Thursday, March 27, 2008

later VOLS...

Great year for the vols, horrible way to end the season. What team was that playing UL tonight? What was going on? We had one play on offense run to the basket and turn it over or commit an offensive foul. One thing to say...

Go Memphis, Go North Carolina...that is the final I want to see! FOOTBALL SEASON is just around the corner, Go Vols! (maybe we can also recruit a point guard this year!)

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

today...

Ok, today is my 32 birthday and I was a great day considering I am another year older. really I was blown away with so many messages on facebook and texts and calls from family. It was wild. Thanks to so many of you who wished me a great day. Just a few things tat stood out today in a random list...

1. Kozbi made me a sweet book about soccer for my birthday!
2. Chelsea gave me a great present - tickets and a night out to my choice of concert in 2008! I am stoked. She wanted to send me to austin city limits but it is on Operation serve weekend this year.
3. Ron Edmonton and Anne Loy made me cupcakes and surprised me at staff meeting...wow.
4. Brandon Reed sent my my favorite kind of box in the world...a book from amazon!!! I am addicted to those boxes!
5. To top it off got a dinner at my favorite Mexican place...manzanillos!!!! and they sang happy b-day in spanish!!

Great day! Here comes year 33...

Saturday, March 22, 2008

have a great EASTER!




We have had an amazing weekend here in the Bayne Family! We have had family here since Friday morning and are getting ready for our second Easter egg hunt of the weekend. Easter egg hunt #1 was with family and the #2 hunt is with our neighbors. Kozbi played soccer this morning in a game for the first time...wow. I was really proud of her for not touching the ball with her hands. She had a great time!
Have a great Easter! Love this holiday since we get to celebrate the central moment of our faith as Christ followers. without this moment in history or faith is in vain. Praise God for salvation for hope, for Jesus. Since Jesus...my life has never been the same.
Have a great weekend...and GO VOlS!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

church

Church…what comes to mind when that word is mentioned? At Grace Community we live out an idea of what church can be. We have an idea of what a community of believers should be about and we try to create an environment that helps people live that out each week. Well…this week I have experienced 2 weird thoughts about church. The first was a comment that was made by someone who visited GCC. When asked what she thought about the gathering that morning she immediately said…’well it was ok but that worship leader was wearing blue jeans’. Not a good sign that GCC was for her since all of us on staff and most of the people who go to GCC wear jeans every week. It is just odd that in a gathering meant to lead people to connect with God someone got stuck on jeans? Would her worship of God been better with a person in a suit or maybe a leader wearing a pair of overalls, or maybe in a swimsuit? Not sure…but it just seems funny. That was just the beginning of the weirdness. At the YMCA today I was talking with a friend about a couple who are coming this week to visit on Easter. She had a friend with her and her friend asked me about our church. First she asked me if we were connected with a denomination, then she asked me if we were a rock and roll church. (yes I did laugh when she asked me the rock and roll thing!) It was such an odd question, both the denomination thing, which is kind of normal for people who have church backgrounds, and the rock and roll thing. We never label what we do as anything but a gathering. We hate the word contemporary. What does that label mean, but the rock and roll label just caught me off guard. When I asked what she was talking about she proceeded to tell me in Nashville, churches used all those weird musicians to play loud music and rock and roll in church. Yes I am serious, she called great musicians in Nashville weird. Then she said liked old music in church…that is cool. Well, I said, I guess we are a rock and roll church and we ended the conversation and parted ways. I was taken back because I just think of our church as a place where people can discover the love of Jesus Christ in a context that makes sense. The music and the message are clear and connect to a person living life in Clarksville. I just do not think in terms of a label. A great band once wrote...rock and roll aint noise pollution, rock and roll aint gonna die. The Rock and roll label is fine but as many of you know we might be country or bluegrass next week and GCC. HA! We love being creative and creating a place where people can connect.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

the adoption

I am writing after Tennessee just lost by one to Arkansas. What a great game! I am sick we lost but I have to say it was one of the best games I have seen all year. I love that we have a team that never gives up. I love to watch out guys run and gun. The loss may really help us in the end. If UT gets focused they can win a national championship and I can not wait for next Thursday and the big dance to start. Forget a #1 seed, bring the 2 seed and lets roll. I am stoked about our regular season sec championship and ready to see what the big orange machine can do. Go Vols.

We spent the past 2 days in Shelbyville to celebrate some new members of our family. My in laws adopted 2 wonderful children they have been raising for the past several years. Chelsea has a new brother and sister! God led her parents to adopt last year and they took the plunge of being 54 and parents of little kids. I am so proud of them. This move does not make sense in the eyes of man. They are not wealthy but they are simple following the barbarian way of Jesus and obeying the guidance of Father God. It makes no senses but it is such a Jesus kind of thin to do. we threw a big party for the kids and it was an amazing time. It was such a picture of what God has done for us as His children. We are HIS! God did the unspeakable and adopted us into His family. well, enough of being sappy - I am just amazed that my IN LAWS did what they did. welcome to the family Kamyia and Tristan!

Not much else to type, It has been an amazing week and God keeps teaching this guy about His way and His will. Trying to focus more on what matters and less of the temporal traps of this life. Enjoying God is the goal...

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

snow in march!

My family drove back from a week of vacation in Va Beach and we found SNOW. As we drove in we saw a snow man in many yards in our neighborhood. Most of the snow and the snow men were melting but Koz so wanted to make a snowman. we looked out the back window and there was snow so we did it, OUR FIRST snowman!!! It even got a UT hat! Go vols!

Yes, we were in Va beach and we went to see Brandon Reed get married to an incredible young lady named Kara. They made it and are now married and spending their honeymoon in Jamaica! Brandon is such a great friend and I am so happy for those 2! Way to go Brandon and Kara.

Gonna blog about some ministry stuff on the GCC website this week. Go check out our posts out at www.gcomchurch.com and check out our student ministry website at www.relevantstudents.com