New Location

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Drum solo, steak, and iTunes

- Been another great day of nothing.

- Diddy's "Making His Band" had one of the best drum solo's I've seen in a while. I love talented musicians. I am much more of a pocket drummer (I hope)...not much of a soloist...

- Thank God the rain stayed away and I got to grill some awesome steak. I'm proud of my dry rub! Steak for breakfast too!!

- I have 1.4 days worth of music in my iTunes library. That's not counting the 8.5 hours worth on my iPhone, or the 3 days worth on my iPod. I am literally lost in iTunes. Have you ever had so much music you couldn't listen to anything? Me neither!

- For the record...my wife is the best!

- The snare sounds best when its "Adrian Young" tight.

Latest - Bike for the Light Vid

Chillcation Monday

What a great day of nothing! Slept in til 8. Watched some vids on
Hulu. Played chess with my son. Napped. Took the kids to get a ton of
books (we LOVE to read). Watched Ferris Bueller. Played Call of Duty.
Ate a wonderful dinner. So good....
The best part is that I've been email/facebook/iPhone free for most of
the day. I pretty much check my phone when I get up and later that
same night. I'll actually be turning it off after I post this blog.
Thank God for rest and family!

Sent from my iPhone

Life

Had a great time at Life Assembly in Mt Juliet this morning.It was
great to just go to church with my family and relax. What made it
better was to be with so many ministry friends that serve at and
attend that great church. Wearing jeans and NB was also a plus!!

Since we are on chillcation I won't be replying to any txt, dms,
email, or calls. I cheated some this weekend but I'm cracking down for
the rest of the week. I'll tweet, blog, and facebook some if I feel
like sharing. Here's to some needed R&R.

Sent from my iPhone

Chill-cation

Here's some highlights so far:

Lots of sleep

Hours in the pool and hot tub

Trip to an awesome museum

Great workout with my son

Chill time in the sauna

3D movie with the kids

...and we still have 7 days left!

Sent from my iPhone

Taking a break

We are taking a break for the week. Just dropping off the radar. Maybe I'll blog...maybe I won't. Peace out!

Dirty Details

I just did some serious cleaning in my truck.I have much respect to auto detailers. Just when you think you cleaned it all you find some new crack or corner with dust or junk in it. I must have uncovered 10 bucks worth of spare change! There were old toys, Sunday School papers from my kids, drumsticks and of course water bottles. The weird thing was the mountain of pens and highlighters I found under one of the seats. Its like a school supply shop exploded in my car. There is so much detail that goes into really giving a car a head-to-toe cleaning.

Lately I'm finding the Word of God doing the same thing to me. Just when I think I'm good, just when I settle into a rhythm...something jumps out at me and revealing yet another crack or corner that needs some cleaning. Psalm 199:9,11 asks the great question: "How can I stay pure and clean? By living according to Gods Word and hiding it in our hearts". Thank God He's in the detail buisness!

This Sunday

Missionary Rich Farthing will be our special guest. Rich and his wife Sandee do an amazing work in Bolivia. If you are in the area you must come and hear about what God is doing at the BHC! Click the pic for more info.

Brain Dump

- MC Hammer was right..."We need to pray just to make it today"

-My wife's dinner smells delicious...I'm ready to eat!

- I am ready for 9 days off!!!

- Dr. George O. Wood is brilliant!

- My sons are a riot!

- Superman III is very boring. I guess things change 20 something years later.

- I've had medicine head all day...stupid allergies!

- Madea was right..."The devil is a liar!"

How much s a trillion?

There is a lot of talk in the news these days about budget deficits an increased spending. They keep throwing this "trillion" word around. I think the reason the government spends like crazy is because we as a people have lost a true sense of what a trillion is. It is such a remote and detached number that we can't fathom its implications. Sure we are bothered, but not really. I think spiritually we lose sense of the enormity of this battle we are in as well. We can't really grasp the number of people who don't know Christ...so we just do our thing. Sure we are bothered, but not really. I pray god would help us have a concrete realization of how many people need God.

FYI: Here's what a trillion looks like - 1,000,000,000,000

Don't be crazy...we landed on the moon!

Before I preach...

I eat!

I get alone. Don't like to be around a ton of folks before preaching.
It helps me focus and protects my heart from nonsense.

I pray and worship. I spend some concentrated time in God's prescence.
That is were I believe the annointing comes upon a speaker.

I read my message out loud and do any 11th hour tweeks.

My nerves are usually a wreck!

I fire away!

Thank God for the call!

Sent from my iPhone

Stupid Lawn Mowers

The people on my street have a love affair with lawn maintenance. I do not. I stimulate the economy be paying someone to cut my yard and do all of the edging and what not. I don't find pleasure in sweating over a John Deer early in the morning. What's crazy is there is no schedule. Each neighbor cuts their grass at various time through the week at various hours. Literally EVERYDAY someone is mowing! No don't get me wrong...I love my neighbors. We have a very peaceful street. But the constant drone of landscape equipment can get annoying. I wish someone would invent a silent or much quieter lawn mower. Maybe someone did invent it? Man I sound like a a cranky old man! HA!

My favorite drummer...one of the best ever

Sunday Night's Message

"3 Dangerous beliefs that are deceiving the church". 6pm Clarksville First A/G (FYI: Not a sermon about or against the movie.)

Is it Necessary...

...to breast feed in public...EVER?

...to use the F-word to sell movies?

...for your dog to "visit" everyones yard but YOURS?

...to read a newspaper anymore?

...for people to drive that slow on Ft Campbell Blvd?

...for people to answer a preachers rhetorical questions?

Bike for the Light Fireworks

Circle Right

ufc.com

I'm a big fan of Mixed Martial Arts. I have about 1 year of Muay Thai under my belt and I'm looking forward to taking Modern Army Combatives in the near future. I watched the replay of UFC 100 and was amazed at the Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping fight. Now I won't bore you non-enthusiast with the back story but the bottom line is...Henderson knocked Bisping out...COLD.

Usually a right handed person's power punch is a right cross or an overhand right. So a good defensive strategy is to circle to YOUR right (away from your opponents strong punch). For some strange reason Bisping kept circling left...right into Henderson's power punch. Eventually he got caught on the chin and separated from his senses. Rock-a-bye baby.

How a many of us do the same thing? We walk right into our enemy's "power punch". You know what will knock you out spiritually. It could be surfing channels late at night, watching the wrong thing, being around the wrong people, having just one drink, taking that kiss too far. Whatever it is we all need to stay on our game. Keep our hands up, chin down, and circle right...away from the power of the enemy and one step closer to victory.

Great Weekend Services

All across the country it seemed like church was amazing. I don't remember ever seeing that many status updates and tweets proclaiming how awesome church was. I know in Clarksville our services were electric! Sunday Am worship could have gone on forever. I'm talking open heavens in that place! Sunday night was great in its own way. It was good to be in the House of the Lord. #Jesus was even trending pretty high on twitter last night! Let's keep that passion this entire week!

Hungry

Something about church makes me hungry. Don't know what it is. I am
usually starving after church. One of the toughest decisions we make
as a family is what to eat after church. Makes me think about how
blessed we are. There are people who have no food...who would give
anything to have "options". God help us to remember the hungry
whenever our stomachs start to rumble!

Sent from my iPhone

Saturday List

- study

- workout

- trip to KY to close out fireworks stuff

- finalize video ads

-watch Superman with the boys

- Next Level @7pm

I like these kind of Saturdays...quick and to the point!

The Nubers Game

As I was praying through my facebook friends list yesterday (something
you should try) something jumped out at me: My ministry is not defined
by how many attend my meetings.
We say we don't get caught up in numbers...yet we are quick to ask
"how many are you running?" There are people who were connected to our
YA ministry that are now disconnected from our church...but not from
me. I still have influence. Just because they don't show on a Sat
nightbor Sunday morning doesn't mean I can't pastor them.
I'd rather pour my life into 15 people that will change the world than
500 church attendees who will maintain the status quo. The only number
that counts is one. Just a thought.

Sent from my iPhone

Take time...

...to hang with friends. Had a great lunch with a good friend yesterday. He came out of his way and my schedule was super slammed. Yet after lunch I felt like I didn't lose one minute of my day.

...to talk to neighbors. I talked to my neighbor across the street yesterday. He mentioned how busy everyone on our street was. I felt very convicted that I don't slow down enough for conversation with him.

...to pick up the phone. There's no better time than to connect with a friend or someone you are trying to reach then when you are on the road. Redeem your drive time.

...to pray. Far be it from me to sin against God by failing to pray...1 Samuel 12:23

...to hear from God. read the Bible before you check facebook, twitter, or email. make His Word first in your life.

...to think. Unplug every now and then and meditate, process, dream, and grow.

...to chill. Even God rested on the 7th day. Honor your day off by honoring God and chilling out.

Disturbing

This game came out last year. It let's you "manage a prison...all for
the bottom line." how sick to promote the flaws of our prison system.
The game boasts that you can "determine your prioners fate...build
factories to bring in extra income...or keep prisoners locked up for
the safety and security of society and your profits". Disturbing.

Just in case we forgot

There are about 144, 00 US servicemen and women deployed in Iraq

There are close to 30,000 US service men and women deployed in Afghanistan

Don't forget those who give their lives so that we can keep ours.

What I'm thinkng (random)

....The MJ coverage is out of control

....Soldiers are still dying in Afghanistan and Iraq

....Thank God for protection during our fireworks tent

....I wish people would follow good advice

....I need to do some sermon prep

....I love that my kids love books just as much as toys

....Wings for lunch!

The Tent

Last night I slept in the fireworks tenton an Army cot. What a trip.
Last time I slept in a tent I was in Balad, Iraq. Very trippy
experience. It's amazing how little things can trigger memories that
blast you back in time. I love fireworks, but im not going to lie,
they absolutley remind me of rocket and mortar attacks. I actually had
an episode last week where I actually thought I was back over there. I
don't have PTSD. But I definitley have strong memories and emotional
ties to the desert. Today we'll pack everything up and shut down the
tent. I wonder what will spark the next flashback?

Sent from my iPhone

Here today....gone tomorrow

Another celebrity dies. This time its murder. Something is definitely up. God let this get our attention. Life is short. Help us to make it count for you.

The 4th

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. " - Jefferson

"When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." - King

"Freedom and fear are at war. The advance of human freedom, the great achievement of our time and the great hope of every time, now depends on us. Our nation, this generation, will lift the dark threat of violence from our people and our future. We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail." - Bush

The Week in Picture

(James is trapped in there by my car)

Summer Fun

Here's the plan:

- Ribs will be grilled

-Lots of time in the pool

-Ice cream and milkshakes

-BIG fireworks show downtown

- More time in the pool

July is turning into my second favorite month!

15 Years

Francis E. Serrano II (Frank)

Husband, Father, Thinker, Friend of God

September 30 1950 - July 2 1994

Crazy World

Have we ever experienced a crazier 10 days in the world then the last 10? Celebrities dying. Governments being overthrown. The President of the US talking gibberish (I made that one up...or did I?) Growing up in the church I always heard that we were living n the last days. I was skeptical as a teen as I wondered "Exactly how long are these last days?" Yet there is no denying that something is up. Our country is changing. The world is just as dangerous now as it was 9 years ago (sorry Red states). The only difference is that now we are actively fighting that danger. The bottom line is this: Christ is still the answer. We have to stay focused on the main thing in times like these. He told us this stuff was going to happen anyway.