So, it is a little after 6:00 a.m. Sunday morning and I am trying to stay busy until the sunrise gives me an energy boost (I hope). Yesterday started out like a super Saturday. We have some good friends in town visiting and we all got ready and went to Bojangles for a nice Saturday morning biscuit, of course, when we got there we were greeted with stares and pointing since we had a group of 9 adults (two pregnant) and 5 kids, and we reconfigured the dining room to meet our needs. Upon the successful completion of phase one of the Saturday plan without incident, it was on to shopping quickly followed by a transition to more shopping for the women and a father/child afternoon for the men and kids, this happened at about 11:45 a.m.. This afternoon was AWESOME, even though the men were outnumbered by the kids. We started with ICEE's and then over to Deer Park for swinging, running, jumping, sliding, etc. After about an hour at the Park, we took the kids to swim and had a blast throwing, splashing, jumping, dunking, etc. for a couple of hours. Since the women were still enjoying their "girl time", we went straight from the pool to Chick-Fil-A, were we proceeded to hydrate and feed the kids before putting them into the soundproof glass enclosed play area (One of the best ideas EVER), where they continued to run, jump, slide, climb, etc. By about 5:30, we decided it was time to take the kids to the house in preparation for the trade off...
An Aside, Alexander will be three at the end of September and still takes a nap most days, by the time we got home, he was visibly tired and within a few minutes I found him kicking everyone out of his room so that he could sleep, since it was now about 6 p.m., I wouldn't let him and this started a spirited exchange with my 2 year old ending in his emphatic "I'm GOING TO SLEEP, GET OUT OF HERE!" He thankfully caught a second wind during that screaming which caused him to get out of bed and run around some more.
By the time "the wives" returned from their 7 hour shopping spree, three dads and five kids were pretty whipped, but...now it was our turn.
The agreement was that we would be given a "boys night out" to go watch some football and get into a little mischief. It started well enough at CBC, watching the Alabama vs Clemson football game and playing some pool, after a few hours of this and with an increasingly angry Clemson fan in our group, we decided it was time to find some karaoke or create our own! While driving down Brainerd Rd, we started to notice that the road felt like it suddenly had a lot of potholes, but we couldn't see them...it wasn't the road, it was our flat tire...
So there we were, after a FULL day of fun, pulled over on the side of the road changing a tire around midnight, no problem for three big strong men right... Turns out many German car companies think its helpful to put anti theft keyed lug nuts on your car and then hide the key! After an hour of raising and lowering the jack, kicking the tire, beating it with feet, hands, crowbars, etc., all while being occasionally reminded of our inability to change a tire by our "concerned" wives via phone and text, we give up to go get some "tools" and regroup. Several more hours and dollars later, we finally give up on trying to change the tire, roll the car into a parking lot, and call a cab to get home (which we wait on for an hour and when he finally arrives then proceeds to stop for gas and drive well under the speed limit on our $60, 22 mile, 52 minute ride home).
So, I've been home for a little over an hour now, I'm going to take a shower before the kids wake up and we do it all again...well hopefully not ALL AGAIN!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Lakewood Church, Houston, TX
Since I work with churches for a living, I am not going to make a habit of critiquing them-- I' going to make an exception for this one. I visited Lakewood when passing through Houston a few weeks ago and here's my take on it.
Lakewood is the largest church in the country according to just about everyone who tries to measure such things, in fact, by most counts they are about twice as large as the next largest church in the nation, that second one could be Northpoint, Lifechurch.tv, Willow Creek, Saddleback, or others depending on who you talk with. One thing that makes them different from all of the others I just mentioned is the fact that they are not led by their founding pastor. I actually think that is pretty encouraging for anyone involved in a church that IS led by the founding pastor, it shows that there is hope beyond the vision of that one man/woman.
But I digress, back to my impression of a Sunday morning (early service) at Lakewood. I arrived right on time and had no difficulty finding a very close parking spot (which turned out to be illegal and I was blocked in afterwards, but that's my fault and another story). As I walked into the former basketball arena concourse I was greeted by a multitude of VERY friendly and diverse volunteers. Each one smiled and offered a hand or hug as I passed, I accepted a few, but was anxious to get to a seat. Since I didn't know which way was which and I was by myself (easier to get one seat than more), I ended up sitting three rows from the front, almost right behind the Pastor and his wife, Joel and Victoria Osteen.
Having already been disarmed by the greeters in the hallway, I stepped in to a very impressive worship space and the music was already beginning to rise and I along with it. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I'm not the most overtly charismatic worshiper, but something about the atmosphere and music got me pretty excited, I was IN TO IT. Their Worship team looked a lot like the church, there were Hispanics, African Americans, and whites all jamming together and doing a great job. I was somewhat familiar with their style as their primary worship leader Israel Houghton has several CD's I've heard. I was not prepared for the variety of styles they pulled off very well, I must say that it was one of the best worship times I have been involved in at a church.
Before, during, and after worship, there were a few breaks for pep talks from Pastor Osteen and/or his wife. Joel Osteen is a unique character and is now probably best known outside of church circles for his two best selling books. Most of what he said on this particular morning could have come from those pages. He preached/pep talked a message on ancestral blessings from Deuteronomy 1:11 and 6:10-11 (how many of you have heard a message from Deuteronomy lately?). He has been widely criticized for his "Gospel Light" messages which emphasize a good attitude and the favor of the Lord, which he delivers with a constant smile. While I don't find his messages to have much depth, I always feel happy afterwards, and this was no exception. A memorable moment was when he used the illustration of giving his grandfather a tour of his first home and how amazed his grandfather was at the size of it, Joel said that he was living in the house because of the sacrifice and hard work of his father and grandfather, neat story, but the memorable part was that he got choked up and started crying for over a minute before he could continue (that part probably won't get broadcast on TBN).
The most lasting impression for me was actually neither Joel or Israel. It was when Victoria Osteen came up at the end of praise and worship to transition into the message, there was clearly still a lot of excitement in the air from the last song (Dance, Dance), and she got up and started to transition, when it became clear that she wasn't ready to do that. She started jumping and dancing a bit and then the praise went on for a few more minutes. As I said earlier, I've been in my share of pentecostal services and I'm not easily impressed by emotional displays, but I also am pretty good at spotting real worship when I see it. What I saw at Lakewood that day was real, and it was very cool.
As for the publicity and stardom that the church and the pastor have increasingly had thrown their way, I pray that God will use it positively and keep them safe. If there is one thing I've learned its that God can use anyone, even superstar preachers...
Lakewood is the largest church in the country according to just about everyone who tries to measure such things, in fact, by most counts they are about twice as large as the next largest church in the nation, that second one could be Northpoint, Lifechurch.tv, Willow Creek, Saddleback, or others depending on who you talk with. One thing that makes them different from all of the others I just mentioned is the fact that they are not led by their founding pastor. I actually think that is pretty encouraging for anyone involved in a church that IS led by the founding pastor, it shows that there is hope beyond the vision of that one man/woman.
But I digress, back to my impression of a Sunday morning (early service) at Lakewood. I arrived right on time and had no difficulty finding a very close parking spot (which turned out to be illegal and I was blocked in afterwards, but that's my fault and another story). As I walked into the former basketball arena concourse I was greeted by a multitude of VERY friendly and diverse volunteers. Each one smiled and offered a hand or hug as I passed, I accepted a few, but was anxious to get to a seat. Since I didn't know which way was which and I was by myself (easier to get one seat than more), I ended up sitting three rows from the front, almost right behind the Pastor and his wife, Joel and Victoria Osteen.
Having already been disarmed by the greeters in the hallway, I stepped in to a very impressive worship space and the music was already beginning to rise and I along with it. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I'm not the most overtly charismatic worshiper, but something about the atmosphere and music got me pretty excited, I was IN TO IT. Their Worship team looked a lot like the church, there were Hispanics, African Americans, and whites all jamming together and doing a great job. I was somewhat familiar with their style as their primary worship leader Israel Houghton has several CD's I've heard. I was not prepared for the variety of styles they pulled off very well, I must say that it was one of the best worship times I have been involved in at a church.
Before, during, and after worship, there were a few breaks for pep talks from Pastor Osteen and/or his wife. Joel Osteen is a unique character and is now probably best known outside of church circles for his two best selling books. Most of what he said on this particular morning could have come from those pages. He preached/pep talked a message on ancestral blessings from Deuteronomy 1:11 and 6:10-11 (how many of you have heard a message from Deuteronomy lately?). He has been widely criticized for his "Gospel Light" messages which emphasize a good attitude and the favor of the Lord, which he delivers with a constant smile. While I don't find his messages to have much depth, I always feel happy afterwards, and this was no exception. A memorable moment was when he used the illustration of giving his grandfather a tour of his first home and how amazed his grandfather was at the size of it, Joel said that he was living in the house because of the sacrifice and hard work of his father and grandfather, neat story, but the memorable part was that he got choked up and started crying for over a minute before he could continue (that part probably won't get broadcast on TBN).
The most lasting impression for me was actually neither Joel or Israel. It was when Victoria Osteen came up at the end of praise and worship to transition into the message, there was clearly still a lot of excitement in the air from the last song (Dance, Dance), and she got up and started to transition, when it became clear that she wasn't ready to do that. She started jumping and dancing a bit and then the praise went on for a few more minutes. As I said earlier, I've been in my share of pentecostal services and I'm not easily impressed by emotional displays, but I also am pretty good at spotting real worship when I see it. What I saw at Lakewood that day was real, and it was very cool.
As for the publicity and stardom that the church and the pastor have increasingly had thrown their way, I pray that God will use it positively and keep them safe. If there is one thing I've learned its that God can use anyone, even superstar preachers...
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Politics
I was born in Germany, my dad (from Detroit,MI) and mom (from Sutton, WV), were there as missionaries for the Church of God. Growing up I remember watching Ronald Reagan in Berlin and realizing how close that was to me! We moved to Tennessee when I was 11 and from then until college, I became increasingly interested in politics. In fact, I was the first President of the Tennessee Teenage Republicans. My entire high school, and much of my college career, were spent planning towards my future run for the Presidency (seriously!). As I look back now, having just passed the birthday which makes me officially old enough to run for Senate, I realize that much of my idealistic exuberance may have been misplaced. I saw a great speech tonight from an excellent orator and politician (Barack Obama) as I sat here, I realized that I don't want to be that guy. I want to make a difference in the world and that is very hard to do, but I think it's pretty well impossible to change the world for the better as President. So, my disillusionment complete, I am going to bed.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Nashville, TN
It's that time again, another businessman's guide to a southern city. Of course, you don't need to be a businessman (or woman) to read and use the recommendations herein. Nashville is one of my favorite southern cities, offering both the great friendliness that personifies the south, while also being large and metropolitan enough to have anything you could want to eat or do. It is the Capitol of Tennessee, which was the last state to cecede and first to rejoin the Union in "The Great War of Northern Aggression".
Tennessee is in many ways three seperate states, the mountainous conservative east with Knoxville and Chattanooga, the agrarian and low lying west with Memphis and the Mississippi delta, and the middle which sits on the shelf that is the cumberland plateau, which houses horse farms and the afformentioned capitol of Nashville, as well as Tennessee Sippin' Whiskey (or Whisky to some).
Things to do-- Nashville is a large metro area of over a million people, so there is something for everyone here. Being "Music City", Nashville lives up to the name with live music nearly all day every day somewhere, usually a good first stop is Broadway downtown, there you'll find The Stage, Wildhorse Saloon (Country as well as names from Pat Benetar to Hootie and the Blowfish), and my personal favorites Tootsies Orchid Lounge (two stages and great local performers) and Buck Wild Saloon (Karaoke often). B.B. Kings has a great spot on 2nd Ave right by Coyote Ugly. The Westend/University area has lots of bars, dance clubs, and dives, my favorite is the Flying Saucer, great selection of brews and decent food. The Bluebird Cafe is a Nashville INSTITUTION.
For sports, the NFL's Tennessee Titans, NHL Predators, and AAA baseball with the Sounds, and it wouldn't be the South if you couldn't get some college football, the SEC doormat Vanderbilt, while a prestigious academic school, is always counted as a W for the other conference schools.
The state capitol, worth several hours to tour, literally sits on capitol hill, so downtown is not overly friendly to pedestrians due to the up and down, but it's nice. My favorite daytrip would be to head out to one of the two middle Tennessee Whiskey distillers, the world renown Jack Daniels, or my favorite and much more interractive George Dickel Distillery in Cascade Hollow, if you don't know what a "Hollow" is, that alone is reason enough to check it out! Of course, no trip to Nashville would be complete without a trip to Ryman Auditorium and/or The Grand Ole Opry. President Andrew Jackson's home is also a neat tour in the Nashville area and if you're a country music fan, you can do star home tours as well.
Where to Stay-- Being the largest metro area in Tennessee and one of the largest in the south, there is no shortage of hotels, the best are downtown and include Union Station, the Renaissance, a nice new Homewood Suites, and my favorite and Tennessee's only 5 star/5 diamond hotel The Hermitage, which sits directly across the street from the state museum and the Capitol. If downtown isn't your spot, or you'd like to be a little closer to the distilleries, Murfreesboro has a brand new Embassy Suites. The largest hotel in the world without a casino is also right here, The Opryland Hotel is a city in itself, boasting over 2,500 rooms, it is truly a destination and within walking distance of Opry Mills Mall and The Grand Ole Opry itself.
What to Eat-- This is a very good food town! If you want local, Jack's BBQ is the real deal, nothing fancy, but very good meat AND sauce, a rare combination. One of my favorites is The Standard at the Smith house, this one IS New South at its best, a great blend of old recipes and ambiance infused with the best of a big city, it is also a lunch hangout for lots of local music industry types. The city also has a growing number of "Big City" places, chains like Ruth's Chris and The Palm as well as local uppity spots like Watermark, all are good. If you're looking for different, Gerst Haus is one of my favorite German restaurants on this continent! They do it right, and they also have a good selection of american fare for the pickier eaters in the group. Bosco's is a good local brew pub with better than average food, they also have a Big River Grill which is a can't go wrong stop for food and beverage. The best combination of show and substance may be The Capital Grill (not the chain) that is in the Hermitage Hotel, it is THE place where the lobbyists take the stage legistlaters to make things happen, and the food and atmosphere are both wonderful.
So there is the five minute wrap up. Nashville is a great town for young and old, rich and poor, alone or with the family and friends.
Tennessee is in many ways three seperate states, the mountainous conservative east with Knoxville and Chattanooga, the agrarian and low lying west with Memphis and the Mississippi delta, and the middle which sits on the shelf that is the cumberland plateau, which houses horse farms and the afformentioned capitol of Nashville, as well as Tennessee Sippin' Whiskey (or Whisky to some).
Things to do-- Nashville is a large metro area of over a million people, so there is something for everyone here. Being "Music City", Nashville lives up to the name with live music nearly all day every day somewhere, usually a good first stop is Broadway downtown, there you'll find The Stage, Wildhorse Saloon (Country as well as names from Pat Benetar to Hootie and the Blowfish), and my personal favorites Tootsies Orchid Lounge (two stages and great local performers) and Buck Wild Saloon (Karaoke often). B.B. Kings has a great spot on 2nd Ave right by Coyote Ugly. The Westend/University area has lots of bars, dance clubs, and dives, my favorite is the Flying Saucer, great selection of brews and decent food. The Bluebird Cafe is a Nashville INSTITUTION.
For sports, the NFL's Tennessee Titans, NHL Predators, and AAA baseball with the Sounds, and it wouldn't be the South if you couldn't get some college football, the SEC doormat Vanderbilt, while a prestigious academic school, is always counted as a W for the other conference schools.
The state capitol, worth several hours to tour, literally sits on capitol hill, so downtown is not overly friendly to pedestrians due to the up and down, but it's nice. My favorite daytrip would be to head out to one of the two middle Tennessee Whiskey distillers, the world renown Jack Daniels, or my favorite and much more interractive George Dickel Distillery in Cascade Hollow, if you don't know what a "Hollow" is, that alone is reason enough to check it out! Of course, no trip to Nashville would be complete without a trip to Ryman Auditorium and/or The Grand Ole Opry. President Andrew Jackson's home is also a neat tour in the Nashville area and if you're a country music fan, you can do star home tours as well.
Where to Stay-- Being the largest metro area in Tennessee and one of the largest in the south, there is no shortage of hotels, the best are downtown and include Union Station, the Renaissance, a nice new Homewood Suites, and my favorite and Tennessee's only 5 star/5 diamond hotel The Hermitage, which sits directly across the street from the state museum and the Capitol. If downtown isn't your spot, or you'd like to be a little closer to the distilleries, Murfreesboro has a brand new Embassy Suites. The largest hotel in the world without a casino is also right here, The Opryland Hotel is a city in itself, boasting over 2,500 rooms, it is truly a destination and within walking distance of Opry Mills Mall and The Grand Ole Opry itself.
What to Eat-- This is a very good food town! If you want local, Jack's BBQ is the real deal, nothing fancy, but very good meat AND sauce, a rare combination. One of my favorites is The Standard at the Smith house, this one IS New South at its best, a great blend of old recipes and ambiance infused with the best of a big city, it is also a lunch hangout for lots of local music industry types. The city also has a growing number of "Big City" places, chains like Ruth's Chris and The Palm as well as local uppity spots like Watermark, all are good. If you're looking for different, Gerst Haus is one of my favorite German restaurants on this continent! They do it right, and they also have a good selection of american fare for the pickier eaters in the group. Bosco's is a good local brew pub with better than average food, they also have a Big River Grill which is a can't go wrong stop for food and beverage. The best combination of show and substance may be The Capital Grill (not the chain) that is in the Hermitage Hotel, it is THE place where the lobbyists take the stage legistlaters to make things happen, and the food and atmosphere are both wonderful.
So there is the five minute wrap up. Nashville is a great town for young and old, rich and poor, alone or with the family and friends.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
August Books
I am nearing the completion of my August batch of books and just finished a very interesting one, The Shack by William P. Young. It has been getting a lot of word of mouth advertising and my wife is going to read it for her september book club, so I grabbed it too. It's definitely a little different, but worth the read, check it out! The author will also be speaking at my favorite conference, Catalyst in October, that's also worth checking out!
Still wrapping up Made to Stick, It, and Axiom...more on those later, and look for my next post about Nashville, TN, a very cool town.
Still wrapping up Made to Stick, It, and Axiom...more on those later, and look for my next post about Nashville, TN, a very cool town.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
My workout
I have recently started making a conscious effort to get into better shape. To that end, I have a few things I am doing. I have a pretty good treadmill and the cleveland greenway is a great break from that monotony when I run and keep track of my distance via nike plus. I also have an AbLounger and some free weights and I am doing push-ups. Lastly, to break up routine, I look for other active things to do, the two recurring ones to this point have been playing basketball with Kevin Stover and going to the park with my son.
So there are the calorie burners, on the consumption side, I've started eating more fruits and veggies, whole grains, and low fat proteins, trying to limit calories to around 1800. The plan is that this will help not only lower weight, but more importantly, increase my energy and overall health. The goal is that I will be a bathing suit stud in time for a winter cruise...look for some pictures!
So there are the calorie burners, on the consumption side, I've started eating more fruits and veggies, whole grains, and low fat proteins, trying to limit calories to around 1800. The plan is that this will help not only lower weight, but more importantly, increase my energy and overall health. The goal is that I will be a bathing suit stud in time for a winter cruise...look for some pictures!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Saturdays
I know that for many people, saturday is the highlight of the week. Personally, it usually seems anti-climatic. It ends up being the day of yard work, house cleaning, and general busyness.
The thing that makes a handful of saturdays exceptional, is College FOOTBALL season, which starts officially today, though next week it really starts to ramp up.
Today should be a good one! The Southern Brewers Festival starts at 2 p.m. in downtown Chattanooga and should be a blast, then we are having some friends over for dinner later...
I better get started with the house cleaning and yard work right now!
The thing that makes a handful of saturdays exceptional, is College FOOTBALL season, which starts officially today, though next week it really starts to ramp up.
Today should be a good one! The Southern Brewers Festival starts at 2 p.m. in downtown Chattanooga and should be a blast, then we are having some friends over for dinner later...
I better get started with the house cleaning and yard work right now!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
BEDOGO...is that a word?
Yesterday I did a throwaway twitter about working on my motto, turns out it was actually true. I worked through the process of vision and mission statements a few years ago, and the last piece was to boil it all down to a very succinct life motto.
What's interesting about all of these, is that I think they morph and the priorty changes at different times in our life, for example, in my mission statement there was no mention of being the best Dad in the world when I wrote it, but now that is the opening statement. With the motto I wanted something that could stand the test of time and even leave room for changing definitions as time goes on. So with all of that in mind, my motto on how I will approach life is....
BE.DO.GO.
First thing I'm proud of, is that I was able to come up with three words that total six letters! But seriously, I could go on for a long time unpacking this, for now it's enough to leave them open to interpretation and critique. Over the next few weeks I'll throw in an occasional unpacking of each word as I want it to apply to my life.
What's interesting about all of these, is that I think they morph and the priorty changes at different times in our life, for example, in my mission statement there was no mention of being the best Dad in the world when I wrote it, but now that is the opening statement. With the motto I wanted something that could stand the test of time and even leave room for changing definitions as time goes on. So with all of that in mind, my motto on how I will approach life is....
BE.DO.GO.
First thing I'm proud of, is that I was able to come up with three words that total six letters! But seriously, I could go on for a long time unpacking this, for now it's enough to leave them open to interpretation and critique. Over the next few weeks I'll throw in an occasional unpacking of each word as I want it to apply to my life.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
All over but the Shoutin
I just finished my monthly magazine morning, where I basically take a half day and read all my monthly subscriptions (GOOD, Conde Nast Portfolio, Smart Money, Best Life, Relevant). They all had some great stuff as usual, but there was an article on New Orleans food that was really great. The writing seemed really familiar and then I discovered it was written by Rick Bragg, the author of one of my favorite books, All over but the Shoutin.
I am a big fan of business, theology, and leadership books, which makes it all the more odd that this would be one of my favorites since it doesn't have anything to do with any of those subjects, although there is a bit of theology if you really want to stretch the definition. What I like about Bragg is both his style which we all could learn from, but also his world view and upbringing resonate with me.
It reminded me that no matter how unique we are and special we believe ourselves to be, there are others out there who have experienced many of the same things we have, and if we remember that, we can use those shared experiences to draw closer.
I am a big fan of business, theology, and leadership books, which makes it all the more odd that this would be one of my favorites since it doesn't have anything to do with any of those subjects, although there is a bit of theology if you really want to stretch the definition. What I like about Bragg is both his style which we all could learn from, but also his world view and upbringing resonate with me.
It reminded me that no matter how unique we are and special we believe ourselves to be, there are others out there who have experienced many of the same things we have, and if we remember that, we can use those shared experiences to draw closer.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Baseball= Food
I love it! Even though my Detroit Tigers are a first class disappointment, I still have a great time watching a game especially at the ballpark. In fact, I think I might go to the ballpark even if there wasn't a game, just for the interraction with other fans and of course, THE FOOD. It's not an everyday thing, but once in a while a man just needs some peanuts, cracker jacks, and the all american ballpark frank.
I personally prefer mine with chili and cheese, although I will sometimes go for slaw. My wife likes 'em with pickles and/or hot peppers on them (Chicago style), and my son prefers his with just ketchup. It all reminds me of a great question from the car hops at the world's largest drive in restaurant, the Varsity in Atlanta, GA..."Whaddaya Have?" Well, how do you like your dog?
I personally prefer mine with chili and cheese, although I will sometimes go for slaw. My wife likes 'em with pickles and/or hot peppers on them (Chicago style), and my son prefers his with just ketchup. It all reminds me of a great question from the car hops at the world's largest drive in restaurant, the Varsity in Atlanta, GA..."Whaddaya Have?" Well, how do you like your dog?
Monday, August 18, 2008
Chattanooga, TN
It's time for another city review, this one a little closer to home. I have lived in the greater Chattanooga area for nearly two thirds of my life at this point. I travel a lot for work and I always get asked why southeast TN is home? The short answer is I haven't been anywhere I'd rather live yet, but there are other reasons...
Stuff to do--The area has a ton of outdoor activities to take on, like whitewater rafting, hanggliding, kayaking down the Tennessee river, or if you are more into spectating, the Chattanooga Lookouts have one of the best locations and ballparks in the minor leagues. Downtown has a great tourist district with the Aquarium as anchor, my son really loves the Creative Discovery Museum, and my wife is a fan of the various eclectic shops on the northshore. If you're a shopper, it's hard to beat the collection of chains in the Hamilton Place Mall area, CBL is headquartered here and they have done a good job bringing all the big boxes to their home town.
Food--Chattanooga, has a great local food restaurant scene, you can go as nice (St.Johns), or as casual (Big River Grill), as you like and can find a great meal in any price range. My favorites include the afformentioned along with Sticky Fingers, 212 Market St., Sushi Nabe, and if you want something really unique the drive to Cleveland for the Bald Headed Bistro and their wild game steaks is a trek you won't regret.
Places to stay--Downtown has several newer hotels within walking distance of the aquarium, ballpark, and river. The best are the Hilton Garden Inn and Courtyard, though there are some great B&B's and my personal favorite Bluff View Inn and their collection of rooms scattered through several buildings overlooking the River and adjacent to the newly expanded Hunter Museum of Art. Blurring the line between attraction and hotel is the Chattanooga CHOO CHOO, which at the least must be seen, also of historical interest is Missionary Ridge and the Read House hotel which was used as a hospital during the Civil War.
Chattanooga is a world class small city within an easy drive of many major metro areas and should not be missed. It will continue to evolve and grow with the recent announcement that Volkswagen will be building their first US manufacturing facility in the area, but one thing will not change, the friendliness of the people.
Stuff to do--The area has a ton of outdoor activities to take on, like whitewater rafting, hanggliding, kayaking down the Tennessee river, or if you are more into spectating, the Chattanooga Lookouts have one of the best locations and ballparks in the minor leagues. Downtown has a great tourist district with the Aquarium as anchor, my son really loves the Creative Discovery Museum, and my wife is a fan of the various eclectic shops on the northshore. If you're a shopper, it's hard to beat the collection of chains in the Hamilton Place Mall area, CBL is headquartered here and they have done a good job bringing all the big boxes to their home town.
Food--Chattanooga, has a great local food restaurant scene, you can go as nice (St.Johns), or as casual (Big River Grill), as you like and can find a great meal in any price range. My favorites include the afformentioned along with Sticky Fingers, 212 Market St., Sushi Nabe, and if you want something really unique the drive to Cleveland for the Bald Headed Bistro and their wild game steaks is a trek you won't regret.
Places to stay--Downtown has several newer hotels within walking distance of the aquarium, ballpark, and river. The best are the Hilton Garden Inn and Courtyard, though there are some great B&B's and my personal favorite Bluff View Inn and their collection of rooms scattered through several buildings overlooking the River and adjacent to the newly expanded Hunter Museum of Art. Blurring the line between attraction and hotel is the Chattanooga CHOO CHOO, which at the least must be seen, also of historical interest is Missionary Ridge and the Read House hotel which was used as a hospital during the Civil War.
Chattanooga is a world class small city within an easy drive of many major metro areas and should not be missed. It will continue to evolve and grow with the recent announcement that Volkswagen will be building their first US manufacturing facility in the area, but one thing will not change, the friendliness of the people.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Expectations
I was just looking at the baseball box scores and noticed that my favorite team, the team with the second highest payroll in baseball, the Detroit Tigers, has lost again. They came into the season with tremendous expectations and high hopes, no one would have said then that they'd be four games under .500 going into the last 6 weeks of the season.
The Incredible Hulk has been made into two movies, both times with lots of hype, and the second time with expectations that the box office would follow the recently released Iron Man, the results did not come close to expectations, as the second film made less than half as much as Iron Man and nearly the same amount as the first Hulk movie.
Just a couple examples that expectations do not necessarily equal results. So, instead of having this happen to us, we set the bar low so we don't disappoint. We apologize in advance of our actions, to prepare for failure. But, what if we could set the bar and deliver? And what if we gave it our all knowing that in the end, expecations are really worthless, it's results that count.
The Incredible Hulk has been made into two movies, both times with lots of hype, and the second time with expectations that the box office would follow the recently released Iron Man, the results did not come close to expectations, as the second film made less than half as much as Iron Man and nearly the same amount as the first Hulk movie.
Just a couple examples that expectations do not necessarily equal results. So, instead of having this happen to us, we set the bar low so we don't disappoint. We apologize in advance of our actions, to prepare for failure. But, what if we could set the bar and deliver? And what if we gave it our all knowing that in the end, expecations are really worthless, it's results that count.
Friday, August 15, 2008
30 years!
I'm officially an adult. As of right now I can run for Senate, but I'm not announcing my candidacy just yet. I'm taking a suggestions from Gene Wolfenbarger and staying up all night to ponder what I've done so far and where God wants me next. I must say as I reflect, I've got way more than I deserve! A great wife, awesome son, super family, a job I enjoy and some very good friends. So tonight as I reflect, plan, and pray, I will leave you with the words written by Phil Vassar and sung by Tim McGraw... (I will be doing my best karaoke impression sometime this weekend at a yet to be determined location)
I think I'll take a moment, celebrate my age
The ending of an era and the turning of a page
Now it's time to focus in on where I go from here
Lord, have mercy on my next thirty years
Hey, my next thirty years, I'm gonna have some fun
Try to forget about all the crazy things I've done
Maybe now I've conquered all my adolescent fears
And I'll do it better in my next thirty years
My next thirty years, I'm gonna settle all the scores
Cry a little less, laugh a little more
Find a world of happingess, without the hate and fear
Figure out just what I'm doing here in my next thirty years
Oh, my next thirty years, I'm gonna watch my weight
Eat a few more salads and not stay up so late
Drink a little lemonade and not so many beers
Maybe I'll remember my next thirty years
My next thirty years wtill be the best years of my life
Raise a little family and hang out with my wife
Spend precious moments with the ones that I hold dear
Make up for lost time here in my next thirty years
I think I'll take a moment, celebrate my age
The ending of an era and the turning of a page
Now it's time to focus in on where I go from here
Lord, have mercy on my next thirty years
Hey, my next thirty years, I'm gonna have some fun
Try to forget about all the crazy things I've done
Maybe now I've conquered all my adolescent fears
And I'll do it better in my next thirty years
My next thirty years, I'm gonna settle all the scores
Cry a little less, laugh a little more
Find a world of happingess, without the hate and fear
Figure out just what I'm doing here in my next thirty years
Oh, my next thirty years, I'm gonna watch my weight
Eat a few more salads and not stay up so late
Drink a little lemonade and not so many beers
Maybe I'll remember my next thirty years
My next thirty years wtill be the best years of my life
Raise a little family and hang out with my wife
Spend precious moments with the ones that I hold dear
Make up for lost time here in my next thirty years
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
basketball as life??...
I have recently started playing basketball again, though poorly and not as often as I'd like, thanks to Kevin Stover. After playing yesterday I started thinking...
I was once a pretty good basketball player, never great, but I had a consistent shot, good defense, and some speed. After neglecting it for about a decade, when I picked up the ball again it felt strange. What was once almost second nature had become awkward and foreign. My shot has morphed into something very weird and unreliable and I start to gasp for air almost immediately. For me, this made me realize that I've allowed that to happen in many areas of my life. I get busy and forget to call friends, or chat with my wife, or play basketball. Before I know it, it's been years and what was once so easy and enjoyable has become a chore that takes a lot of work.
As bad as it is, I know that if I keep with it and work on my game, that it will improve and get easier. And this has inspired me to not let other things I enjoy slip out of my routine.
I was once a pretty good basketball player, never great, but I had a consistent shot, good defense, and some speed. After neglecting it for about a decade, when I picked up the ball again it felt strange. What was once almost second nature had become awkward and foreign. My shot has morphed into something very weird and unreliable and I start to gasp for air almost immediately. For me, this made me realize that I've allowed that to happen in many areas of my life. I get busy and forget to call friends, or chat with my wife, or play basketball. Before I know it, it's been years and what was once so easy and enjoyable has become a chore that takes a lot of work.
As bad as it is, I know that if I keep with it and work on my game, that it will improve and get easier. And this has inspired me to not let other things I enjoy slip out of my routine.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
San Antonio, TX
This is the second in my series of great southern cities, though I must say to call San Antonio "southern" is a stretch. But many Texans proudly proclaim their ties to the south so I'll go with it. Just spent a week there and here are the highlights.
Fun--LOTS from Seaworld to the Alamo. The Riverwalk is a nice area for a boat ride, people watching, and some Karaoke or dueling pianos at Howl at the Moon or my personal favorite Pat O' Brians. A nice downtown mall for your GAP fix. The Tower of the Americas for Chart House seafood or just to check out the area from the highest point in town. Wax and Texas Ranger are just a couple types of Museum, and this is also a great place to test your spanish speaking skills.
Food--Must have Tex-Mex in the place that invented it, Rio Rio and Casa Rio both do it well. Also, a suprisingly large German community turns out some authentic Schnitzel and the local brew Shiner Bock at Shilo's. It wouldn't be complete without Texas BBQ, which is not my personal favorite but is worth a shot, the Beef Briscuit is tasty and can be had at any number of places from County Line to Bill Miller's. One of the best steaks and steakhouse experiences I've had was right here on Houston St. at Bohanon's--FIRST CLASS. If you have the family, Rainforest Cafe is always fun and you can' go wrong with a Fuddruckers Burger.
Bed--Downtown is the place to stay for local flavor and there are lots of choices. A hotel on the riverwalk is a good choice and some of the best are the Hilton, Westin, and Homewood Suites (great with kids!) The brand new Grand Hyatt is VERY nice and hip, but you'll pay for it! The Menger hotel is pretty awesome, old, right next to the Alamo, and their Presidential Suite has actually been frequented by Presidents.
This is a great, unique, city that is definitely worth the trip.
Fun--LOTS from Seaworld to the Alamo. The Riverwalk is a nice area for a boat ride, people watching, and some Karaoke or dueling pianos at Howl at the Moon or my personal favorite Pat O' Brians. A nice downtown mall for your GAP fix. The Tower of the Americas for Chart House seafood or just to check out the area from the highest point in town. Wax and Texas Ranger are just a couple types of Museum, and this is also a great place to test your spanish speaking skills.
Food--Must have Tex-Mex in the place that invented it, Rio Rio and Casa Rio both do it well. Also, a suprisingly large German community turns out some authentic Schnitzel and the local brew Shiner Bock at Shilo's. It wouldn't be complete without Texas BBQ, which is not my personal favorite but is worth a shot, the Beef Briscuit is tasty and can be had at any number of places from County Line to Bill Miller's. One of the best steaks and steakhouse experiences I've had was right here on Houston St. at Bohanon's--FIRST CLASS. If you have the family, Rainforest Cafe is always fun and you can' go wrong with a Fuddruckers Burger.
Bed--Downtown is the place to stay for local flavor and there are lots of choices. A hotel on the riverwalk is a good choice and some of the best are the Hilton, Westin, and Homewood Suites (great with kids!) The brand new Grand Hyatt is VERY nice and hip, but you'll pay for it! The Menger hotel is pretty awesome, old, right next to the Alamo, and their Presidential Suite has actually been frequented by Presidents.
This is a great, unique, city that is definitely worth the trip.
Scared
I have a tendency to do a lot of STUFF. I get busy...writing, surfing the internet, talking, working, doing projects, playing...when what I really should be doing is slowing down to focus on the few things that really matter, the BIG ROCKS. That seems to be the difference between those who do well in life and those who really become memorable, it's not usually that some are much smarter or luckier, it's just that some know why they are here and devote themselves to that fully.
That has become my most recurring prayer, that God would make it clear to me and my family why we are here and give us the courage, strength and FOCUS to pour ourselves into that life. To make his heart my heart and to chase after it with wild abandon. Even as I write that, there is a part of me that gets scared at where that could take us and what we could do, but sometimes it's good to be scared!
That has become my most recurring prayer, that God would make it clear to me and my family why we are here and give us the courage, strength and FOCUS to pour ourselves into that life. To make his heart my heart and to chase after it with wild abandon. Even as I write that, there is a part of me that gets scared at where that could take us and what we could do, but sometimes it's good to be scared!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Greenville, SC
A very cool town. I've driven through many times, but just recently was able to spend some quality time in the area. To me, there are very few things as cool as visiting a city you know nothing about and just jumping into it to discover what makes it tick.
Greenville has a cool minor leage baseball stadium, even if they are affiliated with the Red Sox.
Great downtown restaurants, Deveraux, O, and Soby's, same owner but Soby's is the REAL DEAL! Also have a Sticky Fingers which is never a bad idea and...TEX MEX Sushi.
The coffee store that kicks Starbucks in the teeth, Port City Java.
Cool nightlife right along one of the best Main Streets named Main street I can recall.
Rocky River Park made me wish I had the family with me, although my son would have definitely tried to turn it into his own scuba expedition.
Firefly Sweet Tea Infused Vodka (Only in the South!) is dangerously delicious as is the local brew, Thomas Creek.
Stayed at the Westin Poinsett which is a cool mix of old and new and right in the heart of downtown, there is also a brand new Hampton Inn overlooking Rocky River, I'll try that one next time.
A couple cool churches, Seacoast and New Life, both have campuses in Greenville.
If you check it out during college football season be prepared for the construction orange clad Clemson Fans.
The BMW manufacturing facility where all X5, X6, and Z4's are made is also worth the 90 minutes and $5 cost of admission.
Definitely a city I look forward to visiting again soon.
Greenville has a cool minor leage baseball stadium, even if they are affiliated with the Red Sox.
Great downtown restaurants, Deveraux, O, and Soby's, same owner but Soby's is the REAL DEAL! Also have a Sticky Fingers which is never a bad idea and...TEX MEX Sushi.
The coffee store that kicks Starbucks in the teeth, Port City Java.
Cool nightlife right along one of the best Main Streets named Main street I can recall.
Rocky River Park made me wish I had the family with me, although my son would have definitely tried to turn it into his own scuba expedition.
Firefly Sweet Tea Infused Vodka (Only in the South!) is dangerously delicious as is the local brew, Thomas Creek.
Stayed at the Westin Poinsett which is a cool mix of old and new and right in the heart of downtown, there is also a brand new Hampton Inn overlooking Rocky River, I'll try that one next time.
A couple cool churches, Seacoast and New Life, both have campuses in Greenville.
If you check it out during college football season be prepared for the construction orange clad Clemson Fans.
The BMW manufacturing facility where all X5, X6, and Z4's are made is also worth the 90 minutes and $5 cost of admission.
Definitely a city I look forward to visiting again soon.
Press On
Arrived back home from Texas a few hours ago, and since I drove almost the entire way and drank energy drinks, for some reason I am now having trouble going to sleep. Lots to ponder and share!
My Dad has been involved in an awesome ministry my whole life, http://www.mttm.org/, but yesterday found out that he would be leaving that to become the state overseer for the Church of God in Louisiana, http://www.lacog.org/. To say it was/is a shock would not do it justice, but they and we are processing it. In fact, the more I push out my own emotional ties to the life I and they have known and my bias to have them close to our family, I start to get really excited about how God can use them in this new role.
A TON of scripture comes to mind, but at the end of the day we must remember that "His ways are not our ways" and "All things work together for good, for those who love him". As I sit here, I have a small framed print with a picture of a runner on my desk that probably sums it up best, Phillipians 3:13-14 (NIV)--take a look.
I pray that I can follow my parents example of humility, obedience, and steadfastness.
My Dad has been involved in an awesome ministry my whole life, http://www.mttm.org/, but yesterday found out that he would be leaving that to become the state overseer for the Church of God in Louisiana, http://www.lacog.org/. To say it was/is a shock would not do it justice, but they and we are processing it. In fact, the more I push out my own emotional ties to the life I and they have known and my bias to have them close to our family, I start to get really excited about how God can use them in this new role.
A TON of scripture comes to mind, but at the end of the day we must remember that "His ways are not our ways" and "All things work together for good, for those who love him". As I sit here, I have a small framed print with a picture of a runner on my desk that probably sums it up best, Phillipians 3:13-14 (NIV)--take a look.
I pray that I can follow my parents example of humility, obedience, and steadfastness.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
The week so far...
I've been in San Antonio, Texas, this week where my company set up a booth at the Church of God General Assembly. Some of you know, I grew up in the COG and have had mixed feelings about it for a long time. What I have realized this week here, is that this is a very diverse denomination. Unlike many others, they do a reasonably good job of encouraging racial, social, and geographic diversity and inclusion. I think this is a huge challenge, but we should be intentionally trying to develop relationships with people who may not look or act just like us, it's not easy or comfortable, but it will make us better.
On another note, I saw Step Brothers and while it had several moments of absolute laugh out loud hilarity, it was also possibly the most vulgar movie I have ever sat through. I feel a little guilty I enjoyed it so much!
San Antonio is a cool town and will definitely warrant a wrap up of what to do, see, eat, in the coming days.
On another note, I saw Step Brothers and while it had several moments of absolute laugh out loud hilarity, it was also possibly the most vulgar movie I have ever sat through. I feel a little guilty I enjoyed it so much!
San Antonio is a cool town and will definitely warrant a wrap up of what to do, see, eat, in the coming days.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Business
Wow, of course that must be next after my last post! And I was doing so well with my daily updates. Since I last checked in, I spent Thursday in Atlanta with several pastors I'm working with, all great guys. Friday morning I played in a Golf Tournament in Chattanooga and while it was fun, by golf game needs some serious work. After golf, the family piled into a minivan for a little work/fun trip to San Antonio, TX. Stopped briefly in New Orleans for a Cafe Du Monde fix. Sunday morning I was able to attend Lakewood Church in Houston and must say I was pleasantly surprised (I'll follow up on that one later). Arrived at the Alamo this afternoon and I'll be here all week. Good times!
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