Monday, May 26, 2008

memorial day weekend...

When you live in a military town memorial day takes on an entirely different meaning. We are blessed to be able to live alongside families who serve our country and protect our freedom. I consider it an honor to call many of these families friends. I have been blessed to get to know teens who watch their moms and dads go to Iraq for a year at a time. Every day the reality of war is present in Clarksville and we live knowing that our friends are standing in the gap for us here in the States. When i think about ti all i can say is thanks. Thanks to the families who sacrifice, thanks for helping this world be a better place. Make no mistake, the guys we have deployed around the world fight because they believe in America, what America stands for. They fight for their sons, daughters, wives back home....for their future. Someone has to look evil in the face and do something about it, many of my friends do just that. Thanks.

Today, this weekend. We had a great Sunday at GCC. Chelsea's family came up and I got to play golf with my father-in-law at Swan Lake. We were going to take all the kids (our 2 and my in laws adopted 4!!!!) to the water park in hopkinsville on Monday but, well if you live in Clarksville you know about the rain. We still had a great day here at home. I stayed off the cell, hung out with the family and still managed to cook a steak tonight. Memorial Day is meant for the grill and when the rain stopped I made it happen. Great rest before the busy summer hits. First camp of summer is next week. It is gonna be a great summer, get to be a part of some great stuff for students and get ready for fall at GCC. I sense God has some huge stuff for us to experience this year.

Friday, May 23, 2008

http://thebeardedwonder.org go check this out!

hope all are doing well! It is memorial day weekend and I am chilling with my family in shelbyville trying to get away for some rest. I was just Clay has the sweetest beard in the universe. Big Beard is amazing. Go check out his blog. http://thebeardedwonder.org/

If you know me you know I have been influenced, mentored from afar by books and teaching by Andy Stanley. here are som great quotes on our team found from Andy recently...just read and think...

To reach people no one else is reaching we must do things no one else is doing

The next generation product almost never comes from the previous generation. Must be a student not a critic.

What do I believe is impossible to do in my field but if could be done would fundamentally change my field.

Pay attention to the people who are breaking the rules.

When your memories exceed your dreams the end is near.

Don't let success or momentum over shadow your vision. Keep the vision out in front.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Go clarksville! make some news baby!

Got into work this morning and Jeremy Chandler came into he office and told me about a report on the best and worst cities to raise a family in...not a good way to start the day if you live in Clarksville.

Here was the top ten places to raise a family...by the way i used to live in #2!
1 Honolulu, Hawaii — Schools spend almost $9,000 per pupil, unemployment ranks less than half the national average, and you can play on the island of O'ahu's 125 beaches.
2 Virginia Beach, Virginia
3 Billings, Montana
4 Columbus, Georgia
5 San Diego, California
6 Des Moines, Iowa
7 Minneapolis, Minnesota
8 Madison, Wisconsin — Madison has a high number of pediatricians per capita.
9 Colorado Springs, Colorado
10 Santa Rosa, California

Ok, great but they forgot to mention that in most of those cities the idea of having a one income family and not living in the ghetto is almost impossible. The crazy thing was Clarksville was rated the worst place to raise a kid in because of per student education spending. Numbers never say it all, we have great schools, great teachers and this is a great city. I am a little biased, I love Clarksville, love this city and at least people can afford to buy a house here and still put gas in their car or go to the movies! The other thought is, who would not want to raise their kid in Hawaii??? it is paradise, what kind of crazy study is this!

Here was the list of cities (top 10 wost to raise a kid in)

The 10 Worst Places to Raise a Family (from best to worst)10 Springfield, Missouri9 Dayton, Ohio8 Corpus Christi, Texas7 Flint, Michigan — Country's highest violent-crime rate6 Columbia, South Carolina5 Waco, Texas4 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania3 Fayetteville, North Carolina2 Beaumont, Texas — Long-standing air-quality challenges 1 Clarksville, Tennessee — Low educational spending: $6,729 per student

Go Clarksville! make some news!

here is the link for this study - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24713234/

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

what is a good day...

What makes a good day? What makes a day a success or failure? I am beginning to discover that the best days are not consumed with getting my list of tasks finished but rather packed with paying attention to opportunities with people. Yes, one on one conversations...yes the kind that mess up a schedule and keep productivity low. Yes time away from my planned activities. Spending a few minutes with a team member at work that needs direction on their project. Jumping on the trampoline with my daughter. Making my mind be fully present in a meeting and not drifting to the next task I need to work on. Hanging out with someone who pops in the office to talk. Taking time to head to an unplanned lunch with a friend who needs to talk

So many day I get to the end of these people packed days and look at my list of stuff that I needed to accomplish and feel failure. In reality I was just responding to the opportunities God put in front of me. I just feels like I am off track with my plan but I have valued what God values supremely...people. I can not get over how much God loves us, He loves people. God has called me to love Him and love others. I Corinthians 13 talks about love, and what love looks like when aimed at others. If that is love then I have to be living that out to those God places in my daily path.

Its messy but it might be the greatest investment...the people investment. well, got to go and catch up on other TASKS...yea they still have to be done.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

here's ya TROPHY...

yea, that is my Kozbi and her first trophy. koz played soccer this spring on the best team in Clarksville, the Super Flower Power Team and they kicked some serious tail all year. Sure they do not keep score in this league until you get older but hey, who cares. Kids under 5 running around kicking the ball - it is great! We loved watching her learn the game. Since she got a trophy I thought I would give out some blog trophies...here goes, my 2008 trophies...

Best Diet Mountain dew Drinker - Michael BAYNE...need I say more!

Best Small Group leader at Relevant goes to AMANDA BOLES,
wow, what a great job you have done investing in your girls this year at REMIX each week. Relevant Student Ministry was so blessed to have you on the team. (we will keep Duke also, love that guy!)

Best LEADERS at GCC - every leader in Cross Street and Grace Acres!
Yes, what a great year for the family ministry at GCC, you guys volunteer each week and erve kids and families. I have loved watching you lead each week and make grace a place that families want to come back too!

Best wife and kids - Chelsea, Kozbi and Kelyn, WOW I am blessed!

Best 10-6 Playoff team - lets go Titans!

Best band who led at MERGE - Cam's band...I have forgot the name but man they did a great job.

Best dad - Chad Rowland gets the Honor...man that guy loves his kids!

Best Ronaldo - Ron Edmonson with his new Malta name since he is gone this week

Best Practical Joke - Michale Higdon got the entire office today, your time is coming man!

best burger in the UNIVERSE -Five Guys

Feel free to add on to it in the comment section! You have to love trophies!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

back from ORANGE 08...

Our team of 8 got back from Orange 08 (www.theorangeconference.com) last night. What a great week to get away and be with people passionate about the church and the next generation. How we invest in preschoolers, kids, and teens will shape how the next generation leads the church of Jesus Christ. (not your church or mine or your denomination of mine just the church we all belong too, it was founded by Jesus and it will never end) There is great hope that we can make a difference in the lives of kids and families and we get to be a part of the next chapter of what God wants to do here in the United States. I sensed the entire conference that God is doing a new things in the hearts of His followers who are called to invest in children and teens. Just such a blessing to be a part of that move of God. I can not wait to see what God does here in Clarksville over the next year in the church and in the families that live here.

Yesterday we had a few surprises. Andy Stanley was a surprise visit, Eddie Kirkland ( a friend the I met at Bigstuf and who has done some ministry with Freddy T) got to lead us in worship during the morning sessions, and Louie Giglio spoke in the last session. Tried to recap some ideas that flowed from the first day so here goes...

Andy Stanley...came and basically did a Q and A with Reggie and helped us think through family ministry in the local church, spiritual growth, and gave some insight into where he sees in church culture right now. Great reminder from Andy to be careful of serving others without the name and message of Jesus on our lips as we go. We serve not in our name but in the name of Jesus. As we serve we lead others to the only hope we have JESUS. Great insight...Also great insight into what spiritual growth looks like but you will have to get the session.

Louie...wow really asked everyone to examine of hearts and motivation for how we do church. In our attempt to be relevant do we miss the fact that Jesus transcends all of our feeble attempts. Our goal is to be like Jesus, think like Jesus, live like Jesus, lead others to Jesus, love others like Jesus. The truth is that we are not called to copy culture or manipulate culture we are called to CREATE culture that allows Jesus to be the center of all we do in HIS CHURCH. This thing we call church is His anyway not ours. The message from Louie was innovate, create, dream, move forward BUT NEVER WORSHIP RELEVANCE. The end goal is to spread the fame of Jesus Christ not our cool environment.

Right now as I finish this, I am so thrilled Jesus captured my heart. This is all for Him...my life, my time, my family, my dreams all for Him. In that place i find life, His life.