I once could see but now I'm blind...

So today was my birthday! Party on! For my birthday, my amazing wife, the Lovely Linda, planned out the evening's festivities. We started off with our maiden voyage to P.F. Chang's for dinner. Uh, yeah! P.F. Chang's lived up to the billing. Yes, we had the Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps for an appetizer. Then we rocked the Crispy Honey Shrimp and Salt and Pepper Prawns. Magic.

Then we drove to Atlantic Station in the ATL to experience Dialogue In the Dark. You can read more about the experience HERE, but in a nut shell you enter the experience with approx 10 other people and are in a completely dark environment and are lead to different scenarios to experience what it would be like to have no sight. I don't want to sound cliche, but it was definitely an eye opening experience! It was fascinating how quickly your other senses ramped up to compensate for no sight.

I was made acutely aware of how much I take for granted the simple things in life, the ability to see being one of them. It made me stop and think about the time Jesus cured the blind man. To say this story has new meaning would be an understatement. The dude COULD NOT SEE! And Jesus said, "Receive your sight!" Close your eyes for just 5 minutes and then rethink what took place. Once blind, now seeing!

"And all who saw it praised God, too."

We serve an amazing and powerful God. Don't ever forget that.

Keep it real.

srr

sinbad

What if...

we just followed God's plan?

Love God....
Love others....
Make disciples....

Seems pretty simple. Wonder why we make it so complicated? What if we ran EVERYTHING we did through these three filters? What might we do more of? What might we quit doing all together? How might your city/state/country look different?

Just sayin'

Keep it real,

srr

sinbad

Not much left in the tank!

Today has been one long day. Alarm went off at 5:45. It's all worth it, though, when I think about all of the life change that took place today at Revolution Church and this evening at Uprising student worship experience.

So tonight I just want to share some verses from the message I shared with students tonight. Hopefully you will find some hope and encouragement in them....

Jeremiah 29:11
11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Isaiah 30.21
Your teacher will be right there, local and on the job, urging you on whenever you wander left or right: "This is the right road. Walk down this road."

Jeremiah 33.3
2-3"This is God's Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: 'Call to me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.'

Proverbs 3.5-7
5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil!

Read these through a time or two and remind yourself that God is crazy about you!

Keep it real,

srr

sinbad

Whom do you obey?

NOTE: I realized today that I forgot to post the Friday Flush. I was traveling and overlooked it. Maybe I'll FLUSH on Monday this week! :) Now on to today's blog...

Ran across this simple yet powerful verse today.

Acts 5.29

29Peter and the apostles replied:

We don't obey people. We obey God.

I love this passage. Peter and some other apostles are getting their chops busted because the Sanhedrin, (kinda like a supreme court), had told them to shut their traps and stop all the God-talk! I love their response! WE DON'T OBEY PEOPLE. WE OBEY GOD.

WOW! I wonder how different the "American" church would look and what kind of impact in our communities would be made if churches and those who served at them said the same thing Peter said. I cannot help but think things would be radically different.

I think more churches would be hitting the 1000 mark than the 100 mark.
I think more of the least, last, and lost would be coming to Christ.
I think more people who are NOT convinced Christ is who he says he is, would become convinced.
I think more churches that had influence in their communities would be the norm not the exception.

Call me crazy, but that's what I think.

Question: What would people say about YOU?
Do you obey people or do you obey God?

Just sayin'!

Keep it real,

srr

sinbad

Who else?

Thought about one of my favorite verses today. It's from John 6....

66-67After this a lot of his disciples left. They no longer wanted to be associated with him. Then Jesus gave the Twelve their chance: "Do you also want to leave?"

68-69Peter replied, "Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We've already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God."

Back up a few verses and check out what happened, then come back here.

Check it out.

Jesus says some stuff they don't quite understand. That never happens! :)

The people began to argue with each other. That never happens! :)

The disciples were grumbling. That never happens! :)

They said that what Jesus was asking them to do was difficult. That never happens! :)

Then Jesus turned to the disciples. The CLOSE ones. And pops the big question.

"You gonna split, too?"

Here's what I love. The disciples didn't always get it right. They didn't always do it right. They were knuckleheads some of the time. But Peter got this one right.

"Peter replied, "Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We've already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God."

Good one, Peter!

To whom else shall I go? NO ONE!

Keep it real,

srr

sinbad

Who's wrong?

Whenever and wherever there is a controversy between God and a man, God is always right and the man always wrong.
A. W. Tozer

I saw this quote today from A. W. Tozer and it was a great reminder of this verse....

'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD.
Isaiah 55:8

There is a constant struggle, at least in my life (maybe not yours) to do MY stuff, MY way, in MY time. The problem is the fact that it is ALWAYS a wiser option to do GOD'S stuff, GOD'S way, in GOD'S time. God's stuff done God's way in God's time always yields GOD-sized results.

God help me (us) do it your way not ours!

Keep it real,

srr

sinbad

Better late than never....

Just a reminder FREEDOM AIN'T FREE!

A great price has been paid and continues to be paid for the freedom you and I enjoy here in America.

A greater price was paid by for another kind of freedom.

Just something to think about.

Keep it real.

srr

sinbad

A Sad Day...

So, my only remaining grandmother passed away today. It stings...a pretty good bit, actually...

I will post more about her amazing life in the next day or so, but in the mean time I am reminded of a verse Gary used on Sunday....

There will be no more...
...tears.
...death.
...mourning.
...crying.
...pain.

Or as the Message states...
"He'll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone."

Your prayers are appreciated.

Keep it real,

srr

sinbad

Amazing View!

So tonight Revolution Church hosted a night of worship for our incredible volunteer team. Not only was there some great worship and some fun activities, but the night included communion as well. One of my roles today was making the preparations for the communion portion of the night's festivities. To make a long story short, at the time of the communion, I stationed myself off to the side with extra bread and juice just to make sure we didn't run out. From my vantage point, I could see each person making their way to take part in communion. To say it was powerful would be an understatement. It was powerful to see the people, whether it was individuals or couples or families and to know many of their stories and to know how God has radically transformed them to where they are serving with abandon to reach those who are far from God and now they are taking communion was incredible. It was one of those awesome opportunities to see God's power in a very tangible way. God definitely showed up and showed out tonight and was on full display. It was definitely an AMAZING VIEW!

Also, if you are a part of the volunteer team at Revolution Church, once again THANKS!!! for all you do to enlarge the Kingdom of God!

Keep it real,

srr

sinbad

Have you....

come to your senses?

Spent some time in Luke 15 today, specifically HERE. It's the Jesus-story (parable) of the lost son. In a nut shell....

Father has two sons.
One gets stupid and greedy.
Wants inheritance.
Dad gives it.
Son parties like a rock star.
Son goes broke.
Son wakes up.
Son goes home.
Dad takes him back. GLADLY!
Dad throws party of the year!
Other brother? He's pissed!
Dad says, "Party was not optional."
Dad says, "Your bro was dead! Now he's alive!"
"Lost now found!"

Here's what I like about this story. When the stupid brother gets wise and heads home, the father doesn't wait til he is home, has his stuff unpacked, cleans his room, does his chores, repays the massive debt, and writes letters of apology to everybody and his brother. NOPE! God's word says, "while he was still a long way off." The father hit the road runnin', ready to take the son back.

Hmmmm..... It's interesting if you look back just a few verses, the father's willingness to take his son back is reminiscent of someone else. Did I read that right? Yep! Jesus welcomes sinners. Even has grub with them. It's kinda what he came to do. If you haven't already, come to your senses. Jesus will be there waiting.

Jesus is cool like that.

Keep it real,

srr,

sinbad

FRIDAY FLUSH!

Tonight is one of those just-for-the-fun-of-it post. I present to you five of my favorite rock ballads! This list is obviously not all inclusive, as there are way to many awesome rock ballads out there. These are just some that were when they came on, the car stereo just couldn't get it done! So, with no more delay, today's FRIDAY FLUSH is 5 GREAT ROCK BALLADS in no particular order! If you have one you wanna add to the list, comment away!

I Remember You by Skid Rowe
Fly To the Angels by Slaughter
I'll Be There For You by Bon Jovi
Don't Know What You Got by Cinderella
November Rain by Guns N' Roses

BONUS TRACK
The Ballad of Jayne by L.A. Guns

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

Crazy?!? Thank God!

I ran across this video several years ago and was reminded of how God created each of us. I often think about how much time, energy, resources, money, talent, etc. humans spend trying to be somebody other than who God created them to be. The latest movie star. The hottest new singer. The current fashion model. Our next door neighbor. A spouse.

What if, however, instead of spending all that energy trying to be someone we weren't created or intended to be, we spent just a fraction of that same energy in trying to discover and live out who GOD created us to be? After all, isn't he the One who matters most? Matters PERIOD?!?

Here are a few of my favorite "crazies":
Rich Mullins
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
St. Francis of Assisi
Keith Green

Just to name a few...

I love the video because I think about how each person has so much potential to make a difference in this crazy world. Never underestimate what God can do in and through you.

THINK DIFFERENT. THINK CRAZY.


The people who are CRAZY enough to think they an change the world....are the ones who do!

Keep it real.

srr

sinbad

Short and sweet...

Not much left in the tank tonight. Saw this quote and reminded me of my complete and utter helplessness without God living in and through me.

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.
Mother Teresa

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

HEY! What if we tried this?!?!

If when the dust settles the dude you voted for didn't win let me make a suggestion...

2 Chronicles 7.14

14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

Just sayin'!

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? The Conclusion...

Last night I posted this....
This has been a crazy day to say the least! I will blog more about it tomorrow, but it involves alcohol, the cops, a deer, and a broken hip!

Well here's the rest of the story.

Alcohol...
Gary's message was about alcohol. Specifically, what does the bible say about Christians and drinking alcohol. You can check it out here. The band played this song and Gary carried this on stage. You really outta listen to the message. Anyway....

The Cops...
So the afternoon went pretty smoothly. Chilled out getting ready for Uprising, the Revolution Students worship celebration. Arrived at Holly Springs around 4 for band rehearsal and the band was killin' it! Swift was rockin' some songs and Thad was rockin' some songs. And then the cops showed up! What?!? Yep. Said it was too loud. You can read more about it on Gary's blog, but the end result was no music and we sent the band home. WTC! Anyway, to say Uprising didn't go as planned would be an understatement. But it was what it was. Ended the night with pizza and cokes which students NEVER tire of! Plus got to connect with some students I might not have on a regular night over a slice of pizza!

A Deer....
So I leave Uprising and have some messages on my phone and one's from my mom. So I call and she proceeds to tell me two stories. One story is that my sister-in-law had taken my brother's car to run an errand and hit a freakin' deer. The deer came out of nowhere, and went up over the hood and smashed the windshield. Glass everywhere. My sister-in-law was okay. The accident didn't kill the deer, so the cop/sheriff/whatever suggests she call my brother to come kill the deer! Are you kidding me?!?! Finally, after everybody and their brother showed up, someone shot the deer like 20 ft. from my sis-in-law. Crazy.

A Broke Hip...
(My mom actually told me this story first. G-ma took precedence over the deer :) ) My mom tells me that 89 year old grandmother in Tampa fell earlier in the day and screwed her hip up. Found out today that it was not as bad as originally thought, but still required surgery and pins. (In surgery as of 6:00 tonight) Prayers for my g-ma would be greatly appreciated.

So, that is the story(s) of my crazy Sunday.

I leave you with THIS reminder...PEACE!

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

This has been a crazy day to say the least! I will blog more about it tomorrow, but it involves alcohol, the cops, a deer, and a broken hip! (Curious? Tune in tomorrow!) In the mean time, no matter what you got goin' on, no matter what obstacle you might be facing, no matter how bleak tomorrow may look, remember this....

Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

MADE NEW!

Just sitting here thinking about tomorrow. Have you? Thought about tomorrow? About what will take place? People all over the world will get in their cars and suv's and drive to a predetermined place to meet others who do the same thing. It's called church. There will be hundreds that come to the church I go to. Some churches will have thousands. Some will have tens. Either way, ALL KINDS will make the trip in the morning. All kinds....

The hurting.
The hungry.
The scared.
The confident.
The shattered.
The wounded.
The upper crust.
The beat down.
Those who "appear" to have it all together.
Those who obviously don't have it all together.
The thirsty.
The young.
The old.
The seeking and searching.
The least.
The last.
The lost.

And what does God want with ALL of them.

To make them a NEW CREATION!

Check it out HERE!

This ain't no joke..

BELIEVE!

Keep it real,

srr

sinbad

FRIDAY FLUSH!

Today's FRIDAY FLUSH is just some extremely random stuff in no particular order....

• Been making some connections with some local schools. So far so good. Will be speaking at several FCA's in the month of November. Was reminded today of how crazy (in a good kinda way!) middle schoolers are. Gotta love 'em.
  
• Discipline (def. #4) is a concept God is rocking my world with. In a lot of areas.
• I'm sharing with Revolution Students Sunday night @ Uprising about how our direction not our intentions determine our destination. It's a good reminder for me as well.
• Lately I've been reminded of how much I love me some Third Day. They were one of the first "Christian" cd's I ever owned. Still ROCK!
  
• This is the first year I have not carved a pumpkin for Halloween in a long time. Usually it involves drills and an assortment of knives.
• I have a bruise from a MTB wreck on Monday that my tennis shoe cannot completely cover up. It looks gnarly. Yeah I said gnarly.
• America's Funniest Videos never gets old.
• Saw THIS Halloween costume this morning on Regis (don't judge) and nearly peed my pants. It doesn't do the costume justice, but you get the point.
• Isaiah 40.31 has been a BIG verse in my life for over 10 years....and it still is today.
• If you want your Christmas to be just like every other Christmas you've ever had, DON'T watch THIS or click HERE. You've been warned!
  
• Good night!

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

What if....

Just wonderin'....

What if....

• the last thing you said to a loved one was the last thing you said to a loved one?
  
• you could only buy 1 person a Christmas gift this year?
• you couldn't watch TV for 1 week?
• you won $1,000,000 but had to give away $900,00 of it?
• you really tried to understand Jesus? Like for real.
  
• the guy you vote for doesn't win?
• we all followed the Golden Rule? I mean really followed it!

Just some random stuff to think about.

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

Strange!

So, this is day two of my little experiment of blogging for 30 days in a row.

Today I have been pondering a specific line from an Aaron Shust song, My Savior My God and the lyrics that I've been thinking about are:

"You count it strange, so once did I"

Why have I been thinking 'bout this verse? Glad you asked!

Here's the deal. I was practically born into the church scene. My parents were Jesus followers, my grandparents were Jesus followers, and so on. Except for what I sometimes refer to as "the stupid years", I have always been in church. I accepted the offer of God's love and grace when I was twelve (got saved for you church people :) ). So for me the Christian world is no longer strange.

But....

There is a whole world out there for whom JESUS IS STRANGE! And unfortunately, many Christians have contributed to Jesus' "strangeness", speaking a coded language and acting more like members of an exclusive club than the house of God. A goal of mine is to "de-strange" it for those who don't know about Jesus and his unconditional and relentless and tenacious love and his radical grace. And it ain't always easy. But how else will those who don't know ever know? God help me.

What about you? Are you making Jesus strange or strange-less?

Thoughts?

Interestingly enough, this "contemporary" worship song ain't so contemporary. I actually like the original title better.

Just sayin'!

NOT SKILLED

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

30 Days in a Row!

OK. For all 5 people who read my blog, which I haven't updated in 2 months, I am going to try an experiment. I am going to try and commit to writing something on this blog for the next 30 days in a row and see what happens! What happens for me personally. What happens for anyone who might read this blog. What happens for anyone who might accidentally stumble across this blog. The "something" can be anything! Kinda like Forrest Gump and his chocolates....you never know what you're gonna get!

So, here is entry numero uno!

I have been spending some God-time in the book of Luke and got reminded of two easy things to lose sight of in the craziness of life.

First, Luke 12.25 was a great reminder of God's thoughts about worrying! "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" I don't consider myself a big worrier, but there are times when I can focus on one or two things and worry the crap out of them. It's never been very productive. In fact, worrying has usually proven to be counterproductive. In the words of Robert "Bobby" McFerrin Jr., "Don't worry. Be happy!"

Second, Luke 12.31 reminded me to "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." WOW! I often times find myself worrying and being distracted by everything BUT the Kingdom. I pray God gets my attention when I put other junk in front of Him, whether it be ministry or personal.

Anyway, just some random thoughts to kickoff my 30 day experiment.

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

FRIDAY FLUSH!

WOW! As I said in several previous post here and here it is gettin' CRAZIER by the second at Revolution Church! Soooo, here are some random items that are going on as Revolution Church prepares to be 1 Church with 2 Locations!!!

• Flying banners for the road arrived today and look AWESOME!
• A new promo for the upcoming series is incredible and will hit your mailboxes very soon! The series should be even more so!
• The countdown to the "Uprising....a student worship celebration!" has begun!
• Tons of sound and light system equipment are going up in the NEW Holly Springs location. It is gonna be EXPLOSIVE to say the least!
• I've not shaved in like three days. Starting to itch!
• My hair and Preston's hair have gone to a whole-nutha-level! Could we be related?
  
• Banners are ordered to make sure everyone knows where to go when they get to the new location. Don't want anyone getting lost.
• Energy drinks are being consumed at near lethal levels!
• God is supplying our needs in some amazing ways.
• I repeat, God is supplying our needs in some amazing ways!
• The first official Revolution Students E:news email went out yesterday. If you didn't get one, send an e-mail to michael@therevolution.tv with "E:news" in the subject line.

There is a ton more stuff going on in preparation for the Revolution Church launch in Holly Springs! If you are interested in serving, shoot Tim May an email at tim@therevolution.tv and for even more information, keep an eye on Gary's BLOG!

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

Who is this?

24 hours of rain got me thinking about these verses.

Luke 8.24-25
24 They woke Jesus: "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" Getting to his feet, he told the wind, "Silence!" and the waves, "Quiet down!" They did it. The lake became smooth as glass. 25 Then he said to his disciples, "Why can't you trust me?" They were in absolute awe, staggered and stammering, "Who is this, anyway? He calls out to the winds and sea, and they do what he tells them!"

Just for kicks and giggles, step outside and ask the storm to stop! I'll wait.....




Did anything happen?

That's what I thought. But when Jesus did it, the wind and waves responded! Tonight, while it's raining, think about that "storm" you're up against in your life. Then, think about THE ONE who spoke to the storm and it responded. Hmmm.....

I love what Jesus' storm-control did to the disciples.... They were in absolute awe, staggered and stammering!

When we encounter Jesus, the real Jesus, we will stand in AWE! We won't have any other choice!

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

FRIDAY FLUSH (Crazy: Part Deux!)

So, Lovely Linda and I have been moving for 3 solid days! Why, you may ask, did it take so dang long? Well, since you asked, I'll tell ya! The biggest reason is that we went through about 95% of EVERYTHING we own! Yeah, EVERYTHING! Almost no box-o'-junk was left unsorted. It has been a nightmare, but a nightmare I won't soon be reliving. We have been married for 13+ phenomenal years and we have collected some junk. Not only that, but we moved approx. 16 months ago from a 3 bedroom house to GVBR and didn't cull much of anything. So as painful as it was, we were diligent in striving to sort everything out. In the process, we donated over three suv's full of stuff to Goodwill Canton and took three Ford Ranger truck beds full to the dumpster! It has been amazing, disturbing, humbling, and frustrating thinking about stuff that at one time or another I thought I needed to hang on to, but at this point in my life I easily junked or gave away. So, today's Friday Flush is dedicated to some of the CRAZY CRAP discovered while moving!

• The rechargeable battery for my cordless drill. Been missing that for about 3 years. KEPT
  
• A pill bottle full of "rubies" I had "mined" from one of those "Pan-for-Gold" sites in North Georgia when I was a kid! Chunked!
• A key ring with 25+ keys on it that go to I don't know what! Chunked!
• Copies of the Atlanta Journal special sections from almost every day of the 1996 Olympics. Chunked!
• Random ticket stubs from ZZ Top, Heart, and 38 Special concerts in the summer of '86! Status: UNDETERMINED?!?
• A pink hardhat. Chunked!
• 7 different watches. Kept! I'm a watch junkie.
• An Eric Clapton concert T-shirt from the early 90's. Status: UNDETERMINED?!? I think it got re-packed, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, getting rid of so much stuff has been liberating. And Lovely Linda and I have set a goal to have everything we moved unpacked in 30 days or less. And we might get rid of more crap in the process!

Thinking of going through your junk? I encourage you to DO IT!!! You might be surprised at what you will find! Need some pointers? Check Peter Walsh out. You won't regret purging the physical crap in your life. I'll probably post later about purging the spiritual crap! Another blog another day.

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

On the eve of change!

WOW!!! 5 weeks ago I officially joined the Revolution Church Staff! Since then, Lovely Linda and I have also been finishing our time working and living at the Goshen Valley Boys Ranch. Tomorrow, we officially move into the Canton Mill Lofts in Canton. In the last 5 days we have given away or thrown away approximately 3 truckloads of crap!!! Last week we had to put one of our dogs to sleep. We still have stuff to pack! And, oh yeah! In the mean time, Revolution Church is preparing to launch the Holly Springs campus and Revolution Students is gearing up to re-launch "Uprising...student worship experience" on September 21!!! Needless to say, the last few weeks have been absolutely CRAZY!

And guess what?!? They're about to get crazier!!!! But that's cool! This is what God has to say on the matter:

Romans 8:31-39 (The Message)

31-39So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

AND THIS!!!

Hebrews 13:5-6 & 8 (The Message)

5-6Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," we can boldly quote,

God is there, ready to help;
I'm fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me?

8 For Jesus doesn't change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he's always totally himself.

My philosophy is this! It’s earth shattering! It may revolutionize your life!

Trust GOD & hang on!!!

It’s gonna be ONE WILD RIDE!!!!

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

A Lesson in Grief (I'd rather not had) and Friday Flush

So a couple things have happened this week that have got me doing a TON of reflecting!

First, Gary kicked off a message series called ALIVE at Revolution Church this week and challenged us to think about how our lives might be different if we knew we only had 30 days to live. He challenged us to examine how we invest our time. Uh, yeah! I have tons of room for improvement. Kinda scary thinking this was just the first of four weeks!

Then, Monday, Linda and I had to make the decision to have one of our two dogs put to sleep. The same dog that was an anniversary present for Linda on our 1 year anniversary. We've been married 13 years! Yeah, she was 12 and has been a part of us almost as long as we've been married. Needless to say, IT SUCKED!!! Even though Linda and I had been preparing for such a day as this, it still sucked. A ton of memories can compile over 12+ years. She was a GREAT dog. When we first got her as a puppy she looked like Wishbone and we would take her to the softball fields where I played and the kids would go nuts! It was that early socialization that lead her to be great around people. Anyway, she definitely impacted mine and Linda's lives and she will be greatly missed!

Ginger Snap Creighton you rocked...

And now for your FRIDAY FLUSH!!!

In honor of Ginger, today's flush is all about her and her desire to eat anything.

• As I mentioned in my Olympics Friday Flush she once ate some of my Olympic tickets!
• One Christmas she ate an ornament that was an angel made out of pasta and painted white right off the tree.
• Because I used to snore, (now I sleep like this!), Linda has always slept with earplugs. Ginger loved them and would eat them any chance she got. We would often go out in the front yard and find speckled poo where they had gone through her system.
• On the very first Thanksgiving that we had Ginger, we had gone to my mother's house for Thanksgiving dinner and following dinner we had gone to another room to kick back and relax when we heard some noise coming from the dining room. It was Ginger in the very middle of the table eating the leftover turkey. Awesome!
• The only time you had a chance of getting your face gnawed off was when she was eating a dog chew, such as a favorite of hers - pig ears, and you tried to take it away from her. Not good!
• The general rule of thumb was the grosser and more disgusting the item was, the more she liked it. Use your imagination and you'd probably guess one or two of her favorites.
  

And there you have it. Your FRIDAY FLUSH in honor of Ginger!

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

FRIDAY FLUSH!

In honor of the Olympics, today's FRIDAY FLUSH is about the 96 ATL Olympics!

• When the Olympics came to Atlanta in 1996, I went Pin Trading crazy! That's where you collect and trade Olympic pins with whoever will trade with you. Don't judge me! Anyway, I loved it and would trade with anyone. My favorite is this Gold Turtle from the Cayman Islands. It was selling for $100+ during the Olympics, however my mother brought mine back to me from a trip to the Cayman Islands after the Olympics for $7!
• I only had tix to events during the second week. On the 1st day I was to go, I got up at around 5:30 AM to beat the traffic and realized something was terribly wrong! My dog had chewed up my tickets! I WAS PISSED! Anyway, I put all the leftover pieces in a Ziploc, headed downtown to the ticket window and proceeded to convince the ticket lady to print me some new tickets! Yeah come on!
  
• I LOVE CROWDS and would just go downtown to people watch! Saw a lady with a 7' boa (snake not feather!) around her neck. Another lady had her hair formed into Olympic rings. I saw someone blow chunks from the Slingshot ride! Awesome! I love people watching and you don't get any crazier than when the world shows up at your back door!
• The Lovely Linda and I also got caught up in the Swatch craze and bought this. Yeah! That's right! I could easily turn a $15 profit right now on E-bay, but I am holding out.
• I was able to see volleyball, baseball, handball, and track-and-field and it didn't cost me a penny. The very best tickets! Free ones!
• The Lovely Linda used to work for the company that designed the giant "torch" thingy just north of the Varsity. Nothing extra in the paycheck for that one!
  
• Linda and I also own a Commemorative Brick in Centennial Olympic Park, but neither of us can remember what it says. Looks like an excuse to go to OK Cafe!

Anyway, I can't wait to watch the 2008 Beijing Olympics. If tonight's Twitter activity is any indication, Beijing's gonna bring it!

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

Why Chik-fil-a Rox my face off!

I observe restaurants and places of business and how they are run when I go to them. I CAN'T HELP IT! It's what I do. Anyway, one of my favorite restaurants to observe is Chick-fil-a (check out their story here). I love walking in a restaurant and checking out how everything and everyone works and works together and then asking myself, "Why'd they do it like that?" and "What can I learn from them?" Here is some of the stuff I love about Chick-fil-a...

• The Mint Guy and The Drive Thru Chick! I love when I eat in the restaurant and am finishing my meal and the guy comes around with a basket with some rockin' mints in it. And then there's the girl (I know! Sometimes it's a dude!) that comes to your car in the drive thru when it's busy and takes your order before you're even at the order board! It's called "Extra Mile" folks! Most places don't do it!
• Free Extra Sauces! Nothing ticks me off worse than going somewhere and asking for an extra sauce or salad dressing and then being told there is a charge. DUDE! I just drove to YOUR location and chose YOU over somebody else. Don't "thank" me by charging me 30 cents for a tiny-tub of blue cheese!
• "You-know-what-you're-getting" consistent quality! They do chicken! And they do it AWESOME! When I order a Chick-fil-a sandwich, I know what it's gonna be like every single time! Bun, chicken, pickles. Unless I order it differently, and then that's the way I get it! NO SURPRISES! Even when they introduce a new food item, I know the quality is going to be off the charts!
  
• They take risks; they're just EXTREMELY well thought out! The other day Chick-fil-a did a "keep your receipt" day where whatever you bought on that day, if you kept your receipt and brought it back in the month of August you got the same items that were on the receipt free. Most people would probably call that a risk and a big one at that. But by the numbers of people I saw when I went that day and the buzz I heard, it must have paid off. And what kind of service did I get that day? The same quality service I get every other time.
• They're closed on Sundays! And they have been since the beginning! And they still had earnings of over 2.2 billion dollars in 2006! NO! Before you ask! I'm not saying everybody should be closed on Sunday! But what I am saying is that they have a conviction and they are committed to it! Yep, I have been out on a Sunday afternoon and been craving some C-fila and not been able to get it. But I still go back on Monday.

I could go on for a while, but in a nut shell, the reason I observe restaurants and businesses is to see how I can take winning principles and apply them to the church and student ministry or even my personal life. So to that end, here are a couple questions for ya:

• Am I going that extra mile for my "customer", whoever that may be? What would they say?
• Am I sticking it to a loyal "customer" by "charging for extra sauce"?
• Is excellence a priority? Really? Does it show?
  
• Am I trying to do to much? Is the quality of EVERYTHING compromised as a result?
• Am I willing to take risks? Not stupid or foolish ones, but well thought out and evaluated risks. Yeah, some may fail, but some are going to yield insane results! What RISK are you taking?
• What's your "Closed Sunday" conviction? Do you compromise it? Why?

Anyway, just some thoughts to chew on.

Keep it real!

srr

sinbad

FRIDAY FLUSH!

Friday Flush is totally random stuff, some informative and some just useless junk to give you more of a glimpse into to the mind of a maniac! Have fun and enter at your own risk!

• In 1oth grade I took driver's ed class with Julia Roberts. She was just Julie then. It has not netted me one more penny on a paycheck in my life!
• I once did a funeral for a relative where the hearse got lost in the cemetery. I did another funeral where they released what looked like white doves but were actually homing pigeons dyed white! Who knew?
  
• This is my alma mater (11-12 grades). We affectionately referred to it as Rabun Gap NO-SMOOCHIE. Interestingly enough, alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother."
• I own a Yanni World Tour t-shirt. And NO, I didn't attend the concert.
  
• My wife and I have been married 13.5 years. We met when she was the maid of honor and I was the best man at my brother's wedding.

Thanks for playing!

srr

sinbad

Sweet Little Thing! (or It's my blog and I'll post what I want!)

OK! I know I'll catch some heat at the Revolution Church offices, but who cares! I was listening to "Bad To the Bone by Thorogood" on Pandora, when this song came on by Stevie Ray Vaughn. And it reminded me of what an AMAZING wife I have.

Here are the lyrics to Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughn....

Well you've heard about love givin' sight to the blind
My baby's lovin' cause the sun to shine
She's my sweet little thang....she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby....I'm her little lover boy

Yeah I love my baby....heart and soul
Love like ours wont never grow old
She's my sweet little thang....she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby....I'm her little lover boy

Yeah I love my lady....shes long and lean
You mess with her....you'll see a man get mean
She's my sweet little thang....she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby....I'm her little lover boy

Well I love my baby....like the finest wine
Stick with her until the end of time
She's my sweet little thang....she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby....I'm her little lover boy

Yeah I love my baby....heart and soul
Love like ours wont never grow old
She's my sweet little thang....she's my pride and joy
She's my sweet little baby....I'm her little lover boy
Anyway, Lovely Linda you ROCK!

Peace...

srr

sinbad

WHAT THE CRAP?!?!?!?!?!

Yesterday's staff off-site brainstorm session was one for the record books. Instead of trying to re-write the same story, I am going to let Gary and Preston tell it in their own words! Start with the third post down on Gary's to get the whole story!

Yes, that just happened!

Peace!

srr

sinbad

CHURCH SIGNS!

Have you ever stopped to consider most church signs in America?

One of the lenses that I try to look at EVERYTHING church related through is what would an unchurched person think?

One of the main areas that cause me to scratch my head is church signs. I mean think about it! Who are most church signs for? Most of the ones I see are simply for the people already going to the church who’s freakin' sign it is. I saw one the other day that said "WELCOME BACK so & so!" I don't remember the names, but apparently they had been gone and now they were back. Think about. Only people that were either currently going to or had previously been to that church and knew "so & so" would even give a rip about whether or not they were back.

I saw one the other night that read "REVIVAL" on the top line, then "4 SAVED" on the second line. Now as a guy raised in church, that means something to me, but what if I'd never set foot in a church. I might be wonderin' what got "revived" and who got "saved" and what did they get saved for or from?

Here's your challenge....

The next time you drive by a church sign, read it, then put yourself in the shoes of someone who has either never been to church or at least not been in a long time. Now, what do you think about what you just read? Did it change your life? Did it cause you to want to change your plans next Sunday morning and check that church out? Did it stir in you a desire to check out this whole God thing? Yeah, that's what I thought!

Hmmmmmm.......

srr

sinbad

FRIDAY FLUSH!

The Friday Flush is just totally random crap....and this time, it's personal!

• I am a fan of the neti pot! I don't do all the crap this lady is doing, but I try and neti at least every other day. If you’ve never tried it, you should!
• On a birthday about three years ago, I ate every meal at Chik-fil-a. Not the same location, but every meal was from Chik-fil-a.
• When I was 15 years old, I owned and road a Honda PA50 yellow moped. That's right! Don't judge me!
• There are very few foods on my personal black list, but liver is one of them. If you deep-fried liver in chocolate, I still wouldn’t eat it!
• Through a weird series of events, my wife and I were in attendance at game 6 of the Worlds Series in 1996 when the Braves won the World Series. And best of all, we didn’t pay for the tickets.
• One of my favorite movies of all time is Raising Arizona. I can start from any point and watch it to the end.

Distractions and Nehemiah

So this morning I was reading some from Nehemiah and ran across this passage that fires me up!

Nehemiah 6 "I'm Doing a Great Work; I Can't Come Down"

1-2 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there were no more breaks in it—even though I hadn't yet installed the gates— Sanballat and Geshem sent this message: "Come and meet with us at Kephirim in the valley of Ono."

2-3 I knew they were scheming to hurt me so I sent messengers back with this: "I'm doing a great work; I can't come down. Why should the work come to a standstill just so I can come down to see you?"

It is definitely a reminder to me of the current ministry phase I am in right now. I am crazy excited about what God is doing and is going to do in the Student Ministry here at Revolution Church and I am stoked to be a part of it.

But.....

I'm wise enough to know that POTENTIAL DISTRACTORS AND DISTRACTIONS ARE COMING!!!

Nehemiah was doing something that could only be blamed on God. He lead a group of people in the rebuilding of the wall around the city of Jerusalem and completed it in only 52 DAYS! And all through the process, he had distractors and distractions. Check it out here. And every time he stood firm in what God was leading and equipping him to do.

My desire for the Student Ministries here at Revolution Church is that what happens can only be blamed on God! Just like Nehemiah had distractors and distractions, I know I will as well. The distractions can come in many shapes and sizes, and some of them will be disguised as "good stuff".

My prayer (and one you can pray for me) is that God will keep me focused on Him and the goal ahead....Reaching students who are far from God!

And that when those things (distractors and distractions) come, that I will echo what Nehemiah said...

"I'm Doing a Great Work; I Can't Come Down" Nehemiah 6.3

Don't get distracted!

srr

sinbad

Week 1 Thoughts!

So, I officially started on staff at Revolution Church on Monday. Needless to say, if you know ANYTHING about Revolution Church, you know this was a week to remember. Here are some random, and in no order of importance, thoughts and observations from week #1 in the Revolution offices.....

• I saw a snake kill, but NOT eat, a rat. Must not have been hungry after all.
  
• I've been to the Holly Springs location three times and it is AMAZING the progress and transformation taking place over there.
• Lunch, and the decision of where to eat, is not something to be trifled with.
• Taylor is truly a freakin' SAINT!
• MAC Life is un-freakin-believable! I am blown away at the ease and integration of EVERYTHING.
• There appears to be a method to the madness.
• There is a lot of talent on this team, no matter how insane it may appear.
  

Here's the bottom line...God is doing God stuff in and through the staff at Revolution and I am blown away to be a part of it! This is gonna be 1 WILD RIDE! Hang on!

Out.

srr

sinbad

Changed back...

My new layout was driving me nuts, so I went back to my old layout and added some new stuff.

DAWN OF A NEW DAY!

So, it is my first "official" day in the Revolution Church offices! Also, my first day on my new MAC! I've been PC forever, but, uh, yeah!, I can get used to this. Went with Gary over to the new facility this morning! God's definitely gonna rock it in Holly Springs!

Spent TH-SAT of last week speaking at the church I was the former Student Pastor for and it was an unbelievable experience. My speaking over the last 14 months or so had been rather limited so it definitely felt good to get at it again. I love sharing God's truths with students! It was a great jumping off point for this new journey of life that Linda and I are embarking on here at Revolution!

srr

sinbad

It's About To Be On!

Even though I start officially at Revolution Church next Monday, I went to the ALL STAFF meeting this morning! Linda and I are getting freakin' fired up about what God can do through the Student Ministries at Revolution Church and we are stoked to be a part of it!

Got a little conviction the other day from this message! Scroll down to Trading Pop Beads For Pearls. Mark Beeson posed the question if God were to say "I am going to answer whatever you prayed for today," would your (my) prayers have been big enough? Or would I have thought "I should have prayed for so much more!"

For me, I MUST PRAY BIGGER!

What about you?

srr

sinbad

Twittering....

Here.

srr

sinbad

Friday Flush!

• Ran a 5k today in Woodstock. I hate running but am doing it to enter a sprint triathlon in the fall. Until they come up with a third activity to replace running, I have to run.
  
• We are doing fireworks on the Ranch tonight! I am part of the ignition team. Pray hard!
• Going through Nehemiah in my personal time. Can you say "Leader!!!"? That dude ROCKED!
• My father e-mailed me this! Gary? Next all staff meeting? Maybe in Dubai?
• Spent an hour on the phone with Austin Porter yesterday. Love partnering with others who are walking similar paths.
• Spent another hour on the phone with Davey Blackburn. Love linkin' and thinkin' with others. Sharp guy! Tons of great thoughts about the coming Greenville Newspring location Students!
  
• Ate sardines again today! It is definitely an acquired taste, but I love 'em. Linda was taking a nap and the smell woke her up!
• Hey Students! Don't forget the Uprising Pool Party, WIPEOUT!, has been rescheduled for July 13!!! Details are here!
• Saw the other day on a blog that I am a user of the ellipses. I love em... You know...
• Pigs-n-a-blanket ROCK!!!! Don't know who thought of them, but they ought to get a medal! Linda just brought me one straight out of the oven! DANG!!!

Out!

srr

sinbad

Gotta say somethin'!

Well, I was over at Gary's blog and realized he linked to my blog so I said I better put somethin' up for my millions of new visitors!!! What the heck!

I'm still in the "Tell me again why I started blogging?!?" phase of my blogging career, so you never can tell what you are going to get here! In the mean time, here are some totally random thoughts and junk for your consideration.....

This song by Waylon Jennings makes me think about the church in America! I always like to substitute "JESUS" for "HANK" when thinking about traditional-minded churches.

These are the bikes (mountain - & road - the one on the left) I currently ride. Totally old school. Love cycling! Those aren't my real bikes but whatever.

My wife is a ROCK STAR!

Two guys whose lives have influenced me are Rich Mullins and Keith Green. There are more, but these two stand out.

I was born here, but I don't surf.

I believe this is the PROMISED LAND!

I like sardines and mango's.

I'm currently diggin' this @ Starbuck's and am currently listening to this on MP3. It is like reading without all the work!

Those weird drinks in the gas station cooler (1, 2, 3, and 4)?!? I'm the guy who drinks them!

Anyway, that's enough random stuff about me! Seriously, I am super excited about joining the Revolution Team and can't wait to see what God has in store!

Do you have a blog? Leave me a comment, and I'll check you out.

srr

sinbad

Blankets and Blood!!!

Just got back from a mountain bike ride with the lovely Linda at Blankets Creek in Woodstock. Our first time there and it was AWESOME! We road Mosquito and Dwelling loops. Near the end of Dwelling loop I bit it and now have a nice bloody chin/side of leg. Not to bad though although it was a little weird walking through Publix with blood running down my leg as we went grocery shopping. Linda and I have been looking at getting her a new road bike (which would still be cool!), but I think she liked the mountain biking better and now wants a new MTB! If anybody's got one they want to sell or get rid of let me know.

srr

sinbad

Can you say "Pee your pants?"

The Office! Why hasn't anybody told me about this show sooner?!?!?!?! CRAP!

I love this verse...

Luke 7.16!

God.....has come.....to help.....His people.

srr

sinbad

A few of my fav things! , back at The Rev, and more Journey news!

So I was in Kroger in Jasper and they had their wild caught salmon on sale! $3.99 a pound! Cha-ching! 7 pounds later and I'm headin' home! A couple years back my AWESOME wife bought me a Big Green Egg for my birthday! She won't eat Bar-b-que out at a restaurant anymore. Boston Butt is from the Lord for sure! Anyway, after firin' up the grill and preppin the fish, on the Egg they went. Daaannnnggg!!!! I do so love me some smoked salmon!

Linda and I were at Revolution for the first time in three weeks. Missed it! DUH! Greg's ONE PRAYER message was one of those between-the-eyes messages! Good stuff! As usual, the band ROCKED!

Linda and I have mountain bikes that we usually run Tom Slicks street tires on, but while we were in Kiawah Island I switched back to our MTB tires for ridin' on the beach. So, yesterday we took off for the woods. My wife is a BEAST on a bike. She followed me through the woods where you couldn't even see the trail cuz it was so grown up! If anybody knows any good single track near Canton/Waleska let me know.

Currently listening to CHANGE OR DIE from AUDIBLE.com (books for those with ADD). Awesome book on what it takes to change and affect change from a psychology standpoint! From the web site... All leadership comes down to this: changing people's behavior. Why is that so damn hard? Science offers some surprising new answers -- and ways to do better. Think some people can't change? Check this out.... Delancey Street!!! Not sure where/if God plays into the equation, but it is a good listen anyway!

And finally, GOT JOURNEY TIX SATURDAY!!!!! Not only is it Journey, who ROCK, but one of the bands opening up for them is none other than CHEAP TRICK! I've probably seen Cheap Trick more in concert than any other band! Can't freakin' wait!

Out!

srr

sinbad

JOURNEY ROX MY FACE OFF!!!!

So yesterday my awesome wife turned 40! If I hadn't told ya, you wouldn't believe it! Anyway, one of the gifts I got her was the new Journey CD Revelation. After the horrible release from the Eagle's about a year ago, I was a little skeptical about older bands releasing new stuff. WRONG!!!! Journey freakin' ROCKS!!!! And Arnel Pineda is UNBELIEVABLE! Steve Perry (whom I loved) is now dead to me. If you ever thought you were a Journey fan, YOU GOTTA GET THIS CD!!!!

srr

sinbad

Capt. Harry, the shark, and CRABS!

Day 2, my brother and two nephews and I went out with Capt. Harry on his Carolina skiff to do some fishin' and crabbin'! Capt. Harry runs a charter out of Sea Brook Island, SC on Bohickets Creek and beyond. The highlight of the morning was reeling in a 3 foot shark! I'll post the photos later. Also caught some stingray's and a few whiting. Then we tried our hand at crabbin'! Pulled in 8-10. Finally, as we approached the boat dock, Capt. Harry let us pull up a crab pot he had set out and keep the dozen or so crabs in it for dinner. Next we went to the fishing spot from the day before and pulled up our own two pots. Only six keepers were there. Left and went and picked up 6 #'s of local shrimp that had just come off the boat and headed home. All excited, we prepared for the night's feast. Then the reality set in....catching the crabs ain't so bad! SHELLING BLUE CRABS SUX!!!!!!!!!!!! My finger tips are shredded!!! I will by crab from now on! Anyway, it was all good.

Spent some time cycling on the beach and it was rockin'! Also, had fun riding the bike paths last night in the total darkness! Even more thrilling knowing gators and bobcats live on the island and we passed the remains of a 6 foot snake on the path the day before.

How people stand at the edge of the ocean and not believe in God is beyond me!

Will update on Wednesday. Bro's takin' the computer with him.

Peace....

srr

sinbad

Day 1 of the Kiawah Island Tour '08

So Linda and I went to the Celebration of Excellence last night at Georgia Tech to honor graduating seniors in the state foster system. Following the program, we drove back to Canton where our vacation car, conveniently called a Rendezvous, was loaded for Kiawah, we made the switch, said goodbye to the guys, and hit the highway!!! After driving all night and a few truck stops, (can I just say as a self-proclaimed "people watcher" I freakin' love truck stops at 3:00 AM in the mornin'!!!"), we pulled into Kiawah at around 4:30 AM! Slept 'til 9:30, got up and went fishing here! My nephew caught a small shark and I caught one as well. Set two crab traps and will go back tomorrow to check them. Went out to eat, came back to the condo, then went on a bike ride winding up riding down the beach! A-MAZING!!!! Will keep all 3 of my blog readers posted tomorrow!

Gary-Kiss it!

srr

sinbad

Dentist visit UPDATE!

What the crap?!?!? Just got back from the dentist. Linda and I both broke a tooth while in Myrtle Beach. We like doing stuff together! Anyway... we went to the dentist yesterday and found out we both needed crowns. Being the gentleman I am, I let her get her temporary yesterday and I went back for mine today. The permanents will be in in about 2 weeks. So....the really good news? Approximately $1200 freakin' dollars!!!!! AFTER INSURANCE! Fortunately we have a comp plan at the ranch, but that will still leave around $600 out-o-pocket! What could possibly cost that much?!? Needless to say, I can think of a million things I'd rather spend $600 on than teeth, but ya gotta have 'em! Can you say "WHATEVER?"

Leave tonight to head to Kiawah Island, SC until next Wednesday! PARTY!

Peace out!

srr

sinbad

I must blog....and go to the dentist!

Apparently this blog thing ain't gonna go away, so I better embrace it!

Just got back from Garden City Chapel (10 minutes south of Myrtle Beach). Can you say HOT AS CRAP!!! It was pretty good though. The entire ranch where Linda and I work went. I was at first under the impression that there would be no air conditioning in the guys room (24 or so guys in one room!). Needless to say, i was not looking forward to either the heat or the smell. Thank God my informant was WRONG! There was AIR!!!! Not bad.

Went to the Carolina Opry and saw the Carolina Opry show. Not bad. Also went to a WILD WATER AND WHEELS water park for the day. Pretty cool. Linda and I had a blast. They have a slide that is completely enclosed and blacked out so you don't see anything once you start until you come out the end! Sick! Also, spent a day chillin' at the beach.

Back in town for three days then we head to Kiawah Island, SC for some more fun in the sun! Part of the time will be with my brother and his family and the rest of the time will be just Linda and me! Needless to say I am pretty fired up about it!!!

Linda and i get to go to the dentist tomorrow!!! AWESOME!!! While we were in Myrtle Beach, she had a piece of a cavity come loose and I had a tooth that had a root canal that I have been grinding on in my sleep. Well.....it finally cracked! NICE! Fortunately there is no pain, but I'm not sure what the dentist is gonna have to do. Whatever?!?!?

srr

Another book review....sorta!

I ran across some pretty cool stuff in my current bathroom reader that I thought was worthy of sharing. The book is Called Everyone Wants To Go To Heaven, But... Wit, Faith, and a Light Lunch by C. McNair Wilson. Unfortunately, it is out of print, but I did find one on Ebay. Anyway, it is a collection of random thoughts on different topics that go by the letters of the alphabet (A is Adam, anger, ark, atheist, and authorized version) about the bible and religion that are hilarious, thought provoking, and really hard to explain. So I won't try to. However, I highly recommend it, especially to keep by the can for quick reads! Sorry McNair. By the way, the author, C. McNair Wilson was on staff with Disney in their Imagineering Department. His mind is crazy cool like that! Anyway, here are the two that jumped out at me the other day.

(H) HOPE
Hope is not when you close your eyes and blow out all the candles on your birthday cake and hope for a pony (when you're a child) or a Mustang, later.
Hope is not crossing your fingers while taking a test in school hoping you'll magically remember stuff you never studied.
Hope is when you come to the end of your abilities and you don't know where to turn. You feel tested beyond your limits. You feel like you are standing on the edge of a dark abyss, afraid to jump. If you put your trust in God, one of two things will happen when you jump: there will be someone there to catch you, or you will be taught how to fly!

(I) IMPOSSIBLE
The only assignments that God will handle personally. With all others, he asks us, "What are you going to do about that?"

Anyway, if you are looking for a GREAT easy read, get this book!

srr

sinbad

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

So for all of you (2) who have been wondering whether I was still alive or not.....

Anyway, just finished a pretty good book (The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary). Nothing from a spiritual sense, but a good one on leadership and the best coffee seller in the world.....Starbucks. OK, maybe not the best but def the biggest. Either way, its a pretty cool place to get some caffeine. Anyway, there is a lot the western church can learn from how Starbucks does business. Here are some brief thoughts on the Starbucks principles as stated in the book and what the church can learn:

• Principle #1: Make it your own
• WOW!!! There are a ton of churches, especially "contemporary" one's, that spend a ton of energy and resources trying to be the "latest and greatest" church down the street or across town or on the other side of the country. All churches are not supposed to look like North Point in Alpharetta and that's OK! Although I think NPCC ROCKS! It would be better and more lives would be transformed if churches spent more time actually doing and being the church GOD called them to be.
  
• Principle #2: Everything matters
• Everything matters when it comes to reaching those far from God. The sad truth is that many churches and Christians only focus on a few things, like the length of a guy's hair or the color of the carpet or buyin' a freakin' organ or telling everybody else how bad they've screwed up over and over and over..... What if the church spent more time finding out the needs of those far from God and then invested some time and energy in meeting those needs. Come to think of it, that's what that other guy did most of the time. You know.... Jesus.
• Principle #3: Surprise and delight
• One of the many things I like about the church I get to hang out at (Revolution Church) is that it is "like a box of chocolates"........sorry Forrest! You REALLY never know what you're gonna get! Stagnant churches tick me off! CAUTION: Don't do something in church just shock people or because that other church did it (see Principle #1). Do it to change lives! Oh, yeah.....and because God said so. :) Isn't God the author and giver of creativity? GET CREATIVE!!!!
  
• Principle #4: Embrace resistance
• From the book: "Don't mind criticism. If it is untrue, disregard it; if it is unfair, keep from irritation; if it is ignorant, smile; if it is justified, it is not criticism- learn from it." Author Unknown. Also from the book: "To work with resistance effectively, you must distinguish between people who want their concerns to be resolved and those who simply like to complain." Needless to say, churches, no matter what they look like or how they act meet resistance CONSTANTLY! The key is how do they respond to that resistance. Resistance, when recognized and handled appropriately, can prove to be a valuable tool for growth. Try this: The next time you face resistance, ask yourself, "What is the real issue and what is the truth to be learned?
• Principle #5: Leave your mark
• This whole chapter was about Starbucks and their involvement and investment in the communities that are in their sphere of influence. What can the church learn?
  Simply, serve someone other than yourself! While some churches do an amazing job at looking OUTSIDE of the walls, many have never seen outside of their walls. How sad!

I also just finished the book BLIND COURAGE by Bill Irwin. AMAZING!!!! He is the only person to have hiked the entire Appalachian Trail blind! He did it with his dog guide, Orient! Incredible story and I recommend it. They need to do a movie based on the book!

I'm trying to read more. Here are the books in my book que (not necessarily in the order I hope to read them):

• The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus
• Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (Christmas gift)
• CASH...the Autobiography by Johnny Cash (Christmas gift)
• First In, Last Out by John Salka
  
• The Heart of the Antarctic by Sir Ernest Shackleton (Christmas gift)

I'll post some thoughts as I complete books.

Peace!

SRR

sinbad