Wonderful memorial service yesterday for a wonderful man, Pat Hollyday. My little home church was packed like I'd never seen. Fitting. Pat was a man that quickly turned strangers into friends. Just a tremendous person in every sense of the word.
At his memorial gathering I saw this quote. It didn't have an author's name attached to it, so I'm going to say that Pat said it. If he didn't, he certainly lived his life this way:
"Life isn't about escaping the storms...it's about learning to dance in the rain."
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Bruce is my BFF
It's official. Bruce Pearl is my friend. Facebook says so. We have so much in common. We both bleed orange. We both secretly hope Tyler Smith returns for his senior season. One of us even made a play for Erin Andrews on national TV.Sure, Bruce has 4,748 other friends on Facebook. But who are we kidding? I'm his BFF on FB.
Now, if Lane Kiffin would only reply to my friend request...
Friday, April 24, 2009
Hope is Rising!
I missed Dave Ramsey's historic Town Hall for Hope last night, but heard from a couple friends that it was amazing. I'm a big believer in Ramsey's approach and message, so that doesn't surprise me. The Town Hall for Hope web site is full of great tools and resources for "keeping hope alive" in the middle of negative news about our struggling economy. Here are the 3 Things Dave suggests we can all do to "keep hope alive" in this tough economic climate:
Get Up and Take Action!
You are the cure, America. No one else is going to solve your problems for you—that's your job! Find out how you can take control of your money, turn back the fear in your community, and hold your representatives accountable for the decisions they're making on your behalf.
Stop Listening to the Loser Talk.
We're sick and tired of the "loser talk" that has permeated the media, the water cooler and the internet. Stop listening to the garbage, and start speaking a word of hope!
Give back.
Learning how to give—whether it's money, time or support—changes your whole mindset. Dave says it pretty clearly: "We can't win if we can't give." If you want to win with money and change the nation, you've got to learn how to give again.
Good on you, Dave Ramsey and everyone involving in getting this effort moving.
Hope>Fear.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Life is a Gift
Heavy 24 hours. In the encouraging news, my wife's father, while still in the hospital, continues to heal. Hopefully he will be transferring from the hospital into a physical therapy facility soon. I truly appreciate the prayers and support that has come our way during this time.
Now the heavy part. I got the word that two dear friends are dealing with tremendous losses. My friend Kelley's father had a massive stroke and passed away yesterday in Nashville. I had only met her father a few times, but it was obvious to me that he was a sweet, gentle caring soul. He'd have to be to raise a daughter as awesome as Kelley is.
Moments after I processed that news via email, I received a call from my dad that a dear family friend of ours, Pat Holiday, passed away after a long battle with cancer. Pat had been sick with cancer for some time, but to me, you'd never know it. Always smiling. Still singing in the church choir. Mr. Holiday was my youth leader at church growing up, and I seriously cannot think of a time when the man didn't have his huge, warm smile on his face. He was the type of guy that would take the time to plant flowers on the grounds of our neighborhood elementary school, just "so the kids will have something pretty to look at."
My favorite memory with Mr. Holiday was when he took me and a couple buddies from the Church Youth Group sledding (this was before the days of Global Warming, when it still snowed enough to go sledding.) We drove Mr. Holiday's truck to the top of an enormous hill and made our first run down. As we are laughing and walking back to the top to do it again, Mr. Holiday says "It sure looks like my truck is moving." Sure enough, it was. We all take off running up the hill, as his truck was backsliding on the ice. He jumped in and put on the brakes just before the truck plowed through a fence. Me and the boys were on the cold snow, tears streaming down our face with laughter. Mr. Holiday laughed even more. Big times.
So as I sat in my bed last night thinking of these great men and what they have meant to so many people in their time here on earth, I said a prayer of thanks. I picked up a Donald Miller book I'd been meaning to read for some time, Through Painted Deserts. A paragraph from the intro jumped out. It was as if God was speaking to me through the text:
"It's a living book, this life; it folds out in a million settings, cast with a billion beautiful characters, and it is almost over for you. It doesn't matter how old you are; it is coming to a close quickly, and soon the credits will roll and all your friends will fold out of your funeral and drive back to their homes in cold and still and silence. and they will make a fire and pour some wine and think about how you once were...and feel a kind of sickness at the idea you never again will be."
I sat the book down and said a prayer of thanks. Because this life IS a gift. But it doesn't last long. It should be lived and enjoyed and cherished. Just as Kelley's dad and Mr. Holiday did. And though this life, it seems, is often much too short, we can take comfort that the one to come will last forever.
Now the heavy part. I got the word that two dear friends are dealing with tremendous losses. My friend Kelley's father had a massive stroke and passed away yesterday in Nashville. I had only met her father a few times, but it was obvious to me that he was a sweet, gentle caring soul. He'd have to be to raise a daughter as awesome as Kelley is.
Moments after I processed that news via email, I received a call from my dad that a dear family friend of ours, Pat Holiday, passed away after a long battle with cancer. Pat had been sick with cancer for some time, but to me, you'd never know it. Always smiling. Still singing in the church choir. Mr. Holiday was my youth leader at church growing up, and I seriously cannot think of a time when the man didn't have his huge, warm smile on his face. He was the type of guy that would take the time to plant flowers on the grounds of our neighborhood elementary school, just "so the kids will have something pretty to look at."
My favorite memory with Mr. Holiday was when he took me and a couple buddies from the Church Youth Group sledding (this was before the days of Global Warming, when it still snowed enough to go sledding.) We drove Mr. Holiday's truck to the top of an enormous hill and made our first run down. As we are laughing and walking back to the top to do it again, Mr. Holiday says "It sure looks like my truck is moving." Sure enough, it was. We all take off running up the hill, as his truck was backsliding on the ice. He jumped in and put on the brakes just before the truck plowed through a fence. Me and the boys were on the cold snow, tears streaming down our face with laughter. Mr. Holiday laughed even more. Big times.
So as I sat in my bed last night thinking of these great men and what they have meant to so many people in their time here on earth, I said a prayer of thanks. I picked up a Donald Miller book I'd been meaning to read for some time, Through Painted Deserts. A paragraph from the intro jumped out. It was as if God was speaking to me through the text:
"It's a living book, this life; it folds out in a million settings, cast with a billion beautiful characters, and it is almost over for you. It doesn't matter how old you are; it is coming to a close quickly, and soon the credits will roll and all your friends will fold out of your funeral and drive back to their homes in cold and still and silence. and they will make a fire and pour some wine and think about how you once were...and feel a kind of sickness at the idea you never again will be."
I sat the book down and said a prayer of thanks. Because this life IS a gift. But it doesn't last long. It should be lived and enjoyed and cherished. Just as Kelley's dad and Mr. Holiday did. And though this life, it seems, is often much too short, we can take comfort that the one to come will last forever.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Beaver Pelt Trader of the Week
I was thrilled and honored to be awarded the coveted Beaver Pelt Trader of the Week Award from the always excellent Clay Travis. (C'lay if ya nasty...) That bad boy is going up on my mantle, right next to the Senior Superalitive I won in High School (Most Likely to Write Gramatically Challenged Blog).
Keep it Crunk in Crunk, TN y'all!
L'ance
The Stories Behind the Stories of "I Am Second"
Check out this profile from CollideMagazine.com which gives a great behind-the-scenes look at the "stories behind the stories" of the awsome "I Am Second" campaign. Nice!
Monday, April 20, 2009
less>more
less>more
I saw that in an ad for Simple shoes and have adopted it as my mantra for the week. Good timing, because life threw my family a tremendous curve ball this past Friday.
I won't go into all the details (you know, because less>more) but the deepest thanks and appreciation to those prayer warriors, family and friends who have reached out with my father-in-law's recent illness. We have truly felt and appreciated the prayers, enjoyed the coffee and bagels, and the knowledge that we are blessed by God with great friends and family. Shining stars on the darkest of nights.
Don't know how much I'll post here this week. But did want to share this: a great read on Twitter from Nicholas Carr, the guy who wrote "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Enjoy!
Here's my favorite part:
Narcissism is just the user interface for nihilism, of course, and with artfully kitschy services like Twitter we're allowed to both indulge our self-absorption and distance ourselves from it by acknowledging, with a coy digital wink, its essential emptiness. I love me! Just kidding!
The great paradox of "social networking" is that it uses narcissism as the glue for "community." Being online means being alone, and being in an online community means being alone together. The community is purely symbolic, a pixellated simulation conjured up by software to feed the modern self's bottomless hunger. Hunger for what? For verification of its existence? No, not even that. For verification that it has a role to play. As I walk down the street with thin white cords hanging from my ears, as I look at the display of khakis in the window of the Gap, as I sit in a Starbucks sipping a chai served up by a barista, I can't quite bring myself to believe that I'm real. But if I send out to a theoretical audience of my peers 140 characters of text saying that I'm walking down the street, looking in a shop window, drinking tea, suddenly I become real. I have a voice. I exist, if only as a symbol speaking of symbols to other symbols.
I saw that in an ad for Simple shoes and have adopted it as my mantra for the week. Good timing, because life threw my family a tremendous curve ball this past Friday.
I won't go into all the details (you know, because less>more) but the deepest thanks and appreciation to those prayer warriors, family and friends who have reached out with my father-in-law's recent illness. We have truly felt and appreciated the prayers, enjoyed the coffee and bagels, and the knowledge that we are blessed by God with great friends and family. Shining stars on the darkest of nights.
Don't know how much I'll post here this week. But did want to share this: a great read on Twitter from Nicholas Carr, the guy who wrote "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Enjoy!
Here's my favorite part:
Narcissism is just the user interface for nihilism, of course, and with artfully kitschy services like Twitter we're allowed to both indulge our self-absorption and distance ourselves from it by acknowledging, with a coy digital wink, its essential emptiness. I love me! Just kidding!
The great paradox of "social networking" is that it uses narcissism as the glue for "community." Being online means being alone, and being in an online community means being alone together. The community is purely symbolic, a pixellated simulation conjured up by software to feed the modern self's bottomless hunger. Hunger for what? For verification of its existence? No, not even that. For verification that it has a role to play. As I walk down the street with thin white cords hanging from my ears, as I look at the display of khakis in the window of the Gap, as I sit in a Starbucks sipping a chai served up by a barista, I can't quite bring myself to believe that I'm real. But if I send out to a theoretical audience of my peers 140 characters of text saying that I'm walking down the street, looking in a shop window, drinking tea, suddenly I become real. I have a voice. I exist, if only as a symbol speaking of symbols to other symbols.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
TGIED
Recently, I've had this thought that there are basically two types of people in the work place: those who are only happy when it's Friday (TGIFers) and those who are happy every day (TGIEDers). Don't get me wrong, I certainly appreciate Fridays as much as the next guy or gal, but why be in a sour, miserable mood the other four days of the work week? That's 4/5ths of your life wasted being in a bad mood because it's not Friday! Inevitably, these are the same people that's only comment about the weekend on Monday was that "it went by too fast."
Now, with all apologies to these guys, I've been guilty of, "working for the weekend" too many times. But these days I'm really trying to be present and thankful for the moment. Whether that moment is Tuesday at 3:27 and I have a mountain of stuff to get done or Friday at 5:00 and the weekend is just kicking off. I want to be a TGIEDer.
Carpe Diem, y'all...Every Day...not just Friday!
Now, with all apologies to these guys, I've been guilty of, "working for the weekend" too many times. But these days I'm really trying to be present and thankful for the moment. Whether that moment is Tuesday at 3:27 and I have a mountain of stuff to get done or Friday at 5:00 and the weekend is just kicking off. I want to be a TGIEDer.
Carpe Diem, y'all...Every Day...not just Friday!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Twitter and Our Faith
In the past week I've read articles that called Twitter "the new cell phone" and "the new water cooler." Oh, and one Chicken Little-esque post that said Twitter was "taking over the world." I'm not sure if it's any or all of things, but here is an interesting post from Relevant.com about what Twitter means for our faith.So, what do you think Twitter means to our spirituality? Replies can be over 140 characters.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Thoughts from Traveling Light - Part 2
Over the Easter weekend, we dove into Chapter 2 of Traveling Light (The Middle C of Life). We had to cut it short, because Church Street was absolutely PACKED for both Easter services, so spaces were at a premium. But it was well worth it — what amazing and powerful services! Here were a few highlights from our discussion.
• Lucado makes a nice point to open things up: "Psalm 23 uses 115 words to describe the first 2: "The Lord." Nice. He's saying that from the start of this great Psalm, David is telling us to get the real deal — God himself — not some cheap man-made imitation.
• These man-made gods of our own making are always inferior - the god of convenience, the god of pleasure, the god of money, the god of (fill in the blank). They may distract or entertain for a season, but they never satisfy. Only God fills in that blank.
• The chapter title (The Middle C of Life) is a reference to a musical reference. Middle C is the same note today as it was 2,000 years ago. Sounds the same today as it did when Beehtoven played it. Styles change. Tastes change. The instruments that play the note can change. But Middle C is Middle C. The same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Lucado says that God is our Middle C. The North Star that gives us a guide to chart our personal path. A constant source of love, grace and forgiveness in an everchanging world. Which is something that always sounds sweet to these ears.
• Lucado makes a nice point to open things up: "Psalm 23 uses 115 words to describe the first 2: "The Lord." Nice. He's saying that from the start of this great Psalm, David is telling us to get the real deal — God himself — not some cheap man-made imitation.
• These man-made gods of our own making are always inferior - the god of convenience, the god of pleasure, the god of money, the god of (fill in the blank). They may distract or entertain for a season, but they never satisfy. Only God fills in that blank.
• The chapter title (The Middle C of Life) is a reference to a musical reference. Middle C is the same note today as it was 2,000 years ago. Sounds the same today as it did when Beehtoven played it. Styles change. Tastes change. The instruments that play the note can change. But Middle C is Middle C. The same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Lucado says that God is our Middle C. The North Star that gives us a guide to chart our personal path. A constant source of love, grace and forgiveness in an everchanging world. Which is something that always sounds sweet to these ears.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Easter Primer
As Good Friday and Easter are upon us, I just came across this great read on Relevant.com about the Joys and Sorrows of Easter that I wanted to share.
I pray that you and yours have a Blessed Easter and rejoice in the fact that the tomb is empty, death is conquered and grace and forgiveness are alive and well!
lance
I pray that you and yours have a Blessed Easter and rejoice in the fact that the tomb is empty, death is conquered and grace and forgiveness are alive and well!
lance
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Deadly Viper.org
Check this out, grasshopper. My new favorite site: DeadlyViper.org Awesome design. Powerful message. A place to hone your warrior skills in all aspects of living a life of radical integrity and radical grace. Plus, the ninja theme is pretty badass.
Cue the Tears w/ Coldplay
OK, so is it possible to watch this video and not get a little choked up? Seriously, if you can do it I don't think you're human. You're probably also able to get through an hour of Extreme Makeover tearless. Let me know if you can watch this with dry eyes and you win a gift: I'll get you a bat so you can go out and club a few baby seals. I kid! (sorta)
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Thoughts from Traveling Light - Part 1
I started a study of Traveling Light by Max Lucado this past weekend in my Sunday School class. The book is one of my favorites - a look at how God wants us to release the burdens we were never intended to bear. It uses the ever-popular Psalm 23 as a guide for how to do this. The first class opened up a ton of great discussion and insights, and I thought I'd share some of these points along the way here on the blog. Of course, I'll never capture it all as well as Max, so if you're looking for an inspiring, timely read, pick up a copy today. (Wow, can you tell I work in advertising...)
Points from Traveling Light - Week 1
• We all know what a drag it is to be "overpacked." Trying to get through an airport or run a 5k when you're carrying too much gear is zero fun. Yet every day, many of us wake up and take on too much luggage. Luggage we were never meant to carry. As Max puts it "A duffel bag of worry. A suitcase of guilt. A bag of discontent and bitterness." Every morning, God wants us "to check our bags." Some things only He is able to carry.
• For me, a big key to traveling light is monitoring what I feed my brain with every day. I'm a web/pop culture junky, so I really have to work on the stream of negative news/sensationalistic/voueyeristic information that is always just a mouse click away. Garbage in/Garbage out as the saying goes...
• When things are tough, remember it's darkest just before the sun rises. This thought wasn't from the book but arose from our discussion. As people shared the pain they suffered going through divorces/losing jobs/etc. a common thread was how, through God's grace, they were able to emerge from these incredibly difficult experiences as stronger people with deeper faith. Not fun, but a great reminder that God has promised not to put on us more than we are able to bear. All things though Christ who strengthens me...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Why People Don't Go To Church
Beautifully shot. Beautiful message. Kudos to the gang over at Deadly Viper for this awesome video...
The Day My Friend Died
Few people on the planet are cooler than my friend Josiah Morgan. Unbelievable guy. 1 year ago today he had a horrific motorcycle crash. Through love, support and the grace of God he is alive and well. I believe he ran a half marathon the other week. Go figure. Below is a testimony about his experience he just posted on Facebook. A great reminder that today is a gift from God that is to be enjoyed. So thankful you're still with us, Josiah!
The Day I Died by Josiah Morgan
Few people experience tomorrow because of a second chance at life. Tomorrow is an idea, a belief, that I have spent most of my life comfortably assuming applied to me. Years of experiencing its arrival day after day with little attention from me inspired an unspoken confidence. I now know the hope of tomorrow can be swept away in the blink of an eye.
My memory of that day is only partial, but I do remember that it was hot. Of course, August 1st in Wilmington is supposed to be hot. That afternoon I was out running errands on my Buell XB12R, went into a small residential area, and woke up the next day in the Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit. I can't remember exactly what happened after that last turn and don't know how the wreck began, but according to others and the wreckage of the bike, riding gear, and my body, it is pretty clear how the wreck ended. The Jeep Cherokee and I were traveling in opposite directions at about 40 MPH when we collided head on. My body struck the grill and bumper, fell in front of the Jeep, was run over, became stuck underneath, and was dragged until the Jeep was able to stop. I was pinned underneath, slowly burning, until a good samaritan lifted the Jeep with his own jacks.
Julie, my family, and so many friends have shown me what it means to love someone. I thank God everyday that I am alive, and seek to live my second life to the fullest!
Here are a few of the photos from that chapter of my life.
The Day I Died by Josiah Morgan
Few people experience tomorrow because of a second chance at life. Tomorrow is an idea, a belief, that I have spent most of my life comfortably assuming applied to me. Years of experiencing its arrival day after day with little attention from me inspired an unspoken confidence. I now know the hope of tomorrow can be swept away in the blink of an eye.
My memory of that day is only partial, but I do remember that it was hot. Of course, August 1st in Wilmington is supposed to be hot. That afternoon I was out running errands on my Buell XB12R, went into a small residential area, and woke up the next day in the Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit. I can't remember exactly what happened after that last turn and don't know how the wreck began, but according to others and the wreckage of the bike, riding gear, and my body, it is pretty clear how the wreck ended. The Jeep Cherokee and I were traveling in opposite directions at about 40 MPH when we collided head on. My body struck the grill and bumper, fell in front of the Jeep, was run over, became stuck underneath, and was dragged until the Jeep was able to stop. I was pinned underneath, slowly burning, until a good samaritan lifted the Jeep with his own jacks.
Julie, my family, and so many friends have shown me what it means to love someone. I thank God everyday that I am alive, and seek to live my second life to the fullest!
Here are a few of the photos from that chapter of my life.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Here's Whatcha Whatcha Want
If you want to party like it's 1992 check this out. The Beasties just reissued their classic Check Your Head this week, and you can stream it here free until the break of dawn...It's finger lickin' good, y'all...
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