6 more to go

I just finished book number 14 this week on my quest for 20 in one year. The list of books I have read is on the right column of the blog home page complete with links to Amazon. I can make it to 20 but I have to get to reading with the quickness. I have no shortage of books to read. I am about half way through number 15 and will start #16 this week. The goal is within reach and I will reach it.

Big Buck Bunny

www.bigbuckbunny.org

Insights from a 4 year old

The other day Greg 2.0 came home from school talking about John McCain and Barack Obama. Now neither his mother or I have spoken to him at all about the elections so he had no clue as to who we liked or disliked. Anyway he was talking about how he liked McCain. Now mind you Greg 2.0 is only four years old. When I asked him why he like John McCain he said, and I quote, "cause he is on the red team". I found that kind of funny. See my child loves the color red. He loves the Red Power Ranger, red cars, red football teams, anything red. He has claimed the color for himslef. My favorite color used to be red until he told me that my favorite color is now black because his favorite color is red. Back to my story; I didn't think much about 2.0's politcial decision until a few days later when we were going through his school stuff that comes home each Friday. There was the Daily Reader magazine that had "who would you vote for?" on the cover. I opened it up and sure enough my child had John McCain's box checked. Then it hit me. Here is a four year old that knows absolutely nothing about politics. He knows nothing about what either candidate stood for. Nothing about their healthcare plans, nothing about thier economic policies, nothing at all. The only reason he voted for his candidate was based on the color of their team. I then asked myself, I wonder how many millions of Americans voted for either Obama or McCain based on the same criteria as my four year old boy?

Practice What You Preach

This past week in our youth group at Fusion Church, EDGE, I spoke about confronting your fears. By pushing through our fears we become more fearless and confident. We become greater examples to others by not allowing fear to rule our lives enabling us to become America's Next Top ROLE Model. One of my fears that I spoke about is Arachnophobia, the fear of spiders. I told a story of how I usually will scream like a little girl and call for Melissa to come take care of the spider. No lie! Yeah say what ya want but spiders and I just have never seen eye to eye. Well several months ago I took a huge step in facing this fear. I went into Greg 2.0's bathroom and there was a gigantic spider in the sink. Well he was gigantic to me, about 3 inches long and a thick little sucker too. Anway what did I do first? I yelled for Melissa and jumped out of the bathroom, what else? She wasn't responding. I was like dang, I have to do something. So I leaned into the bathroom almost hoovering above the floor and turn on the water in an effort to drown the poor sap. I was like "yeah boy you goin' down". He went down the sink. After a little more water I turned off the faucet. I look down and here he comes! I was like what?!? I think he looked at me and said "now what fool? Is that all you got?". You know I couldn't back down from the challenge so you know what I did right? Of course I yelled for Melissa. She did not come, I think she was watching Lifetime or something. Well I couldn't let him take over 2.0's bathroom. So I grabbed....Lysol. Yep Lysol, it kills germs so why not a spider. I sprayed spider boy with the fresh scent of the outdoors. As I sprayed the little eight legged freak he started to shrivel up. So I sprayed more to ensure the end of his existence. He was then flushed. That was a big step for me in facing my fears. Fast forward to last week and there was another freakin' spider (not as big) in the hallway. My first reaction was run, yell, and call for Melissa but I didn't. I took off my shoe and beat him down. I'm talkin' teeth, hair, eyes and legs everywhere. I faced the fear and laid the smackdown on it. Now I am not over my arachnophobia by far but I am making steps. I am becoming more fearless of spiders and with that comes more confidence. If I am going to ask the kids in EDGE to face their fears I must face mine and practice what I preach.

Almost time...

I read this book last year and I just had to post it up again. It is a wonderful collection of stories from Santa. I just bought the follow up from Santa himself at Stone Mountain and I can't wait to read that one. Anyway this book will put you right into the Christmas spirit with touching stories and heartwarming tales. Definitely a must read.

HUGE Step!

No matter what you feel politically, the United States of America took a HUGE step this week. Our country elected a minority to the highest office in the land. I can't think of how big this can be for the future of our nation. It changes the face of America to our kids, to our seniors, and to the world. I hope this victory shows our kids that we really do live in the land of opportunity. That in America you can achieve whatever you want no matter your religion, race, gender, etc. We live in a land where a women, Oprah and Martha, can become billionaires. Where a multi-cultural man, Tiger Woods, can become the greatest athlete in the world. Where a white man, Donald Trump, can go from a billionaire to broke back to a billionaire in a matter of a few years. Now we have a Black man who has become the President of The United States of America; that is the land of opportunity.


I love what Will Smith said on Oprah the other day:

"The way that I was raised was, 'Nobody's better than you, and anything that you want, you set your mind to it and you go get it. Period,'" he says. "I believed that it was possible, but I didn't know if I really believed. The history of African-Americans is such that you want to be a part of America, but we've been rejected so much it's hard to take the ownership and take responsibility for ourselves and this country. It was like, at that second, at that moment, all of our excuses were gone."

Yes we really have now become the land of opportunity that we have preached for decades!

Quick Hitz - 11/07/08

Here are just some random things from my brain:

• This has been a long week
• I love my church small group
• Ashley is getting bigger everyda, she inspires me
• Melissa inspires me too! She is doing well too!
• I really enjoy teaching in EDGE each week
• I have had fun creating our own message
• I hope UGA can redeem some dignity against the Cats tomorrow
• One day I will figure out the purpose of Twitter, yet I like it
• I need to get back on the treadmill
• I am pumped about an opportunity I have in January
• I have a lot of work to do this weekend, looks like a little less sleep is in the plans
• America sure did take a HUGE step this week
• The Bert Show has gotta be the best morning show in the ATL
• Nice to hear Chuck Oliver on a real sports station, now if they would only give him his own show
• ANTM is getting down the the last few...who will win?
• I have never watched any of the following: CSI, Heroes, 24, Law and Order, Survivor, House, Grey's Anatomy, or NCIS
• Bath and Body Works just came out with their holiday scents....sweet!

Until next time as Hammer said ............. "It's all good!"