more fun. Grown-ups live a whole different kind of life and are pretty uptight about a lot of things that aren't that important. After a messy break from church work, I entered the business world as a good-for-nothing layman. I say that because I heard a pastor say one time that "pastors are paid to be good, but laymen are good for nothing". Honestly, I loved my new role. The transition from paid minister to every day working guy has been tough because nobody seemed to know how to balance all the major areas of work, family, faith and ministry. And if they do have it together, nobody says anything. Most folks are just muddling through. The only people who seem to speak consistently into the life of a layman with any authority are the pastors. I have a growing conviction that laymen must begin to speak practical wisdom into the lives of other laymen. Interestingly enough after a decade in the restaurant business, I have transitioned back to the ministry world with a hybrid ministry that helps families with their finances. I am writing again at www.freedom5oneblog.com and www.thehowitzerrants.com.

I started writing in early 2008 because I have things to say and nobody asks me any questions. I started blogging because it's free and it a great way to capture your thoughts. That is unless the blog-site goes down and then I wonder where all my work goes. You will find that my style is a mix between practical theologian, philosopher, thinker, idealist, exhorter and depressed seeker. I subtitle my blog "random thoughts of a distracted soul." That is me to a tee! I love the Bible, and a lot of my posts will start from there. I have opinions but like to use the Word as the basis, otherwise I am pure conjecture because I am not wise. I am one of the foolish things of the world that God uses to shame the wise. Bottom line I am a traveler who is trying to be faithful to God, my job, my family and my community. Hope you like what you read!