Sick Days.

There’s nothing worse than being sick.  Don’t know what happened but feel like I got run over by a truck. Anyway, would love to hear any of your quick fix solutions to the flu?  Chicken soup, Theraflu, extra shots of espresso…at this point up for trying anything.  Yesterday, was when it really hit me, sitting there at the local Dairy Queen with my wife.  I got about 5 minutes into the meal when I realized that if I didn’t get out of there in a hurry, I was going to be leaving one seriously unwanted gift on the floor of DQ.  So hopping in the vehicle thinking I’d escaped a close one, I look over only to see my wife holding a plate of greasy fries next to me…needless to say we made a few emergency stops on the way back.  Anyway, hope everyone in the Couv and Monroe is fairing better than me…hear it’s in the 90’s there in Vancouver….crazy.

Monroe Chili Cook-Off

Got a great chili recipe?  In a little over a week Crossroads Monroe will set out to claim the title of 2008 Monroe Chili Cook-Off Champions.  Of course to do that, we need your help…so let us know some of your best recipes, or secret ingredients that might beable to put us over the top.  By the way, for you Monroe folk sign-up this weekend to help out, or simply come by and cheer your campus on anytime from 7a.m-3p.m.!

Nothing Less than Remarkable.

On the road trip here to Wisconsin often the only radio station I could get was the NPR.  More often than not I chose to go without than listen to it, but occassionally they had a story that caught my attention.  One was the story of Sidney Torres, owner of SDT Waste Management in New Orleans. The other story was a guy who sold his tattoo, skin & all to be framed after he dies…I’ll hold off on that one for another time.  Anyway the story of SDT is pretty cool, when other waste management companies left the city during the time of Katrina, that’s when SDT showed up.  And show up they did, with a unique spin on garbage.  Rather than just going in and being content to do things the way they’d always been done, Torres led his company to be remarkable.  Instead of the dumpy green trucks we normally see on the streets, his trucks are washed everyday…with a sleek black look.  The employees wear stylized black jumpsuits, and rather than just spraying off the roads of the French Quarter they add a lemon scent to spruce up the smell of the place.  I love hearing stories of people not afraid to think and act out of the box.  In Seth Godin’s book the “Big Moo” he has a simple line that always sticks with me “stop trying to be perfect and start being remarkable.”  Torres took something as ordinary as it gets in garbage, and created something remarkable in the community.  Torres and the workers of SDT have made garbage removal a point of conversation and pride in their community.  It’s stories like that which should challenge us as believers.  Here we have the hope of the world, we have something that truly is worth talking about…and yet are we always living out God’s perfect love for us in a remarkable way. See my hope and prayer for Green County is that as a campus we’re not just one more church in the area.  My hope is that we would be a remarkable church…a church that looks for ways and opportunities to encourage those around us…from buying the coffee of the person behind us, to shoveling a neighbors driveway, to praying for those who hurt.  We would be remarkable as a community without fear of trying, even failing at some things, in an effort to make God’s voice louder in Green County.  We would be remarkable by simply loving, caring, and partnering with the community around.  We would be remarkable through unity, that we as a campus would always know we’re in this together, and it’s going to take everyone of us to live out God’s destiny for Crossroads Monroe. 

“If someone asks you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” – Jesus

Tractor Pull Nationals

I thought I’d post some pics of my first ever tractor pull.  Got to say, I was pretty skeptical about it until I went…but 3 hours into it, when I finally understood the goal of this unique Midwest sport…have to say, it was pretty fun!  Looking back it really shouldn’t surprise me, I mean come on…how can you not like something that has Fried Cheese Curds, Loud Noise, and a thing they pull called the “Terminator.”  Also want to give a shout to my friend Kevin back in the Couv…I think we all know that know matter how many rematches on NCAA, the Okies we’re always going to come out on top…”Boomer Sooner.”  We’ll have to rematch when we head back to town to visit around Christmas.  By the way, what happended to Oregon against Boise State, you wouldn’t see that happen to the Sooners…oh, wait it did, sorry I had tried to block that loss a few years ago out of my mind.

John Deere takes on the Terminator

Rushmore

rushmore remake

(Left to right)  Erik Anderson: Brother from another mother.  Tim Reed:  Otherwise known as “WalkingGoodJob.”  Josh Dickens:  Retired Fishers Tech Guy Extrodinaire.  And the one on the end is me.

Thanks Tim for the redone Rushmore…I think it has a nice look to it.  Anyway, miss you guys.  Got to check out my first ever Tractor Pull competition.  I have to say, it honestly is one of those events that is hard to put into words.  It’s amazing how many people follow a sport like that, would love to tell you how many people were there…unfortunatly the only count given was the amount of beer served which was around 240 cases.  Had my first taste of fried cheese curds…have to say they’re not bad, it’s like a glorified cheese stick at Shari’s.   

Some Photos from the Trip.

Seth & Holli

Yellowstone Gate

Old Faithful

rushmore

Upon Arrival.

Our first service at Monroe went great!  Everyone in Wisconsin has been so welcoming, as we arrived to basket upon basket of cheese, beefsticks, and coffee…what more does one need! Currently I’m sitting hear listening to a few people trying out for the worship team at Monroe.  They have a cool old church, that’s been converted into offices, and meeting space…not a bad place.  Anyway, hope to have some pictures up and posted soon…lost my computer plug-in to my camera, hope to get a new one soon.  I’m sure things went well back at Fishers, miss you guys…wish y’all could be hear for Cheese Days.  By the way, sorry Tim I missed you before we left…it all got pretty rushed those last few days, we’ll for sure connect up when we’re back to visit in a few months.  Love you man…praying for you!

Road to Wisconsin .03

9:15a.m Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  We visited Mount Rushmore yesterday, have to say it was an amazing sight.  Wish we had more time for the nearby town of Deadwood, always been a sucker for a good Old West Town.  Anyway, the road trip has been great, looking forward to wrapping it up today.

Road to Wisconsin .02

8:15a.m in Spearfish, South Dakota.  We’re in Spearfish, not much more to say.  The restaurants in the town all seem to close at 10p.m, so we got to dine on a variety of items from Wal-Mart.  Currently I’m in my second day of Starbucks withdrawl, as the last Venti Iced Mocha I had was at 9:32p.m in Idaho Falls, but whose keeping track.

Road to Wisconsin .01

8:57 a.m. – Somewhere in Livingston, Montana.

You maybe wondering how we ended up in Livingston, Montana…we’re wondering the same thing.  We meant to stay at West Yellowstone last night…but apparently mid-September is prime time to visit the park.  So late last night we got to tour Yellowstone in the dark…amazing!  You haven’t seen Yellowstone, until you cruise though it with your brights on!  Anyway, our back up plan also fell through as it was all booked up at the North Entrance of the park.  So 100 miles later we finally found the one available, over-priced hotel in the area.  Looking forward to seeing Yellowstone in the day…should be fun!