diff --git a/internal/config/initialize.go b/internal/config/initialize.go
index f499a77..16ee1a3 100644
--- a/internal/config/initialize.go
+++ b/internal/config/initialize.go
@@ -1,81 +1,38 @@
 package config
 
 import (
-	"log/slog"
+	"log"
 	"os"
-	"reflect"
-	"strconv"
 	"time"
 )
 
-type Config struct {
-	// time configuration
-	TimeFormat    string         `default:"2006-01-02 15:04:05" env:"time_format"`
-	TimeZoneLocal string         `default:"America/Chicago"     env:"time_zone"`
-	TZLocal       *time.Location `ignored:"true"`
-	TZUTC         *time.Location `ignored:"true"`
+func Init() Config {
+	cfg := New()
 
-	// logging
-	LogLevel  int            `default:"50"   env:"log_level"`
-	Log       *slog.Logger   `ignored:"true"`
-	SLogLevel *slog.LevelVar `ignored:"true"`
-
-	// webserver
-	WebServerPort         int    `default:"8080"    env:"webserver_port"`
-	WebServerIP           string `default:"0.0.0.0" env:"webserver_ip"`
-	WebServerReadTimeout  int    `default:"5"       env:"webserver_read_timeout"`
-	WebServerWriteTimeout int    `default:"1"       env:"webserver_write_timeout"`
-	WebServerIdleTimeout  int    `default:"2"       env:"webserver_idle_timeout"`
-}
-
-// New initializes the config variable for use with a prepared set of defaults.
-func New() Config {
-	cfg := Config{
-		SLogLevel: new(slog.LevelVar),
+	cfgInfo, err := getStructInfo(&cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Unable to initialize program: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	cfg.Log = slog.New(slog.NewTextHandler(os.Stdout, &slog.HandlerOptions{
-		Level: cfg.SLogLevel,
-	}))
+	// get command line flags
+	if err := cfg.parseFlags(cfgInfo); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Unable to initialize program: %v", err)
+	}
 
+	// set logging Level
+	setLogLevel(&cfg)
+
+	// set timezone & time format
+	cfg.TZUTC, _ = time.LoadLocation("UTC")
+	cfg.TZLocal, err = time.LoadLocation(cfg.TimeZoneLocal)
+	if err != nil {
+		cfg.Log.Error("Unable to parse timezone string", "error", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	// print running config
+	printRunningConfig(&cfg, cfgInfo)
+
+	// return configuration
 	return cfg
 }
-
-func setLogLevel(cfg *Config) {
-	switch {
-	// error
-	case cfg.LogLevel <= 20:
-		cfg.SLogLevel.Set(slog.LevelError)
-		cfg.Log.Info("Log level updated", "level", slog.LevelError)
-	// warning
-	case cfg.LogLevel > 20 && cfg.LogLevel <= 40:
-		cfg.SLogLevel.Set(slog.LevelWarn)
-		cfg.Log.Info("Log level updated", "level", slog.LevelWarn)
-	// info
-	case cfg.LogLevel > 40 && cfg.LogLevel <= 60:
-		cfg.SLogLevel.Set(slog.LevelInfo)
-		cfg.Log.Info("Log level updated", "level", slog.LevelInfo)
-	// debug
-	case cfg.LogLevel > 60:
-		cfg.SLogLevel.Set(slog.LevelDebug)
-		cfg.Log.Info("Log level updated", "level", slog.LevelDebug)
-	}
-	// set default logger
-	slog.SetDefault(cfg.Log)
-}
-
-func printRunningConfig(cfg *Config, cfgInfo []structInfo) {
-	for _, info := range cfgInfo {
-		switch info.Type.String() {
-		case "string":
-			p := reflect.ValueOf(cfg).Elem().FieldByName(info.Name).Addr().Interface().(*string)
-			cfg.Log.Debug("Running Configuration", info.Alt, *p)
-		case "bool":
-			p := reflect.ValueOf(cfg).Elem().FieldByName(info.Name).Addr().Interface().(*bool)
-			cfg.Log.Debug("Running Configuration", info.Alt, strconv.FormatBool(*p))
-		case "int":
-			p := reflect.ValueOf(cfg).Elem().FieldByName(info.Name).Addr().Interface().(*int)
-			cfg.Log.Debug("Running Configuration", info.Alt, strconv.FormatInt(int64(*p), 10))
-		}
-	}
-}