tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78578344465586035122024-02-07T16:27:30.201-08:00The Albright'sUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-18230739161024978912011-02-26T05:47:00.001-08:002011-02-26T05:47:46.937-08:00Testing new blog posting<p>I got a new computer and I’m testing a new feature option for a blog writer. Let’s see if it works!</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-20069065747976579672010-10-31T13:05:00.000-07:002010-10-31T14:33:20.969-07:00Book 1: The Power of WHO!The Power of WHO! by Bob Beaudine<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYplRkrwFvAe2i2b87oq-rtmyEcWp5gNDiWVwJH4cdmXn8qpDoZu9kW9SU9tvNLrATCTqovw710vjEuFiTegRlgHSTfnDJvTWiYDhld2nfuj71GGKkNv5sOZU5vhBUpIzYAgBVe6fEXyV_/s1600/WHO.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYplRkrwFvAe2i2b87oq-rtmyEcWp5gNDiWVwJH4cdmXn8qpDoZu9kW9SU9tvNLrATCTqovw710vjEuFiTegRlgHSTfnDJvTWiYDhld2nfuj71GGKkNv5sOZU5vhBUpIzYAgBVe6fEXyV_/s320/WHO.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534325848062729426" border="0" /></a>I had the opportunity to hear Bob speak at a luncheon hosted by <a href="http://www.leadershiptyler.org/">Leadership Tyler</a> in August of this year. He talked about a way to be a steward of your relationships that was really a paradigm shift for me. I realized that many of my relationships tend to center around common interests such as <a href="http://www.facebook.com/RockinCRanch">work</a>, <a href="http://gcc.org/">church</a>, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triathlon">hobbies</a>. The thing that challenged me about what Bob had to say was that I should be approaching my relationships with the question, "how can I serve you?" rather than "what do we enjoy doing together?"<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Although the book's underlying premise is "<em><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">You already know everyone you need to know to get anything you need in life</span></em>" what I walked away with is not <span style="font-style: italic;">using</span> your friends to get what you want. It's more about <span style="font-style: italic;">helping </span>your friends get what they want and from the overflow of that, they will help you in return.<br /><br />Bob talks about 'Your WHO world' in terms of a few different levels. The Inner Circle follows Jesus' discipleship of 12-3-1. That's 12 that you are really close with, 3 that you have a special relationship with, and 1 that is your best friend. Outside of your inner circle will be the rest of your WHO. Bob defines WHO as:<br /><blockquote>... a “community of friends” that’s been built over many years with love and unconditional giving. These are friends who genuinely care about you and share your core values. This particular network of friends, if asked, will actually come to your aid. They want you to succeed. They want you to achieve your goals.</blockquote>While we all have goals in life, Bob explains that WHO comes before WHAT. Relationships are really what life is all about. Jesus said, "Love God... and love your neighbor". While these WHO relationships will be the catalyst, it's important to know what you want because "you can never get what you cannot see."<br /><br />Using a principle that Bob refers to 100/40. First you identify 100 'Who' in your life that meet the description above, then identify the 40 'What' in your life you've always wanted. Pursue your WHO and find out what their WHAT is, and help them get there!<br /><br />The last thing I really walked away with was the idea of having a personal board of directors. These are people who know and love you and will speak wisdom into your life when you need direction or help considering a decision. The reason Beaudine recommends a Personal Board of Directors is:<br /><em><blockquote>There are many more paths that lead to failure than there are that lead to success. I’ve come to believe one of the very best strategies you can implement to achieve maximum protection is to create your own “Personal Board of Directors.</blockquote> </em>I would highly recommend The Power of WHO! to anyone.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-18835613945020840442010-10-31T12:23:00.000-07:002010-10-31T13:03:40.097-07:00I Might Be Crazy, Part 2So on top of all that reading I mentioned in <a href="http://thealbrights.blogspot.com/2010/10/i-might-be-crazy-part-1.html">my last post</a>, I also have some pretty ambitious physical goals.<br /><br />I posted about my goal to qualify for the <a href="http://thealbrights.blogspot.com/2007/11/new-goalsbig-goals.html">Ironman World Championships</a> a while back and I've been working toward that end. In fact, I am going to Panama City, FL next week to register for the 2011 race. I tried to register for the 2010 race last year online but the race was sold out within an hour of registration opening online. So I did some homework and here is <a href="http://www.ironmanflorida.com/entry.php">what I found</a>. Participants in the current year's race can register on race day. Registration opens to others on-site Sunday morning, and online registration opens at noon. So I'll be there the morning after the race, credit card in hand (I would <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/article/dave-ramseys-envelope-system/lifeandmoney_budgeting/">pay with cash</a>, but plastic is all they'll take).<br /><br />A good friend of mine, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/matthamilton#%21/profile.php?id=159101528">Matt Hamilton</a>, got into triathlons a while back and has caught the bug. He is registered for <a href="http://ironmantexas.com/">Ironman Texas</a> in May 2011 so he's been a good training buddy. Until...<br /><br />The best I can guess is that I'm overweight and much older than I used to be. Two months ago, I had a few nagging injuries that just kept getting worse, so right now I'm in the middle of a six week running break. I can still swim without any problems (if I'll just go to the pool), but I've been hesitant to get on the bike because I don't want to aggravate a back injury I've been nursing. All that to say, I am still working toward qualifying for Kona, it just probably won't happen at the 2011 race. <br /><br />So where am I going to get the time to train 5-10 hrs a week early on and upwards of 15-20 later, plus reading 10-15 hrs a week? That's a great question! I'll let you know! Right now, it's getting up early, not watching as much TV, and disciplining myself to get my work done at the job in a set amount of hours. I'm realizing that I have extra time that could come from all the time I spend on Facebook and Twitter, but I'll save that for later :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-36518975585460276832010-10-31T10:27:00.000-07:002010-10-31T11:25:43.641-07:00I Might Be Crazy, Part 1<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">52 Books in 52 Weeks<br /><br /> </span></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9fpWdFzsX-N7AsF-iOW2nLXa02KSowKxmMgwwXPolf03CML7fWjmF1J9B3tVTLAh7yYD4hYWsQJC3A-26yPWOKpJk8zcSUoBLJuSZ_roKT6Uy6po9diZuFrxyVdjqdMqNNKJ3mbmJ3Oc/s1600/Bookshelf.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9fpWdFzsX-N7AsF-iOW2nLXa02KSowKxmMgwwXPolf03CML7fWjmF1J9B3tVTLAh7yYD4hYWsQJC3A-26yPWOKpJk8zcSUoBLJuSZ_roKT6Uy6po9diZuFrxyVdjqdMqNNKJ3mbmJ3Oc/s320/Bookshelf.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534271618693485618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I had this crazy idea about a month ago: I </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">have all these books on my bookshelf that I've </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">purchased because I thought they would be a good read or they were recommended to me, but for one reason or another I never have read them. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Although this allowed me to use one of my favorite office quotes when someone would ask </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">me if I've read a particular book, "Read it? I OWN it. But no, I haven't read it." -Michael Scott, the books weren't doing anyone any good sitting on the shelf. So ambitiously, I'm setting out to read all of them and a few more by the end of September 2011.<br /><br />After I committed to reading a book a week, it also got me thinking that I've always wanted to read through the Bible in a year, but have never had the discipline to get it done. So, I decided that accomplishing that goal was at least as important as reading all these other books. This makes for quite a bit of reading each day.<br /><br />But you know what, it's amazing how much time I "found" when I reclaimed my mornings and cut back on how much TV I watch in the evenings. I get up at 5:00 am most days (yes, coffee has become a much bigger part of my life) to read for a couple of hours before I have to get ready for work, and I try not to turn on the TV when I get home from work because I've found once it's on, it's really difficult to turn off. The first book I read was called "<a href="http://www.powerofwho.com/thebook.html">You've Got WHO</a>!" by <a href="http://www.eastman-beaudine.com/">Bob Beaudine</a>, and he inspired me in my quest to reclaim my time when he said:</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I believe that working to pay the bills is one of the most common causes in forgetting your dream. So many people are just too tired at the end of the day to work on or even think about their dream. Too bad. Turn off the damn TV! The TV will suck your dream right into the black hole of oblivion. Refuse to veg—unless, of course, your dream is to become a vegetable. </span><br /></blockquote>I'll talk more about what I learned from Bob in my post about You've Got WHO! In the mean time, I'll keep on reading and I'll keep you updated about what I'm learning as I go.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-39156605940092739402009-12-03T05:16:00.000-08:002009-12-03T05:48:36.826-08:00Four Days, Five GuysThe first 14 verses are very pretty abstract, but explain so much about God, Jesus, and what His coming does for us.<br /><br />Jesus is "the Word". He was with God, God was with Him, and at the same time Jesus was God.<br /><br />I heard a guy preach this past week about verse 5. It says, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." I love this verse because at times in my life when things are crazy, difficult, and not making sense, it's <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">in the darkness</span></span> that the light shines. God is in the character building business, and he often uses the dark times to do his work.<br /><br />My bible has a note about verse 12: "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" <span style="font-weight: bold;">At issue: acceptance</span> If you've never faced extreme rejection in your life, you may not grasp just how powerful this verse is. For those who struggle with feeling accepted by others, the idea that Jesus reveives <span style="font-style: italic;">anyone</span> who comes to him - without first making demands on the person or trying to change them - is mind boggling. Not to mention extremely appealing.<br /><br />There is so much more in these first 14 verses, so please give me your thoughts!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DAY 1</span> - John is testifying about the coming Jesus as the messiah. The 'church leaders' are wanting to know who John 'thinks' he is, so they ask. John's answer is great: "I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, "make straight the way for the Lord." "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DAY 2</span> - John spots Jesus and identifies him as the messiah.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DAY 3</span> - John spots him again, and two of John's followers leave John and follow Jesus, Andrew and someone else (it doesn't way right now who it is, but I'll try to figure it out). Andrew's brother, Peter, was taking care of the fishing business, and Andrew went to find him to tell him about Jesus.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DAY 4</span> - Jesus leaves for Galilee and calls Philip to follow him. Philip was from the same town as Andrew and Peter. Philip told Nathanael about Jesus, and Nathanael followed Jesus too. That brings the group to 5. "Mystery man," Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael.<br /><br />Next: Party time!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-77276074171714711562009-12-03T05:06:00.000-08:002009-12-03T05:15:58.975-08:00A walk through the Book of John<span style="font-family: georgia;">I decided to read through the book of John and I wanted to share some thoughts along the way. Please feel free to leave your thoughts as well. My Bible has some introductory information about the Book of John, and I'm going to include it here. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Author</span>: John, the apostle, the son of Zebedee and the brother of James (not James the brother of Jesus)</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Audience</span>: John probably wrote with Gentile (non-Jewish) readers in mind, particularly those influenced by the Greek philosophies prevalent at the time</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Date</span>: Probably AD 85-90</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Setting</span>: Scholars have traditionally assumed that John's eyewitness account was the last Gospel written, sometime before John was exciled to the island of Patmos.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Key Verse</span>: "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." John 20:31</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Central Theme</span>: John's Gospel is not just a record of Jesus' life; it is a powerful argument that Jesus is the heaven-sent Son of God and the only way to have eternal life. Believe and be saved!<br /><br /><br /></span> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /> <!--[endif]--></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-8802443122332735652009-10-25T16:15:00.000-07:002009-10-28T20:56:21.353-07:00Wow, so it's been a year...That's pretty pathetic. Let's see what I can catch you up on that may have happened in the last year.<br /><br />In D<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8LNWwLrfislETbWpIxjkSiDJ-zt43VIxSB7-s_mF9Sbfrt2PQVdH9uBMGRZUcG_PxX8-NTvDwEaCb-CIB8Xm6SRZ7EDHzcyMCLRTbMWi2m0ObqOUL3FqzSk0xHYs36qN9sedtc_7fCYd/s1600-h/ccca.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 90px; height: 78px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8LNWwLrfislETbWpIxjkSiDJ-zt43VIxSB7-s_mF9Sbfrt2PQVdH9uBMGRZUcG_PxX8-NTvDwEaCb-CIB8Xm6SRZ7EDHzcyMCLRTbMWi2m0ObqOUL3FqzSk0xHYs36qN9sedtc_7fCYd/s200/ccca.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397862903645275842" border="0" /></a>ecember 2008, I went back to Orlando for the <a href="http://www.ccca.org/">CCCA</a> National Convention. Not near as exciting since I had just been to Disney a few months before. But the conference was great and I really learned a lot.<br /><br /><br />At the same time, along with a classmate, Brant, I competed in a by-invitation-only, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUqvGUBgqWtJcLH-img3hGLuDhH488t5jDd8A9HXCL7CE0SInLNy_qA8lqMmkIF8GhPNfLXA_zgyWYpjC4FVIpmP3P6p_KBSr49y72MQFxVqbU7YvJ4HWBSZtk3qJHVNq-OEwG42RSctT/s1600-h/bsg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 67px; height: 64px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUqvGUBgqWtJcLH-img3hGLuDhH488t5jDd8A9HXCL7CE0SInLNy_qA8lqMmkIF8GhPNfLXA_zgyWYpjC4FVIpmP3P6p_KBSr49y72MQFxVqbU7YvJ4HWBSZtk3qJHVNq-OEwG42RSctT/s200/bsg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397863553340193042" border="0" /></a>globally competitive <a href="http://www.bsg-online.com/stats/BestStrategyInvitational.html?bsi=487#">business strategy simulation</a>. It was really intense, but it was an awesome opportunity to practically apply many of the concepts we had been learning in the MBA program. And the awesome thing is that our team won! I could tell more, but I'll save the intense nerdiness for a future post.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDENkCMLPOpXv_r4VAXbxEXuYc_zXy1x3Xzs-FyyCkBmV7M0T6Xpl5ROsLF-qQbSzdcZsltCfI8hOuVGAtBsjHdB5BRvGTnco24aaO70XnU6XcaoZmjaOlUO1_5HDUJ49Ekq5o5pQYNTj4/s1600-h/cruise.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 128px; height: 97px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDENkCMLPOpXv_r4VAXbxEXuYc_zXy1x3Xzs-FyyCkBmV7M0T6Xpl5ROsLF-qQbSzdcZsltCfI8hOuVGAtBsjHdB5BRvGTnco24aaO70XnU6XcaoZmjaOlUO1_5HDUJ49Ekq5o5pQYNTj4/s200/cruise.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397864264507396738" border="0" /></a>In March, Erin and I joined a big group from her side of the family for a cruise. It was my first, and I'm sold! We set sail out of Galveston, and stopped in Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel.<br /><br /><br /><br />In April, I graduated from LeTourneau University with an MBA specializing in <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEKpzmXescVU8X6VHqmvldimUhbQEXqhO0S3xuLg8rsXja9I1zTvXJT69rr8GbHtqnY6F7IfxPeShUcN7_lgVy3XRGwX5SRy7YZS5fcqZSa9XXRgJHYe7b2vhjLqeY8hJG-77q0yUyyd_/s1600-h/letu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 94px; height: 61px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEKpzmXescVU8X6VHqmvldimUhbQEXqhO0S3xuLg8rsXja9I1zTvXJT69rr8GbHtqnY6F7IfxPeShUcN7_lgVy3XRGwX5SRy7YZS5fcqZSa9XXRgJHYe7b2vhjLqeY8hJG-77q0yUyyd_/s200/letu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397864832663996114" border="0" /></a>Finance. Going back to school was a big decision, but with it completed I'm so glad that I did, and I'm so thankful to my bride for her patience and support during those two years!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nk-QbW-k1ckuTGoEGhqMXsgA30-Ehl3urYhoPDdAWljFRX4-GNX5YvaTUYeOxfJdL6ARV4HMOsTjG7MurfmHRFyjI6T3RkJIPLSvMQ2Lw3Ez5qjscX9NzDAFo2EY92tIHX67HV0hJH2H/s1600-h/rcr.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 129px; height: 108px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nk-QbW-k1ckuTGoEGhqMXsgA30-Ehl3urYhoPDdAWljFRX4-GNX5YvaTUYeOxfJdL6ARV4HMOsTjG7MurfmHRFyjI6T3RkJIPLSvMQ2Lw3Ez5qjscX9NzDAFo2EY92tIHX67HV0hJH2H/s200/rcr.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397865159193519618" border="0" /></a>The summer was super busy as usual. We had a fantastic summer at camp, mostly due to an awesome group of summer staffer. My sister Jennifer came and spent the whole summer with Erin and I. We had a lot of fun. One of the highlights was a trip to see a Texas Rangers baseball game. Erin and I also moved back to camp for the summer for RV livin', part 2. Always an adventure.<br /><br />A couple of months ago, I discovered <a href="http://www.twitter.com/onfire6980">Twitter</a>. Just what I needed, another source of <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpobmOmdTOUK3kUgFPHG7RSFJb7Sw2guIFw-NScoLtd8J_d26dy9tAUrchhvtKeMySghhmTBEbjrlsgfH_7pW4MZrfm6i0AKUvjjq5B3754C8zodIBHdcSdHGUyZjosL7mhzQd7iISees/s1600-h/twitter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 71px; height: 71px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpobmOmdTOUK3kUgFPHG7RSFJb7Sw2guIFw-NScoLtd8J_d26dy9tAUrchhvtKeMySghhmTBEbjrlsgfH_7pW4MZrfm6i0AKUvjjq5B3754C8zodIBHdcSdHGUyZjosL7mhzQd7iISees/s200/twitter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397865485909197186" border="0" /></a>information to check on a regular basis.<br /><br /><br /><br />I've also been reading quite a few books these past couple of months. I give the interns at camp books to read as part of the development/discipleship element of the program, and I decided to reread those books and have managed to fit in quite a few others. I think I'll post some reviews on those books in the coming days.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-17622106704283143162008-10-31T17:58:00.000-07:002008-10-31T17:59:10.380-07:00Make a differenceA friend of me and Erin has been supporting an organization called Opportunity International for some time now. He will be attending one of their conferences soon and has issued a challenge. If you will watch the 3 minute video on his blog about Opportunity International and comment on his blog, he will donate $10 above and beyond what he normally gives.<br /><br />I have agreed to match his challenge, so do the world a favor and check out this video and leave a comment. The link is below.<br /><br />http://buildpipelines.blogspot.com/2008/10/make-me-give-til-it-hurts.htmlUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-31565187087034748512008-07-30T20:14:00.000-07:002008-07-30T20:29:29.869-07:00things you don't say to your wife<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iK2OakMoW_c&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iK2OakMoW_c&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-40031312777621779672008-04-30T16:58:00.001-07:002008-04-30T17:02:29.496-07:00Diet Ideaso you could say that i've gained a little weight over the last couple of years.<br />I found this<span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"> </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" href="http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/06/how-to-lose-20-lbs-of-fat-in-30-days-without-doing-any-exercise/">diet idea on Tim Ferris</a>' blog (author of The 4-Hour Workweek).<br /><br />What do you think?<br /><br />or maybe I should <a href="http://hope-restored.blogspot.com/2008/04/cajun-cookin.html">try my wife's</a>... ;pUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-8147771915802617932008-04-24T12:55:00.000-07:002008-04-24T13:03:52.709-07:00Children see. Children do.A friend of mine forwarded this to me. It reminds me of just how much we are watched, not only by children, but also by those we are witnessing to.<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7ZscS775ek8&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7ZscS775ek8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-36381742577661459732008-04-16T19:54:00.000-07:002008-04-16T20:02:49.364-07:00Camping Adventures! part two<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8A3y7Bj_VdJ8jEAnxfKQbYmiyKz87xRcusO_e34ifq4prV5O8y5qCH0eeh211hrj6sbRwXbfBdQjodq0K6kmBAIzhhScUMr1ebyCJWvXtTZ5Jj3cI4guYFEqhPHC58kkm9oLVbfbxNTNV/s1600-h/iphone+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8A3y7Bj_VdJ8jEAnxfKQbYmiyKz87xRcusO_e34ifq4prV5O8y5qCH0eeh211hrj6sbRwXbfBdQjodq0K6kmBAIzhhScUMr1ebyCJWvXtTZ5Jj3cI4guYFEqhPHC58kkm9oLVbfbxNTNV/s200/iphone+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190043897352688674" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFa4auof1i5jDKxaUF-ONQzDK3sUXJdQUUR13ld27jFZUxh2_YWVaxSqm3PgUL-tdPD0nEdc3ymW6foDtOjZvg7hWQYXUi6J9ydeKIcDdjWb5wsZz49fpTshdewCzOXU8t5HyJtxBy_X55/s1600-h/iphone+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFa4auof1i5jDKxaUF-ONQzDK3sUXJdQUUR13ld27jFZUxh2_YWVaxSqm3PgUL-tdPD0nEdc3ymW6foDtOjZvg7hWQYXUi6J9ydeKIcDdjWb5wsZz49fpTshdewCzOXU8t5HyJtxBy_X55/s200/iphone+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190043785683538962" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />A couple of weeks ago, Erin and I spent the weekend at Beaver's Bend State Park in Oklahoma with 3 other couples from our Sunday School class. Lots of time around the fire, great conversations and big laughs. Tent camping was a little chilly at night, but the raccoons kept the evenings interesting. Hopefully it was the start of something Erin and I will really love to do together.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZrm9E1EwwbAlBPhSgMjBtHpZ3qUwya3zGlT2ael3-vIq2lrfUrCVU6TNsGolcFK_9JP1xkrgelbsMfiD1ab_mQF2qYJ_Cbd5WykUVVfpapEI7HopNLiOBjGOKdQTXvHUV98qgw81GP92/s1600-h/iphone+007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZrm9E1EwwbAlBPhSgMjBtHpZ3qUwya3zGlT2ael3-vIq2lrfUrCVU6TNsGolcFK_9JP1xkrgelbsMfiD1ab_mQF2qYJ_Cbd5WykUVVfpapEI7HopNLiOBjGOKdQTXvHUV98qgw81GP92/s200/iphone+007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190043656834520066" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-43884926597183111882008-04-16T19:06:00.000-07:002008-04-16T19:54:38.798-07:00Camping Adventures!Wow, so I'm a loser for not posting for so long. Thanks so much for checking in on me. Back in March, I took the <a href="http://thealbrights.blogspot.com/2007/08/team-building-101.html">interns</a> from <a href="http://www.rockincranch.org/">Rockin' C Ranch</a> to Gatlinburg, TN to do some <a href="http://www.raftinginthesmokies.com/pigeon.htm">whitewater rafting</a>, hiking, and relaxing. It was a super long drive, but so much fun! We nearly watched all of the first 3 seasons of <a href="http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/">The Office</a> and a few other movies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrIuE7VAVM60_FjBxwALLowpgCJuBAo2bImGAQBWLcYj1yJF5QMLd6F5aeeaKhwFyQ5C9kMh6NUEWPtNxaRleqcBDSSbVsczduchR9iFavUP41LoD0gjlxiRl0MbEsZlfgCKv4dgEN9tD/s1600-h/iphone+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrIuE7VAVM60_FjBxwALLowpgCJuBAo2bImGAQBWLcYj1yJF5QMLd6F5aeeaKhwFyQ5C9kMh6NUEWPtNxaRleqcBDSSbVsczduchR9iFavUP41LoD0gjlxiRl0MbEsZlfgCKv4dgEN9tD/s320/iphone+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190038528643568626" border="0" /></a>I arranged for one of the interns who wasn't able to make the trip with us, to secretly fly in to Birmingham and we picked him up on the way. Such a great surprise! There was a snag in his travel arrangements so we had some time to spend.<br />We were in Vicksburg, MS when we found out about the travel problems, so we found this really cool Civil War Battlefield Memorial. It was very impressive. This is a statue of General Grant.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HHtioSDtMHYvfRnlaEo9DHSG6SgbtkJ4mr2PD7N_9D_EoFQlj5ysSia4b3lKICQBGNXXjRckKQ7Uuk8CpDKfizd0RkHqvY6QYvyz1sm3DKy6B_-1mVG7wYSqzdRIqLw7yMQhVVWX4bJq/s1600-h/rafting.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HHtioSDtMHYvfRnlaEo9DHSG6SgbtkJ4mr2PD7N_9D_EoFQlj5ysSia4b3lKICQBGNXXjRckKQ7Uuk8CpDKfizd0RkHqvY6QYvyz1sm3DKy6B_-1mVG7wYSqzdRIqLw7yMQhVVWX4bJq/s320/rafting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190036114871948242" border="0" /></a>The water was so freaking cold when we were rafting! We had an amazing guide named Rick and we did some really cool stuff on the river!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZm_2gX3ImG2DWa-oxJg5cbEyRHRmlomOFI9sfv9_qaYOF0GdOpzubQyf6zOEY-WEK4FlbQDaFXOHqwyBX2uD1FX6TW0KhTCreyeWTeSfjy9zuadEX4a0F0HL3fCM6-XtbUSvqSqcRxDH2/s1600-h/iphone+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZm_2gX3ImG2DWa-oxJg5cbEyRHRmlomOFI9sfv9_qaYOF0GdOpzubQyf6zOEY-WEK4FlbQDaFXOHqwyBX2uD1FX6TW0KhTCreyeWTeSfjy9zuadEX4a0F0HL3fCM6-XtbUSvqSqcRxDH2/s320/iphone+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190036587318350818" border="0" /></a>The next day we went hiking in the smoky mountains to a place called Rainbow Falls. It was about a 6 mile round trip hike. We took our time and found some really beautiful and peaceful places.<br /><br />I also got to spend some time with my dad who lives in Gatlinburg. I never really got to see him much growing up, so it's been nice the last couple of years to keep in touch. We went to breakfast one morning and played a round of golf with the guys later that afternoon.<br /><br />Friends, family and fun. Sure made for one great experience.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-31877857718718335832008-01-26T22:10:00.001-08:002008-01-26T22:45:59.750-08:00Dinosaurs!!!January 14-16 I attend the <a href="http://www.ccca.org/default.asp">CCCA</a> <a href="http://www.ccca.org/sections/default.asp?section_id=54">Texas Sectional</a> Conference at <a href="http://www.riverbendretreat.org/">Riverbend Retreat Center</a> in Glen Rose, TX. The retreat center is locate right off the Brazos River and here are some photos I put together to capture the view of the river and plains. The conference was surprisingly good. I had the opportunity to teach a seminar on the role of retail gift shops in Christian camping. I also learned a few things, which is always good. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWV8HqNjZOITf39qimKoy3giy3kSoVptHAK5JX7erR0JBL39FXJueaJQGKDavn1SV2jFzMq8vVUgb3g-Ue4dOZ-hqcGMZkduLamTjBDJpjCA8iwpayvaTEh9Jq_1UhNfr6g4fAOUsl-Ws/s1600-h/gr+pana.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWV8HqNjZOITf39qimKoy3giy3kSoVptHAK5JX7erR0JBL39FXJueaJQGKDavn1SV2jFzMq8vVUgb3g-Ue4dOZ-hqcGMZkduLamTjBDJpjCA8iwpayvaTEh9Jq_1UhNfr6g4fAOUsl-Ws/s400/gr+pana.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160035402666749698" border="0" /></a>We had some free time on the afternoon of the 15th, and <a href="http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/dinosaur_valley/">Dinosaur Valley State Park</a> is located in Glen Rose. A guy named Hans from <a href="http://www.frontiercamp.org">Frontier Camp</a> is amazingly intelligent, and took us on a guided and commentate tour of the park, explaining his thoughts on creation, the flood, and bunch of other really interesting stuff. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Z-460AhRnVaaUjR0zKRlHKOu6jTgVlvjZ-3AGRhsNvd6YlRfR239UbQzT-9SIJGNRylTdVpOur9HeL1mxPuFl7ikFCF2fbGDIyW_JQIoIHpUQyru88lp4EjjgJnQD_t7guW9Tj25C6ZG/s1600-h/dino+bone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Z-460AhRnVaaUjR0zKRlHKOu6jTgVlvjZ-3AGRhsNvd6YlRfR239UbQzT-9SIJGNRylTdVpOur9HeL1mxPuFl7ikFCF2fbGDIyW_JQIoIHpUQyru88lp4EjjgJnQD_t7guW9Tj25C6ZG/s320/dino+bone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160035668954722066" border="0" /></a>Most of the tracks in the park are from sauropods, probably <a href="http://www.statefossils.com/tx/txdino.html">Pleurocoelus</a>, and there are some carnosaur tracks, probably <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrocanthosaurus">Acrocanthosaurus.</a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWt2eZ66PLzgAe5n9Goc5MwZs45wFB_ZJ2pTWj0j0NtlBtn0vEEAH0vpEUIm4I0q9UWaodwScMMdQmfvhqy7-iskkQvcJ6AViBcSXZWgiFpEBMyxIsIgPy-UYPb_iR_ACV5yFGW2y5A30/s1600-h/dino+print.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWt2eZ66PLzgAe5n9Goc5MwZs45wFB_ZJ2pTWj0j0NtlBtn0vEEAH0vpEUIm4I0q9UWaodwScMMdQmfvhqy7-iskkQvcJ6AViBcSXZWgiFpEBMyxIsIgPy-UYPb_iR_ACV5yFGW2y5A30/s320/dino+print.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160035772033937186" border="0" /></a>This one just couldn't resist me. That and she threatened to step on me if I didn't kiss her.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83-nT59diN8DXpj2cm1wB4um5zYD0ycG38KSbyHx0dlBQUzQwGsPKoz8AKM7W4a4QCy8X2TCTGIRQFlS7nsF-VrQ0UgLq1sIyotspsXsmZc9FzyPS6t6TTcHNOkqpu5JDZTIRpTUeH-lb/s1600-h/dino+jason+kiss.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83-nT59diN8DXpj2cm1wB4um5zYD0ycG38KSbyHx0dlBQUzQwGsPKoz8AKM7W4a4QCy8X2TCTGIRQFlS7nsF-VrQ0UgLq1sIyotspsXsmZc9FzyPS6t6TTcHNOkqpu5JDZTIRpTUeH-lb/s320/dino+jason+kiss.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160035875113152306" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-63173485596356109202008-01-07T19:37:00.000-08:002008-01-07T19:45:04.853-08:00Super Star!I posted ealier about <a href="http://thealbrights.blogspot.com/2007/12/long-time-coming.html">my new superstar life</a> so I finally found the clip of my breakout role in the newest LeTourneau University School of Graduate and Professional Studies commercial. You can click on the picture and it will take you to the production companies website where you can watch it.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.encoremultimedia.com/beta/letuanytime/"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjs5E72orix6ysN9WoQfbUeqYyM_br0QA7dTUZBsT07u2vm7pdViQQETNlpE5b17Jj7je6MBk1XzBFrsLThRIoJVIWzwu3zvC90cE4C6ilE-bwSGYmlSetIGZ5BoY3pnYjjMA9gwz0bHu/s320/letuanytime+mower.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152945625117433842" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-31836882473829490762007-12-25T20:10:00.000-08:002007-12-25T20:11:39.988-08:00break upi kicked my wife off of our blog and its my blog now. how's that for a merry christmas present. no, not really, she wanted her own special place. Check it out hope-restored.blogspot.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-76316792247110728162007-12-18T08:31:00.000-08:002007-12-18T08:42:34.460-08:00Nike+ ChallengeLast month I started this Nike+ challenge with <a href="http://buildpipelines.blogspot.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Deyl</span></a> and <a href="http://opensourcephoto.blogspot.com/">DJ</a>, and had this little widget on my blog about the progress. DJ uses Spam Arrest, and he never gets his email :p so he never confirmed the invite. that being said, Deyl kicked my butt...albeit by a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">technicality</span>. I suppose there are runs that he may not have loaded, but I forgot to load the 15 miles I ran while I was staying at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Deyl's</span> house. (i know what they say about excuses...everyone has one and all of them stink)<br /><br />So congrats <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Deyl</span>...Texas I'm sorry.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-15922743751360522242007-12-18T07:51:00.000-08:002007-12-18T08:27:56.044-08:00Long time coming...wow, so I totally suck as a blogger. I was out to dinner with the guys and girls in my MBA program, and one of them told me that I need to blog because she's tired of seeing the same thing. I have no excuses other than I've been so busy being a movie star. In fact you can check out my cameo in a local news story:<br /><p><a href="http://www.kltv.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?clipId1=2004125&at1=News&vt1=v&h1=New+Candy+Mints+Look+Like+Drug+Bags+12%2D10%2D07&d1=129533&redirUrl=www.kltv.com&activePane=info&LaunchPageAdTag=homepage&clipFormat=&playerVersion=1&hostPageUrl=http%3A//www.kltv.com/global/video/popup/pop_playerLaunch.asp%3FclipId1%3D2004125%26at1%3DNews%26vt1%3Dv%26h1%3DNew+Candy+Mints+Look+Like+Drug+Bags+12%252D10%252D07%26d1%3D129533%26redirUrl%3Dwww.kltv.com%26activePane%3Dinfo%26LaunchPageAdTag%3Dhomepage%26clipFormat%3D&rnd=93983597"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145341913800843218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HSUOV6OBhmxgtBQdYJq0hoMnBez37RHv35dZBtdqYea7T2FtLvgcfMhMim8aBIjsvZ-t8e6vIpNwa3rCHE7PIQMmLniZH7gNZCbj8mdwh2CS4brB7a-9KFbj7_xJjYVxfO6gDRDEGxok/s320/jasons+cameo.bmp" border="0" /></a>I also had the opportunity to film a commercial for LeTourneau University. That was a Divine appointment. sort of...you see I've been itching for an iPhone for a while but there was just no way I was going to spend $400 of my hard earned money on it....then I got the call...LeTourneau needed someone as a talent for a commercial they wanted to produce and someone mentioned my name...oh and by the way, they were paying $400! bingo! so we shot the commercial on Tuesday, and I got my iPhone on Thursday!</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145347780726169570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXHpTt2Td2XOWnVmKciBBV7PnwyGVSEStb8b5QmfO52Blg0y4N4qOJZKDFZdvQJyYAJOx8mPaGkeMaTxoV5TO2OtvAL5YhPr2_gOdqxeavkS_VZUUtIjf0ZZsc9fC5_trHAtyoXGTuSuB/s320/iphone-accessories.jpg" border="0" />Personally my favorite part is that it's almost time to take the brownies out! if you know, you know. if you don't, ask.</p><p>As soon as I get a link for the LeTourneau commercial, I'll post a link.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-68309139400959828322007-11-11T15:51:00.000-08:002007-11-11T16:08:13.722-08:00Erin's Goals and Laundry detergent<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4zYZLQiwwsXKX7wpSt_CyFDxb8ij0_M8rmIo_dB9K234uF4nt0GMkkPqphXhvgctYIBXyrQCSFyM7gBaeQx9pyxqCn_alOMaPmtKCx7b7SJJZ-VF0ZiRZeVaEh54FDvX8uRXFnlaggEj/s1600-h/new+jacket+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131738932971130482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4zYZLQiwwsXKX7wpSt_CyFDxb8ij0_M8rmIo_dB9K234uF4nt0GMkkPqphXhvgctYIBXyrQCSFyM7gBaeQx9pyxqCn_alOMaPmtKCx7b7SJJZ-VF0ZiRZeVaEh54FDvX8uRXFnlaggEj/s320/new+jacket+001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WOyc7PLUqMmMch2S2e-g4HAmASU14x6Xcl73AiakbmAgzNFaUimgugJaatLJDr4Ycz5F61u_atX1-8SGgGKo6LrssH3PLFuwuhKhmgmIOsfrQ2dmWZkhWVYa13qwDBXUdNR6oSScI1wC/s1600-h/new+jacket+001.jpg"></a>I'm still working on getting used to the idea of a blog. I feel that Jason has an unfair advantage over me to post spontaneous subject matter with appropriate pictures. My cell phone does not take pictures - it's a fossil. Working on getting a new one though.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Lately, my life has been consumed by work, all of which is very exciting, and very confidential. So, the remainder of my life consists of things such as dishes and laundry. My current domestic debate: Do I like 2x concentrated laundry detergent? It saves plastic/waste using a smaller container, but I am just not convinced that using such a small amount is just as effective. I lean more toward the school of thought that more is more. Hm. And then, I think, who wants to read a blog about my laundry detergent philosophy? :o)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Yesterday, I did escape the grind of housework to enjoy an afternoon at a Christmas fair called Mistletoe and Magic. It's quite the event here in Tyler, but my first time to attend. I found a cute new jacket (see pic), and also enjoyed their live entertainment. There was one act in particular that I found to be quite entertaining. It was grown women "clogging" in tap shoes to 70's music. They were in tie-dye tee shirts and had big, flourescent green frills at the bottom of their jeans. NOTE: If I had a cell phone with a camera, there would be a picture of these adorable women in their ridiculous costumes. They inspired me to consider returning to one of my great loves - dance. I might take up a dance class of some form at the junior college next semester. A sincere thanks to the cloggers for their inspiration!<br /></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-63763957712098891352007-11-10T21:50:00.000-08:002007-11-10T21:56:03.749-08:00Business TimeNo, this has nothing to do with my MBA program. I picked this up from <a href="http://ashleighcarroll.wordpress.com/">Ashleigh Carroll's blog</a>. I've never heard of these guys before but they've been on Letterman so you may have seen/heard them before. <br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WGOohBytKTU&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WGOohBytKTU&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-70344000358916828762007-11-08T15:11:00.000-08:002007-11-08T15:42:23.001-08:00New Goals....BIG GOALS!Three years ago I accomplished a tremendous goal, to complete an Ironman distance triathlon. I made a big mistake after the race...I didn't have any physical goals after that. I had originally planned to take six months off to let my body rest after training for over two years. six months turned into a year, a year into three... Well, I've decided to set a goal as daunting as completing an Ironman was to me then. I want to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130611183377379234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gjtZbkHXiM_0v3nhERnw8_MO_JEmDOYSkEo8hcxmD2t7GYNIu03cIjamdVWTjQIqA74wMfYSVqjyVaqWvTSSDOfh0EpDJbD5TUtDgEL-7pkz4Ta-U1db-r1dmHavaeJw2u1-HBYGBjAF/s400/ironman_logo.jpg" border="0" />This will require me to complete another Ironman much faster than my previous race just to qualify. I will need to shave 4 hours (I know, it's a lot) off of my time. I believe that I can do it. I broke each event down to the paces required to finish in 9:30 (that hours and minutes) and it will require training and probably hiring a coach to help me with the swimming, but it's do-able.<br /><br />You, too, are capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for. You've got to dream big and set small goals along the way. Whether it's paying off debt, having a great marriage, getting that degree, or doing something you've always wanted to do but just thought was impossible, TODAY IS THE DAY! Tell other people about what it is you want to have/be/do! Be strong and courageous, dream BIG, LIVE BIG, BELIEVE!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-32756767176744217702007-11-04T18:52:00.000-08:002007-11-04T18:58:39.299-08:00Heard this in church a few weeks ago and wanted to share :<br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">"The greatest irony, and our greatest hope is that Christ has shown us that one person coming in the name of love is truly an army." -Mike Kinman</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-91719490202519015002007-10-30T14:53:00.000-07:002007-10-30T15:01:25.471-07:00I sure do appreciate you all...Just wanted to drop a quick post to say how honored I've been to have you all check this thing out. It has really been a blessing, so thank you.<br /><br />Unfortunately, we've got a foul-mouth coward among us, who is showing his foolishness through word and deed, while hiding behind the anonymous option that blogger affords those who don't have a google account.<br /><br />Anyway, keep on posting! I so enjoy hearing from you all...and I'll deal with the coward.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-59263585948912759342007-10-29T12:59:00.000-07:002007-10-29T13:13:35.608-07:00A Weekend to Remember!<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVOU4DwJCP9C5VNeesZmwBazwow8AHrTRSNldr9l8r_f1WI0FAKLK2nBCqXJ9_fDgQJWJgtuUXLjnGvwxBZpiCwp22dH4p1vLMZGh451Z2dtyrBbbpFOJOU43TiokU7qJ8vhHbiUFYUKL/s1600-h/n501885598_1563493_8093.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126852840362374914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVOU4DwJCP9C5VNeesZmwBazwow8AHrTRSNldr9l8r_f1WI0FAKLK2nBCqXJ9_fDgQJWJgtuUXLjnGvwxBZpiCwp22dH4p1vLMZGh451Z2dtyrBbbpFOJOU43TiokU7qJ8vhHbiUFYUKL/s400/n501885598_1563493_8093.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>This past weekend I got together with a special group of people in my life, ReTeam T7 1999-2000. That year at <a href="http://www.skyranchcamps.com/">Sky Ranch</a> was a life changing year for me. I learned so much from Wendel and the guys and girls on that team. I learned that it's okay to mess up, as long as you learn. I learned that my past doesn't determine my future, my present does.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126852986391262994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbyFuVugkZ-o9s_aU_1849J01eKLKhhBMwmZWQGNG4CMcPPviGNknTmkqM_K4mbIdQaWFluDhrwU-ScEGi2zYOj-qLZlKJVyo_-KcPKwWqHrSHFs0Yff6UlVS68GrRbWAbX7QlHxMwj5Y/s400/IMG_0213_4.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>It was such an amazing weekend. Most everyone from T7 was there, but we were missing a few: Patrick Dove, Jason Shipley, and Lance & Tiffany Ferguson (they just had a little baby girl the Friday night before).</div><div> </div><div>I've been to more reunions this year than any other in my life...probably b/c I'm getting old :p But I've decided that as often as I have the opportunity, I'll keep going to them.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857834446558603512.post-77643958716716556132007-10-28T15:59:00.000-07:002007-10-31T13:16:18.098-07:00Thanks for stopping by!!<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6YSCM3D-kHw0SXykXXYvACO1l4l_jABIKcSa_Woy7QdUgB_DXYv4sm11IA0yxmXvCP2C4o1BOhl0tSpk0EQbUPYF7NDvJCZh-AiZYIc069NBptI4gnRo-8OlUzbig9qdeLotcVFXknEP/s1600-h/bm-image-793031.jpe"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126526624711341794" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6YSCM3D-kHw0SXykXXYvACO1l4l_jABIKcSa_Woy7QdUgB_DXYv4sm11IA0yxmXvCP2C4o1BOhl0tSpk0EQbUPYF7NDvJCZh-AiZYIc069NBptI4gnRo-8OlUzbig9qdeLotcVFXknEP/s320/bm-image-793031.jpe" border="0" /></a><br /><p>Thanks for stopping by! Add a link to your favorites and check in every now and then. I try to post regularly with what is going on with me and my wife. </p><p>Leave me comments and let me know what you're up to. Thanks again for stopping by.</p><p>BTW - if you have a blog give me the address so I can keep up with you too!</p><p>P.S. I found this <a href="http://www.statcounter.com/">hit counter </a>that gives you a map of the location of your visitors. Here is the map of the folks that have stopped by since last night. (pic updated Oct 31)</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Wknh7Z1Sxj2BQ9GKR4BHwQlC8J6gi0BVjeOtr-oQDh5pzAAvmj4PodZVp-uJU-73Bp-QO9MzkKHTw-MPhJhJXYCfQSkk9gmVeSiDpytYv8_rEYq-4Y7MJnBcsQ7ZCjTyO3PyrqegF1lC/s1600-h/visitors+since+yesterday.bmp"></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127596969216210754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCbKVRpWnwZIdvy67z6dl3eDmURgPBLcke02takAIVMxxfNsz3NfG9aJW62pdYbVXcXhcjgtK9oG_aaQs8ciB1pPn4ImDrWHWds-odulN8vGgCMlqSO_2HC5UD3SlS8OjqMUeWZBin2wxR/s400/untitled.bmp" border="0" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5