Some random thoughts:
Do all the people who audition for American Idol really think they'll be "the next American Idol"? Or are they just hoping to be really bad and get 45 seconds of TV fame?
Has anyone eaten the Angry Whopper? Is there really a need for that?
I have friends who regularly watch "Lost" on TV. But many of these same people think "Gilligan's Island" was ridiculous.
What's up with the new Geico commercials? Two eyeballs on a couple of stacks of bills. This is hard to admit, but I actually like the caveman commercials better.
Super Bowl XLIII- Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals: My head says the Steelers are the better team; my heart says the Cardinals are on an amazing roll. This year, I really don't care who wins, I just hope it's a good game.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The "Fun Cart" People
A few days ago, our oldest son had to go to Children's Hospital for a CT scan (in case you're wondering, we received good results from the scan). While he was waiting for his test to begin, the "fun cart" people came through the waiting area. I'm sure the hospital has an actual, official name for the "fun cart" people but that's what we called them.
The "fun cart" people made my son smile, gave him a stuffed penguin and a much-liked (temporary) cheetah tattoo. As my wife and I were discussing how this helped our son's experience be a positive one, I mentioned how I thought working the "fun cart" would be a great job, to be able to bring joy to children in the hospital. Because even though you would see some sad, awful things, you would be trying to brighten someone's day, to make their world a little bit brighter.
Here's The Point: I don't need to be part of the "fun cart" people to make a difference, to be an encouragement to others. I'm going to try to help brighten someone's day today, not with stuffed penguins and cheetah tattoos but by using words of kindness and encouragement. I hope you will too.
The "fun cart" people made my son smile, gave him a stuffed penguin and a much-liked (temporary) cheetah tattoo. As my wife and I were discussing how this helped our son's experience be a positive one, I mentioned how I thought working the "fun cart" would be a great job, to be able to bring joy to children in the hospital. Because even though you would see some sad, awful things, you would be trying to brighten someone's day, to make their world a little bit brighter.
Here's The Point: I don't need to be part of the "fun cart" people to make a difference, to be an encouragement to others. I'm going to try to help brighten someone's day today, not with stuffed penguins and cheetah tattoos but by using words of kindness and encouragement. I hope you will too.
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Daily Grind
A blog post by Neal Thornton:
So many of us get caught up in the daily grind. We are so blinded by our Franklin Planners and our 8-5 time slots, we miss what God is really trying to do in our lives. I've been thinking recently about what I may have been missing in my “ordinary” life.
Saturday afternoon I am inside Thompson-Boling Arena watching the Vols play the Memphis Tigers. Even though this was not my first experience watching the Vols play basketball, God showed me something inside the arena that He has never shown me before. Saturday’s attendance was roughly 21,000 people. All of them screaming at the top of their lungs “go Vols”. Then it hit me. What if that many people were screaming, “Crucify Him!”. I had this picture in my head of Jesus on the cross at center court. Wow, what a picture! Or this picture for a halftime show: being in the Roman Coliseum when they fed the Christians to the lions. God made think about what I am zealous for. If I can scream this hard at a basketball game, then shouldn’t I be just this excited on Sunday morning? Just a thought.
So many of us get caught up in the daily grind. We are so blinded by our Franklin Planners and our 8-5 time slots, we miss what God is really trying to do in our lives. I've been thinking recently about what I may have been missing in my “ordinary” life.
Saturday afternoon I am inside Thompson-Boling Arena watching the Vols play the Memphis Tigers. Even though this was not my first experience watching the Vols play basketball, God showed me something inside the arena that He has never shown me before. Saturday’s attendance was roughly 21,000 people. All of them screaming at the top of their lungs “go Vols”. Then it hit me. What if that many people were screaming, “Crucify Him!”. I had this picture in my head of Jesus on the cross at center court. Wow, what a picture! Or this picture for a halftime show: being in the Roman Coliseum when they fed the Christians to the lions. God made think about what I am zealous for. If I can scream this hard at a basketball game, then shouldn’t I be just this excited on Sunday morning? Just a thought.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Fun on Friday
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Decisions, decisions
Ever try to make a quick-fix on something (car repair?) or try to piece something together (project at work?) as you hoped to get off as cheaply and as easily as possible? How'd that work for you?
Over the past couple of weeks, I've spoken with several people who are facing significant, "fork-in-the-road", life-changing decisions. Seldom are their options very clear cut. They may have one seemingly ideal option (but it may not work out), while the other options are not so great. Sometimes, none of the options are really all that appealing. In each case, the choice of what to do, the next step, is very difficult. There's no quick-fix option.
Here's the Point: Think long-term. What may seem best right now, what may seem easiest right now, may not be best in the long run. And remember, just because something is the right thing to do, does not mean it will be easy to do. Easiest isn't always best.
Over the past couple of weeks, I've spoken with several people who are facing significant, "fork-in-the-road", life-changing decisions. Seldom are their options very clear cut. They may have one seemingly ideal option (but it may not work out), while the other options are not so great. Sometimes, none of the options are really all that appealing. In each case, the choice of what to do, the next step, is very difficult. There's no quick-fix option.
Here's the Point: Think long-term. What may seem best right now, what may seem easiest right now, may not be best in the long run. And remember, just because something is the right thing to do, does not mean it will be easy to do. Easiest isn't always best.
Monday, January 19, 2009
That Kind of Love
Sometimes you meet someone and they make an immediate impression on you. A couple of years ago I met one of those people. His name is Buddy Tharp.
It was Christmastime 2005. I was in the process of transitioning into a new position at the church where I serve. One of my new responsibilities was to coordinate the ushers and greeters for the annual regional Christmas event that our church sponsors.
As I was completing preparations in our check-in room for the volunteers who were just beginning to arrive to work the event, in walked a man I had not yet met. I had seen him at church before but we had never been introduced. I walked over and introduced myself. “Nice to meet you” he said. “I’m Buddy Tharp. I’ve not been able to help the past couple of years because my wife has been sick but she passed away earlier this year”. As I listened intently, Buddy detailed the exact number of years, months and days that he and his beloved wife would have been married had she been with us that day. In that moment, I knew I wanted to be Buddy’s friend. Because that’s the kind of husband I want to be, that’s the kind of marriage I want to have.
Here’s the Point: Isn’t that the kind of love you want to have? Don’t you want your marriage to be like that? By the way, Tonya and I’ve been married for 9 years, 7 months and 7 days. What about you? One more thing, if you'd like to meet my friend, Buddy, I'd be glad to introduce you.
It was Christmastime 2005. I was in the process of transitioning into a new position at the church where I serve. One of my new responsibilities was to coordinate the ushers and greeters for the annual regional Christmas event that our church sponsors.
As I was completing preparations in our check-in room for the volunteers who were just beginning to arrive to work the event, in walked a man I had not yet met. I had seen him at church before but we had never been introduced. I walked over and introduced myself. “Nice to meet you” he said. “I’m Buddy Tharp. I’ve not been able to help the past couple of years because my wife has been sick but she passed away earlier this year”. As I listened intently, Buddy detailed the exact number of years, months and days that he and his beloved wife would have been married had she been with us that day. In that moment, I knew I wanted to be Buddy’s friend. Because that’s the kind of husband I want to be, that’s the kind of marriage I want to have.
Here’s the Point: Isn’t that the kind of love you want to have? Don’t you want your marriage to be like that? By the way, Tonya and I’ve been married for 9 years, 7 months and 7 days. What about you? One more thing, if you'd like to meet my friend, Buddy, I'd be glad to introduce you.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Fun on Friday
A few weeks back, my friend, Dave Sims, gave me and my sons a box of surplus Frankenberry fruit roll-ups that he had. Now why Dave had lots of fruit roll-ups is another blog for another day or you can just ask Dave.
Anyway, we're enjoying a fruit roll-up earlier this week and I happen to read the packaging. Not the box, the individual package. And on the package, there is a note that says "Remove paper from roll-up before eating". Now if I understand correctly, this type of note was added because someone ate a fruit roll-up with the paper on it. Really? I mean really? There are actually people who need to be told to remove the paper from the fruit roll-up before eating it? Really?
Seen a "you can't be serious" note on any packaging lately? I'd love to hear about it.
Anyway, we're enjoying a fruit roll-up earlier this week and I happen to read the packaging. Not the box, the individual package. And on the package, there is a note that says "Remove paper from roll-up before eating". Now if I understand correctly, this type of note was added because someone ate a fruit roll-up with the paper on it. Really? I mean really? There are actually people who need to be told to remove the paper from the fruit roll-up before eating it? Really?
Seen a "you can't be serious" note on any packaging lately? I'd love to hear about it.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Arrowhead Church launches this Sunday
On Sunday in Morristown, Arrowhead Church will hold its first worship services. Led by Ben Shoun, formerly the student pastor at Sevier Heights Baptist Church, Arrowhead's desire is to reach the unchurched in the Lakeway area. If you are interested in more information about Arrowhead Church, please check out the church's website at www.arrowheadchurch.com or go to Ben's Arrowhead blog at www.benshoun.com.
Sevier Heights is the sponsoring church for Arrowhead Church and this Saturday several young couples from Sevier Heights will be going to Morristown to help promote the new church launch on Sunday.
We look forward to hearing about the great things that God will be doing through Arrowhead Church.
Sevier Heights is the sponsoring church for Arrowhead Church and this Saturday several young couples from Sevier Heights will be going to Morristown to help promote the new church launch on Sunday.
We look forward to hearing about the great things that God will be doing through Arrowhead Church.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Daddy, did you miss me?
A couple of nights ago, our oldest son spent the night with my parents, his Granna and Pop. He always enjoys spending the night with either set of his grandparents. But whenever we go to pick him up, after being away from him for even a few hours, he will always ask us in very short order, “Did you miss me”?
As expected, as we were in the car heading home from Granna and Pop's house, he asked me, “Daddy, did you miss me?” “Oh, of course, we missed you very much” was my reply. And while he loves visiting his grandparents, it also brings him great joy to hear that he was missed at home, that his Mommy and Daddy were thinking of him while he was away.
Here’s the Point: If you have been away from the Father for awhile, if you’ve not spent time with Him lately, He misses you. He enjoys spending time with you, He's thinking of you and He misses you.
As expected, as we were in the car heading home from Granna and Pop's house, he asked me, “Daddy, did you miss me?” “Oh, of course, we missed you very much” was my reply. And while he loves visiting his grandparents, it also brings him great joy to hear that he was missed at home, that his Mommy and Daddy were thinking of him while he was away.
Here’s the Point: If you have been away from the Father for awhile, if you’ve not spent time with Him lately, He misses you. He enjoys spending time with you, He's thinking of you and He misses you.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Just Do It
Remember the old Nike slogan, "Just Do It". The marketing campaign was designed at encouraging people who just talked about getting fit to actually get off their couch (buy some Nike gear, of course) and just do it. To quit thinking and talking about starting a running program or joining a gym or participating in multiple other recreational and fitness pursuits and to just do it.
This idea to "just do it" is not a new concept. I was challenged this weekend as I again read a verse in the New Testament, James 1:22: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (NIV).
Here's the Point: Scripture is often very clear. In life, many times we know what we should do. We just don't do it. We have knowledge but we don't live out what we know to be true. When we do this, we're just deceiving ourselves.
This idea to "just do it" is not a new concept. I was challenged this weekend as I again read a verse in the New Testament, James 1:22: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (NIV).
Here's the Point: Scripture is often very clear. In life, many times we know what we should do. We just don't do it. We have knowledge but we don't live out what we know to be true. When we do this, we're just deceiving ourselves.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
No Room in the Lot
Last night, a friend and I went to the Tennessee/Gonzaga basketball game (an OT loss for the Vols). We were running late and trying to hurriedly make it for tip-off (which we did, but just barely). When we arrived on campus, we went to the parking lot that I often try to use when attending an event at UT. As we attempted to enter the lot, they put out the dreaded "Lot Full" sign. My buddy asked if they had room for one more car, but we were waved off with just a brusk "No, no".
In a few minutes we found a much better parking spot that was closer to the arena (it was a cold walk) which also allowed us to exit campus after the game more quickly than if we had parked in our original, desired location.
Here's the Point: Ever had the desire for a certain job or relationship that just didn't work out? At the time, it was disappointing, awkward or maybe even painful. But just down the road, you realized He had something better lined up for you. If you had gotten what you wanted, you would have settled for less than the best.
It's great to know that God cares about the big things (marriage, family, career) as well as the extremely minor and seemingly insignificant things (like parking spaces).
In a few minutes we found a much better parking spot that was closer to the arena (it was a cold walk) which also allowed us to exit campus after the game more quickly than if we had parked in our original, desired location.
Here's the Point: Ever had the desire for a certain job or relationship that just didn't work out? At the time, it was disappointing, awkward or maybe even painful. But just down the road, you realized He had something better lined up for you. If you had gotten what you wanted, you would have settled for less than the best.
It's great to know that God cares about the big things (marriage, family, career) as well as the extremely minor and seemingly insignificant things (like parking spaces).
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Why The Point?
Our desire (or The Point) from the beginning has been to help connect couples to Christ and one another. This occurs in many different settings..........bible study classes, on a softball field, in small group, by serving in the community or simply just having a meal together.
But whatever the venue, the Point is always the same: daily becoming more like Christ while living in community with people who care about one another.
That's The Point.
But whatever the venue, the Point is always the same: daily becoming more like Christ while living in community with people who care about one another.
That's The Point.
Welcome to The Point
In May 2006, a small group of friends began a Bible Fellowship class at Sevier Heights Baptist Church (www.sevierheights.org) in Knoxville, TN. At the time, we knew that a new class would provide a great opportunity for young couples to meet one another. But what we thought would be just a class has turned into the opportunity for many young married and engaged couples to experience life together; an opportunity to build lifetime friendships with other couples who are experiencing the same types of joys and struggles and victories and frustrations.......and to go through them together. Together really is better.
I hope this space will serve as a location, or even The Point of connection, for young couples.
I hope this space will serve as a location, or even The Point of connection, for young couples.
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