Mike B's Blog

A Special Message for Valentine's Day

2010-02-12T10:14:00.002-06:00

With Valentine's Day only 2 days off I thought it would be appropriate to give all the guys out there this special message. This song contains some very good advice for all us guys out there who are married, or those engaged to be married. Here's hoping you say the right things this Valentine's Day.

Undercover Boss

2010-02-09T12:00:00.001-06:00

CBS premiered a new reality show Sunday night called Undercover Boss. I watched the last half of the show when it aired, then went back and caught the first half online. I must say I was impressed. I'm typically not a fan of reality TV, but this one is great. The concept is ingenious. The top executive from the selected company goes undercover and works various jobs within the organization to see what the employees go through in a typical day. You can check out the first full episode by clicking the link below.

Undercover Boss

In this episode, Larry O'Donnell, President and COO of Waste Management, worked alongside employees doing a variety of undesirable jobs, including cleaning port-a-potties and running a garbage collection route. In each job, Mr. O'Donnell was able to learn exactly what his employees did day after day and the challenges they faced, often caused by policies he had implemented. He saw how these policies, for example a productivity quota for the garbage collection route, actually made the employees' jobs more difficult and less enjoyable.

At the end of the show the boss brings each employee he worked with in one at a time to reveal his true identity and explain why he went undercover. After seeing how many policies handed down from the corporate office negatively affected employee morale and productivity, Mr. O'Donnell promised to make changes. By getting in the trenches and learning exactly what his people do, the boss was able to better understand and connect with his employees. What a great concept!

I am looking forward to the next episode, which will air Sunday night at 8:00 PM CST on CBS. I think every CEO in the country needs to do something like this. There are far too many bosses out there who have no idea what many of the people who are the backbone of the company do on a daily basis. Undercover Boss is giving executives a chance to really connect with their employees and create a more positive work environment. Kudos to the creators of this show for a very well thought out and interesting idea. I love it!

If you want the latest Undercover Boss news and updates about the show you can follow them on Twitter.

Our Battle is not Against Flesh and Blood

2010-02-08T12:00:00.013-06:00

Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Ephesians 6:11-13 (HCSB)

Our Sunday School lesson yesterday was all about getting the right mindset. Set your mind on the spiritual things, not the things of this world. Part of the lesson talked about how society today views religion and spiritual matters. There was a statistic shown that just startled me.

Four out of every ten Christian parents of children between the ages of 3 and 18 said they do not face any spiritual challenges in their lives.

WHAT??? How in the world can a Christ follower claim to be that (a Christian) yet at the same time say they do not face spiritual challenges? As a believer we should be acutely aware that we are in a spiritual battle daily. "Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but...against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens." What is really scary about the statistic above is that if 40% of these parents don't think they face spiritual challenges then their kids most likely think the same way.

We talked at length yesterday about the moral decline in this country. I think the statistic cited above might be a pretty good indicator of why. Lots of folks (not just parents) don't seem to believe we are in a spiritual battle. Perhaps that's because many of the so-called Christians aren't really a threat to the spiritual forces. Our pastor touched on this yesterday in his sermon talking about how we are not persecuted for our faith, possibly because we are not a threat. I think that may be more of a reality than many of us would like to admit. If we, as followers of Jesus Christ, are living as we should and truly doing His work, then we would see and understand the spiritual battle that is raging daily all around us. Satan would and should see us as a threat.

So, I go back to the verses from Ephesians. Only when we accept our responsibility as Christ followers and put on the full armor of God will we be able to stand against the spiritual forces of evil. We need to do that daily and turn the moral values of this country around. Going back to the statistic it starts at home. Christian parents need to stand up and fight against the powers of darkness and raise godly children who will do the same. There is a spiritual battle raging. Will you stand and fight?

Rare Snow in Tennessee

2010-01-30T14:54:00.005-06:00

We got a real treat here in middle Tennessee yesterday and last night. A rare snow blanketed the area. Here at our house we had about 3-4 inches of white stuff, then another inch of ice on top of that. Other areas in middle TN measured snow accumulations ranging from 3-10 inches. Driving was a bit tricky, but that's OK because the snow is great. Kids have been out sledding and having fun all day. Of course all our weekend activities were canceled, but that's fine. We can relax at home and just stay warm.

I got out this morning to capture the beauty before anyone had a chance to walk through the
snow covered yard. I'll share a few of the pics here.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere There's Signs

2010-01-29T14:14:00.007-06:00

Signs are all around us. From traffic signs to billboards we see a variety of signs every day. I wonder how often we drive or walk right by some signs that, if we took the time to read, are downright funny. For this week's Friday Funny here are some funny signs. I don't know if all (or any) of these are real, but I find them amusing and hope you will as well.

Which way do I go?

Don't you see the invisible sidewalk?

Hopefully no emergencies will arise soon!

No explanation required.

Yum!!!

Don't say we didn't warn you!

I guess they're planning for your extended stay.

Really???

I saved the best for last! :-)

My Top 2 Favorite Hope for Haiti Now Performances

2010-01-28T11:23:00.003-06:00

And now, here are my selections for the top 2 best performances from the Hope for Haiti Now benefit telethon. I think these two ladies are incredibly talented and have amazing voices. The first (my #2 choice) is Christina Aguilera performing Lift Me Up. The second (my #1 pick) is a stirring rendition of I'll Stand By You from Shakira.

More Performances from Hope for Haiti Now

2010-01-27T09:31:00.004-06:00

As promised in Monday's post here are 2 more of my top 5 favorite performances from last week's Hope for Haiti Now benefit telethon. The first is Stevie Wonder singing Bridge Over Troubled Water. The second features Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock and Keith Urban performing Lean On Me. I hope to post my top 2 favorites within the next couple of days.

"Hallelujah" - from Hope for Haiti Now

2010-01-25T13:52:00.003-06:00

I want to start this post by saying I am not at all a fan of Justin Timberlake's music. However, I saw this performance of Hallelujah during the Hope for Haiti Now benefit concert and thought it was wonderful. In fact, this is one of my top 5 favorite performances from that show. So, I decided to make it this week's Music Monday blog post. Stay tuned for more from my top 5 later this week.

Proud Father & Coach

2010-01-24T15:19:00.004-06:00

For the second consecutive year I am the assistant coach for Rachel's Upward basketball team. Yesterday we played our third, and best, game of the season. The team played a great game, and I was very proud of them. As a coach you always want everyone on the team to try their best, play their hardest, and come out on top. I can say that is exactly what happened yesterday. The girls fought hard, played tough, and got their first win of the season. I can't say enough about how well they all played.

As a father, you always want your own child to shine when they are playing sports, or an instrument, or whatever they are doing. I am proud of Rachel for the way she played yesterday. We have spent lots of time in practice talking about and working on rebounding. I typically coach the defense during games and really stress the importance of good rebounding. I'm sure Rachel might be a little tired of hearing me talk about it, but I think it has sunk in. We don't keep stats on rebounds, but I would guess Rachel was in double digits Saturday. She was going after the ball both on offense and defense. Not only that, she did a great job driving to the basket and putting up shots. She went to the line for the first time after being fouled. Although she missed both free throws, both hit the rim and the second was very close to going in. Not too shabby for her first trip to the line. She ended the game with 6 points, including the final basket of the game at the buzzer. As a father I was, and am, very proud of her!

After each game in Upward basketball we present colored stars to the players. There are 5 stars...Red (defense), Gray (offense), Blue (effort), Gold (sportsmanship) and White (Christ-likeness). Rachel was presented a Gray star this week for offense. As I told her, I could have given her both Gray and Red because she played so well on both sides. Everyone on the team could have received the Blue star for effort. Every girl played hard and was worn out by the end of the game.

I am very proud of our team for the way the played this week. It makes me happy, as a coach, to see everyone working together and playing hard. I hope this performance motivates the girls to stay focused and continue to play hard for the remainder of the season. Great job Liberty!

Responding to the Voice of Christ

2010-01-17T20:33:00.003-06:00

Today at ClearView Baptist church our pastor began a new sermon series. We are studying the first three chapters of the book of Revelation...the letters to the seven churches. Today we looked at chapter one, and something in the Scripture stood out for me. First, as this week's Sunday Scripture, I want to share a portion of Revelation chapter 1.

9. I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation, kingdom, and perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of God's word and the testimony about Jesus.
10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet
11. saying, "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea."
12. I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me. When I turned I saw seven gold lampstands,
13. and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, and with a gold sash wrapped around His chest.
14. His head and hair were white like wool-white as snow, His eyes like a fiery flame,
15. His feet like fine bronze fired in a furnace, and His voice like the sound of cascading waters.
16. In His right hand He had seven stars; from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was shining like the sun at midday.
17. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. He laid His right hand on me, and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last,
18. and the Living One. I was dead, but look-I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.
19. Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this.
20. The secret of the seven stars you saw in My right hand, and of the seven gold lampstands, is this: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

What stood out for me was verse 17. "When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man." I wonder what my response would be if I heard the audible voice of the Lord. Would I be like John and fall at His feet, unable to speak in the presence of the Holy One? I'm reminded of the song I Can Only Imagine..."Will I dance for you Jesus, or in awe of You be still." How would you respond?

Another New Beginning At UT

2010-01-16T16:03:00.004-06:00

Just a little over a year ago Vol fans were talking about a new beginning with Lane Kiffin. Now here we are doing it all over again, only this time the new coach is Derek Dooley. I've been kind of quiet about the whole coaching thing this week, so I thought it was time I chimed in.

First just let me say that I am disappointed with Lane Kiffin's decision to leave the University of Tennessee. He really didn't even give UT a chance. I really feel bad for the players, who will once again have to endure yet another new system. That's all I'll say about the former Vols coach, as I would rather focus on the positive and look forward to the future.

I'll admit I don't know much about Derek Dooley, except that he is the son of legendary Georgia coach Vince Dooley. That's a good start for me since he has SEC blood running through his veins. I do like his resume. He has coached under Nick Saban at LSU then with the Miami Dolphins. He has served as head coach and athletic director at Louisiana Tech for the past 3 years. While his overall record at LA Tech is 17-20 he did lead the team to an 8-5 season in 2008 and the school's first bowl-game win (Independence Bowl) in 30 years. I think coach Dooley brings knowledge and experience to Tennessee, and I expect we'll see good things from his teams down the road.

I really like some of the things I have read about Derek Dooley. Here's just a little of what people have to say about him.

"Derek is a very articulate, bright guy. He's a great coach and a hard-working guy. He was always a very good recruiter in college, which I think is paramount if you're going to have success as a college coach."
-- Nick Saban, University of Alabama Head Football Coach

"Coach Dooley is such a bright person. He's made me a better person on and off the field. He's made me focus every day on every aspect of the game. As a coach, he makes you the best player you can possibly be. He'll coach you like you've never been coached, and he'll push you to your maximum potential. He is a phenomenal teacher."
-- Randy McMichael, St. Louis Rams Tight End

"He's the kind of coach that's got a lot of energy, and he's somebody that you can relate to on a personal level. He's great at giving advice while being upbeat at the same time. There aren't many coaches that will let you have fun while getting the job done at the same time. He has the ability to get that out of you."
-- Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts Running Back

I'm excited about the addition of Derek Dooley as the new head coach of the University of Tennessee. I can't wait to see what the future holds.

GO VOLS!!!

One of My Favorite Songs

2010-01-11T21:10:00.007-06:00

I typically don't have two posts in one day, but I wanted to share my Music Monday selection with you. The song is titled What Faith Can Do by Kutless. It was released on their newest album, It Is Well, back in October. It has very recently become one of my favorite songs. Pay close attention to the lyrics. This is just one of those songs that really moves me. I hope you will enjoy it, too.

Emergency Surgery and Good Friends

2010-01-11T20:00:00.008-06:00

Last Friday was an interesting day to say the least. It began as any other day as I headed to the office. Little did I know I would end up spending the day at the hospital. Let me start from the beginning and tell the whole story.

Jacinda awoke that morning not feeling well. OK, technically she had been up since about 1:30 that morning not feeling well. She was having stomach pains and was nauseous. She was just miserable enough to go to the walk-in clinic. They checked her out and thought it might be her appendix. They sent her to Cool Springs Imaging for a CT scan. Fortunately, as we would discover, their machine was down and they could not do the scan. Jacinda was in such pain she opted to go straight to the ER from there. That turned out to be a good decision. The CT scan confirmed appendicitis, and Jacinda was prepped for surgery. Within an hour of the test results she was in the OR having her appendix removed. I can honestly say that neither of us expected anything that happened that day.

While all of this was happening I was keeping everyone updated via twitter and facebook. Every time I would get some new information I would post a quick tweet, which in turn updated my facebook page. I was overwhelmed with the outpouring of comments and tweets from my good friends. My poor Blackberry battery almost died because my phone would not stop buzzing. It is so comforting knowing we had so many friends and acquaintances praying for Jacinda, me and the girls. I was also so grateful for all of the offers to help. Many of our neighbors and church family offered their help with the girls, our pets, or whatever else we might need. We are still reaping the benefits of our friends' generosity as they are providing dinners for us this week. We appreciate that so much! There is a country song that says, "You find out who your friends are", and that is so true when times of need arise. We are truly blessed with some pretty great friends, and I thank you all!

I personally want to extend a big thank you to Cynthia for picking up the girls, taking them to lunch, and allowing Elise to hang out with you all day. You were a bigger help to me than you can know. Thank you!!!

Jacinda's surgery went well, and there were no complications. She stayed in the hospital overnight and was back at home Saturday afternoon. She is recovering nicely, but is still sore. The doctor told her to just take it easy for 4-5 days. The worst part for Jacinda is staying inactive, which is totally not her at all. But, as I told her she needs to listen to the doctor because we all want her to heal quickly and completely.

Again, thanks to all our friends for your prayers, kind words and deeds. We truly appreciate all you have done, and are doing, for our family. God bless each of you!

Jesus Never Lets Go

2010-01-04T13:29:00.005-06:00

It's a new year and a new decade. What better way to start it than with a song for Music Monday. Today's selection reminds us that Jesus never lets go of us. "Through the calm and through the storm...every high and every low...Lord, you never let go of me". The song is You Never Let Go by Matt Redman, and it is one of my favorite praise & worship songs. I pray that, going into this new year, you remember that He will never let go. Our God is always with us, so whom then shall I fear?

Reading God's Word

2009-12-31T10:31:00.004-06:00

One of the goals I set to accomplish in 2009 was to strengthen my faith and understanding of God's Word. For the second time I followed a daily reading plan to read the Bible through in a year. I'm happy to say that I finished the last few chapters last night.

I am very glad I was able to stick to the plan and re-read God's Word. This year I approached my daily reading a little differently than in the past. I tried to spend time reflecting on the meaning of the Scripture and its application in my life. I learned quite a bit throughout the year by doing that. It amazes me how I can read something I have read or heard for years and get a feeling of new discovery. Its like, "Wow, I never saw it like that before!".

So, as I close the book on this last day of 2009 I feel I have accomplished something. Not only did I read all the way through the Bible, I studied and learned from the Scriptures. My goal was to strengthen my faith, and I feel like I have done that.

I haven't decided yet if I will read through the Bible again in 2010. I may try a different approach and study several New Testament books. No matter what I decide I know I will continue to read and study God's Word. The benefits to doing so are bountiful and eternal. Would you join me in 2010 and make a commitment to reading and studying?

Family Fun in 2009

2009-12-29T14:19:00.019-06:00

I've heard more than once from my kids, "we never do anything fun". I usually hear that when I've had to say no to a request. An exchange similar to this occurred recently, and it made me think of the many fun things we have done as a family over the past year. With the end of the year fast approaching I thought a look back at our family fun events of 2009 would make a good blog post, as well as a reminder to the kids about what fun things we got to do. Of course I can't put everything we did in this post...that would take up far too much room. So, I decided to take a look back at my calendar (and the pictures we took) and just post a sampling of our family fun in 2009.

The first event I chose was Elise's Sunday School field trip to the Tennessee Aquarium in March. This was the first year I have been able to go with either of the girls on one of these overnight trips, and we had a blast! It wasn't a trip for the whole family, but it was a great chance for me to do a little father-daughter bonding with Elise.

Since I made the trip to Chattanooga with Elise it was only fair I go with Rachel on her Sunday School field trip. Hers was in April, and we traveled the the Creation Museum just outside Cincinnati. Again, this was not a whole family outing, but it was a great time of bonding with Rachel. We had tons of fun and learned lots of interesting things.

In June Jacinda's dad spent a week of his vacation with us. He typically does this every year, but we usually don't hit any tourist spots in Nashville. This year we decided it would be fun to take him downtown to check out the Musician's Hall of Fame. While it's not as elaborate as the Country Music Hall of Fame it was pretty fun, and we did see some very cool memorabilia spanning several eras and covering all types of music.

In July we made one of our several trips to Knoxville. We spent July 4 weekend visiting family and friends (as pictured here).

Then, later in the month we headed down to Atlanta for a mini family vacation. There we spent time visiting many tourist sites including the Georgia Aquarium, Stone Mountain, and the World of Coke. Jacinda & I enjoyed showing the girls around all of the places we used to visit when we lived down there. While it wasn't a vacation like we would have preferred it was still a very fun trip and the girls were happy we went.

In October Elise and I had a couple of good father-daughter fun events. First we had a little camping outing with her Sunday School group. We camped at Mr. Shane's and went to a corn maze. I wasn't too sure about camping, but it turned out to be really fun, although rather chilly.

The next day we attended an All-Pro Dad father & kids event at the Titans practice facility in Nashville. Rachel did not want to go, so I took Elise and one of her friends. We got to meet a couple of former Titans, hear some great speakers, and run a few football drills. The most fun we had was just running around the field and getting tackled (as seen here). It was a great day!

I'll end my trip down memory lane with 3 sporting events. In November Rachel and I attended the Titans-Bills football game at LP Field. Elise had just had surgery the Friday before and was not able to go. That was Rachel's second Titans game (I took her to the Pittsburgh game in 2008), and we had a great time. The Titans even won!

In December the whole family was able to attend the Titans-Rams game. That one was the first Titans game for Jacinda and Elise. Jacinda had an OK time, although she was a little bored. Elise, on the other hand, loved it! She took my lead and cheered when I did. It was a very cold evening, but we had fun and the Titans won again!

Then, the day after Christmas, Jacinda scored tickets to a Predators game. None of us had ever been to a Preds game before, so it was a real treat. Everyone had fun, but Rachel did get a little bored about halfway through. Elise had fun watching the action and taking lots of pictures. She and I both want to go again!

What I have posted here is just a sampling of many fun family activities we were involved in throughout 2009. There are plenty more, and I hope my girls remember those fun times. I look forward to lots more family fun time in 2010!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T09:58:00.004-06:00

Today is Christmas! What does that mean to you? For me it is a wonderful time with my family. I love seeing my girls wake up with so much excitement Christmas morning. Elise went to bed smiling and woke up the same way. She was the first girl up and proceeded to wake Rachel. We gathered in our bed, as usual, and read the Christmas story from Luke 2. Today Elise started the story and read up the shepherds. Rachel took over from there and finished it out. Then we headed downstairs to see what Santa had left.

My second favorite part of the morning is watching those girls open their gifts. I love the squeals of delight when they see what they got. This year did not disappoint. They got several things they asked for and a few unexpected gifts. It was a great morning.

While all of the gift giving and fun of Christmas morning is wonderful, the best part of the day is the real reason we celebrate...Jesus Christ! This is the day we set aside to remember the birth of the Messiah and the reason he came into this world. God the Father gave us all the greatest gift of all by sending His one and only son to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. That is Christmas and the reason we celebrate. Without Jesus Christ there is no CHRISTmas!

So, I hope today is a great day for everyone. I hope you have lots of fun and make memories with your family. I hope you received the gifts you wanted and got plenty of pictures of the kids opening their gifts. But most importantly I pray that you remember the true meaning of Christmas and celebrate the coming of the Savior of the world!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

A Little Christmas Humor

2009-12-18T10:50:00.003-06:00

Today's Friday Funny is a little Christmas humor. I stumbled across this one and had to share it for all of my musician friends. I might get a similar reaction if I went a caroling :-).

One night Freda went carol singing.
She knocked on the door of a house and began to sing. A man with a violin in his hand came to the door
Within half a minute tears were streaming down his face! Freda went on singing for half an hour, every carol she knew - and some she didn't.
As last she stopped.
'I understand,' she said softly. 'You are remembering your happy childhood Christmas days. You're a sentimentalist!'
'No,' he snivelled. 'I'm a musician!'

Amazing Legacy

2009-12-16T10:07:00.003-06:00

I received the video below via e-mail today. After watching it I knew I had to share it here. What an amazing legacy this football coach has left to his family, friends and community. Be prepared...you just might need a tissue when you watch.

Once Upon a Holy Night

2009-12-14T16:53:00.005-06:00

Yesterday at our church (ClearView Baptist) the worship choir sang Once Upon a Holy Night. We performed the Christmas musical of the same name last year, and this song is my favorite from that set. Since we are less than two weeks from Christmas I thought it would be an excellent choice for this week's Music Monday post.

Merry Christmas!

What Is Your Favorite Christmas Movie?

2009-12-13T19:30:00.015-06:00

A few days ago I tweeted the question, "What is your favorite Christmas movie?". I received several responses and have enjoyed reading them. It's been great seeing the variety of tastes in movies. I thought it would be fun to share the responses here on the blog. So, here they are. The @ replies from twitter and the facebook replies.

@kristinalevy
Elf. A Christmas Story and Its a wonderful life.

@mxmarsh
It's A Wonderful Life. I didn't know there other Christmas movies (except Elf) :-)

@MrPeabodyJD
It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and Christmas Vacation.

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Elaine Bass Wilson
I love "Emmett Otter's Jugband Christmas" and the George C. Scott version of "A Christmas Carol."

Jennifer Hunter Ghormley
Christmas Story

Jason Dean
I've got EOJbC on DVD! It's my favorite. Nobody seems to remember it. It used to play on HBO ages ago before Xmas.

Lori Haworth Wright

Emmett Otter's Jugband and The Christmas Story! You'll shoot your eye out!

Denise Yeager Buckelew

ELF!! It's silly but makes me laugh so hard!! I love it!

Greg McMullen

Christmas Story just edges out It's a Wonderful Life for me.

Angelia Captain Townsend

The Grinch and Charlie Brown Christmas special.

Judy Mitchell Barnette

White Christmas!

Erica Watts Thorne

The Year Without A Santa Claus :)

Gigi Sackleh

Jingle All The Way!

Robert A. Owen

Mine is the "Christmas Story" they play it 24 hours straight on TBS starting Christmas eve night. My wife cringes when that "time" comes! :-)

Doug Browning

home alone. it always made mom & dad laugh.

Jennifer Hunter Ghormley

My husband's is Home Alone, if you want to add it. ;)

Jay Dugan

Tim Burton's "nightmare before christmas"

Kelly Denise Webster Ogle

I like Miracle on 34th Street. Old one an new.

A Christmas Story

2009-12-11T09:45:00.004-06:00

My absolute favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Story. For me the season just isn't complete until I have watched this movie at least once. Fortunately, TBS typically airs it each year for 24 hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This is truly a holiday classic! So, for this week's Friday Funny I decided to post a couple of clips from the movie. It was very difficult choosing which ones to add. They are all great! But, in the end I decided on these. I hope you enjoy them.

Let's Go Bowling

2009-12-08T13:06:00.004-06:00

After getting off to a rocky start on Rocky Top the University of Tennessee Volunteers finished strong and are going bowling. UT officially accepted an invitation to the Chick-fil-A Bowl over the weekend. The Vols are set to take on Virginia Tech on December 31, 2009 in the Georgia Dome.

This is not the first time the Vols have appeared in this bowl game (formerly the Peach Bowl). In fact, this year will mark their 5th appearance. Unfortunately, the Vols have not had much success in the big game. They hold a 1-3 record as outlined below.

1982 - Iowa 28 Tennessee 22
1988 - Tennessee 27 Indiana 22
2002 - Maryland 30 Tennessee 3
2004 - Clemson 27 Tennessee 14

Hopefully this year Tennessee will have better success in their bowl appearance. I have watched this team play all year and am impressed how they have been able to turn the season around. I look forward to the New Year's Eve game and hopefully will be celebrating more than just the New Year!

GO VOLS!!!!

The Comedy of Steven Wright

2009-12-04T07:00:00.003-06:00

I have been reminded several times this week of comedian Steven Wright. So, for this week's Friday Funny I thought I would share a few of my favorite Steven Wright quotes. While searching for these I came across this video from Comic Relief featuring his comedy. You are guaranteed to laugh! Enjoy!

All those who believe in psychokinesis raise my hand.

I spilled spot remover on my dog. Now he's gone.

What's another word for Thesaurus?

Curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect.

I made a chocolate cake with white chocolate. Then I took it to a potluck. I stood in line for some cake. They said, "Do you want white cake or chocolate cake?" I said, "yes".

I stayed up all night playing poker with tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died.

I installed a skylight in my apartment... the people who live above me are furious!

I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met.

I have an existential map. It has 'You are here' written all over it.

Jingle Bells...All Jazzed Up

2009-11-30T09:57:00.006-06:00

Since we are now officially into the Christmas season I thought it would be appropriate to feature a Christmas song in today's Music Monday post. The selection is my favorite arrangement of Jingle Bells. This is Diana Krall featuring the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. Merry Christmas!

Being Content

2009-11-29T15:59:00.005-06:00

Today's Sunday Scripture is from today's sermon from Micah Carter at ClearView Baptist Church. He taught from Philippians chapter 4 and 1 Timothy chapter 6 about what it means to be content. I chose to post this section of Philippians.

I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret [of being content]-whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4: 11-13

25 Years and Counting

2009-11-29T15:31:00.004-06:00

Saturday night the Tennessee Volunteers defeated the Kentucky Wildcats 30-24 in OT. This win marked the 25th consecutive victory for the Vols over the Wildcats.

After starting off with a rather sloppy first half of play the Vols dominated the second half. The UT offense was led by senior running back Montario Hardesty, who carried the ball 39 times for a career-high 179 yards. He also scored 3 rushing touchdowns, including the game winner, a 20-yard run, in OT. Senior QB Jonathan Crompton ended the night 13-of-23 for 220 yards and a TD.

The Vols defense struggled some once again against the run. Kentucky had quite a bit of success running their "wildcat" formation with the direct snap to Randall Cobb. That formation put the Wildcats into position late in the 4th quarter to connect on a 33-yard field goal to force overtime. The UT defense really stepped up in overtime and was able to come up with a couple of big stops on Kentucky's first possession to force a field goal attempt from 49 yards, which the Wildcats missed. That set the Vols up in position to just kick a field goal and win the game. Fortunately that wasn't even an option after Hardesty ran the winning TD from 20 yards out.

This was a huge win for the Vols for a few reasons. First, the winning streak against the Wildcats remains in tact. Second, the victory secures second place in the SEC East for the Vols. Third, because of that second place spot the Vols should be headed to central Florida for a Jan. 1 appearance in the Outback Bowl.

Those of you who follow my blog regularly know that I give this weekly recap after each UT game. I'm glad to say I'll have one more to post! I was doubtful early in the season when they were struggling. The team really worked hard and turned this season around to finish 7-5 and have the chance for a New Year's Day bowl game. They have come a long way! I can't wait for the bowl game!

GO VOLS!!!!!

Then & Now

2009-11-25T20:03:00.012-06:00

It seems lots of people, especially kids, aren't thankful for the things they have. I have personally heard from my own kids how we don't ever give them what they ask for. Of course, Jacinda and I often point out how much more our kids have than we ever imagined. That got me thinking about just how much they do have and how great their lives are. It also reminded me of how much better things are now than when we were kids. Which led to this blog post.

I thought I would just choose a few items we had when we were kids and compare them to the same type of item our kids have. Let's start with the telephone.

The first picture is very similar to the one telephone I had in my house growing up. I remember the sound of the rotary as you dialed the number. There was no caller id or redial. If the line was busy you had to hang up and redial. Of course now many, like me, have smart phones like the Blackberry pictured on the right. Many kids, including our oldest, have cell phones and can talk to or text anyone from just about anywhere.

Next let's look at TV. The first one looks a lot like the one I grew up with. I'm not exactly sure if it's the same brand, but it gives a fairly accurate depiction of our 13" black-and-white set. We, like most people back in the day, had 3-4 channels to choose from and no remote. Can you imagine??? We actually had to stand up and change the channel using the little dials you see pictured. Oh yeah, we only had one TV in the house for years. Now our kids have multiple TV's in the house, including an HDTV like the one shown on the right. Not only do they have a remote to use, they can even press "guide" to see which shows are coming up next. They even have "On Demand" and can watch many of their favorite shows or movies whenever they want. Did I mention the smallest screen size in our house is 26" and they are all color. I don't think our kids have ever watched black-and-white. Man, they do have a rough life!

Last but not least let's look at video games. I was lucky to get an Atari. Not everyone was so fortunate. Of course mine was bought used, but I loved it. Check out those unbelievable football graphics!!! Today, our kids have a Wii. The remote itself probably has more electronic components in it than the entire Atari system. I added a pic of the graphics from the Wii version of the Madden NFL football game. The quality might be just a little better than the Atari game.

I could go on and on with various products, but I think this gets the point across. I'm going to make sure both of my kids read this post. Hopefully actually seeing the differences will make them a little more appreciative of what they are blessed with!

The Lord is My Shepherd

2009-11-22T20:58:00.004-06:00

In honor and memory of my friend Ricky Tidwell, this week's Sunday Scripture is Psalm 23. I'm using the King James Version because that was the version read at his funeral. We all know it, but can you really say, without any doubt, "the Lord is my shepherd"? I hope you can.

The LORD is my shepherd ; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies : thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalm 23 (KJV)

Vols Become Bowl Eligible

2009-11-22T20:30:00.005-06:00

The Vols became bowl eligible Saturday night by getting their 6th win of the season as they defeated Vanderbilt 31-16.

Tennessee started strong on offense moving the ball easily down field and scoring on their opening possession. The added a field goal to go up 10-0 early. But, Vandy came back and tied the game early in the second quarter. The Vols turned up the volume after that scoring 14 unanswered points and taking a 24-10 halftime lead.

The Vols offense in the first half looked pretty good, but they came out rather flat in the second half and managed no points. The only Tennessee score in the second half was a Wes Brown 25-yard interception return for a TD late in the 4th quarter. Overall, however, the offense managed enough to overpower Vandy. Jonathan Crompton went 20/34 for 221 yards and 2 TD. Senior running back Montario Hardesty carried 32 times for 171 yards.

After playing very well all season the Vols defense faltered some Saturday night. Of course they were playing with a third-string middle linebacker and a walk-on outside linebacker. The defense had some trouble, just as they did against Ole Miss, stopping the running game. Vandy managed 123 yards on the ground and another 174 through the air.

In the end, despite a less than stellar second half performance, the Vols came out on top and became bowl eligible. Now, there is just one regular season game remaining next Saturday night in Lexington against the Kentucky Wildcats. Tennessee has a good chance to win that game and finish with a respectable 7-5 record. However, I won't count Kentucky out. That team has improved throughout the season, and this game will not be easy. I hope (and believe) that the Vols will come out of there with a win.

GO VOLS!!!!

Another Friday Funny

2009-11-20T08:30:00.000-06:00

Since I missed last week I decided to post another Friday Funny today. I received this video, Pigeon Impossible, in an e-mail today. Make sure you watch to the end or you'll miss the funniest part. Enjoy!

Lipstick in School

2009-11-20T08:00:00.003-06:00

Sorry for no Friday Funny last week. I had some other, more important things going on and wasn't able to get to the funny stuff. So, I'll make up for it this week. Today's Friday Funny came to me via e-mail. I'm not sure if this really happened or not, but it is funny!

According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington was recently faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick, they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night the maintenance man would remove them, and the next day the girls would put them back. Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night (you can just imagine the yawns from the little princesses). To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.

When I Don't Know What To Do

2009-11-18T09:52:00.005-06:00

I have been publishing Music Monday posts for the past few weeks. With everything that has happened this week I just realized that I did not post anything for Music Monday. So, I'm doing that today.

This song has been stuck in my head the last couple of days. Following the sudden deaths of 2 co-workers I just don't know what to do or say. So, I'll just follow what this song says. I'll lift my hands to Him and trust His perfect plan. I find lots of comfort in the song. Maybe you will, too.

Coping with Death

2009-11-16T15:34:00.008-06:00

Today is a very sad day for me and several of my co-workers. We lost 2 of our friends and fellow employees over the weekend. One was 37, the other 51. Both died too young.

One of these folks I did not know much at all. She worked in another department in another building, so I never got much of a chance to get to know her very well. The other, Rick, I did know well. In fact we had become good friends, and he was like a brother to me. Rick was just one of those guys everyone liked. He made friends quickly and was simply a likable guy. I saw Rick every day, and we often had lunch together. He had even attended some church events with me. Things around the office just won't be the same and he will be greatly missed.

I've been trying to wrap my mind around what has happened. When I first heard the news about my friend I didn't want to believe it. I was sort of in shock most of the day. It's still hard to believe he is actually gone. I don't understand why, but I also know that I'm not supposed to. I believe God has a plan for everyone and everything. Although it's difficult for me see at this point, I know God will use this tragic event for something good.

The next few days will not be easy as I say goodbye to my friend. I have had to deal with death several times in the past, so I know what to expect over the next several days. I've said before that I don't see how people who don't have a relationship with Christ can cope with death. It's hard enough facing the death of a friend or family member and I just couldn't imagine facing it alone. When you have that relationship with Jesus Christ you know that death is not the end. Instead it is just the beginning of a new and fantastic journey for those who are in Christ. What a comfort to know that there is more!

So, I'll mourn in my own way. I will cry because Rick is gone. I will laugh as I remember the good times. I will rejoice knowing this is not the end and that he is in a better place. The good news is that God is in control and my hope is in Him alone. Because of Jesus Christ, those who put their trust in Him have conquered death and will spend eternity with Him in Heaven. Praise God that we have that assurance!

Meltdown in Mississippi

2009-11-14T16:01:00.004-06:00

The Vols traveled to Oxford, MS today to face Ole Miss. The best I can describe what happened is a total meltdown by the Vols on both sides of the ball. The Rebels, led by Dexter McCluster, rolled easily to a 42-17 win over Tennessee.

The Vols struggled on both sides of the ball. The offense looked more like that of the first few games than the offense of late. QB Jonathan Crompton ended the day 20 of 37 for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns. The running game was about the worst I've seen this year. The Vols rushed for only 99 yards and ended the day managing only 275 total yards.

The defense, which has been outstanding this year, folded today and gave up 492 yards to Ole Miss, 359 of which came on the ground. Rebels running back Dexter McCluster rushed for 282 yards, the most ever given to a running back in a game by the Volunteers. He finished the day with 324 all-purpose yards. The Vols defense just could not find a way to stop McCluster and the Rebels. This was by far the worst defensive performance from the Vols this season.

So, Tennessee is now down to the last 2...Vandy and Kentucky. If these games play out the way I think they will, the Vols will end the season with 2 wins and a 7-5 record and, hopefully, a bowl appearance.

GO VOLS!!!

Hospitals and Waiting

2009-11-13T15:54:00.008-06:00

My youngest daughter, Elise, had surgery today. It was minor ear surgery, and the doctor said things went well. We are still sitting in recovery waiting for her to wake up. We've been here all day and don't know yet when we'll get out of here. Sitting in a hospital waiting room and waiting brought me to today's blog post.

Hospitals, to me, are a lot like airports. When you are stuck there waiting both are great places to people watch. Today we are at the children's hospital, so we know that the people here waiting are parents and/or grandparents. They, like us, are waiting for a child having surgery. To me that's the hardest part. When you're waiting you are pretty much helpless. There is absolutely nothing you can do to help the doctors and nurses, and there is nothing that can be done to hurry things along. All you can do is sit and wait...hopefully patiently.

As I sat in the waiting room today watching some of the other people around me a thought came to mind. Are these folks at peace and waiting patiently, or are the anxious about what is going on? I'll be the first to confess that I am not a very patient person. But today was different. I spent a bit of time in prayer over today's surgery and have really been at peace through this whole ordeal. I did not find myself worrying about how things were going in the OR. Instead I was very relaxed and just had a peace about everything.

I could tell that others in the room seemed a little more anxious. I noticed some people up pacing around. Others were spending lots of time on cell phones giving updates to friends and family. Others just sort of had that look of nervousness. It's tough waiting while one of your kids is in surgery, but what a blessing knowing that it was all in God's hands and everything would be fine. I hope that those anxious parents were also able to find some peace while they waited.

One more thing I want to share is kind of amusing. After Elise has been in surgery for a couple of hours I was wondering how much longer it might take and hoping it wouldn't be too long. My phone buzzed indicating a new e-mail. The message was today's Play of the Day from All Pro Dad. The title was "Patience in Hard Times". Click here to read the message. Needless to say I waited even more patiently the rest of the day, and am still waiting patiently as she sleeps.

Mozart: Symphony No. 25

2009-11-09T13:48:00.002-06:00

My choice for Music Monday this week is a classical selection. This is the Allegro con brio from Symphony No. 25 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

A View of Heaven

2009-11-08T21:36:00.003-06:00

Ever wonder what Heaven will be like? Ever wonder what we will be doing when we get there? The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of what Heaven will be like. This week's Sunday Scripture is taken from Revelation. This is chapter 4.

The Throne Room of Heaven

After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."
Immediately I was in the Spirit, and there in heaven a throne was set. One was seated on the throne,
and the One seated looked like jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne.
Around that throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white clothes, with gold crowns on their heads.
From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and thunder. Burning before the throne were seven fiery torches, which are the seven spirits of God.
Also before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the middle and around the throne were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back.
The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like a calf; the third living creature had a face like a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop,saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming.
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever,
the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say:
Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.

Revelation 4 (HCSB)

Homecoming 2009: Tennessee v. Memphis

2009-11-08T15:43:00.004-06:00

Saturday was homecoming for the University of Tennessee. The Vols hosted the Memphis Tigers and did not disappoint the crowd at Neyland Stadium as they rolled to a 56-28 victory.

Jonathan Crompton had a career night finishing 21-of-27 for 310 yards, 5 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for another TD. The Vols offense was on fire putting up 42 points in the first half and completely dominated the Tigers.

The Vols defense played very well in the first half. By halftime Memphis had only gained 104 total yards. Lane Kiffin used his second-team defense for much of the second half, and they did not perform quite as well as the first-team. The Vols gave up 3 touchdowns and nearly 300 yards in the second half.

I must say I was surprised by how good the Vols looked in this game. The team has really come a long way since the beginning of the year. For the first time this season they have won 2 consecutive games. With only 3 games remaining, I think Tennessee has a very good chance to win out and make it to a bowl game. The toughest opponent left is this Saturday when the Vols travel to Oxford, MS to face Ole Miss. I think the Vols are playing with a lot of momentum right now and predict they will win these last 3 games.

GO VOLS!!!

Road Rage

2009-11-06T08:47:00.003-06:00

This week's Friday Funny comes courtesy of an e-mail from my aunt. Enjoy.

A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up.

He took her to the police station where she was searched,
fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a
couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door.
She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer
was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, 'I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind
your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in
front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him.' I noticed the 'What
Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk; naturally...I assumed you had stolen the car.'

From the Inside Out

2009-11-02T13:55:00.003-06:00

Everlasting Your light will shine when all else fades...

This week's Music Monday selection is From the Inside Out. Check it out below as performed by Hillsong United.

Psalm 27

2009-11-01T16:34:00.003-06:00

This week's Sunday Scripture...Psalm 27.

1.

The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom should I be afraid?
2.

When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
3.

Though an army deploy against me, my heart is not afraid; though war break out against me, still I am confident.
4.

I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking [Him] in His temple.
5.

For He will conceal me in His shelter in the day of adversity; He will hide me under the cover of His tent; He will set me high on a rock.
6.

Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in His tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord.
7.

Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me.
8.

In Your behalf my heart says, "Seek My face." Lord, I will seek Your face.
9.

Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger. You have been my help; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation.
10.

Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.
11.

Because of my adversaries, show me Your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path.
12.

Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence.
13.

I am certain that I will see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living.
14.

Wait for the Lord; be courageous and let your heart be strong. Wait for the Lord.

Black Jerseys = Vols Win

2009-11-01T16:05:00.006-06:00

For the first time in 87 years the Vols donned black jerseys as the South Carolina Gamecocks rolled into Knoxville for a Halloween night match-up. The black jerseys proved to be good luck for the Vols as they capitalized off 3 SC turnovers and cruised to a 31-13 victory.

The big story in the game was the Carolina turnovers. The Vols turned 3 SC fumbles into 3 TD's. That sparked the Vols early and they just kept on rolling. The offense played a solid game with few mistakes. QB Jonathan Crompton went 12-of-24 for 142 yards and 2 TD. He did not throw an interception in the game. The running game for the Vols was huge, as Montario Hardesty carried 23 times for 121 yards and 2 TD. Freshman Bryce Brown added 60 yards on 9 carries.

The UT kicking game continued to suffer as Daniel Lincoln had his 3rd straight field goal attempt blocked (2 in the Alabama game and 1 against SC). Fortunately for the Vols Lane Kiffin opted to allow Chad Cunningham to try a field goal in the fourth quarter from 39 yards which was good.

Once again the Vols defense stepped up and played a great game. They held the Gamecocks to only 65 rushing yards and only allowed 1 TD. Carolina QB Stephen Garcia was pressured all night and took several big hits. The Vols defense has only allowed 2 offensive touchdowns in their last 12 quarters.

Saturday's win over South Carolina moves the Vols to 4-4 on the year and gives them hope for the remainder if the season. With only 4 games left to play the Vols are in position to finish the season with a 5 game win streak. The toughest opponent still to face, in my opinion, is Ole Miss in 2 weeks. I've seen them play their last few games and they have not looked great. I think the Vols are playing much better football right now and are poised to finish the season strong.

GO VOLS!!!!

Until the Whole World Hears

2009-10-26T21:47:00.004-05:00

This week's Music Monday selection is Until the Whole World Hears, the newest release from Casting Crowns. I have recently heard it several times on the radio. The more I listen the more I like. Check it out.

Praise the Lord: Psalm 103

2009-10-25T21:53:00.003-05:00

Tonight we had a special extended worship time at church. One of the songs we performed was Praise the Lord, which is taken from Psalm 103. I decided to make that this week's Sunday Scripture.

1.

My soul, praise the Lord, and all that is within me, praise His holy name.
2.

My soul, praise the Lord, and do not forget all His benefits.
3.

He forgives all your sin; He heals all your diseases.
4.

He redeems your life from the Pit; He crowns you with faithful love and compassion.
5.

He satisfies you with goodness; your youth is renewed like the eagle.
6.

The Lord executes acts of righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
7.

He revealed His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel.
8.

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and full of faithful love.
9.

He will not always accuse [us] or be angry forever.
10.

He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our offenses.
11.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him.
12.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
14.

For He knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust.
15.

As for man, his days are like grass- he blooms like a flower of the field;
16.

when the wind passes over it, it vanishes, and its place is no longer known.
17.

But from eternity to eternity the Lord's faithful love is toward those who fear Him, and His righteousness toward the grandchildren
18.

of those who keep His covenant, who remember to observe His instructions.
19.

The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.
20.

Praise the Lord, [all] His angels of great strength, who do His word, obedient to His command.
21.

Praise the Lord, all His armies, His servants who do His will.
22.

Praise the Lord, all His works in all the places where He rules. My soul, praise the Lord!

Psalm 103 (HCSB)

UT v. Bama

2009-10-25T15:50:00.004-05:00

Yesterday in Tuscaloosa, AL the long-standing Tennessee-Alabama rivalry continued. The game reminded me of many I remember growing up: low score, lots of defense, and field goals. Unfortunately for me this one ended with Bama on top of the Vols 12-10.

I am disappointed with the loss. I really hoped this would be another upset week for the Vols. A win over Alabama is always sweet, but knocking off the #2 BCS team would have made it even sweeter. Still, I'm not too upset. The Vols played a great game and have proven they are a real threat on the field.

Offensively the Vols performed fairly well. QB Jonathan Crompton was 21-of-36 for 265 yards and a TD and an interception. The Vols never really got the running game going. Montario Hardesty managed a couple of good runs late, but ended the day with only 48 yards on 18 carries. Freshman Bryce Brown carried 11 times for 35 yards.

The Vols defense once again played very well. They held Alabama to only 120 yards passing and 136 rushing. Bama sensation Mark Ingram was held to 99 yards on 18 carries. That's pretty impressive considering he rushed for 246 yards the previous week against South Carolina. Give the UT defense lots of credit as well for keeping Alabama out of the end zone. The Tide was held to only 4 field goals in the game.

The thorn in Tennessee's side Saturday was with special teams. Kicker Daniel Lincoln missed a 49 yard field goal attempt just before halftime and had 2 attempts blocked in the second half. The second one would have been the game winner. Of course I have to give credit to Alabama's special teams for the blocks. Both kicks were low and Bama's Terrence Cody was able to get his hand up and block both.

Still, I can't complain about the game. The Vols played well and really limited the Tide on offense. This game should give Vol fans some hope for the remainder of the season, which should not be as difficult as the first half. There is still lots of room for improvement, but the Vols are on the right track.

GO VOLS!!!!

Friday Funny

2009-10-23T10:22:00.004-05:00

I'm starting a new weekly feature on the blog...Friday Funny. Each Friday the plan is to provide a little humor for the end of your week. Here you may find a humorous story, a joke (always clean), or a funny video. It's just my way to make the readers of this blog smile and maybe even laugh a little.

Today's Friday Funny comes from Christian comedian Jeff Allen. I had the chance to see him live with the Apostles of Comedy. He's a very funny guy. I hope you enjoy this week's Friday Funny.

Music Monday

2009-10-19T13:01:00.003-05:00

Today is my first Music Monday post. Each week I'll post something here about music. It might be something new I've heard, or possibly what I'm listening to that day. Most likely it will be a song or band that I really like and just want to share, as is the case today.

One of the most popular songs currently on Christian radio is Revelation Song performed by Phillips, Craig and Dean. I love this song! However, I prefer to hear Kari Jobe sing it (no offense to the other guys). Here's a video I found of a live performance of the song by Kari Jobe.

Sunday Scripture

2009-10-18T15:01:00.005-05:00

I'm trying something new. All this week I plan to have a different theme for a blog post each day. I hope to make this a regular thing. I'm starting today with my first edition of Sunday Scripture. Each Sunday I'll share a Scripture verse or passage. It might be something we read in church, part of my daily Bible reading, or just something the Lord has placed on my heart. With that said, here is today's Scripture.

32.

"Now concerning that day or hour no one knows-neither the angels in heaven nor the Son-except the Father.
33.

Watch! Be alert! For you don't know when the time is [coming].
34.

It is like a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his slaves, gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert.
35.

Therefore be alert, since you don't know when the master of the house is coming-whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning.
36.

Otherwise, he might come suddenly and find you sleeping.
37.

And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Be alert!" (Mark 13:32-37)

Am I Second?

2009-10-17T10:13:00.006-05:00

I am a fan of a movement known as I Am Second. If you don't know what that is I invite you to check out the website. The following statement was taken directly from the site.

I Am Second is a movement where significance in life is a shared value among people of all kinds. Actors. Athletes. Musicians. Business leaders. Your
next-door neighbor. People just like you. Their authentic stories here on iamsecond.com provide insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living. You'll meet people who overcame destructive lifestyles. Plus you'll discover those who've tried to go it alone and have failed, yet still found a life full of hope, peace and fulfillment.

I encourage you to check out some of the videos on the website. Watching these videos brought a question to my mind. Am I second? Better yet, is He first? Do I put me second and Jesus Christ first in my life? I'll confess that, unfortunately, my answer to that is often no. Sure there are times when I can say yes, He is first, but not all the time. As a Christ follower that should be my goal: Jesus is first and I (and everything else) am second. It's so easy to get caught up in what we want or need, and we find ourselves praying selfish prayers. It becomes all about me.

I want to change the way I think and pray. Starting now, I want to be second. When I choose to make Christ first things just seem to have a way of working out. It's not always easy, but He leads me through the struggles. It's when I take my focus off Him that I start to sink.

So, I ask you, the readers of this blog, for two things today.

Are you second? If not, will you strive to be second?
Will you pray for me as I strive daily to make Him first and me second?

UT v. UGA

2009-10-10T18:36:00.006-05:00

I'll confess my expectations were not very high today as Georgia traveled to Knoxville to take on the Vols. To be honest, I'm not sure anyone expected much from a struggling Tennessee offense. Much to my surprise the Vols stepped up on both sides of the ball and took it to the Dawgs, defeating them 45-19.

Jonathan Crompton, who has been absolutely horrible thru the first 5 games, looked like a completely different person as he completed 20-of-27 for a career high 310 yards and 4 TD's. The offensive line did a nice job giving Crompton time, and the receivers were much improved this week catching almost everything that came their way. Gerald Jones had the hot hands with 5 receptions for 105 yards and 2 TD's. Play action passes seemed to work best today, which makes me wonder if Crompton has finally found his niche.

The running game worked very well once again, with senior Montario Hardesty leading the way. He carried the ball 20 times for 97 yards and a TD. Freshman Bryce Brown added 21 yards and a TD to his stats.

Defensively the Vols played another stellar game. They held the Bulldogs to only 89 rushing yards and 152 through the air. The defense kept good pressure on Georgia QB Joe Cox and forced 2 interceptions. The Vols defense really stepped up at key moments in the game to make big stops against the UGA offense.

The only couple of sour notes in the game were and interception thrown by Crompton and the 7 penalties committed by the Vols. Otherwise they looked the best they have all season.

Hopefully today's victory will spark new life in this team. They still have a tough road ahead, the toughest game coming in 2 weeks @ Alabama. If the Vols can play the way they did today I think they have a pretty good shot at finishing this year with a winning record. My fingers are crossed!

GO VOLS!!!!!

Tennessee v. Auburn

2009-10-05T15:27:00.005-05:00

This week's post/recap about Tennessee is a little later than usual and will be brief. The Vols fell to 2-3 (0-2 in conference play) as they lost to the Auburn Tigers 26-22 Saturday night in Knoxville. The game was not as close as the score indicates. Auburn allowed a TD at the end of the game to bring TN within 4, but the Tigers had the game wrapped up much earlier. What happened?

The answer to that question for the Vols is...not much! Once again the Vols offense was not much of a factor. QB Jonathan Crompton managed to go 20-of-43 for 259 yards. The good news is that he did not throw an interception (he threw 8 in the first 4 games). The bad news is he did turn the ball over when he couldn't handle a snap. The running game was pretty good again with Hardesty and Brown combining for 131 of the 151 rushing yards. Unfortunately, the Vols could not make the big plays when needed on offense.

Defensively the Vols did not perform quite as well as in previous games, but they still looked good. It's very difficult to expect the defense to keep stepping up and make big plays when the offense keeps them on the field. Still, the Vol defense held their own. Auburn came into the game averaging 45 points and 526 yards per game. Tennessee only allowed 26 points and 459 yards. They forced the Tigers to punt 6 times and limited them to field goals on 4 drives.

Unfortunately, the Vols are now 0-2 in SEC action and have a tough road ahead. They face Georgia at home this week then get a bye before heading to Alabama to take on the #3 ranked Crimson Tide. With 6 SEC games remaining it's going to be a tough road. I personally don't see the Vols winning many of these games down the stretch, especially if they continue to struggle offensively. I hope I'm wrong.

GO VOLS!!!!

Activity Filled Weekend

2009-10-04T20:32:00.012-05:00

This weekend has been filled with many activities. Lots of fun was had and I wanted to share a little of it here.

My weekend started early as I only worked half the day Friday. I was able to go out to lunch with Jacinda (a very rare occasion). It was nice to be able to sit down with just her and have a quiet lunch together. We really should try to do that more often. From there my weekend focus turned toward Elise as I packed up our gear for her Sunday school field trip Friday night. We began at Mr. Shane's (our children's minister) where we set up camp.

From there we headed to Rippavilla Plantation Corn Maze. The kids had a blast weaving their way through the maze in the dark. Luckily we had flashlights and a full moon to help guide the way. It was lots of fun. After that it was back to Mr. Shane's for hot dogs, smores and more fun. We finally retired to the tent around 11 pm. Elise slept like a log. Unfortunately I can't say the same for me, but it was a great time. The temperature dipped into the 40's overnight, so we were pretty cold Saturday morning. When we made it home I was very thankful to be able to take a nice long, hot shower.

Following a few hours of rest we were back in action Saturday afternoon. I had passes to attend the All Pro Dad Father and Kids Experience at Baptist Sports Park on the Titans practice field. Rachel opted to stay home, so I took Elise and her friend Georgia. It was a blast! We had so much fun, and I'm really sorry Rachel missed it. These All Pro Dad events are designed for dads and their kids to connect and have fun together. I was thankful to have some more bonding time with Elise. Georgia and I bonded as well. She doesn't get to see her dad very much, and I was happy to be able to take her along for this event. Both girls had a great time running drills and tackling me. Here are a few of the pictures from our fun afternoon.

I am so thankful that God has blessed me so much. He has given me two very special daughters, and I'm so happy to have had these special times with her this weekend! I look forward to more weekends like this one soon.

Vols Improve to 2-2

2009-09-27T21:42:00.005-05:00

The Vols improved to 2-2 with Saturday's 34-23 win over Ohio at Neyland Stadium.

Despite throwing his 8th interecption of the year, QB Jonathan Crompton completed 17 of 34 for 222 yards and 2 TD. The running game added another 177 yards. Senior Montario Hardesty carried 20 times for 140 yards and a TD.

The Vol defense played well once again, especially against the rush. They only allowed 25 yards rushing. Unfortunately they did give up 319 yards through the air.

Although I expected a little better performance against Ohio the Vols played fairly well. They still have lots of work to do if they want to remain a contender in the SEC. It's going to be a tough road ahead, beginning next Saturday as Auburn heads to Knoxville for a prime-time ESPN game. The Vols will go into that game minus starting middle linebacker Nick Reveiz, who suffered a season-ending knee injury. That will be a big loss to the Tennessee defense.

Saturday's win gives some new life to the struggling Vol offense. I feel that many of Tennessee's problems offensively have stemmed from the QB position. We really need Crompton, or someone, to step up and lead the offense. Once there is a QB in place who has some consistent success throwing the ball I think the Vols have a good shot a winning some key games. Only time will tell.

GO VOLS!!!!

Adventures in Driving

2009-09-24T09:37:00.011-05:00

One of my pet peeves is irresponsible driving. I deal with professional truck drivers on a daily basis, so I'm well versed in defensive driving and various state and federal laws. Every day during my commute to and from the office, or while I'm out during my lunch hour, I see things on the streets that make me wonder often if states should consider required "refresher" courses in order for one to keep their driver's license. I'm sure many of you observe some of the same things...drivers who do not use turn signals...failure to yield...running red lights (and stop signs)...speeding...talking on cell phones...and don't get me started on how folks attempt to drive in the rain!!!

It seems I have noticed some very bad driving habits over the past few days. Maybe that's because it has been raining a lot in Nashville and the rain seems to bring out the worst in motorists. Whatever the reason, I have noticed and been rather annoyed on the roadways this week.

As an employee in the transportation industry I have had the opportunity to participate in several defensive driving courses throughout my career. All of these are geared toward professional truck drivers, but much of the information I learned has been used to improve my driving skills. There are several programs out there, and I highly recommend checking some of the out. Being a defensive driver is so important in today's traffic since there are so many folks out there doing the things I listed above.

Since it has been years since I've had to take a driver license test I decided to go online and test my skills and knowledge. There is a set of practice tests (4 of them) available through the Tennessee Dept. of Safety. Click here to link to the tests and see how you do. I broke out my results below. If you take the tests I would like to know the results. Please feel free to leave them in the comments section of this post.

My test results:

Test #1: Alcohol 14 of 15 correct
Test #2: Laws 11 of 15 correct

Test #3: Procedures 15 of 15 correct

Test #4: Signs 14 of 15 correct

Total: 54 of 60 correct = 90%

Tennessee v. Florida: Positives and Negatives

2009-09-21T09:43:00.008-05:00

Saturday, September 19, 2009...Gainesville, FL...possibly the biggest game of the year for the Vols. The result? Florida defeated Tennessee 23-13. Is anyone surprised by this? Well, I would have to say yes and no. Sure, everyone expected the Gators to beat the Vols, but I don't think anyone thought it would only be by 10 points. So, in this week's UT Vols post I'll discuss what I think are the positives and negatives taken from the loss to Florida.

I'll start with the negatives, which all stem from the offense. Tennessee's lack of offensive production cost them the game. Most of the blame lies with QB Jonathan Crompton. I have to say he is the worst QB I have seen at UT. I wonder if the coaching staff has any confidence left in him after another horrible performance. Crompton was 11-of-19 for only 93 yards passing. Add to that no TD passes and 2 interceptions (which makes 7 for the season, in 3 games). Crompton is simply unable to make passes down the field. Everything that was completed in the game was an underneath route or a screen. The Vols cannot win games without a productive QB.

I can't put a negative on the entire offense. I think the line did a nice job against the FL defense opening holes for the backs. The running game was not the best, but the backs provided the only spark of the day for the Vols' offense. Hardesty carried 20 times for 96 yards and a TD (the first TD scored against FL in 2009). Freshman Bryce Brown managed 21 yards on 8 carries and added another 34 yards on 3 receptions.

Now for the positives. The Tennessee defense stepped up again and played very well against this tough Gator team. They did give up 208 rushing yards (76 from Tebow), but held QB Tim Tebow to only 115 yard passing. Eric Berry also had an interception in the game and several good tackles. Dennis Rogan picked up a fumble and set up the Vols only TD of the game. The line kept pressure on Tebow all day and there was good coverage in the secondary. Tennessee also defended the option very well, something I have not seen from the Vols defense in the past.

Vol fans should be proud of what this team accomplished Saturday against the Gators. Yes, it's a loss and tough to swallow, but overall the team played well and proved that they can hang with good teams. Everyone thought the Gators would run all over Tennessee and absolutely destroy them. To the surprise of everyone the Vols held their own and fought hard. Tennessee has a lot of young talent on the team. The freshman have played very well, and I see a bright future for the Vols. The one thorn in our side is the QB. Crompton is not the answer. I think the coaching staff should give Nick Stephens a shot. I don't see how he could be any less productive than Crompton. At least put him in and see what he can do. If the Vols had a good QB in the game they would have beaten Florida. I believe that is the only thing that prevented a victory Saturday.

I hope the Vols make some adjustments and improvements this week as they face Ohio in a non-conference match-up. I would like to see Stephens in at QB to see what he can do for us. The Florida loss was tough, but there are some very positive signs for the future of this Tennessee team. I just hope we can get something going this year and turn the season around. It's going to take a productive QB and offense to make that happen.

GO VOLS!!!!!

Sharing My Faith...Here I Go Again

2009-09-17T20:40:00.005-05:00

On Wednesday nights at ClearView Baptist Church we have been learning about sharing our faith. Thus far our pastor, Mark Marshall, has taught us that God works through us to get the Gospel out to the world and that the key to sharing our faith is boldness. This past Wednesday we discussed the role of prayer in sharing our faith, along with ways to share. The message ended with the playing of my favorite Casting Crowns song, Here I Go Again.

The song has a very powerful message for the listener. Too often we waste our time talking about things that simply are not important, at least in reference to the eternal. We are more than willing to discuss the weather or the latest episode of our favorite TV show, but we are too afraid to share our faith. As the song says, "What am I so afraid of?". Our fears of not knowing what to say or how to say it could mean we miss the opportunity to share the Gospel with someone who really needs to hear it. After all, "this might be my last chance to tell him that You love him".

If you've never heard the song check out the video below. If you have heard it then listen again. We all need to be reminded that sharing our faith is a life and death decision. Those who believe will spend eternity in Heaven with the God of the universe, while those that reject Him will spend eternity separated from God in Hell.

Father, give me the boldness and courage I need to share my faith with those who need to hear it. Don't allow my fears to get in the way of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen.

What Happened to the Vols?

2009-09-13T20:59:00.005-05:00

After watching the Vols defeat Western Kentucky 63-7 in the season opener last weekend I had high expectations for Saturday's match up with UCLA. Unfortunately I'm now asking myself, "What happened to the Vols?".

Tennessee hosted UCLA in Knoxville this weekend in front of a crowd of over 102,000. Coming off an incredible performance in week 1, the Vols faced a much tougher opponent in UCLA. This game was a good test to see if the Vols were really as good as they looked, or if they only looked good because of the opponent. After watching both games, it is my opinion that WKU made TN look much better than they actually are, especially on offense. The Vols managed only 208 total yards in their 19-15 loss.

Offensively this Tennessee team looked more like the team from a year ago than from week 1. QB Jonathan Crompton was 13-of-26 for 115 yards and threw 3 interceptions. (Technically he threw 4 picks, but one was called back because UCLA was offsides). The Vols also lost a fumble. Each Tennessee turnover resulted in a UCLA score, which ultimately cost Tennessee the game.

The running game was fair as senior Montario Hardesty carried 26 times for 89 yards and freshman Bryce Brown added 34 yards on 11 carries. Unfortunately for the Vols they just couldn't put it all together in time to pull out a win.

On defense the Vols played well. I think the defense stepped up and showed they are going to be a threat in the SEC. The Vols defense only allowed UCLA 186 yards and was able to hold them to field goals following the turnovers. Had the defense not stepped up as they did the score could have easily been much more one sided.

Overall Tennessee played a sloppy game. Jonathan Crompton looked like a completely different QB than in the opener with WKU, in which he threw a career high 5 TD passes. He and the offense have to get focused quickly if the Vols want to have a chance to hang with the Gators this Saturday. I love my Vols and will cheer them on, but to be honest I don't have high hopes for this weekend. My gut tells me there's going to be a massacre in the swamp and it won't be Gator that's bleeding. I hope the team can prove me wrong!

Regardless of what happens in Gainesville or the rest of the season I still bleed orange & will say:

GO VOLS!!!!!!

It's Football Time in Tennessee!!!!

2009-09-05T18:40:00.006-05:00

My five favorite words this time of the year are, "It's football time in Tennessee". Anyone who knows me knows I get a little crazy about UT football. Today we kicked off the 2009 season at home against Western Kentucky. The Lane Kiffin era began on a very positive note as the Vols routed the Hilltoppers 63-7.

The Vols got off to a slow start offensively turning the ball over twice in the first quarter. The Vol defense, however, lived up to the hype and was able to dominate WKU. The first quarter ended with no score.

Tennessee came to life in the 2nd quarter when true freshman Bryce Brown scored his first college career rushing TD. Senior QB Jonathan Crompton followed that by throwing for 3 TD as the Vols went up 28-0 at the half.

The Vols success continued into the second half as they continued to rack up yardage and points. The running game worked very well. Montario Hardesty carried 18 times for 160 yards and a TD. Bryce Brown had 11 carries for 104 yards and a TD. The passing game, which I had concerns about, was surprisingly effective. Jonathan Crompton ended the day 21-of-28 for 233 yards and 5 TD. (Note: Crompton only have 4 TD passes last season). The Vols offense put up some pretty impressive numbers: 657 yards (380 rushing and 277 passing).

Defensively the Vols were outstanding. They allowed WKU only 6 first downs and gave up just one TD (in the 3rd quarter). The Vol defense held WKU to 83 total yards (49 passing and 34 rushing).

I understand that WKU is not a powerhouse when it comes to opponents the Vols will face. However, today's win was still very impressive. I think they played very well as a team and clicked on both sides of the ball. Next week's game against a much tougher UCLA team will provide a better glimpse of this Tennessee team's strengths and weaknesses. The true test will come in 2 weeks when we open up SEC play in Gainesville, FL. Only time will tell what year one of the Kiffin era will bring. Based on what I saw today my hopes are a little higher.

GO VOLS!!!!

It Is Well

2009-09-02T13:36:00.003-05:00

I received the video below in an e-mail today. If you've never heard the story behind the song you definitely need to watch. If you have heard it watch anyway as a reminder.

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

What's In My iPod?

2009-09-01T21:13:00.004-05:00

I recently saw a question about what people listen to on their iPod. It made me think about what I have on mine, so I decided to do a quick inventory. Here are the results.

Podcasts:

I currently have 15 ClearView sermons in the Podcast section of my iPod. I actually have about 45 sermons in iTunes, but the ones on my iPod are some of my favorites. I will change those out from time to time.

Music:

As of today I have a total of 857 songs in my iPod. I say "as of today" because this number changes often. I usually add or remove music on the weekends, so by this time next week who knows how many will be in there. Anyway, I have my tunes broken down into playlists. Below is a list of those along with the number of songs in each playlist.

Praise & Worship (233)
Rock (136)
Country (116)
Christmas (97)
Classical (76)
Jazz & Blues (61)
John Williams (47)
Metal (36)
Pop (31) - much of this is from the 80's
R&B (11)
Soundtrack (9)
Alternative (4)

So, what does this say about me? Well, for starters it reinforces something I have said before: I enjoy many different styles of music. As you can see from the list above I have several genres available to me. I believe it also shows a little about my passions. I definitely have a passion for music. I also have a passion for praise & worship. I guess that's why I'm not surprised to see more songs in that playlist than any other. In fact, much of the music I listen to on the radio falls into this category. If I had to take a best guess about how much I listen to each of the playlists listed above, I would say Praise & Worship would comprise about 75-80%. My iPod sits in its docking station on my desk in my office an is playing most of the day. Most days the Praise & Worship playlist is the one I am listening too. I love the positive messages from the songs, and they just seem to help me push through some busy days.

Well, now you know what's in my iPod. And, now I'm curious. What's in yours? Please feel free to leave me a comment and let me know.

Social Media Revolution

2009-08-28T15:59:00.004-05:00

I received a link to the video below today via twitter. I thought it would make a good follow-up to my previous post about social networking. There are some pretty amazing stats shown here. Enjoy!

Social Networking

2009-08-24T20:08:00.007-05:00

Do you blog, tweet, or write on somebody's wall? If you do, is there something wrong with you? Well, of course not. Most people these days understand that all of these things are simply part of what we call social networking. It seems you can't go anywhere without hearing (or seeing) something about facebook, twitter, blogs, etc. So, why do I do it?

I started my journey into the social networking world with this blog. It was, and is, a great way to keep friends and family updated on what's happening. Unfortunately, blogs require lots of work, thought and consideration. It takes time to update things and publish new posts. We live in a world that wants everything now. So, I moved from the blogosphere deeper into the world of social networking to a place known as facebook.

Facebook is a wonderful place where you can connect with friends, family, co-workers, neighbors...you get the picture. You can provide on-going updates as to what you are doing at this very minute. For example, right now I might enter something like, "I'm typing a new blog post". Then all of my friends would know exactly what I'm doing. I have used facebook to keep people updated with what's going on in my life. I also use it to keep track of many friends & family members, including many I have not seen in years. Facebook is a marvelous tool for re-connecting with old friends.

Then there is twitter. I resisted the idea of using twitter for quite some time but finally caved and opened my account last week. I must say, I really love it! Twitter is a lot like facebook. In fact, you can even use twitter to update your facebook status. Just as with facebook, twitter is used to keep friends updated on what you're doing right now. However, what I like better about twitter is the ability to choose who you receive updates from. You can also re-tweet something that someone else has posted. That great when you read something that is really good and you want to share it with your group of friends.

I guess some might think all of this social networking we do is a bit overkill. Sometimes I'll agree. We tend to share a bit too much information at times. But, overall I have to say I think social networking sites are fantastic tools. You are able to re-connect and stay in touch with friends you may not have seen in years. It's also a great way to build a network of people with whom you can share ideas and information. And, it's fun! So I say keep on blogging, writing on walls and tweeting!

(You can find my facebook page by clicking the "my facebook page" banner on the right side of my blog. If you would like to follow me on twitter, my user name is 94vol.)

For My Friend

2009-08-15T07:16:00.010-05:00

Yesterday was a tough day for me at work. I had to say goodbye to a co-worker and very good friend who is moving on to another opportunity. While I am happy for him, it was difficult seeing him leave, and things just won't be the same around the office without him. I know I will still see him and talk to him, but it won't be daily as I'm accustomed to. Our company truly lost one of it's best yesterday.

With all that said I wanted to briefly talk about this individual. His name is Ronnie (and I hope he gets the chance to read this). Over the past 7 years, Ronnie and I have become very good friends. He has taught me so much in regards to business and life. He is my brother in Christ, and we have had many opportunities to share life experiences together. Not many people in my office really know the friendship Ronnie and I share. We talk about so much more than our day to day business activities. That is what I'm going to miss the most.

There is no doubt in my mind that Ronnie will be successful in his new position. I am confident he will continue to be an outstanding leader and man of God. I pray that he will be happy in the new job and less stressed. I also know that our friendship will continue. Ronnie has been a very positive influence in my life in ways he may never know. For that I am truly grateful. I look forward to where God will lead him in both his career and his spiritual walk.

Ronnie, if you are reading this...Thank you for the friendship we share. Good luck with the new job. I'll be praying for you and your family and look forward to seeing your plans and dreams fulfilled. Thank you for living out your faith daily. You have really been an inspiration to me. May God bless you in all you do.

Related post: Influential People

A Man Fell in a Hole

2009-08-04T09:34:00.003-05:00

I received an e-mail today with a link to the video below. I had seen it before but quite some time ago. This short video message is a great reminder of how other religions can misguide us. The ideals they teach may sound good, but in the end they cannot save us from the Pit. The only way we can be saved is through a personal relationship with the Way...Jesus Christ!

What if God had texted the 10 Commandments?

2009-07-27T15:06:00.002-05:00

I saw this either on a blog or in an e-mail a while back and came across it again today. I'm not sure I quite get all of them. I think you have to be a teenager to understand all of these abbreviations, but I know the originals well enough to get the meaning.

What if God had texted the 10 Commandments?

1. no 1 b4 me...srsly
2. dnt wrshp pix/idols
3. no omg's
4. no wrk on w/end (sat 4 now; sun l8r)
5. pos ok - ur m&d r cool
6. dnt kill ppl
7. :-X only w/ m8
8. dnt steal
9. dnt lie re: bf
10. dnt ogle ur bf's m8, or ox, or dnkey. myob

Good luck deciphering all of that!

Baby Sheena.jpg

2009-07-25T21:16:00.001-05:00

Sheena was lying in Elise's room tonight when Elise thought she would cover her with a blanket. When we returned to her room a little later we discovered Sheena still under the cover. Elise wanted a picture. I thought it would make a good post.

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with SprintSpeed

Family Fun In Atlanta

2009-07-19T19:43:00.020-05:00

Jacinda, the girls and I spent the last few days in Atlanta. We decided to get away for a long weekend and take the girls to see many of the tourist attractions around town. We had lots of fun. I thought I would highlight a few of the fun things we did while there.

Our first night was a quiet one. We went out to dinner and showed the girls our old neighborhood. Rachel even got to see the hospital where she was born in Snellville.

We began our first full day with a trip to American Girl Place, which happens to be the largest American Girl store in the world. The girls loved it and, of course, made some purchases.

From there we went to IKEA for lunch and a little shopping, then made a quick stop by The Varsity. I don't think the girls were too impressed, but everyone has to see The Varsity when you visit Atlanta. We ended that day with dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant in Atlanta, Pasta Vino.

Day 2 began downtown at the Georgia Aquarium. We had not previously visited this one, and I was impressed. The place is huge and there is so much to see. We really enjoyed touring the aquarium.

From the aquarium we walked a dew blocks up to Peachtree Street for lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. From there we took a stroll through Centennial Olympic Park and showed the girls our commemorative brick that we purchased when the park was built for the 1996 Olympics.

After a quick visit to CNN Center to show the girls where Jacinda worked, we headed to the World of Coca-Cola. Jacinda and I had visited the old World of Coke location years ago, but this was our first trip to the new location. It was very cool. I really enjoyed seeing all of the old Coke memorabilia, and the girls liked the 4D theater. Of course the best part was at the end...the Tasting Room. There we sampled about 60 different products Coca-Cola makes from various places around the world. Some were pretty tasty, but others were just down right nasty. Maybe they are a acquired taste! Anyway, we had fun and it was a great day!

Our last day was spent at Stone Mountain taking in the scenery and fun attractions there. We rode the tram to the top of the rock, where the view was simply spectacular!

Next we hopped aboard the train for a 5-mile ride around the base of the mountain. After the girls did some souvenir shopping we headed over to the riverboat for a relaxing cruise around Stone Mountain Lake. It was a good day!

We had a great time visiting Atlanta. It was nice to show the girls around where we lived and played years ago. They had fun visiting the tourist attractions, as did Jacinda and I. I have lots of good pictures to help us remember the trip. It was loads of fun!

All About My Kids...Part 3

2009-07-13T10:26:00.004-05:00

Today's post is all about my youngest daughter, Elise. God blessed us with her on May 26, 2000. It's hard to believe that my baby girl is now 9 years old! It has been a genuine pleasure to watch her grow and develop over the last 9 years. Elise is such a joy, and here are a few of the things that makes her so special.

First I must say that, like Rachel, Elise is very smart. I am so proud of her for the good grades she has earned in school. She has become a very good student, and I pray that continues as she enters 4th grade this fall.

Second, Elise has the biggest heart! She has always just been so sweet and kind. She has a genuine love for her family and often volunteers to share with me, Jacinda and Rachel. Elise loves to help others as well. She is always willing to jump in and help with projects around the house or at church. She just seems to have a knack for that stuff. I love this quality in Elise and hope that she rubs off on me when I'm not quite as willing to offer my assistance.

Finally, Elise is funny. I'll take that a step further and say she can be down right hilarious at times. She definitely has a talent for making people laugh, and loves to be the center of attention. We often say that one day she's going to be on stage in some capacity. She will often just come up with a funny line or quirky comment when you least expect it. One that I'll always remember happened in Home Depot several years ago. One of the cartoons we enjoy is Fairly Odd Parents. If you've seen it you'll know Cosmo has been known to reflect on something and say, "Good times. Gooood times". Well, Elise and I were walking through Home Depot when she suddenly asked me if I remembered something (I don't recall what it was). I said yes, to which she replied, "Good times. Gooood times". I busted out laughing right there in the store and am sure others there thought I had lost my mind. Leave it to Elise to say or do something funny like that when you least expect it.

I could go on and on about Elise, and Rachel. There are simply far too many character traits for me to list here. Elise, when you read this know that I love you with all of my heart and am so glad God gave you to me. Thank you for bringing lots of laughter to my life! Remember, I'm always here for you.

I'll end this series of posts by saying that I am so proud of both my girls. Rachel and Elise have brought (and continue to bring) so much joy to my life. They are great kids, and I love them so very much! I pray for them daily and am so thankful that God sent them to me. I pray that I will be the best dad to them and that we will always be close. Girls, I love you both!!!

All About My Kids...Part 2

2009-07-10T09:21:00.008-05:00

As mentioned in my previous post the next 2 posts will be all about my kids. I'll start with the oldest.

On November 18, 1997, we were blessed by the birth of Rachel. She loves to tell people she was born in Snellville, GA, whose official town motto is "Where Everybody's Somebody". Rachel is a very smart, talented and beautiful girl. I just can't believe she is almost 12! Where did the years go???

It's hard to step back and just name off a few things that make your kids special. Every parent thinks their children are special in so many different ways. So, I'll just list some of the character traits I see in Rachel that stand out and make her who she is.

Rachel is very intelligent. In fact, I am still amazed at some of the scores she receives on the many tests they go through in school. She has always tested well above average. I contribute part of this to her passion for reading. She loves books. In fact, every time we visit Knoxville the trip is not complete without a stop at our favorite book store. Rachel has been known to pick up a 300 page book in the morning and be finished by the end of the day. That is amazing to me because I am a very slow reader. What's even more impressive is her ability to comprehend and remember what she has read.

In addition to her intelligence, Rachel is very talented. She showed an interest in art from an early age and has drawn and painted some pretty impressive pictures. We even framed a couple of them and have one hanging in our bonus room and one in my office. She has also learned to knit and wants to learn to sew (very useful talents). Her latest thing is music. She has been taking piano lessons and is learning lots. She has a strong desire to learn the instrument and is even writing some music of her own. I hope she continues and becomes a great pianist. She will also be beginning band this fall as she enters middle school and has chosen flute as her instrument. I'm positive she'll be amazing at that as well.

There are so many more things I could write about my sweet Rachel....far too many positive attributes to list here. It has been such a pleasure watching how she has grown and develop into the beautiful, talented young lady she is today. I am very proud of her and the person she has become. In just about a month she will make the transition from elementary school to middle school, marking the beginning of a whole new journey. I look forward to where God will lead her in the years ahead and pray that my relationship with her will grow closer as she makes this journey.

Rachel, I'm sure you'll read this so I just want you to know that you are a wonderful daughter. I love you with all my heart and am always here for you. Love, Dad.

All About My Kids

2009-07-09T10:09:00.002-05:00

I enjoy spending time with my kids. I don't always get to do as much with them as I would like, especially during the summer. Work and other responsibilities keep me from being available to them all the time, but I am thankful for the fun times we do have together.

Last night was one of those times. We didn't do anything overly special, but it was nice to just be with my girls. Jacinda was working last night, so I took the girls out to dinner...nothing fancy, we just went to Jason's Deli. It wasn't about the food or the restaurant. Instead it was all about my kids. I just wanted to spend some time with them and do something we don't typically get to do, at least not in the middle of the week. We had a good time together last night.

My next couple of posts here will be all about my kids. Each of them are special in their own unique way, and I want to share what makes them so special (besides just being my kids) with everyone.

Stay tuned...

Classic Comedy

2009-07-07T13:04:00.002-05:00

Abbott & Costello. Classic comedy at its best. They just don't make 'em like this anymore!

Struggling for God's Glory

2009-07-06T16:24:00.005-05:00

I receive several e-mail devotions each week. One of them is UpWords by Max Lucado. Today's was "My Struggles are About Him", and was taken from Lucado's book It's Not About Me. Lucado asks this question: "Is there any chance...that you have been selected to struggle for God's glory?" He goes on to give a clue to the answer. He asks about prayer. "Do your prayers seem to go unanswered? What you request and what you receive aren't matching up? Don't think God is not listening. Indeed he is. He may have higher plans."

I confess that there are times when it feels like God is not answering my prayers or that He is giving me something other than what I have been praying for. Yes, I have been frustrated and have wondered why God isn't listening. Today's message from Lucado gave me a new perspective. God is listening...He just has other plans for me.

Lucado goes on to tell a story about a man with cancer. He was praying for healing, but no healing came. Lucado told him that the illness was not about him. "Your hospital room is a showcase for your Maker". The man decided to use his illness to display his faith and reflect God.

I love the way today's message ended.

"God will use whatever he wants to display his glory. Heavens and stars. History and nations. People and problems. Rather than begrudge your problem. explore it. Ponder it. And most of all, use it. Use it to the glory of God. Through your problems and mine, may God be seen."

So, the next time I'm struggling with a problem my prayer is that I will remember this short message from Max Lucado. That I would step back and try to see how God will use that problem for a higher calling. That I would use the problem to the glory of God.

Celebrity Deaths

2009-07-05T15:33:00.003-05:00

I was just thinking about the number of celebrity deaths we have seen over the past few weeks. It seems like these things usually occur in threes, but recently there have been multiple deaths. It's unusual to lose that many celebrity figures in such a short period of time. I decided to do a little research to identify all of the celebrities who have passed over the past few weeks. Here is the list of all I found from the past 2 weeks.

Steve McNair, former NFL quarterback - July 4
Karl Malden, actor - July 1
Harve Presnell, actor - June 30
Fred Travalena, comedian, impressionist - June 28
Billy Mays - infomercial pitchman - June 28
Gale Storm, actress & singer - June 27
Michael Jackson, "King of Pop" - June 25
Farrah Fawcett, actress - June 25
Sky Saxon, musician - June 25
Ed McMahon, TV personality - June 23

I can't help but wonder who will be next.

Celebrating Freedom

2009-07-04T07:42:00.005-05:00

Today is July 4...Independence Day. 233 years ago the Declaration of Independence was drafted by Thomas Jefferson, and America was born. It's been a while since I've actually read the text of this great document, so I decided to read it this week. You can find the full text on several websites. Here is an excerpt.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that
among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure
these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

If you haven't read the Declaration in a while I invite you to do so. As you do, remember all who have sacrificed to defend this document and the freedoms we enjoy in this great nation. Thank God for the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson and the founding fathers. God Bless America!!!

Visiting Old Friends

2009-07-03T18:08:00.009-05:00

We are in Knoxville this weekend visiting family and friends. Today we got to spend some time with our friends Brian and Melissa. I have known Brian since Middle school. We have been friends for years, but we have become much better friends over the past few years. Our kids enjoy playing together, and Jacinda and I always have fun just spending time and talking with Brian and Melissa. Unfortunately we don't get to spend as much time together as we would like since they live in Knoxville. We usually try to see them when we are in town.

Today was lots of fun, as they had us over for a cookout...burgers, hot dogs, and even apple pie (yum!). The food was great, but the fellowship with some awesome friends was the best part. I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends, and thankful for their hospitality. I look forward to the next time we can get together.

Elise at Work

2009-07-02T10:40:00.003-05:00

I was blessed today by having Elise in the office with me. It's rare for one of the kids to be there. I took this pic of Elise "working" at my desk. Good times!

Proverbs

2009-07-01T10:00:00.002-05:00

At the beginning of the year I began reading the Bible through from Genesis to Revelation. This makes the second year I have done that, and I'm happy to report that I am on track. In fact, I just started Proverbs yesterday. There is so much wisdom packed in the pages of the Bible, and Proverbs is a great place to find much of it. I love how the book begins by telling the reader the purpose of the text.

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
For gaining wisdom and being instructed; for understanding insightful sayings;
for receiving wise instruction [in] righteousness, justice, and integrity;
for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man-
a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance-
for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
(Proverbs 1:1-7 HCSB)

My prayer as I read Proverbs, and as I continue reading through the rest of the Bible, is that I will gain wisdom and understanding, seek wise instruction, and increase in knowledge. I invite you to join me and read along.

Movie Review: Click

2009-06-29T15:34:00.004-05:00

I watched the movie Click over the weekend and was pleasantly surprised. The movie stars Adam Sandler, and I expected what you typically get from one of his movies...lots of dumb humor. Well, the humor was definitely there, but there was also something I did not expect...a moral to the story.

The plot revolves around Sandler's character, Michael Newman, an workaholic architect who has been overlooking his wife and kids in order to advance his career. While working late one night on a project he comes across a universal remote that actually controls his universe. He is able to pause, fast forward, and skip over parts of his life. Unfortunately, the remote begins to take over and starts fast forwarding over the most important parts of his life. As Michael sees how much of his life has passed by he realizes the importance of spending more time with his family.

There were moments in the movie where I laughed and some that brought a tear to my eye (yes, an Adam Sandler movie). I definitely did not expect such a moving story from a comedy. I was completely caught off guard by the underlying moral of the story. I guess it's because I'm guilty of not spending the quality time I should with my own family. The movie made me take a step back and examine what's really important in life.

So, I'll give this movie a good thumbs up and recommend seeing it. There is a bit of foul language and sexual reference so I wouldn't watch it with the kids. Check it out.

The Ark of the Covenant

2009-06-25T21:27:00.005-05:00

There was a very interesting article posted today on World Net Daily. The article explained that the patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia is going to reveal to the world on Friday the actual Ark of the Covenant. Click here for the entire story.

A follow-up story was posted this evening, which features some very interesting comments from Bob Cornuke of the BASE Institute. Mr. Cornuke believes that there is a very good possibility that the Ark may in fact be sitting in St. Mary's of Zion Church in Axum, Ethiopia, and that what is to be revealed Friday may be the actual relic from the Bible.

Graham Hancock, in his book The Sign and the Seal: The Quest for the Lost Ark of the Covenant, lays out historical evidence that would also support the Ark's resting place as Axum. There is far too much contained in that book to go into detail here, but I would recommend checking it out. It is a very interesting read.

So, I await tomorrow's unveiling by the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia. Do they really have the true Ark of the Covenant? If so, will what they reveal be that true relic or simply one of the many replicas found in Ethiopia? Based on evidence I have read and see in documentaries, I believe that what the Ethiopians have in Axum could very well be the Biblical Ark of the Covenant. We shall see.

The Legal System, Political Correctness, and Other Rants!

2009-06-17T10:33:00.009-05:00

I typically don't use this blog as a platform to rant about things, but I'm so fed up with these things and just needed to vent. So, here goes.

First, let me start with a rant about the legal system. I'll refer to this story about Donte Stallworth. If you're not familiar with the situation here's a quick recap. A few months ago, Stallworth is driving drunk (blood alcohol level of .12 at 7:00 am) when he hits and kills a pedestrian in Miami, FL. This week he plead guilty to DUI manslaughter and received 30 days in jail. That's right...30 days! What an outrage!!! Why is it celebrities and professional athletes in this country receive preferential treatment in legal matters? There is no doubt had you or I done something like this we would be facing the maximum possible sentence. But not someone like Donte Stallworth. Oh, no. We can't send him to jail for killing an innocent person. That just wouldn't be fair. I guess Brad Paisley's song Celebrity is accurate when it says: "I'll get community service no matter which law I break".

Rant number 2...Political Correctness.

Believe it or not, political correctness has invaded our cartoons! That's right, cartoons. I was watching Tom & Jerry last night with my kids on Cartoon Network. Now, I grew up watching this cartoon and would guess I've seen most of them several times. The one we were watching last night depicted Jerry (the mouse, in case you aren't familiar) traveling to the big city. One scene finds Jerry next to a shoe shine stand. The man shining the shoes reaches over to grab a brush but grabs Jerry instead and proceeds to dunk him head first into the black shoe polish. He then uses Jerry's head to dab the polish onto the shoes then re-deposits Jerry (head first) into the polish. Jerry then squirms and pulls his head free and looks up, revealing a black face. Now, that is the way I remember seeing it, but not last night. Cartoon Network actually edited the scene and only showed Jerry struggling to pull his head out. When he pulled his head out and looked up we were immediately taken to the next scene. Why???? Political correctness, of course. It just wouldn't be PC to depict Jerry (a cartoon mouse) with a black face. That would be racist and make someone feel uncomfortable. But what about the next scene in the cartoon? It shows Jerry floating on some water running along a sidewalk. When he passes several female legs he whistles at them. Why not edit that scene as well? After all, if a black face after falling in shoe polish is not PC and could be deemed racist, then wouldn't whistling at women also be politically incorrect and deemed sexist??? PC....more like BS!!!!!

Now I move on to what's happening to our great country. Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines socialism like this:

1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2 a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state

Take a look at what is happening to the automobile industry in the U.S. and what is being proposed for government run health care. Add to that the banking industry. The people of this country voted for change in November of 2008. Well, we sure got change. This great nation is slowly being changed into a socialist nation. Just read the definition and watch the news. It's happening! I hope the American people wake up and vote for change again in 2010. We need strong conservative leadership in Congress before it's too late and this country is destroyed from within!

I could go on about these and several other issues, but that's enough ranting for now. I'm sure some reading this will agree with me, but I also know some of you will disagree. I welcome any comments and would love to know what you think.

Silly Girls

2009-06-12T11:04:00.003-05:00

We were all in the kitchen last night when the girls decided they wanted to start doing some very silly dancing. I commented that I should have been filming them and decided to grab my Blackberry and capture the moment. I don't think Rachel was too excited because she knew the video would end up on this blog and/or facebook, but Elsie loved it and just kept going. Here is what I was able to get.

Walk-On ESPN Video

2009-06-04T13:18:00.002-05:00

I have nothing to say. This video speaks for itself.

Spiritual Warfare

2009-06-03T16:33:00.005-05:00

Do you believe we are at war? No, I'm not talking about the war on terror. Every day the followers of Jesus Christ are at war for our very souls.

"For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens." (Ephesians 6:12)

God's Word is very clear on this matter. The battle is raging. Are you equipped to defend your soul and fight these forces of evil?

"This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God's word." (Ephesians 6:13-17)

Celebrating 9 Years!!!!

2009-05-26T21:50:00.028-05:00

Today is May 26, 2009...Elise's 9th birthday!!!

Nine years ago, God blessed us with our second little girl...Elise Mackenzie Butcher. Elise is truly a delight. She loves to laugh and make others laugh. Of course there have been challenges over the past 9 years, but Elise has given us far more good times than bad. How blessed we are to have such a sweet little angel!!!

In honor of her birthday I decided to do what I did on Rachel's big day. What follows is a photographic timeline of Elise's life. It's just my way of sharing a few of the fun times we have had with her.

2000 - 2002

2003 - 2005

2006 - 2008

2009

My how she has grown!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELISE!!!!!!

A Special Celebration

2009-05-19T20:51:00.009-05:00

Tonight we celebrated the end of an era and a new beginning. Rachel's 5th grade graduation ceremony was held tonight, marking the end of her elementary school days and ushering in middle school. Wow, I can't believe my little girl has grown up so fast!

The ceremony was very nice. Each 5th grade teacher read their students' names and the kids walked across the stage to receive their certificates. Rachel looked absolutely beautiful, in my opinion, as you can see in the photos below. The ceremony ended with a slide show of various pics taken of the 5th grade classes throughout the school year.

This is something new for me. When I was in school the only graduation ceremony we had was when we completed high school. I think it's great that schools do these celebrations now, especially for 5th grade. It truly is the end of one era and the beginning of a whole new experience.

Congratulations Rachel!!!!! I'm very proud of you!!!!

Liberal Media Spin

2009-05-13T14:46:00.011-05:00

I heard a funny story today about how a liberal journalist can take a story and spin it into something completely different from what really happened. The story went something like this.

A little girl is standing beside a lion's cage looking in at the animal. She gets a little too close to the cage, and the lion grabs her and attempts to pull her into the cage. A man on a motorcycle sees this happening, jumps off his bike and runs to assist the girl. He tries pulling her free but is unable to do so. Seeing the lion is within reach the man punches the animal causing it to release it's grip on the girl. The man pulls her to safety and returns her to her parents who are watching in horror. They, of course, are showering the man with gratitude. A newspaper reporter just happens to be there and witnesses the entire event from beginning to end. He pulls the man who just saved the little girl aside and praises him for what was done. He tells him that is the most heroic act he has ever seen. The "hero" says he just simply did what was right. The journalist assures the rescuer that an article will appear on the front page of the next day's paper. He asks the man a few questions for the story, including what kind of bike he rides. The man says it is a Harley and points it out to the journalist, who notices the McCain / Palin bumper sticker on the gas tank. Again, he promises the hero a front page story. The next morning the man buys a newspaper, and sure enough there is the story on the front page. The headline reads...

Right Wing Maverick Assaults African Immigrant, Steals Lunch

Objective journalism??? You decide.

A New Blog

2009-05-10T14:17:00.003-05:00

Today's post has nothing to do with my blog. Instead, I'm writing today because I'm going to help Rachel set up her own blog. She asked me a few weeks ago if she could start one. I debated on whether or not I thought it was a good idea and decided that it would be. In fact. I think it will be a great way for her to express some of her extremely creative thoughts. I have no idea what she will decide to write and post to her blog, but I know it will be something unique and special. I look forward to following it and seeing how it develops. Good luck, Rachel!

Come Save

2009-05-07T15:51:00.003-05:00

I recently discovered the song Come Save by Sarah Reeves on iTunes. I really like the song. Today I found this video about her inspiration behind the song. Check it out...

Now that you've heard her story you can listen to the whole song.

Reading Challenge

2009-05-07T13:41:00.005-05:00

When it comes to reading, our kids could not be more different. Rachel absolutely loves to read. She would rather read than anything. Almost every night we find her in her room well after bedtime still reading. She can get a 500 page book today and be finished tomorrow. I'll say reading is her passion!

Elise, on the other hand, is not quite as motivated to read as her sister. We are constantly trying to find ways to motivate her to read. Getting her to read something on her own is next to impossible. She doesn't even want to read what is required for school. It is a constant battle with her.

With that said, I decided to pose a little challenge to her. She has to read 3 more books and write summaries on them before the end of the school year. In order to motivate her to read those 3 (and a few more over the summer) I challenged her to a reading contest. If she can read 8 of her books, which average about 80 pages each, before I can read 5 of mine she will receive a special prize. I have not selected the prize yet. If you have any suggestions please feel free to post them here in a comment.

Since Elise loves contests I hope this motivates her enough to at least read these few books. I would love for this to spark a real interest in books and make her want to read all the time, but for now we'll take it one step at a time. I'll post the results of our contest on the blog when we're done.

Praising God...Psalm 150

2009-05-02T14:27:00.004-05:00

I love Psalm 150. It reads...

Praise God in His sanctuary.
Praise Him in His mighty heavens.
Praise Him for His powerful acts;
praise Him for His abundant greatness.

Praise Him with trumpet blasts;
praise Him with harp and lyre.
Praise Him with tambourine and dance;
praise Him with flute and strings.
Praise Him with resounding cymbals;
praise Him with clashing cymbals.

Let everything that breathes praise the LORD

Tonight and tomorrow night, the ClearView Worship Ministry has the opportunity to praise Him with music. Our church is so blessed with talented musicians and singers, and I count myself lucky to be a part of the Worship Ministry. It is such a blessing to lead alongside such an awesome group of folks!

My prayer as we approach the performances this weekend, is that the congregation will see beyond the singers and musicians. May we present the music in such a way that it directs the audience's focus to God. I pray that God will open our hearts and that the power of the Holy Spirit will fill the worship center so He will receive the honor and the glory!

The last song we perform sums it up perfectly.

Not unto us, Oh Lord.
But unto Your name all honor and glory
Unto Your name all wisdom and strength
Unto Your name power and mercy
Unto Your name all praise.
Not unto us, but unto Your name Oh Lord.

A Wake Up Call to Christians

2009-04-29T11:44:00.006-05:00

I found the video below today on tangle. Islam is growing very rapidly and is quickly becoming the world's dominant religion. This video should be a wake up call to ALL followers of Jesus Christ. Are we doing all we can to share the gospel with the world? Am I doing my part right here in my little corner of the world? I think this video proves we can all do more. I know I can!

A Night of Hallelujahs

2009-04-27T12:35:00.003-05:00

This coming weekend, the ClearView Worship Ministry will lead a very special worship service featuring many of the most well-received songs from the past few years. There are two opportunities to attend:

Saturday, May 2 at 7 PM and Sunday, May 3 at 6 PM

Please make plans to attend this very special event and come hear our choir, band and orchestra. Visit the church website for more information. I hope to see you there.

Learning About Creation

2009-04-26T21:42:00.003-05:00

This weekend I had the privilege of being a chaperon on Rachel's 5th grade Sunday School field trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY (just outside Cincinnati, OH). We had lots of fun and learned some very interesting things about God's creation.

We left Friday around lunch and arrived at our hotel around 7:00 PM. We enjoyed a round of miniature golf Friday night followed by pizza. After making sure the kids had showered and were in bed, the adults turned in and prepared for our visit to the museum.

We arrived at the museum Saturday morning around 9:00 am. Our first stop was the Stargazer's Planetarium, where we saw a very cool presentation about the universe. From there we headed to the Special Effects Theater for Men in White. This was a short film about the Bible and science as told by the angels "Mike" and "Gabe" using various special effects throughout the theater. The kids really seemed to enjoy this one.

Next we headed into the main part of the museum, the Walk Through Biblical History. This was a self-guided tour that took about 2-3 hours to complete. We began the journey at creation, strolled through the Garden of Eden, visited Noah's Ark, and learned about the Tower of Babel. Of course there was lots more throughout this incredible experience. The journey ended in the Last Adam Theater, where we watched a powerful presentation of God's redemptive plan through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

After lunch we headed outside to the gardens and the petting zoo. Then back in to do some shopping in the gift shop and visit Dinosaur Den and the Dragon Theater. Here we saw a short film about dinosaurs and dragons as described in Job 40 and 41.

We wrapped up our day around 4:30 PM and loaded the bus to head home. The kids all had a great time, and we all learned something we didn't previously know. I'm glad I had the opportunity to make the trip and spend the time with Rachel. I don't get to do things like that with her very often, so I cherish those moments.

The museum was awesome, and I hope to go back soon. In fact, I would like to make another trip up there later this summer so Jacinda and Elise can go. I highly recommend it. It's a great place for kids, but I think the younger ones might not fully understand everything and could get a little bored. I think it's best for kids 9 and older, but that's just my opinion.

Technology

2009-04-23T12:48:00.004-05:00

I am amazed by our ever changing technology. Just trying to keep up is enough to make your head spin. It's hard to imagine life without computers, cell phones, iPod, etc. But, many of us grew up without these items. In fact, I remember some of the early cell phones. They were in bags and probably weighed 5 lbs. Today we have cell phones small enough to fit in your pocket that weigh only a few ounces. Likewise, I remember when most folks did not own a home computer. Of course now many people have one or two at home and a laptop. My, how technology has changed.

Today we are so fortunate to have so many technological advances. Just think about the ways we can communicate today. This blog is but one example. We have the Internet and e-mail, where we are capable of sending a message across the world in a matter of seconds. Next we have cell phones. Many people, like me, have a smart phone. Mine is a Blackberry. With these devices we can send e-mails and text messages, surf the web, take pictures, play games, get GPS turn by turn directions, and a whole host of other cool things. I even have the ability to publish posts to this blog via my cell phone. Oh yeah, we can even make phone calls with them!!!

Then there is social networking. What a difference this has made in how we communicate! We can link into a social network such as facebook, twitter, linked-in, et. al., and give our friends real-time updates about what we are doing. We can literally have a conversation with someone halfway around the world and never utter a single word. Amazing!

So, why am I talking about this? I've just been thinking about this subject for the past couple of days and decided to share my thoughts. I try to keep up with as much of the latest technology as possible. I know that if I don't my kids will be so far ahead of me that I'll never catch up! I don't want to be left behind, technologically speaking. So, here's to modern technology!

Butterfly Fly Away

2009-04-22T16:24:00.004-05:00

Occasionally a song comes along that pulls on a father's heart strings. Butterfly Fly Away by Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus is one such song. I first heard it when we saw the Hannah Montana movie, and I'll confess that it did sort of bring a tear to my eye. Check out this video and see what I mean.

Disturbing Survey Results

2009-04-15T11:29:00.011-05:00

I read an article yesterday in The Christian Post that was quite disturbing, in my opinion. The article contained some results from a survey of American Christians. Here's some of what the survey included.

I. Satan is not a living being, but is a symbol of evil.

40% strongly agreed with this statement
19% somewhat agreed
26% strongly disagreed
9% somewhat disagreed
Approximately 8% were unsure what to believe about the existence of Satan.

II. The Holy Spirit is a symbol of God's power but is not a living force.

58% strongly or somewhat agreed
25 % strongly disagreed
9% somewhat disagreed

III. Jesus Christ sinned while on earth

22% strongly agreed
17% somewhat agreed
46% strongly disagreed

I can't help but wonder if these people have even read the Bible!! If this group of so-called Christians are attending church, then I would be curious to know what the pastor is teaching them. How in the world can we have people who claim to be Christian yet believe the things listed above?

What really concerns me about the findings of this survey is the part about whether Jesus sinned while he lived on the earth. I am absolutely shocked that someone who claims to be Christian could honestly believe Jesus was anything other than perfect. After all, Jesus was God in human form. If Jesus sinned while He was here, wouldn't that mean God sinned? Thus our whole belief system is flawed. Praise God that Jesus was our perfect, sinless sacrifice!

I am truly thankful for ClearView Baptist Church and the leadership we have. It is such a blessing to know I have a pastor who believes the Bible is 100% accurate and is the inspired Word of God. Thank you Mark for always teaching us the truth!

A Thought About Easter

2009-04-13T10:15:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated the most glorious event in history...the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Easter is a great time to reflect on the cross and its meaning. But, my thoughts today, the day after Easter, are still on the cross and the sacrifice that was made. We, as followers of Christ, should reflect on the events of Holy Week and Easter more than just once a year. Without those events our whole belief system is shattered. Christianity does not exist without the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. There is a great song that reminds me of this. The chorus says this:

May we never forget, the cross and the blood
The price that was paid so that we might live
May we never forget, the cost of His love
He'll never forsake us, He'll always forgive
May we never forget

That's my prayer following Easter. May I never forget what Jesus did for me on the cross for me, and may I worship daily as if were Easter Sunday.

March for Babies

2009-04-06T14:30:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, April 19, my family and I are going to take part in the March of Dimes March for Babies at Centennial Park in Nashville. We are walking as a part of the team "Lou Bear's Crew" to help raise money for a worthy cause and to support the Loudermilk family. (For information about Liza and her family please click on the link on the left under the blogs I follow "Liza Loudermilk".)

Please take a moment to visit our team page to learn more.

http://www.marchforbabies.org/s_team_page.asp?SeId=658286&si

Also, I am asking for your support of this worthy cause by making a donation. Please click on the March for Babies link on the left side of my blog page to make a donation online.

Thank you for your support!

Influential People

2009-03-31T10:56:00.005-05:00

We are all influenced, either positively or negatively, every day by various people. Sometimes we may not even realize the influence another person has on us, or the influence we have on others. Each of us influences someone by the things we say and do. I hope my influence on those around me is positive. Which leads me to today's thought. Who are the positive influences in my life?

The first people that come to mind are my immediate family. My wife and kids influence me in very personal ways that no one else can. But what about people outside my family? Who do I know that has such a positive impact on my life that I need to tell everyone? While thinking about this I realized there are several people I could mention, so I decided to narrow it down and talk about 4 of them.

1. Mark Marshall: Mark is my pastor, at ClearView Baptist Church. I immediately thought of Mark because he is teaching me so much, both on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. Mark challenges me spiritually as he teaches God's Word. He is a phenomenal teacher who genuinely cares for each and every one of us in his congregation. Mark has been a major influence on my spiritual walk over the past couple of years, and I appreciate that more than he will ever know.

2. Michael Smith: Michael is also a pastor at ClearView and our worship leader. Michael has also been very influential in my spiritual life. He brings such a passion to worship and has taught me that worship is not about what I get from the service. It's all about Him. Michael has helped me look at worship in a totally different way, especially when I get the chance to participate as part of the worship ministry. Instead of hoping the audience enjoys the music we play I pray that what we do on stage will glorify God and point the congregation to Him.

3. Ed Kee: Ed is my church orchestra director. Ed has challenged me to become a better musician. I'll admit that I still have lots of room to improve, but I can see (and hear) a difference. Ed is constantly challenging us (the ClearView orchestra) to give our best when we play. After all, our audience on Sunday morning is God Almighty! I don't practice like I should, but Ed has motivated me to focus more on my own playing and improve my talent. Hopefully I will continue to improve under Ed's positive influence.

4. Ronnie Holland: Ronnie is a friend and co-worker. He has had a very positive influence on me from a business standpoint and in my spiritual life. I have a lot of respect for Ronnie and have told him so in the past. He and I have developed a wonderful friendship over the past several years, and I feel very comfortable talking openly with him about many different topics. We have sort of developed into accountability partners, as each of us discuss various things with the other. Ronnie also leads a Bible study each Wednesday at our office. His leadership role with that study has influenced my own personal study time. I'm glad to have Ronnie as a friend.

I want to publicly say thank you to each of the gentlemen listed above. Each of you positively influences an area of my life, and I appreciate you! My hope is that I can be a positive influence on each of you as well.