Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!

This is the time of year we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.

But all too often, I forget. I have no excuses. I get busy at work. (This is our busy season.) Busy at home. Busy at church. . . . and the list goes on.

I try to take a few minutes each day to reflect and be thankful. I try to focus on the the gift of salvation I have been given.

Where Were You 3 Years Ago Today

Do you remember where you were three years ago today? For most people, it was a fairly mundane day. It was just four days before Christmas. Were you doing that last minute shopping? Were you on the road to visit the ones you loved?

I remember that day well. I wake up to that nightmare too often. For me, it was one of the hardest days of my life. Wiley had survived a major brain surgery. For over 8 hours, the doctor had dug out as much tumor as he could safely remove. We had been released from ICU and were on the "floor" to continue recovery. But this morning, things went terribly wrong. In a matter of hours, Wiley had started pushing out all of the fluids he body held. I knew there was something wrong. I asked the nurse to call the doctors. She said she did. (We later found out - She did not.) Wiley had drawn up into a fetal position. He could not close his eyes. He couldn't talk or make any noise. You could pinch his skin and it would not return back.

Stacy was late getting to the hospital that morning. She had taken Hunter to school and was taking a few minutes to take care of some business. I had to call her and ask her where she was. And as calmly as possible let her know we REALLY needed her at the hospital. But, I did not want to tell her that Wiley was about to die. The last thing I wanted to upset her and risk her having a wreck getting to the hospital.

When I finally did get the doctor, they rushed Wiley back to the ICU. The staff of the ICU were able to get an artillerial line in to him and start getting fluids back into him. For all practical purposes, we had lost him. By the Grace of God and the work of the ICU staff Wiley was saved. It was touch and go through the day. It was a loooooong day for me.

That Christmas was spent back in the ICU. They let us sneak Hunter in to celebrate too. Wiley did not know we had Christmas. We let him open presents often. It was always a surprise for him to see his gifts.

That year I was given the gift of "time" with my sons.

Merry Christmas,
stephen

Cold and Wet

Yesterday, Wiley and I made a mad dash to St. Jude for an appointment. The appointment was at 2:00. At 1:30, they dismissed schools due to "inclamate" weather. I guess dismissing school so "you buy all the milk and bread you can afford" is doesn't look to good on somebody's TPS report. We were blessed, we only say four bridge misshaps. But, it dd make for a slow drive home. Very cold, very wet, and bridges - there is a combination of challenges that always makes getting home fun.

It's a great day for duck huntin'. But, for Christmas? Well, yep! Tis great weather for that too I guess. I would rather have a good snow than this ice and freezing rain. But then again, I think I kinda like the "shorts and t-shirt" Christmas weather the best.

The winter wonder land sounds great in song. But, I think Christmas on the beach in shorts would be better. And even better still, on a sail boat in the Caribbean. How would that be for a holiday celebration. Now i need a friend with a sail boat! Where's Halford?

My son on Yahoo Sport - Thanks Jay Busbee

At a time of year when many people struggle to find joy, my family is grateful. It was three years ago we almost lost Wiley. The three years since have not been easy. Every day has had battles. But there are the days that are "Great days." God has blessed us beyond our wildest imagination.

Yesterday, Jay Busbee wrote in his BLOG about Wiley and David Reutimann and one of our "Great Days." Here is the Link to it

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/blog/from_the_marbles/post/Some-feel-good-news-for-you-at-an-ugly-time-of-y?urn=nascar,128249

If you like racing, you will like Jay's BLOG.

What Would it Take for Pastors to Come Together?

At a time when people are struggling in many areas of life, there is a safe harbor. The solutions to life's problems are not in a bottle, a pill, a new spouse, a rebounding stock market, or even a church building. The solutions are found in Christ Jesus. It's about a relationship - not religion. But how to we as believers reach out and share that message of REAL HOPE to our world.

I get to share every day. My life is filled with struggles. My struggles and battles take into places I DO NOT want to go. In those places, I meet people I would not have met otherwise. I try to share how my life has been effected by relationship with Christ. I show them how I cope with and rise above my problems with His help.

I have a burden on my heart. It's not the world, world hunger, some place I have never seen, or anything BIG. My burden is my home and the area I call home - Jackson and Central Mississippi. But how do we reach out?

I want to see our pastors come together and pray. We have different doctrinal views but we should all be bound by the belief we are saved by grace, through faith in Christ Jesus. We need to ignore color, income, neighborhoods, or whatever ever else blinds us to God's love. Our Christian pastors need to take the lead with the church leaders to bridge the gaps in worship style, "religious" tradition, and theological differences and start sharing the love of Christ with our city and the surrounding area.

Will this ever happen? I don't know. But, I will do everything I can.

Wiley wil be on WLBT Sunday Dec 7 at Noon for St, Jude

Hey guys, Wiley will be on our local ABC affiliate Sunday, Dec. 7 at 12:00 (Noon)

He will be helping the St. Jude Dream home raffle. We have no clue what he will be doing. But we will be there to support St. Jude how ever we can. I hope someone we know wins.

Low Cost, Great Christmas Idea for the Person with EVERYTHING

Hey folks, this is not exactly a BLOG type entry. But, I think it's a cool Christmas gift for the person with everything. It's one of my favorites.

Audible.com - for about $20 a month you can get 2 audio books a month. I love it!!! I have been a subscriber for several years. I have a bunch (over 100) audio books now. When I have a long drive, it's a great tool for learning and entertainment. Most of the books I get are business related. But, I have several fiction books as well.

Most of the books, if purchased at Barns & Noble, would cost more than the monthly subscription price.

Here are just SOME of the books I have now:

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Unabridged)
• 7 Steps to a Turnaround
• Albert Einstein (Unabridged)
• The Anatomy of Buzz (Unabridged)
• All the books in the Left Behind Series
• The Art of Nonfiction (Unabridged)
• Becoming a Person of Influence
• Blue Like Jazz
• Book Yourself Solid (Unabridged)
• Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty
• The E-Myth Revisited (Unabridged)
• The Five Love Languages (Unabridged)
• The Fred Factor (Unabridged)
• Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire (Unabridged)
• Goals!
• High Trust Selling
• How to Not Suck at Sales (Live)
• How to Speak, How to Listen (Unabridged)
• How to Win Friends & Influence People (Unabridged)
• If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat
• Inspire Any Audience
• It's Never Crowded Along the Extra Mile
• Lead Like Jesus (Unabridged)
• Leadership Success
• Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play
• Made to Stick (Unabridged)
• The Magic of Thinking Big
• Mastering the Two Critical Elements of Success in Speaking
• The Millionaire Next Door (Unabridged)
• Never Eat Alone (Unabridged)
• The Next Generation Leader
• Oh, the Places You'll Go! (Unabridged)
• On Selling (Unabridged)
• Personality Plus
• Pistol (Unabridged)
• The Psychology of Winning
• Punk Marketing (Unabridged)
• The Purpose-Driven Church (Unabridged)
• The Purpose-Driven Life (Unabridged)
• Quiet Strength
• Robin Williams Interviewing Lance Armstrong
• Re-imagine! (Unabridged)
• Revolution (Unabridged)
• Rich Dad's Who Took My Money?
• The Richest Man in Babylon (Unabridged)
• Ronald Reagan's Presidential Farewell Address & Funeral Services
• Rules for Renegades (Unabridged)
• Running With the Giants (Unabridged)
• Seven Steps to Presenting 200 Programs a Year in Your Niche Market
• The Total Money Makeover
• Ultimate Sales Success
• Verbal Command
• What Got You Here Won't Get You There (Unabridged)
• Wild at Heart (Unabridged)
• Words That Work
• Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (Unabridged)
• You: On a Diet
• Your Best Life Now
• AND over 100 MORE

Forget giving it to someone, get it for yourself. You cant beat it.

Merry Christmas Y'all

Does Speed Channel Read These Ramblings?

I sat down for my nuked chicken pot-pie lunch today and flipped on the TV for some noise. And what did Speed have showing at lunch?

SCCA Racing!!!!!! WoooooHooooooo! I have my fix!

Well . . . now back to work.

Racing and Silly Season

Why do they call it "Silly Season"? 'Cause I'm going NUTS with no racing!

I know they need time off. I hope they have a great "off season."

But, I need some speed in my life. "Speed" TV does not cut it. All I see are these "car" shows about about unique egos, wrecked egos, sexy models in lowrider shorts, auctions and the other similar programs. Now, if you show me how to build a car or some modification "How-to", that I can get into. But, where is the racing? There is more to life than NASCAR, Monster trucks, and F1. Where are those of us that are grassroots racers? Where are the bracket racers and local heroes of racing. Where is the SCCA events? The local dirt tracks, drag strips, motocross tracks, parking lots, and road course are full of great racing.

Oh well, I guess it's TVs way of saying, "turn me off and go work on YOUR HOTROD!"

Blues Picker Vs Classical Player

You know the difference between a blues guitar picker and a classical one - Blues pickers play all day and never tune - Classical players tune all day and never play.

That's my dad's favorite guitar joke. I must admit. I tell it often too. (There are a bunch more musician jokes - some I can put here, some . . . well there musician jokes and not exactly family friendly.)

All good joke have to be based on some truth. And this one is. I have played with guys that spend hours "tuning" or getting ready to play. Then there are those who never get ready. They just play - good or bad, right or wrong. It's a "joyful noise" but they are not "Playing skillfully on a loud instrument." In the military world, we had the "Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim, Aim, Aim . . ." and the "FIRE!!!!, Aim, Ready" guys.

There has to be a balance between preparation and performance. Unfortunately, I'm more of the Blues Picker. I have never let a lack of knowledge or preparation keep from anything. I have talked my way into and out of trouble so many times. My wife has seen it so often she just laughs at me now. She now laughs and calls it a bookstore experience. I have never had a job I was qualified for. Resumes are the ultimate sales job - or mine is at least. When I was a consultant, (every few months - when I was trying to land a client) I would go to the bookstore or library and read about the problem or system I was trying to land. I would learn just enough to talk to the company. I focused on the problems or weird features. Then if I got the gig, I would go buy all the books i could find on the subject and learn as I went. I played a lot without "tuning" as a consultant.

My cousin, John Wilson, also got to experience a lot of my mouth writin' checks we had to cash. We were moving an office for a friend one summer when I said I could wire up some of the office. And next thing I knew, we were doing it. I think my quote to John was, "Hey it's just two wires for the electrical. And we can buy pre-made cabinets to hang. How hard can it be?" We did it. No one died. Someone may have gotten hurt but that was not uncommon for us.

I cant say i have ever experienced the "Tune all day and never play" side of life. I depend on the people around me for that. My wife and John mainly get that privilege. It's up to me to keep thier life exciting.

One day, I may learn balance. I am trying. (But, "try" means to attempt and fail.)

Christmas is Here

Today is December 1st. The final month of 2008 is on us. For me, this is crunch time. Our SkyCaddie is THE BEST golf GPS on the market today. Our customers reaffirm that every day. This time of year puts a level of stress on our web systems that's incredible. Our team at SkyHawke is the best. We have a great group of in house engineers, technicians, and developers as well as some wonderful vendors and contractors. Everyone has put in a lot of time to ensure this is another great holiday season. I love our team!!

If you want to get a golfer the best Christmas gift possible, give'm a SkyCaddie.


Check them out at SkyGolf.com

Merry Christmas Y'all!!!

6 Phases of Project Development

All projects - at work, home, or church - go through a normal life cycle.  If you understand these phases, life will be much easier on you.  To ignore them means a life of disappointment and unrealistic expectations. 8^)

1. Enthusiasm
2. Disillusion
3. Panic
4. Search for the Guilty
5. Punishment of the Innocent
6. Praise and Honors for the Non-Participants

Y'all have a fun weekend!

Your Last Normal Weekend?

What would you do if you knew your life was going to change DRASTICALLY tomorrow? Would you spend more time with your family? Would you . . . ? Forget the questions. You can think of things you may do different on your own.

I find myself not thinking about "Giving Thanks Today." Today has become a milestone on the calender. A date, a weekend, a point in my life when my world changed.

For me - on this day of "Thanksgiving", I look back over the last three years and all we have endured. Three years ago this weekend was our last "normal" weekend. It was the last time Wiley drove. It was the last time we we were not wondering, "Will we be rushing to the hospital tonight?" Will there be a breakdown? And even tougher questions like, "Will Wiley be with us tomorrow?" For three years, we have had to wonder about these questions and a ton more every day.

That Thanksgiving three years ago was the last holiday with all families. That Christmas was celebrated in the ICU with Wiley medicated and hooked up to monitors, tubes, and machines not really knowing we were there or what day it was. He was unaware that 4 days earlier that had almost pronounced him dead. Stacy's Dad went home to be with the Lord right after that holiday.

There have been no easy holidays since then. Please understand, I am very grateful the blessings I have received through my life - my salvation, my parents, my wife, my sons, My friends, my health, . . . and the list goes on. My full list would take days to write. We have been so blessed even for the last three years. It's true, we have faced many adversities. We have been blessed in the middle of these storms.

Have you ever thought, "What is there to be thankful for?" I have! There have been times when I was down. Times when I was in the middle of a "pity party." Intellectually I know, I HAVE BEEN BLESSED. But emotionally, I struggle to be truly thankful. I would love to say am always thankful. I would LOVE to be able to say that. One day may be able to always say that. I pray I can.

I pray every day for God to use me as a minister wherever satan drags me. In my weakness, when I am broken, I pray for God to shine through me and in spite of me. When I struggle to make it through the day, I lean on God to carry me. And, He does.

On the day for "Giving Thanks", it's hard. It's tough to face my struggles with a heart of thanksgiving. But I do. I am so very thankful for the blessings and mercies God has shown me.

I want to encourage you - Be thankful.

I Wish I was Smarter or Wiser

This weekend was tough. We had a bad weekend on stage. We have a good friend that access to a 24x4 snake. We want one for the band. And, we want to get the board away from the stage so I can focus on the vocals and guitar. Then someone else can handle the mix and volume that is out in the audience. Sounds like a great plan. We need to do it. I want to do it. I know that. After all, it's how i got started playing in public.

I didn't like the feel of it this weekend. The sound guy is a great friend. But, I did not know his skill level. And, i would never have a guitar player have his first time to play with us be at a gig. It would not be fair to the new player or the band.

I let the band down. I knew better and failed to say "no." When we saw the sound check going so bad, I didn't step in and take over the engineering. I was so frustrated with my self for failing to fix everything, my frustrations made the night tough on the band.

We all got so focused on the volume, we forgot to share the Love of Jesus. But, We were blessed. God moved in spite of us. What's the quote, "God loves fools and Little children." Well Saturday night, I was both.

I wish I had the wisdom to not make my failures tough on the band. I let the guys down. And it was not my technical failure that made the night tough. But, it was how my frustration effected my attitude that made the night difficult.

It's a SMALL world

Last night was a a blast for me. Debi Longoria found me on facebook. (No big deal, that happens a lot with my name - go figure!) She was looking for Christian artists apparently - I guess I should ask. But, I saw she was from Flower Mound, Texas. We lived there for 6 years. We left about 10 years ago. If you know that area, you know how transient it is. None of our friend were from Flower Mound or even the Dallas area. Everyone was a transplant. And just when you got to know someone, it seemed like they moved on. We were no exception.

Through our chatting back and forth we discovered we went to church together at Lakeland Baptist in Lewisville. We even went there at the same time - but didn't remember each other. We know so many of the same people it was fun to catch up on the happenings of our mutual friends.

It's helped me find some of Wiley's old friends. I am looking forward to helping him reconnect with them. It will help him on bad days to think about the fun and friends from Texas.

Now, to do the detective work and find those friends and other people i have lost contact with is the challenge.

Where are Glen Fivash, Ann Perrigin, Trace Perrigin, Colt Perrigin, Scott Farbiack, Bobby Davidson, and a bunch of other people?

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I love Stephen Wright's quote, "It's a small world . . . but, I don't want to paint it."

Fun Stuff

If I can't have fun, I don't want to play.

Life is too short to hate what you are doing. It's too short to just survive. I know there are things in every job that we don't like. And we have to put on the big boy pants and do them anyway. But, as a rule. If you hate everything about what you do, do something else. It's not hard. But, it may take work. My wife is a great example. She is heading back to school to get a BA in communications. She doesn't want to go to school. She want's the opportunity that school/diploma provides. It's hard work. She is doing great and working her tail off. But, she is having fun.

I love what I do. Writing software is fun for me. Playing music is more fun. But, I also LOVE eating and sleeping indoors.

I have had jobs I hate. When that happens, it's time to move on. It's hard to leave a good paying job. But, money can't buy an extra day of life.

Life's too short. You had better start enjoying it! Start now!

St. Jude - Home Away From Home

I never imagined a hospital could feel like home. But then, I have not imagined most of the last three years. We are quickly approaching the 3 year mark for diagnosing Wiley's tumor.

Tomorrow, we had back to St. Jude. This time it's a psychiatric evaluation. It's a late in the day so we will be spending the night and rolling back Wednesday morning. We are excited about the prospects of the visit. We are praying for some medications to help control his emotional swings that occur each day.

When we get to St. Jude, there is a level of comfort that is hard to explain. We relax for some reason. Why? I am not sure. It may be the fact every one there is in the same boat we're in. Even though it is a hospital, it not a typical hospital. No ER. No real OR. If you have an emergency, you're off to LeBonhuer. (We have made that trip before.) But, there is a comfort. No one ask, "What are you here for?" You wonder sometimes, but you never ask. It's not important. We each belong to the fraternity of "Parents of St. Jude Kids." You develop a real friendship with the people you see often. You wind up on the same checkup schedules. And before you know it, you see each other every three months. You spend your days in the same waiting Areas.

There is an old arab proverb - "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." We are all there battling the common enemy of childhood cancer, tumors, or some other illness. So, as we fight the common enemy, we build friendships.

Too Grateful?

Can you be too grateful? I do not think so. Gratitude was taught to me as a child. My dad stressed to me the importance of telling people "Thank You". As I have grown older, I understand the value being sincerely grateful to others. I use to think my success was based only on my performance. I have learned that's not the case. My success is based on the success of the people around me. In every thing I do, I search for something I can complement people on. I do this so I can give a very specific example of what I am grateful for. A complement or "thank you" without an example, is just flattery. People know when you are sincere. Think about it. which comment makes you feel like the work you did was noticed: "good job!" or "Thanks for the 'good job' on...!" IF you hear something specific, you know they were really watching.

Gratitude is not a ploy to get your way or to gain favor. It MUST be sincere and without strings.

Be grateful. It's a skill you can learn. I think it's a skill you must learn.

Facebook - Old Friends - Wait, Does That Make Me Old?

We are having a good time playing on Facebook. My wife and sons got me on it. (I hate computers. But, that's another entry.) Facebook - If you are not on it you should be. It's free, easy, and helps you reconnect and keep in touch with friends. And for me, it was a place to meet new friends.

The old friends - and they are not that OLD! Trust me, they cant be too old - I'm not. My old school friends. I was not much of an outgoing person in high school. As my dad said I made the top half of the class possible. I had 3 or 4 friend and a bunch of people I knew. I have started reconnecting with them through it. Marci Webber Woodruff was someone I knew. We didn't hang out together. But, I have learned a lot about her on Facebook. We both have gone through tragedy and struggle in the last few years. A friendship is building. Then there's Al Dubuc, He is the person responsible for us moving back to Clinton - and he lives in Modesto, CA. He owned a training company I worked for. Needless to say, I don't get to Modesto often and Clinton is not a hot bed of staffing training. We can keep in touch at our leisure. How about Dia Jenkins Welch, this is a great childhood friend that's fun to talk to.

Then there are the new friends, guys like Kevin Berry. He is becoming a great friend. We have been to the track to hangout with him and his family. And James Davis, he's working on some new music. I have opened my studio up to him based on the friendship we have built. Racers and Musicians always make great new friends. There is an instant commonality.

Family. I think i have a better idea of where my wife is, going, and doing by her status than anything we have ever had. I have it setup to send her changes to my phone. I love it!

But, let me tell you. The main reason you should be on Facebook - to protect your children! When i say child, I'm talkin' 25 and younger! I can't say this emphatically enough - If you have children, you had better be on Facebook, MySpace, and any other social networking site you child may be on. There are people out there in the cyberworld look for them. You better be there trying to protect them. I have parents say their kids don't go to these sites at home. Guess what, they get to them at friend's houses, the library, and dozens of other places. Burying you head in the cyber-sand does not protect your kids. You MUST get involved in there cyber-social network. To not do it, is placing your child at risk!

Just Slidin' Through

A great way to spend a few hours!

"Life Sucks!" - Wiley King's Quote

My son as most of you know is battling a brain tumor. Battling is an understatement!

Here is a young man who was a "normal" kid one day and a "Special Needs" kid the next. He has not lost his innate intelligence. But he has lost the speed in which his mind processes. He went from the most incredible memory of anyone I have ever known - to a very poor memory. Add the memory loss the loss of sight, and when you forget where you set something, you can't see it - even if it's in front of you. He gets a shot every day. He takes 11 meds a day to stay alive and function. He has limited control of his emotions. He can't work right now. Maybe he can in the future. We don't know. The plans he had for himself are gone. To him, in his words, "Life Sucks!"

Jesus said in the "Sermon on the Mount", It rains on the just and the unjust. Rain can be a bad thing and rain can be a good thing. But good or bad, just because we have been redeemed by the Blood of Christ does not mean we are exempt. It does not help his emotions. But, it helps me keep things in perspective.

We try very hard not to make Wiley feel I am sacrificing my career to stay home with him. I'm fortunate that it is an option. But, it is career suicide. And i wish i could give more to make his days better. I wish i could trade places with him and take his pain.

We don't know God's plan for our lives. We take each day as it comes. We pray we are in His will. We pray for the rain - the good rain. We pray that we can persevere in the rain - the bad rain.

My Last Political Plea - Vote Newt!

Well, here we are. ELECTION DAY! Thank the Lord. I don't know if I'm gettin' older our the adds are getting more annoying! At least who ever wins it may be over. (Except for the law suits)

My question is. "Why didn't Newt Gingrich run?" I wish we had a conservative running for office. But, we don't. We have to choose the lesser of two evils. I bet they are not evil people - but their policies are suspect.

So, we're off. I get the privilege of taking Wiley to the poll to vote in his first presidential election. We are going mid morning searching / hoping for a gap in the lines.

Then we wait. How long we wait is determined by how much money they want to pay the lawyers to fight it out in court.

Obama or OH NO!

Well one more day till we vote - then another 2 months of legal bickering if Obama losses. 'Cause, there is no way he could loose - after all they have been voting for him thanks to groups like ACORN for weeks now. Here in Mississippi, we say on the news that the NAACP is here with legal help if you are intimidated at the polls. But it's ok to say, "There will be blood in the streets if Obama looses!" That's not intimidation?

I am the most hated person in the world - white, middle aged, hard working, American, male & successful. My wife and I do well. Or I think we do anyway. But I have worked my butt off for 20 years to get here. I work 50+ hours a week. I get paid for 40. I have worked nights, weekends, and holidays. But, I owe more to doctors than I can ever earn. Thanks to insurance and Medicaid, we can pay for the care my son needs. I have had a failed business that cost me everything I own - and a lot of stuff I didn't own but had to continue making payments on. I never filed bankruptcy. I paid everyone back I owed money to. My credit was ruined thanks to our laws that reward bankruptcy and punishes responsibility. But, my conscious was clear.

Just to keep things weird, my son is on Medicaid - a government program supported by our tax dollars. Wiley, and those like him who are not able to work or have medical problems so severe, need help. And in my opinion, the church should step in and help them! But, the church has failed! That's why the government got the opportunity to take our cash. I earn a lot of money. But, there is no way I could pay for all the medical care Wiley needs. There are people who need help to live. We need to help them. But, if you can work, you need to be working to get the help. There are plenty of job opportunities. Sorry folk, if you can work and don't, you don't get help.

My family, nor my wife's family, ever owned slaves. We are not prejudice. We believe Christ, the True Son of God, came to earth and sacrificed himself for everyone. And as far as I'm concerned, if you're good enough for Him, you are good enough for me. We were not given a choice of who to love. We were given the laws to live by. We believe the Bible. Abortion is a sin. Homosexuality is a sin. Murder is a sin. Gluttony is a sin. (If you look at me you can see i have broken this one. But, I am working on it.) Right is Right - Wrong is Wrong. We can not decide which sins we will tolerate as a society. I wish i knew how to fix the gluttony. I do know how a Christian can support a candidate that says it's a "choice" not a Child? Or, that homosexuality is a lifestyle not an abomination to God?

I don't think either candidate for leader of the "free world" has my values. I know one of them want to create a cast system of the old socialist Russia. I have seen the definition of wealthy drop from $250,000 to $80,000. I don't know what the real definition is. I do feel wealthy. Not because of the money I earn. I EARN that money. No one gives it to me. I EARN - EARN - my income. But, the idea of punitive taxation is troubling. They want to take what I earn and give - GIVE - it to some one who will not work. Yep, that is a CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN! If we begin the move to socialism in this elevation, the USA will fail as a world leader. Why do you think the world wants Obama and the country to move away from our Christian values, they do not want us to be the world power.

Well i better get back to work - someone has to make so it can be taken away and given to those who wont work! I'm sure the secrete service will visit me for this political rant.

Great Day of Music

Wow! We had a great afternoon of rehearsing for our gigs that are coming up. We are putting the finishing touches on a few new tunes. We love new songs. It's cool to stretch musically. It's feels good to be off the album and on to gigs. I love playing live. It's a cool outlet. For us, it's a great mission tool. We feel blessed to be called to this ministry.

We had to take a few minutes and do one of the hard parts of playing a gig - fight out a set lists. It's always fun. Which songs? What order? Why? Is there a musical flow? A message flow? What changes are needed between songs? Switch guitars? Who starts the song? What key? It takes time. We never just throw it together. Everyone has ideas. Everybody gets involved. It's a part of the music process most people don't think about. We take this just a serious as the music.

There is nothing like the joy of fellowship with your brothers. We have become family. We laugh and cut up like kids. And when it's time to jam, we all lock in and have one musical voice. Our prayer is to be broken vessels that God will pour through to the souls that are searching for truth.

THE EMMY Nominated ESPN Segment

I have had some emails asking for the video link. So here it is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR41OHDQ4Hs

Wiley standing with David Reutimann and the crew at the National Anthem.

It was a GREAT Race Weekend!!!!!!!

Folks, it's hard to describe how great our weekend was. Everybody had a blast. The people of Michael Waltrip Racing are amazing. Aaron's Rents, again, they are amazing. Josh Wise, David Reutimann, Jerry Baxter, Julie Song, THE WHOLE CREW!! Everyone of them went beyond what could have been wished for and made the weekend even more special than last year. The crew was so kind to Wiley. We got to sit in the pits for the race. We felt like a part of them. To us, they are OUR NASCAR family.

The chassis they raced this weekend has been named "Wiley." You can only name a chassis after it has won. And this one has. David took it to Victory Lane last year with Wiley's paint scheme. This year we got caught by a yellow flag and went two laps down. David was able to make up the 2 laps and finish second. With one more lap, he could have won, again! We felt so bad for the #99 team. They built the best car. They had the best setup. They had the best drivers. (By the way, Josh Wise did the setup and qualifying. He put third on the grid. You WILL be seeing him on Sunday in the future!)

We love David so much. But, watchin' the way he finished Saturday's race makes me respect him even more. David races everyone clean. Had the rolls been reversed, Carl would have punted him. Shoot for what it's worth, I would have punted him. But, David has the integrity to win clean. (I guess i don't cause I'd punted him.) David took a lot of time with Wiley at pre-race. I was amazed. He is the best!

The Crew - Wow! Those guys are unreal. They are at it, full tilt, from the time their plane hits the ground till the hauler doors are closed and they are heading back to the plane! And the guys at the shop are at it too. We saw them getting after it last year. If it had not been for some bad luck this year, this team would be in the title hunt. Saturday was the season in a microcosm. The got 2 laps down and finished second. They just ran out of laps. And we will just run out of season. The baddest hotrod on the track Saturday was WILEY - no doubt! and they have had BAD hotrods all year. This is the best team - period! We are thrilled to call them family.

Julie Song of Aaron's is another person that is amazing. She took her weekend to hang out with us and show us around. Not to mention, she is a hoot! we laughed all weekend. And work! let me tell you this lady was hard at it too. She was taking notes listening to the race traffic radio, and trying to keep the crew in line. **grin** She is a part of the crew! And you can watch her interact with the team and see she is a part of the family. She looked good all weekend. She was also the only one there with a pen color coordinated to the outfit.

I am so glad Ryan Kurek had the vision last year to do the special paint schemes for St. Jude. Without his vision, none of this would have happened. He and Meghan Stantan put a lot, an awful lot, of effort into making this happen. Well, Meghan put a lot of effort into it. I'm sure Ryan helped. At least, he said he helped. I'm givin' Ryan a hard time. This whole thing - Design a Dream - has been vital to Wiley's mental health. Wiley has many bad days. And for us, a bad day is very rough. Wiley has lost so much over the last three years. This is the area of his life we can point to, relive, and talk about to change the day. Ryan had the vision and the drive to make it happen.

And I want to congratulate Jackie Decker and Kevin Money of ESPN. The story on David and Wiley is (or was) up for an Emmy. The work they did was awesome. And to think how quick they pulled it together is astounding. It was wonderful seeing them again this weekend.

I'm sure i will have even more to write about this event in the days a head.

You Just Can't Beat a Night of Playing Music!

There are days in life that are tough. The first of this week has been one of those days for me personally. I have a great friend struggling with a problem that I can not imagine. I have been physically sick for my brother.

Last night, God gave me a break. Our band had rehearsal. The music is my release. We crank the PA up to where pictures move on the walls. Then give that little extra BAM! I have been BLESSED! I have been BLESSED beyond measure! I wish everyone could experience the release of playing music with great brothers. There is a chemistry and connection we have with each other. We know when someone is struggling. You can hear when somebody is hurting in their playing. As the focus moves from the problems to the music the tone changes, the grove tightens up, and then the band lock together. Everybody gets lost in the music. You quit thinking about the outside world, you hear yourself in concert with three other musicians. And it becomes one sound. Before you realize it, three hours have past. It's that "runner's high." You feel refreshed. Now I have to be honest, You're baked physically. It's a workout. But the best workout you can get in my opinion.

Thank God for the blessings of great brothers and music. And for me, those aren't the greatest blessings in my life. But, they are VERY close to the top of my list.

The Price of Sin

We are devastated at our house. I dear friend has been accused of a very severe error in judgment. I do not know the details. I don't want to. Am I naive? No. I just know that it will not change my opinion of this brother. And more importantly, I will not let it effect the way I love him or his family.

What is the price of sin? We don't know. It's a hidden fee that is required after we have indulged the sin. As my momma always told me, "If you break your arm sinnin', God will forgive the sin. But, you still have a broken arm." If we were presented the price of our sin up front, we would be less apt to sin. If you knew one more drink would cause the wreck and cost a life, would you have one more? If going to lunch with your secretary would lead to an affair that causes the breakup of two families, would it be worth the moments of pleasure? Probably not. You can be very sure that all sin has a consequence. You may feel like you have escaped punishment, but it will affect you. I remember as a kid racing down Sylvan Trail. It was a kick in an MGB - curves, hills, and speed. Lots of speed. I passed a police officer with my speedometer pegged. Without thinking, I ran. I did not get caught. I'm not sure why. But for the next few months, every time the phone rang, there was a knock at the door, or a police officer pulled in behind me, fear would set in. Had I been caught? Would I get arrested? Are they looking for me?

Sin has a price. And we still sin. We are sinful by nature. But, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. We only have to confess them and repent (or turn away from) our sin.

We are saved by grace through our faith in Christ Jesus.

The Price of Success

I wrote an email to a new friend this morning. He and I have a mutual friend in the music industry who has been VERY successful. Our friend worked his way up from a session and road drummer to recording engineer to studio executive. He has every musician's dream of success. But, in his case, it came with a heavy price. It cost him a marriage, and the life of his teenage son to suicide. Could he have been successful without that cost? Could he have paid that price and not been successful? I don't know. I do know you can find examples of those that have lost and failed and those who have not lost ans succeeded.

Did success demand that high a price? I don't know. But, in the music industry, to be the best requires hours and hours of time learning, practicing, and trying to perfect something that is so subjective. Look at the top 40 songs in any genre, they change every week. The songs that were popular a year ago don't get airplay today. There are some classics, but they are very few and there is no objective criteria for what makes a classic. The bottom line is this, music is never perfected. You will always learn a new riff, sound, or something? It requires a level of effort you must be wiling to invest. You practice and explore daily. But, you have to do that in balance with the other priorities of life - faith, family, health, finances . . . you know your priorities. Unfortunately, there is no good formula. I believe it was the great golfer Jack Nicholas who came the closest to a formula. But his formula is for golf, he said, "The proper score for a businessman golfer is 90. If he is better than that he is neglecting his business. If he's worse, he's neglecting his golf." Now, how do we translate that to other areas of our life?

Practice, Practice, Practice (Repeat Daily)

They say, "If you do something the same way for 31 straight days it moves from memory to muscle memory." First of all, I have no idea who "they" are. This is info i got from a friend from Guitar Institute of Technology. And lets face it, if it came from MIT not GIT no one would ask.

Well, back to the premise "practice." Does practice make perfect? Or, does perfect practice make perfect? From my experience, it's the latter. There is nothing worse than learning something the wrong way. I think you are better off not even learning it. I have spent many hours trying to unlearn something bad by replacing it with the correct. And, it seems that in a panic situation the original muscle memory takes over. I guess I need to practice even more.

It's Official - I Do NOT like C#

I have been fighting C# all day. I live in a binary world. Everything I write is about moving bits and bytes. I think in assembly code.

Well, C# id the PITS!!!!! (I can't write how I really feel!) Let's just say bamboo in under the fingernails sounds more enjoyable.


ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!


Quick, Hand me a guitar . . . . .

It's been A Busy Summer and Fall

Wow - It's been a blur. We started recording in May now we are close to having a CD. We had planned on a simple "demo" cd. But with the help of Ken Halford, we have a great album. Ken has found diamonds in our dirt.

For you musicians, Ken is the Chief Producer / Engineer for Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40. More than the skill and ear he brought to the project, he is a great brother.

Our guitar player, John Wilson, is headed back to college. We are so proud of him for doing that. It's a lot of time and commitment to do it. Not to mention the boy is haulin a 4.0 so far. John is the smartest one in the band. (My wife Stacy is also back at MC. She is doing great. She is the HOTTEST mom in college!)

Tim and Garret have been busy as well.

Well, the summer is over and the fall is here. John has finished the first semester so the band is back playin.

We had our first practice, well serious practice, gettin ready for the fall and winter gigs. We have added a few new blues songs. We are working on writing some more tunes also. We had so much fun on the EP, look for an album of originals next year.

Time Flies

Wow - my Sons are growing up. That's hard to imagine. I feel like a kid. But my kids are becoming adults. How can they get older and I don't. And, I look at my friends from my youth. Some of them are REAL old. Yep, I ache and hurt when I get out of bed - motorcycles I guess. My hands hurt all the time - again motorcycles and guitar. My back creaks and crunches - motorcycles. But hey, I had rather wear out than rust out.

Live, laugh, & love - I seem to forget that at times. But life is too short to forget it.

EP is Getting Close

It has been a long few weeks. All the tracks we have recorded have been sent to my good friend - Ken Halford at AudioAmmo. He is starting the final mixing. I'll be heading out next week to spend the weekend re-recording the vocals and mixing. Then i hope we are ready for the CDs. Ken has a tough job. We have more equipment we just don;t have any more talent.

This for us is about outreach. We want to put our best foot forward. And Ken is the best person for helping get the best product out the door.

We Are Getting Close to Wrapping Recording

We are getting close to wrapping up the recording process. We have lead guitar on two tracks remaining. It has been a long few weeks. And we could take longer if we had more time.

Next, we put the polish on the tracks and record touch-ups as necessary.

We are still shooting for mid July for going to production.

Kicked Off 12 More Weeks of Carnegie

I had a great class last night. I am looking forward to 12 more week of my own personal growth.

The Dale Carnegie class is a wonderful experience. I recommend everyone take the class. If you have taken it, i think you should go through it again as a Graduate Assistant. You get even more out the class when you are part of the instructional team.

Long, Tough Night in the Studio

Well, Last night i was the one on the playing side of recording. It stated out great. But i fell apart on the last song. It was one of those times when nothing worked. I could not hear well enough to catch my cues. After many takes on one section and listening to the play back, it was just too muddy. So we decided to scrap the whole rhythm pattern. It sounds good live but not on tape. We worked up a new part that we think will work better with the drums and bass. I will try to get it on tape later this week. Then, we will be down to Lead Guitar and vocals.

Rhythm & Slide

I am taking a break from engineering our album and moving to the artist chair. I get to play rhythm guitar on all the songs and slide guitar on one or two. It's fun to engineer but I am looking forward to relaxing an playing for a couple of nights. I';; let John be the engineer. I'll still do the mixing and editing. He'll be directing me so for me, that's cool!

Everything has gone great so far. We are having a good time playing, arranging, and recording. It's work. But it's fun.

Bass is Done

We have the bass tracked now. Last night, we were able to record all the bass parts. Tim was incredible. After playing these song together for a year, we have tightened them up pretty good. So the recording is going fast.

I will take the weekend to mix the drums and bass. That will give us a good foundation for the rhythm, lead, and vocals.

It beats working for a living.

IndieHeaven

We are now on the IndieHeaven.com web site. We are looking forward to selling our EP through the site as well as MP3 downloads.

Drums are Done

Garret and I finished recording drums last night. I put the lipstick on them to get ready for the next steps in the process.

Tonight, Tim will be laying down Bass. And I may get a few rhythm tracks down.

Recording Drum Tracks

I love playing and recording with a live drummer. Drum Machines are so perfect even when you try add some "soul" to them. I just can't get the same feel with a box as i can with a body.

Last night, we spent hours recording drums on three songs. With my recording rig, it requires some creative patching to get 8 channels. But, I can do it. The computer handles it well. We track as much as we can separately - Kick, Snare, & Toms 1-4. Then, I use two SM58s to get the Hi-Hat and Cymbals. It works out great. I have almost total control.

With Cubase, I have a great interface for the recording, editing, and tone tweaking. It's hard to remember back to the 8 track, analog days. I can't remember how I did all of this back then. It's soooo easy now. I can think more about the art of the sound than the mechanics of it.

But what made it really enjoyable was having Garret and John in the studio. It's fun to be in a band. It's not my band. It's A band I am a part of. We are all working together and having fun.

The first EP may be ready Mid-July. Keep watching the band site.

Unicode and my Simple MInd

I have been trying to convert one of my pet applications from ASCII to Unicode. So it's real simple, Set the "Unicode Flag" and compile. Then you just sit back and watch the errors scroll by. To say one compile flag could be a huge problem is an understatement. It is a drastic change in the way the compiler functions. It changes the size of all "char" based variables.

I thought English was hard. I was just plain wrong! English, Southern English, ain't so bad after all.

Limit, Compress, EQ, . . (Repeat as Necessary)

I spent a lot of time over the weekend in the studio. I was just working on the scratch tracks. But, those tracks are the ones we will practice to and use as the basis of the actual tracking. So, those are important. I want them to sound as good as possible because I will be listening to them a lot.

We do very little in the recording software. We use it to mix - a little reverb on the vocals, some compressor on the bass and drums, and then level everything.

It's a great way to spend a few hours with friends.

Message from Govenor's School

Here is a profound message my son sent to his mother on her birthday. (BTW - Happy Birthday Beautiful)

Class is fine, Having Fun

And that is the exact quote. No more, no less, I guess everything is fine and he is having fun.

Quote of the Day

This was sent to me by my wife today.

In mathematics you don't understand things. You just get used to them.

-- Johann von Neumann

Governor's School

Well, it was an eventful weekend. I spent all day Saturday working on my shop, tractor, and yard. It was hot.

Then Sunday was a sort of milestone. We took Hunter to the Governor's School at Columbus. He will spend three weeks studying fluid dynamics and aerospace engineering. It will be a great experience for him.

I am proud of both my son's academic achievements. I made the top half of the class possible. They are in the top percentiles. They got their intelligence from their mother.

Me and the Tree

Well, I have been working on the tree that fell. It will cost a bunch of cash to rent a tractor and debris bin to haul it off. So, I'm on the plan "B". Get my old tractor running and haul it into the woods to decay.

I have gone through the fuel system. It seems to be getting to the carb. And it smells like it is getting into the cylinders. So now, I'm on to the ignition. Put in new plugs. But that did not help, now I'm at the distributor. The joys of a 60 year old tractor.

Indiana Jones (Remembering Bowes Channell)

It's a great flick. We don't get out to see many movies but this one was worth it. It was a great way to finish off the Memorial Day Weekend.

For us, this was a "memorial" movie. One of the most influential uncles in my life, Bowes Channell loved the series. We had a great time reminiscing about Uncle Bowes. He and Kay have opened their home up to every one of their nephews. We have all lived with them for some period. I brought a wife to live with them for a few months when we moved to Decatur. It would be hard get a better Aunt and Uncle than Kay and Bowes.

Bowes was the only engineer I knew growing up. He could fix anything - even Corvairs. I dreamed of having all the tools he had. Growing up when we would go to Decatur, I looked forward to spending time with Uncle Bowes. We talked about cars, engineering, NASA, and other nerd stuff. It was great fun. After we moved to Decatur and I started working in the NASA/MICOM world he was a great career mentor. I had been working for three weeks at Teledyne when Reagan shut the government down for a week. My wife and I panicked. Kay and Bowes helped guide us through it. They were blessings.

Bowes was a man of utmost integrity. Everyone respected him.

I miss Uncle Bowes. Anyone that knew him misses him.

If a Tree Falls . . .

If a tree falls in your yard and takes out the service line to the house while you are writing some software, will you hear it? Well, you bet!

I am grateful it fell the direction it did. It could have hit my son's truck, my tractor, or a number of other things. As it was, it took out the power to my shop and damaged the meter base and components. So, I will get all the damaged stuff fixed have my electrician, Bobby, come check out the guts. And then get Entergy to reconnect me.

I'll rent a backhoe and a debris bin for the cleanup. Next Saturday will be a long one. I hope I can get everything scheduled.

What a way to finish off a weekend. I love it.

'Nother Day Older

May 24 and I'm sitting here on the side of the bed in Bin #8 of the Shack-up Inn. My wife is laying here asleep. And me? I'm reflecting. It has been a incredible weekend. Got to see one of my favorite artist - Jimmy Bratcher - live for the first time. It was a great gig. If you ever get a chance to see Jimmie play, take advantage of it.

But tonight, I think about my beautiful wife and sons. Stacy is starting to resume college. She helped me get through school and now I want to help her. I pray i can be as supportive of her as she was of me.

Hunter started his first job as pool monitor. I know he will do great. I would rather work with my sons than anyone else. The out work most adults. In a couple of weeks he heads out to Governor's School. He will be studying fluid dynamics.

Wiley gives me hope. I see him struggle daily. But, I wonder what his future holds. Oh how I wish I could say I do not worry. But, I do. I worry a lot.

Writing a Song

I admire people that can sit down and write a song. It is a skill i am working on. I have not been gifted with English. I have degrees in Math and Computer Science because i could not pass college level English courses. I have a good vocabulary and i express myself well. Just please so not look at my punctuation and spelling.

I don't have any formal training in song writing. I have worked with writers that have. And everyone has their style and routine. For me i start with the lyrics. What is my hook or my message for the song. There are song patterns that are commercially successful so i try to stay within those patterns. Let's face it, it's hard to get a new "Free Bird" on the modern radio play rotation. As an indie artist/writer I do have total freedom. But as a the financier, I would like to not loose much money. So, I work in "best practices" formulas.

Here are my guidelines: about 3 minutes, 4 bar intro, Intro/Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus/Bridge/Chorus/Outro, Good hook, Something I would listen to, Something I would defend every word of.

A Weekend Away

Woo Hoo!!!! The weekend is just about here. And I am EXCITED!!!

This weekend I am taking my wife to Clarksdale, MS for a getaway. The boys will be at home hanging out with Grandma and working. But for me and my bride, it's music and shopping. Well, for me it's music. For her it's shopping. Two nights at the Shack-up Inn. The Shack-up is great. Rather than a mint or chocolates on you pillow, you get a moon-pie. We may stop along the way to visit some friends. And even though it's a weekend vacation, I'll take the laptop and work in my down time.

I am going to hear Jimmie Bratcher. Jimmie Bratcher web site He is a guitar player I found on Indie Heaven. He is an incredible slide player and wonderful writer. I am looking forward to meeting him.

My wife is laying out the shopping route. It will probably be - Head to Memphis! Which is cool with me. Her favorite mall is near Guitar Center. And you can't go wrong with lunch at the real Corky's or Rendezvous.

A Night of Recording and Mixing

Last night was one of those night. It was great. I spent most of the evening after church recording and mixing. I was working on a demo for my brother Rick Boone.

It's amazing how many times you can listen to a single song. I was searching for the right sound, the right effects, the right mix. Compressors, Reverbs, Chorus, Echo, EQ, moving notes, overdubbing, and the list goes on. I love it.

I was introduced to the studio by James Stroud, my elementary lessons were from Joey Holder, and my advanced lessons came from Ken Halford. These three men created a life long passion in me for music production. To them, Thanks.

Pouring Out Your Soul

We are getting ready to start recording an album. We have several hours of music for our live sets. The songs are tight. And, we love them.

So what do we record? I am writing some tunes, trying to pour out my soul in song. If this was a Stephen King album, it would be all blues. That's where I am. Every day is a struggle. I feel like I live the song "Every day I have the Blues". But then the reality is, I love life. It is a dichotomy that keeps me writing. We have Jazz influences that are really kicking in. John and Tim are stretching themselves technically. Garret is growing from youth to wise young man. All of these growths will play a major part of this album.

Stay tuned, It will be worth the wait. Off 61 Album #1 will be blessed of God. It will minister to us as we write and record. I pray y'all can ride the blessing with us.

Great Christian Blues SIte

Looking for some great Christian Blues Tunes? Check these guys out.

www.christianblues.net

One day, Off 61 will have an album here.

Thud!

It's been a few weeks. My laptop crashed and I've been a little busy. It has taken some time to get back up and running. But I'm back.

We are working on the summer schedule for the band. And, i can say it's looking good. Check out off61.com for concert details.

Check Randy Owen's New Song for St. Jude

Y'all Check out the new single from Randy Owen for St. Jude. http://www.randyowen.com/


As a parent of a St. Jude kid, this song hits close to home. I have seen so many little bald headed kids in the past two years I feel this song. I have watch a child loose their hair. You see the little braids drop every day till there is none left. The bandannas and baseball caps only cover so much. They know they are sick. And this just yells it to the world. Wiley lost very little hair through radiation. For Wiley it is the scars of surgery. The ear-to-ear cut to attack the tumor, the upside down horseshoe for a shunt are the hair "badges" of his battle.

How Blue?

I pray to hear my son's laughter. It hurts so much to hear him in frustration and depression over what he has lost, the fears of his future, and the physical pain that he is having.

It's hard to imagine having to put a baby monitor in your 19 year old's room. But we had to. I have to listen to him cry out to God for help. I have to then sit there helpless as a dad. I try to comfort him. But at times, there is no consoling him. It breaks my heart.

I live to hear him Laugh.

Quote of the Day

In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.

--Bertrand Russell

Have you questioned something lately?

Great Easter!

I had a great day yesterday with my family. A wonderful Easter. My mom and Mother-in-law fixed an incredible lunch. Roast, gravy, mac-n-Cheese, mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas, and the list goes on. I'm still full.

Then, we went home. I spent the rest of the day playing my guitar and teaching my youngest boy to drive a manual transmission truck. It was a good day.


I feel I am truly blessed and highly favored.

Know and Remember, we are saved by Grace through Faith in Christ Jesus. There is an empty tomb and an empty cross to show God's love for us.

Gurgle,Gurgle, Cough

It's spring in Mississippi. The birds are chirping. Days are getting longer. The temperature is rising. And every surface is turning pine-pollen yellow! The other common sound of spring is the "Gurgle, Gurgle, Cough" of the allergy sufferers. I'm one of them. I take, or have taken, every over-the-counter med I can find! I have two options - Take enough meds to sleep through spring and into summer or just suffer through it. So, I just suffer. Niquil, by the way, works the best but I can't stay awake.

Quote of the Day

The problem with having a sense of humor is often that people you use it on aren't in a very good mood.

-- Lou Holtz

I Don't Sound Like That . . .

Have you ever heard yourself on tape and thought or said "That does not sound like me." I hear it a lot in the studio. I know the feeling. When I sing a vocal line, it just sounds different when I play it back. But after years of doing it, it no longer bothers me. I know that's the way i sound.

So i take the experience of listening to myself and learn from it. Rather than fight the idea of i sound different, i work to improve the way i sound. I work on tone, pitch, enunciation, and style.

Quote of the Day

Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.

--Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Quote of the Day

I'm looking for a lot of men with an infinite capacity for not knowing what can't be done.

-- Henry Ford

Quote of the Day

Powell's Principles

1. It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
2. Get mad, then get over it.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
4. It can be done!
5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it.
6. Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
7. You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours.
8. Check small things.
9. Share credit.
10. Remain calm. Be kind.

-- Colin L. Powell

Music Therapy

The band got together last night and rehearsed. It was therapy to me. After three long days at St. Jude and a long day at the office, I could immerse myself in music. For a couple of hours, I was away from the stress of life.

When the music stops and very thing is cut off, the daily grind is easier to handle.

As I prepare to preach this Sunday, I use the music to get me into the groove. A few minutes of playing clears my mind and gets me ready.

Quote of the Day

We sow our thoughts, and reap our actions.
We sow our actions, and reap our habits.
We sow our habits, and reap our character.
We sow our character, and reap our destiny.

-- Unknown

Back to the Daily Routine

Well, we're back at home. Even though St. Jude feels like home now. There is a level of comfort when you are there that I can't explain. But every parent I have met there feels the same way.

We got great reports back from all the doctors. The tumor is "neutral" - no growth, no shrinkage. After a little more than two years in this battle, "neutral" is great news.

We ran into another Crainiopharyngioma kid, Stephen, while we were there. We met him as he was going through his radiation back in the summer. He could be Wiley's twin. There is a distinctive "Cranio" look. He has had another cranio growth removed back in January. He was looking great.

As I was sitting in one of the waiting area, a gentleman in his late 20s was walking around hugging the staff telling them "thank you". He was wearing a patient wristband. I over heard him tell a nurse it was his last visit as a patient. He was a cancer survivor. He now has three kids of his own. And thanks to St. Jude he is still here. St. Jude sees patients 10 years after treatment is finished.

Wiley is in a research program to study his type tumor. I pray that they can learn more from Wiley, and Hunter also, about this and how to minimize the damage it causes and the difficulties it causes.

Little People,Big Words

As you sit in the waiting rooms at St. Jude, you see little bald-headed children running around every where. You can see the progression of the chemo. When we were here for Wiley's treatment, we would watch them go from up and playing to barely able to move in a matter of days. I happened to Wiley too. It was and still is difficult for me to witness. I remember watching one young lady gradually loose her battle with her cancer and be sent home for her final days to be treated by hospice. She went around telling all the Doctors, Nurses, and the staff in the clinics and houses her last goodbyes. That was the day she was leaving to go home and ultimately die.

This trip I met Evan. Evan has a brain tumor I can't pronounce - but he can. He could even spell it for me. (I must admit if he misspelled it, I would not know.) Evan is 7 going on 8, or 38 to listen to him talk. His battle began when he was 4. He told me about his vacation to Lookout Mountain. He said he had fun even though he could not get his Hickman wet. I do not know his prognosis. But I know he was a bundle of joy and energy. To me, Evan was a little boy with big words and an even bigger heart.

Remember St. Jude and kids and families that are here. For many, the stay maybe just a few days for a checkup. For others, the roller coaster of childhood illness may just be beginning. We meet people who are here for 2 months, 6, months, 12 months, 14 months, and longer. People from Memphis to people from Australia. When they are here they all share a common enemy in a very personal battle.

Settling in at St. Jude

Well, we are here. We drove up yesterday. (Dropped the band's PA board at Yarbrough's Music.) Last night, we had pizza and karioke at the Grizzly House. And a fun time was had by all.

It was a long, trying night. We have gone through the hoops to have Wiley "gassed down" before they stick him. He has developed a hyper-anxiety about needles. I can't blame him. He has been poked so many times. Some attempts were not the most pleasant. The last IV took me and 6 big boy nurses in the ER. Three of us left crying, plus the doctor and Wiley. NOT GOOD! We were informed last night that they would not "gas" as planned and approved. The anxiety kicked in. AAAARRRGGGHHHHhhhhhh! I'm not frustrated with Wiley. I am very frustrated with the doctors at St. Jude. This is not something you can just spring on us. We would have requested some med to calm him - and us!

Then a nurse anesthetist was incredibly rude to Stacy about the whole ordeal in the waiting area. We have never experienced this from the staff at St. Jude. I am very disappointed.

What Was He Thinking?

Today the Pastor was out today. So we had some wonderful fill ins. Adam Epperson and Mark Jones did incredible jobs.

But, in the morning service Adam showed a music video from Casting Crowns. It was graphic. But it was very appropriate. I did not think to myself "What was he Thinking." I knew what was on his mind and why he did it. It was good - no it was great.

But i have to ask what was one of our deacons thinking. He grabbed Adam by the neck and got in his face, just berating him. Be cause he was offended. If you were offended i agree you should talk about it. But, physically grabbing - i do not think so. I wish i knew what he was thinking or not thinking.

I am very disappointed.

A Day for Moving

I have good friend and DBA packing up and heading to San Diego. He is starting a new mission church for the Vineyard. I am so excited for him. I have enjoyed having him in our office.

The mission field is southern California. And for a Mississippi boy, it could be a foreign mission. When I see 1400 SqFt homes for about $2,000 a month, it seems like a world away. As I sit in my home, I think this is almost twice the size. My shop is 1200 SqFt. I have almost 3 acres and I am on a 10+ acre lake. The cost for this - no where hear that much. Yes, I'm sure of it. It is a foreign country.

2008 Reading List

Several have asked about my 2008 reading list so here it is.

1. Amplified Bible
2. Purpose Driven Life (Rick Warren)
3. Wild At Heart (John Eldredge)
4. Visioneering (Andy Stanley)
5. How To Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie)
6. The Magic Of Thinking Big (David Schwartz)
7. Awaken the Giant Within (Anthony Robbins)
8. Live Your Dreams (Les Brown)
9. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living (Dale Carnegie)
10. The Fred Factor (Mark Sanborn)
11. Rules for Revolutionaries (Guy Kawasaki)
12. Financial Peace (Dave Ramsey)
13. Good to Great (Jim Collins)
14. Think And Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill)
15. The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking (Dale Carnegie)
16. In Search of Excellence (Tom Peters)
17. Richest Man in Babylon (George S Clason)
18. E-Myth Revisited (Michael Gerber)
19. The Five Love Languages (Gary Chapman)
20. The Next Generation Leader (Andy Stanley)
21. Team Built (Mark Sanborn)
22. The Heart of a Leader (Ken Blanchard)
23. The Millionaire Next Door (Thomas J. Stanley)
24. Answers Awaiting in the Presence of God (Creflo A Dollar)
25. Raving Fans (Ken Blanchard)
26. Rich Dad, Poor Dad (Robert T. Kiyosaki)
27. Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant (Robert T. Kiyosaki)
28. The Greatest Salesman in the World (Og Mandino)
29. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey)
30. God Wants you to be Rich (Paul Zane Pilzer)
31. The Magic of Thinking Success (David J Schwartz)
32. No More Debt (Creflo A Dollar)
33. One Minute Millionaire (Mark Victor Hansen)
34. Peace with God (Billy Graham)
35. Meditations for the Road Warrior (Mark Sanborn)
36. Stairway to Success (Nido R Qubein)
37. Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill)
38. Leadership (John Maxwell)
39. How to Act Like a CEO (D. A. Benton)
40. Leadership by the Book (Ken Blanchard)
41. Never Eat Alone: The Power of Networking (Keith Ferrazzi)
42. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (John C. Maxwell)
43. The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader (John C. Maxwell)
44. GOALS! (Bryan Tracy)
45. Personality Plus (Florence Littauer)
46. The New Dynamics of Goal Setting (Denis Waitley)
47. See You at the Top (Zig Ziglar)
48. The Anatomy of Buzz (Emanuel Rosen)
49. Lead the Field (Earl Nightingale)
50. Customers for Life (Carl Sewell)
51. Predatory Marketing (C. Britt Beemer)
52. The Power of Positive Thinking (Norman Vincent Peale)

This was the list at the start of the year. So, it will more than likely change over time.

Quote of the Day

There are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do little things.

-- Dwight L. Moody

Creative Writing

Most scientist would tell you they are not "creative writers". They lie. Just read their resume. My wife loves to say i have never had a job i was qualified for. I have "bluffed" my way into some interviews with my writing. On one job, I told them i could not start for two weeks even though i did not have a job at the time. I figured it would take me that long to learn to do what I said I had done on my resume. I did. The customer was happy.

Quote of the Day

We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.

-- Ronald Reagan

Flexability

What does it mean to have flexibility? For my youngest son, it a physical limitation. He has been in Karate but he has not stretched his muscles. When he went through the physical assessment at the gym last night, that was his biggest area for improvement.

How often in business do we see people who lack "professional" flexibility? I have lied to everyone i have ever hired. It was not an intentional lie. It was just the fact that between the time they interviewed and the time they started, business changed. In todays business climate, global warming does not happen over millions of years. The climate changes by the hour. You have to be like the Marines, Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome.

When you are stretching muscle, you have to feel a little discomfort for you to improve your flexibility. When you stretch your "professional" muscles, there will be some discomfort also.

If you experience no discomfort, . . .

Quote of the Day

Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.
-- Louis Pasteur

Quote of the Day

An average English word is four letters and a half. By hard, honest labor I've dug all the large words out of my vocabulary and shaved it down till the average is three and a half... I never write "metropolis" for seven cents, because I can get the same money for "city." I never write "policeman," because I can get the same price for "cop."... I never write "valetudinarian" at all, for not even hunger and wretchedness can humble me to the point where I will do a word like that for seven cents; I wouldn't do it for fifteen.

-- Samuel L Clemens (Mark Twain)

Hard Work & Freindship

My cousin and I spent last evening working at one of our best friend's rental house. Unfortunately, we were not playing music. We were installing flooring and repairing drywall. It was hard work but the fellowship was worth it.

I don't know the person who will be renting the house. But then, We did not do the work for them. We did it for Tim. Whoever rents this house will not be getting a basic rental property but a labor of friendship.

Missions?

I am co-chairman of our church's Missions Committee. How hard can that be? I am a missionary. My band plays to the non-churched, Youth, Young adults. We consider ourselves a "mission" band. Well 'do'ing missions and 'committee'ing missions are two different things. I have heard that a camel is a horse built by committee. I can believe it. Everyone has great intentions and ideas. But what do we do? I have the philosophy "Do something it might be right!" and "Rudders will not steer a ship that is sitting still!" I like moving. I prefer errors of "commission" over errors of "omission".

How do we start moving as a church? From the mathematician in me, Everything breaks down into a formula. The church is just people. So for the church to move, people have to move. I am people. Therefore for the the church to move, it's up to me to move.

If I make a mistake, they can just shoot me. But from what I have seen at most places, others will just talk about me and what I am doing wrong. So my goal should be get them talking about me. 'Cause if they are not talking, I must not be doing!

I am Humbled

I have just received my first reply to something in my BLOG. That to me is cool. But, this reply is even cooler than i would have expected. Normally, I would have expected my Dad or Mom to be the first to respond. I do not write expecting a response. I write for me. It gives me a chance to put my thoughts in the public as I write my book. I truly never expected to receive a response. Today, I received a "thank You" from Mark Sanborn for using a quote from him. He is a man I respect and admire. I would love to have 30 minutes to pick his brain. Since I do not have an audience with Mark, I will continue to read his books to learn from him.

I love the statement - "The only thing that separates you from where you are and where you want to be, are the books you read and the people you associate with." I heard Charlie "Tremendous" Jones say that.

Quote of the Day

Success and failure are both greatly overrated. But failure gives you a whole lot more to talk about.
-- Hildegard Knef

Quote of the Day

Focused attention beats brains and brawn every time.
-- Mark Sanborn

Memory Leaks / Great Strides

For those that don't write code every day, the title may seem strange. But the toughest problem to find in code is a memory leak. To make it even tougher, imagine no debugger. If you have never done it, you just don;t understand. I can;t even thing of a good analogy. Let's just say it's very, VERY hard.

I have been pushing a young programmer to find a leak in his code. He has struggled but today was the breakthrough. The problem was found after many hours of searching and testing. I am so proud of his accomplishment. It's so fun to see people grow and succeed.

A busy Few Days

Well, I've been very busy. Work is a blast. New projects, documenting and designing, and moving forward.

I have also been spending a lot of time practicing and rehearsing with the band for a gig this weekend at Restoration Church in Florence. A great group of brothers I am excited to be working with. We have many mutual friends. It's like we went to different schools together.

we will play 20+ tunes and have a time of ministry. Our prayer is to be servants.

Check out the details at www.off61.com.

Quote of the Day (or so)

Don't confuse fame with success. Madonna is one; Helen Keller is the other.
-- Erma Bombeck

Quote of the Day

The easiest person to deceive is one’s own self.
--Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Great Practice

Well, the band is getting back into the swing of it. We had a great practice last night. I wish everyone could have the experience of playing music with three great friends. We played through our old set and started working on some new tunes. We have just a few weeks till our next gig. So the intensity got turned up a notch. We had taken a break over the holidays. So it was nice to knock the rust off. Garrett was just like a metronome as always. He is an amazing drummer. Tim was thumpin' those lead bass lines. And John has the tastiest solos. To jam with them, for me, is heaven.

For a few hours, I get to escape, to praise God, to relax in his grace.

Quote of the Day

We are generally better persuaded by the reasons we discover ourselves than by those given to us by others.

-- Blaise Pascal

Quote of the Day

New Yorkers love it when you spill your guts out there. Spill your guts at Wimbledon and they make you stop and clean it up.

-- Jimmy Connors

Quote of the Day

Security is an illusion. Life is either a daring adventure or it is nothing at all.
-- Helen Keller

Goals - In What?

What areas of life do you need to set goals in? All of them! Lets face it anything you do not control will control you - from 2 year olds to finances. Ok, one more time, so what part of your life do you need set goals in? All of them! What are the major areas of your life?

- Spiritual Life
- Family Life
- Personal Life
- Physical Life
- Financial Life
- Career

In these areas as important as goals are, balance is important also.

Goals

Well, we're home from the hospital. Wiley is doing better. We are all tired and very glad to be home. As we say, this is our new "normal" life. I'm not sure we will ever get use to this.

This week the goal was to get home. The first aspect of a goal is is must be meaningful. For us, "Home" was meaningful. We would do anything it took to make it home. From Tuesday mid day till Friday afternoon, i stayed at the hospital. Except for a few hours at the office. I was by his bed watching all the meds, the fluid inputs and outputs. It was long and grueling. But it's a job only my wife and I feel we can do. We have lots for family that have volunteered to help and are just as concerned about Wiley as we are. But, we just can't leave. Stacy went home at night to take care of our younger son, Hunter. Who, by the way, has been a real trooper as well through all this. He has had to grow up way to fast. But he has done so with a great attitude.

"Home" was the goal. We went without sleep. We talked to the doctors and nurses about what we have seen work best for Wiley. We did everything we were asked to do. We documented everything the doctors requested. We had to practice "tough love" every 6 hours by making him give a blood sample. And the list goes on. But we had our eyes on the prize of going home. All the work was worth it.

For a goal to be successful, that prize has to be bigger than the price. Otherwise, it's too easy to give up.

Kickin Off the New Year (Late)

Welcome,

Well it's a new year. Time for a new beginning. It may be a little late for a "new years resolution" on the BLOG but hey, I'm just running 10 days behind on getting it to the web. I have them written in my journal.

It's been a wild start to '08. I am finishing up '07 at a SkyGolf - and I had a great year. The family is finishing Christmas - spending the gift cards and cash. My band ,Off61, is getting ready for '08. It's been hectic but fun.

As I start this BLOG, I find myself do my typing in the Batson Children's Hospital ICU sitting by my son's bed. He is battling a Craniopharyngioma. It's a rare brain tumor. But, you will probably learn more about that in later BLOGs. This is about the new year.

I love how we have created the idea of "new year's resolutions." It gives us a chance to start over. But, how do you kick off a new year and succeed at those resolutions? It's easy. It starts with goals, then those are developed into a plan, and ends with action and accountability. It's that easy.

Goals are specific. They are measurable. They are attainable and believable. Over the next few entries, I will be breaking these down, explaining them in more detail and laying mine for the world to see. That's pressure!

Plans are your map. Goals should be set in stone. Plans - set them in sand. When "Plan A" does not work, be flexible enough to move to "Plan B", "Plan C", till you find the "Plan" that works.

The third component to success is two fold - action and accountability. This is where many people fail. It's where I most often fail. It's hard to to get started and then to place yourself into a position of accountability. You have to find someone who you respect. Someone who will hold you to you commitments. And they must be honest with you when you are failing. Let's face it, if you fail, you are not failing them. You are failing yourself. Here is a prime example from my life. I have set the goal to loose 52 pounds in a year - pound a week. How hard can that be? Then all of a sudden I find myself in May thinking, "OK, just 2 pounds a week for the rest of the year." Then all of a sudden October hits and I am thinking, "If I only eat one meal every other day, run two marathons a week, and shave my head, face, and legs, I can still make the 52." You get the picture.

For the next few days, We will break these down. And I will open myself up to you.

Happy New Year

Stephen