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!