Category: Personal

Works in progress…

Most of you know that I work as an IT consultant in addition to my ministry work. Yes, I know this qualifies me as the dorkiest man in existence…but I’ve come to grips with that fact, and so should you. :)

I’ve added a section at the top of the site "Church Technology." I’m working on putting together some of the more useful tips, tricks, and websites that I’ve come across that have something to do with ministry.

I get asked on a pretty regular basis for software recommendations to keep home PCs safe. I’ve put together a list of a semi-comprehensive package of tools you can use to protect your computer on a subpage of my Church Technology Section. I hope you’ll check it out! :)

Personal

By the way…

We now have a puppy. Any ideas on her name? She’s a mutt with a lot of Mountain Dog.

Pictures after the fold….

FHU Personal

It’s that time again….

Yep…St. Jude’s time. There’s a big group of Freedies, Burnsites, and others that are all going to be in serious pain for a few weeks. If you haven’t seen it, check out the info on St. Jude’s. It’s a pretty neat program. Research hospital + sick kids + no fees = giantfundraiserrunningevent. It’s worth it! So if you’re interested in supporting me, I’d really appreciate it.

You can view everyone on TeamFHU or go directly to my page to support my campaign. My goal is $500. It has a pretty cool progress meter so you can see how our team is doing and how everything is working out.

Thanks! :)
Matthew

News Soapbox

WRKN Channel 2: Jamie Tucker

Post author By Happy
Post date Thursday, March 30, 2006
4 Comments on WRKN Channel 2: Jamie Tucker

I hope you know about this. I was at the Winkler funeral…where media was not allowed inside. On their evening newscast, WKRN Channel 2 (the ABC affiliate in Nashville) led off with a story from Jamie Tucker. He began his report by explaining that media were not allowed in the funeral, but he went in anyway with a hidden wireless microphone to give channel 2 the scoop.

I don’t know about you…but I thought this was pretty terrible. Mr. Tucker was more interested in an exclusive than a grieving family. Channel 2 had the arrogance and audacity to air such a disrespectful segment. I hope you’ll send them an email (their website is http://www.wkrn.com) and you can send email to a variety of accounts. I personally prefer their newsdesk (news@wkrn.com) because it gets in the way of them reading other “exclusive stories.” I hope Mr. Tucker loses his job for this, and I hope our pressure causes several advertisers to abandon WKRN like I plan on it.

Spread the word.

Religious Soapbox

A Change in Heart on Church & State?

Post author By Happy
Post date Thursday, March 9, 2006
No Comments on A Change in Heart on Church & State?

From the latest Tennessee Blue Book:

Tennessee State Constitution

ARTICLE IX

Disqualifications.

Section 1. Whereas ministers of the Gospel are by their profession, dedicated

to God and the care of souls, and ought not to be diverted from the great

duties of their functions; therefore, no minister of the Gospel, or priest of any

denomination whatever, shall be eligible to a seat in either House of the Legislature.

Section 2. No person who denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards

and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this

state.

Section 3. Any person who shall, after the adoption of this Constitution,

fight a duel, or knowingly be the bearer of a challenge to fight a duel, or send or

accept a challenge for that purpose, or be an aider or abettor in fighting a duel,

shall be deprived of the right to hold any office of honor or profit in this state,

and shall be punished otherwise, in such manner as the Legislature may prescribe.

I’ll leave the commentary up to you. Quite a difference in the perception of the value of ministry and the importance of a belief in the Lord and His plan on ethics and decision-making, isn’t it?

Religious Soapbox

Dirty Laundry?

I hate to air it, but sometimes you still just have to say something about it. I was at a congregation a few months ago. After the morning services, we had a fellowship meal. During that meal, we celebrated the birthday of one of the members. I happened to have my digital camera on me, so we took a picture of this dear lady and her husband. After I shot the image, she inspected the picture and suggested that I must have a particularly good camera to take “such a good picture of her.” I replied, “It’s not the camera, ma’am, I had good material to work with!”

Her response: “Why thank you! That was a very political answer. You’ll make a fine preacher someday!”

I didn’t exactly know how to respond to her comment. I believe she meant it as a sincere compliment. I wasn’t aware that passing the credit for a good photograph from the instrument to the candidate was a political process, and I really wasn’t aware that politics make or break preachers.

Now, this is not intended to bash preaching, religion, etc. etc. These same problems exist in all arenas of life. Shucks, I’m not even going to complain about this attitude. (The lady’s husband is a preacher, by the way). My question, and the only reason I’m posting this, is what will I do to fix this problem?

St. Jude’s Half Marathon

Life lesson: if you decide in the summer to run a half marathon in December, run during the summer and during the fall and beginning of the winter. A couple of Saturdays ago…on the third, I think…a bunch of us from Freed went down to Memphis for the half marathon. We did it as part of the fundraiser for St. Jude’s children’s research hospital.

It was a really neat experience. There were a lot of people who worked really hard for the kids and raised a lot of money…and all that good stuff. It was amazing to go and run for nearly 3 solid hours (and yes, I know that’s terribly slow). It made me think of the days before cars. When we were driving in, I noticed just how far 13.1 miles was. That takes a little bit of time in the car…and I was about to do it on foot!?!

Anyway…these might be entertaining for you. The results by age division (ha! I beat 6 people!) and overall.

Ane they also had race photographers (let’s just say they didn’t need a very fast shutter speed to keep my pictures from blurring…) who put the pictures on the internet.

It was fun. I think I’ll do it again next year. And maybe I won’t be sore for quite so long…

Yes, It is Broken

And yes, it happened before a single-A intramural flag football game. And yes, I did wait 2 weeks before seeing a doctor. And no, it won’t straighten on its own any more.

And no, we didn’t win. And no, we have never won.

Technology

G’day, Mate!

Hope everything is going well for yall. Just wanted to keep you updated on a few things.
Tonight: “Overcoming Criticism” for the CH teen class. Tomorrow night: “Obstacles and Hurdles in our Race” at the Lebanon Road camp at Valley View in Gallatin. Friday: intern devo, TBA. Saturday: Romans 12:1-2 in “Purer In Heart, Oh God” for the 6th Avenue Church of Christ Youth Rally in Jasper, Alabama. Sunday morning: “Wake Up” at Crieve Hall, a yet-to-be-determined YAC class topic of my choice, and a PM Invitation asking, “Do You Know My Jesus?”

Also in the near future: school! Yay! And the camp reunion TNT. The video is already lookin’ pretty stinkin’ funny, if I don’t say so myself. Also expect the email devotional list to be restarted in the next week or so. I’m excited!

Summer Livin’

Summer is here. Wow. I miss Freed… and its people…. some more than others. But I won’t bore you with that. Home is very good. I started work at church on Monday and loved every second.

I guess the closest I can come to topping skydiving is to tell you I had my wisdom teeth cut out today. I must say that this experiment to test whether I prefer drugs or Jesus is leaning heavily towards the Jesus side… I suppose it isn’t really crazier than jumping out of an airplnae.

Which, by the way, was not caused, forced, ordered, etc etc etc by Leslie. So quit asking! It was lots of fun, and you need to do it. The skydiving, not the wisdom teeth, that is.

So you, dear reader, have a wonderful day.