New post - A little rant...

For all of my RSS feedies: Go to dalejenkins.com and click on blog to see my new post.

http://web.me.com/dale3232/Dale_Jenkins/Blog/Entries/2008/8/27_The_Church_is_a_what.html

RSS feed updates...

I know a good number of you kept up with my blog via RSS feeds.  And that since I've gone to www.dalejenkins.com have not been able to RSS me.  I think I may have a solution. AND I need to know if this works. To RSS "The Scoop Blog" go to:

feed://web.me.com/dale3232/Dale_Jenkins/The_Scoop_Blog/rss.xml

If you want to RSS The Blog That Binds go to:

feed://web.me.com/dale3232/Dale_Jenkins/Blog/rss.xml

Let me know if it works...and if it does...welcome back.

New post at www.dalejenkins.com

http://web.mac.com/dale3232/Dale_Jenkins/Blog/Entries/2008/7/24_Easy_“believism”.html

Political?

I suppose the cat's out of the bag now.  I sure hope I can stay on at SM if this doesn't work out :)

New blog...

Hey folks go to dalejenkins.com

view my blog under "blog" and check out the new blog I've started called SCOOP.

YOUR day off...

What do you do on your "day" off?

"Days off" the term itself has a real sweet feel to it. "I'm off"!'  For years I didn't take a specific day off. In Hamilton, I had to actually leave town to take a day off.  It seemed everywhere I went I'd end up in counsel with someone or dropping by the little hospital. Anywhere I went I was "the preacher".  Periodically I'd take a couple of days and get away.  Frankly , the longer I was there, the more frequently I had to take such times.  

At Granny White, the elders demanded I take one (and I appreciated it). So I started taking Fridays! WOW - I loved it. I'd read, catch up on correspondence, go to the office and actually close the door, run extended runs, take care of errands, sometimes do some house stuff, visit old church buildings, oh it was a rich day.

Well, here I am in Spring Hill and I find myself slipping. Sans on site administrative help and with a mobile office with my phone serving as both personal and business I am find myself almost always working.  With no sons at home to push me to ball games.  Not a complaint - I have always loved my work and do now. That is sometimes the problem.  I'll be watching "LOST" with my computer in lap working on an outline, article, editing or "powerpointing".  I'll be watching the 10:00 news and before I know it it will be 11:30 and I'm still responding to emails.  

I heard Eugene Petterson interviewed a few months ago and he talked about how for years he had totally disconnected one day a week.  No phone, fax, ipod, internet, computer.  

I preach about not taking on more than is healthy or committing to more than you can accomplish, about how the body needs rest and how God made us to recreate, how even He "took a day off".  I preach pretty good on this cause I'm preaching to myself.  

I've been thinking lately of trying something rather interesting.  Disconnecting from phone, podcast and email for three hours four mornings each week.  I look at the volumes of books Calvin, Spurgeon, Lipscomb, McGarvey, Campbell, etc - without the "convenience" of internet and the "useful tools" we have (perhaps they aren't so useful).  What do you think?

How do you disconnect?  When do you disconnect? What do you do on your "off day"?  I'd like to hear.

Weekend Update...

We had quite a weekend ... and beginning.  

Friday evening Melanie and Andrew and his girlfriend Kristin left for Roanoke, Alabama where Andrew was to do a youth rally Saturday night and then preach on Sunday.  

Late that night my yard got rolled!  I have a bead on the culprits, they will be hunted down and brought to justice!!!!  :)  

Saturday morning the workers at the Duplex Road site got the final part of slab poured. It looks great. I hope to post an updated blog and podcast tomorrow.  

Then I left Saturday afternoon for Hamilton where I was to emcee a benefit dinner for Maywood Christian Camp.  Tyler Watts was the speaker and he did great. Perhaps best was how patient he was after he spoke with all the high school boys who latched onto him and asked one question after another.  We raised about 14000.00 and including the other monies that came in for other event associated with this fundraiser the total amount was just under $35,000.00.  Which comes close to matching our larger Mayday events we ever held.  It was a grand success.

Sunday morning was special to me, as not only did I have the blessed opportunity to preach at Spring Meadows but was invigorated with the knowledge that Andrew was also preaching that morning in Roanoke and Philip at Millview, Franklin.  How blessed I felt. We had a good number at Spring Meadows. 

Sunday night not only did we have several special visitors but we also honored a good group of graduating Seniors.  

What a blessing!  

Serves me right...

OK....so, Andrew's Pathfinder is in the shop again.  It blew an engine - the second time this has happened and the mechanics have no idea why it happened. So the last few weeks I've been driving a rental. My brother and I have this ongoing, nonverbal contest to see who can get the best prices on things like plane tickets, car rentals, hotel rooms. We both always try Priceline and have gotten over the years some wonderful deals. 

I got a car one time for, I think it was, eight dollars a day!  I also like to see when I get to the counter if I can get an upgrade, not by asking, but by just trying to make the attendant's day better.  It's fun.  My best success story is one time in LA at Orange County International.  The guy in front of me was rude and angry and self-absorbed.  He cursed freely and tossed a few of those at the girl behind the counter.  Un-pleaseable and unpleasant! I really felt sorry for her

 and when I got to the desk I commended her on her restraint and apologized in general for all us rude travelers.  She upgraded me to a Cadillac Escalade.  It was beautiful - but I was scared to death driving that monster on the LA freeways!  

So last week I went to the counter at Budget and before long the lady at the counter said - "Hey, how would you like an upgrade at no extra charge?" "Sure, what'ch got?"  "How about a

 Mustang?"  I've never driven a Mustang but have admired them - "Any chance it's a convertible?"  "Could be!"  "Alright, let's do it."  

I gleefully left the counter went to the parking garage to pick up my sweet Mustang.  ...

That's when my heart sank...

Yes...it's ORANGE!  Can you believe that.  The lady had been too nice for me to go back and ask to be "downgraded" - I know a lot of you are getting a real kick out of it.  Dale, Mr. Tide, Sir Alabama is driving a UT Orange car.  I think I'm gonna be sick!  But, hey, it could be more proof that even the hardest heart can be softened.  

I'm glad to have let you have a good laugh at my expense.  Have a super day.

The Latest...

I know many of you will be excited to see the latest developments in our building program...and even if you aren't...I am!  Enjoy...

Frankly I just liked this one.  It was

 taken about ten days ago and if you look closely you can see the "cross ties" between the beams. I had not posted it yet.

Now we're really getting somewhere - this picture taken yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon is of the pad covered with plastic and rebar for the after electrical and plumbing and leveling had been completed and ready for the concrete to be pou

red.

Here we are this morning.  You can see two concrete trucks (one coming one going in the far distance.  One is at the pad pouring and one is sitting right in front of you.  Each truck represented 10 yards of concrete (as I understood).  

Now folks, if I were in construction I think I'd have to have one of these (but I imagine it'd cost a "pretty penny").  I'll call it a super smooth laser trow.  It shoots a laser from those two metal rods at the VERY front of it toward a sister laser mounted on a beam (in the next picture) and it gives a super smooth surface. It saves hours and hours of work and man it is neat to watch it!

It's not easy to see, but it is on the up beam looks like about a third of the way up.

OK...here it is...smooth and glosssy!  Beautiful!

BIG DAYS IN MAY...

Two big days in May...

This coming Sunday at Spring Meadows is a BIG DAY. It could be a our biggest yet, we'll see.  We're calling it INVITE SUNDAY and have challenged every member to invite seven people.  It will be very interesting to see how this works.  We'll have a big picnic and it should be very exciting.  Consider yourself invited!  9:00 Sunday morning!  Be here.  I can't wait.  

The second BIG DAY IN MAY that I want to tell you about is in (drumroll please) in the great state of Alabama.  I have known and loved Maywood Christian Camp since it began 44 years ago. Dad was one of the founders and I have spend more than a year cumulative of my life there. It has experienced amazing growth and health in it's 5th decade.  Ten's of thousands of lives have been changed there.  It is wonderful, as we like to say, "because God is there!"  Here's the big day. May 17 we will have our first benefit dinner.  

Here is where you come in.  I'm personally looking for 25 sponsors. It will cost you $100 to be a sponsor.  25 people who I've had enough effect on to help underwrite expenses of this dinner.  25 people who's lives have been touched directly or indirectly through Maywood.  Just send me an email - there is no hurry on getting the money in, but I would like to know if your or your business will be a sponsor. 

We have a rather HUGE projects we're raising money for right now - a new cabin for the girls that will allow us to retire the over 40 year old and about to fall over bathhouse! We also have some other exciting projects but this is a must!

You might want to come to the dinner - we'd love that.  It will begin a 7 on the 17th and be held on the campus of Bevil State in Hamilton.  Just let me know.  

And thanks for how you care for others.  Have a great weekend!

Just one pic - but a great one!

For those of you who can't see the podcast...

I know some of you can't see the podcast and you want to see what's happening at the building site so here's your report...

This is some of the plumbing. This major plumbing work has to be done before the slab is poured. It is about done. I'd say about 80% from what I could tell.

This is just a more expanded picture of the plumbing work. I am standing at the southwest corner of the building (or in the back left corner for those of you directionally challenged (but I could be wrong, I'm not the best at directions myself :)).

 

Another picture of the plumbing work.

You can't really see much by the picture but here is some of the electrical work.  Man, there's a lot of conduit in this thing.  They have this great machine that warms the pipe where it can be easily bent. That avoids them having to use "arms" and connectors which should make the whole thing more dependable. This work being done now makes the whole process of wiring the building much easier and more reliable.  Since it is in the ground this too has to be done prior to the slab being poured.  And this work too is close to being done!!!

Here these first several are of a beam being raised into place.  This is the first beam on the right as you walk up to the building.  The Northwest corner.  

Here is the dig for the pipe that will send water into the building (I think).  

This is the finished product on the beams - or at least the outside beams.

A better picture of the completed beams. There are ten of them total. Five on each side. And the crossbeams at the top tying them to each other and will form the support for the roof.

Now, how neat it that!  This coming week I'm told the roof should go on and the slab should be poured. Of course weather could affect all of that.

There Goes That Dreamer...

They say dreams mean something, so if there's a Joseph out there, help, the rest of you just enjoy a good laugh.

My typical sleep schedule for meetings away from home typically goes something like this: Sleep hardly any the first night, the second night sleep so hard I feel like I've been knocked in the head. And then I repeat that throughout the time I'm away.  I just don't sleep as well away from Melanie and home.  

Well, this past week was worse than normal.  I slept hardly any Saturday night, then Sunday night was just as bad.  (For the many of you - I think that'd include most of Spring Meadows - you participated in that cruel joke on Sunday - this is all your fault!!! I'm sure I was so upset that the building project had been shut down that I couldn't rest!)

I had to get some sleep Monday night to function and I had a truckload of work I needed to get done. So Monday afternoon I went by the Walmart and purchased a small container of Advil PM.  About 9 I took two.  I was out by 10!  I don't know when I was last asleep that early.  The TV was on ESPN.  I think that is germane to the story.  

Sometime - I think (in my drug induced semi-comatose state) about 1 AM I was dreaming so deeply I woke up.  I never remember having a dream so vidid and real.  I dreamt (at least I now think it was a dream) that somehow I met up with Dan Patrick (for those of you who might not know he's probably one of the five biggest guys in sports broadcasting).  We got to talking - he's a really nice guy (at least he was in my dream) and it turned out he needed someone to do SportsCenter with him Wednesday night.  

He asked for my advice.  I recommended Keith Olbermann. The two of them did SportsCenter together for years and were awesome together. I thought I'd be doing sports fans everywhere a favor by having them back on that show!  Turns our Keith had a previous engagement.  And Dan shocked me. 

He said: "Why don't you come on with me?"  WOW!  Doing SportsCenter!  I was stunned.  Amazed.  I think it shocked me so much it woke me up.  I got up and started thinking about it immediately.  Literally I sat up and started planning it. Then I realized I'd been dreaming.  So I lay back down - and - went - right - back - into - the dream!  I had some on-camera tests, a voice test (yeah, I'm sure I'd pass that).  Again, I got pretty stoked about it all and woke up. This time I was thinking about the elders meeting I'd been in that night (of course I hadn't been in an elders meeting) and how excited they were that I'd be on SportsCenter. I told them I thought I could wear my Spring Meadows shirt!  I'm not sure now what was dream and what was conscious thought but at some point I lay back down.

This time I started thinking about telling people about it.  I didn't want to be guilty of vanity or self-promotion but if I didn't figure out how to tell people a lot of friends would be mad cause they'd miss it.  SSSOOOO...I decided to post a blog about it. 

Now folks, I got up, fired up my computer and started blogging. At some point it must have dawned on me what I was doing.  How funny would it have been if I'd actually posted it.  

Now, folks is that crazy or what. Share your favorite funny dream if you will. 

From the pad to the sky...building update #3

Here is the latest, enjoy!

http://web.mac.com/dale3232/Site/Podcast/Entries/2008/4/24_Building_Update_3.html

Let me know if you get it....

I Bit....

OK, I admit it, I'm a little obsessed.  

Many of you who read this blog do not realize how many rather colossal pranks your writer has pulled off. I mean some legendary ones.  Never mean or mean-spirited but real fun and memorable.  I should have known my time was coming.

The last time I had my son, Philip, speak at Spring Meadows I told the church to go up to he and his wife and congratulate them on the new baby - only thing is they are not expecting.  It turned out pretty funny.

I was gone Sunday, preaching in a very enjoyable meeting in Lexington, TN.  One of the things I knew I'd miss while I was away was going out to the property and seeing progress on the building.  We're in a pretty critical stage where it seems something is happening or at least poised to happen every day.  So, I go and make pics and then share them with you.  I was anticipating some really pretty days (which we've had).

So imagine my pain when one of the key guys in the project left me a message Sunday afternoon to call him - it sounded rather urgent.  So I did.  He told me how the inspectors had been out to the property and the "pad" had sunk 4 to 5 inches and it appeared our new building might be on a fault line and per the county's instruction all work had been stopped while they decided how to proceed.  We might have to re-dig and pour the footings, we might have to completely relocate the building putting us back a square one. 

Man, the word is "miserable"!  I was heart sick and began to pray about my attitude. How impatient I had/have been, how perhaps I've put too much stock in the importance of the facility.  

That afternoon, I talked to Melanie and she said it sounded kinda rough, then got a message from one of the elders (I won't tell you his initials, but his name is Tom Campbell - man, I can't wait till he comes up for reaffirmation :)).  

I waited. Nothing the rest of the day Sunday. I did talk to one of our deacons who assured me, bless his soul, it'd all work out).  

Monday - nothing.  Only beautiful sunshine - sunshine that we could have been building in!

Tuesday - by 9:30 I'd had it. I called David back.  

"Well, just checking in - what's the latest?"

David: "You've heard?"

Me: "Heard what? No?"

David: "Yeah you have, you've talked to your son."

Me (confused): "Yes, but he didn't give me any news." 

David: "You've talked to someone."

Me: "No, I haven't..."

David:  "They're supposed to start with the metal today."

Me: "What?"

David: "We got you good didn't we?" (or something alone that line).

Yep, I had it coming.  Seems Philip involved the whole church in this thing.  He told them to set me up!  Spin this story of the work being stopped.  And I bit!  The elders, deacons, David, Philip, even Melanie!  David even called the contractor and let him in on it just in case I called him for an update!  THE GUY who led the closing prayer even prayed I wouldn't take this too hard!!!! Unbelievable! Spring Meadows members - I can't believe not a one of you helped me on this!  Larry and whoever led the closing prayer are the only ones who get even the slightest break :)

James, Dan, Tracy, Andy, Kathy, Tommie, Scott, Larry - I know you all need to send those folks a thank you note.  And I hope you enjoyed this...I'm sure you did.  

Oh, but they better brace themselves...I'll get them all back!  And it will be good.

I'd like to read the best pranks, practical jokes, etc that have been pulled on you.  Comment below.

Building Update #2

My second experiment with podcasting - click here and PLEASE let me know how it sounds and if it works for you and all.  

A podcast attempt....

OK...here is my first personal podcast. Trent and I are still planning on doing a podcast together soon but I decided to do a little experimenting...please let me know what you think and give your suggestions.  It's brief a little under 3 minutes.  Click HERE to HEAR and SEE 

or click on this if you use an apple product  My first attempt...

Various News...The week in review...

Today I've got all sorts of good news and info for you:

First up: Sunday at SM.  Great crowds and great preaching - Lonnie Jones did a super job and Andy did wonderful on Sunday night. I've heard nothing but good from the reports from them.  We hit up around 275 for our fourth Sunday straight.  Good stuff.

Second: I enjoyed preaching in a meeting at Glasgow, KY this week. The folks there w

ere wonderful in their encouragement and the meeting went well. There was one response. I totally enjoyed the time that I got to spend with Steve and Blaine the two ministers there.  I got an email from

 Steve this morning and he tells me it was their best attended meeting in 20 years.  I don't believe it was the preaching, even though I think their encouragement made me do better than normal. It was because of the directed decisions of the leadership there. Here's how Steve expressed it to me a couple of weeks ago:  "I also thought I’d tell you that you’re being used as a guinea pig.  Our meeting attendance has been terrible the past several times.  So what the elders have done is they got up before the congregation, told them how the attendance has been poor, and without the support of other congregations, we wouldn’t have had hardly anyone present.  So they challenged the church in this way…They told the congregation that they were not going to do any advertising.  They were going to put the meeting in the hands of our own members.  They said this meeting is for us, not for area congregations, and that since it was our meeting, we needed to attend and invite and make it a success without relying on other people.  Soooo….  We’ll see what happens.  Oh, and the clincher is that Monday night is the Basketball finals." So, sometimes when we put a new spin on what we are doing good things can happen. I appreciate their effort.  

By the way...Steve blogged about the meeting, you can see that at his site: http://preachinghelp.org/?p=28 He even put some audio clips on it - wow, he's good!

He also really got me good.   Those of you who have heard my sermon on being blessed by the Bible might get this one - if not, just enjoy - here's why I don't wear tanktops :)  

I liked that we had fun together and think that contributed a great deal to the success of the meeting...BUT STEVE WATCH OUT, I will get you back!!!!

The luncheon Monday at 21st was wonderful. I will blog on that very soon.

And there has been action at the property this week while I've been away.  We'll have pictures right away on that.

God is good, and I am blessed to serve...

Another update...so soon. Yes, more progress and news. They completed the interior footings and the rebar and posts.  The inspectors came and gave us "a good bill of health" to proceed.  If the weather is nice enough they may pour concrete tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow.  Here's a couple of pics of the rebar and the final one is of everything covered for the rain that came tonight.

Real Progress showing...

Well with the final permit in place as of today digging on the interior footing has begun - they should actually begin pouring some of the early concrete by Tuesday of next week but with the rain coming in I guessing it will be the end of the week but we will see. 

Long awaited...finally here! Both building and sewer permits.

Just before the beginnings of digging the footings

Early on - interior footings.

Over half through.

A little perspective on how deep the footings are.

Five favs....

Last night I was privileged to preach at Calvert City, Kentucky.  I always consider it a joy to preach and am somewhat amazed when I'm invited back places.  Frankly I'd never even heard of Calvert City prior to moving to middle Tennessee.  Apparently there are a lot of Willard Collins fans there and shortly after moving in GW I received an invite through my friend Lance Cordle (who is now in his, I think, 19th year there).  Well, I've been back getting close to 10 times now.  It is a wonderful church.  

A visit to Calvert City isn't really complete without a visit to a place called Miss Patti's.  Enjoying my

 meal there last evening with their youth guy (and good friend) Craig Evans, I had a thought to a quick blog.  

Dale's Favorite Five "non-chain" Restaurants (and I'd like to see your list too):

5.  Dinelli's:  A wonderful pizza restaurant in Hamilton, AL.  They have aweso

me dough, wonderful cinnamon sticks and the world's best peach cobbler...plus you

 always get to see some of the local's and that's special to me.  I like the owner Dwight too. If I'm in Hamilton more than one day I'll eat a

t Dinelli's - if I'm there for only one day - KFC will be where I'll go. It is the best KFC in the world...but it's a chain so it can't make my list).  

4.  McDougal's Chicken Coop:  I absolutely love to scout out new places and then take friends.  My bud Scott and I found this place on a side road near the Vandy Campus a few years back.  Talk about a place with personality. It has the most random things hanging on the walls in mass quantities you can imagine.   They really only have one thing on the menu, chicken (mostly tenders and wings).  They have several fabulous sauces - I get torn between the Honeybee and the Gold.  And, yes, they have super sweet tea (just one lump of sugar below Chick-Fil-A), a staple of any good place to eat.  Also, McDougal's just opened a second location in Cool Springs.  

3.  Miss Patti's: This is one well worth the drive!  It is about an hour and a half west of Nashville in Grand Rivers, KY.  They have a large menu and I've been told a lot of it is really good...but I wouldn't know. I've eaten there maybe 10 or 15 times and every time had the same thing. Pork Chops!  They have one or two inch pork chops and a super sauce on them.  They bake their bread in a flower pot and have some super strawberry butter.  But save some room - they have what they call 7 inch high chocolate pie. It's pretty wonderful.  

2.  Big Spring's #2:  OK - this one is not for the faint of heart.  It is a hole in the wall in Huntsville, AL. It has been there forever and it shares the location with a bait and tackle shop (seriously).  The place looks nasty from the outside and is unimaginably small (one table and a bar), but look in the parking lot - you'll see everything from Mercedes to old Chevys. You'll want to order at least 4 of their hamburgers - they were small and square before Krystal thought of it.  They are the only restaurant (maybe in the world) that serves Double Cola.  I have loved Big Springs #2 (not sure if a Big Springs #1 has ever existed) all my life.  I remember one sunny Saturday that mom and I drove all the way from Birmingham to Huntsville just for a bag of burgers from Big Springs.  Alabama was playing Washington that day - it is a perfect day in my memory bank.  They offer a couple of things other than the burgers - but don't waste your time!  It'll take 6 months off your life to eat one meal there - but hey - you'll get to heaven quicker.  It'd be hard to spend more than 6.00 on a meal here.

1.  Brooksie's Barn:  Jackson, TN.  Cross I-40 going North on 45, turn on Oil Well Road and it is on the right.  I eat here one time a year. I have to fast for about a week before and after.  I've joked I want to be buried there - and I'll probably have to be since I eat so much there I'll probably stroke out there.  It is a little pricey. They have a buffet with about every imaginable meat on it (outstanding fried chicken, barbeque, ribs, etc), they have rolls that you'll want to stuff a few extra in your pocket and pineapple fritters!!! WOW.  Hmmm...I could be there in about 2 hours....

So share...what are your favorites. I may have to try one of them.

Sunday...

Sunday was really a neat day.  I'll forego all the flowered language I'd like to use to express the energy and excitement of a day where we set a new attendance record of 350 (I didn't do the count) and just leave it at a really neat day!  

These were taken after the little ones had gone to Children's Bible Hour.  Enjoy...

Rhubarb ... Rebar

Today 19,576 pounds of iron and steel were delivered and unloaded at the "site", another sign of progress. Here's the pics

Picture 1 is the "tag" revealing that this metal is for Spring Meadows Church of Christ

Here's the full load - the guy on the truck was the very friendly driver.



Action shots :)

Here is a little extra - power being run to the site. At least that what it looks like to me.

wood...

Not much but just in the interest of keeping you up to the minute...these appeared on all four corners today.

Just one picture today...

Well, just one picture today! This small pile of 2x4's appeared today. Not sure what purpose they serve - maybe to frame up corners? What do you think?

Not much but something is better than nothing...

This contraption appeared today on the property. Of course it's one of the tool surveyor's use.

And here is what it was "shooting". From about 50 yards away looking through the locater the pencil looked as large as one you'd hold in your hand. This is the Southeast corner of the building - probably as close as we could call where our "cornerstone" would be located.

And then these signs had been put up - probably just for me :).

And one more looking toward the "shot".