Chris's Musings

More of my fave fives :-).      Fave Five Places to shop for groceries: 1. Trader Joe's 2. Central Market (by HEB) 3. HEB 4. Publix 5. Whole Foods Market Fave Five Places for quick-cheap eats: 1. Freebirds World Burrito (Texas) 2. Dagwoods Sandwich Shop (Bloomington, IN) 3. Willy's California Burritos (Atlanta) 4. Panda Express  5. Chipotle  Fave Places to workout: 1. Austin's Town Lake running trail 2. The Indiana University recreation center 3. "The Q" Sports Club (back in the day, in H-Town... got bought out by 24 Hour Fitness... sad) 4. LA Fitness - Atlanta Perimeter gym 5. Houston Memorial Park running trail Fave Five Movie Lines: 1.  "You want the truth?  You can't handle the truth!" (A Few Good Men) 2. "When I run, I feel His pleasure." (Chariots of Fire) 3. "Every man dies, not every man really lives." (Braveheart) 4. "Be Excellent to each other... and... Party on dude!" (Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure) 5

Today when I got home from work and spin class, I found the following gifts placed by the door to my condo... I'm thinking that my cat is more popular in my complex than I am :-).  I don't know if I have the heart to tell the bearer of feline-inspired gifts that Sherlock is on a dry cat food diet and will literally yak up canned cat food.   Details, details.   I'm wondering if since I stopped letting him outside if they're thinking that he's a prisoner in my (his... let's be real) townhouse.  I don't know, between his "cat castle," the room service at his command at 6:30 every morning, and the massages, I'm (and he's) thinking that he has a very good life.   Anyone want some canned cat food?  Free to a good home.  :-) (and a cat that won't throw it up)

Having just gotten home from Global Night of Worship at Buckhead Church (through a driving lightening-storm), I'm thinking it's just about time for another "50 things I love" post... 50 more things that I love...  1. Seeing cool lightening (from a safe place indoors of course). 2. The song "Praise You in this Storm" by Casting Crowns... it was my life song for a while.  Love it. 3. Actually praising God in the middle of a LITERAL storm.  Global Night of Worship ROCKED.   4. But... let's be real... Jesus ROCKS way more than a single event.  He should get 1-50.  Serious. 5. While I'm at it... new songs... I'll list a few... 6. Wonder of the World by Rush of Fools 7. Love is Here by Tenth Avenue North 8. Can't Stop by Leeland ( ok , not a new song but I still can't get enough of it) 9. Stronger by Hillsong United. 10. I will Rise by Chris Tomlin 11. Ohio (Come Back To Texas) by Bowling for Soup 12. How He Loves by John Mark McMillan

Early today, I got out to downtown Atlanta with a group of friends (and cool people I met for the first time today) to participate in do.justice.  This is a massive service project event that Northpoint Ministries ( NPCC and Buckhead Church) held to mobilize singles to get out and make a difference in our community.  Today, 1100 volunteers provided over 3000 hours of labor to local ministries reaching out to the homeless and marginalized citizens of Atlanta... and it was truly a rewarding event.   Coming after a week where political conversation and activity has really been top of mind for me, this event got me thinking about social justice and how it aligns with my conservative political leaning.  You know, rescuing the oppressed doesn't seem to be a huge topic of conversation among conservative talk show pundits and here I am volunteering my time to help a local homeless shelter serve their guests and give them shelter, food, clothing, and hope.  And what's funny is that w

Today is tax day!   Whoo - Hoo ! Okay, not really ;-). Thoughts for today: As you are filling out your 1040 for the IRS today, and thinking about how "little" you are paying with the Bush tax cuts that are soon to be repealed.  Yes, how little you are paying... look at that "taxes paid" line... and be thankful for the incredible bargain that you've gotten, because the price tag is probably going to go up. The projected budget shortfall for the Federal Government under the proposed Obama budget is about $1 trillion... that's $3.5 trillion spent versus approx. $2.5-2.6 trillion raised in "revenue."  Still, that's a over 25% deficit.  I don't know about you, but if I was a 1/4 in the hole I'd probably be worried and try to cut some things... but then again I can't print money.   The government says that they are going to pay for all of these new programs without raising taxes on 95% of people... Man, what's happening to that

I've commented on this to a couple of friends after reading about this in my quiet time lately, but perhaps it may be a good deal for the blogosphere too.  If you've followed, you know I've been reading the history of the Kings of Israel and Judah (1 and 2 Kings) and came across the story of King Hezekiah.  After reading his story, I had to say "what a stud!" because he was.   A lot of people who have hung in church before have heard of him, almost to the extent that we think that there's a book in the Bible named after him, but there isn't (so, don't buy it if anyone tells you to turn to Hezekiah 2 anytime soon), but his story is sandwiched between some things that we find more interesting in evangelical world that we may not know much about.  But after reading it, I think it's worth a good visit :-). Hezekiah was a stud! Now, he wasn't all that accomplished, though.  You see, a lot of cards were stacked against the man when he came into power

Just like any good marketing guy, once my head starts getting rolling with ideas, it just can't stop :-)  (thanks, Keith Toda) More Fave Fives - the leadership edition. Fave Five Leaders in Business  A.J. Laffley - CEO of Proctor & Gamble Howard Shultz - founder and CEO of Starbucks Marc Benioff - founder and CEO of Salesforce.com Jeff Bezos - founder and CEO of Amazon.com Steve Jobs - CEO of Apple  Fave Five Leaders in Politics (still living) Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich Former President George H.W. Bush ("41") Defense Secretary Dr. Robert Gates Former governor and Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Fave Five American Leaders - passed on General & President George Washington General & President Dwight D. Eisenhower Inventor and founder of G.E. Thomas Edison William B. Travis and the heroes that defended the Alamo Martin Luther King, Jr.

I saw something like this posted on a friend's blog and thought I'd copy today :) Some of C-Dub's Fave Fives Fave Five Breakfast Spots in Atlanta Thumbs Up Diner - Edgewood The Flying Biscuit - Midtown  J Christopher's JR's BBQ and Country Breakfast - Norcross Goldberg's Deli - Buckhead Fave Five Touristy Places I've been The Smithsonian Museums/Museum Row in Washington D.C. (esp. the Mus. of American History and the Holocaust Museum) Anne Frank house in Amsterdam The Real Alcatraz in Sevilla, Espana The trolleys in San Francisco The Vicksburg Battlefield... Vicksburg, MS Fave Five Restaurants outside of anyplace I've lived Restaurant row in Little Italy, NYC The Slanted Door in San Francisco Red Bar in Grayson Beach, FL La Dolce Vita, the Italian place in downtown Tartu, Estonia that we've gone on each of our mission trips there (and I'll take my team there in June,  for sure) Jack Stack BBQ in Kansas City, MO Fave Five Casual Restaurants in cit

You will not believe this...  Tonight, I got a chance to go to the Atlanta Thrashers game (free tickets... Yay!).  Great game (except we lost) and a couple of good fights.  It was a very enjoyable time.  And I got a funny story to tell. There were a couple of hilarious bouts with the "kiss cam" tonight at the game.  The first was of a guy and girl getting paired together... but they didn't get the guy that the girl came with.  So the guy in the camera chugs half of his beer and then lays a wet one on the plastic beer cup.   The second... and this was a legit couple... was with this guy that was completely oblivious to the whole thing because he was texting on his Blackberry.  His (wife, girlfriend, random attractive date) saw that they were on the "kiss cam" and started nudging him.  And he didn't budge!!!!  He just... kept... on... texting!!!!  So she gets adamant and starts pulling his arm to get the Crackberry away from him, he gets mad, and eventually th

I think it's amazing how political discussion in America is almost at the same caliber (and quality) as SEC fans rooting for their favorite teams.  It's been less than 100 days since Barak Obama has been in the White House, and the country is already divided either against or for him...  and same as Bush.  It's almost as if the Democratic Party is the University of Alabama and the Republican Party is Auburn.  Almost as little rationality associated with it (my Bama and Auburn friends may disagree ;0) ), but it's entertaining to watch and easy to get sucked into.   I have to admit... it's hard to be 100% informed with almost all (if not all) news being biased one way or the other.  I can't really even name one... perhaps Lou Dobbs at CNN or Bill O'Reilly at FoxNews, but that's about it.  We all have busy lives or we just gravitate to our point of view and the bias in our sources just feeds this.   Personally, I have no real problem with Barak as a man.  H

I hinted earlier (by a not-so-random repost ) that I was doing some noodling from listening to the new Nickelback single quite a bit.  This noodling hasn't subsided... good for you reading my blog (you didn't think you'd want to miss another C-Dub N-back song rewrite would you?) This new single... in a way strikes a chord with us singles... because the theme of "Gotta Be Somebody" is on "finding the one" - that we don't want to be the one left alone, incomplete, and on the outside looking in.  I think many of us have this fear... I can't say that I'm immune.  We have dreams of finding the one we want to spend the rest of our lives with, and it does play out like the song says "just like a scene, up on the silver screen."  If we find it, then it consumes us... if we don't find it, we find ourselves feeling lost.   So what happens if we never "find the one?"  Is all lost?   Several years ago, I was led to discover that

More great lyrics: I've been here before, now here I am again Standing at the door, praying You'll let me back in To label me a prodigal would be Only scratching the surface of who I've been known to be (Chorus) Turn me around pick me up Undo what I've become Bring me back to the place Of forgiveness and grace I need You, need Your help I can't do this myself You’re the only one who can undo What I've become I focused on the score, but I could never win Trying to ignore, a life of hiding my sin To label me a hypocrite would be Only scratching the surface of who I've been known to be Make every step lead me back to The sovereign way that You

Great lyrics :) (by Rush of Fools) Father, How can it be that you are Father to me Savior How can it be that you are Savior for me Everything I need Wonder of the world You've been more wonderful to me And as long as I can speak I will say so, I'll say so Wonder of the world You're on display for all to see And for eternity I will say so Healer, How can it be that you are Healer in me Favor, How can it be that you show Favor on me Everything I need Wonder of the world You've been more wonderful to me And as long as I can speak I will say so, I'll say so Wonder of the world You're on display for all to see And for eternity I will say so Oh, I can't be silent I can't be quiet For what you've done And oh, I couldn't fight it I cannot hide it For what you've done For what you've done Wonder of the world You've been more wonderful to me And as long as I can speak I will say so, I'll say so Wonder of the world You're on display for