Where You Shouldn't Be

Earlier this year, in May, when I was busy getting contractors lined up for the rebuilding of my North Carolina home, I had to venture down to Atlanta for some training at Chick-fil-A's home office. I had my wife drive up and meet me after my training, and we stayed in Atlanta for one extra day. We had some comp tickets to go to Six Flags as a perk for selling Coca-Cola at Chick-fil-A. We really needed a day to get away from the insurance stuff and the rebuilding stuff, and Six Flags hit the spot. ALL of my kids had a great time. In fact, Candace got to ride a roller coaster for the first time. She went on the tallest one there...FIRST. I was so proud of her (Jordan, too...Brady will have to wait a few more years, but I'm sure he would have done it given the opportunity).

In Gotham City, they have a roller coaster adequately named "The Batman Roller Coaster." We all, minus Brady, went on it. I distinctly remember telling Candace while in line, "Nobody gets hurt on roller coasters." It's easy to remember because of the way we were making our way around the park, she chickened out of going on the next roller coaster cause it had two loops. She got in the seat and freaked out (Ever see Final Destination 3...just like that). So Jordan took her place and she watched. The next roller coaster was next door, and it was the Batman one. Liz and I calmed her down, let her get her bearings, and let her watch a few times as the Batman coaster completed its ride cycles. "See, no body's dying. No body's getting hurt." She kept watching the coaster as it completed its ride cycles as we moved through the line. She said, "Every body's fine daddy." I said, "Sure they are, they do everything they can to protect us so it's fun."

All that said, yesterday, a teenager dropped something while on the ride, jumped a fence to retrieve it, and lost his life as he was decapitated. What went wrong? Lawyers will jump in and probably say that the TWO 6 foot fences were not enough to keep people out of restricted areas, and collect money; all the while, we should look to the terrible mistake of a young man not obeying the rules and posted signs. As awful a tragedy as this is, and the tragic end to a life that could have showed so much promise for the world, fingers will be pointed and it won't solve anything.

When fault lies with you, accept it, learn from it and GROW. So many times in life, we end up in places we shouldn't be in, because we didn't obey life's warning signs. Speeding Tickets Piling up? WARNING SIGN...how about the sign posting the speed limit. In Debt? WARNING SIGN...credit card and its statement or how about gambling when you need the money for other things (it gets even worse when you gamble in an attempt to pay back debts, whew, what a nightmare situation). Marriage Falling Apart? WARNING SIGN...hanging out with other ladies or men. Addictions? WARNING SIGN...Can't get through one day without one fix. So many signs, yet we go right by them cause we believe WE know better when in fact we don't know better; That's the reason for life's signs.

Pray for this boy's family. Pray that through this awful tragedy, some will come to know the Lord.

Church was awesome this week as more and more people are visiting. Our new Worship pastor starts this week, and we will be building a new worship center soon. David Schorejs will be preaching this next week and he's always a wonderful teacher of life's lesson's and warning signs. Obey the signs of life this week and stay safe (especially when lighting those firecrackers this upcoming 4th of July). I'll be in North Carolina finishing up the repairs this weekend, so I'll miss you this Sunday, but there's a whole lot of other people would love to see you in church THIS Sunday.

I Want To Be A Clone?

I remember when the ole iXo college group at my old church would do "Drive-by Preaching." You'd have someone driving, and some lunatic, leaning his entire torso and head out the window yelling at strangers on the sidewalk, "Jesus Loves You!" or "Jesus died for You!"

I'm not sure we got anyone saved this way, but it sure was fun.

So what are you doing in church life that's fun and not getting people saved? Are you in it for the fun, or the niche you're comfortable in? Are you a lunatic that strangers write off because you didn't take the time to get to know them? Just asking.

Just like drive-by shootings can leave a hail of bullets and someone dead, so can a method of drive-by preaching. Get to know 'em; their lost and want to be found. I'm just saying, do you want to be a clone?

See you in Church this Sunday!

Sold Out

I really believe our politicians have sold us out, both sides of the aisle, especially in the area of fuel charges. We're all getting squeezed at the pump, unless you're lucky enough to drive a vehicle powered by compressed air (which is out there). So we keep importing oil from clown dictators in the Middle East and Venezuela (Citgo) and we pay higher prices at the pump.

Here's how we decided to become "energy dependent" in the past. It was discovered that corn was an energy source and could be turned into ethanol. The ethanol would be used as a substitute for gasoline or as an additive to assist gasoline in burning cleaner. As the world craved more energy, the United States included, more gasoline was needed, and thus, we needed more ethanol. More ethanol meant we needed more corn, far more than farmers could grow and grow fast enough. Economics starts to kick in here; where there's a large demand and short supply, prices tick upward, sometimes at inflation busting levels. Now with higher corn prices, the cost of food goes way up because we need corn to feed the cattle and chickens we eat, thus food goes up from higher feed and we get the DOUBLE WHAMMY of the cost of corn used in ethanol to transport the food to market. RESULT: Milk way up, meat way up, fast food way up, and GAS WAY UP (and cars are breaking down)!

It's insane! We have enough oil within the borders of the United States, let alone in ANAWR, to put Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries out of business, yet our politicians sit around doing NOTHING. Their only solution to date has been a windfall profits tax, which, in case you don't know how companies and businesses work, would essentially get passed on to the consumer to pay (Corporations, contrary to what taxes you think they pay, really pay NO taxes...You do it for them when you purchase a product, they pass their "tax cost" along to you in the retail cost of the product). This happens when the government raises the minimum wage, too (just think about the last time a restaurant didn't raise it's prices when minimum wage went up...never happens). Why? The restaurant passes the cost along to the consumer through higher prices on the menu. This happens with fuel, too.

If you want lower prices at the pump, at the restaurant, at the grocery store, at your electronics store, where ever you shop, sign the petition through the web link I provided on the right side of my web page titled, "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less." Cuba and China our drilling off Florida's cost right now, yet Florida will not let the U.S. Companies drill...INSANE!!! One other fact, did you know, there's oil in the Rocky Mountains in the shale that could be turned into production oil for as little as $80 a barrel...we're paying over $130 a barrel for terrorist funding oil. Stop the insanity and sign the petition.

Thanks for listening to this rant and rave. Sign the petition.

I sure hope I catch you in church this Sunday!

Past and Present

Today was an amazing day of being a DAD. It was a lot of fun, and I'm so grateful for my children and for my DAD.

Today, I watched my daughter, Candace, put on a gymnastics show for me. She has practiced and worked so hard. I was reminded, as she turned cartwheels, of a friend of mine while she did them. My friend, Matt Taylor, preached on occasion at an old church of mine. If you ever get to see him preach, he preaches with such passion and conviction that it easily convicts you. His sermons would leap off the stage and into your heart, as though, the Holy Spirit vaulted out of his mouth and into your heart. That's divine inspired preaching I love. He prepared well, and always sold out to his sermon.

I don't get to see him preach, as he was called to the pulpit in Missouri, but on occasion something reminds me of him. Whether it be an old Chris Farley skit doing his Matt Foleydeal, or my daughter doing cartwheels, I am reminded of the passion in which he preached and encouraged us to live for Jesus.

So, today, as my daughter turned perfect cartwheels, I saw Matt doing cartwheels and toe-touches on stage for Jesus to the music, "Eye of the Tiger." It was awesome to reminisce and to be reminded by a little girl to live my week for Jesus with the passion in which Matt preached.

Here's to hoping that this week you live for Jesus with passion and it's contagious.

I hope to see many more of you in church this next Sunday; it's going to be awesome!

Peace in the Storm

I told you in the last post, and many that check me out on Facebook have seen this plus, if you're on a prayer e-mail chain I subscribe to, then you know where and what I've been up to over the last month.

Last month, Liz and I, as I blogged about, went to Hawaii for my wife's Birthday. It was my gift to her and our second time visiting those beautiful islands. We went to Oahu for 2 days and stayed on Waikiki Beach and then went over to the Big Island (Kona) for some Volcano exploration for 4 days. We spent a lot of time hiking and laying around the beaches. It was a very special getaway for Liz and I. In fact here are some pictures:

This is Honolulu and Waikiki Beach from atop Diamond Head Crater, an extinct volcano that is very prominent from the beach. We hiked to the top it....whhhhhhheeeeeeew, OXYGEN; I need oxygen!

Here, I stand in front of our favorite place to eat, not only in Hawaii, but in the world, Cheeseburger in Paradise. This is the best hamburger ever put together in a great atmosphere right on the beach. I would have eaten here for all meals had Liz let me. Plus, if you've eaten at any Cheeseburger in Paradise within the states, it doesn't come close to the ones in Hawaii, particularly the one in Maui. However, since we weren't in Maui this time, the one on Waikiki Beach did nicely.
Here we are on Waikiki Beach at sunset following a Luau.

Here we are flying in a helicopter over an active volcano.

Here, Liz stands in the middle of a major hwy, yet she doesn't have to watch out for any cars. It was overrun by a lava flow 4 years ago. Pretty neat!

We're standing at an observation post about 2 miles from the volcano, and it is cold. The Big Island of Hawaii has like 8 of the world's 10 temperate zones. In fact, you could go from a deluge of rain to the dessert in 2 minutes to the top of Mono Lea in an hour covered in snow. Plus, there's no trees around this active volcano so the wind whips in for miles off the ocean, thus it's windy and cold, but awesome!



Then with a day left, we got a phone call at 1AM Hawaii time which equates to 7AM on the east coast. Needless to say it was some terrible news. 3 trees had fallen on our home in Black Mountain, North Carolina doing significant damage. Its over $52,000 in repairs, and the insurance company has drug its feet all along. So pray for us as we still are negotiating with the insurance company to live by their slogan and Be a Good Neighbor.



Here's what the damage looks like:



The trees hit with so much force that the siding on the opposite side of the home exploded right off. We have 8 holes in our roof, and 6 trusses and the gable are completely totaled. The master bedroom was a complete loss. So pray for us as we work through this storm. We travel back up to meet with contractors tomorrow and will be back home on Saturday. Just the travel back and forth has put a serious dent in our fuel budget. It was cheaper getting to Hawaii than it has been in going back and forth.

Thanks for the prayers and support. So many have called and asked to help which has been awesome. You have been the peace within the storm.

If you missed Eastpoint Fellowship this past Sunday, you missed a lot and I'm sad for you, but you can make it up...See you in Church this Sunday (cause we'll be back)!

Where have I been?

I'm so sorry for my absence on my personal blog. I've been posting on some other blogs thoughts and comments, some long enough to be blogs. That's been a lot of fun.

I have been crazy busy of late that hasn't allowed me to be here. Between numerous trips to North Carolina to fix the 2nd story from the trees that fell on the house, to incredibly wonderful sales increases at my restaurant, to church and little league volunteer work, I've been a little swamped. Add to that the time my family deserves, and I haven't had time to blog or do much else on the internet this past month.

Needless to say, the reconstruction on my home in North Carolina will begin next week, so once again, I'll be in North Carolina for part of the week. I've missed everybody, but things are good and the Lord has done well in taking care of us as He always does. Thanks for the prayers!

See you in Church (TODAY)!

1 Year ago

Today, it's been a year since I started blogging. I've had my share of explaning to do. There's somethings I would do and not do differently. However, I have left it all out here in cyber space for you to see. It's been a real honor growing with you. It's been tough at times, but those tough times have sharpened me.
Today, I'm up at my home in Black Mountain, North Carolina working on lining up repairs for my home. Mother's Day night there was a severe wind storm here that caused 3 trees to fall on my home destroying the vast majority of the upstairs.

So, what's the deal, Lord? This was a question I asked at 1am Hawaii time when all my wonderful neighbors in North Carolina started calling me to let me know of the tragedy that had taken place (Hawaii is 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in which North Caroline lies). I was not as upset as you might think. Stressed, yes. Upset, not really. Why? That's easy; this home isn't mine, it belongs to the Lord. As I have stated in the past, none of what I have is mine. I am just a steward of what belongs to the Lord. Sure, I can be frustrated at events like these. Likened to when I was school, I didn't like going to school because of the work and energy involved, but it was necessary to make me smarter and, hopefully, wiser. Tests were hard and required a lot of work and study. In the end, school, as hard as it was at times, made me a better and more productive person for society.

The same can be said for trials like the one I am going through now. It can be said for a trial you might be facing now. It may not be easy, but God's plan for your spiritual educataion is perfect. If you ever think your trial is too tough to bear, just spend an hour reading the book of Job in the Bible.

So many times we put God in a box. He has such a desire to bless you, even in those trials. Like a loving parent who may toss a child who doesn't know how to swim right into the pool. Terrified, the child struggles to gasp for air as their arms and legs frantically whale in every direction. The parent watched for signs of drowning, yet roots for the child to swim. Sometimes the distress is aparernet and the parent reaches in, pulls the child out. However, when the child has caught their breath, right back in the child goes. After diligence, the child will begin to tread water as the parent cheers the accomplishment. After a while, the water, once a source of terror, becomes the source of fun. (This is how I learned to swim).

God doesn't want us to drown in our trials. He's rooting for us to master them. don't go half way or make deals with God. Don't box him up in a 90 day campaign where you say "O.K. Lord, I'm committing to this for 90 days, and if I don't see results, it must not be true." That stuff and line of thinking will frustrate your walk with Him for a very long time, because He'll keep tossing you in the pool til you've got it.

Let me give an example of what I mean and I'll be done. I speak on tithes and offerings a lot because I believe it is the number one way to show obedience and faith. So many times, I've been in church services where it will come that time of year, usually in January, when tithes and offerings drop off. People over spend for Christmas, and in order to catch up on their bills, they "cheat" God. Inevidently, the pastor and church administrator see this happening so the pastor puts together a sermon series on "the tithe" or something to that effect. Many times, in the past, I recall campaigns such as "prove the tithe" or "put God first." This year, I had a chance to speak on the tithe in my church, a huge honor. This year, church leadership decided not to put a box around a time period we thought people needed to commit to. Instead, we taught, in a soft manner, the truth...God gives us everything, none of it is ours, and He only asks us to give back 10%. That's quite a deal. We explained that the blessings don't always come financially but in many other ways. The church responded in a way that has been far better than a 30, 60, or 90 day campaign. They keep giving because they like giving and it shows. The church as a business is in the black, even when we've over spent some of the budget. The church, as an entity, is gowing in number by leaps and bounds, and its growing spiritually in its muturity. For the most part, the vast majority has gotten it, and they've seen the fruit begin to bloom. When we keep God out of a box, His blessings are as the stars in the sky, limitless.

So, as I deal with my new "tree house," I am excited about the new things God is teaching me (yesterday was patience with the insurance man). Who knows what today will bring. I still have 3 trees on my house, but God has given me so much more than this small challenge. For one, I have the gift of eternal life.

Pray for my safe travels back to O-Town on Saturday; I look forward to seeing you in church this Sunday.