Hey I'm actually reading a book

There are a few things that I've picked up from my Dad over the years, love of baseball probably being one of the biggest, but one of the things he loves to do I don't do so much that is read books. I got him a book for Fathers Day, of course it was about a baseball player, Josh Hamilton and his rise and fall and rise again and his faith, and he read it that night, the whole stinkin book in one night. I can't do that. I do get in those moods to read a book, I recently read the book on Joe Torre and his time with the Yankees, good book. I like reading biographies to see how people have overcome something but I also like reading books that teach me something. I am reading such a book thanks to the Chrome Legend. It is Francis Chan's "Crazy Love" and I'm digging this book.

The last chapter I read was a tough one and I'm gonna read it again. The chapter was called PROFILE OF THE LUKEWARM and yeah my toes hurt, my butt was kicked so hard that I had trouble sitting down and some of the things he mentioned hit me like a kick to the groin, in a good way though. He mentioned something that hit me and here it is:

The American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity. The goals of American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don't swear, and good church attendance. Taking the words of Christ literally and seriously is rarely considered. That's for the "radicals" who are "unbalanced" and who go "overboard." Most of us want a balanced life that we can control, that is safe, and that does not invlove suffering. Check out Philipians 3:10.

He also mentions that "LUKEWARM PEOPLE say the love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, their money, and their thoughts, but He isn't allowed to control their lives." I think that we can all find ourselves guilty of this WAY TOO OFTEN. This is a great book and I suggest reading it if you get the chance. Early in the book he painted this picture which I will leave you with:

Not being able to fully understand God is frustrating, but it is ridiculous for us to think we have the right to limit God to something we are capable of comprehending. What a stunted, insignificant god that would be! If my mind is the size of a soda can and God is the size of all the oceans, it would be stupid for me to say He is only the small amount of water I can scoop into my little can. God is so much bigger, so far beyond our time-encased, air/food/sleep-dependant lives.

Try this again

I noticed yesterday that it has been over a week since my last post so I did one up yesterday only to hit publish and get an error code. So that post is lost in space somewhere so I give you this one. Its been a quiet week here this week, the kids are in Tennessee which we will be heading down there to pick them up tomorrow and head back early Sunday so we can be back in time to duct tape the bus, thats gonna be fun. The kids have enjoyed their week away, didn't know about Tyson because he's never spent more than a weekend away from home but he is having a blast and they are already talking about going back for a week before school starts.

Enjoyed a couple of mini dates with Tammy this week and I think we need to do that every week no matter what we do. Got a book to read when I get back "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan, that dude is amazing so I look forward to reading the book and learning. Radio has been fun, I'll miss Saturday over there, and I would love to do that full time, maybe someday. Work front is still stalled out, nothing really on the horizion as of now but I know God has a plan for me and its not by my time but by His.

Birthday / Father's Day wrapped into one

Yesterday I got my birthday/Father's day gift, tickets to see the Indianapolis Indians play. Tammy got them for half-price from WLBC and their half-price hookup and we decided to take in a day game yesterday. It helped the decision when I found out they were playing the Atlanta Braves triple A team Gwinnett. We actually lucked into seeing a doubleheader as Tuesday nights game was rained out so they played it yesterday. The games started an hour earlier at noon and were only 7 innings each. Both games were good, we sat about 10 or 11 rows up right beside the Braves' dugout on the first base side, good seats except for the first game it was packed in that area, most of the people in our section left after the 1st game so we got to spread out a bit. The Indians scored all 3 of their runs in the first game in the 7th inning to win game one 3-2. The Braves held on in game 2 to win 4-3.

During the second game in the bottom of the 5th inning a member of the Indians grounded to the shortstop who threw to the 2nd baseman to force a runner out to end the inning. As they were coming to the dugout the 2nd baseman Brooks Conrad was looking into the stands at all the people screaming for the ball, I was standing there pointing towards Taylor and Tyson beside me and he flipped the ball up there and Tyson got it. After that he was into the game for the final 2 innings. Now I've been to about 15 games before and never really even come close to getting one and Tyson at his second ball game got one. He of course didn't want to go in the first place, not a sports fan at all, so he was complaining most of the day about being hot or bored or whatever but after he got the ball he was all into it. I told them all before we left the house that Tyson would probably have the most fun there because he didn't want to go and it turns out he did. If you've never been to Victory Field it is a beautiful ballpark and a good place to see a game, I'm sure we will go back.

Topped the day off by stoping at the Hamilton Commons and eating at Red Robin, we need one of those in Muncie. Got a bit fried at the ball game and I'm paying the price today, it was all worth it, even parking at the zoo and walking a couple of blocks to the stadium. Got to meet up with an old classmate there and it was good to talk to her and meet 3/4 of her family and her to meet mine.

Summer is here, almost

Although the first day of summer is actually a few days away, the kids have started their summer vacation and I think they are enjoying it already. Taylor slept in til 9 am and Tyson is at his normal spot playing a little PlayStaion. This could turn into a normal routine for these two except for when band camp and band practice come up for Taylor. I on the other hand look forward to playing a little golf in the coming days or weeks depends on the job situation which is still at a stand still. I got a thing from Hickory Hills Golf Course via WLBC's half price hook-up which is where you get things half price. I got a $50 gift card for $25 so when I get it I will be enjoying some golf no matter how horrible I play I'll still enjoy it. I always have enjoyed playing even though I'm not that good but it seems like its hard to find time to go. When I worked at Twoson we'd have 1 or 2 outings a year, 1 for just Twoson and 1 for Twoson and our customers. They cut those a few years ago but I still enjoyed taking a day off with my boss and we'd go play 18 holes somewhere, Winchester, Selma, Hickory Hills and one time we went to Indy to play at William Sham, had to wear a shirt with a collar. I didn't go out last year and not sure if I made it out the year before and I know it has been around 5 years since I've played just a mile or so north of where I'm sitting so to say that I'm pumped is an understatement.

Something else I'm pumped about, the new series "Personal". I really enjoyed yesterday's messge and look forward to the next few weeks. I've been a christian for 20 + years and I can honestly say that alot of that time it was not personal. I never really thought about in that light most of the time but PK is right on when he talks about it being personal. I'm excited to see how God is gonna move during this time. Worship was good yesterday, I think everyone did a good job not only yesterday but last week as well, don't think I ever posted on last week. I'd post last weeks songs but I don't remember all of them, I'm getting old.

Sunday Set-List:
How Awesome Is The Lord Most High - Chris Tomlin
Whom Shall I Fear - Darrell Evans
How Marvelous (I Stand Amazed) - Chris Tomlin
Enough - Chris Tomlin
Came To My Rescue - Hillsong United
Arms Of Love - Craig Musseau
In The Secret - Sonicflood

Fun at the station

Last night was a blast again at the station with PK and Solid Rock Friday Night. We did the rock A to Z and completed the alphabet with the exception of Q and Y so if your starting a band use one of those letters. We had a ball and I'm sure some footage will show up at some point. Had fun bantering and just doin our thing with Kris aka Sir RoX Alot and myself DJ Jazzy D-Roc the Professor of Roctology, make sure you don't have a P on there. Did my first interview on the air with a fellow named Dave who was putting on the Day of Fire show that we went to tonight, more on that in a bit, and there was a time we thought we'd never make it through the alphabet and then there was a time where we thought we're gonna have time left over. Turns out we ended on Z and that was the end of our show, we played the time perfectly. Even got a chance to kind of interview PK for a bit about what is going on at FFC. I'm sure that there will be yet another return engagement in the future. Bummer that Pink couldn't make it but we still had a blast.

Tonight the family went to the Jay Co. Fairgrounds and caught the Day of Fire show for FREE and it was a rockin' good time. They sounded good and put on a whale of a show, I'd defineately go see them again sometime. Got to talk to Josh Brown the lead singer for a few minutes, he used to be in a rock band called Full Devil Jacket and had drug problems but gave his live to Christ and started all over again, he has an awesome testimony. They played a new song called "The Darkest Hill" or something to that effect, it is about Christ going to the cross and it was amazing. I told him I'm playing that one on the radio when the cd comes out. It was a great song, I'm gonna have to check out YouTube to see if there is any footage of it.

Ready for the new series tomorrow, I know I've said it before but I'll say it again, I think this is going to be an awesome series and we are going to see lives changed. Ready to play tomorrow and after practice Thursday I'm ready to do You Are Here (The Same Power) in a couple of weeks, your gonna dig that one.

Another year has passed.

As I type this it is 12:01 PM which means in 11 minutes I will officially be 41, another year has came and went and I don't know what happened to most of it, it seemed to just fly by. Why didn't the time go by this fast when I was in school? Alot happened during the year some good things and some bad things but chalk it all up to experience and move on is how I feel about it. I was sitting here thinking of past birthdays and I know we always had a little party and I got to thinking about my favorites and I narrowed it down to the 3 that stick out the most, and funny two of them have to do with the same thing.

My first would be my 12th B-day which would be 1980, my aunt worked at the bank in Winchester and got us 4 tickets to see the Reds take on my favorite team at the time the Pittsburgh Pirates, why were they my favorite team? Thats easy, Chuck my brothers fave was the Phillies so being the rivals that we were I followed their biggest rival at the time, the Pirates. Now I had been a Pirates fan for a few years and it just so happened that in '79 they won the World Series, the following year I got a chance to go see them in an afternoon special on my B-day, how cool is that. They beat the Reds of course and the game is memorable because one of the Pirates, Mike "The Hitman" Easler hit for the cycle that day. For those of you who don't know what that is it is when a batter hits a single, double, triple and a home run all in the same game, don't worry I didn't know what it was until that day either. Can't remember the score but that was fun seeing my heroes that day.

Second would be 6 years later at the same place but this time it was the Houston Astros taking on and beating the Reds. I got 4 tickets from someone and myself, Chuck, Scott Parkison and Monte Gaddis all headed down there to see the game and spend the night across the river in Kentucky. We had a blast except for walking to the game across the bridge over the Ohio River, not fun for two reasons, I don't like heights and I don't like big bodies of water. It was the longest 5 minutes of my life bt we made it and enjoyed the game.

Last would be just last year when Tammy and Mandy Bly cooked up this idea for a surprise party for Andy and myself for our 40th and they did surprise us. Because of that I am now suspicious when someone asks me to help move chairs at the church. Many were involved in the whold plan and played it out without us knowing, I still hope you all went to the alters that next day at church for the "deception" of the whole thing ;}. It was a cool day and I thank all who came out.

Tonight PK and possibly Pink will be joining me for a little A to Z on Solid Rock Friday Night from 8 to 11 on 88.9 Joy Fm or 889joyfm.com. Listen and play along with us as we are not asking for requests persay but for suggestions of artists with the corresponding letter. Should be fun and who knows what is going to happen. Tomorrow more radio from 12-3 and free concert featuring Day Of Fire tomorrow night at the Jay County Fairgrounds.

Not a big fan of funerals

What a different weekend this was, Friday got to do a little radio which is nothing out of the ordinary nor the Saturday stint which both were fun and I enjoy each time I go over there but I also get critical of myself, as I'm sure alot of you do at your work or doing something you enjoy, and I think to myself how smooth or not so smooth my transitions were or how many times I say "UHM" that is one thing I try to mentally focus on not doing so when I do say UHM is sticks out to me. I love doing the radio gig and am really looking forward to Fri. June 12th when my compadres from a few weeks ago (PK & Pink) will be joining me again for 3 hours of mayhem and madness. I've got an idea for the show which I have not let them know yet but in due time I will let them know and we will have a blast. We need to work on radio nicknames for them for that show, I'm gonna be DJ JAZZY D-ROC, PROFESSOR OF ROCKTOLOGY. I know I'm a dork but oh well.

Wish that all those big nasty thunderstorms they were having around Indy last night would have been here but sometime. Tammy spent the day with our friend Aubery working on a couple of photo boards for Aub's grandmother who passed away last week for her funeral which was today. I was honored to be asked to be a palbearer for her and enjoyed hanging out with her and her family during this time. I'm still however not a fan of funerals or hospitals still though. Got a call tonight as well saying that my brother and his family were here in town for a few hours so it was good to see them for a bit. They are back on the road tomorrow to Va. Beach and home so it was a whirlwind trip for them but still good to see them.

I am so ready to get back to playing with the worship team as its been two weeks now that I've not played, they did an awesome job this morning, and also ready to get back into the youth group groove, had to miss the past two weeks but things should be back to normal next week whatever normal is.