I am taking a break from my Cuba Highlights series because I want to give it its full attention... and I have not had time to draft the Wednesday - Saturday entries. They will be posted in due time...
So today, I am reverting back to the "random things" method.
1. I received my license plates in the mail for my new car... they read: 600 MRX. Now I instantly saw Mr. X in that... but most people I have told about it do not find the humor until I bring it to their attention. Regardless, you can now refer to me as Mr. X (affectionately, if you like).
2. The coffee gods have smiled upon us here in the Marathon Oil Tower. We used to have the most horrid set up that was similar to the coffee you might get from an airport vending machine. Well today... we have actual coffee pots and we can bring in our own coffee to brew. Mr. X is very happy with this turn of events.
3. The other night at the Astros game, I tried to say "happy family"... but instead, I said "fappy hamily." We then tried to give "fappy" a definition... but nothing seemed to work. None of us were very comfortable with word after we said it many times...
4. I think one of my favorite things to do is sit in the easy chair, read, drink coffee... all while it is raining outside. This morning, I had a particularly difficult time leaving this ideal scenario to come to work. I think the reason I enjoy it so much is that I can do it and not feel like I am being unproductive or lazy. If it is sunny outside, I feel like I should be out enjoying the weather... but if it is raining, I am justified to just sit inside and read for hours if I want to.
5. I have discovered (much like Donald Miller says in his intro to Blue Like Jazz) that seeing someone else enjoy something makes it all the more appealing. I have had a number of instances in recent weeks where I was indifferent to a given item/issue... but when I saw a friend truly enjoy said item/issue... it caused me to see the merits previously hidden to me.
6. I posted this entry and it had 4 grammatical errors... and it has taken me at least 30 minutes to fix them. Of all the times for Blogger to experience server problems...
Monday, June 19, 2006
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Cuba 2006 Highlights - Part 2
Tuesday - May 30
On Tuesday, there were two highlights.
The first one was when we split into smaller groups with some of the college students to share testimonies and just ask each other questions. Each group had two Americans and four Cubans. We sat on a curb and just shared a little about ourselves with each other. My group consisted of Andriel, Nelson, Nori, and Franklin... and then Laurie Lau was the other American (though she is Chinese). Anyway, the best part of this was seeing that life for Cuban College students is not very different from life here in the US of A. We asked them how we could pray for them... and finals was the answer across the board. Andriel had just graduated, so his prayer request was for his job. Pretty much exactly what we said. Another great aspect of this afternoon was when one of the guys (known as Pappito) shared with the whole group how much he was blessed by us praying for the leaders the night before. It was one of those moments where I realized that our presence really was ministering to them even though the direct impact was slightly hidden to us.
The second highlight of this day involved worshiping in the dorms with the college students. Apparently, outside groups are not allowed in the dorms in Cuba... but we were (one of the many doors God opened while we were there). And not only were we allowed in... we were allowed to worship the Lord. As our host (Dan the Man Dan) said, we there to engage in "spiritual exercises." Two young ladies shared about how they had been down and depressed lately... so we prayed for that. And then Dan said there was too much sadness... we needed to just "praise the Lord." This guy had a passion to worship God... and it was catching. Another aspect of the night that blessed me was a young girl from Barbados singing How Great Thou Art accapella. I am telling you... this girl has some pipes. She could easily be the Cuban Idol. Even Simon would give her high marks. But even more beautiful than her voice was her desire to honor God with her voice... and she did just that.
On Tuesday, there were two highlights.
The first one was when we split into smaller groups with some of the college students to share testimonies and just ask each other questions. Each group had two Americans and four Cubans. We sat on a curb and just shared a little about ourselves with each other. My group consisted of Andriel, Nelson, Nori, and Franklin... and then Laurie Lau was the other American (though she is Chinese). Anyway, the best part of this was seeing that life for Cuban College students is not very different from life here in the US of A. We asked them how we could pray for them... and finals was the answer across the board. Andriel had just graduated, so his prayer request was for his job. Pretty much exactly what we said. Another great aspect of this afternoon was when one of the guys (known as Pappito) shared with the whole group how much he was blessed by us praying for the leaders the night before. It was one of those moments where I realized that our presence really was ministering to them even though the direct impact was slightly hidden to us.
The second highlight of this day involved worshiping in the dorms with the college students. Apparently, outside groups are not allowed in the dorms in Cuba... but we were (one of the many doors God opened while we were there). And not only were we allowed in... we were allowed to worship the Lord. As our host (Dan the Man Dan) said, we there to engage in "spiritual exercises." Two young ladies shared about how they had been down and depressed lately... so we prayed for that. And then Dan said there was too much sadness... we needed to just "praise the Lord." This guy had a passion to worship God... and it was catching. Another aspect of the night that blessed me was a young girl from Barbados singing How Great Thou Art accapella. I am telling you... this girl has some pipes. She could easily be the Cuban Idol. Even Simon would give her high marks. But even more beautiful than her voice was her desire to honor God with her voice... and she did just that.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Cuba 2006 Highlights - Part 1
As you are all aware, I recently traveled to Havana, Cuba with 26 other singles from my church here in Houston, TX. We returned on June 3, but work kept me too busy last week to post anything about the trip. So this week, I plan to give you a day-by-day look at our trip by discussing my personal trip highlights. Today's installment will cover Saturday, Sunday, and Monday... my apologies up front for the length of this post.
Saturday - May 27th
Our time in the airport was an event in and of itself. This was the only place that I ever felt like I was in a communist country. I may be making too much of this, but being in the airport terminal we were in (the one for chartered flights) had a very "controlled" feel to it. I was not scared at all... I just didn't feel free at all either. But then when I got through customs and walked outside, our new Cuban friends were so welcoming. And they spoke English... so we could all talk to them with reletive ease. Elmer (the leader of the group that we would be meeting with all week) was the first person I had a conversation with. It was truly a great way to start the week off because I could tell right off that he loved the Lord and just wanted to honor him. And besides that, he was hilarious.
Sunday - May 28th
We worshiped in a Cuban church that morning and then had the rest of the day as free time. Worshiping in another language and culture always presents its own challenges and blessings. Catha reminded us to embrace and experience the blessings as opposed to being annoyed by the challenges. Unexpectedly, Elmer translated the message for us (I fully expected to sit through an hour long sermon in Spanish. Now this was meaningful because Elmer had just told me the day before at the airport that his dream is to be a translator for a preacher. Well, we got to see/hear him do that for the first time... and he did a fine job. The rest of the day was free time. Many of us spent it at the pool just relaxing. This was a highlight because it allowed some of us who didn't know each other to get to know each other... which is in the top 3 highlights of the trip in general (more on that on Friday).
That night, we went into Havana to have dinner and just see the city. There were many highlights to be had here, and I will just list them out:
1. Watching Bart just be bold for the Christ by witnessing to a guy in a store where we bought some small paintings
2. Two-steppin' with Lori Latham to Cuban music
3. Salsa dancing with Lisa Karabatsos
4. Just seeing how another culture spends a Sunday night
Monday - May 29th
The highlight for me on Monday, was the leadership meeting we were blessed to be a part of. The group we were there to meet with all week have their leadership meeting on Monday nights. Well, they wanted us to sit in on the meeting... and to introduce ourselves to them and vice versa. Our introductions proved to be funny (some things were "lost in translation"), but the best part of the night was when we sang worship songs with them. As I noted above, worshiping with other cultures and in other languages always presents certain blessings... and this was no different. This group loves to sing (and so do I), and we just got loud in that room as we worshiped our Heavenly Father in song. In addtition to singing with them, we asked if we could pray for their group... so we all split into smaller groups and prayed for each of the leaders present. Again... truly a blessing. We didn't translate our prayers - we just voiced our thoughts to the Lord with the understanding that different languages was His doing in the first place and it does not confuse Him in the least. What a joy to be unified in Christ...
Saturday - May 27th
Our time in the airport was an event in and of itself. This was the only place that I ever felt like I was in a communist country. I may be making too much of this, but being in the airport terminal we were in (the one for chartered flights) had a very "controlled" feel to it. I was not scared at all... I just didn't feel free at all either. But then when I got through customs and walked outside, our new Cuban friends were so welcoming. And they spoke English... so we could all talk to them with reletive ease. Elmer (the leader of the group that we would be meeting with all week) was the first person I had a conversation with. It was truly a great way to start the week off because I could tell right off that he loved the Lord and just wanted to honor him. And besides that, he was hilarious.
Sunday - May 28th
We worshiped in a Cuban church that morning and then had the rest of the day as free time. Worshiping in another language and culture always presents its own challenges and blessings. Catha reminded us to embrace and experience the blessings as opposed to being annoyed by the challenges. Unexpectedly, Elmer translated the message for us (I fully expected to sit through an hour long sermon in Spanish. Now this was meaningful because Elmer had just told me the day before at the airport that his dream is to be a translator for a preacher. Well, we got to see/hear him do that for the first time... and he did a fine job. The rest of the day was free time. Many of us spent it at the pool just relaxing. This was a highlight because it allowed some of us who didn't know each other to get to know each other... which is in the top 3 highlights of the trip in general (more on that on Friday).
That night, we went into Havana to have dinner and just see the city. There were many highlights to be had here, and I will just list them out:
1. Watching Bart just be bold for the Christ by witnessing to a guy in a store where we bought some small paintings
2. Two-steppin' with Lori Latham to Cuban music
3. Salsa dancing with Lisa Karabatsos
4. Just seeing how another culture spends a Sunday night
Monday - May 29th
The highlight for me on Monday, was the leadership meeting we were blessed to be a part of. The group we were there to meet with all week have their leadership meeting on Monday nights. Well, they wanted us to sit in on the meeting... and to introduce ourselves to them and vice versa. Our introductions proved to be funny (some things were "lost in translation"), but the best part of the night was when we sang worship songs with them. As I noted above, worshiping with other cultures and in other languages always presents certain blessings... and this was no different. This group loves to sing (and so do I), and we just got loud in that room as we worshiped our Heavenly Father in song. In addtition to singing with them, we asked if we could pray for their group... so we all split into smaller groups and prayed for each of the leaders present. Again... truly a blessing. We didn't translate our prayers - we just voiced our thoughts to the Lord with the understanding that different languages was His doing in the first place and it does not confuse Him in the least. What a joy to be unified in Christ...
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Diction and Pretension
Yesterday, I attended a training seminar for accountants. Yes, it was about as exciting as you are envisioning.
Anyway, the gentleman who spoke during lunch was a very bright man. He was presenting a forecast of the energy industry over the next 25 years.
He would pronounce his words very preciscely... "twen-ty" and "Muh-lai-see-a" and "In-doe-nee-see-a." I appreciated his good diction (though I think he went a bit overboard on those two country names)
Midway through the presentation, he started talking about sources of power... such as "nu-cu-ler." Very nice, I thought... very nice, indeed.
I just laughed every time he said it... at least it kept me awake.
Anyway, the gentleman who spoke during lunch was a very bright man. He was presenting a forecast of the energy industry over the next 25 years.
He would pronounce his words very preciscely... "twen-ty" and "Muh-lai-see-a" and "In-doe-nee-see-a." I appreciated his good diction (though I think he went a bit overboard on those two country names)
Midway through the presentation, he started talking about sources of power... such as "nu-cu-ler." Very nice, I thought... very nice, indeed.
I just laughed every time he said it... at least it kept me awake.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Let Cuba be glad... at least in part
Last year, I posted an entry similar to this one before my trip to Guatemala. Well, this year (Saturday to be exact) the Lord has me headed off to Cuba.... that's right, the Communist country 90 miles off the coast of Florida.
As we talked through some of the logistics for our trip last night, an excitement about the trip hit me. I have been excited in the theoretical sense since (it just hit me that I used two homonyms right after each other) I first decided to go. But my excitement has been pretty low level until last night. I guess it is largely because the trip is right around the corner... but in any event, I am pumped about going.
The details of what we will be doing are fuzzy... there are some specifics we know, but there is a lot of room for flexibility. So if the Lord prompts you to do so... please pray for guidance. We all want to be used while we are there, so please pray that God opens doors for us to be busy about His work for the entire week. As I prayed with my prayer partner last night, I was reminded of the freedom we have in America... and how our freedom in Christ is so much more than our American freedom. It is my hope and prayer that we will be able to communicate our freedom in Christ without it being tainted or confused with our cultural freedom.
There will be more to share after the trip (obviously), but for now... this will have to do. Pray for us and for the people we will be spending time with.
As we talked through some of the logistics for our trip last night, an excitement about the trip hit me. I have been excited in the theoretical sense since (it just hit me that I used two homonyms right after each other) I first decided to go. But my excitement has been pretty low level until last night. I guess it is largely because the trip is right around the corner... but in any event, I am pumped about going.
The details of what we will be doing are fuzzy... there are some specifics we know, but there is a lot of room for flexibility. So if the Lord prompts you to do so... please pray for guidance. We all want to be used while we are there, so please pray that God opens doors for us to be busy about His work for the entire week. As I prayed with my prayer partner last night, I was reminded of the freedom we have in America... and how our freedom in Christ is so much more than our American freedom. It is my hope and prayer that we will be able to communicate our freedom in Christ without it being tainted or confused with our cultural freedom.
There will be more to share after the trip (obviously), but for now... this will have to do. Pray for us and for the people we will be spending time with.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
The ol' grey mare aint what she used to be...
Actually, I should refer to her as "The Oyster Saturn" as that is what my good buddy Josh dubbed her... yes, I am referring to my car. She finally died on Tuesday (well.. she started the death process on Sunday night).
This week has been a fun one to say the least. The Oyster Saturn (TOS) decided she didn't have the will to live anymore on Sunday night... in Buffalo, TX (somewhere between Dallas and Houston on I-45). There was much drama to be had as I had to have her towed... not fun. However, I got a nice hook up from a friend on that, so the final bill was not as bad as it could have been.
On Monday, by the sheer grace of our great God, I was able to drive TOS to the Saturn dealership. A kind man in the Tiger Mart parking lot in Buffalo told me that the car wouldn't make it more than 15 miles (and that was just by hearing the noises it was making as I drove up... truly amazing). So I found a dealership that was a mere 9 miles from my humble abode... and set off. As I said... she made it. I dropped her off... the mechanics (again, purely by sound) had a good idea what was wrong. Apparently "throwing a rod" is a common term in car repair lingo. Well... that was what TOS was trying to do.
On Tuesday (after I had done some on-line and in person shopping), I decided on a new-to-me Mazda 6 from CarMax (little plug... this is the only place I will ever buy a car from going forward). During the test drive, the salesman and I stopped at the Saturn dealership to retreive TOS. Well... she allowed me to back her out... and then breathed her last breath. It was a sad moment, actually.
I ended up purchasing the Mazda (yet to be named - I will be accepting ideas over the next several days, months) on Tuesday night. She is a little bigger... a little faster... but still a pretty light drinker, so I am happy.
And I have just received confirmation that TOS is only worth about $100. So sad...
The quote of the week is as follows (I have heard it from MANY people in response to the fact that TOS gave out after a mere 6.5 years/117,000 miles): "It is a Saturn...(slight pause) no offense."
This week has been a fun one to say the least. The Oyster Saturn (TOS) decided she didn't have the will to live anymore on Sunday night... in Buffalo, TX (somewhere between Dallas and Houston on I-45). There was much drama to be had as I had to have her towed... not fun. However, I got a nice hook up from a friend on that, so the final bill was not as bad as it could have been.
On Monday, by the sheer grace of our great God, I was able to drive TOS to the Saturn dealership. A kind man in the Tiger Mart parking lot in Buffalo told me that the car wouldn't make it more than 15 miles (and that was just by hearing the noises it was making as I drove up... truly amazing). So I found a dealership that was a mere 9 miles from my humble abode... and set off. As I said... she made it. I dropped her off... the mechanics (again, purely by sound) had a good idea what was wrong. Apparently "throwing a rod" is a common term in car repair lingo. Well... that was what TOS was trying to do.
On Tuesday (after I had done some on-line and in person shopping), I decided on a new-to-me Mazda 6 from CarMax (little plug... this is the only place I will ever buy a car from going forward). During the test drive, the salesman and I stopped at the Saturn dealership to retreive TOS. Well... she allowed me to back her out... and then breathed her last breath. It was a sad moment, actually.
I ended up purchasing the Mazda (yet to be named - I will be accepting ideas over the next several days, months) on Tuesday night. She is a little bigger... a little faster... but still a pretty light drinker, so I am happy.
And I have just received confirmation that TOS is only worth about $100. So sad...
The quote of the week is as follows (I have heard it from MANY people in response to the fact that TOS gave out after a mere 6.5 years/117,000 miles): "It is a Saturn...(slight pause) no offense."
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
You Too...
Many of you may have heard of a comedian named Brian Regan. Truly one of the funniest guys on the proverbial circuit. He is clean... and hilarious. I like to describe him as being a mix between Jim Carrey and Jerry Seinfeld... he is physically funny like Carrey but has the observational humor of Seinfeld. Those of you who know Brian's work will appreciate this story...
So anyway... yesterday I had to rent a car (story for that will follow in another blog post). Well, as it turns out, the guy who helped me rent said car was celebrating his birthday yesterday. So as I was leaving, I thanked him and said, "... happy birthday." To which he responded, "You too...."
"I don't know how to use the 'you too.'"
So anyway... yesterday I had to rent a car (story for that will follow in another blog post). Well, as it turns out, the guy who helped me rent said car was celebrating his birthday yesterday. So as I was leaving, I thanked him and said, "... happy birthday." To which he responded, "You too...."
"I don't know how to use the 'you too.'"
Friday, May 12, 2006
You Did What? In Your Shirt?
OK... so last week, I was on a retreat with many of the singles from my church. (The same one that birthed the legend now known as "The Troy"). Well... it was a grand ole' time as usual. Retreats typically are just fun because you they are like a mini vacation where you get away from the routine of life... even if it is just for a day or two.
But on Saturday night, two of my favorite female friends (both of whom are dating, mind you) were arguing over who would get to dance with me. A scuffle ensued as they were both trying to jockey for my attention... and in the process, I expelled some gas orally (that is verbose way of saying I burped). Now this release of gas was not intentional... nor was it audible. But one of the ladies stopped in the middle of fighting off the other and said, "did you just burp." I was busted... because I knew that I had, but I also knew that the only reason she knew was that she had smelled it. (Yes, I do realize how gross that is... but it is what it is)
Much laughter ensued from that revelation... and it was quite enjoyable (albeit at my expense).
So later on in the evening (during the lip sync show), I still had the occasional need to expel gas orally. I was sitting next to one of the aforementioned ladies, so I was sure to direct these burps in the opposite direction. However, at one point, I decided to direct a burp into my shirt (you know... to muffle it from the surrounding innocent bystanders).
Well... I was caught red handed by the yound lady next to me, and she said, "Did you just burp into your shirt?" Again, much laughter ensued.
Now remember, the two ladies who caught me burping were the two who desperately wanted to dance with me. I fear their names will never again grace my dance card...
But on Saturday night, two of my favorite female friends (both of whom are dating, mind you) were arguing over who would get to dance with me. A scuffle ensued as they were both trying to jockey for my attention... and in the process, I expelled some gas orally (that is verbose way of saying I burped). Now this release of gas was not intentional... nor was it audible. But one of the ladies stopped in the middle of fighting off the other and said, "did you just burp." I was busted... because I knew that I had, but I also knew that the only reason she knew was that she had smelled it. (Yes, I do realize how gross that is... but it is what it is)
Much laughter ensued from that revelation... and it was quite enjoyable (albeit at my expense).
So later on in the evening (during the lip sync show), I still had the occasional need to expel gas orally. I was sitting next to one of the aforementioned ladies, so I was sure to direct these burps in the opposite direction. However, at one point, I decided to direct a burp into my shirt (you know... to muffle it from the surrounding innocent bystanders).
Well... I was caught red handed by the yound lady next to me, and she said, "Did you just burp into your shirt?" Again, much laughter ensued.
Now remember, the two ladies who caught me burping were the two who desperately wanted to dance with me. I fear their names will never again grace my dance card...
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Feel Good Song #4
Down on the Corner
Early in the evenin' just about supper time,
Over by the courthouse they're starting to unwind.
Four kids on the corner trying to bring you up.
Willy picks a tune out and he blows it on the harp.
Down On The Corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin';
Bring a nickel; tap your feet.
Rooster hits the washboard and people just got to smile,
Blinky, thumps the gut bass and solos for a while.
Poorboy twangs the rhythm out on his kalamazoo.
Willy goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo.
Down On The Corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin';
Bring a nickel; tap your feet.
You don't need a penny just to hang around,
But if you've got a nickel, won't you lay your money down?
Over on the corner there's a happy noise.
People come from all around to watch the magic boy.
(This will be the last installment in the Feel Good Songs series. It has not attracted as much attention as I hoped. However, there are many songs that evoke a "life is good" feeling... and these are just four that came to mind this week. There will be a Depressing Song series in the not too distant future, so stay tuned)
Early in the evenin' just about supper time,
Over by the courthouse they're starting to unwind.
Four kids on the corner trying to bring you up.
Willy picks a tune out and he blows it on the harp.
Down On The Corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin';
Bring a nickel; tap your feet.
Rooster hits the washboard and people just got to smile,
Blinky, thumps the gut bass and solos for a while.
Poorboy twangs the rhythm out on his kalamazoo.
Willy goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo.
Down On The Corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin';
Bring a nickel; tap your feet.
You don't need a penny just to hang around,
But if you've got a nickel, won't you lay your money down?
Over on the corner there's a happy noise.
People come from all around to watch the magic boy.
(This will be the last installment in the Feel Good Songs series. It has not attracted as much attention as I hoped. However, there are many songs that evoke a "life is good" feeling... and these are just four that came to mind this week. There will be a Depressing Song series in the not too distant future, so stay tuned)
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Feel Good Song #3
Lean On Me
Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow
Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on
Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you don't let show
Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on
If there is a load you have to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me
So just call on me brother,
when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem
that you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on
Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on
Lean on me
Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow
Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on
Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you don't let show
Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on
If there is a load you have to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me
So just call on me brother,
when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem
that you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on
Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on
Lean on me
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Feel Good Song #2
What a Wonderful World
I see trees of green........ red roses too
I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....warm sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'......I love you.
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
I see trees of green........ red roses too
I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....warm sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'......I love you.
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Monday, May 08, 2006
Feel Good Song #1
The Cheers Theme Song
Making your way in the world today
Takes everything you've got;
Taking a break from all your worries
Sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
And they're always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;
You want to be where everybody knows your name.
(for those who know the full song... I have only included the first verse for two reasons: 1. it is the one everone knows 2. the other verses don't make me feel so good)
Making your way in the world today
Takes everything you've got;
Taking a break from all your worries
Sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
And they're always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;
You want to be where everybody knows your name.
(for those who know the full song... I have only included the first verse for two reasons: 1. it is the one everone knows 2. the other verses don't make me feel so good)
Friday, May 05, 2006
When Context Doesn't Help....
The townhome complex I live in recently installed new mail boxes - with new locks... which require new keys.
Well, apparently we received a note on our door informing us of this news. I did not see the note, but my roommates told me it said something to the effect of the following:
"Please come by the front office to pick up your new mail box keys. Our office hours are from 8:00am to 5:00pm. If you cannot come during these hours, we can mail you your new keys."
Seriously?
Well, apparently we received a note on our door informing us of this news. I did not see the note, but my roommates told me it said something to the effect of the following:
"Please come by the front office to pick up your new mail box keys. Our office hours are from 8:00am to 5:00pm. If you cannot come during these hours, we can mail you your new keys."
Seriously?
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Context is Everything
Last night, just before a leadership meeting, I was overheard saying the following words (with a fair amount of excitement and gusto):
"He is definitely kissable."
Now... given those words alone, one of the other individuals quickly turned to find out what exactly I was referring to.
Well, the full context of the story was that I was showing a new picture of my nephew (not the one below, but one almost as cute). Laurie Johnson pointed out that the picture I was showing displayed his pouty kissable lips. I was simply affirming that my 1 year old nephew truly is kissable. I mean check this picture out... he is eating a cracker (you can see a crumb on the right side of his mouth), but wouldn't you agree that he is definitely kissable?
"He is definitely kissable."
Now... given those words alone, one of the other individuals quickly turned to find out what exactly I was referring to.
Well, the full context of the story was that I was showing a new picture of my nephew (not the one below, but one almost as cute). Laurie Johnson pointed out that the picture I was showing displayed his pouty kissable lips. I was simply affirming that my 1 year old nephew truly is kissable. I mean check this picture out... he is eating a cracker (you can see a crumb on the right side of his mouth), but wouldn't you agree that he is definitely kissable?
Monday, April 24, 2006
Life - Meant to be Enjoyed
Following the example of Troy and Laurie, I thought I would list a few things that I have enjoyed in the past week (in no particular order).
1. The Astros
2. Chuy's Burritos
3. Celebrating a good friend's birthday
4. Four-day work-weeks
5. Standing as best man in the wedding of a good friend
6. Giving a toast at the wedding of that good friend
6. Pop Rocks
7. Texas Hold 'em
8. Shiner Hefeweizen
9. Texadelphia
10. Anchorman
11. Learning lessons about myself in everyday experiences
12. Experiencing God's grace as He points out my shortcomings
13. Seeing a good friend who lives out of the country
14. iTunes
15. Hearing stories about little children's perception of life
16. Late night trip to Wal-Mart
17. Encouraging words from friends
18. Laughing about funny and somewhat disturbing blog entries
19. Learning to trust the Lord
20. Seeing God's faithfulness in the live of others
All of these items have a story that could be its own blog entry (6, 7, 8, 10, and 16 are all one story, really)... but I will choose to leave them as one sentence summaries for now.
So maybe not my best blog entry... but it is an entry nonetheless. I fear that I am quicly losing my readers because my blog has become a blahg. I will try to do better in the future... thank you for your continued support. Carry on
1. The Astros
2. Chuy's Burritos
3. Celebrating a good friend's birthday
4. Four-day work-weeks
5. Standing as best man in the wedding of a good friend
6. Giving a toast at the wedding of that good friend
6. Pop Rocks
7. Texas Hold 'em
8. Shiner Hefeweizen
9. Texadelphia
10. Anchorman
11. Learning lessons about myself in everyday experiences
12. Experiencing God's grace as He points out my shortcomings
13. Seeing a good friend who lives out of the country
14. iTunes
15. Hearing stories about little children's perception of life
16. Late night trip to Wal-Mart
17. Encouraging words from friends
18. Laughing about funny and somewhat disturbing blog entries
19. Learning to trust the Lord
20. Seeing God's faithfulness in the live of others
All of these items have a story that could be its own blog entry (6, 7, 8, 10, and 16 are all one story, really)... but I will choose to leave them as one sentence summaries for now.
So maybe not my best blog entry... but it is an entry nonetheless. I fear that I am quicly losing my readers because my blog has become a blahg. I will try to do better in the future... thank you for your continued support. Carry on
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Breakroom Mores
Most of us work in office buildings where there is an established area in which to eat lunch... or to take your OSHA breaks during the day (I take mine via internet surfing... but that is beside the point).
Today, I would like to discuss an indicent that should be refrained from in breakrooms (or "coffee bars" as they are called here in my building).
Last week, I brought my lunch to work. (Tim, I was very efficient in the kitchen even though I was in there for more than 5 minutes. If you had posted earlier, I could have saved some time - maybe. But this, too, is beside the point.)
So I put my lunch in the community fridge (like most trusting people do in this era of peace that we find outselves in). That day, I had a meeting with my boss during lunch, so lunch was provided (the perks of working for oil companies these days). The next day, I was asked to take our new hire out to lunch... so my efficiently cooked meal was left in the community fridge for yet another day.
On Wednesday, I met a friend for lunch. Well, that evening, I found myself working later than normal, so I decided to retreive my lunch from the community fridge. I mosey into our coffee bar... excited about the chicken and green beans that awaited me. And then, to my great surprise/shock/awe, my lunch had been replaced with lettuce. Yes, LETTUCE. Just lettuce. No dressing... no croutons... no bacos... just leaves of green lettuce.
Now the point of this is simple - if you find your self needing a container to store your extra lettuce while at work, don't throw away a perfectly good (albeit two days old) lunch. This is not an accepted custom to be practiced in office breakrooms.
Today, I would like to discuss an indicent that should be refrained from in breakrooms (or "coffee bars" as they are called here in my building).
Last week, I brought my lunch to work. (Tim, I was very efficient in the kitchen even though I was in there for more than 5 minutes. If you had posted earlier, I could have saved some time - maybe. But this, too, is beside the point.)
So I put my lunch in the community fridge (like most trusting people do in this era of peace that we find outselves in). That day, I had a meeting with my boss during lunch, so lunch was provided (the perks of working for oil companies these days). The next day, I was asked to take our new hire out to lunch... so my efficiently cooked meal was left in the community fridge for yet another day.
On Wednesday, I met a friend for lunch. Well, that evening, I found myself working later than normal, so I decided to retreive my lunch from the community fridge. I mosey into our coffee bar... excited about the chicken and green beans that awaited me. And then, to my great surprise/shock/awe, my lunch had been replaced with lettuce. Yes, LETTUCE. Just lettuce. No dressing... no croutons... no bacos... just leaves of green lettuce.
Now the point of this is simple - if you find your self needing a container to store your extra lettuce while at work, don't throw away a perfectly good (albeit two days old) lunch. This is not an accepted custom to be practiced in office breakrooms.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Psalm 147
So last week, I read Psalm 147. Verse 10 & 11 say the following:
His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor His pleasure in the legs of man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love.
For whatever reason, these two verses became "living and active." Specifically, verse 11 where it specifically tells us what the Lord takes pleasure in.
So it begs a question to me - is it possible do one and not the other? Can a person fear the Lord in a way the pleases Him and not hope in His steadfast love? Or can we hope in His steadfast love and not have a healthy fear of Him?
How do we demonstrate these two elements of the Christian life? Are they inseparably linked together?
Thoughts?
On a side note - per the request of my encouraging sister-in-law, here is a picture of Uncle Todd and Landon:
His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor His pleasure in the legs of man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love.
For whatever reason, these two verses became "living and active." Specifically, verse 11 where it specifically tells us what the Lord takes pleasure in.
So it begs a question to me - is it possible do one and not the other? Can a person fear the Lord in a way the pleases Him and not hope in His steadfast love? Or can we hope in His steadfast love and not have a healthy fear of Him?
How do we demonstrate these two elements of the Christian life? Are they inseparably linked together?
Thoughts?
On a side note - per the request of my encouraging sister-in-law, here is a picture of Uncle Todd and Landon:
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Lots of random things...
First... Laurie Johnson has outdone herself in the "let's exploit our friends" category of the Blog world. Tip of the hat to you, my dear.
Second... my nephew is now 1 year and 2 weeks old. I feel bad for not posting his birthday pictures earlier, so here are a few:
His first taste of sugar... and oh, how he enjoyed it!
With his mom...
With his dad...
Landon held up very well under the stress of his first birthday party.
Third... Underdogs.. also known as "Cinderella Teams" and "Mid Majors." Within the NCAA basketball tournament, there are always a handful of teams that are seeded between 4 and 13 (my estimated range) that surprise the nation. This year's winner is George Mason University. This team is an 11 seed in this year's tournament, and they have made their way to the Final Four (knocking off the likes of Michigan St, UNC, and UCONN - none of whom are teams to be disregarded by any means). As a Louisiana boy, I would love to see LSU win the championship, but seeing GMU win would definitely make for a better story... Of course, to people who care about such things, this post is not news; and to those for whom it is news... well, they probably just don't care (but they should).
Fourth... I am finally starting to add links to other blogs. If you are not there yet, don't fret... you will be soon. (yes, I just said don't fret... )
Second... my nephew is now 1 year and 2 weeks old. I feel bad for not posting his birthday pictures earlier, so here are a few:
His first taste of sugar... and oh, how he enjoyed it!
With his mom...
With his dad...
Landon held up very well under the stress of his first birthday party.
Third... Underdogs.. also known as "Cinderella Teams" and "Mid Majors." Within the NCAA basketball tournament, there are always a handful of teams that are seeded between 4 and 13 (my estimated range) that surprise the nation. This year's winner is George Mason University. This team is an 11 seed in this year's tournament, and they have made their way to the Final Four (knocking off the likes of Michigan St, UNC, and UCONN - none of whom are teams to be disregarded by any means). As a Louisiana boy, I would love to see LSU win the championship, but seeing GMU win would definitely make for a better story... Of course, to people who care about such things, this post is not news; and to those for whom it is news... well, they probably just don't care (but they should).
Fourth... I am finally starting to add links to other blogs. If you are not there yet, don't fret... you will be soon. (yes, I just said don't fret... )
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
March Madness, BABY!!
This weekend, some friends and I traveled up to Dallas, TX to watch some 1st and 2nd round NCAA tournament action. Good times were had by all, and I got to know a couple of the guys in the group better... which was definitely a major highlight of the trip. But aside from that, below is my Top Ten Favorite things about the weekend (this is a Top Ten that is really in chronological order):
10. Staying it the McDonalds Fried Apple Pie box. Check out the "exterior" picture on the website... the nickname is courtesy of D-Luxe.
9. The Defense Lady. Everyone in and around section 321 of the AA Center on Friday knows exactly who I am talking about. Sweet old lady... who just really wanted Memphis to do well on defense.
8. Asking for silverware 3 times... and never getting it. During the break between sessions on Friday, we went to a small Itallian eatery for dinner. Well, the place was pretty well packed... and one of the guys in our group just wanted a fork with which to eat his cheesecake. He asked politely three times... and ended up having to wipe off the fork of another guy at our table in order to enjoy his dessert.
7. Omar Wilkes amazing bucket against N.C. State. As ESPN.com put it: "The shot of the game came from Bears sophomore Omar Wilkes, who in one leap caught, spun and fired a long 3-pointer as the 35-second clock was expiring." Defintely the highlight shot of the weekend in the bracket we saw.
6. Riding the Hooters bus to stay dry. We couldn't get a cab... it was raining... the Hooters bus was beckoning us to ride it. What could we do? The full story is that we just rode the bus to Hooters so we could go inside to wait for a cab.
5. The quest for LSU apparel. On Saturday, I wanted to sport some purple and gold to support the Tigers against the beloved Aggies. Well, this sent us on a fun, dangerous, and somewhat illegal journey. Our driver (who shall remain nameless) handled himself well as he drove the wrong direction on a feeder. Truly a highlight of the weekend...
4. Fried Twinkies. Wow! Rich doesn't even begin to describe it. Deliciously disgusting is more like it.
3. Watching LSU Tiger Darrel Mitchell make a three point jumper to win against the Aggies. This one we saw on TV... but it was exciting nonetheless.
2. Running from the parking lot to the AA Center in what must have been one of the worst storms to hit Dallas in 2006. This was quite possibly the funniest moment that happened the whole weekend. We couldn't do anything but run in a torential downpour... and laugh at ourselves, of course. And then... we had to stop at a stop light for traffic. I think I may have cussed, actually. At one point, someone said, "Is that hail?" I think it was..
1. Cheering against UT... in Dallas... TWICE. I have no beef against the University of Texas, but I did cheer against them in both of their games this weekend. The mighty Quakers and the Wolfpack both had me in their corners because everyone likes an upset in March.
10. Staying it the McDonalds Fried Apple Pie box. Check out the "exterior" picture on the website... the nickname is courtesy of D-Luxe.
9. The Defense Lady. Everyone in and around section 321 of the AA Center on Friday knows exactly who I am talking about. Sweet old lady... who just really wanted Memphis to do well on defense.
8. Asking for silverware 3 times... and never getting it. During the break between sessions on Friday, we went to a small Itallian eatery for dinner. Well, the place was pretty well packed... and one of the guys in our group just wanted a fork with which to eat his cheesecake. He asked politely three times... and ended up having to wipe off the fork of another guy at our table in order to enjoy his dessert.
7. Omar Wilkes amazing bucket against N.C. State. As ESPN.com put it: "The shot of the game came from Bears sophomore Omar Wilkes, who in one leap caught, spun and fired a long 3-pointer as the 35-second clock was expiring." Defintely the highlight shot of the weekend in the bracket we saw.
6. Riding the Hooters bus to stay dry. We couldn't get a cab... it was raining... the Hooters bus was beckoning us to ride it. What could we do? The full story is that we just rode the bus to Hooters so we could go inside to wait for a cab.
5. The quest for LSU apparel. On Saturday, I wanted to sport some purple and gold to support the Tigers against the beloved Aggies. Well, this sent us on a fun, dangerous, and somewhat illegal journey. Our driver (who shall remain nameless) handled himself well as he drove the wrong direction on a feeder. Truly a highlight of the weekend...
4. Fried Twinkies. Wow! Rich doesn't even begin to describe it. Deliciously disgusting is more like it.
3. Watching LSU Tiger Darrel Mitchell make a three point jumper to win against the Aggies. This one we saw on TV... but it was exciting nonetheless.
2. Running from the parking lot to the AA Center in what must have been one of the worst storms to hit Dallas in 2006. This was quite possibly the funniest moment that happened the whole weekend. We couldn't do anything but run in a torential downpour... and laugh at ourselves, of course. And then... we had to stop at a stop light for traffic. I think I may have cussed, actually. At one point, someone said, "Is that hail?" I think it was..
1. Cheering against UT... in Dallas... TWICE. I have no beef against the University of Texas, but I did cheer against them in both of their games this weekend. The mighty Quakers and the Wolfpack both had me in their corners because everyone likes an upset in March.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Oscar... not what he used to be.
I will start with this... the fact that Crash won Best Picture restores my "respect" (for lack of a better word) for the Academy. It truly is a great movie. Difficult to watch in parts, but some great commentary on human behavior. I highly recommend checking it out if you have not.
The rest of the Oscars were somewhat underwhelming to me. It almost seems as if the whole Oscars event has passed its prime. Could it be that there are just too many other award shows these days? Not sure. Or maybe it is more a function of my own perception of Hollywood and such. Thoughts?
The rest of the Oscars were somewhat underwhelming to me. It almost seems as if the whole Oscars event has passed its prime. Could it be that there are just too many other award shows these days? Not sure. Or maybe it is more a function of my own perception of Hollywood and such. Thoughts?
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