tEchNoLOgY

So I'm trying to branch out a little. Beginning to read random articles about stuff I have no knowledge of, but can be interesting/informative to read. Here's 2 good quotes from THIS article on the use of technology in film making. (Told you this was random.)

It's not a question of new film making techniques or technologies. Indeed, over-reliance on special effects can detract from a film's impact: witness the way-too-long battle scenes in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, McDowell said. "It's time for us filmmakers to restrain ourselves and use the tools to do sophisticated storytelling as opposed to just look what we can do if we just press this button."

"The thing I love about the Media Lab is that it's never about the technology. It's about what you do with it, at a human scale."

Christmas Observation

As we exit the Christmas season and gear up for 07, allow me to make a brief, simple observation. You know those inflatable santas and snowman, right? Yeah, well, they are everywhere. (Hang on, that's not the observation.) Perhaps I see more of them b/c I'm living back in the true South again...sorry, Louisville, KY, you don't count...remember, you have restaurants that serve unsweet tea. A crime! Anywho, here it is: Most inflatable snowman and reindeer and santas I saw were in yards of trailers, mobile homes, or smaller homes. Now for some of you, you might say, "Well, duh." Others, you may be offended b/c you're the person in the neighborhood who decks out their yard with lights and these inflatable creatures. Fine, more power to ya. But seriously, I drive by these run down houses and think to myself, "Where in the world do they get the money to buy these 15 inflatables up in their yard?!?!" Think about it. I bet if they sold all of them, they could put a dent in their car payment or 2nd mortgage. And yeah, I know it's not just redneck yards that participate in it...but I bet 80% of these things are in such described yards. Ok, now that you've wasted 45 seconds of your life reading this, get back to work or family. Chow. Happy New Year.

Is It THAT Good?!?

I like my White Chocolate Mocha like everyone else...but c'mon...is is THAT good? Would you stand in line for over 30 minutes for 1 cup of (overpriced) coffee? These people did. I snapped this pic with my camera phone 2 weeks ago while working at a Verizon kiosk at North Point Mall in Alpharetta, GA.

Insane.

Props to Aldi

Last week I went grocery shopping at this German based discount food store. Dana had told me about it and so I went and stocked up on a few weeks worth of groceries. Having four kids, we look to cut cost just about everywhere. Dude, props to Aldi! I cut my bill in half. No joke. Off brands? Oh yeah, stuff you never heard of. But until I get sick from whatever it is their selling me, I'm hooked.

Quite a unique experience. You bag your own groceries (bring boxes, they don't give you bags...though you can purchase big plastic bags for 10 cents, paper bags for a nickel...and re-use them) and usually there's only 2 or 3 people working in the store. They never have to bring in buggies from the parking lot because to get a buggy, you pop a quarter in the locking mechanism, to get your quarter back, you return the buggy to the front.

I didn't quite leap for joy like these folks, but I did enjoy the 50% off my grocery bill. Props to Aldi.

If you want to see if they have a location near you, here's their website: LINK

Merry Christmas, Free Adjustments, and Surprise - It's a Baby Shower!

I like things out of the norm. Shakin' up. Different. And so it was with our small group Christmas party last night. We threw a surprise baby shower (not all the fluff fluff stuff though - suitable for guys to be present) for a relative of one of the couples in our group. This family just moved here from Mexico and she is pregnant with their second. She was very very surprised that we made our Christmas party a time of gift giving to her. Isn't that what this is all about though? I love it. Also, last night, we had Dan, the chiropractor in the group, spontaneously giving out free adjustments. I had never been adjusted before so I cautiously allowed him to pop my neck and shoulders and arms. Dude, that was crazy. My joints, bones, whatever it was sounded like someone was playing with bubble wrap. Fun stuff.

Merry Christmas to all. I hope your get-togethers are as eventful as ours.

Healer Horse

Man regains sight after horse headbutt
Tuesday, December 19, 2006

A man who was blinded in his right eye by a piece of shrapnel in the Second World War has had his vision restored after being headbutted by a racehorse.
Paddock security guard Don Karkos, 82, was putting a collar around the neck of My Buddy Chimo at Monticello Raceway in New York State when the accident happened.
He said: “I've been seeing doctors all my life, and they've always told me that nothing can be done.” Experts believe the blow could have knocked a dislocated lens into place.

Heard this on Paul Harvey today. Great story. Can you imagine being blind in one eye that long...and then, BAM, headbutted by a horse restores your sight!?!?! Crazy. (Yes, I fully expect some wackos to create a following for this horse...declaring it to be a miracle worker...TV show to come.)

Here's the full story: LINK

Religion: Unknown

I had a doctor's appointment today and noticed something interesting. When I first arrived, the lady behind the counter asked me to look over a sheet of information she had printed out. It had my basic info: name, address, social, d.o.b., etc. As I scanning the page, I noticed one category that read, "Religion: Unknown." So, with that information in mind, here's a multiple choice question for you:

What was my reaction to noticing this?

a. "Uh, ma'am, have y'all not updated your software since the 80's? This offends me. You know good and well you cannot list someone's religious preference on their bio sheet. I expect this fixed immediately or I'll be glad to report you to the Medical Board of GA."

b. "Excuse me, ma'am, I'm a little surprised. I've been here before and you should know who I am by now...but apparently you don't. Everyone knows I am the grandson of a famous Baptist minister in Eastern Alabama. His father and his father and his father were all Baptist. I grew up in a Baptist church. You should know this. My religion is obviously Baptist."

c. "Hey, yo, you, what's this all about? Check it. I'm part of new church plant up in Bartow County, yo. Religion? C'mon now. You serious? We all just a bunch of Jesus Freaks, yo. It ain't about no religion. You know that. C'mon now, get that off there." (I then proceeded to invite her to our Sunday morning service starting at 10am with freshly brewed coffee and stadium seating.)

d. I said nothing and thought quietly to myself, "This would make a great title for my next post."

Check comments for the correct answer. Thanks for your participation.

Not Jesus

So I'm taking my 5yr old and 2 of our neighbor's kids to school this morning...like I do every morning. Most of the time it's rather quiet in the car. I'm not a morning person, so I'm often quiet, just driving and thinking about all the things I need to do for the day. Other times I try and chit chat with the kiddos about whatever. This morning, I tried to initiate a little conversation and threw out the question, "So, what are ya'll going to learn about in school today?" I didn't really expect an answer. The neighbor's kids are 8 and 6. Braden is 5. If they did answer, I expected something along the lines of "numbers or letters", etc. Well, what I got has thrown me for a loop this morning. Braden immediately said, "Not Jesus." I responded with, "Not Jesus?...well, where do you learn about Jesus?" We then discussed how church and the home are where you mostly learn about Jesus.

Now the whole Public vs. Private vs. Homeschool debate is churning in my head (and stomach) again. The answer didn't surprise me. After all, he goes to the local public school. I don't expect him to hear about Jesus...or anything remotely related to Jesus there. But his answer is interesting, isn't it? On one hand I hate it b/c I want as many people as I can get surrounding my children with truth. On the other hand, it's ok, maybe even "good" because it a. set up an opportunity for me to share with him how he is to take his light into places like his school and b. he is recognizing at an early age differing beliefs and how he is to be different.

While this certainly raises questions about schooling options...it solidly confirms one thing. When my children are asked, "Where DO YOU learn about Jesus?"...I want them to naturally and immediately think of "Home" first. That's the lesson here.

Respond

I was recently convicted about how I respond to things, people, circumstances, etc. Reaction matters, doesn't it? How we respond to things speaks volume about our faith. It communicates grace and patience and love...or it communicates impatience, anger, and ungodly behavior. In fact, how we respond to people...especially those who mistreat us...could possibly be the strongest testimony we carry.
Lately, I've allowed stress and frustration to throw me off track. I've been harsh in my reactions. If not harsh, I've just been indifferent. In all relationships we have moments of conflict. In our job and in our homes we all have those moments when our response to someone's behavior will steer the conversation towards peace or towards more conflict.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

Finishing Strong

In the Christian life, it's not how you start that matters. It's how you finish.
I was recently given the book Finishing Strong by Steve Farrar. I'm only 22 pages in, but I like this statement. It's true. He talks about 2 ministers who started around the time of Billy Graham and had great success, but neither finished in ministry. On this topic, I've heard the casualty rate for ministers is 90%. In other words, only 10% who start in ministry will finish in ministry. This statement speaks to that, but it also speaks to anyone who claims to follow Christ. I know many, including myself, that need to be reminded of this. Forget the past. You can't change it. Don't be stuck in regret or failings or missed opportunities. Stay the course. Trust in Him. Change today and tomorrow. (Ok, not trying to be some cheesy motivational dork here.) But, it's true. It is how you finish. Be encouraged. "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3:13b-14

Disc Golf

Another weird thing I like (besides Duke basketball) is disc golf. Tons of fun, great exercise, challenging, and super cheap (often free!). HERE is a cheesy video about disc golf. These guys make it look easy.

Let's Go Duke!

Don't ask me how, cause I don't know. I don't know how a country boy from North Alabama who attended Auburn University ended up being a Duke Bluedevil's Basketball fan...but it happened. I started watching them in high school and continued on into college. Most people around here despise even hearing the word Duke mentioned. And having lived in Louisville, KY for 4.5 years....oh boy, let me tell you. They certainly have their own opinions about Duke. Most comments I hear are along the lines of, "Those stuck-up bunch of spoiled brats..." (not necessarily the team, but the school). And there is probably a certain amount of truth to that statement. But here's why I enjoy watching the Bluedevils: the Cameron Crazies - best student section in college basketball. Oh, and by the way, when Duke loses more games this season (and they will lose quite a few more this year) - don't come talkin smack on my blog. I'm not a crazy, just a wannabee. I don't care that much --- it's not AU football.

@ the Leaf

A little video about Sundays at Oak Leaf.
LINK

$$$ to give

Just curious, if you were given tons of moola - with the condition that you had to give every bit of it away - awarding it to someone...who would it be? Why that person(s)? Here's some quick answers off the top of my head: 1. Someone who would promise to give it right back. ha. 2. Parents 3. Family 4. Ministries/Charities
What say you?

Taxpayer's Money Hard At Work

LINK
What a way to say Merry Christmas! Funny stuff.

Support YOUR Team!

THIS girl is not helping the stereotype of cheerleaders.

Unchanging

At the Leaf yesterday, Jason and the gang from Westridge church did a phenomenal job leading worship. One of the songs performed was Unchanging by Chris Tomlin. As I was driving home from work today, listening to a cd of the service, the lyrics of this song really grabbed me:

Great is Your faithfulness
Great is Your faithfulness
You never change
You never fail, O God

True are Your promises
True are Your promises
You never change
You never fail, O God

So we raise up holy hands
To praise the Holy One
Who was and is and is to come

Wide is Your love and grace
Wide is Your love and grace
You never change
You never fail, O God

You were, You are
You will always be

What a great reminder - He never changes, He never fails. I change. I fail. Things change. People change. Time changes. People fail. In a world of unpredictability, there's something solid that is predictable. There's something dependable. Now that is something to trust! That is something to invest in! That is something worth devoting my life to!

5, 3, 2, and ONE

Finally, the day has arrived. It is now much easier for me to say all my kid's ages. You see, prior to yesterday, it was always me responding to people's questions with, "I have 4 children...what's that, their age? Well, they are 5, 3, 2, and....(and then I would have to remember how many months old Camden is)____ months." Well, our butterball turned 1 yesterday. Now things are much simpler.

*Please note: For topic "5,3,2,and ONE", administrator reserves the right to terminate any comment bringing attention to the insanity of host blogger. Also, any comment making reference to host blogger starting a cult by having so many kids or host blogger trying to create a basketball team or any mention of anything closely related to these issues will result in a deletion of such comment and will automatically generate 3 months of spam in commenter's inbox. Thanks for your understanding.

Honk If You've Coached At Bama

In case anyone is wondering, YES, I'm taking great delight in the embarrassing fallout of our neighbors across the state. A bazillion coaches within the past 10 years...and now most bammers are drinking the koolaid in thinking they will actually attract a "big name" coach. (And if they do, I'll eat my words.) But who in the world would want to walk in to that mess? Money does talk though. Hmmm...wander if I should submit my resume?