Fun on Friday

Learned this week that my friend, Andy Holt, is running for a seat in the Tennessee State House of Representatives from his district in West Tennessee. If I lived in Dresden, he'd get my vote. I'll post more as his campaign expands.

Would love to see the Oklahoma City Thunder defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round of the NBA playoffs. Probably not going to happen. But the Thunder look like a team that will be a contender in the near future.

The Atlanta Braves are digging an early hole in the National League East. Losing lots of close games.

Great Quote Thursday

Written on a note given to legendary basketball coach John Wooden by his father; a creed that Wooden's father suggested his son try to live by:

1. Be true to yourself
2. Make each day your masterpiece
3. Help others
4. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible
5. Make friendship a fine art
6. Build a shelter against a rainy day
7. Pray for guidance; count and give thanks for your blessings every day.

Like a Visit to the Barber Shop

When I was younger, my Dad would take my brother and me to an old-style, traditional barber shop to get our haircuts (much like Floyd's Barber Shop from the Andy Griffith Show). There, surrounded by dead mounted fish and among photos of former athletes and out-of-date magazines, men, mostly of an older generation, would share the news of the day and solve all the world's problems.

This week, I'm experiencing a similar but much more enjoyable situation. Here's the background. During two weeks out of the school year, the parents in each class at my son's school are assigned to assist with "Car Duty", which entails opening car doors for students and greeting them as they arrive for school. Our class was assigned a week in February and once again this week. By this Friday, I will have worked a total of 7 mornings this school year.

But there is a group of men, known as the Senior Saints, who are there every morning. Rain, wind, bitter cold. It doesn't matter. They're there. And they're nice. Always nice. With a "Good morning, big guy" for my 6 year old son and a "Have a great day" for me. These men include a retired veterinarian, a retired TVA manager, a retired missionary.

Here's some of what I've learned in two weeks working with the Senior Saints:

I now know not to open a minivan door until you're sure it's not going to open automatically

I now know that some parents wear a robe and/or pajamas to drop their children off at school

I now know which families seem to always run late

I now know there is a hawk that perches on the power lines across from the school for the same 15 minutes every morning

I now know that some parents have very messy cars (I keep my car cleaner now that I've worked car duty)

I now know that all school buses have an exhaust problem

I now know that the Senior Saints really care about the children and families in our community

And I now know that I'm looking forward to working with the Senior Saints again next school year.

Similar to the barber shop experience, these men joke about how they hope to get "raises" next year for their volunteer time. They share their thoughts on why the county should widen the school's driveway; why a separate entrance for buses would be helpful; why my son's school is such a great school.

One reason it's such a great school is because of the Senior Saints.

Just Do It- James 1 (The Mirror)

On Sundays, I'm continuing through our "Just Do It" series based from James 1:22. Here's a thought from Sunday and James chapter 1: The Mirror.

James 1:23-25 describes a man who looks in a mirror, sees what needs to be addressed, but who then walks away and neglects to do things that need to be done. Few people simply get out of bed, look in the mirror, and then start their day as-is. Usually some combination of showering, brushing, combing and/or shaving is in order. Things that make them better.

In the same way, many people read Scripture or listen to sermons but the Word of God does not impact or affect how they live; they don't live out what they've learned. They don't deal with what the mirror (God's Word) has shown them.

Here's The Point: We're promised blessing (James 1:25) when we apply what we learn; when we look "into the perfect law", see ourselves as we really are and then do something about it.

Life Apps

Next Sunday (May 2), our Pastor, Hollie Miller, begins a new study on the life of David called "Life Apps". Check out the series website at http://www.12lifeapps.org.

Fun on Friday

Was at McDonald's last weekend. Noticed their apple pies. You can buy one for .90 cents or you can get two for $1.00. Seems like if you want an apple pie, you ought to just ask to buy the second one. Looks like it only costs a dime.

I don't watch much NHL action during the regular season. But the Stanley Cup playoffs are a different story. In the playoffs, the games mean something. Many of the best-of-seven series go a full seven games and any team can beat any other team on a given night.

There are three new flavors of Mountain Dew available on the market right now: Typhoon, Distortion and White Out. I haven't tried these yet but I plan to and I'll let you know what I think of each flavor. You can vote for your favorite, and check out the national voting map, through June 14 at http://www.dewmocracy.com/. The winning flavor will stay on the market; the other two go away. Currently, Tennessee is a White Out state.

Great Quote Thursday

The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things; he is the one who gets the people to do the greatest things- Ronald Reagan

Just Do It- James 1 (No Comparison)

Our "Just Do It" series based from James 1:22 continues. Here's a thought from Sunday and James chapter 1: No Comparison.

In verses 9-11, James writes that those of both humble circumstances as well as those who are wealthy should give glory to the Lord. The poor because, for followers of Christ, this time is only temporary; heaven awaits. The wealthy should glorify God because all their earthly gifts are temporary and not of their own doing; these things will pass away.

Here's the Point: It is so easy to compare ourselves to others. Maybe you've fallen into the trap and had thoughts like these from time to time:
Why did she get the promotion, I'm a better employee?
Why do people think he's so great; I work alot harder than he does?
Wow, that's a nice (fill in the blank); I sure wish we could afford that.

But for the Christ-follower, it's a waste of time to make such comparisons. If you are blessed with temporary things, that's great, but they're ultimately going to "pass away" (v. 10). If you aren't blessed with lots of earthly stuff, it doesn't matter eternally anyway.

And with Americans so abundantly blessed when compared to many other nations, there really should be no comparison.

Why I Like Aubrey's Restaurant

If you ask me what is my favorite restaurant, I'll tell you Aubrey's. And here's why. First, I've never had a bad meal there. But more than that, there's lots to like about Aubrey's. A wide-ranging menu. Large portions. Competitive prices. Great desserts.

But what really makes Aubrey's stand out may very well be its service. Unlike many restaurants where servers are assigned specific areas, Aubrey's takes a team approach in addition to specific areas. The team approach helps offset potentially poor service. We've all been to a restaurant where the server assigned to our table was probably not an employee of the month candidate. But Aubrey's team approach, and the culture of the restaurant itself, means the customer is treated well. Among other things, drink refills are plentiful and often. It means the staff checks to make sure your meal is as you ordered, they don't just assume all is well and forget you're there once the meal has been served. It makes for a very positive dining experience.

Might I recommend the Ragin' Cajun sandwich?

Pete Wilson's New Book- Plan B

This weekend, I received my advance copy of Pete Wilson's new book, Plan B. The book focuses on the question: What do you do when God doesn't show up the way you thought He would? In accordance with the promotion with Thomas Nelson publishers, I'll post a blog review on May 3.

What's a Smile Worth?

What's a smile worth?

When a cashier at a store smiles and is pleasant, it improves the shopping experience. When a speaker smiles and adds inflection to her presentation, she's much easier to listen to. When someone on the other end of a phone conversation smiles, you can hear it in their voice.

Think of it this way. If you are hiring a receptionist and have three equally qualified candidates; wouldn't you hire the one who smiles most? If you are in a roomful of 15 preschoolers and 4 of them smile often and play well together; don't you infer that their homelife is happy and that they have good parents?

A smile goes a long way.

Book Review- Diamond Rio's Beautiful Mess

I recently was provided the opportunity to write blog reviews of books published by Thomas Nelson Publishers. Based on the books available at the time I joined the program, I selected Beautiful Mess by Diamond Rio with Tom Roland. A longtime fan of the band and their tight musical harmonies, I was interested in learning more about the band.

The book begins by outlining the path that led the members of the band together. Turns out that the old Opryland themepark played a major role in the formation of Diamond Rio, which was originally known as the Tennessee River Boys. The bulk of the book takes time to address the individual life stories of the six band members: Marty Roe, Dan Truman, Jimmy Olander, Brian Prout, Gene Johnson and Dana Williams.

The final chapters of the book chronicle the band's struggles and successes. Considerable time is spent detailing the band's significant community involvement; particularly with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.

Basically, if you're a fan of Diamond Rio, you'll find the book interesting. If Diamond Rio is not a band that interests you, the book won't either.

Fun on Friday

Was asked this week to speak to our church's graduating high school seniors as part of this summer's Last Lectures series. Last Lectures utilizes different speakers addressing a variety of topics that attempt to prepare the seniors for all that is ahead for them. I was given the topic "Time Management". Hope I know what I'll be talking about.

The Orange and White game, the UT Vols spring football game, is this Saturday. Can't help but think it will be a really long fall.

Looking forward to the start of the NBA Playoffs this weekend. With 16 teams involved in the early rounds, there is usually at least a doubleheader of televised games each night for about three weeks. Gotta love that.

Great Quote Thursday

A movement of God cannot be planned, but it must be planned for- Perry Noble

Just Do It- James 1 (Words Mean Things)

On Sunday, I began a new teaching series through the New Testament book of James, "Just Do It", based from James 1:22, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves". Here is a thought from Sunday and James chapter 1:

Words mean things. In v. 1, James calls himself "a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (depending on the version of the Bible you use, the text may say servant or bondservant). What makes this statement so striking is that James did not always have this respect for Jesus, who was his older half-brother. John 1:5 tells us that even Jesus' own brothers did not believe in Him. But all that changed after Christ's resurrection, when James saw that Jesus had resurrected as He said He would (I Corinthians 15:7).

Now, in James' defense, it had to be difficult to be the brother of Jesus. Many of us have a sister who is "the golden girl"; the brother who can do no wrong. But if your brother is Jesus, he really did no wrong. At some point, from someone in the neighborhood, James had to hear, "why can't you be like your brother" and really he had no chance to do that.

But to go from non-believer to believer to leader of the church in Jerusalem to a slave of Jesus Christ is an amazing transformation. The resurrection was a powerful event.

And words mean things.

Check Your Facebook Photos

In recent years, I am more and more frequently asked to serve as a reference for people I know as they look for a job or apply to a school. The schools are both undergraduate and graduate schools. Some are public, secular schools. Sometimes they are references for a seminary applicant. The job references range from temporary summer jobs to entry-level positions to attempts to make significant career upgrades and/or moves.

Whenever I am listed as a reference, that means that I know the applicant (hopefully he or she has contacted me regarding the reference listing in advance, if for no other reason than to let me know I may be contacted on their behalf) and it is basically anticipated that I will give the applicant a glowing review. This is the way the process has worked for ages. References almost always say only good things. It's expected.

However, if an employer is looking at potentially hiring you, in effect, investing in you, they should do their due diligence to check out everything they can about you. Think about it this way. Everyone attempts to look their best in an interview or when they walk in to apply for a job. Your references will only say positive things. You will say all the right things in an interview. Your prospective employer should attempt to gain all possible information about you. They may even check to see if you're on Facebook.

So if you are an applicant for a position, at any level, may I make a suggestion? Check your Facebook photos. So many people leave their Facebook photos open to view by any and all. Your Facebook photos show you as you really are. Or as you really were.

If you have "partying" photos from days gone by, and you don't do that anymore because of maturity or a major change of lifestyle, you'd probably be better off to remove those. If, in several of your Facebook photos, you're making silly faces or, even worse, some immature hand gestures that only your close friends know the meaning of (but ones that may look like gang related signs or racial slurs to a prospective employer), that may say something about you.

It might be well worth your time to check your Facebook photos.

Fun on Friday

Watched "Guru of Go" on ESPN this week. This ESPN 30 for 30 documentary chronicles the coaching career of Paul Westhead, a longtime and well-traveled college and professional basketball coach. Much of the documentary focuses on his years at Loyola Marymount University in the late 1980's and early 1990's, where he ran his high octane, fun-and-gun offense, "The System", utilizing the Philadelphia streetball skills of Bo Kimble and the late Hank Gathers. Interesting throughout, the portion dealing with Gathers on-court collapse and subsequent death is particularly intense. Well worth watching.

With the introduction of the new iPad, I can't help but wonder what cutting edge technology will look like when my sons are my age.

Hoping to find some time this weekend to get by Tom Black Track for the Sea Ray Relays.

Subway now serves breakfast. Is that really necessary?

I love the shade of the green grass in the springtime.

Don't know about you, but parking garages that leak when it's raining make me a little bit uncomfortable. It doesn't seem like it should really be "raining" inside the garage.

Great Quote Thursday

People who have integrity are consistent in what they say and do. People with integrity have this consistency, this predictability, this believability- Diane Peck

Book Review- When Leadership and Discipleship Collide

Authored by Bill Hybels, this short book is part of Zondervan Publishing's Leadership Library collection.

Drawing from the New Testament book of Mark, Hybels outlines several examples of how Jesus Christ chose to go against what would, in most cases, be readily accepted laws of leadership. Among these are:
Build a team of highly qualified leaders- not exactly what you would call the disciples
Keep up the momentum- sometimes Christ went away from the crowds to spend time alone in prayer
Avoid unnecessary controversy- Christ never shied away from addressing difficult topics

At the midpoint of the book, Hybels shifts to share some personal examples of times when he has been forced to choose between busyness (leadership, sometimes) and real ministry (discipleship). As you would expect, choosing to be involved in the lives of people, as Christ did, is always a good choice.

This good, though not outstanding, book is well worth reading, especially the section from the book of Mark. Plus, it can be read in less than an hour.

My Thoughts on the Final Four

Anybody but Duke.

Great Quote Thursday

It is the start that stops most people- Anonymous