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Fruitcake & Ice Cream

I've been listening to some very good online sermons lately...and I HAD to share this one with everyone. Please go HERE and find the series called "Home Free - Even Me". It's a 2 part series and the 2nd message is entitled "Fruitcake & Ice Cream". Listen to it please.

The whole message is good...it's Louie talking about the grace of God. But, if you are limited on time, skip about 50% in to the message and listen to the real life story of a college student. Louie is reading from her journal. Listen all the way to the end.

Amazing amazing story.
Amazing amazing God.
Amazing amazing grace.

Enjoy.

Thank You! (100 times over)

First day back at school for Bartow County. First day in Kindergarten for my 5 yr old...first day in 1st grade for my 7 yr old. The past 48 hours have been great. Two events have renewed my love and appreciation for teachers. First, yesterday another staff dude (Anthony) and myself took some chicken biscuits and OJ out to a local elementary school. It was just a quick way to say THANKS...we know you are here...we appreciate you...we want to be able to help in any way possible...we are praying for you......

The 2nd event was the open house at my kid's school on Tuesday night. Chatting with other parents and teachers and school officials stirred something inside me (I don't think it was the Rockstar I drank). I'm just praying like crazy that God would allow us, Oak Leaf, to do HUGE things with schools. Yeah, we are still a young church plant. Yeah, we have limited resources. But I think it's possible to show our appreciation and partner with schools and teachers in real, tangible, creative ways.

So, teachers: On your first day back today - please know you are APPRECIATED! Thanks 100 times over for investing in our kids. And while complaints will start flying around shortly...facilities too old, public this, private this, budget shortage on this and that, not enough room, etc...on this first day back let me say that you are SUPPORTED. There's tons of parents in this community that give a rip and want to help - A LOT.

So my challenge to myself and to every parent is this: get involved, say thanks to the teachers every week, make a difference...and if there's something you don't like about the school you're sending your kids to, then help change it.

Ok, I'm off my soapbox now. :-)
Have a great first day everyone!

What Do You See?

There is a pond just outside my neighborhood that I pass every day. Last week, I drove past it around 5pm and observed 2 teenage boys fishing. As I thought about them fishing during one of the hottest parts of the day, a big question was stuck in my head: WHAT DO YOU SEE? Here's a few choices that I came up with...perhaps this will challenge you as it did me:

#1 (Chance to Criticize)
What do I see? Um...duh, a bunch of goobers. No, make that idiots. Those neighborhood kids are always out there fishing...don't they know there's probably only 2 fish in that pond?!?! Worst yet, they are fishing at the hottest part of the day? Who taught them to fish? EVERYONE knows you are suppose to fish either early morning or late afternoon. Dumb dumb dumb.

#2 (Chance to Complain)
Great, more teenagers, out alone, near the neighborhood...they probably just vandalized the pool and are now smoking weed, all under the cover of "fishing".

#3 (Chance of Opportunity)
Hmm, interesting. It's 96 degrees right now. Why in the world are they fishing when it's sooo hot? I've seen those kids out and about before, I've never said hello. Hmm, the bigger question: I wonder if they've ever had anyone teach them how to fish? Perhaps the biggest question: I wonder if they have a dad that's around? Statistically, I know the odds on this one - 50/50.

I hope we have more and more professing Christians "seeing" number 3. And when observed, I hope we have more believers acting upon the Spirit's prompting...whether it's praying for the kids or being more aware of hurting kids all around us or having courage to speak up and getting to know your neighbor. So, today, where you are: WHAT DO YOU SEE?

Is it OK for a Christian to drink alcohol?

SERMON

Demolition

This Saturday we will be having a workday at our newly purchased building, The House of Rock. That's exciting. A former bar being used for church. Wanna know what's even more exciting, though? I get to demo the old stage. That's right, it's a perfect fit. Me and a sledge hammer, axe, wheelbarrow...the whole time shouting, "Me, Hulk, Mad...Hulk Smash!"

Join the insanity: Saturday, 8am, House of Rock on Tennessee St. in Cartersville. Bring tools, weapons, explosives...wait, cancel explosives.

Coming Soon...

A new post from me.
Topic: Not sure.
Length: Who knows.

Too busy to blog right now, catch ya later.
:-)

quite a story, quite a life

click HERE

grin and bear it

THIS lady is way too relaxed telling her story. Wow.

Friendly Football Hatred

SEC hate-o-meter

funny funny

Local R&R

no kids
3 days
doing local stuff with wife
eating at new places
she talked me in to seeing a chick flick last night
on the way out of the theater a dude said, "hey, there's another guy!"...he was glad that another guy was forced to see the movie as well
i responded to his comment with, "man, i need a college football game bad!"
:-)

Another Reason Not to Shop at Walmart

Ok, just a little joke with the title...sorta. Last night, we had a bit of a scare with Braden (7). He tripped in Walmart and hit his head on a shelf. He fell down, eyes glazed and head banging against the ground...an apparent seizure. Dana said after about 3 to 4 seconds (which she said felt like an eternity) he finally responded to her calls.

After the event, he seemed fine and was acting OK...but as a precaution, we heeded a doctor's advice and drove him to Children's Hospital in Atlanta for a CT scan. The report came back 100% good-to-go. Yep, huge relief! They said more than likely it was a "post traumatic seizure", resulting from him falling in to the shelf. It appears to be an isolated event and not any indication that he will be having any more seizures in the future.

A big THANKS to our Journey Group friends and others who prayed for Braden, watched Logan (younger 2 out of town), and helped get my car back home. It was GREAT knowing we had some immediate support when faced with an emergency.

Suicide, Anger, Help, Teenager, Family Problems, Drugs, Confusion, Questions, Counseling, Hope, Addiction, Gun, Divorce

Long weird title, eh? Well, I wanted to throw it out there in the random chance that someone...a teen or young adult...might stumble across my blog who is dealing with some pretty serious stuff. The dude below has been counseling kids in jams, serious jams, for a long time. He has a radio gig and talks straight with people. So, need some help? Know somebody that needs help or advice? Click on the link or dial the number.

DAWSON McALLISTER

1-800-394-HOPE

Good Parenting Read

As a parent of young kids, I found THIS blog post to be helpful.

Sunday Sunday Sunday! (said with monster truck voice)

Stuff goin' on today at OLC:

• I left my belt at home today so Jody, our Campus/Journey Group Pastor, hooked me up with an extra one he had in his car. Hanz,however (I call him and Mitch Hanz & Franz), is somewhere around a 31 or 32 waist. I'm no big dude, by no means...but goodness, I barely made the first hole in the belt!
• Had 69 kids in the elementary 3rd service. Place was hoppin'!
• Met a very cool family that was visiting for the first time. They have 3 kids and just moved in to town. I absolutely LOVE that part of my job. Meeting new folks and getting to know them and introducing/handing them off to our wonderful volunteers is crazy fun!
• In approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes it's time for some baptism at the lake and some flag football.
• Tracy Kase, Assistant to the Lead Pastor, did the welcome this morning. She's a rockstar.

Girl

I'm one three boys. My older brother has 2 sons. I have 3 sons...and 1 girl. Before having Kinley, everyone assumed a "Sutton Girl" was an anomaly...an impossibility.

Good luck little girl. I pray you survive your 3 rough brothers and overprotective dad. :-)

Take a moment to shine:

Praying Scripture

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

One of my favorite scriptures to pray is Psalm 19:14. I love it because it asks God for help in choosing words words wisely, having pure motives...and it proclaims that He is our source for help, our only true hope - our ROCK & REDEEMER! I find myself praying this a lot. Good stuff.

BONUS: This is the verse in Chinese. :-)
耶 和 華 ─ 我 的 磐 石 ， 我 的 救 贖 主 啊 ， 願 我 口 中 的 言 語 、 心 裡 的 意 念 在 你 面 前 蒙 悅 納 。

To Be Frank

Somebody told me about FRANKTOWN ROCKS, a "music-driven virtual world" for kids. I checked it out, seems pretty cool. It was recently featured in Parents magazine...and it's free. Check it out for your kiddos and see whatcha think.

Huntsvegas

Seeing family in Huntsville, AL this weekend. Will attempt to cram family time, fishing, and disc golf all together, within a 24 hour visit. Then it's back to C'ville for a 4am wakeup call Sunday morning. Rock-n-roll.

Camel & Check-In

Here are the pics of the 2 person camel hanging out pre-service, harassing kids, and the new KidVenture Check-In Station.