Evans Newell

Music Is In The Clouds

2010-11-02T13:01:00.002-04:00

It is my absolute favorite time of year and the weather today is perfect for me. It's November, cloudy, cool and breezy. I'm not sure why I love it so much. Most people I guess would consider it dark and gloomy, but to me there is a hidden beauty in the gray skies and soon-to-be bare trees. The somber autumn days make me think of Coffee Obsession and Cape Cod (I sit here and wonder what it must be like at Bourne Farm on a day like today). The coolness in the house (we haven't turned on the heat yet - trying to save the money) makes we want to grab a blanket, curl up on the couch and watch some football. Sadly, baseball is gone until spring, so football will have to suffice (go Pats).

After further consideration, I think the reason I love these cloudy days is that they make the sun that much brighter when it takes its turn. The blue sky is sharper and the sun is more brilliant. All of it reminds me what the Bible says about giving thanks in every circumstance and considering it joy when I go through various types of trials. I know that I will be stronger and closer to God when I come out the other side.

So... thank you God for the clouds. Thank you for cold wind. Thank you for the bare tree limbs. Thank you, most of all, for the light that I know is coming. The light of Christ in my heart. May that light ever shine.

We Lead By Example

2010-09-04T14:14:00.006-04:00

A couple weeks ago we sent child #2 (John) off to Truett-McConnell College. The next week the eldest (Ashleigh) left for her final semester at Charleston Southern University. That means our baby (Jessica) is now, in her words, an "only child". She is loving life. No more sharing the television (except when dad wants to watch football). No more sharing the bathroom. No more sharing the ice cream or worrying that someone else will scarf up the last brownie. All this change has made things a little different around our house. It's also made me stop and think about what type of father I've been. When I was driving John to college on move-in day I tried to explain to him how hard I had tried to be a good dad. I tried to make him realize that I knew I wasn't perfect, I knew I had made mistakes, but that I did the best I knew how.

I suppose when you get down to the heart of the matter, being a dad is nothing more than being a leader, and one of the defining characteristics of a good leader is that you lead by example. One day last week my daily Bible study time centered on 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, verses 6-9. Forgive me while I quote from the commentary . I use a little personal devotion guide called Open Windows. It's the same guide that my grandmother McKinney used. Hey, it worked for her....

"People watch how you and I choose to live. Whether we like it or not, we are constantly evaluated and critiqued based on our actions. Often, we call this pressure unfair. the apostle Paul understood this pressure, but he saw it as a privilege. He knew his example to other Christians counted significantly. In one sense, he knew people were scrutinizing him. In another sense, he knew that his example was a grand opportunity for others to be inspired, seeing what faith in Jesus looks like. His example of faith was all he had to give and just what God wanted him to offer. Our example counts, too! it's all we have to give and exactly what God wants us to offer. We must choose the course of each day in light of how we will reflect the faith of Jesus. Our example is powerful - not because of ourselves but because Jesus inhabits our actions and shines through our lives! He's the ultimate picture of hope for a world trapped in hopelessness."

Now that John is on his own, I pray that I was a good enough example for him to follow. Best wishes to you, son, for a wonderful and successful college career. I love you!!

Land of Make Believe

2010-08-02T14:03:00.002-04:00

This past weekend I was, for no apparent reason, rummaging through some boxes that we brought with us to Kennesaw. Much to my pleasant surprise, I came across several music posters that used to hang on my bedroom wall when I was in high school. I have no idea how or why they were moved to Kennesaw. I suppose I had assumed that my parents had long ago discarded it all.

Also in the box was a treasure. In almost perfect condition there was a program from a concert I had attended at the old Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte, NC. On a winter night in the late 1970's, I went with a group of friends to see Chuck Mangione and his Quartet (Grant Geissman on guitar, Charles Meeks on bass, James Bradley, Jr. on drums, and Chris Vadala on "everything"). Those guys totally blew me away (anyone ever see a bassist bend a low F at the first fret?). The talent on stage was incredible, but the one thing that stuck with me from that night was the passion and feeling with which these guys made music. You could not only hear the music, you could feel it, and you could see their hearts. Admittedly, the only Mangione tunes I knew before the concert were "Feels So Good", from radio play, and "Chase the Clouds Away" and "Land of Make Believe", from drum corps. But afterwards, I was hooked and for the rest of high school and most of college I listened to anything Mangione I could get my hands on.

In the early 1980's I went to see them a second time at the Carowinds palladium, an outdoor arena. The concert was plagued by steady rain, but the group never stopped and we never left. Three hours and three encores later, we were all still there clapping and dancing in the rain to "Main Squeeze". I still remember how much better Chuck's music always made me feel, and I thought at the time how cool it would be to have the ability to bring people a little happiness in the midst of Three Mile Island, the Iran Hostage Crisis and the Energy Crisis.

Saturday morning, as I finished thumbing through the pages of that program, I came to the back cover. There I found a quote from Chuck himself, and I believe the timing of seeing it was divinely appointed.

"When music is honest and full of love, labels aren't important... And people listen with an open mind."

Through the late 70's, Mangione was constantly having to answer critics about his music. Pop radio didn't like jazz and the jazz community didn't like his "crossover" material. I think that for Chuck, that one quote said it all. He did what he did honestly and passionately and tried not to focus on anything else.

I thought about that quote and drew some parallels to the current "hymns versus choruses" debate in churches today. Both traditional hymns and contemporary choruses reflect the honest thoughts and feelings of a sinful, yet sanctified writer toward a holy God. Both the older hymn and the newer song express a passionate love for our living Savior. Keeping in mind that God is our audience when we worship, I think that our labels aren't as important to Him as they are to us. For me, personally, that ultimately means I will try to put aside my own personal preferences and strive to keep an open mind about things and look for the good in it all. As we move forward in our local church, I hope that's what people will see and understand about my ministry.

The music is perpetual. Give It All You've Got. Thanks Chuck!

How Great Is Our God

2010-06-26T15:07:00.007-04:00

Life lessons come in many different ways. Until last week, I had never traveled outside of the USA. I returned last night from a trip to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, organized by Dan Moran Ministries from Birmingham, AL. We spent several days of ministry working in schools, local churches, a feeding center and an orphanage. Honduras is a beautiful country and our hosts and translators were absolutely wonderful. I've spent some time trying to collect my thoughts on the past week. I'm not sure if God will lead me back there again, but if he does, I wouldn't hesitate to go. One of the Christian principles I try to follow is to find out where God is working and then get in on it. God is definitely working in Honduras. It's exciting to see.

I'm not quite sure where or when I got the idea that the USA is the focal point of the planet, but somewhere along the line I developed what became a quiet arrogance that is sadly too common here in my country. We somehow think that since God has blessed our nation so tremendously, that we have somehow become his anointed and appointed keepers of the faith around the globe. After what I've experienced this week, I no longer think that way.

The Church in Honduras is growing rapidly. The message of Christ is being preached and taught all over the nation. Honduran believers are reproducing themselves in an exciting way. I met a young Honduran college student who told me his ambition in life was to own a home so that he could host Bible studies. How different is that from the "American Dream"? Humbling, isn't it?

The local churches in San Pedro Sula are multiplying also. Our host church, Jerusalem Baptist Church, has birthed several daughter churches and they are all continuing to grow and strengthen. (In my own mind, I couldn't help but contrast that with the North American concept of the mega-church. I'm not criticizing the mega-church, only noting the different paradigm.) We spent a day with one of these daughter churches, going door-to-door inviting people to a midweek service, playing games with the children, sharing our stories of faith in Christ, and presenting God's plan of salvation at a late afternoon service. The church had the vision, knowledge and ability, they gave us the direction and we only provided the workers.

The Bible tells us that God is spirit, and we must worship him in spirit and truth. How about 26 North Americans singing "How Great Thou Art" in English alongside a hundred Hondurans, all singing in Spanish? A special experience, indeed. I believe God understood us all and was quite happy with the joyful noise that was raised.

When God decides to move and work, he doesn't need my ability, he only wants my availability. On our last day in country we visited a local market. I got an opportunity to chat with one of the local merchants. I my opinion, it wasn't much of a chat because we spent most of the time smiling and laughing at my version of Spanish. Finally she asked me why I was different from most Americans. She was curious why I smiled so much. I managed somehow to tell her that I had Jesus in my heart and he comes out in my face. Through her broken English and my mangled Spanish, God spoke. "Cristo te ama y yo tombien" - "Christ loves you, and so do I".

How great is our God?

Man Pain and Getting Older

2009-10-24T15:11:00.002-04:00

For the last 13 weeks, Cindy and I have been training for the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon on Saturday, November 14. We had originally planned to run the Cape Cod Marathon, which is tomorrow, but we decided we couldn't afford the trip. All this weekend we've been thinking of our friends on Cape. There's the Friday shirt folding, goody bag stuffing party and pizza at the Lawrence School. Then on Saturday we have Aunt Pam's waffles for breakfast, then we pick up our race packets at the expo, tour the course, have fried rice for lunch, then head back to Chris and Pam's for a relaxing evening topped off by pasta for dinner. One year we went down to Woods Hole on Saturday night for a string quartet concert. Sunday would be race day. Nothing like New England in the fall, truly a special place.

So things didn't work out that way this year. However at Chickamauga, we have a chance to do something special. Two of our church friends asked us to help them train and so we are all competing together. The date is special also. November 14 this year will be the 39th anniversary of the Marshall University plane crash. We wrote the athletic department at Marshall, and they sent us official track singlets (tank tops, in layman's terms) to wear during the race. It will be a very emotional day. We are... Marshall, to say the least. To top it all off November 14 is Cindy's late father's birthday. Talk about emotion. Wow...

The fly in the ointment for this training cycle has been my injuries. I've been dealing with tendinitis in my left foot for about two months, and a couple of weeks ago I noticed some pain in my right hip. This hip pain has slowly gotten worse, and on my last two long runs it has affected me severely. I'm usually ok for the first four or five miles, then the pain starts deep in my right groin area and slowly expands outward, until eventually it wraps all the way around to my lower back. Climbing makes it worse, I feel like I'm literally dragging my right leg up the hills. At this point I'm not sure how this will impact my performance on race day. Back on October 3rd, we joined the Chattanooga Track Club for a group training run and preview of the race course. I ran well that day, a 12 mile loop. The pace was slightly faster than race pace and I felt good afterwards and recovered well, so I know if the hip behaves I should do well.

No matter how bad the pain gets, though, I won't quit. We'll be wearing the Marshall colors and I won't give up. Limping across the line is a distinct possibility, but crossing the line is a definite. Music is perpetual, lately so is the pain.

Love to all.

Rev. Noodle, If You Please

2009-07-04T14:40:00.003-04:00

This past weekend, I went back to Fort Mill to be be ordained as a minister by First Baptist Church of Fort Mill. According to the dictionary, the word "ordain" means to invest officially (as by the laying on of hands) with ministerial or priestly authority. Personally, I look at the ordination process and ceremony as an outward indication of an inward change, much like the symbolism displayed when a follower of Jesus is baptized by immersion. I supposed I've changed quite a bit over the last few years, and this past weekend was one of the milestone moments of life, a marker that I hope to be able to look back on and draw encouragement from until the day I am called home. Our 3 days in Fort Mill were packed with dozens of tiny blessings. With a nod to an old hymn, I'm taking time to count those blessings for my friends and loved ones who could not be present.

We left Kennesaw before dawn on Friday morning in order to beat the Atlanta traffic. Wise decision. We made it in time for breakfast with mom and dad, and for me and the girls to visit our friend Monique and get our hair cut. Friday night the Wind Ensemble and band from FBCFM had a little dinner party and they invited us to come over. We got a chance to see a lot of folks and spend some time relaxing, chatting and catching up. Saturday night was also a special time. My former bandmates from the Carolina Rhythm Band invited me to sit in with them at a dinner party engagement. We had a blast! I hadn't seen these guys in almost a year. We had fun jamming to the sounds The Drifters, Sam Cooke and The Tams, just to name a few. The guys haven't missed a beat (pun intended) since I left and I appreciated them letting me join in the fun.

Sunday morning we attended Bible study and worship at FBCFM and had lunch with the family. Mom's brothers and sisters had come from out of town (some driving several hours) to be there for the ordination. The years have scattered us all over the map, but we have remained close. It was very meaningful to have them there.

The service Sunday night began with an hour of prayer. The staff and all ordained couples were invited to come and pray with us as a couple. It was an emotional hour for us, especially when my parents came in and prayed for us. Chris and Jen Whisonant got to participate in the prayer time, along with Perry (our pastor at KFBC) and Jan Fowler. The ordination service itself began with two of my favorite hymns, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" and "Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing". Jeff Bedwell (FBCFM pastor) welcomed everyone and Johnny Caruso (FBCFM minister of students) read scripture and made a few remarks. We've been through a lot with Johnny over ten years of ministry. God used Johnny to help me understand my role as a worship leader and a father. I'm not surprised that he got more a little emotional as he left the podium. The emotional roller coaster continued as my father got up to give the ordination prayer. No one thought Jack Newell could say anything in 3 minutes or less, but he did! He did a great job. I'm so proud of my dad.

After a song by the band, I shared a little of my journey and then it was Benny's turn. Benny Wade is the minister of music at FBCFM. He has been a mentor to me and a friend to my family for almost 20 years. He even sang at Cindy's father's funeral 5 years ago. Benny has such an awesome sense of humor that everyone held their collective breath as he spoke. He didn't disappoint. He is truly a minister in every sense of the word. Music is merely a tool that he uses.

Jeff's ordination sermon was a challenge to me delivered in terms of a baseball diamond. For me, it was the perfect metaphor (go Red Sox!!). The batter's box is my Calling; first base is my Character, second base is my Community, third base is my Competence. Home plate brings me back to my Calling, which I will always try to keep foremost in my mind. Without the calling of God, all my efforts are self-directed and eternally worthless.

After a time of prayer, Jeff presented the ordination certificate and Perry presented the ordination Bible. Bart Nicholson, chairman of the FBCFM deacon body, gave us a gift from the church. I know it sounds weird, but that gift was an answer to prayer. Cindy and I had been saving for a new vacuum cleaner, and their gift helped us with the purchase. What a blessing!

As I reflect on the weekend, I think that I am most impacted by the fact that there were people in attendance at my ordination who have influenced every aspect of my life. There were old friends and new friends, former work associates, folks that cut my hair managed the gym where I exercised, folks from Flint Hill, FBCFM and KFBC. As I looked around the room, I saw people who cared for me, counseled me, disciplined me, irritated me, nurtured me and encouraged me. Weaving through that collection of folks is a single, perpetual thread. I love them all so very much.

A Girl's (Boy's) Garden

2009-05-15T11:22:00.007-04:00

A neighbor of mine in the village
Likes to tell how one spring
When she was a girl on the farm, she did A childlike thing.
One day she asked her father
To give her a garden plot
To plant and tend and reap herself, And he said, "Why not?"

The previous text is an excerpt from "A Girl's Garden" by Robert Frost, from the volume A Mountain Interval, first published in 1916. Today I planted my first flower garden. Trust me, I know precious little about plants, but I'm going to try to learn. A few weeks ago, we received (or I should say the previous owners of our house received) in the mail a catalog from Springhill Nursery. We thought it would be nice to have some color in the front of our house, so we browsed the catalog and selected flowers that supposedly do well in our climate and are fit for abundant sunshine, that will bloom from June until frost.

For the record, we planted Super Shasta Daisy, Little Business Daylily, Wonder of Staffa Aster, Rudbeckia Toto, Isaac House Hybrid Scabiosa and Pink Coreopsis. It's my understanding that deer tend to avoid most of these, so hopefully the critters won't get to them. The catalog also stated that some even attract butterflies.

Perhaps some of our friends and family (Aunt Pam) can help us with some growing tips. I absolutely want to avoid using nasty chemicals (if one can't pronounce it, one shouldn't be using it). But, by the same token I want to make sure I feed them properly (I already sang to them as I placed them in the ground). I look forward to what God will teach me through the process of planting and nurturing these flowers; I'm sure there are life lessons there. The girl in the poem ended up with "a little bit of everything and a great deal of none". I'm hoping we'll get a color splash of white, pink, blue, red, yellow and lavender.

Love to you from Kennesaw...

View From The Top

2009-04-25T13:34:00.005-04:00

From the top of Kennesaw Mountain on a clear morning, the view is almost limitless. This morning was no exception. Cindy and I decided that we would tackle the mountain this morning during our long run, and the payoff speaks for itself. Sunrises at KEMO are a lot like the sunsets on Cape Cod; each one is different and they are all beautiful. At the risk of displaying my ignorance or sounding irreverent, I wonder if God ever looks around and says, "Wow!".

Cindy and I are beginning to pick up the weekly mileage a bit. A couple of friends from church have asked us to help them train for a fall marathon, and we may end up competing ourselves. While we are far from expert runners, we do have experiences that we are happy to share, both successes and failures. So, look for us in the field this fall. Cindy only has 12 minutes to shave for a Boston qualifier.

We've had a busy spring so far here in Big Shanty. My parents came for their first visit last week. They got to do a little sightseeing, and Dad even hiked up the mountain with me. Their time with us was topped of by a visit to The Varsity. "What'll ya have???!!!!" My answer to that question was three chili dogs, onion rings, lemonade and half of Cindy's milkshake, followed by a long night of indigestion!!

I'll be planting my first flower bed in a couple of weeks. Any tips will certainly be appreciated, and humorous updates are sure to follow.

Balcony People

2009-02-13T09:13:00.002-05:00

Last June, as I was contemplating God's call into full time ministry, I took the course "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People". (It's interesting how God works, because I signed up for that class months before I ever began conversations with Kennesaw First Baptist Church, and by the time we were travelling for interviews, it was time for this class... but that's a another story in itself.) On the first day of the class, we talked about "balcony people". This concept is based on the "cloud of witnesses" passage from the New Testament book of Hebrews. Basically it means that we have been influenced by people in our past, some dead and some living (thank you, John Lennon), who are now watching us and pulling for us in our race for life. Our instructor encouraged us to write letters to our "balcony people" and thank them for pouring themselves into us. Try it. The exercise will cause you to look at your life with a different perspective. This blog is about one of my balcony people. Others may follow, maybe not, but this one begs to be written.

John Deloach. Band Director, Fort Mill High School, 1972-1977. If you are a former student, he will always be "Mr. Deloach". I first met Mr. Deloach in the fall of 1975, when he took over teaching duties at Fort Mill Junior High. I think I was afraid of him the first time I met him. Over the next 18 months, I grew to respect him immensely and love him deeply. He had this aura about him that told you that he was going to make you better and he knew it. Cocky? Likely. Confident? Oh, yes. Perfectionist? Don't even kid yourself otherwise. Driven and focused? You can bet your life on it. He was part musician, part Vince Lombardi. And I loved it.

Mr. Deloach spent hours with us, teaching us life lessons as he taught us music. He taught me that anything less than my best effort was failure. He taught me that even when I give my best effort, sometimes others will be better. He taught me to give and give and give until I had nothing left to give, then to give a little more. By the spring of 1977, I had been selected to the South Carolina All State Band, and I will never forget the look on his face when he told me the news. I think I was as happy for him as I was for myself.

I remember the day he told us he was resigning. I don't think I'll ever forget, nor do I desire to repeat, the feeling in the pit of my stomach. I felt like I was losing a parent, and I cried all the way home. He told me that everything would be ok, and again he was right. The world didn't stop just because he left, and in some ways it was even better, and through his leaving he taught me humility.

Three years after his departure, in the spring of 1980, I auditioned for the SC All State Band as a senior and was selected 1st Chair Tenor Saxophone. Mr. Deloach's influence on me had been so profound that I insisted that my parents locate him so that I could phone him with the news. When told him the results, he put the phone down and I could hear him literally screaming to his wife, who was on the other side of the house. He was so proud...

These days I think Mr. and Mrs. Deloach are retired and live somewhere in the upstate region of SC. I haven't talked to him in years, but I want him to know a few things. Mr. Deloach, thank you. God used you to help me become a servant leader. Mr. Deloach, I miss you. I use your lessons and methods often. Mr. Deloach, I love you. As a struggling teenager, my life could have taken so many directions, but praise God, you were there.

So, who are your balcony people?

January Randomness

2009-01-22T19:31:00.007-05:00

Hello All... We're enjoying a little after dinner quiet. I was looking through some photos I received lately and thought someone might find these interesting.

First, someone sent this one to me on Facebook. This was taken in the spring of 1981. From the looks of the theatre props I'd say it was taken in the basement storage area of the music building at Furman. These are some of the Phi Mu Alpha brothers and pledges at something called a "pledge court". Don't ask because I honestly don't remember its purpose. Anyway, in the photo L-R are Jimmy Hembree, John Clanton, me and Bryant Waldkirch.

Next, we have a photo lovingly titled "Old Men of the Family". Evidently my mother's brothers decided to take a little road trip to see their eldest brother in Moses Lake, WA about a year ago (I think). The McKinney profile is not on prominent display but I can assure you it's there. In this photo we have L-R in ascending birth order, Roddy, Jim and Bo. What a crew!

Finally, we have a commemorative photo of a Kennesaw Mountain run with two members of the Citadel corps of cadets. These two gentlemen stopped by to see us in Kennesaw over the New Year's holiday, and of course we couldn't resist dragging them out for a little pre-dawn jaunt up Kennesaw Mountain (a true rite of passage for any Georgia runner). They were great! However, with all modesty I feel it my obligation to point out to the reader that the author of this blog (i.e. "Pops") outran them both to the summit. Michael claimed to have been distracted by a deer. For now, I guess I'll buy that. In this photo we have L-R Cadet 2nd Class Michael Dockery, Cindy "Queen of the Mountain" Newell, and Cadet 3rd Class Aaron Anderson.

Enjoy your chuckles...

Merry Christmas in Kennesaw

2008-12-25T04:21:00.008-05:00

This morning we were awake early, 3:30am (yes we're crazy), working on our Christmas morning tradition. We've got breakfast in the oven, and I'm on the laptop in the den waiting on the goodies in the oven. Nat King Cole, Karen Carpenter and Andy Williams are on the radio. Snickers is trying to figure out why we're up but not feeding her. It's drizzling just a little outside, and the mist makes the lights in the neighborhood twinkle that much brighter. NORAD says that Santa is now in Alaska, almost finished with his annual deliveries.

My cousin, Karen, has a lot of old family photos (I'm the one in the striped pants). Looking at these brings back a flood of wonderful memories. I come from a very large and very close family. Although I'm not sure of the date of the photo at left, my guess would be the summer of 1972 or 1973. The years have scattered us across the country. Whoever thought I would be in Kennesaw, GA, after 20 years in Fort Mill? Life is like that isn't it, Forrest? You never know what you're gonna get.

Even though we live in a new place, some things are constant and the melody and harmony of God's love for us is perpetual. I feel that this Christmas more than ever. We are strangers in a new land, but folks at our new church have taken us in and made us part of their family. One family even had us over to share in their Christmas Eve celebration last night. That was a huge blessing to me because the Newell and McKinney families had such wonderful times together over the holiday seasons of years past. When I was in high school, the McKinney clan used to pack into cars and drive around Fort Mill, caroling for family friends. Aunt Brenda Kay would always come over and help us make snow people and then there was the food at my grandparents house. TONS of it! Two such holiday gatherings stand out in my mind. The first would be the Immaculate Reception as Franco Harris and the Steelers defeated the Oakland Raiders in the AFC playoffs in 1972. The other would be December of 1979, during my senior year in high school. My Pappaw had died just weeks before, and still the family went caroling. Brenda Kay brought along her photography assistant, Lori, and on Christmas morning Brenda gave me a card with Lori's phone number.

Yes, this year we're in a new location, but we feel so blessed to be making new memories on this new adventure that we have undertaken. My prayer for whoever reads this is that you experience the same love, mercy and grace that I have experienced. I believe with all my heart that God loves each of us so much, desires a real and dynamic relationship with each of us so much, that he gave us Jesus Christ, Immanuel, God With Us, so that we could experience the joys of heaven forever. Truly, wise men still seek Him. Merry Christmas 2008.

I wish you peace.

The Music of Luke

2008-12-19T11:01:00.002-05:00

Well, today is the start of my weekend. Did I ever tell you that I get Friday's off? It's one of those preacher things, I suppose. Our church considers Sunday to be a work day for me, so my weekends are Friday and Saturday. It's a bit different and it took some getting used to, but now it's kind of neat to be able to spend Fridays running errands for Cindy and taking care of various needs around the house.

This morning I took my birthday money and went shopping. Those of you who know me well are already cringing, because I detest shopping. Today I made the mistake of not having in mind what I wanted before I left. Big no-no. I ended up in the crowd of folks who were taking a 3-day weekend to go "door-busting". Did I mention I don't do crowds, either? I found lots of things I needed (socks, pants, shirts), but only a few in my size and EVERYTHING had been thoroughly examined by the early birds and was completely jumbled. Because I have a limited budget I couldn't decide what to purchase. Even though the prices will surely triple again after the holidays, I suppose I'll wait until the rush is over (by the way, why is it that a $15 dollar shirt costs $45 after the calendar flips? doesn't that fly in the face of supply and demand, or am I the only one who notices that kind of thing?). The other thing that irked me more than a little was that if I used a store credit card, I could get an additional 10-20% discount per item. I don't want more debt, I just want more socks, for crying out loud! I thought we were celebrating God's love for us, not our love for "stuff". OK, you can relax now, the rant is over. Do you understand now why I don't like shopping?

One of the things that I actually am enjoying about this Christmas season is my daily Bible reading. The book of Luke has 24 chapters, and our pastor has challenged us to read one chapter per day leading up to our Christmas Eve service. God's Holy Spirit has been revealing new things to me each day, and over the past couple of weeks I have read several familiar passages in an entirely different light. One of the things that really strikes me is Jesus' relationship with the Samaritan people. You see, to Jesus' Hebrew contemporaries, the people from Samaria were illegitimate, unclean, untouchable, second (some would say "no") class. Yet Jesus loved them, healed them and used them in powerful illustrations to teach God's love, mercy and grace. As a follower of Christ, I've noted that point and, with God's help, resolve to apply it to my own life.

Can you hear the music today?

A Christmas Tree Tradition

2008-12-15T19:28:00.002-05:00

Most families have traditions that they observe during the Christmas season. There are movies to watch, television specials that are just to good (or cheesy) to miss, cookies and pies to bake and deliver. Our family has several that we observe annually, almost out of habit (the good kind of habit, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Ralphie, not all habits are bad).

I absolutely love the Christmas season. From Thanksgiving until New Years Day, I look at the world differently. Even though one of the most painful events in my life occurred in December (the death of my grandfather McKinney when I was almost 18), I look forward to celebrating the hope and joy that is available to me because of a life that began in a tiny Judean village so long ago.

When I was a child, it seemed that each year my parents always had our Christmas tree up and decorated on my birthday. In reality, that wasn't likely foremost in their minds, but hey, what's a December baby to think? So, since this year will be the first since 1984 that I haven't seen my parents on Christmas day, I decided to honor the memory of my childhood by taking care of the tree for my birthday. After MUCH searching, we finally found a tree lot in Cobb county that wasn't asking for a second mortgage to purchase a live tree. Ashleigh went with me and we found the perfect (in my eyes) tree. I guess she thought I was a little nuts when I teared up as we headed home with our prize.

Yesterday was my birthday and I began decorating by stringing lights and hanging ornaments that include baby pictures of our precious children. In the fading light of the late autumn afternoon, I switched on the lights of the tree and just sort of stood there. I suppose that I teared up again, recalling Decembers of years past, missing my family and friends back in South Carolina.

You know, standing in the glow of a Christmas tree is special. The evergreen tree itself brings to mind the perpetual, unfailing love of God. The bright lights remind me that one day the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever.

Elf Yourself

2008-12-13T12:31:00.004-05:00

What a busy Fall! It's been way too long since I posted and tons of things have happened since the last post.

In early November we went to the Naval Air Station in Marietta as guests of Major Jim Judkins, USMC. Jim is a church member who is soon to retire from the Marine Corps after 20 years as an office in an attack helicopter squadron. He gave us a guided tour, included a trip to the Cobra flight simulator. Man, that was cool! We each got to fly an attack run as a gunner with Jim as pilot. As expected, John hit every target. I, on the other hand, only hit one or two, and that's after Jim slowed to a crawl so I could get my bearings!

We spent Thanksgiving in Aiken with my family and Scranton with Cindy's. We hadn't seen our families in several months so it was a blessing to be able to be together for a few hours.

December has been hectic so far. We're working on Christmas music at church and have a special Christmas Eve service planned. Yesterday we bought our tree. Sometime between all the programs, services and gigs, we'll actually get it decorated. Oh yeah, and tomorrow is my birthday. Woo-hoo.

And now, a video for your yuletide pleasure, featuring me, Dr Perry Fowler (my boss) and Jimmy Gunderman (our minister to students).

I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season. May God richly bless your lives in the coming days.

A Note From The Noodle Family

2008-10-24T09:26:00.004-04:00

Two Fridays in a row... soaking rain. Ain't it great? This week is a little cooler, though. The high should be around 50 today. So, I'm taking a break from cleaning the kitchen, doing laundry and helping the kids with school work. Cindy is substitute teaching today at First Baptist Christian School. This is her third appearance there. On her first day, a student in her class had a little challenge pronouncing "Newell". It came out sounding like "noodle". The kids started giggling about it and the name stuck. So, today Cindy Noodle is off to work again. I suppose that makes me Mr. Noodle, thank you very much.

Noting the trouble so many of us have had with allergies this Fall, I came across an impressive list of home remedies. I'm not sure they all work on the sinuses, but perhaps you might have a laugh.

1. AVOID CUTTING YOURSELF WHEN SLICING VEGETABLES BY GETTING SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD THE VEGETABLES WHILE YOU CHOP.
2. AVOID ARGUMENTS WITH THE FEMALES ABOUT LIFTING THE TOILET SEAT BY USING THE SINK.
3. FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SUFFERERS ~ SIMPLY CUT YOURSELF AND BLEED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THUS REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON YOUR VEINS. REMEMBER TO USE A TIMER.
4. A MOUSE TRAP PLACED ON TOP OF YOUR ALARM CLOCK WILL PREVENT YOU FROM ROLLING OVER AND GOING BACK TO SLEEP AFTER YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON.
5. IF YOU HAVE A BAD COUGH, TAKE A LARGE DOSE OF LAXATIVES. YOU'LL BE AFRAID TO COUGH.
6. YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'T MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE DUCT TAPE.
7. IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
8. DAILY THOUGHT: SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.

I know you were all wondering about Melanie's ear from last week's post. Well, I heard from her this week (boy, did I ever) and she reported that the candle treatment did work for a period of time. The biggest challenge is to figure a way to keep the candles lit on windy days when she goes to the grocery store. The biggest benefit is that she can provide her own candles at the Christmas Eve service.

This weekend is the annual Cape Cod Marathon, and for the second year in a row we'll not be competing in it. Last year we opted for the Marshall University Marathon which was a fantastic event. This year we are still getting settled in our new home and were not able to train adequately. We do plan to return next year. I've been following the news of the event on the race website and our friends from the Falmouth Track Club have been keeping us in the loop. There's just no place in the world like New England in the Fall. We really miss the fun and fellowship we have with our family and friends there, everything from Pam's waffles and folding shirts at the Lawrence School to the roar of the crowd as we kick to the finish line at the Village Green on Main Street.

North Falmouth is a special place for us. We have such fond memories there, folk music on the radio, mussels from Woods Hole, Happyhallowthankmus festival at the church, falling asleep at night while star gazing through the bedroom skylight. Chris and Pam, we miss you. Be sure to go see the Falmouth Fiddlers on Sunday morning and cheer the runners for us as they pass the Bourne Farm!

Georgia Pollen Count

2008-10-17T09:07:00.003-04:00

Well, the fall season is upon us here in northwest Georgia. Now that we've received all the settlement funds from old utility accounts, escrow accounts and closing costs, Cindy and I are finally going furniture shopping today. Woo-hoo! It will be nice to get a few more boxes out of the house. Maybe we can even provide guests a place to sit in our den. What a concept!

It's raining today. That's a good thing for us, as our area is still considered to be in a severe drought. The students at church aren't real happy about the rain today, though. They are supposed to go to a corn maze tonight. Still, I count the rain as a blessing. We got a good soaking during our run this morning. It felt REALLY good!!

Tomorrow morning we'll head over to KEMO (that's Atlanta runner-speak for Kennesaw Mountain) for our weekly long run. We hope to run from Pigeon Hill to Kolb's Farm and back (about 11 miles). We tried that last week, but got lost somewhere around Cheatham Hill. We followed another runner who looked like he knew where he was going and we somehow ended up circling back at Cheatham Hill Road, then heading the wrong direction toward Powder Springs. Trail running can be tricky (no road signs). We knew we were lost when we heard the train whistle from behind us, when it should have been in front of us. We turned around and eventually made it back to familiar territory, but we ended up only running 9 miles. So... tomorrow we try again. I'll study the trail map a little closer this time and we may even take it with us (duh). Getting lost on the battlefield at sunrise is no fun (too many Civil War ghosts in the forest).

I think we are all suffering from fall allergies around here. The whole church office staff has been coughing, sneezing and wheezing for over two weeks. Our office manager, Melanie, has had it so rough she resorted to drastic measures the other day. Ever try placing a lit candle in your ear to unclog things? Ask Melanie how well it works. There MUST be an easier way to combat the Georgia pollen count. Perhaps a few teaspoonfuls of local honey?

Handyman

2008-10-04T19:31:00.005-04:00

The title begs a reference to James Taylor, but I don't think Cindy would appreciate it. :-)

After our weekly run at Kennesaw Mountain National Park, we came home and started our house projects. Cindy is painting bedrooms and I am tackling our storage issues.
Now, before I go any further, I have to say that I am NOT a handyman. My grandfather McKinney could build anything, but I must have missed that piece of the gene pool. However, since we moved to Kennesaw, I'm beginning to learn. Today I installed some extra shelves in a bathroom closet. I actually got them equally spaced and level. I was shocked! Cindy is still speechless. I only wish my Pappaw could see them. He'd probably have a good laugh because I made such a big deal over simple closet shelves.

To celebrate we grilled some burgers for dinner. So much for the big weekend. Marshall got clobbered last night, but the Red Sox are on the brink of winning their series with the Angels. We'll see how that Pats do tomorrow.

I guess watching all those episodes of Home Improvement is beginning to pay off. Cindy can't wait to see what's next!

By the way, the new Kennesaw First Baptist Church web site is now up and running. Check it out at www.kfbc.org

It's 1, 2, 3 strikes you're out...

2008-09-26T15:01:00.005-04:00

When I was about 12 years old, my parents took my brother and I to Atlanta for a mid-summer getaway. We spent a day at the Six Flags theme park, then the next day attended the Braves-Cardinals baseball game at the old (then new) Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. The Braves won 7-5 in 13 innings, and my experience was capped off by seeing my hero, Henry Aaron, hit a home run. All those memories came rushing back last week when I got the chance to take my kids to a Braves game for the first time, courtesy of a friend who is a Braves employee. Obviously The Hammer doesn't play any longer (some guy named "Chipper" is the star of the team - he had a bad night too, booted a grounder and made a wild throw to first later in the game), and the stadium has been replaced with a newer model. Nonetheless we had a fabulous time. We did the "Chop" (keeping time with the Chick-fil-A cow in left field) and enjoyed $1 hot dog night. The Braves lost to the Phillies 4-3, but who cares? Baseball is great! Let's go Red Sox!

Our new church website will be live next week, look for an announcement and the link from my blog. This past week we had a staff photo day for the website pictures and some of us decided to have a little fun in the playground afterward. Leave it to the old man to do the hanging crunches and smile about it!

We've Been Pounded

2008-09-13T11:09:00.003-04:00

We've been pounded! (It didn't hurt near as much as I thought it might.) During our first week in the new house, our church family brought over dinner each night so that we would have time to unpack the kitchen and dining room boxes and wouldn't have to worry about cooking. The best part about that was that the folks brought over so much food that we also had enough left over for lunches. The day after the last meal was delivered, the church gave us a "pounding". Each person brought us canned goods, cleaning supplies and other household items. For example, according to Cindy's calculations, we received 30 pounds of sugar, 25 pounds of flower and 5 pounds of corn meal. The timing was perfect, and this week we started cooking our own meals. In addition to hall the kitchen pantry items we also received several gift cards to local stores so that we would have help in buying other items that we may discover that we need.

Our family at Kennesaw First Baptist Church has been incredible. They have really taken us in and accepted us. The love they have demonstrated to us has been awesome!

We've made a list of "fix-it" items around the inside of the house and will start on that today. We're also becoming experts in lawn care (we've got some great neighbors who have beautiful lawns, they have offered some great pointers). We don't want a "boo-boo" letter from the HOA! There are also some things we need to fix up around the exterior of the house, but nothing pressing (we'll have a list for that, too). As you can tell from the photo of Snickers having breakfast today, at least one of us has settled in!!

Who's In The House?

2008-09-06T10:33:00.002-04:00

Well, we made it one week in the new house!! We have boxes stacked floor-to-ceiling in several rooms, but we are slowly getting settled. Everyone at KFBC has been so nice to our family in helping us with the transition. Families from the church have been bringing meals to us each night for the past week, and this Sunday night the church is having a "pounding" for our family. Most importantly, folks have sent us cards and letters, called us on the phone and stopped by my office to let us know that they pray for us and our new ministry each day. People have really stepped up to make us feel like a part of the family. We will always miss our hometown, but we really love Kennesaw and Kennesaw First Baptist Church. God is so good, all the time!

We had a busy week. Between all the unpacking, Cindy and I got our Georgia driver's licenses. We also got our tv, phone and internet services established. The next big thing is to get our new tags for our cars. Yesterday we took the cars in for emissions testing, so now that we have those certifications we can go to the county tag office.

We're also getting involved a little in the community. Last night we worked with a group of volunteers running the concessions at the Kennesaw Mountain High School football game. If I do say so myself, I cook a mean batch of fries. We didn't see any of the game, but they tell me the home team beat South Cobb High School 13 - 0.

The running schedule is also slowly returning to normal. There are several places to run near us. Because of the move, we won't be competing at the Cape Cod Marathon this fall, but the Atlanta Marathon is in November and there are other races close by. One of our welcoming gifts from the church was a copy of the Atlanta Running Guide, so off we go...

Well, time to unpack more boxes!!!

Georgia On My Mind

2008-08-16T10:41:00.000-04:00

It has been over a month since our last post, and a lot has happened. When last we posted, we were in Kennesaw, GA, for the weekend. So now that the cat is out of the bag, we can say that the reason we were there is because I have accepted a full time staff position at Kennesaw First Baptist Church as the Equipping Pastor of Worship and Administration! We are very excited.

I've just completed my second full week on the job. We have sold our house in Fort Mill and purchased one in Kennesaw. I sold my old Civic and purchased a newer Corolla. At the end of August, we will finally all be together again and this crazy 4-hour weekly commute can stop.

Everything has been such a whirlwind, and I'm sure that once we get settled I'll have time to really think about the amazing ways that God has answered our prayers over the past few months. I'll also start scheduling time weekly to update the blog so that we can keep everyone in the loop. I truly believe that in this situation, my hearing was and is as perpetual as the music. I have no doubt that KFBC is exactly where God wants me to be in this season of my life. My heart is at peace. We will miss our Fort Mill family and friends very much, but the exciting part is that we will have new relationships that will grow over time.

A special note of thanks to Rev Jeff Bedwell and Rev Benny Wade of FBC Fort Mill for loving us, teaching us and pouring their lives into us for so many years. Thank you to the Nuts for head hunting. Last but not least, a special word of thanks to David and Lisa Klausman for praying for us every day since mid-March.
We love you all!!

View From The Summit

2008-07-12T10:51:00.001-04:00

We are in Kennesaw, GA, for the weekend. As this is the first week of training for the Cape Cod Marathon, our long run today was at the Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield National Park. We got out at sunrise and had a wonderful run amid the history and natural beauty that comes with one of our national parks. I must confess, we did as much sight-seeing as running, Cindy had her camera-phone, and we got a few pictures.

Here is a survey marker at the summit. This one's for you, Uncle Chris...

Inscription on the monument at the foot of the mountain.

The view to the north from the summit. It was so quiet this morning, you could close your eyes and almost here the cannon and musket fire.

Sunrise at the summit. I can't think of a better way to start the day with the most beautiful woman in the world!!

The Average Johnson Band

2008-07-06T21:05:00.000-04:00

Ok, so it's been a month since I posted. I was just waiting on some inspiration, and boy, did I find it!!

Becky is one of the singers in the FBC Band. She has a beautiful heart and such a sweet, sweet spirit. She also has two children worthy of the YouTube Hall Of Fame. I am convinced that Grayson and Victoria will be the next generation of worship leaders in the Church. After viewing this latest video, I'm sure you'll agree.

Check this out !!!

Thank you, Becky, for encouraging your children to worship God and for sharing this peek into their precious lives!!

Old People Working Here

2008-06-03T20:47:00.000-04:00

A couple of years ago, I received my first pair of transitional lenses, aka bifocals. I first noticed the deterioration of my near vision because when I sat down in the evening to read my Bible, the letters were fuzzy and I ended up taking off my glasses and holding the book up close to my nose. Cindy got a real kick out of that.

I was recently fitted for a new pair of transitional lenses, and trust me, these are more "transitional" than the first pair. I'm beginning to notice many things that most of us take for granted like reading labels in the grocery store, and I've also learned that the term "transitional" applies more to my age than my lenses. That last point is demonstrated by the following episode from the workplace.

Friday of last week I was testing some software on one of the test PCs that we have for our project team. Since my previous visit to that PC, someone (likely 20 years younger) had changed the display settings from 1024x768 pixels to 1280x800 pixels (really tiny characters). I suppose that I complained loudly enough for all in the next county to hear, because when I arrived at work on Monday, I found the following sign posted on the PC in question:

Just double-click the image to get the full effect. I love my co-workers. I really do...

Home Again

2008-05-18T16:23:00.000-04:00

Robert Frost once said that it would be good both going and coming back. This is a little different. Vacation, not birch trees, but I think maybe it's more or less the same. We had nice bookends weather to our vacation. When we left Eastham for Boston, it was 45 degrees, the wind was howling and it was pouring rain. Here are some pics at departure time from in and around the house.

We stopped in Falmouth to have lunch with Uncle Chris at the Quarterdeck (the unofficial headquarters of the Falmouth Track Club) and grab some java at Coffee Obsession. In one of my earlier posts, I indicated that if you don't like the Cape weather, just wait a few minutes. In yesterday's case it was an hour and 15 minutes. By the time we got to Falmouth, the skies were beautiful.

We were very blessed this trip. We got to see family and friends and spend time in God's wonderful creation. "A man can stand there and put all America behind him" (Thoreau - "Cape Cod").

Cape Cod #6

2008-05-16T17:42:00.000-04:00

Well, it's our last full day on Cape. Sort of sad to see the week coming to an end, but we've been very blessed this week. We found out that Judy from Ben&Jerry's knows Wayne from Cape Cod Chips. How cool is that?

This morning we hiked the trails around the Fort Hill area. For history buffs, Fort Hill is the home of Capt Edward Penniman, a whaling captain from the late 19th century. The bluff at the tip of Fort Hill is also the final resting place of the Outermost House, the one-time abode of naturalist Henry Beston. Beston built his house on the Nauset spit below the Coast Guard station in the 1920's and it stood until the Blizzard of '78 washed it to the south side of Nauset Marsh.

After lunch we did some shopping and began the cleaning and packing process. Made some chili for dinner and did B&J one more time. We drove down to Nauset Light Beach at dusk. I do love this place. Let's Go Red Sox!!

Cape Cod #5

2008-05-15T19:33:00.001-04:00

Does anyone know where the best potato chips in the world are made? Yep, you guessed it! Breed's Hill Road in Hyannis, Massachusetts, home of the Cape Cod Potato Chip factory. We got hooked on these chips years ago on our first visit to the Cape. Being very health conscious parents, we figured that these chips were among the healthiest junk food snacks around. You can look it up! Go ahead, grab a bag off the shelf and read the list of ingredients: potatoes, oil and salt. It just doesn't get any better!!

A few years ago we made a friend in Customer Service. We look forward to seeing Wayne every time we come to Cape Cod, and have a little photographic tradition. Thanks to the web, we can now share it with everyone. Even better yet, Wayne is a runner! He told us today that this year will be his third consecutive Falmouth Road Race. That's awesome!

After lunch we made a little historical trip to the Bridge Road Cemetery, then hopped over to the Cape Cod National Seashore's Salt Pond Visitor Center. We hiked a little and visited with the park rangers, gathering information for future excursions.

Dinner was at the Bookstore in Wellfleet, complete with seafood harvested this morning from Wellfleet Harbor. The fish just can't get any fresher than that! Dessert was, what else could it be, Ben&Jerry's!! We got ice cream and hugs from Judy. Can you feel the love?

Special message to JDW tonight: The love of God is perpetual. Thankfully, the pain is intermittent. Our prayers for your family. We love you.

Cape Cod #4

2008-05-14T13:34:00.000-04:00

The Earth belongs to God. Everything in all the world is His. Psalm 24:1

And what a world it is!! There are certain trails within the Cape Cod National Seashore that are unpublished in park literature. Designated parking areas are provided, and it's perfectly legal to hike these trails, you just need to ask the park rangers for details. Yesterday we found one such trail on Bound Brook Island Road in Wellfleet. Today we decided to hike one of Ashleigh's favorites, the Race Point Lighthouse.

We "discovered" this trail seven years ago while visiting with a park ranger. On September 11, 2001, we were there, on the tip of Cape Cod, as far out as one can walk, while buildings, hopes and dreams collapsed in New York City. I can still remember, the sky was so clear that morning that we could see all the way to Boston.

Parking the car in a sandlot on Race Point Road, we walked up the fire road to the dike that crosses Hatches Harbor. When we reached the tidal flats, we found the tide was headed out, which made the remaining mile much easier. After reaching the lighthouse, we made our way down the the beach to rest and have some snacks.

This particular hike is relatively difficult due to its length (about 4 miles round trip) and terrain (hard packed roads, soft sand, tidal flats, dunes). However, the views at the destination are worth the effort. Pictures can't do justice to the miles of dunes and isolated beach.

Cape Cod #3

2008-05-13T21:25:00.000-04:00

Boy, are we glad the weatherman missed this one!! We had the wind that was promised, but rain never came. In fact, it was sunny almost all day today.

After breakfast we went hiking on a trail that's not published on any of the National Seashore maps. Just north of Wellfleet, off Pamet Point Road, sits the Atwood-Higgins House. We parked at the entrance and made our way for about a mile through the woods until we came to the dunes. Just over the dunes we found ourselves enjoying miles of isolated beach. Every now and then, you find the best things hidden in out of the way places. We owe a debt of thanks for this one to Yankee magazine and author Jennifer Kain Defoe, whose husband worked for the trails division of the Cape Cod National Seashore. We also would like to thank whoever invented the self-timing digital camera!

We spent the afternoon lounging on the bay side beach. It was low tide, so I walked out to the water line and snapped a couple of pictures. I was so focused on the pictures, however, I soon found myself overtaken by the incoming tide. Man, that water is cold!!

Tonight the sunset was really special. We were able to see the sun all the way down over the horizon. No matter how many times we stand there, it always amazes me. The colors were fantastic.

And now, the secret is out... the real reason we come to the Cape. Ben&Jerry's has awesome ice cream, but in all the franchise footprint there is no store quite like the one in North Eastham. Owner Judy Tarr is special to us, and tonight was the first night that we've been able to catch up with her. We'll be seeing her at least once more before we head home. It's really nice to sit and visit over various and sundry forms of frozen dairy treats.

God has really blessed us this trip. Rest, relaxation, good food, family, friends, worship, all kinds of interesting weather, we have tons to be thankful for.

Cape Cod Post #2

2008-05-12T21:26:00.000-04:00

Well, they say that if you don't like the weather on the Cape, wait a few minutes. Today we found out the truth. We got the cold temperatures and the strong winds, but not a drop of rain. Hey, we'll take that. We just bundled up (wind chills in the upper 30's) and off we went.

This trip, we've decided to find explore some places we've not previously visited. Yesterday it was the Nickerson Property along Great Pond. Today we found a real gem. The Cove Burial Ground is the final resting place of three Mayflower passengers: Constance Hopkins Snow, Giles Hopkins and Joseph Rogers. All were quite young when the Mayflower sailed from England, and were part of the seven families who left Plymouth Colony in 1644 to settle what is now Eastham, MA.

Next we headed over to Jessica's favorite beach, Coast Guard Beach, on the ocean side of Eastham. The old Coast Guard station (pictured at top) is beautiful, and today, because of the weather, the beach was totally deserted. The picture at left is looking north, the picture at right is the view south toward Nauset Spit.

After lunch, we went to Nauset Light Beach, home of the Nauset Lighthouse. The lighthouse was moved back from the cliff about 10 years ago, and a post marks what once was the center of the light tower at its original location. As you can see, it won't be long before erosion will overtake it.

Later in the day, the wind calmed a bit and Jessica worked on a sand castle. After dinner we hit Ben&Jerry's (again) and called it a day. Hopefully the weather will continue to hold!!

On Cape

2008-05-11T20:40:00.000-04:00

We have arrived!! Vacation at last!! It's Sunday night, and we've finally settled in at the house in North Eastham, MA. We flew into Boston Friday morning and drove down to the Cape to spend some time with Uncle Chris and Aunt Pam. The picture at left was taken in their kitchen. Hickory Hill is a most hospitable abode, full of all things yummy, including fish chowder and raspberry waffles. We had lunch with Chris at The Landfall in Woods Hole (dessert was, what else, Coffee Obsession). The went back to Chris' office at the USGS, where we got a first hand look at their latest outreach/education activities. Pam made us dinner Friday night and then we all drove into Falmouth for a cultural treat.

Arts abound on Cape, and Chris is a proud member of the Greater Falmouth Mostly All-Male Men's Chorus. The GFMaMMC is presenting a concert this weekend, and we got to see the dress rehearsal at the Wesley United Methodist Church. Our Falmouth Track Club friend, Doris Beatty, is also a member of the group. We stayed for the first hour or so, and then headed out for some ice cream.

Saturday was brisk and rainy. Temperatures in the 50's with rain and wind. After a breakfast of waffles with fresh raspberries, we headed down to Nobska Point to sit by the lighthouse. There's also nothing like a little shopping around Main Street in Falmouth. About noon we headed down Cape and got moved into the house. Grocery shopping, takeout pizza, Ben&Jerry's and a visit to Nauset light at dusk rounded out the day.

Sunday morning dawns chilly, but clear. The weather was spectacular all day. We went to Sunday services at Nauset Baptist Church to worship the Lord and renew friendships there. After lunch we bundled up and headed across the street to the bayside beach (pictured at left). In the late afternoon we hiked around Great Pond, grabbed some dinner at hit Ben&Jerry's again.

It's getting late now, but I'll try to post a couple more times this week. We're supposed to get a good nor'easter tomorrow and Tuesday, then clear skies again later in the week. I think I hear the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory calling....

The Perpetual Click

2008-03-20T22:00:00.000-04:00

If music is perpetual, then so are life's enduring friendships. Some friendships are like a trusty metronome, the one that went click, click, click, all those years ago in the solitude of a late-night practice room. Just me, my instrument and that metronome. Turn the dial to 112 beats per minute, and off it goes. Go home for spring break, come back, plug it back in and off it goes, 112 beats per minute. Throw it in the closet for the summer and pull it out in September. Plug it back in and off it goes. Never misses. Always there to keep you on track.

I've discovered that some friendships are like that. It's been almost 24 years since I graduated from Furman University. I made some dear friends during my tenure on campus there. Most of these folks I rarely see, but when I do, the strangest thing happens. We can go 5 or 6 years without seeing each other and then when we meet, it's as if we never parted ways. We see each other and there goes the metronome, click, click, click.

Last week a few of us met in an informal reunion at Furman. The occasion was the Furman University Wind Ensemble concert for the South Carolina Band Directors Association All-State Band clinic. The concert was billed as a tribute to the late Dan A. Ellis, director emeritus of the Furman University Bands. My old roommate, Michael Brown (now of US Army Band fame), composed a piece in memory of Mr. Ellis. In "Symphonic Portrait", Michael took several themes familiar to the Furman family and wove them together in a very moving selection for wind band.

Several of the old gang met for a pre-concert dinner at the Thaicoon in the old University Square. We had a wonderful time at the concert and then closed out the evening with coffee and dessert at Ruby Tuesday's in Cherrydale.

Funny thing about that metronome. As soon as I saw those faces, the clicking began. There was plenty of laughter, smiles, hugs and tears as we shared and created memories late into the night. The Rainbow drive-in is still there, along with Capri's and Pete's (I'll have a jumbo cheese, all onion rings with a chocolate peanut butter banana shake). The aroma of Dan Ellis' pipe has faded from the halls of the Daniel Music Building, but, for a few hours at least, it was 1984 again.

"The years are rolling by me, they are rocking evenly. I am older than I once was, and younger than I'll be but that's not unusual. No, it isn't strange. After changes upon changes, we are more or less the same." -- Paul Simon.

I love you all, and miss you very much. I truly do.

(L-R: Jeff Kuntz, Janet Kuntz, Evans Newell, Cindy Newell, Keith Dover, Michael Brown, Ken Cothran, Johnny Tucker)

Rules To Live By

2008-03-07T07:18:00.000-05:00

I'm definitely getting older. My baby's birthday is today. Jessica Ellen Newell is 13 years old!! Happy Birthday, Jessi!! You will always be my favorite red-headed child (inside joke).

A co-worker sent me the following list of rules to live by. I thought they were cute, so I decided to put them here instead of filling the universal in basket with junk mail.

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
2. Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often.
3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car.
4. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
5. If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.
6. My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.
7. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
8. A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.
9. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.
10. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.
11. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
12. A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good.
13. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.
14. Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
15. No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
16. A balanced diet is a muffin in each hand.
17. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.
18. Opportunities always look bigger 'going' than 'coming'.
19. Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.
20. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.
21. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
22. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.
23. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.
24. Someone who thinks logically provides nice contrast to the real world.
25. It ain't the jeans that make your butt look fat.
26. If you had to identify in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved its full potential, that word would be 'meetings'
27. There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'.
28. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
29. You should not confuse your career with your life.
30. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance!
31. Never lick a steak knife.
32. The most destructive force in the universe is 'gossip'.
33. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.
34. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
35. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that deep down inside, we ALL believe we are good drivers.
36. Your friends love you anyway
37. Remember to pillage *BEFORE* you burn.

And finally, with apologies to Jimmy Buffett, I note the following: "I'm growing older but not up. My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck."

Working Man

2008-03-01T15:06:00.000-05:00

Cindy and I have been involved for several years with the youth ministry at our church. One of the big things we try to emphasize as a ministry is putting others first and being servants. Early this morning (after running, of course) we took a group of students to a local middle school to spread mulch around the trees and flower beds. The really exciting part is that now have proof that Evans can actually do manual labor.

Here's the evidence. This is Evans and John offloading a pile of mulch. Jessica is in the yellow shirt way in the background. In the picture at the top of the page, she is in the lower right corner (same yellow shirt).

Evans was allowed to drive the truck. Scary.

We had a great time. The students worked really hard, I'm sure the school appreciates the effort. After we finished (there were several groups in multiple locations), we all gathered at a local park for burgers, hot dogs and Johnny's (our youth minister) freshly-baked cookies!! Yay!!

Sweet Home Alabama (or Roll Tide)

2008-02-16T11:50:00.000-05:00

This is likely to be a rather lengthy entry, so sit back, grab a huge cup of coffee and read on. It’s been about a week since the Mercedes Marathon, and we are beginning to feel normal again. We got a sports massage yesterday, and after 5 days of not running, we went out and did 6 miles this morning at an easy pace.

I am truly grateful to God for allowing us to experience a wonderful trip to Birmingham last weekend. We made it!! We achieved the goal of a personal best time of 4:12:24, an awesome experience. Cindy overcame her foot injury, battled her way through some IT Band pain, and cousin Lee brought us home (more on that later). God is truly good. He gave us great weather, protected us from injury on a crowded course (see below), and once again taught us the importance of perseverance in life.

Special thanks to the Mckinney family of Birmingham. Uncle Roddy, Aunt Janice and cousins Lee (wife Lara) and Danny. You guys were awesome!! Best family in Birmingham (inside joke for Lara). Lots of carbs and good company! We really appreciated Roddy and Janice opening their home to us and providing the pre-race nutrition, transportation and a nice, warm bed. John and Jessica really enjoyed the televisions and the pool table in the man-cave.

As for the race itself, here is a mile-by-mile breakdown.

Mile 1 9:17 A good start. A little fast, but the streets are so narrow and crowded, you almost have to run faster just to defend yourself.

Mile 2 10:04 Purposely pulled back a little here, trying to find the right feel. The pack is still really thick at this point.

Mile 3 8:59 Not sure the mile marker was in the correct location here. We didn’t feel like we picked up the pace, but look at the time!

Mile 4 10:41 Ditto

Mile 5 10:04 Finally beginning to settle into some semblance of rhythm.

Mile 6 9:38 The Green Springs Ave hill (Red Mountain, will see it again mile 23). I’ve never seen Cindy get angry during a race until now. It would appear our marathon pace is the same as the pace of the back-of-the-pack half-marathoners and for the second year in a row, we were hemmed in while trying to attack this hill. This was almost full-contact road racing. The race organizers really need to find a way to split the two courses sooner.

Mile 7 9:58 And now an editorial comment… for the love of Johnny Kelly, will some race director PLEASE have enough chutzpah to enforce the “no headphone” rule? Twice in this mile, I almost collided with a slower runner who cut me off while I was trying to pass. The reason for the near-disaster? These other runners were wearing headphones and could not hear me when I approached and called out the standard “on your left” warning. The second incident caused me to stop completely and throw up my hands to warn the other runners behind me.

Mile 8 9:16 Finally!! The half-marathon course goes its own way. We got into a good rhythm here. The pack thinned and we start turning some consistent splits.

Mile 9 9:33 SoHo. Home of Tria market. Best in Birmingham. It is to die for!!

Mile 10 8:21 Saw Roddy and Lee, our official support crew this year, for the first time. Dropped the outer layer of clothing by the light of the silvery moon (inside joke).

Mile 11 9:28 Heading down to the greenway by Lakeshore drive.

Mile 12 9:21 We felt like we’d finally hit a good rhythm here. Running through a nice, quiet neighborhood. The fans that were along the route were very enthusiastic.

Mile 13 9:51 Halfway home. Time to get serious. The course really flattens out at this point. A good time to relax and enjoy the solitude of the greenway.

Mile 14 9:24 Lock it down.

Mile 15 9:35 Easy does it, one step at a time.

Mile 16 9:49 Cindy said that the IT Band on her right leg began hurting her about here. There were a couple of severe uphill sections crossing over bridges that likely worsened the pain.

Mile 17 10:11 Entering Mountain Brook here. There is a big hill on Cahaba Road that acts as the welcome mat. Evans found a vacant port-a-john. Yay!! Time to go wee-wee.

Mile 18 9:26 We saw Roddy and Lee again here, and this time Lee jumped in and ran with us until mile 24. Lee is a former track standout at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. He has been fighting some knee pain recently, but plans to join us for the full race next year. Lee was a nice bandit, he didn’t take any assistance from the aid stations. He kept us in stitches for most of the time.

Mile 19 9:45 We passed the Mountain Brook Country Club here. This is funny, on a bright, warm, sunny day there were no golfers on the course. These people must be so rich they just use the course for decoration!! Interesting factoid… land is so scarce in Mountain Brook that we passed several locations where someone bought the lot, demolished the house and rebuilt a custom home on the same location.

Mile 20 9:52 Evans almost hit the wall at this point. His sinuses were draining and making him nauseous. Too close to home to quit though, must keep pushing.

Mile 21 9:26 Two runners ahead of us almost missed a turn here and Lee called out to them to turn around. In return for his good deed, he received an embarrassed look of thanks.

Mile 22 9:52 Heading up Red Mountain for the final time. I remember Lee looking around and beginning the mantra, “We Are…. Marshall!!”

Mile 23 10:24 Up the mountain, it’s the biggest hill we’ve ever climbed. For our Cape family, just imagine the hill in front of Woods Hole Country Club at the CCM, stretched out for almost two miles. Just for fun, Lee ran the final 100 meters of it backwards.

Mile 24 9:04 Kicking for home. Lee dropped out here to get his car. Roddy was here and took some good pictures.

Mile 25 9:51 Cindy stopped for about 30 seconds to stretch her IT Band so that we could have a really good kick at the finish.

Mile 26 8:59 Great last mile!! The stretching helped Cindy’s pain. We felt so strong. The adrenaline took over and we felt very relaxed, knowing that, barring disaster, we would get the PR.

Mile 26.2 2:14 The finishing chute was fantastic!! The crowd was incredible. The announcer noticed our FTC singlets and we heard a few “Go Falmouth!” cheers from the crowd. Cindy even started blowing kisses when the announcer said she was “stylin’ and profilin’!!”

After the congratulatory call from the President, we showered, ate, napped, ate, watched the UNC game, ate... get the point? It's not really about the running, it's all about the food. Next race? Cape Cod Marathon, October 2008, inching closer to Boston. Ashleigh came home for the weekend and brought Michael with her. Jessica has another basketball game tonight. Stay tuned.... more news to come!

Basic Rules Of The Long Run

2008-01-19T14:08:00.000-05:00

Well, well, well....

We finished our last long training run for the Mercedes Marathon this morning. During any long training run, my mind can wander to strange places and today was no exception. As the miles clicked by, I created my own "Basic Rules Of The Long Run" list of undeniable training truths.

Rule #1 - never trust the weatherman... go outside and look up. The forecast for this morning was breezy with a steady rain, changing over to snow. Actually we never got a drop of precipitation, frozen or otherwise. We spent a good hour last night and this morning obsessing over what to wear, how to layer, how often to change, etc. I knew with rain, wind, snow and temps in the low 30's the waterproof outer gear would be required, but someone please tell me... has there ever been a waterproof jacket that didn't make you sweat like a pig? So... we stashed jackets, dry gloves, dry shirts and hats so that we could change mid-run, but all for naught. Sounds like Cape Cod weather, eh?

Rule #2 - Relax. Sounds a little strange to have to mention this, but when running one must remember to breathe. Breathing is easier when you aren't tense, and it's easier to relax when you have good posture. Things start to get serious at about 12 miles, but I focused on keeping my shoulders back and my head up, eyes fixed at about 30 meters ahead (that's where Cindy usually is, not a bad view, if I may be so bold). Not surprisingly I caught a good second wind.

Rule #3 - That which does not kill me makes me stronger. No pain, no gain. Every race we run, at about this point in the training, we get pretty banged up. A lot of little nagging aches and pains. I've learned to listen to my body and take what it gives me. For example, I've learned that after about 2 hours of running my IT Band on my right leg will begin to complain. Experience has taught me how to deal with it, to relax (see Rule #2) and pay attention to my mechanics. Pain is actually my friend, sending me little warning signals and giving me all kinds of useful information. After all, that's why we call it "training". We're breaking down muscle tissue so that, when it recovers, it will be stronger.

Rule #4 - Rest is good. At about mile 18 this morning, I remember thinking, "Just 2 more miles. Then a hot shower, a hot bowl of cereal and a nap." I love naps. It's funny... when I was a child I fought my parents tooth and nail over having to take a nap. The truth is that they were really smart! The older I get the more I appreciate taking just a little time to snooze. This morning I only got in about 45 minutes, but boy, was it worth it!! I was so refreshed when I woke up.

Rule #5 - Shut up and run. I told this to myself several times today. At mile 8 I thought about how cold my nose was getting. Then I thought, "this is just training, what are you going to do on race day? Just shut up and run." At mile 14 I started to think about how tired I was. Then I thought, "this is just training, what are you going to do on race day at this point? You've barely passed halfway, so shut up and run." At mile 19 I thought about the soreness in my calf muscles. Then I thought, "this is just training, what are you going to do on race day at this point, when you're running faster and you still have more than 10k left? You gonna quit or are you gonna kick? Just shut up and run."

All this sounds a little crazy, I know, but for me, it works. We ran the last mile with a little kick, a little over a minute faster than the overall pace. Like I said earlier, my mind does strange things over the course 20 miles. Cindy has a much simpler method. She sings. Maybe I should try that sometime.

'Twas The Night Before The Last Long Run

2008-01-18T19:37:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the last long run before the Mercedes Marathon, a 20-miler. I always look forward to these, and this one will be a different sort of a challenge. The weather forecast is calling for..... snow!! Yes, in the sunny south, I think we may be running in a good coating of the fluffy white stuff. It should be a lot of fun, as long as we're careful. The pace will be a little slower as we'll have to watch our step. We'll have to put on the waterproof gear, grin and bear it. I can't wait for the hot shower afterwards!

More after the run...

Mid-January Ramblings

2008-01-11T19:04:00.000-05:00

I finally bought a laptop this week. Dude, I got a Dell.... I'm actually posting this blog entry from the dining room table. Oh what fun... I'll likely get a new email address this week so Cindy and I don't get confused.

Speaking of confusion, we've had another wacky weather turn here in Fort Mill this week. Highs have been in the 60's, lows in the 40's, and yes, it's finally made me ill. Running with a cold is no fun at all, but the Mercedes Marathon is in 4 weeks, so on we go.

Speaking of running, this week is a "down" week, longest run is 12 miles. Next week we do our last 20-miler before we start the taper. It's hard to believe the next race is right around the corner. We're really excited about it. Can't wait to see Roddy, Janice, et al. Can't wait for that mountain at mile 23. We had so much fun on it last year. Hopefully this time Roddy won't be having surgery and we'll get him to wait for us at the top.

Speaking of waiting, it seems that patience is not one of the virtues possessed by Ashleigh's beau, Michael. When Cadet Dockery phoned princess yesterday to she if she would come visit, he was informed she was busy with school work and would see him today. Well, about 4 hours later, he shows up outside her dorm. Here's the funny part... at The Citadel, cadets cannot leave campus during the week unless they are exercising... our boy Forrest ran the 20 miles from his dorm to hers!! Unbelievable!!! He's paying for it today, those muscles are just a little tender. He's got it bad for the princess....

Speaking of the princess, Ashleigh started 2nd semester classes this week. She's getting her lab science credit this time around, botany. Auntie Pam, you two should have lots to talk about next time we're in Falmouth.

Speaking of Falmouth, we're thinking of a trip this spring. How does this sound to the folks on Hickory Hill? Getting in the mood, I'm reading Thoreau's Cape Cod, again. We do miss seeing you all, and I'm getting a craving for Coffee O.

Speaking of Coffee O, it's time to grab a hot drink for my throat and get ready for the weekend activities. Hopefully I'll have enough of a voice to lead worship on Sunday morning. If not, one of the gang will take over and I'll just play and smile.

Speaking of smiling, I hope everyone has a wonderful, blessed weekend with family and friends. Love to all...

Happy New Year!!

2008-01-01T11:26:00.000-05:00

Happy 2008!! The calendar says 2008, but the marathon training schedule says it's Tuesday, time for the Yasso 800 workout. So... Cindy and I went to bed early last night, got up this morning and headed to the town park for our version of a New Year's celebration. We did see some other folks along the way, including our neighbor from down the street who's still enjoying the pecan pie we baked for him on Christmas Eve. After the run we showered, woke the children, and all headed to Starbuck's in Baxter Village for breakfast. For the training record, let it be so noted that Cindy had a decaf soy milk vanilla latte with a slice of low fat cinnamon swirl coffee cake, and Evans had a decaf non-fat milk coffee, also with the low fat coffee cake.

While we were enjoying our breakfast, it occurred to me that our friends from Falmouth would be, at that moment, kicking off the annual Hangover Classic, a Falmouth Track Club event that consists of a 7-mile (sort of) run, brunch and various "awards". One of these years we're going to surprise them and actually show up. Nothing like a brisk run through the Sippewissett hills to get the blood pumping for the new year!

The next race (drum roll please) is the Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham, AL, February 10. We did this one last year. The course is quite challenging and while we may not beat our time from Marshall, we're hoping to get close. It will be good to see our McKinney clan, and John sure is looking forward to hooking up the XBox 360 to the huge HD television.

That's it for now.... we'll keep you updated on the training. I wish all a happy and prosperous new year!!

It's Also Contagious

2007-12-27T11:43:00.000-05:00

It's been a few weeks since the last post.... my apologies. After the Marshall Marathon, life seemed to accelerate, deadlines at work, Christmas musical at church, shopping, and.... oh yes... my birthday.

Happy birthday to me! Thanks for all the wonderful cards, emails and birthday wishes. Speaking of cards, there was one that stood out as perhaps the most thoughtful card I have ever received. It came from a friend at church, and it set me to thinking about how I have lived my life so far.

The card itself was quite simple, basically just a quote from author Max Lucado. It reads as follows: "Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, 'Do you like it? I did it just for you.' In the coming year, may God's wonders in your life leave you speechless. Happy Birthday!"

My friend Sam sent me that card. His personal note on the inside said that when he saw it, the card made him think of me. He said, "It's so you!!" I was both flattered and humbled to realize that the way I have lived has affected (however slightly) someone not under my parental control.

That birthday card made me pause and think of the sights I have been blessed to observe. Countless sunrises on morning runs. Sunsets over Cape Cod Bay, an evening sail in Megansett Harbor, right whales feeding in the North Atlantic, a full moonrise over Nauset Light beach, an early spring Appalachian high country snow, brilliant fall foliage along the Ohio River, just to name a few.

Thank you, Sam, for thinking of me. Evidently the music is not only perpetual, but also contagious. "Take a good look at God's wonders - they'll take your breath away." (Psalm 66:5 The Message)

Reflections On Marshall

2007-11-12T14:51:00.000-05:00

A week has passed since the Marshall University Marathon. We've had time to reflect on the race and sift through the experience, compiling out unofficial list of lessons learned. I'm still not sure why I cramped so badly at mile 17, but I'm very pleased at how I was able to fight through it and still post a personal best time. Therein likely lies the most important lesson from this race: always respect the marathon. It would be easy to become greedy and say, "If I hadn't cramped, I could have run sub-four". But I think the wisest thing to do would be to "take what you can get and be grateful". After all, 4:14 is two minutes faster than the previous PR.

The marathon is one tough event, filled with peaks and valleys. Talent and athletic ability are of no use when the difficult times arrive. These tough periods in a race must be expected, anticipated and embraced. They require preparation in advance. To paraphrase Vince Lombardi, the will to win is not the important thing. It is the will to prepare to win that makes the difference.

The film "We Are Marshall" was shot in several locations in and around Huntington, WV. Here are some pics of some sites central to the movie.

Springhill Cemetery, the site of the memorial to the plane crash. Six players, whose bodies could not be identified are buried here together. The site overlooks the cities of Huntington, The MU campus and stadium.

Nate Ruffin, captain of the 1971 Young Thundering Herd, died of cancer in 2001. He is buried next to his teammates. Jessica is getting a closer look here.

Nate Ruffin's headstone.

Someone left their artwork of number 25.

This is the top of the monument. On the sides of the monument below are inscribed the names of the players, staff, boosters and flight crew killed in the crash.

The main entrance to the campus. The building is named "Old Main".

The Chief Justice John Marshall statue, for whom the school is named.

The memorial fountain, in front of the Memorial Student Center.

The plaque beside the fountain.

On November 14 of each year, the anniversary of the crash, the water to the fountain is turned off. The fountain remains dry until the spring.

Outside Joan C Edwards stadium.

A church across the street.

The 50-yard line.

State Road 75 in Kenova, the site of the plane crash, less than a mile from Tri-State Airport.

The Marshall plane clipped the tops of the trees to the left...

...and crashed into the hillside near the bottom of the ravine to the right.

The Keith-Albee Theater on 4th Avenue. This is the theater depicted in the movie, and was the site of the world premier of "We Are Marshall".

The Frederick Hotel on 4th Avenue, site of the crash hearings held by the NTSB.

Jim's Restaurant on 5th Avenue, inspiration for the restaurant in the movie.

We Are... Marshall!! New PR!!

2007-11-05T20:34:00.000-05:00

Well, we made it. A new PR for us, 4:14:03, official time. The trip was great. We got to see some old friends and make some new ones.

The course was flat as advertised and the weather was cool, a great formula for a good time. I've learned through experience that every race brings its own unique set of challenges, and this time it was cramps. My legs started cramping around mile 17 and it was literally a fight to the finish. I've dealt with pain before in a race, but never quite like that. I tried every trick in the book, but ultimately decided on the Nike method, "Just Do It". Hopefully in the next few days I'll have time to post some insights and observations from the weekend, but for now here are some pics.

The "pre-game" meal with Rick and Cindy Shideler.

Near the starting line, a balmy 37 degrees F.

The striptease inside Cam Henderson Center.

One last item of business...

Ready, set, go! We're in there somewhere, I promise.

Mile 6...

Mile 19.... a cramping we will go :-)

Finally....

Go Herd!!

Time to relax.

That's nothin' doc. Last race I lost three toenails.

All pictures courtesy of Rick Shideler, our "official" race photographer.

One Week To Go...

2007-10-27T10:19:00.000-04:00

Well, the training is done. One week to the race. Nothing to do now but sit back, keep loose and let the bumps and bruises heal. This is our final week of a three-week taper, during which we reduce the mileage, cut back on the cross-training and clean-up the diet. I've heard it said that outstanding performance happens when diligent preparation meets excellent opportunity. We've had a really good training cycle, good interval times, good endurance on long runs. The course is conducive to fast times, the current weather forecast is favorable. We'll see....

"We Are Marshall" has definitely been the inspiration this time around. The DVD is available now and it really is a must-see. I get goose-bumps thinking of running through that stadium and campus. This is going to sound strange... during every long training run this time, when we hit a rough stretch on a climb, or when it got really sunny and hot, an airplane would pass overhead. Each time that happened I thought, "we are.... Marshall". If that town, university and student body can pick itself up from the ashes of such a tragedy, I can climb one more hill, I can run one more mile.

Speaking of one more mile, the Cape Cod Marathon is tomorrow. I guess right about now registration is in full swing. Last night would've been shirt-folding and packet stuffing at the Lawrence School. Cindy and I really miss being there. We miss Chris and Pam, and we miss all our Falmouth Track Club friends. The CCM is the finest event of its kind. We shall return. Perhaps Chris and Pam can make the trek from Wild Harbor Road down to Thomas Landers Rd and Rte 28 tomorrow and give the runners a cheer from us! Pam, we were thinking of you this morning during our run. How that, if we were running CCM, we would be in you kitchen this morning scarfing up your special waffles. :-)

So.... just a few more days and it's off to Huntington, to meet up with the Shideler's and enjoy a relaxing, Sunday morning "stroll".

You Never Know Who's Watching

2007-10-08T14:36:00.000-04:00

It's very true... you never know who's watching. Yesterday morning at church we played "O Praise Him". Last night after rehearsal, one of the vocalists from the band sent me a video of her son performing his own version of the same song.

out of the mouths of babes....

Thank you, Becky, for sharing the video. I think Grayson is a natural...

We Are Marshall...

2007-09-03T09:25:00.001-04:00

So we're getting used to not having Ashleigh around all the time. sort of... She seems to be adjusting well to CSU. We've spoken with her a couple of times and traded emails. She has made some friends and says she enjoys her classes. Last time we talked, she said she was planning a trip home the weekend before her birthday.

Calling all marathon fans! Want to make a trip to Huntington, WV, this fall? We usually run the Cape Cod Marathon the last weekend of October, but after seeing the movie "We Are Marshall" last Christmas, we decided to compete in the Marshall University Marathon this November. If it wasn't for my job at FBC, we would go to Falmouth, volunteer at the CCM, then run Marshall the next week. If anyone is interested in coming to WV for the race let us know.

Cindy and I are now in the middle of the training cycle. We started our long runs a couple of weeks ago. This past Saturday we did 18 miles, and have 3 20-mile runs scheduled before the taper down to the race itself. So... here we go again.

I took John driving for the first time today. Our church has a huge parking lot so we went there and I let him drive around for awhile. He did very well. Cindy even rode along and didn't hyperventilate. I'm thinking of starting a Newell car insurance fund. I wonder if there's anyway to set it up so that contributions are tax-deductible...

There She Goes...

2007-08-18T12:24:00.001-04:00

Well, Ashleigh Marie Newell is now officially a freshman at Charleston Southern University. Move-in day was yesterday, and it was surprisingly smooth. There are flat, open grassy areas next to the freshmen ladies' dorms, so we could pull the cars near the entrance. The football team and marching band were all there to help new arrivals carry things into their rooms. Ashleigh's roommate, Kerriann, met us soon after we parked and grabbed some of her marching band buddies to help us. We were unloaded in about 10 minutes. We spent a little time getting the major items arranged in the room (microwave, coffee pot, bed, etc.). Ashleigh is the new keyboard player for Elevate (the campus worship band), so a couple of those guys popped in to help us move her equipment to their storage area. We ate lunch together at The Caf, filled her car up with gas, gave her some extra cash and said our goodbyes.

I'll admit that leaving her there was the tough part. From the moment we almost lost her at birth, I have understood that Ashleigh does not belong to Cindy and me. She belongs to God, and we were only caretakers for a period of time. She is ready to fly, and to follow the path that God has set before her. Knowing that fact is the biggest comfort, but we are human and will readily admit to shedding many tears on the way back, even John choked up a little when he hugged her goodbye. Jessica? She just wants to know when she can have her sister's bedroom with the private bathroom. Sorry, kid... ain't happenin'.

So, off we go to the next chapter in life. It will be different, but good. Although, it's going be more than a little strange when the 1030 band takes the stage in the morning to lead worship and you-know-who is not behind the keyboards on my left...

It's The Same Sky

2007-08-08T11:53:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I love Massachusetts, specifically, Cape Cod. One of my favorite things about the Cape is the sky. Whether it's watching the sunset over Cape Cod Bay, or catching a sunrise over the North Atlantic, the colors are spectacular. A few years ago as we watched the sunset at Campground beach, Uncle Peter remarked that no two sunsets are ever the same. You know, he's right. They are each unique and have been known to draw applause from the neighbors gathered by the shore each evening.

One Sunday morning, a couple of weeks ago, Cindy and I were doing the "get out the kinks after the long run" workout before church. As we ran through Elisha Park we came up over the hill where the path turns back toward the east. The sun had just begun to rise but had not quite peeked over the treeline. I looked up and noticed the colors, reds, yellows, oranges, a tinge of purple... "Oh, wow!", was my spontaneous response, "how beautiful." As we made our way back home, I did some thinking about that sunrise, and I realized that the view was just as beautiful as any on the Cape. As a matter of fact, all things being equal, the Cape sunrise that same morning was likely just as stunning. Then the most elementary of all concepts struck me anew... it's the same sky.... in Massachusetts and in South Carolina.... it's the same sky... I'm the one that moved.

Isn't my relationship with God just like that in a way? He is there, always. Same location. Same beauty. Same power. Same love, mercy and grace. The view seems different because I was the one who moved. He is perpetual. I am intermittent.

Major whining for 800 meters

2007-07-27T18:29:00.000-04:00

I still love running, although this week I've decided that there are two days in each week when I do not like it very much.

I completed my first marathon barely standing, and the next couple weren't much better. So in a quest for speed and endurance, I visited a running coach who suggested I try speedwork. "Doesn't sound so bad", I thought to myself. "Might even be a fun change of pace." Boy was I wrong. Now, every Tuesday we do Yasso 800's and on Thursdays we do a tempo run. I'll explain....

Though named for Runner's World writer Bart Yasso, the Yasso 800 was actually invented by Lucifer himself. The theory is actually innocent enough. If you want to run a marathon in 4 hours, train to run ten 800 meter intervals each in 4 minutes, with a full 400 meter recovery in between each repeat. So, this insidious method of torture goes like this:
1) warm-up 1 mile at an easy pace
2) sprints (aka gassers, suicides, Herbies). 100 meters at a time at max speed, total 1 mile
3) 10 x 800m intervals, 400m recovery following each one
4) cool-down 1 mile at an easy pace.

The tempo run is only slightly less fun:
1) warm-up 1 mile at an easy pace
2) sprints (see above) total 1 mile
3) 5 miles at a pace 1.5 - 2 minutes faster than marathon pace, no recovery periods
4) cool-down 1 mile at an easy pace.

In warmer weather these workouts can be a challenge. The humidity levels make breathing extremely difficult for me, and sometimes I even feel like I have an elephant sitting on my chest. I've discovered that eating too soon before one of these is a very bad thing (reversals are not fun.... ever try to hurl and run at the same time?). I hate these workouts, but they are pure magic. Over the last couple of years I've lowered my marathon PR by 45 minutes. I've also noticed a dramatic improvements in both my endurance over the last 6.2 miles of a race and my post-race recovery.

I love to run, I just wanted to whine. I'll stop now. sorry...

But Why Would You Want To?

2007-07-14T10:42:00.001-04:00

The thrill of victory.

The agony of defeat.

A few days after I ran my first marathon, a friend at church asked me if I had done anything interesting over the previous weekend. When I very proudly informed him of my accomplishment, he just looked at me with his head cocked to one side and appeared quite puzzled. "But why would you want to?", was his reply. That set me to thinking.... and here's the answer....

I love to run. I love going out at 5:00am, seeing the stars, watching the sunrise, feeling the breeze, listening to the birds. I suppose I could be pious and claim that I pray when I run, or worship when I run, or sing hymns when I run. Being a Christian, I suppose those would be the things most people would expect to hear, but my passion for the sport reaches a deeper level. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I do those things, but that's not why I hit the streets before dawn to travel 20 miles in a huge circle.

The music is perpetual, and when I run, so is the hearing. Simply put, I run because it reminds me of who I am in God's eyes. When I feel my heart beating, it brings to mind my ultimate goal, to have my spiritual heartbeat in perfect, synchronous rhythm with the heartbeat of my Creator. Climbing the hills, I have confidence that I can reach out and find my second and third wind, that spiritual rock, that fortress upon whom my life is built. When my legs burn and my lungs ache, I press on because my Saviour endured and completed his mission. The climbs, the downhills and the flats remind of how uneven life truly has been and will be. I sprint to the finish because heaven is my goal and when my time on earth is done, I intend to be totally gassed, to have nothing left to give. The long distance run is the perfect metaphor in my relationship with God.

"I was just running." -- Forrest Gump

2007-07-10T21:47:00.000-04:00

Ashleigh made it back from Charleston this evening.... Cindy and Jessi arrived in Kansas City... and John and I watch massive episodes of Home Improvement on DVD... can life get any better?

Our July 4th holiday was good.... we managed to accomplish our goal of watching the Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest. Kudos to the new champ, Joey Chestnutt of California.... 66 HDBs in 12 minutes.... life is good, indeed...

Getting Ready For The 4th

2007-07-03T20:37:00.000-04:00

Because of our school calendar, the Fourth Of July holiday represents the midpoint of our summer season. We're getting ready for the holiday. The banks are closed and I'm off tomorrow. Woo-hoo!!!

It's been a busy summer so far. Ashleigh, John and Jessica all attended Student Life Camp in Black Mountain, NC. Ashleigh worked on staff at a Student Life Camp in Myrtle Beach, SC. John and Jessica helped staff our church's Vacation Bible School. Next week Cindy and Jessica will travel to Kansas City, MO, for a conference. Later in the month John and Jessica will help staff a local sports camp, and Ashleigh will work on staff at one more Student Life Camp in Lynchburg, VA. Sounds like a lot of stuff going happening here, huh?

So.... in the middle of all that.... the holiday. We're not quite sure what to do yet. Sleeping in late is a given. So is firing up the grill. Around noon I suppose we'll turn on the TV and try to catch the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Championship from Coney Island. It's been televised for the past two years. It's quite possibly the grossest thing I've ever witnessed (much worse than anything the producers of "Fear Factor" ever imagined), but I just can't tear myself away. We also always try to watch "Pops Goes The Fourth" from Boston, but it's not always televised here. Maybe some day we will score some VIP seats from Maestro Lockhart (we are, after all, Phi Mu Alpha brothers from Furman days), but I won't hold my breath.

At some point before, during or after the celebrating, I hope we can all take some time to reflect on the history of Independence Day. I found this really cool website on the Declaration of Independence. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/ It contains some interesting biographical information on the signers.

When I was child, my family watched the Red Skelton show every week (that was a time, of course, when parents could view prime time network television with their children without wincing at least three times per half-hour). Recently I came across the following commentary on the Pledge Of Allegiance by Red Skelton. http://www.spiritisup.com/pledgeofallegiance.html Food for thought... I hope we all have a safe and happy Independence Day. Let's go Red Sox!

Cindy Is The Music

2007-06-24T21:53:00.000-04:00

Well.... as we've all heard by now, the music is perpetual, it is the hearing that is intermittent... and boy, I'm straining to hear it tonight....

Cindy went down to Scranton to visit her Mom and see her brand new nephew. She took Jessica with her, Ashleigh and John opting to stay with me. Don't get me wrong, please! That's all fine, and those are good things. Eleanor loves to have Cindy come down for visits and Cindy gets a chance to spend some time with her. But the problem is I have this weird feeling again, like a part of me is missing.

In a few more weeks, we'll celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary. I think I love her more now than I did when we married. Is that even possible? I can't stand the thought of being away from her, even for one night. God has blessed me with the most wonderful companion imaginable. She is my mate in every sense of the word. When she leaves, even for a brief time, all I can think about is when I will see her again.

Ok, ok... so I'm a sap and I should get over it... quit whining.... deal with it! It's only one night, give me a stinkin' break!!

I don't think so.

You see, Cindy and I fell in love when she was playing in the pit orchestra for a production of South Pacific at Furman University. I think I went to every rehearsal, just see see her during breaks and walk her back to her dorm afterward. And, in the heartfelt words of Emile... "once you have found her, never let her go".

A little louder, please, Emile. She's about a hundred miles away.

Dear John

2007-06-10T21:53:00.000-04:00

Each family has a name or two that sort of gets passed down though the generations. In our family, it's "John". John Clarence Newell (my grandfather) , John Lyndon Newell (my uncle) and John Evans Newell (my son). Sort of a neat thing those family traditions, except when they are encountered by a flustered mom with a cell phone.

So... John Evans (the son) and Jessica are helping at our church's Vacation Bible School. Cindy and I go to pick them up... we have a little trouble locating John.... John has a cellphone... Cindy tries to dial him up... in her address folder, John Evans and John Lyndon (the uncle) are adjacent... guess which one she dials?

Somewhere nestled deep in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, in a sleepy little town, at the end of a beautiful late spring day, the phone rings. "Hello." "John? (this doesn't sound like John) " "Yes." "John? (this can't be John, but I dialed the right number) " "Yes. (who is this? what's going on there? sounds like a frat party)" "Have you found your sister? (don't play dumb with me, bub)" "Sister? Who is this? (and why is this woman so angry with me?) "Oops, wrong number, sorry! (I hate cellphones, they are a tool of Satan) " click.

A few minutes pass and then Cindy realizes what she's done. She hurriedly redials John (the uncle), this time on purpose. Somewhere nestled deep in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, in a sleepy little town, at the end of a beautiful late spring day, the phone rings again. This time however, Linda, worried that she may be dealing with a stalker, grabs the phone. "Hello. (please let it be a telemarketer)" "May I speak with John, please? (kill them with kindness, that's what I always say) " "May I ask who's calling? (I can't believe this crazed female has the nerve to call here again) " "This is Cindy Newell, John's niece. (like at this point she's really going to believe that)" "(giggle, giggle, laugh out loud) Just a moment. (I think we just found the female lead for the sequel to Fried Green Tomatoes)"

We ended up having a wonderful chat with John Lyndon, it just took awhile to get there. And, by the way, we eventually found John Evans and Jessica, and wound up at Starbucks for an iced latte and a few more laughs at mom's expense. No, Linda, we're not crazy, just somewhat challenged in the area of wireless communications. We love you guys.

A Glimpse Into The Future

2007-06-08T19:13:00.000-04:00

This week Cindy and I got a brief glimpse of what it will be like to be "empty nesters" in about another 6 years. All three kids were at camp. Ashleigh, John and Jessica attended Student Life Camp, a week long church sponsored camp/retreat for teenagers. They had a great time, but I think Cindy and I enjoyed it more.

Don't get me wrong, I really love my children, but it was really neat for Cindy and I to spend a week rediscovering each other. I was hoping to get at least one day away from work, but it just didn't work out that way. I think it was for the best though, because Cindy got to spend all day each day doing exactly what she wanted to do, when she wanted to do it. Of course, she got to spend a little time each morning giving glory to Starbucks, sitting on the patio with latte and morning paper in hand.

Our evenings together were very special (don't worry, I do know this is a family show). Each night we shared a home-cooked meal by candlelight. Nothing fancy, just good food, soft music, and soul mates. Last night, we decided to go out and find someplace to eat we'd never been. We chose The Inn At Baxter, a relatively new establishment not too far from us. It was very nice. Crab cakes, fresh greens, braised veal, grilled salmon and homemade banana pudding. Quite tasty! We had a table in the back of the dining room near the fireplace, ours for the entire evening. We really enjoyed ourselves. We talked more this week than we have in a long time.

The kids are all home now and things are returning to normal. Ashleigh leaves tomorrow for another week at a different Student Life camp, this time as a staff member. John and Jessica are volunteering at our church's Vacation Bible School next week. The summer blitz is on... but for a few days, I was able to pause and fall in love with the most beautiful woman in the world, all over again.

High School Graduation

2007-05-28T14:07:00.001-04:00

Well, I made it, barely. I didn't think I could do it, but I did. I only broke down seven or eight times (before the ceremony - during it and afterwards I was a total mess). The source of my emotional instability? Ashleigh's high school graduation.

The Palmetto Homeschool Association sponsors commencement exercises. This year they were held at USC-Lancaster. Several family and friends made the trek down, and we were treated to a very nice graduation program. As salutatorian of the class, Ashleigh was asked to give a brief address. As she took her place at the podium, I began to realize that our first baby is grown. As she began to speak, it hit me that the young woman who has taken our baby's place is ready to make her own way. I don't think it would be fair to say that I was proud of her. More like stunned. I just couldn't believe the words I heard were coming from my daughter. For those that couldn't be there, here is the text of her speech.

Parents, Honored Guests, and Fellow Graduates,

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Samuel Clemens, or better known as the popular writer, Mark Twain, challenges us to partake of an adventure through life. It’s hard to fathom where we’ll be in twenty years when none of us has yet to depart from our port-of-sail. Nevertheless, we are very soon setting off. For some, setting off means college where the much anticipated freedom is acquired and suddenly the word “sale” has never looked so appealing. For others, it’s not college, but another direction in life, where change must be embraced. No matter what our plans in the near future, we have all one thing in common; we are growing up. We are no longer referred to as children, yet not quite adults. It seems only like yesterday that we were attending Barbie and Superman birthday parties and burying our annoying siblings and best friends in the ball pit at Chuck E. Cheese. Our need for chauffeurs has vanished with the acquirement of driver’s licenses and the constant protection of our parents is slowly but surely backing away, leaving us to stand on our own with the opportunity to make our own mistakes, and to choose our own faith. I have found faith in my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and know without a doubt that He is what I will lean on through the coming months. Faith can be defined as believing without seeing. Yet through believing, the truth is illuminated and seeing is no longer required. I have decided that I will walk by faith, and not by sight because who am I to declare that the outward appearance of an obstacle is impossible, when in fact, the impossible happens daily? After today, after this moment, we are no longer considered highschoolers. We are on the verge of a great adventure and only get one life to live it. Responsibility has been thrust upon us and we must rise to the challenge of making wise choices, choices that result in consequences, good and bad, and though we might not see those consequences immediately, they are sure to come. The practice of wisdom will only benefit us in the future. My charge to you now is to dream big, pursue the impossible, and regret nothing. Congratulations class of 2007, best wishes, and God bless.

Here are some photos from the day (minus the tears).

One down, two to go. We'll keep you posted...

The Border Quintet

2007-05-22T18:32:00.001-04:00

When Cindy and I were college students, we attended at least one recital every week (I was, after all, the stage manager at Daniel Recital Hall at Furman University). Since graduation all those years ago, I could probably count on one hand the number of symphony concerts and recitals we've attended. Until last night, the most recent one was the night before our first Cape Cod marathon, two years ago. Chris and Pam took us to see the Colorado Quartet at The Church of The Messiah in Woods Hole, MA.

Sunday night, I received an email from a friend of ours, informing us that his new performing ensemble, The Border Quintet, was giving it's debut performance last night at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Fort Mill. (The really interesting thing about all this is that I'm a native of Fort Mill, for the past 18 years have lived two blocks from this church, and have never been inside until last night.) Cindy and I decided we would walk over to the church after Jessi's volleyball game and hear Chris' group. We were treated to some lovely chamber music, got to see some other musician friends we haven't seen for awhile, and in the process received an affirmation that, indeed, the music is perpetual and my hearing is intermittent.

The quintet is comprised of local musicians: Maury Wilkinson (flute), Melanie Montgomery (oboe), Deborah Loomer (clarinet), Kristen Wright (bassoon) and Christopher Griffin (horn). For their debut, the group selected Theodor Blumer's "Quintet, Op. 52", Darius Milhaud's "La Cheminee du roi Rene" and Carl Nielsen's "Quintet, Op. 43". I enjoyed all the selections, but it was the Nielsen that really touched me.

The Nielsen quintet consists of four movements and displays the wide range of sounds characteristic to each of the instruments. I discovered a golden nugget of truth in the theme and variations of the third movement, "Praeludium". Throughout the quintet, I noticed the bassoon and horn constantly working together, almost as if they were the continuo of a baroque fugue. At times one voice would finish a phrase begun by the first. At other times there was almost a "call and answer" in process, and there were also passages that were played together, either in harmony or in unison. The two instruments were in almost constant communication. I say "almost" because there were times when the "busy-ness" of the upper voices was dominant, and drew my attention away from the horn and bassoon. Then it hit me.... isn't my relationship with God just like that? God went to great lengths to enable a constant communication and fellowship, but yet I allow myself to be distracted at times, even by things that are pleasing and good in and of themselves.

I read in the program that the theme on which Nielsen based the variations is one of his own chorale tunes, Min Jesus, lad min Hjerte faa en saaden Smag paa dig (My Jesus, make my heart to love thee). It is my prayer today that my heart will be more attune to my Lord's, and that my hearing will be a little less intermittent.

Thank you, Dr. Griffin, for your invitation. It was an evening well spent.

Where You Are...

2007-05-21T22:30:00.000-04:00

I noticed a little red dot on the cluster map... at first I thought it might have been a friend of ours who is serving in the military and is stationed somewhere in the middle-east. Someone pointed out to me that the dot was actually over eastern Europe, and then it hit me... it must be Luba Nell! :=) Luba is a very sweet young lady from Slovakia who was an exchange student at Fort Mill High School a couple of years ago. She stayed with some friends of ours, Rick and Cindy, and we got to know her well. She is studying to be a doctor. I wonder if she is still running....

Ashleigh is now registered at Charleston Southern for the fall semester. She has her student ID and has applied for her parking permit. Now for the text-books. Anyone want to pitch in? We do accept several methods of payment, tens, twenties, fifties, etc. I met her roommate for the first time this past Saturday at the early registration session. She seems like a very nice young lady. I'm SURE she and Ashleigh will stay out of trouble. The big graduation ceremony is this Saturday at USC-L. This week is going to be fun. I've been looking for a recent photo of all three kids together... how's this one? We spent a few vacation days days in Charleston, SC, last month. We hiked out Folly Beach to what's left of the Morris Island lighthouse. This is near the now-submerged Battery Wagner, site of the assault by the 54th Mass. Regiment in July, 1863, made famous in the movie Glory.

I'm Growing Older But Not Up

2007-05-15T22:07:00.000-04:00

Well, in response to the first post, some old friends shared a picture of their family with us. Looking at their grown and almost-grown kids made me pause for a moment and realize "hey, I'm 45 stinkin' years old". Our youngest child is soon to be a seventh-grader. Instead of attending Vacation Bible School, our kids are now on the staff. Wow! That decade flew in a hurry.

In our church band, we have several members in their 20s, along with a couple of teenagers. One of them actually calls me "Pops" (among other various terms of endearment). At first, I must admit it bothered me a little, but now, I think I like it. Somehow it makes me feel wiser than I really am, and we all know that if you just act like you know what you're doing, you can fool a lot of people :-)

So it is with great pleasure that I am learning to embrace the lyrics of the infamous buccaneer poet, Jimmy Buffett: "I'm growing older but not up, my metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck".

Speaking of the youngest, check out these shots of Jessi....

After the Myrtle Beach Marathon's 1-mile Family Fun Run

That killer volleyball serve.

Resistance is futile, I have been assimilated

2007-05-12T17:12:00.000-04:00

So... here I am... the 21st century, and now I have a blog. I'm sure now that all my friends will be sending me instructions on how to do all types of fancy things, proving my technological inferiority. That's ok, though, because as long as the Red Sox are in 1st place (last night's results notwithstanding), I can deal with a lot.

The past couple of weeks have been interesting around here. Ashleigh is getting ready for homeschool graduation, and Cindy and I are dealing with having a soon-to-be college student in the house. The Palmetto Homeschool Association has 48 graduates this year, and Ashleigh is the Salutatorian. She's hard at work on her speech.

She's getting a laptop for graduation, and looking forward to Charleston Southern University.

Two weeks ago, she and John attended the Palmetto Teen Group's Spring Formal dance. Here they are, in all their glory. Am I old, or what?

Cindy and are wondering where the time went. Everyone warned us that it would pass quickly, but at the time we just couldn't possibly have understood how true that would be. Jessica is not far behind her older siblings. She's already begging for a cell phone. Pretty soon we'll being paying on college loans for all three of them :=).

So, to my friends with young ones, a little advice: "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it." -- Ferris Bueller