See You at the Pole

I recently had the opportunity to visit "See you at the pole" at Whitewater Middle School early the other morning. It was really cool to see the next generation gather to pray and worship our great God. I remember going to see you at the pole when I was in high school. I remember 15 to 17 of us holding hands around the flag pole and praying. When I visited the school the other morning there were 40+ students. The students led worship and organize prayer between eachother. May God bless these students and preserve them for great wonders in the kingdom. Click the video above and take a look at a clip from this years gathering.

Ice Cream Olympics

I could smell the Olympic spirit in the air. It was almost as if we stepped into another place and another time. In a grove of olive trees nestled in ancient Greece, the first ice cream Olympics took place to signify a new start, a fresh beginning, and a sticky end. Okay, well, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration. The real ice cream Olympics was in modern day Georgia, USA; 1016 Pleasance Grove, Peachtree City to be exact. But rumor has it that Olympic legend IceCreamious Olympicus made an appearance to commission the event and provide all-around awesomeness. And so it began…

Four teams arrived eager to stake claim to Olympic gold. Years of training and perseverance enabled each member to realize their lifelong dream, to represent the team they have long admired. The heavy favorites, Team Orange Sherbert, looked to be in good form as they flaunted their quickness and belly-size to the other competitors. Team LIME-lisious was not too easily intimidated as they were the dark horse to take the title this year. Eagerly anticipating a chance for respect, Team Blue Bunny, took it personal when the local media outlets criticized their off-season work-out regimen. Team Grape Escape, looked very competitive with the new addition of some seasoned ice cream eating phenoms.

This truly was a battle for the ages as young and old, friend and foe, peered from the upper deck to catch a glimpse of history.
Like true gladiators, each team sacrificed a chance at popularity and friends as they slammed their face into an ice cream sundae, quickly becoming gooey and sticky all over. With team captains admonishing their teams to pursue gold or die trying, Dave and Beth Yeager were slapped with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the heels of a steroid and doping scandal. “Jealousy” was their only remark when questioned about the allegations. It seemed as if the gloves came off when Bridget Paschal and Carla Queen challenged their team to go all-out in dairy drowning glory. For some reason no one could get a comment from Carla as she was all giggles the whole time. The crowd could see the determination from the sidelines when Matt and Shelley Drummond were caught performing calisthenics on the sidelines with their team. Like true coaches, they would not be denied as their team plunged head-first into a pan of chocolate syrup. Matt was seen looking into the camera only to say “Victory is the only option” and for this event, it was. Greg and Anne Creighton took a different strategy to the games. Like field generals, they strategized as if this was a game of chess. Strategy and mind games were the weapons of choice for this team. Greg was hesitant to give away any hints into his strategy. Shelley tried but no one could understand the military jargon.

At the end of the games, no one was spared from the chocolate battle scars, and a warm shower seemed to be the only respite for the sticky skin of competition. Team Blue Bunny ended up taking the gold, but everyone else felt somewhat satisfied in a way that only ice cream could make one feel. This will be remembered as a game for the ages. Now every athlete can hold their head up high, wear their ice cream Olympics t-shirts with pride, and know that they will always be remembered as coinsure of the creamy, daredevils of the delicious, and champions of the Ice Cream Olympics!

Friday Night Lights

Its football time in Tennessee....uh...I mean...Georgia. Yea, it still doesnt sound quite right to me yet. Regardless, I have still been waiting for this time of the season for months. Pads popping, band playing, stif-arms, and fade routes to the end-zone. Yeah, I'm feel'n it.

Tonight was my baptism into South-Atlanta football as I made it to the football game at Starrs Mill High School, home of the Panthers. Maybe it has been way too long since I have paid to get into a football game but since when is a ticket $7?! I am starting to realize that football is a big-time money raiser for the schools. It was definatly worth it. The game came down to a final drive before Starrs Mill sealed the victory with an interception. I realized that the band is really talented and a whole lot of fun. I sealed the night with a chili-cheese dog and officially chistened the night as the beginning of football season.

Tonight I have set aside my clothes for tomorrow. All orange of course. I am hoping for a great season for Tennessee. You may ask me what a great season would be, so here is my idea of a great season. If we have 2 wins and 10 losses I will consider it a great season if we beat Florida and Georgia (Thats right, Kevin Arnold). Go Vols!!

250cc's of Pure Power

Ok, its official. Got my tags and registration. Stood in line at the DMV and got my licence. Call me James Dean, call me Jesse James, call me what you will because we share a common bond. We all travel famously on 2 wheels, burning up the streets, nothing to hold us back. (I feel cooler already)

There is one difference, however. My new ride is far from the glamorous choppers made famous by these biker outlaws. My new ride is a Chinese motor-scooter with a top speed of 70mph...downhill. Dont be fooled....I am super psyched about it!!! 3 gallons to fill up the tank and 60mpg. Thats what its all about. Plus, its so much fun!

Lately, I have been counting how many bugs hit me on a single ride. I never realized how prevalent what I like to call "bug whallops" are to motorcycle riders. Sometimes those things can hurt. Let's just say that I just bought a new helmet and made sure to get a plastic shield to avoid an early lunch.

I am trying to convince my father-in-law that my new nickname is not "scooter". I have a feeling I'm not gonna win this battle. Might as well embrace it right? Well, tomorrow is another day, hopefully it is nice enough to ride, helment hair and all. See you on the open road. Sincerely, -Scooter

Summer Vacation

To simply recount our adventure as a "summer vacation" is falling a little short. Bridget and I decided to go "all out" this time and all I have to say is Whoa.

We began our journey as all journeys begin, by putting on our flip-flops and taking the first step. But unlike most journeys, ours had a lot of steps; most were on the other side of the world. If you dont know already, my brother is in the Army and is stationed in Vincenza, Italy so we said why not? We grabbed a couple stand-by plane tickets and promptly made our way 10 hours across the globe flying first class. It was so great to spend a week there with my brother. To see the city and eat real italian food was just too cool. I do, however, have a new appreciation for the military life. We need to continue to pray for our troops!

After spending some time there with my brother, we took the train 45 minutes into Venice. My goal was to kiss bridget in the most romantic city in the world (Chris = Cheeseball) Bridget was a good sport, in my mind Im thinking "how could she resist" right?...right! Anyway, The city was beautiful and it was such a cool

adventure weaving through the canals and alleyways barely 2 people wide that lead throughout the city. It really was beautiful, but $80 for a Gondola ride? Forget it.

From there we jumped on a Cruise ship to set sail in the Mediterranean Sea. (You might want to read that last line again, its still hard for me to believe) We loved the cruise. It was so much fun and the ship was beautiful. We met a few friends that were in the military and a couple that was from Canada. Other than those, the ship was primarily Italian. It was very relaxing. five star dinners everynight with amazing performances in the theater. More than we deserve.

Over the course of 7 days, we went to places like Venice and Bari, Italy. We traveled to Katakolon (Olympia) Greece, to Izmir, Turkey where we saw the ancient ruins of Ephesus. We traveled to Istanbul, Turkey and then to one of my personal favorites, Dubrovnik, Croatia. (Right)

There are too many cool stories to share about each and every place. Definatly, this was a once and a lifetime opportunity.

Fresh Scenery

Marriage does some funny things to people. I know, crazy statement, but oh so true isn't it? For instance, prior to marriage my maintenance skills were limited to changing the oil in my car every so often or picking up the dirty clothes off the floor of my room. I was limited so to speak. With the addition (or shall I say upgrade) of wife and house, I truly believe I am evolving some new superhuman powers! Well, maybe not, but I have discovered something called the hammer, the tape measure, and the occasional 1/18 hex nut drill bit accompanied with the 12Volt oscillating torque driven DeWalt Drill. (aka, power screwdriver). That's right, call me Bob Villa or even Tim the Tool-man Taylor because I am now unstoppable when it comes to doing home repair/upgrades.
For instance, and I wont try to sugar coat the situation, we had a horribly outdated/cheaply constructed master bathroom. Can you imagine the initial appeal? ...shiny chrome Hollywood strip bulb lighting, 1 acre x 1 acre sized mirror, $4.99 wholesale faucet, construction grade oak vanity, and beautiful lenoleum flooring. Everybody say it with me now, ooooohh aaahhhh! Needless to say, it was time for a change. And if I forgot to mention in prior posts, Bridget has developed some super powers too. The one that comes to mind is her uncanny ability to find super deals on "things" from yardsales, thrift stores, you name it. It so happened that our superpowers combined when Bridget found a new bathroom light fixture for 6, thats right, 6 dollars. The bathroom remodel was officially a go, so i put my utility belt on. Hey! dont make fun of the utility belt, you would'nt make fun of Batman's would you?
First, we decided to paint. So we painted, and painted, and painted. Black paint...everywhere. It wasnt long before we got carried away. Replaced the lighting, put a new mirror up, new faucet in, new hardware, tiled the floor. Please hold while I catch my breath.
I think Bridget is appreciative, but this past week she really despised going to bed with me hammering away until midnight or later. Ah Well, its over now and I am pleased. Bridget is pleased. I have put my superpowers in remission for now, but Im sure it is only a matter of time before "Chris the Contractor" strikes again. Same time, same channel.

Transparency

I feel as if I am currently in learning overdrive in my relationship with God. Have you ever experienced this? In my experiences, I have grown and heard from the Lord in two very different ways. The first comes from some insight I have gained into the character and attributes of God. In these times I have become excited and it is often hard to keep me away from any study of such topics until I have exhausted myself diving so deep into such things. Along the way everyone I know hears about my keen insights into who God really is and my invigorated relationship with Him. Its an excitement and an effervesence bubbling over.

The second is quite different, tougher, but deeper. This is the mode of learning overdrive that I currently reside. Experiential learning. If I can be completely honest, I learn the most sometimes through my struggles. These have been the times when my actions in the world change, but not before they are exhausted. My prayer life is always thankful, but recently has been of my frustration. I have long ago come to the realization that God knows my heart and what I am really thinking, so why not be completely transparent, blunt, and honest with him in my personal prayers.

A few posts ago, I described a horrible event that occurred within our youth at our church. A young boy, deeply hurt, but struggling to survive. Jesus told his disciples to go and heal in his name, he gave us this power as His agents of restoration here on the earth. We prayed so fervently for Zach, for complete restoration and healing. I know he is now completely restored and healed, but what of our prayers? Our cries for his physical healing? I have struggled understanding the effectiveness of my prayers in recent weeks. I still don't know if I have all the answers to these questions but it has led me into an in-depth pursuit of our (Christians) purposes in the world.

I, admittedly, have a lot to learn but I am sure as you can relate, the closer we dive into Christ the more we realize that we are woefully inept in our knowledge and understanding. I have found myself here lately, burnt up and flat. I feel as if the Lord has taken me and my prideful heart and has tackled me back down to earth. I am more and more aware of my need for the Savior and my reliance on my Savior for all things.

In another way, I am struggling with the process of waiting on the Lord and hearing direction from him. Honestly, I think He is teaching me patience before he gives me His direction, but I have a microwave mentality and he has me in the slow-cooker. This is not fun. It is frustrating. I need to learn how to perservere and, unfortunatly, I think the Lord knows that. Pray that my inward peace will overcome my restless heart.

The Lord gave me Habbakuk 2: 1-3 and it took me a while to get my mind to penetrate the passage but when it did I was undone.

Then the Lord replied: "Wright down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. "

Whoa. I was struck. As I recounted the first part, I realized that the Lord was telling Habbakuk when you hear from me dont waver, right it down permanantly on a tablet so that everyone can know what I have told you. I need to be confident in what the Lord has called me to and be steadfast enough to let others know what has been revealed. Honestly, that is hard to do. It doesnt give you an out. You can't back out of what God calls you to if you tell others what God has said to you. I keep telling myself,Chris be bold, don't waver.

Second, the Lord says that His promise has a pre-destined time, set aside, fully prepared for me. There is no accident, no second guessing, it is there already in God's timeline. Though I can't see it, God says wait for it. God even says that it will linger! how much more transparent is that? He promises that His revelation will come and will not delay the inspired second of time that God has designed for it.

It is in this time that I have become bombarded with questions for God, Im stripped of my "qualifications" (Phil 3:4) and lie ready for God to show up. It seems as if I get questions and frustrations quickly and God has been giving peace and answers in a timing that allows me to soak in every truth. I know this benefits me the most, but I just want to jump back in the microwave. 30 seconds on high, thank you very much.

Pumpkin patch

A few weeks ago Bridget and I went down to GA to visit the family and just "hang out" for a while. We always have a blast when we get to drive down and see Bridgets side of the family. We had a really fun time this past trip in particular. We were able to do some relaxing and some yard sale shopping in which we always get stuff we think is kinda cool but rarely need. Most of all, we all went to a pumpkin patch in the depths of GA (seriously, we drove forever). When we got there I quickly realized that this was a BIG DEAL to the people in the town. It was like $15 bucks per person to get in the place but when I left I realized that it was worth every dollar.

First of all, the day would'nt have been nearly as much fun if it werent for my 3 yr old niece Sophia. She gets more and more cute every time I see her. When we got there there was a cow train made with 50 gallon drums cut out into buggies, painted like cows, with wheels and they were pulled by a tractor. She loved it. I think her favorite part of the day was seeing all the farm animals. She got really excited about feeding a cow. She would run over to a hay bale and pull out a handful and feed it to the cow. The best part was when she looked away and the cow took a big lick to her hair! Take a look at the pic, I laughed so hard.

Let me give you a run down of all the stuff they had there: high pressure corn cannons (AWESOME), a huge corn maze, pumpkin patch, a shed full of corn kernels that kids (and Chris) loved to play in, farm animals, big slides, hayrides, and a pig race. More fun than a farm kid can have on any given day.

I ended up getting a couple little tiny pumpkins to take home for our porch and a whole lot of corn kernals in my pants. What a day. Afterwards, we went and ate dinner at Truett's Diner. If you do not have an extensive knowledge of all things Chic-fil-A, then you might not know that Truett Cathy is the founder of Chick-fil-A restaurants and one of the things he loves is classic cars. This diner was cool. For food, it had a glorified Chick-fil-A menu but it had a 50's diner feel to it. I got the chick'n pot pie. bad idea. for some reason it didnt sit right with me. I should have stuck with the classic chicken sandwich. mmmm.

I can't wait till the next adventure in the peach state, but one thing is for certain...#1 with waffle fries, please.