Well, as soon as I get one girl home from camp the other leaves. This week it's Emily's turn to be gone. She left yesterday afternoon with our teenagers from church for GO Camp in Columbia. The house won't be too quiet, however. Our niece Kylie is staying with us for a few days to keep Grace company. They've already been swimming today, and we are heading to Dillard's tonight after supper for ice cream. I think a trip to see Kung-Fu Panda is somewhere in the plans for the week as well.
Yesterday was a cool day for our church. I've heard great things about yesterday's service and Scott's message. Everyone did a great job of making Scott feel welcome. I was honored to bring the message at Springwell yesterday. The folks there really have a heart for seeing churches work together to build the kingdom of God. Switching out pastors really helped me understand what ONE Prayer is all about. It's been a pleasure to hear teaching from different pastors each week this month. It always amazes me that God speaks through all different styles of teaching. Next week you're going to have to deal with me again. I've missed getting to teach at Freedom this month, and I can't wait for Sunday!
Some of you are probably wondering what the offering was yesterday. Remember, we are giving all of it to Mid-Town Fellowship and the GAIHN project we are partnering with Springwell on. There was still some money coming in this morning, so I will post the amount on here tomorrow. I have an estimation of what it is, but I don't want to put it on here until it is official.
Now I've just given you another reason to read this poor excuse for a blog tomorrow!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
This Sunday
Here's the vital info you need for this Sunday at Freedom:
- Scott McAllister will be bringing the message. To close out the ONE Prayer series Scott McAllister, pastor at Springwell church, will teach about his ONE Prayer for the church, while I will do the same at Springwell. Be sure and do what y'all always do, and make Scott feel loved and welcome. Scott is a real pioneer in the Greer / Taylors area when it comes to church planting. He started Springwell before church planting was fashionable, and as a result tons of lives have been changed. Scott and other guys like him helped pave the way for us to start Freedom.
- Be sure to give to the offering this week. Remember, we are giving away all regular offerings this week to two different ministries. Some will go to renovate a house in Greenville for homeless families to live in, and some will be sent to Midtown Fellowship in Columbia. If you are not in the habit of giving regularly, this week would be a great time to start.
Be there this Sunday, and bring some friends!
- Scott McAllister will be bringing the message. To close out the ONE Prayer series Scott McAllister, pastor at Springwell church, will teach about his ONE Prayer for the church, while I will do the same at Springwell. Be sure and do what y'all always do, and make Scott feel loved and welcome. Scott is a real pioneer in the Greer / Taylors area when it comes to church planting. He started Springwell before church planting was fashionable, and as a result tons of lives have been changed. Scott and other guys like him helped pave the way for us to start Freedom.
- Be sure to give to the offering this week. Remember, we are giving away all regular offerings this week to two different ministries. Some will go to renovate a house in Greenville for homeless families to live in, and some will be sent to Midtown Fellowship in Columbia. If you are not in the habit of giving regularly, this week would be a great time to start.
Be there this Sunday, and bring some friends!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Rude awakening
I woke up this morning at 1:30 to the sound of the washing machine filling up with water. There was one small problem, we hadn't turned on the washer. I jumped up, opened the door to our bedroom and stepped in water. One of the hoses on the washing machine had burst. I moved as fast as I could without falling down to turn the water off, and then Sherry and I pulled every old towel and mop out to begin the clean-up.
Thankfully, I had awoken pretty quickly, and there wasn't too much water to sop up. None of it got on any carpet, and the laundry room and hallway were the main soaked areas. I got back in bed around 2:30, and as I tried to go back to sleep I was so thankful we were home when the hose burst. We were at the beach for seven days just two weeks ago. That's a scary thought. Now I have a Lowe's trip scheduled for this evening.
On a different topic, "Divide the Sea", Ben Patat's band, played a show at a coffee house in Inman last night. Emily and I went, and they were awesome. They will be leaving out tomorrow for TN, and they won't return to SC until the end of July. The tour they are on will take them as far west as Colorado. You can follow how they are doing and how you can pray for them by regularly checking Ben's blog. He is doing some video updates that are cool.
Thankfully, I had awoken pretty quickly, and there wasn't too much water to sop up. None of it got on any carpet, and the laundry room and hallway were the main soaked areas. I got back in bed around 2:30, and as I tried to go back to sleep I was so thankful we were home when the hose burst. We were at the beach for seven days just two weeks ago. That's a scary thought. Now I have a Lowe's trip scheduled for this evening.
On a different topic, "Divide the Sea", Ben Patat's band, played a show at a coffee house in Inman last night. Emily and I went, and they were awesome. They will be leaving out tomorrow for TN, and they won't return to SC until the end of July. The tour they are on will take them as far west as Colorado. You can follow how they are doing and how you can pray for them by regularly checking Ben's blog. He is doing some video updates that are cool.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Hanging out with Emily at Barnes & Noble
Yesterday I did something awesome. I left the office early and took Emily to Barnes and Noble. Emily loves to read (I mean she really loves it), and she had a gift card that she received for Christmas she hadn't used yet. Since Grace is at camp (I still haven't cried), it was the perfect time for me and Emily to have some one on one time.
We both got frappuccinos and wandered around talking and reading the titles of books. Emily knew exactly what she had come to buy. She bought the newest Pendragon book and an Eragon paperback. I also had some birthday money with me, but I wasn't so sure what I wanted. I considered but did not buy biographies of Stevie Ray Vaughn and Chris Farley, and I looked for some type of book on Native American history (specifically Cherokee) but couldn't find anything. I must have been looking in the wrong section of the store. I did end up buying a book about Gamecock football and a Springsteen concert DVD.
Here's some other observations from our afternoon:
-Emily is really fun to hang out with. She is definitely a low-maintenance teenager. She doesn't always want me to buy her stuff, she's flexible and easy to please, and she's smart, funny, and can laugh at herself.
- It's cold in Barnes and Noble. Maybe it's because I was walking around with a Frappuccino in my hand, but by the time we left I was almost shaking.
- The Starbucks in Barnes and Noble doesn't accept Starbucks gift cards. I knew this when we went yesterday from a previous experience, but that doesn't make it any less stupid. Can anyone explain to me why they do this? I'm a simple man who can't comprehend all the complexities of the universe, but it seems that if you have a sign posted that says, "Starbucks" you should accept a Starbucks gift card.
- Ben Jones has written an autobiography. Wondering who Ben Jones is? He played Cooter on "The Dukes of Hazzard". Who is buying this book? Is the world so desperate for another book that we need to learn about the life of Cooter? I can't wait for the biographies of Schneider from "One Day at a Time", and Sam the butcher from "The Brady Bunch".
We both got frappuccinos and wandered around talking and reading the titles of books. Emily knew exactly what she had come to buy. She bought the newest Pendragon book and an Eragon paperback. I also had some birthday money with me, but I wasn't so sure what I wanted. I considered but did not buy biographies of Stevie Ray Vaughn and Chris Farley, and I looked for some type of book on Native American history (specifically Cherokee) but couldn't find anything. I must have been looking in the wrong section of the store. I did end up buying a book about Gamecock football and a Springsteen concert DVD.
Here's some other observations from our afternoon:
-Emily is really fun to hang out with. She is definitely a low-maintenance teenager. She doesn't always want me to buy her stuff, she's flexible and easy to please, and she's smart, funny, and can laugh at herself.
- It's cold in Barnes and Noble. Maybe it's because I was walking around with a Frappuccino in my hand, but by the time we left I was almost shaking.
- The Starbucks in Barnes and Noble doesn't accept Starbucks gift cards. I knew this when we went yesterday from a previous experience, but that doesn't make it any less stupid. Can anyone explain to me why they do this? I'm a simple man who can't comprehend all the complexities of the universe, but it seems that if you have a sign posted that says, "Starbucks" you should accept a Starbucks gift card.
- Ben Jones has written an autobiography. Wondering who Ben Jones is? He played Cooter on "The Dukes of Hazzard". Who is buying this book? Is the world so desperate for another book that we need to learn about the life of Cooter? I can't wait for the biographies of Schneider from "One Day at a Time", and Sam the butcher from "The Brady Bunch".
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Catching up
Yesterday was a busy Monday, and I have discovered that if I don't write a post on here before lunch it's not going to happen. It was around 3:00 yesterday when I realized I had not thought about the blog at all. Here's some random thoughts for today:
- God really used Wayne Cordiero's message to speak to me on Sunday. I am going to make an effort to study God's word and let it speak to me without me always reading it to figure out what I can teach to our people.
- Rhett and the rest of the band did a great job on "Signature of Divine (Yahweh)". In case you didn't know, that song is performed by NeedtoBreathe. They are a band from right here in the upstate.
- I think it's weird that Major League Baseball managers wear a uniform like the players do. We went to Atlanta on Friday to see the Braves play, and it made me laugh that Bobby Cox is introduced in the starting line-ups as "wearing #6 Bobby Cox". It's as if he might pick up a bat and go in as a pinch hitter if needed. What if basketball coaches wore the same uniform as their team? Imagine Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich sitting on the bench in shorts and a sleeveless jersey. On second thought, don't imagine that.
- Sherry, Emily, and I took Grace to camp yesterday morning, and I didn't cry when we left. That doesn't mean I didn't want to, I just didn't.
- We took Emily and two friends to see the new Indiana Jones movie last night. If you haven't seen it yet, I won't spoil it for you here, but I will say that the ending was out there. In fact, it was a little too out there. I would give it 2 out of 5 stars.
- God really used Wayne Cordiero's message to speak to me on Sunday. I am going to make an effort to study God's word and let it speak to me without me always reading it to figure out what I can teach to our people.
- Rhett and the rest of the band did a great job on "Signature of Divine (Yahweh)". In case you didn't know, that song is performed by NeedtoBreathe. They are a band from right here in the upstate.
- I think it's weird that Major League Baseball managers wear a uniform like the players do. We went to Atlanta on Friday to see the Braves play, and it made me laugh that Bobby Cox is introduced in the starting line-ups as "wearing #6 Bobby Cox". It's as if he might pick up a bat and go in as a pinch hitter if needed. What if basketball coaches wore the same uniform as their team? Imagine Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich sitting on the bench in shorts and a sleeveless jersey. On second thought, don't imagine that.
- Sherry, Emily, and I took Grace to camp yesterday morning, and I didn't cry when we left. That doesn't mean I didn't want to, I just didn't.
- We took Emily and two friends to see the new Indiana Jones movie last night. If you haven't seen it yet, I won't spoil it for you here, but I will say that the ending was out there. In fact, it was a little too out there. I would give it 2 out of 5 stars.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Realization #2 from this year's beach trip
One of the things I love to do every time we are at the beach is eat seafood. Fried oysters and shrimp are my favorites, but I also can tear some scallops, flounder, crab, tilapia, mahi, and just about anything else.
We tend to eat the same seafood places every year, but this year we switched things up a bit and went to a place in Murrlles Inlet called Russell's. It is a small place that features a bar that is as big as the dining area. It's decorated with all kinds of local pictures and old fishing equipment. The food was good. It wasn't the best I've had, but I really enjoyed eating there and I want to go back.
The reason why I enjoyed it so much had more to do with the atmosphere than the food. When we walked in Russell greeted us at the door. He commented on how our girls looked, and how he was glad we came by. During the meal, he stopped at our table to ask if we needed anything and asked my ten year-old nephew Austin if he was paying for everyone. Then I saw him check with the couple at the next table, and when they asked him a question about the restaurant he sat down with them and told them the history of his life in the restaurant business in Murrlles Inlet.
All of that reminded me of how important it is that when people show up at Freedom each week they are genuinely greeted. Russell let each of us know that we were the reason he had opened up the restaurant that evening. The same is true at worship each Sunday. The new person who doesn't know Jesus or is looking for a place to connect is the reason we do what we do each week.
We have a team of amazing volunteers who do a great job of greeting new folks week after week. If you are already part of that team, thank you for all you do! If you are not a part of this team and you regularly attend Freedom, you can still do what Russell does at his establishment. Look for ways to make people feel at ease when they come in every week. Try it out this week.
We tend to eat the same seafood places every year, but this year we switched things up a bit and went to a place in Murrlles Inlet called Russell's. It is a small place that features a bar that is as big as the dining area. It's decorated with all kinds of local pictures and old fishing equipment. The food was good. It wasn't the best I've had, but I really enjoyed eating there and I want to go back.
The reason why I enjoyed it so much had more to do with the atmosphere than the food. When we walked in Russell greeted us at the door. He commented on how our girls looked, and how he was glad we came by. During the meal, he stopped at our table to ask if we needed anything and asked my ten year-old nephew Austin if he was paying for everyone. Then I saw him check with the couple at the next table, and when they asked him a question about the restaurant he sat down with them and told them the history of his life in the restaurant business in Murrlles Inlet.
All of that reminded me of how important it is that when people show up at Freedom each week they are genuinely greeted. Russell let each of us know that we were the reason he had opened up the restaurant that evening. The same is true at worship each Sunday. The new person who doesn't know Jesus or is looking for a place to connect is the reason we do what we do each week.
We have a team of amazing volunteers who do a great job of greeting new folks week after week. If you are already part of that team, thank you for all you do! If you are not a part of this team and you regularly attend Freedom, you can still do what Russell does at his establishment. Look for ways to make people feel at ease when they come in every week. Try it out this week.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Happy Birthday
Today is my birthday. Although turning 39 is not as exciting as turning 6 or 16 was I discovered something today that got me pumped up. Today is also the birthday of the Tazmanian Devil! I also discovered that I share a birthday with Paula Abdul, Salman Rushdie, and Garfield, but none of them are as cool as Taz.Taz and I have something else in common as well. The story goes that after the first cartoon featuring Taz entered theaters, the head of Warner Bros animation ordered that Taz not be used again because the character was "too obnoxious". I have been accused of the same thing.
Taz made a comeback and is responsible for what I think is the funniest line spoken in a Looney Tunes cartoon. If you know what it is leave a comment. The prize for a correct answer will be the satisfaction of knowing that you watched too much TV as a child!
Have a happy Tazmanian Devil day!
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