Isn't Life Just Super Fantastic?

I woke up this morning to the smell of coffee and the sound of children playing in the distance. It made me realize how wonderful life really is and how I have so very much to be thankful for.  The warm breeze caressed the trees reminding me that all of my troubles and concerns will eventually blow away.  I walked out the door this morning and a half-dozen morning doves scattered into the sky.  There were butterflies and rainbows and I'm pretty sure I heard the song "Perfect Day" playing in the distance.  My life is so good.  In fact, I'm quite confident that it is at least twice as good as yours.  Did I mention that my toots smell like cotton candy? (Kristi - this is what happens when I am forced to blog - you've brought this upon yourself!)

So everybody keep smiling and counting your blessings and feeling wonderful... like me!

My Favorite Staff Retreat Stuff in No Particular Order

-Bingo-

$5 for over an hour of entertainment with great friends, a chance to win some moola, and a whole bunch of old people.  Priceless.

-Prayer- 

Scott R. directs us in a time of prayer where we offer up short statements about things for which we are thankful.  And we have a heck of a lot to be thankful for.  

-Bruce- 

He is an inspiration to me.  He's transparent and vulnerable to his staff.  He's honest about his struggles.  He's got a huge heart that can't help but love people - even difficult people. And he's just a little bit too hard on himself.

-The Lazy River- 

Our resort had one of those lazy rivers where you float around in circles on an inner-tube.  So me, Billy, Matt, Dave, and Curtis took our bad selves and our big guts down there for a while and floated, played, talked, and laughed.  Later Jeff joined the fun.  The rest of the people were all families and retired couples, so we stuck out just a little bit.  I'm pretty sure they were laughing at us.

-Basketball...  Not! 

Jeff and Matt made Billy, Dave and I feel old on the basketball court. I'm still trying to catch my breath.

-Youth-  

I love that there are seven people on staff who are younger than me.  They bring so much energy and insight with them, and they challenge the things that are established.  

-Age- 

I love that there are eight people on staff who are older than me and I get to be a benefactor of their wisdom and experience.  

-Right in the middle-  

It's a unique and amazing place to be.  Too bad it's temporary.

-Excitement-  

We're all in this exciting place together and the next few years are going to be an incredible adventure.  We all know it.  And we're pumped.  Bring it baby!

-Coming Home-  

What a blessing to have an amazing wife and a couple of awesome little spazoids to come home to. Love it.

Retreat!

Yea -I'm up at staff retreat.  we're at this sweet resort out in Indio of all places.  So far we've had a great dinner, played some guitar hero, and have done lots of informal visiting.  The meetings start tomorrow.  I miss Heidi and he kids, but apart from my family there isn't another bunch of people I'd rather be stuck with for a few days.  There is an excitement and positivity on this staff that is infectious.  There's this energy that is generated by the fact that we all know that we are on the verge of some really big things.  God has blessed me so much by allowing me to be a part of what is going on here.  It's awesome to see Matt and Jeff clicking with everybody and having a good time.  I'm sure tomorrow will be a blast.

Fess Up #2 - Unhealthy Choices

Kurt's Fried Egg Scramble

Cook four strips of bacon

Leave it in the pan a little longer

Come as close as you possibly can to burning it

Remove bacon strips

Fry two eggs in the bacon grease

Add salt

Add some more salt

Pan scramble the eggs making sure to absorb all of the grease and grizzle into them

Crumble bacon onto eggs and top with cheese

Seriously - I eat this. 

It's got to be the most unhealthy thing I eat.

Fess up - what's the most unhealthy thing you eat? 

Fess Up #1 - Strange Aversions

It seems like most people I know have one or two strange aversions.  Mine is band-aids.  I consider them to the most foul, unsanitary, and germ-ridden of all necessary evils.  They don't just absorb blood.  They hold the blood against you and mix it with whatever dirt, sweat, and whatever else you produce or come into contact with throughout the day.  I will bleed for hours before resorting to a band-aid.  One of my favorite products is New Skin, which is basically a way of super-gluing minor cuts and scrapes closed.   

Then there's the practice of giving children unnecessary bandages to make them "feel better". Kids are dirty enough without having an adhesive strip attached that will grab whatever filth they come into contact with and add it to their sweat and snot and germs and food residue.  When a child of mine wants a band-aid I just say. "Let it air out."

There - Absolutely cathartic!  

So what's your strange aversion?  Get it off your chest.  It'll make you feel better.

BLOG RAVE DELAYED! - 10:00

Heidi and Kristi are still out and I've had a crazy night.  I'll be able to start around 10.  See you then - or you know - start without me!

Todai

I'm Over It

I hate to admit this.  I don't want it to be true.  I've tried to stay engaged.  I've tried to stoke my interest, but it just isn't there.  I'm bored with it.  I don't care about it.  I am over American Idol. I could care less if it's on or not, or who is going home.  Somebody help me!  I want to care!  I want to enjoy it again!  Is something wrong with me, or am I just sick of 15 minutes worth of TV being stretched into an hour-long results show?  I know the talent is great this year.  I know most of the contestants are wonderful and interesting and attractive and whatever.  I just don't care.  Can it ever be like it was when I stood up and yelled "no way!" the night Jasmine Trias beat out the three divas?  Will I ever want somebody to win like I wanted Taylor Hicks to win?  Will I ever not want someone to win like I didn't want Carry Underwood to win?  Will I ever care again?  

BLOG RAVE!

What do you think?  We pick a night and go from like 9:00 to whenever - everybody online posting, reading, commenting... "Virtually" hanging out - but we don't have to pay for sitters cause the kids are all asleep.  Thoughts?

Billy Loves Me

Thugs Love Me

make your own graffiti!  i did this on atom.smasher.org/graffiti, but there are some better graffiti generators out there.  i liked this one because of the brick wall and the cops.

Church Signs...

Okay John B and Jon M both caught on.  Go to churchsigngenerator.com and make your own.

Texans Love Me

My Uncle just e-mailed this to me.  A Church in his town (Tyler, Texas) is using my book and for some reason felt compelled to credit the author.  I'm laughing so hard.  It's kind of bizarre.

I'm Bummed - Amused - but Bummed

Hope and Jack and I are snuggling on the "big bed". Hope pats my stomach and says, "Jack - put your head down on daddy's tummy. It's like a big squishey pillow."

Great Tuesday

Last night at 4th-5th grade Bible Study (The Challenge), we had Bring-a-Friend night.  The kids responded to a degree I've never seen nor expected.  We had friends from school, neighbors, and teammates.  I encouraged them to bring friends who were not already going to Church somewhere and that's exactly what they did.  For many of our visitors this was their first Church experience.  We gave away a bunch of Bibles to kids who didn't have them, and I got to talk to a couple parents of our young guests and invite them to Church.  They seemed really interested. We all had a blast whacking each other with fun-noodles and studying the Bible.  Things just clicked. 

Great Sunday

Church was awesome today.  Ryan, the new Jr. High worship leader, rocks.  Jeff is back in Overdrive and it was packed out.  TEK House was packed and the kids are a total blast.  Lots of visitors.  Between services people were talking and smiling and just generally in a good mood.  I love this place.

Germans Love Me

Apparently I'm a pretty big deal in Germany.  The German release of my book is out and sales are doing pretty well.  Dare I aspire to join the ranks of the Hoff?