tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77031592115855951872024-02-06T23:01:05.510-05:00Random Thoughts with RobRandom Thoughts from a Random GuyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.comBlogger188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-29153813397217636802016-11-05T10:21:00.001-04:002016-11-26T10:00:58.582-05:00Trek Farley 5 ReviewSo, it is clear to see that having the Remedy is keeping me outdoors. I have had it for two seasons now, and have only blogged once. I can tell you a few things about it as an update. I have ridden it for well over 3,000 miles in the past two seasons. It has continued to perform well. I have done a few upgrades to it such as stem, bars and a dropper post. Those really brought out some more fun characteristics in the bike. In the last year, though I have blown all of the suspension bearings on the pivots, blown through five rear hubs, and cracked one rear swing arm. On the negative side, those are inconveniences. On the plus side, Trek has been very supportive and their customer service has been excellent. NOTE: Most of this is attributed to being a very plus size rider. My recommendation is to get solid wheels and hubs. For the rest, I just have to figure out how to actually lose weight...<br />
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Enough with the update on the Remedy. I want to tell you a little about a bike that matches my body type. I know I am late to the fat bike game. I know I didn't want to get one. I know I originally thought they were a bit of a fad (I might have been right to a degree on that, but they are still here and taking new forms...). I know I have become soft in my old age, no pun intended as I am speaking more about how I have disliked the cold after selling my snowmobile... That being said, I broke down and got a fat bike.</div>
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After a little searching, and a little thought, I chose to get another Trek. My reasons were two-fold. The first reason is the service I mentioned above. I know I am hard on bikes, and ask them to hold up to a really big guy doing things much smaller guys do. I know this breaks parts. As I mentioned before, Trek has been outstanding in the service department for me. The other reason is that it had the biggest tires and most solid components in the class at the price point I wanted to spend. Since I was taking a gamble on this type of bike, and I knew I was planning to use it mostly for inclement weather, I wanted to have a reliable big tired bike.</div>
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The components are similar to my Remedy. Shifting is handled by a Shimano Deore 2x10 drive train. I won't bore you with how they work. They are reliable and do what they are supposed to do when you hit the buttons. The brakes are Sram Level according to the website. Mine say Avid on them, but I know they are all part of the same family (I am playing a little dumb here). They stop the bike. I got a 19.5" frame. It's a little bigger than my Remedy. In all honesty, now that I have this, I think the next Remedy will be a 19.5" frame as well. </div>
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I can tell you that after the first ride, I replaced the handlebars, stem, and grips. My reasons for this are simple. The bike came with a 100mm stem. I felt this was a little long and tried to make the bike feel like an XC racer. Since I had replaced the stem and bars on the Remedy, the originals found a new home on the Farley. The stem is now a 70mm. If I had some extra money, I might get the same Race Face combo I have on the Remedy, but for now, this is a big improvement. The handlebars were replaced simply because the ones on the Remedy were wider, and the grips were just because I had won a set of clamp on grips. I have wide shoulders, and I like the feel of wider bars better.</div>
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So, I have three rides in on the Farley. My impression at this point is that fat bikes are fun! They don't ride like anything else. They have a learning curve, but it doesn't appear that it is a steep one.They are unique. When you feel like you are going fast, you're not. When you feel like you aren't going fast, you are actually going faster than you think. It's a weird feeling. I will try to explain...</div>
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Tires. They are big. The tires are 4.7" to be exact. They don't lend themselves to being fast on straightaways. I know, that was an obvious statement. One of the things I learned about being on straights, though, is that you need to be up one gear from what you think. I am not sure if this is scientifically proven. I just know the feel. You seem to go faster by pedaling smoother, not by pedaling more. What I mean is that if you get to pedaling too fast on a fat bike, you will bounce yourself right off the trail. My disclaimer here is that I have ridden flat pedals for quite some time, and it may be different if I was still clipped in, though I don't think so.</div>
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What else did I learn about big tires. You don't need to break into the same bermed corners you would on any other bike. For one reason, you might not be going as fast. The other reason you don't need as much brakes is that the big tires do hold you to your line. If there is a bank to rail, do it with confidence. I will add this statement, when you do need to brake, why do they only have 160mm rotors? I'd like to see bigger rotors on fat bikes. Maybe this is because I am a fat guy. I'd just like a little more power when I do need to use the brakes.</div>
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Big tires also climb way better than you think they would. You might think big tires would climb well for traction, and you'd be right. I think that most people with more petite body types, though, have told me that they have a harder time climbing on a fat bike due to rolling weight. I could see how this could be a problem for some. I think climbing may come a little easier for me because I am used to climbing slow. As a big guy I tend to be a seated climber, so as long as I can push the pedals, this bike is going up. </div>
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More on pedaling. I think the best comparison I can think of for riding a fat bike would be a single speed. You have to think a little more on a single speed, and you have to think a little more at first on a fat bike. Once you get used to either, riding them becomes second nature. Fat bikes are similar to single speeds in the way that you have to use your momentum. You focus on the spin. You use the trail to your advantage. </div>
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Fat bikes are a bit bouncy. The sensation is nothing like my Remedy. It isn't a "full suspension" feel. This is where I got into trouble on my first two rides. I like to play. There are some log crossings that I nose bonk. I am still learning how to do this on the Farley because my first couple of attempts threw me off the bike in a hilarious fashion. One of my dismounts ended in a perfect over the bars Superhero landing! After a few minutes of laughing, I tried again. This time I focused on getting the front tire over the obstacle. It was a much safer bet until I get used to the bike. The more used to the bike I am getting, however, I am learning how to play on this bike. The bouncing can be quite fun!</div>
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Another thing I see about riding a fat bike is that steering is a bit different than other bikes. For one thing, you don't have to be as picky about lane choices. Let the bike go straight regardless of what's under you. This is the same going up as it is going down. You don't have to do those little correction turns on climbs to make sure you get to the place with the best traction. You just let it rip! This felt better to me especially after I changed the stem. To me, a shorter stem seems right on the big tires. It keeps you from twitching the bike around too much. That being said, when you are going down a hill, you don't steer the bike as much as you let it lean where it wants to go. This is similar to riding a trail bike, but a little more exaggerated. </div>
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So, when I said, when you think you are going fast, you're not, but when you think you aren't, you actually are is true. I noticed the Strava times I had were all over the place on all three trails I've ridden this thing on. On the sections that I started to get the hang of letting the bike roll and I felt like I was going faster, I was nowhere near my times on the Remedy. I did beat times in areas I would never have expected. I beat times climbing. I set a number of Strava Personal Best's on this bike. Another thing to note on Strava times was that my overall times were quite comparable, and actually competitive to my fastest laps on other bikes. I set an overall fastest lap time on one of the trails.</div>
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I know this was more of a review of riding a fat bike than an actual review of my Farley, but that is why I tried to include some of my decisions into buying a Farley over other bikes. The bike is very solid. The frame and fork are excellent, and the company stands behind their work. Those are great reasons to buy a Trek if you are looking for a fat bike. There are also points to mount racks, etc if you plan to distance ride a fat bike. I may get to that point in life, but for now, I just want to extend my riding season through the year.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-32735429038341564962015-04-07T21:47:00.001-04:002015-04-07T21:47:23.457-04:002015 Trek Remedy 7 First Impressions from a Fat GuySo, I have been away from everything for a long time. This is true. I had a pretty bad car accident, a long recovery, then a flood that did major damage to our city. One of the things that was severely damaged in the 2014 flood in Metro Detroit was my 2009 Soul Dillinger 29er. I really liked that bike. It was a nice cross country rig that made me want to ride. That being said, I am older, more damaged, and fatter than I was. I am also a rider that likes more to incorporate all styles of riding on every ride I do, so a 29er cross country race bike doesn't always lend to that.<br />
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Over the last year I have been riding trials to regain my balance. I have two trials bikes that I really enjoy. One is a stock GU, and the other is a Because Street Trial. They are really fun rides, but they have very low gearing and don't lend themselves to long rides... What without a seat and all...<br />
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About 11 years ago I bought a 2004 Specialized Enduro Pro. This was literally the standard that I have judged all bikes by. It was a perfect blend of bike riding styles. I rode it hard and rode it often. I almost always left the trail with a smile on my face. <br />
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For my birthday this year my family pitched in and let me get a new bike.The Enduro was the type of bike I wanted to go back to. After a lot of internet investigation I settled on the Trek Remedy 7. As a fat guy, parts selection is just as much about durability as it is about the prestige of "top of the line" names. I had Sram XO/X9 on my Dillinger, but that was from great negotiation skills with running a race team. This parts kit is Shimano Deore/SLX, and it does the job well.<br />
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Yesterday was the first chance I have had to get the Remedy on the dirt. DISCLAIMER: I am nowhere near as fast or in shape as I used to be. What does that mean? It means I don't ride like I used to. I don't climb well. I am currently very cautious on descents. I have no lungs. I'm kind of like Beymax from Big Hero 6 riding a bike. "I am not fast."<br />
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So, as I was saying, I got the Remedy out in the woods. It was my first time on singletrack in two years! I rode a pretty mixed bag of trail. A few fast descents, a few big climbs, a few rocky and technical descents, a bit of rolling terrain, and a pump track. What were my impressions?<br />
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650b. I thought it might be a gimmick. In my mind the order was going to be 29" for xc, 26" for trials, 24" for street trials. Then I put the tires to the dirt. One of my fears was that I would lose the ability to throw the bike around... Fear WRONG! My other fear was that there wouldn't be a noticeable difference in rocks and ruts to a 26". Fear WRONG! 650b, or 27.5" wheels are amazing! They truly combine the best features I like about 29" and 26" wheels. They roll over things while still being small enough to give the bike the "play in the woods" feel I was looking for.<br />
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Trek. If you know me, I have had a long "love affair" with Specialized. How I even looked at a Trek is still a little beyond me. I have owned at least 10 Specialized bikes over my mountain bike career. Trek used to be a four letter word. Let's just say this. I have mellowed out in my old age, and the multiple concussions must have made me forget the past, and I am glad I did! The finish on the bike is very nice. The fit is literally the best "out of the box" fit I have had in years. This is the first time I actually rode a bike right out of the box without modifications or changing something other than suspension settings to my weight and the brake levers and shifters to my preferences. As a 6'1" guy, I got an 18.5" frame. It fit well right out of the box. I was centered over the bike right where I wanted to be.<br />
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Climbing. As I said, I am not tall and fast like a gazelle. I am tall and fat like Rodney Dangerfield. When the trail turned upward I noticed that the bike climbed much better than I did. Whether I was seated or standing the bike was getting the power in the right places and propelling me forward. I am not using clipless pedals anymore, so I have to be careful about how I climb. The suspension didn't get in the way or detract from climbing. Fox has come a long way in the last 11 years when I had a DHX 5.0 rear shock. The Evolution Float DCRV didn't take input from above when mashing pedals. It just kept moving forward and soaking up bumps. Oh. Having a 2*10 drive train was a real plus as well. When you are a big guy, you find yourself needing the extra versatility, and I appreciated having them.<br />
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Descending. The rear suspension is so smooth. I kept wondering if I was riding over bumps or on a bike path. I am not sure if it is the design, the location of the pivots, the shock, the 650b tires, or the combination of them all, but I instantly felt at home on this thing. The memories I had of my Enduro were that it had points where it felt a little flexy and points where it felt a little choppy. Over the same trails I have ridden for decades I never found a moment where I felt that way on the Remedy. I felt stable. I felt in control. I felt smooth. I felt like I wanted to play. The RockShox Revelation RL was very smooth as well. I never felt like I wanted more suspension. Manuals, jumps, hard corners, and nose wheelies were all easily performed as well.<br />
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Technical. Like I said in previous parts of the post, I felt very much at home on this bike. The position I was in was comfortable and I felt like I could throw the bike around at any point. I never found myself riding outside edges of any trail feeling like I was about to lose control. I am sure a good part of that has to do with my own personal caution since the accident, but it was more than that. I felt much more in control and able to pick lines easier. I felt like I could point the bike easier. I didn't seem to have to make corrections from two years of rust. The bike went where I wanted to go and didn't make mistakes. <br />
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Pump Track. I rolled a little on a pump track just to see if a 650b full suspension bike would allow me to do a lap. To my surprise I was able to keep the bike rolling easily over everything without the need to pedal. I was able to maneuver the bike around the rollers with ease. I feel like I will be doing a lot of laps on pump tracks with this thing and smiling all the way.<br />
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I hope that gives a decent first impression of what the Trek Remedy is like. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-68297047707924009862013-11-22T19:31:00.002-05:002013-11-22T19:31:55.451-05:00God of Second Chances<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/aR0NIAXXBbU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Nothing more needs to be said.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-74945571483104734302013-04-12T08:10:00.001-04:002013-04-12T08:10:30.203-04:00Feeling Nostalgic<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/7988567357/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8436/7988567357_802a6116bf.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/7988567357/">IMG_0009</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/">rcelliott</a>.</span></div><p>This weather, combined with some other stuff has got me feeling blah. Since nothing cheers me up like bikes, I thought I would share an old shot of days gone by.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-88171032353056995352013-01-18T10:48:00.001-05:002013-01-18T10:48:15.857-05:00So, I was in an accident<p>The other day I found out what a head on collision feels like. It is not something I recommend. We are still working out the mess, but just for an update I have tons of bruises, scrapes, stitches on my left knee, I'm on crutches until the swelling in my knees goes down, and I am thankful to be alive.</p>
<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuLD05vC-27IjCu1AJFzsWktxqAswVMsZnw887MLtlHZXTpUnhtzisLk1hR6NwnU7eHi2vhRwnRU3XCHKybUbk1BVAix0CAIWFSKgPiZzTJASLBMZFU9w2ceaVBvbkwwrUsaztOk9wY27/s1600/IMG_20130117_122152.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuLD05vC-27IjCu1AJFzsWktxqAswVMsZnw887MLtlHZXTpUnhtzisLk1hR6NwnU7eHi2vhRwnRU3XCHKybUbk1BVAix0CAIWFSKgPiZzTJASLBMZFU9w2ceaVBvbkwwrUsaztOk9wY27/s640/IMG_20130117_122152.jpg' /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjzW_Ye8dNly_fynHgHmDlP9kPLacE2RYvWopCnoZeFowyINg2HYU3-b6btI7ux430_BfZZplAqg-tgUcFs7lLDZp3oR0PXpzpdhnXzn4PaOCXGunRJqLy53iKR-Z1i0Lqy91Ql_JrBc8/s1600/IMG_20130117_122125.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjzW_Ye8dNly_fynHgHmDlP9kPLacE2RYvWopCnoZeFowyINg2HYU3-b6btI7ux430_BfZZplAqg-tgUcFs7lLDZp3oR0PXpzpdhnXzn4PaOCXGunRJqLy53iKR-Z1i0Lqy91Ql_JrBc8/s640/IMG_20130117_122125.jpg' /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFa2LUxe_gCQYjWP8U_HW0J6jxR0wNcWHg7WaMjkUp0EyN1M0IXBbmsPoGmHMz-IyQRHD9BK64HYtADhMDDDS-YvuDYYXyZfLAS75G4-L7YBOngmMiUGNNvYT0MZOISF50qRAohr8BWXt/s1600/IMG_20130117_122143.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFa2LUxe_gCQYjWP8U_HW0J6jxR0wNcWHg7WaMjkUp0EyN1M0IXBbmsPoGmHMz-IyQRHD9BK64HYtADhMDDDS-YvuDYYXyZfLAS75G4-L7YBOngmMiUGNNvYT0MZOISF50qRAohr8BWXt/s640/IMG_20130117_122143.jpg' /> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-26343080804485505082013-01-05T16:48:00.000-05:002013-01-05T16:48:19.185-05:00Annual Look Back/Forward 2012-13At the end of each year I look back at the year and try to learn lessons from it. As I move into the coming year I try not to make resolutions, but try to get a sense of what theme the Lord is moving me toward. This year is a little different.<br />
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First, I am going to take a look back. At work I have kept up another great year. I won a sales award. I have kept moving in the right direction for growth. I have worked smarter. I should feel good...<br />
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...Except, this past year has brought me a lot of challenges that I have had to work through. Physically this year has been among the hardest ever. I had a small lump removed from the back of my head. No big deal. I was working out like crazy until I popped something in my hip. I rested a couple of weeks, no big deal. I went down to hang out with friends and pastors from around the country and my hip went completely out. Bigger deal. My back has been hurting more as the years go by. I am starting to feel the effects of arthritis in my body from all the years of karate and biking. I went from 2100 miles of xc riding in 2011 to 200 miles in 2012. Not good at all for the health. Not good for the head either.<br />
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The challenges above brought so many mental challenges to me. The lump in my head was a minor cancer scare to me. The hip slowed me down. The back slowed me down. The reports from the doctor were that I needed surgery on the hip. We weren't sure how much, though, because he wanted to do another MRI. Did I mention that I all of the sudden became claustrophobic? I also found out that my hip wasn't the only problem. Apparently I showed some signs of a rare kidney disease. In the words of Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that!!!" To make it more fun, the doctor also ordered a number of additional x-rays on my lower spine. It was a drop kick to hear, "Are you aware that you have broken your spine in three places up to three times?" I literally aged 100 years in a day. I was afraid to move. I was already always in pain, but this was different. I wasn't able to handle this. I got old. I wasn't invincible. I wasn't immortal. I was now an old man who had to walk up and down stairs one at a time in order to be safe.<br />
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To say this was a challenge to my head was an understatement. It didn't get easier from here, though. We had to deal with some challenges to our family that we had never seen in the cards. I had to relive some of my most painful childhood memories. I had to find out I am not in control in every area. I am not in control in any area. I had to live out the thing I say to others when they go through struggles, "There is grace on the next page." Though I knew this to be true, I needed to live it in a new way.<br />
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To add to this was what I call "The George Bailey Syndrome" going on in my head. I wrestle often with what I am doing in life verses what I want to do. George Bailey from "It's a Wonderful Life" wanted to see the world and leave his mark. His life took another turn, though, and he ended up living in a small town fighting the battle of Bedford Falls while running a building and loan business. I wrestle, like George, with this type of feeling. I want to plant churches. I want to bridge gaps between ethnicities and people of different socio-economical status. I want to help the church grow and truly be the church. It's a small goal, I know, but it is what I want to do. Instead I find myself selling welding supplies. In the church, many would argue that I have done a lot. I am a pastor, I have planned outreaches, missions trips, youth ministries, church ministries, and a ton more. But, I am divided between work and church, and I haven't planted a single church though I have been praying about it for nearly 10 years. Sometimes I am on the grumpy side of this mental battle. Sometimes I am able to deal with it. <br />
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All of these things together really were the perfect storm. Physical pain, emotional pain, mental stress, the stress of keeping up at work, and running nonstop as I am prone to do brought me to a depression. I couldn't seem to find peace much this year. I forgot one major thing.Deuteronomy 31:6 says not to be in fear or dread, it says to be strong and courageous, it says the Lord God goes with you and that He will never leave nor forsake you (paraphrased by me).<br />
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As you can see it was a pretty challenging year. I have a sense from the Lord that I have to do several things. In the beginning of this post I said I try not to make resolutions. I feel that I need to make a little change on this statement. I feel that I need to trust the Lord more. I feel that I need to hold on to verses like Deuteronomy 31:6 more. I feel like I need to know Him more this year. In a sense, I have always been a doer, which has had me relying on my own strength, but I need to make the resolution to read, pray, and seek the Lord more. There, I said it. I am making a New Years Resolution!<br />
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I get the sense this year that it will be a year where I will need to make some drastic changes. I may not be able to do some of the things I love to do so I will need to learn to live without. I need to discipline myself in certain areas in order to heal, grow, get healthy, and be who I am called to be. I have to learn to know that who I want to be and who I am called to be, though they might be one and the same, will take time to become. I have to learn to be patient. I have to learn to trust Him. I get the sense that He wants me to know how to be at peace with Him and how to truly be a man of peace.<br />
<br />These are a few of the things I am seeing for the year behind and the year to come. I am praying that the Lord's will be done.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-86808144867887182052012-12-24T11:54:00.001-05:002012-12-24T11:54:15.469-05:00Merry Christmas!<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/8303506961/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8221/8303506961_db0f62057b.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/8303506961/">card</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/">rcelliott</a>.</span></div><p>Well, we saw the end of the Twinkie, but not the end of the world. Merry Christmas everyone!!!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-82432663294272060622012-12-21T15:13:00.002-05:002012-12-21T15:13:57.987-05:00Free Music by Daniel ZottDaniel Zott is a very talented young man who I have watched grow. He is offering free music and I wanted to share it with you.<br />
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<iframe width="400" height="100" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=4191867083/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://danielzott.com/album/sevartha-tree">Sevartha Tree by Daniel Zott</a></iframe>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-38614950882120225042012-10-27T14:04:00.002-04:002012-10-27T14:04:21.543-04:00Things I saw in my trip to TennesseeMy wife, daughters, and I were able to take a weekend trip to Tennessee. It was a nice time for the four of us. The boys both had to work, so they missed a great trip. We were there to support a friend who was planting a church in downtown Knoxville.<br />
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Before this happened, however, we got to see the Sun Sphere.<br />
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We went to a Museum. We saw some interesting art.<br />
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The Science Center was a hair raising experience for both my girls!<br />
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We got to play with toys.<br />
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Are you my Mommy?<br />
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We met Bat Man!<br />
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There must have been an epidemic because people seemed a little ill.<br />
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But we still met Smurfette!<br />
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And The Mario Brothers!<br />
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Fortunately people were not infected by the church.<br />
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My friend did well.<br />
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We also got to see one of the leaders of our network of churches who is in oversight of this plant.<br />
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It was a great weekend. I was excited to see the church launch. I was excited to see almost all of my friends from Tennessee. We had a great dinner with one of the families we love down there. We got to spend some quality time together. All in all it was a great weekend. <br />
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Here is a little bit of the worship from Awaken City.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-89742993372859483902012-05-05T01:07:00.000-04:002012-05-05T01:13:40.309-04:00Is being Conservative Always Compatible with Being Christian?I have some friends who are very adamant that in order to be a Christian one can only be a Conservative politically. While I do not want to argue politics here, I do have to wonder about a number of things.<br />
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1. How does a person in Guatemala, who doesn't really have a political system like ours handle this question?<br />
2. How does a believer in Communist China, or N. Korea deal with this issue?<br />
3. Are the above groups disqualified?<br />
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These aren't the only questions about the stance of Conservatism as a necessity to Christianity. I have tons of questions on the matter. I might spend some time expounding on a number of the questions in my head, but I want to start with this one.<br />
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I read this article called "<a href="http://www.ijreview.com/2012/05/4773-what-it-means-to-be-conservative/" target="_blank">How to Show Your Kids They're Conservative</a>." On one hand, it teaches the value of hard work and earning something. It touches on what feelings you would have if your efforts at achievement were stripped from you and passed on to another without warning or anything. It makes you think for a minute.....<br />
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... And think I did. Funny enough, since I am a boring, one trick pony, who only thinks about or talks about Jesus, I thought about the Cross. Salvation is offered to all. There is no earning on our part. We do nothing to gain it. The Cross gives us what we don't deserve and frees us from the debt we do deserve. The Cross gives us all a 4.0 when we deserve to fail.<br />
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It hit me that Jesus Himself doesn't model Conservatism in all cases. The Sermon on the Mount hit my little brain. Matthew 5:38-42.<br />
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<span class="text Matt-5-38"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">38 </sup> “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’</span></span> <span class="text Matt-5-39" id="en-ESV-23274"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">39 </sup>But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.</span></span> <span class="text Matt-5-40" id="en-ESV-23275"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">40 </sup>And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic,<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href="#fen-ESV-23275h" title="See footnote h">h</a>]"></sup> let him have your cloak as well.</span></span> <span class="text Matt-5-41" id="en-ESV-23276"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">41 </sup>And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.</span></span> <span class="text Matt-5-42" id="en-ESV-23277"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">42 </sup> Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Matt-5-42" id="en-ESV-23277"><span class="woj">Now, I am not swinging on a limb that is saying Jesus is a Socialist either. Let me make that clear. I am, however, implying that there is more going on here that needs to be considered. This passage does not sit with the article above very well to some degrees. To some degree this passage is in direct opposition to what it means from the article above to be a Conservative. So that leads me to other questions.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Matt-5-42" id="en-ESV-23277"><span class="woj">1. Are Christianity and Conservative values always one and the same?</span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-5-42" id="en-ESV-23277"><span class="woj">2. If they are on opposition, which should win out?</span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-5-42" id="en-ESV-23277"><span class="woj">3. Is our allegiance more to Country or Creator? </span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-5-42" id="en-ESV-23277"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-5-42" id="en-ESV-23277"><span class="woj">To answer these questions in a short time I will say:</span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-5-42" id="en-ESV-23277"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-5-42" id="en-ESV-23277"><span class="woj">No. Christianity and Conservative values are not always the same. There are times that they are in direct opposition to each other. When they are in opposition, since our allegiance is to a Creator and Savior, we must allow Christ and His way to win out over being Conservative. </span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-5-42" id="en-ESV-23277"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="text Matt-5-42" id="en-ESV-23277"><span class="woj">I could ramble about this topic for a few hours. I wanted to ask a tiny question, but an article I read several hours ago has now turned into an intense study that 1:00am is too late to share with you. For now, I wanted to ask this question and just tell you what hit me as I pondered it.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-70377616529687708462012-04-24T08:16:00.001-04:002012-04-24T08:16:47.084-04:00I'm at a loss<div><p>I haven't posted in a while. As a matter of fact, the last few posts have been pictures and not much writing, too. The truth is I have been at a loss. Not at a loss of things to say. I am never at a loss of that. Not at a loss of desire to blog. I know others have had that same block, but I am not there. I have just been at a loss...</p>
<p>Time has become a rare commodity. It seems as my life has progressed I have just gotten busier. This has been a season of business. </p>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-49071142787004425422012-02-11T15:52:00.000-05:002012-02-11T15:52:39.016-05:002012 ISOC Snocross at the Pontiac SilverdomeIt was cool to be in the Silverdome again. The last two events I went to there were to watch Grave Digger crush cars, and Hulk Hogan body slam Andre the Giant at WrestleMania 3!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6857051185_47565770bc_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6857051185_47565770bc_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7176/6857048421_3d424c111e_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7176/6857048421_3d424c111e_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7065/6857031329_9449a5e8f4_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7065/6857031329_9449a5e8f4_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/6857014307_a3e359e0be_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">\<img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/6857014307_a3e359e0be_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NmA8cixkIQM" width="420"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-75255084839947077502011-12-24T11:55:00.001-05:002011-12-24T11:55:45.147-05:00Merry Christmas 2011!<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/6564792971/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6564792971_a270cff0f4.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/6564792971/">ElliottChristmas2011</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/">rcelliott</a>.</span></div><p>Merry Christmas from the Elliott Family!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-47714393525765277252011-10-01T22:14:00.001-04:002011-10-01T22:14:12.355-04:00A Piece From The Heidelberg Project<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/6201802955/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6201802955_8c3d0d3e4e.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/6201802955/">DSCN3451</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/">rcelliott</a>.</span></div><p>The lady working the grounds today told me the story behind this piece. Apparently it is a statement that there are so many people in the churches, but none in the schools or neighborhoods who care. The church has become a business, not a mission... Something to think about.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-40022480917036989572011-07-21T08:30:00.002-04:002011-07-21T08:34:24.697-04:00Fatter and Fitter<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/5948005043/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6126/5948005043_37ee718524.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.8em;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/5948005043/">DSCN2183</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/">rcelliott</a>.</span></div><p>I am not sure how that happened. I know I am getting faster. I see I'm getting bigger. It's kind of a mess, really.<br /></p><p><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6133/5948466192_afaa606b42_z.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6133/5948466192_afaa606b42_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p><br />That being said, Jordan and I were able to make a <a href="http://mtb-life.com/">team</a> event and we raced the 6 hours of Ithaca. We had a great time. We came in 6th, and put in a lot of good laps together.<br /><br />The rest of the pictures can be found <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/sets/72157627218410290/with/5948005043/">HERE</a>.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-88227209627472261272011-07-04T11:07:00.003-04:002011-07-04T11:18:56.932-04:00Independence Day FireworksI had the opportunity to go out to the Birmingham Independence Day Fireworks yesterday with one of my friends and some of our kids. I threw both cameras in the van and had a little fun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5278/5899804125_c58255ef25.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5278/5899804125_c58255ef25.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6038/5899950099_e2400e0a91.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6038/5899950099_e2400e0a91.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5311/5899894103_b63b9eef55.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5311/5899894103_b63b9eef55.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5278/5899804125_c58255ef25.jpg"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6036/5900355144_c0b42e2b6b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6036/5900355144_c0b42e2b6b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/5899770089_428c071412.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/5899770089_428c071412.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5275/5900287394_cc65d9c3c4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5275/5900287394_cc65d9c3c4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5200/5899536867_ca6440def0.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5200/5899536867_ca6440def0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6049/5900266096_e63839e3b0.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6049/5900266096_e63839e3b0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-56423928819289304622011-06-04T14:52:00.000-04:002011-06-04T14:53:23.972-04:00EACH Campaign 2011<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/24610725?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/24610725">EACH Recap</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user4709517">E.A.C.H.</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-53037224001379251972011-04-17T08:30:00.002-04:002011-04-17T08:31:41.010-04:00EACH Prayer Walk<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/5625888804/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5310/5625888804_c7dacc2a63.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.8em;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/5625888804/">DSCN0431</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/">rcelliott</a>.</span></div><p>This was an amazing kick off to bring a heart of serving the community. Full gallery can be seen <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/sets/72157626387206679/">here</a>.<br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/sets/72157626387206679/</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-83598689331786936922011-04-11T17:44:00.001-04:002011-04-11T17:45:36.587-04:00EACH Youth Rally Worship<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DPJM2s0Tk5k?fs=1" allowfullscreen="" width="480" frameborder="0" height="295"></iframe><br /><br />This is a clip I shot from the E.A.C.H. Youth rally last night with my Nikon P7000. The rally was awesome!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-13027035873326276402011-04-05T18:09:00.003-04:002011-04-05T18:11:40.833-04:00PLEASE VOTE FOR JORDAN<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.instructables.com/image/F6W27C0GM0COJAY/Making-an-xbox-360-laptop-part-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://www.instructables.com/image/F6W27C0GM0COJAY/Making-an-xbox-360-laptop-part-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Dear Friends,<br /><br />Please take the time to vote for my son in this contest. You will have to log<br />in to vote, but it is worth it. Jordan has worked very hard at this<br />project to resurrect a dead XBOX and a dead monitor to make his very own<br />XBOX Laptop! If all my friends vote, I would appreciate it very much<br />as would Jordan.<br /><br />Voting ends Wednesday.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Making-an-xbox-360-laptop-part-1/">Making an XBOX 360 Laptop.</a><br /><br /><br /><br />Thank you,<br /><br />RobAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-61401264999073714702011-04-02T00:39:00.002-04:002011-04-02T00:39:35.902-04:00The Heidelberg Project<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/5581044744/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5145/5581044744_e40bfe0ded.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/5581044744/">DSCN0236 copy</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/">rcelliott</a>.</span></div><p>I got to see it today. I am going back with all my gear.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-76736070697151653272011-03-24T08:20:00.002-04:002011-03-24T08:21:05.480-04:00You don't see these everyday<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/5555196371/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5188/5555196371_b6b124e64b.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/5555196371/">DSCN0072</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcelliott/">rcelliott</a>.</span></div><p>And especially not downtown!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-59899938116420782892011-03-23T21:10:00.002-04:002011-03-23T21:20:18.364-04:00Another Rotten Off SeasonSo, winter has come and gone... Oh wait. I live in Michigan. Winter has come and gone, and come back again for the third time... You get the point. I had high hopes of getting a lot of time on the trainer and putting myself back into some form of better health than I was able to last fall. As you may remember, last fall I had to have shoulder surgery and it took a lot of time to get back to the point where I could even ride. In fact, last fall I was out of commission and in physical therapy from December to May!<br /><br />This winter was no exception. Usually when the weather turns and the furnaces go on the world gets a nice surprise. I lose my voice. It never fails. I lose my voice for most of every winter. This time was no different. Furnaces go on, voice goes out. <br /><br />Unfortunately, I noticed that this time the cough was a little worse than normal. I also noticed I was losing energy and getting a fever.. Trip to the doctor. Verdict, pneumonia.<br /><br />What sucked is that this pneumonia hung around me like a piece of toilet paper from a mall restroom. What? That never happened to you? Anyway, this literally lasted from November to February. Any chance of losing that hundred fifty pounds this winter was lost...<br /><br />Well, I am still optimistic despite all my venting. The spring has to make its way to the Motor City soon, and I will be on my bike morning, noon, and night. I am not going to miss any opportunity to ride this year.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-24381637980860114422011-01-20T08:22:00.002-05:002011-01-20T09:01:12.841-05:00Reasons for the Rise and Fall of Leaders by Joseph Mattera<a href="http://josephmattera.org/_blog/Free_Articles/post/Reasons_for_the_Rise_and_Fall_of_Leaders/">There is a lot to learn from in this post written by Joseph Mattera. <br /></a><br /><br />Introduction<br />Scripture is replete with examples of how leaders rise and fall. One of the reasons why I believe the Bible is the inspired word of God is because it so honestly and accurately portrays the plight of human beings regarding their reasons for success and failure. It adequately portrays the dark side of the saints of old and is not like the common biographies of great people in history that are more hagiographic in nature than historic (that is, they don’t reveal the failures of the person).<br /><br />From what I have observed many, if not most, leaders do not end well. The following reasons have to do with long-lasting success or failure. Some may experience both for a short period of time but not end up that way in the long term.<br /><br />The following are 11 reasons why leaders are promoted by God for lifelong effectiveness:<br /><br />I. They are promoted by God to be used by God to complete a particular assignment<br /><br />God promotes who He chooses (Psalm 75:6-7). There is no other explanation. There are some folks that we know who are very effective and very godly leaders who are not very well known. Then, there are well known leaders who are not very effective or godly. It is a divine mystery to why God gives some people more of a public platform than others. Like Paul said, no person should boast or brag as if they themselves have elevated themselves; everything we have received has come from God. Thus we should not be jealous of others or become worried about the amount of influence we have (Proverbs 3:5-7; 1 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Corinthians 10:12-18).<br /><br />II. They have learned to live a life of brokenness and dependence on God instead of living a life based on their own strength and giftedness<br /><br />I have been in full-time ministry for almost 30 years, and one thing I have found is that the true people of God who have a track record of long-time success all have one thing in common: they have allowed the Lord to break their strong wills and soften their stubborn hearts. Like Jacob of old, they walk with a limp (Genesis 32:24-31). Anyone who has allowed God to deal with them will walk with a limp. I don’t trust any leader who doesn’t walk with a limp!<br /><br />III. They have learned from the lessons of the past<br /><br />All of us will go through great challenges in our lives. The book of Proverbs tells us that a person who accepts correction is wise (10:8) but a fool refuses correction (15:5). In the arena of life, not only will wise people like our parents or pastors attempt to correct us, but the situations of life are also orchestrated by God so that we are conformed to His image (Romans 8:28-30). The wise person learns from both people and life experience and doesn’t repeat serious mistakes.<br /><br />IV. They have learned from the lessons of what others have experienced<br /><br />Effective leaders do a lot of reading of other successful leaders, and do a lot of listening when in the company of wise, great leaders. We have to do more listening than speaking and make time to fellowship with great minds by reading the books of those we want to emulate.<br /><br />V. They get adequate counsel<br /><br />Proverbs teaches us that before we go to war we need an abundance of counsel. To be effective you must learn to hire staff based on your weaknesses, while concentrating on your areas of expertise and strength. The smartest people in the world are those who know and have access to the smartest people they can possibly surround themselves with.<br /><br />VI. They have adequate coaching and mentoring in specific areas of need<br /><br />I have an inner circle of people and receive coaching in numerous areas of my life. I don’t have the time to read every available book or get every available degree, so I constantly receive coaching and mentoring from others with more expertise than me in areas like administration, finances, law, nutrition, health, emotional well-being, marriage and relationships, etc. If I didn’t have people who constantly coached me then I would be a disaster and would greatly limit my leadership ceiling!<br /><br />VII. They are accountable to others<br /><br />If you desire long-lasting success then you must have accountability regarding your finances, marriage, personal relationships, how you do ministry, strategic planning, and the like. Because all of us have a dark side, we need to have open relationships with people God has assigned to us and give permission to speak correction into our lives.<br /><br />VIII. They live a balanced life that includes emotional and physical health<br /><br />Jesus was both human and divine. Many of us forget that we must take care of our emotional and physical health, not just run on spiritual fumes and anointing! We are called to love our neighbor even as we love ourselves. If we do not care for ourselves we will burn out and not be able to be a blessing to others! We need to set physical and emotional boundaries that limit our activities and what we say yes to, so that we will remain a blessing to our families and have time to minister to the Lord for self-renewal.<br /><br />IX. They know how to read, interpret, and discern the hearts of other key people around them<br /><br />This is not something that can be taught. Great leaders have an intangible, intuitive ability to read other people accurately. They usually know who to trust and who to partner with. Often, they can tell when God is connecting them to someone instantly, even without meeting that person before!<br /><br />X. They have a heart after God more than a desire for promotion and ministry<br /><br />For long-lasting success we need to come to a place where we truly desire to seek God and know God more than making Him known! Only then can God trust us.<br /><br />XI. They have prudence in the governance of their ministry<br /><br />A person once told me that he heard Billy Graham met with his team many years ago and decided on certain core things they would always follow for the success of their ministry:<br /><br />a. Excellence in administration (vision without administration is only a pipe dream!)<br /><br />b. Never be alone with a woman who you are not married to.<br /><br />c. Never exaggerate: they vowed to call their ministry what it really was. If there were 50 people in a meeting then they would say publicly that there were 50 people at the meeting; don’t say there were 150 people, etc.<br /><br />d. Have financial scrutiny and integrity. Hiring outside independent auditors as if they were IRS agents checking the ministry’s books is something every leader should do on an annual basis.<br /><br />Reasons for the fall of leaders:<br /><br />I. They live out of their natural giftedness and spiritual anointing but do not build on character and integrity.<br /><br />First Corinthians teaches that the Corinthian Church lacked no gift (1:7) yet they were also carnal, acting like mere babes in Christ (3:1-4). It is no accident that, after the great chapter describing the manifestations of the Spirit (12), the next chapter is fully devoted to love (13). Paul says that if we have faith that can move mountains but have not love we are nothing! Matthew 7:21-23 tells us that we can do miracles and still miss the Kingdom of Heaven! We need to focus on living a life in which the love of God is fully integrated into our character and habit patterns. This is the only way we can build a long-lasting foundation.<br /><br />II. They have not learned how to process pain<br /><br />Because leaders are targets and often experience betrayal they need to learn to give adequate time to process the pain they feel when someone leaves their church or organization. If we do not fully process and face our pain then these unresolved issues will spill over and cause anger, resentment, sarcasm, and bitterness that seep into our lives, cause great dysfunction, and cut off the ability for ministry longevity. We have to learn to grieve, mourn, and process pain until we fully face it and fully forgive before we move on to the next phase of our lives and relationships.<br /><br />III. They are emotionally immature in certain areas of their lives<br /><br />Any area of our lives in which we were traumatized--even as a young child--will cause us to stop growing emotionally until we actually face the trauma and allow the Lord to release us from it and heal our hearts. Often this means we also have to forgive folks, whether they are still alive or dead.<br /><br />IV. They are quick to form an opinion and judge others<br /><br />V. They are not aware of their dark side and so live in self-deception<br /><br />We purposely allow areas of discomfort to be rationalized away or pushed aside so we can paint our own picture of ourselves, our worth, and our ministries. Often, the reality of who we think we are does not line up with who God made us to be. Exhibition A is watching the tryouts for American Idol. Some people have no skill in singing and yet they are convinced, based on years of dreaming certain things, that they will one day become a superstar. Simon Cowell of American Idol may be rude and blunt but at least he gives people a shot of reality!<br /><br />VI. They live for the future and are never living in the present<br /><br />Many leaders live miserable lives because they are always yearning for something more. Unfortunately, they are never really living in the present but only in past regrets, and the future. Thus they never stop to enjoy and appreciate the people around them, instead taking advantage of them so they can reach their illustrious “future.” I am sick and tired of some of the prophecies that come forth about some glorious future that may or may not come to pass in our lifetime. I think we also need prophecies getting us to appreciate what God and who God has put in our lives today so we can begin to maximize our gifts and release our great potential. If we don’t appreciate what God is doing in the present He can’t trust us with a more glorious future (1 Thes. 5:16, 18)!<br /><br />VII. They use people instead of loving people<br /><br />Many are the leaders who view the people around them merely as objects to serve in the church--to tithe or to be some kind of blessing to bring them and their organization to the next level. God is looking for leaders who will celebrate and not exploit the people He has entrusted to them!<br /><br />VIII. They have a heart for ministry more than a heart for God<br /><br />Those who only seek God or study the Bible to preach a message are truly missing it. I have found that when I seek God just to delight in Him, He pours amazing messages into me for the church and gives me all the strategy I need to go to the next level. God chose King David because he was a man after God’s heart!<br /><br />IX. They do not receive correction or coaching from others<br /><br />I have been with leaders who did not want to hear any negative things about their life or ministry. Hence, they never grew and often failed and left their positions in Christ. We need each other not only for moral support but even so we can effectively hear from God as a hermeneutical community. Those who can learn from the community of people God has surrounded them with will grow the fastest. This is one of the things I admire so much about Bill Hybels. He radically changed the way he did church based on an honest church survey that he calls “REVEAL.” If he wasn’t open to hearing from God from his community then he would still be attempting to employ unsuccessful strategies to make disciples in his local church today.<br /><br />X. They seek and need the approval of men more than the approval of God<br /><br />Many who are involved in ministry have never dealt with the need for approval from a father who abandoned them. Thus they are ministering more out of a need for respect and affirmation than to please God. Consequently, they will live without limits and say yes to numerous ministry endeavors that God didn’t lead them to do. They will also push their churches to fund projects more because they desire a monument that points to the success in their lives than being motivated to expand the Kingdom of God. These leaders often burn out and have terrible family relationships because, ultimately, they are “driven” personal need more then being led by the Spirit of Christ.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703159211585595187.post-7042907790165224892010-12-22T21:20:00.000-05:002010-12-22T21:21:32.492-05:00Our 2010 LHCF Childrens Christmas Play<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1jNsIyYcJfM?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1jNsIyYcJfM?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01916229680074514072noreply@blogger.com0