Tomorrow's my birthday...

Does this look like the face of a soon-to-be 38 year old?

What will I do tomorrow to celebrate?
-I'm playing golf in the morning with a couple of buds
-I'll take Bryan to the doctor
-Maybe browse Barnes and Noble a bit and suck down a frap
-Recieve a surprise gift from my wife...I have no ideas, but she swears I'll love it.
-I'll hang with my family
-On Friday we are going to Joe's Crab Shack for the birthday dinner...scarf down some snow crab!

Weekend in Chattanooga

Thursday night we all piled in the car to go visit with our best buddies Geron and Lydia Brown. They moved to Chattanooga, TN. a couple of years ago and there have been voids in our hearts since!

We enjoyed catching up with each other, played some X-box (not Holly and Lydia), Geron, Bryan and I went and saw the new X-Man movie...most excellent and two thumbs up...played a great card game called "hand and foot" (Holly and I lost two games to the Browns...rematch!), we even went to Ichiban, a great hibachi grill.

Of course a visit to Chattanooga can't be complete without going to Clumpies Ice Cream (some good stuff...I had "Two scoops of Ice Cream in a Waffle Cone")…Saturday morning we went to IHOP and Geron had “Two scrambled eggs and a cheap T-bone.” We would’ve gone to this great coffee house, where I would have had “Two cups of coffee and a big ole’ scone”, but we ran out of time!

Of course our visit was way too short...we really enjoy our friends company...they are very dear friends to us. We definitely look forward to seeing them again, real soon!

Below are some pics of "DOWNTOWN" Chattanooga, which really is a beautiful city.

My son Bryan...

I have always been a proud papa of my boy Bryan. If you have read any of my past blog post you've seen several of them "showcasing" Bryan for different things.

Last Thursday night Bryan graduated from 5th grade! Man, I was excited for him because of his many accomplishments (Honor Roll, Beta Club, etc.) and then I was saddened because they showed this slide show of all the 5th graders. Pics from the past (their first day of school, field trips from past grades, you get the idea) I found myself tearing up a time or two...

As part of the 5th grade tribute he played the drums as part of the talent show...and as always he rocked the house. He played several different Latino beats (calypso, partino alto, bossa nova) he was great...and I was so proud.

He'll be in sixth grade next year...and he'll be in our youth ministry. Man, I'm getting old! Bryan, I am so proud of you!

The JP Invitational 2006

So this past weekend was the 11th annual JP Invitational at Barren River State Park. What's the JP Invitational? Why it's by far the biggest golfing event of the year...it's 3 days of golf, eating, golf, watching Sports Center, playing cards and oh yea, playing more golf.

We had a great time this year as eight bro's in Christ gathered from Lexington and Richmond. It was a mix of ole' college and church buddies and a great time was had by all! I can't tell you how much these guys mean to me...they have been true comrades to me over the years. For some of the guys we've gone through EKU together, been in each other's weddings, been there for the birth of our children...prayed and worshipped together. Jammed out to many concerts from Ichthus to Bruce Springsteen. Laughed at weird things like, “What’s a Belgium waffle?” Robo and I one time while in Hiltom Head on Spring Break during the college days, walked like 3 miles on the beach to go see John Mellencamp’s beach house (he wasn’t there)…Many other adventures and not enough space to write. Great weekend guys! Let's do number 12 next year!

IT'S OVER!!

The Spring semester is officially over as of Saturday, May 13th at 11:15pm. Say "Hoa"...say "hoa-hoa"...now everybody SCREAM!!! Dang, what a long semester it has been...from Genesis to Malachi...and Acts to Revelation...91 lectures watched on the computer, 5 book reviews, forums and worksheets, etc. etc. It's OVER!

Thanks to my family for allowing me the time to do this...I am looking forward to spending more evenings with you guys and not staying up so late anymore.

Allright...I'll get a few weeks off and then I have ONE more class left. I'll be doing another J-Term class June 5th-8th at Southern Seminary. Cramming a whole semester in four days...that's my kind of class! So now I have three books to read before June 5th, better get crackin'.

Proud Pappa!

Sorry for a delay in blogging...had a full week of stuff, got some kind of stomach virus on Saturday (almost over it!). So here's an update on my karate kid son Bryan!

Bryan of course has been taking Aikido with Master Sensei Ron Boyd of the Bushido Aikido School. He started back in January of this year...every Thursday night he attends an hour-and-a-half class. They work through all kinds of cool moves, etc.

Well this past Thursday night Holly went and picked up Bryan from Aikido...he walks through the front door and he's wearing this way cool YELLOW belt. It was testing night for him and he had no idea. Of course that is the idea, so they can't like prepare in advance. So according to Sensei Ron and the two other black belts...he passed and moved to the yellow belt. See pics!

His goal of course is to one day be a black belt. But today...I can still take him, but not for long. He demonstrated some moves on me...he knows his stuff! I am proud!

Who would of thunk it?

The Cincinnati Reds have THE best record in baseball! I will savor this til at least June...that's when the wheels usually fall off...but who knows, maybe this is the year! Go Redlegs!

One of my favorite things

It's Tuesday morning and it's a SOGGY, RAINY Tuesday morning. Just got back from our weekly Prayer Breakfast with our youth...I had to come home and fix the gutter that I didn't finish last night!

Okay I have many favorite things that make me smile and feel all happy inside. One of those things is our fountain that we have on our front porch. (You may think this to be corny, but that's why it's called "MY" favorite things) We got this fountain last year around the beginning of spring time. It lights up at night and looks and sounds...relaxing. There is something about dripping water that is so tranquil to me and I'm sure many others. But I really dig this fountain...it's nothing fancy, but to me it says, "Spring and Summer Time are Here!"

I like these kinds of rainy days...life seems to slow down a bit! Have a blessed day.

CSI: Junkie

All right, I'll admit it...I'm a CSI junkie! Which one? All of them! Monday night, Wednesday night and Thursday night...when I am able I watch them. I love the shows and story lines, and yes the characters. Especially the lead guys.

Now in the beginning when there was just CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...well Gil Grissom was "da man"...he had a suave' about himself (not a Rico Suave!), just a suave'. Anyhoo, as CSI: Miami hit the scene you have Horatio Caine who is the head honcho. Now Horatio always seems to be standing sideways and has some very corny one liner’s, but they've grown on me over the years. But, still Grissom was the coolest in my book.

Then CSI: New York was born from the other two...at first I didn't like it, it seemed kinda of dark to me. But after awhile it grew on me. The man in charge is Det. Mac Taylor (played by Gary Sinise...you'll remember him as Lieutenant Dan).

For sometime I have thought that Gil Grissom from CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ruled as "top dog" of the head honchos of all of the CSI's. But as of last night...the tide has turned! I now believe Det. Mac Taylor to be my favorite. I like his humbleness, yet assertiveness in his character. Grissom has gotten a weird to me and Horatio stands sideways too much! Oh well just my opinion.


If you are a fan of CSI...who is your favorite? I can't wait until CSI: Richmond, KY. makes its début!

Lazy Sunday afternoon...

How's this for a lazy Sunday afternoon. This is one of Sparks' favorite places to be lazy...it's kinda like her throne.

Gotta try this out!

Okay I don't like to be a "copy cat blogger", but this is a VERY addictive game that I got from Marko's blog. Highest score so far...25.

Go here.

A new guest in our house

Actually we've had a new guest "on" our house as opposed to "in". Here's a pic of our guest...it's a robin who decided to make a nest right outside our bathroom window. I guess it was about 2 1/2 weeks ago when the nest was first being built...a really amazing thing to watch.

So we have been waiting patiently for the young robins to hatch...Holly and I looked up on the internet how long it would take...40 days! There are three eggs in the nest and this momma bird is probably tired of flapping away every time we walk in the bathroom. Oh well...she's the one who decided to build the nest on our bathroom window, not me! Anyhoo...we'll keep ya posted on the day of the hatching. Any suggestions for names?

What to do?

So it's Monday...and I got the day off. Actually our entire staff has the day off after a busy Easter Sunday. What are my plans for my day off? Well, I had pondered a couple of things...maybe go to the driving range and whack a few golf balls, after all I do have permission...maybe just be lazy and lie in bed the whole day (didn't sleep well last night so I could justify that one!)...maybe some yard work, clean out the garage...perhaps go to my outer sanctuary "Barnes and Noble" and get lost somewhere in some books...hmmmmmm...what to do...I think I'm going to clean the house a bit and then work on some school stuff (got two test this week!) What an exciting guy I am.

I'll give you the all the details later.

I got permission!

One thing that I love about the spring weather is the fact golf season has begun (at least in my eyes). This past weekend Phil Mickleson won the Master's...one of the great majors in golf. I got a chance to watch the action a little each day. I love it! I used to think, "how could anybody waste their time playing golf let alone watching it?" Back in 1995 a friend gave me an old set of clubs...I went out and was hooked! Not only to I enjoy playing golf, but I really dig watching it too.

Here in a few weeks is the JP Invitational. It's my annual golf outing made up of ole college and church buddies. For three days we: play golf, eat, watch Sports Center, play cards...and then the cycle starts over again. What a great weekend.

I was worried that I may not be able to play this year because of my knee and rehab. Today I went to my 2nd follow up with my doc...he said things looked good, gave me some new orders...I then asked in a joking way..."so when can I go play golf?" Thinking he would give me the "what-choo talkin' about Jeff!" He proceeded to say...go ahead have at it! He gave me permission. Once again...I am stoked!

32 Days!

32 days are left in my last semester at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I see a very BRIGHT light at the end of the tunnel...I am stoked. Only 5 more test, 2 more book reviews and a handful of forums to respond to. Did I tell you I'm stoked! Yes, I am so stoked! How many times can I use the word "stoked" in this stokin' post? So far it looks like I've used the word "stoked" six stokin' times...make that seven.

Opening Day and etc.

I'm kinda bummin' a bit today...actually it started yesterday. I had planned a Spring Break Mission trip for our youth this week. Going to Camp Willow Falls in Blue Ridge, GA. (a great place!) to work and serve. 33 of our youth and youth leaders left yesterday, but I had to stay behind because of my knee. I know it's the right thing to do, but I'm bummin' because I hate to miss out on these kinds of experiences...and I really love being with my teenagers. They are in good hands and I know they will have an outstanding week.

But on the other side of things I get to stay home with Holly and Bryan (that's always a plus!). Bryan is with the in-laws until tomorrow...we sure do miss him. I'm going to take a few days off and hang with my boy.

TODAY was opening day of the baseball season...the Cincinnati Reds are my team and they got their butts handed to them by the Cubs this afternoon. Oh well...162 more games to go! I'm a big baseball fan...we'll go see the Red-legs play several times this year, it's always a great time. I even play in a fantasy baseball league with several ole college buddies and friends; we call our league "Team Joboo" from the all time classic baseball movie...Major League.

Survivor

One of my favorite reality shows that I watch is Survivor. Of all the ump-teen million reality shows I don't think any of them quite match up...although I am becoming a fan of "The Amazing Race."

Anyhoo...this year with Survivor Panama: Exile Island, I think they have one of the freshest, twist to the game since it started. The whole idea of contestants being sent to "Exile Island" where survivors spend a few nights by themselves, with the chance of finding an immunity idol that would be very beneficial if found.

Well, last night was the merge...I really thought Terry was going to sway some votes, but he didn't and Nick was voted off. Oh well...if you missed it you can go here and read about the show and last night's episode.

Several years ago I sent in a video tape to Survivor with the hopes of being a contestant. I think I have the right demographics to do well on the show. I haven't heard a peep from them since...they did tell me they would keep my tape for review for all upcoming Survivors. Making the video sure was a lot of fun! I had my family involved, my youth group and my motorcycle...in 13 degree weather. I'll see if I can't get my video uploaded on the blog somehow. Every now and then I'll watch it and think, "I'm such an idiot!"

Anybody interested in trying out for the next "Amazing Race?" Geron? We'd make a great team!

The Louisville Cardinals

The Cards stink! I think they went out and partied in the city the night before the game...oh well...next year!

Sorry!

Sorry for the long hiatus…life has just been busy. I will return tomorrow, if not tonight with a post or two. Of course it will more likely be tomorrow…the Louisville Cardinals are playing tonight in the semi’s of the NIT. Dog if you want, but they are still playing basketball in March! Go Cards!

Quick update!

I went to my doc appointment yesterday...he told me everything is looking good on the recovery part of surgery. He even told me to start trying to walk without crutches (as much as I could). So yesterday I took some baby steps without the aide of the crutch! And today I actually walked (more like stumbled!) from the bedroom to the kitchen crutch less. It felt pretty good! Little sore still...

Anyhoo...tonight I'm actually going to R.I.O.T. which is our Wednesday night youth worship. I've had my leaders leading everything since last Wednesday and even tonight. So I'm just going to hang out with my teens and worship with them...no responsibilities attached.

Next week, I'm attempting to go back to work (if I can drive!). ANYTHING other than sitting here on this couch!