We are long-time Cingular customers. We have been particuarly fond of calls that are free to our long distance friends and family and to other Cingular customers. We have even carried an exorbitant amount of rollover minutes...until recently.
Our oldest daughter, who turns 15 next week, has a boyfriend now. He's a good kid. Smart. Articulate. Athletic. Good looking. Outgoing. Well mannered. Sounds like the perfect kid.
Problem is, he's a Verizon customer. That's not good. As of the 18th of the month we had less than 100 minutes left. Right now we...rather, she and handsome have whittled our rollover minutes down to 582 as of 8:44 EST this evening.
The Bible is full of practical wisdom. While it is outside the boundaries of exegesis, I am still convinced the the words found in 2 Corinthians 6:14 can be applied to different cell carriers. Nay, the yoking of Cingular kids and the sinful kids with other cell carriers.
I fully realize that customers of Verizon and the rest are casting stones at me as well. Maybe Alltel (love their new commercials) has a corner on the truth.
I've calmed down now. Loving my neighbor as myself...and making sure beautiful and handsome call each other on the land line or using IM before 7pm on weeknights.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Monday, April 24, 2006
if you would have told me I would be doing these things a year ago...
- I would have never thought I would be a partner in my own business. (Oh yeah, that TEC thing didn't work out. Their loss.)
- (1) That I would be TiVo'ing the Stanley Cup playoffs. (2) That I would actually watch them and enjoy them immensely.
- That I would not be in full time Christian ministry.
- That I would be heavily involved in the student ministry of the church I attend...and totally digging it.
- That I would be garnering a reputation as an encourager....who'da thunk?
- That I would be more patient than ever before. Frankly, just a little patience was a big step for me.
- That I would be this focused and happy after all the stuff that's happened in the last eight months.
Peace.
Monday, April 17, 2006
it's all about the life changing story
Easter is a big day in my faith system. It's actually bigger than Christmas. Christmas is great and everything but, in the worldview of the evangelical Christian, it's simply a precursor to the celebration of the apex of Christianity...the atoning death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I've been doing the church thing from the womb and have seen lots of different portrayals of the life of Christ. I've played the apostle Peter in a Passion play. I've gone to Easter cantatas. I've participated in a bunch of different Easter rituals, including egg hunts. I reckon they have their place. From my perspective, it seems that the focus of all the rituals tends to be on the production rather than how the Passion story can actually change someone's life.
This Easter was different. The church I attend, Chestnut Mountain Church, did a life drama based on the life of a guy at our church. The guy, Chris, had grown up in church and knew the right answers but he never allowed it to change his life. He ended up making some poor choices and lost his job, marriage, and the respect of his friends. The result was multiple run-ins with the law and jail time. After a long, dark road of addiction he ended up repenting and asking Jesus Christ to be his Lord and Savior. The songs, video, personal testimony of Chris, and drama of the conversion were so well done that the focus stayed on the message of God's life changing power. It was balanced. Brutally honest. Crystal clear. Real life kind of stuff.
Yesterday was proof that a church can communicate the claims of Jesus Christ with poignant relevance. Kudos to the leadership of CMC.
Oh yeah...I got to play bass yesterday. Rippin' good fun for sure.
I've been doing the church thing from the womb and have seen lots of different portrayals of the life of Christ. I've played the apostle Peter in a Passion play. I've gone to Easter cantatas. I've participated in a bunch of different Easter rituals, including egg hunts. I reckon they have their place. From my perspective, it seems that the focus of all the rituals tends to be on the production rather than how the Passion story can actually change someone's life.
This Easter was different. The church I attend, Chestnut Mountain Church, did a life drama based on the life of a guy at our church. The guy, Chris, had grown up in church and knew the right answers but he never allowed it to change his life. He ended up making some poor choices and lost his job, marriage, and the respect of his friends. The result was multiple run-ins with the law and jail time. After a long, dark road of addiction he ended up repenting and asking Jesus Christ to be his Lord and Savior. The songs, video, personal testimony of Chris, and drama of the conversion were so well done that the focus stayed on the message of God's life changing power. It was balanced. Brutally honest. Crystal clear. Real life kind of stuff.
Yesterday was proof that a church can communicate the claims of Jesus Christ with poignant relevance. Kudos to the leadership of CMC.
Oh yeah...I got to play bass yesterday. Rippin' good fun for sure.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Interesting
I'm always intrigued to see who's been stopping by my blog. I hope it's been good for you somehow.
UNITED...incredible
In the Christian worship music subculture there are some psalmists/artists that receive rock star treatment. It's unfortunate, but it happens nontheless. There is a group of folks from down under that, at least on the surface, seem to be the real deal. The student worship ministry of Hillsong from Australia called UNITED exude genuineness. While I haven't met them personally, it is evident that there is something different about these people.My wife and I went to see them at 7:22 last Tuesday night. As usual, the production was first class. The UNITED folks were in top musical form and more importantly, led the crowd in some very authentic worship. It was incredible. I know that may seem over the top to some, but that was the perception that I and my wife had of the evening.
I haven't picked up their new CD/DVD combo United We Stand, but I'm sure I'll buy it. Even though I'm a huge fan of ITunes, I'll pick up the good old fashioned hard copy. The DVD's these guys produce are very well done. It's worth the extra few bucks.
Monday, March 20, 2006
gee whiz, I had fun tonight
Our newly formed men's discipleship group had our first meeting at an Atlanta Thrashers game tonight. We spanked the Sabres 5-0. One of the guys in the group owns great seats he uses for business purposes. His clients backed out tonight. Bummer for them...
The group is made up of some guys in the construction industry. Two concrete guys and two erosion control guys. They started the study group and asked if I would lead it. I, of course, said "Yes" simply because it was a way to help some guys that had been struggling spiritually and another that is on a spiritual quest.
The spiritual barometer for the group is: One follower of Christ that's just starting the growth process. Another is not a believer, but is intensely seeking spiritual things. The third is a Catholic dude that is spiritually sensitive, but I haven't had a chance to go much beyond that. Then there's me...a guy that thrives on making disciples.
Not only did we do some serious male bonding tonight, we also found out the reason that we all wanted to be a part of the group. That reason is that being in a macho industry doesn't make you a man. What makes you a man is the strength of your character. All of us have something(s) that we need to adjust in our lives. Our goal is to see that happen in this group.
So how did the four guys fare at the game? We all spent a ridiculous amount of money on Philips Arena food. None of the guys bought beer. The Catholic dude gave up beer for Lent. Two of the guys don't drink that much. Me...I'm a Southern Baptist again so that means drinking is verboten (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Seriously, "'You may say, "I am allowed to do anything." But I reply, "Not everything is good for you." And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything'" (1 Corinthians 6:8, NLT).
I had fun tonight. It proves that you don't have to get hammered to have fun with the guys. It does, however, help if your team crushes their opponent.
The group is made up of some guys in the construction industry. Two concrete guys and two erosion control guys. They started the study group and asked if I would lead it. I, of course, said "Yes" simply because it was a way to help some guys that had been struggling spiritually and another that is on a spiritual quest.
The spiritual barometer for the group is: One follower of Christ that's just starting the growth process. Another is not a believer, but is intensely seeking spiritual things. The third is a Catholic dude that is spiritually sensitive, but I haven't had a chance to go much beyond that. Then there's me...a guy that thrives on making disciples.
Not only did we do some serious male bonding tonight, we also found out the reason that we all wanted to be a part of the group. That reason is that being in a macho industry doesn't make you a man. What makes you a man is the strength of your character. All of us have something(s) that we need to adjust in our lives. Our goal is to see that happen in this group.
So how did the four guys fare at the game? We all spent a ridiculous amount of money on Philips Arena food. None of the guys bought beer. The Catholic dude gave up beer for Lent. Two of the guys don't drink that much. Me...I'm a Southern Baptist again so that means drinking is verboten (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Seriously, "'You may say, "I am allowed to do anything." But I reply, "Not everything is good for you." And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything'" (1 Corinthians 6:8, NLT).
I had fun tonight. It proves that you don't have to get hammered to have fun with the guys. It does, however, help if your team crushes their opponent.
Friday, March 17, 2006
the bittersweetness of sort of being back in the Southern Baptist loop
Stealth Baptist
I'm attending a stealth SBC church now. We're stealth because we don't have "baptist" in our name. I think they changed the name to save on printing costs. I'm not sure of that though. At least its a place where I feel comfortable inviting people to check out the claims of Jesus Christ.
Warm fuzzy
There is comfort level of being a part of a large organization. For me, it's knowing that there is some sort of support network. The ability to share and retrieve information related to the Mission increases dramatically when you're in the SBC loop. I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy as I write this.
SBC doesn't stand for Stupid Baptist...yet
Granted, the SBC has its share of flaws. One that personally ticks me off right now is a controversy over something that isn't fundamental to carrying out the Mission of the Church. It's a controversy that has caused many to spend more time involved in writing postition papers than carrying out the Mission. Not good. I personally think they would rather argue than lead people to eternal hope. It's also causes others to spend their precious time making sure there is a balanced rebuttal to the whole thing. For those who care, check out the blog called SBC Outpost. My bud Marty Duren is just short of genius because his blog is so much cooler than mine.
Mission
In the grand scheme of things, nobody empowers people to be on Mission better than the SBC. You can plug into the system or you can create your own system. Very nice. We've come a long way baby.
Have a nice day......Yes, it's OK to hum the BonJovi tune right now.
I'm attending a stealth SBC church now. We're stealth because we don't have "baptist" in our name. I think they changed the name to save on printing costs. I'm not sure of that though. At least its a place where I feel comfortable inviting people to check out the claims of Jesus Christ.
Warm fuzzy
There is comfort level of being a part of a large organization. For me, it's knowing that there is some sort of support network. The ability to share and retrieve information related to the Mission increases dramatically when you're in the SBC loop. I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy as I write this.
SBC doesn't stand for Stupid Baptist...yet
Granted, the SBC has its share of flaws. One that personally ticks me off right now is a controversy over something that isn't fundamental to carrying out the Mission of the Church. It's a controversy that has caused many to spend more time involved in writing postition papers than carrying out the Mission. Not good. I personally think they would rather argue than lead people to eternal hope. It's also causes others to spend their precious time making sure there is a balanced rebuttal to the whole thing. For those who care, check out the blog called SBC Outpost. My bud Marty Duren is just short of genius because his blog is so much cooler than mine.
Mission
In the grand scheme of things, nobody empowers people to be on Mission better than the SBC. You can plug into the system or you can create your own system. Very nice. We've come a long way baby.
Have a nice day......Yes, it's OK to hum the BonJovi tune right now.
Monday, March 13, 2006
just for fun
I've been tagged by Charlie...and I'm in the mood to talk...
Four Jobs I've Had
* Short-order cook (same as Charlie!)
* Truck rental operations manager (almost like Charlie!)
* Substitute teacher
* House painter
Four Movies I Can Watch Over and Over:
* The Matrix
* Tombstone
* Napoleon Dynamite
* Open Range
Four Places I've Lived:
* Lead Hill, Arkansas
* Kansas City, Kansas
* Little City, Oklahoma
* King George, Virginia
Four Shows I Like To Watch:
* 24
* SportsCenter
* Mythbusters
* UFC
Four Foods That I Like:
* Seafood
* Falafel wrap
* Medium rare filet mignon
* Little Debbie Devil Squares
Four Sites I Visit Everyday:
* Yahoo Sports
* Atlanta Falcons
* Atlanta Journal-Constitution
* GeorgiaWeather.net
Four Things I Want To Do Before I Die:
* Visit all of the Smithsonian museums
* Go deep sea fishing for sharks
* Do the Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure thing
* Play bass for Eric Clapton
Four People I'm Tagging:
- The only people I know really well that blog have already been tagged...
Four Jobs I've Had
* Short-order cook (same as Charlie!)
* Truck rental operations manager (almost like Charlie!)
* Substitute teacher
* House painter
Four Movies I Can Watch Over and Over:
* The Matrix
* Tombstone
* Napoleon Dynamite
* Open Range
Four Places I've Lived:
* Lead Hill, Arkansas
* Kansas City, Kansas
* Little City, Oklahoma
* King George, Virginia
Four Shows I Like To Watch:
* 24
* SportsCenter
* Mythbusters
* UFC
Four Foods That I Like:
* Seafood
* Falafel wrap
* Medium rare filet mignon
* Little Debbie Devil Squares
Four Sites I Visit Everyday:
* Yahoo Sports
* Atlanta Falcons
* Atlanta Journal-Constitution
* GeorgiaWeather.net
Four Things I Want To Do Before I Die:
* Visit all of the Smithsonian museums
* Go deep sea fishing for sharks
* Do the Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure thing
* Play bass for Eric Clapton
Four People I'm Tagging:
- The only people I know really well that blog have already been tagged...
It's been longer than next Monday...like seven months
The three day retreat was prophetic. I can't remember the Scripture reference that spoke to me the most, but it essentially said I should be silent when spoken against. So the last seven months have been silent. The emotions have died down. I have forgiven. I have moved on.
We're members at Chestnut Mountain Church . Great pastor, great staff, especially great student pastor. I'm playing in the band and helping out with the student ministry.
For income, I have taken a position as an Area Sales Manager for The Erosion Company. I would give you a link, but our website is lame. If you must see it, Google it. It's enjoyable primarily because I get to spend a lot of time outside and with all kinds of people. The vast majority of the people I come into contact with are not Christ followers. That makes for lots of opportunities to make a difference, so that's probably the coolest part of the job.
I am healed, energized, and ready to blog again. So here goes...
We're members at Chestnut Mountain Church . Great pastor, great staff, especially great student pastor. I'm playing in the band and helping out with the student ministry.
For income, I have taken a position as an Area Sales Manager for The Erosion Company. I would give you a link, but our website is lame. If you must see it, Google it. It's enjoyable primarily because I get to spend a lot of time outside and with all kinds of people. The vast majority of the people I come into contact with are not Christ followers. That makes for lots of opportunities to make a difference, so that's probably the coolest part of the job.
I am healed, energized, and ready to blog again. So here goes...
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