Interesting Stuff I've Read

I know that a lot of you receive updates by email, so I wanted to make everyone aware of a feature that I added to the site a few weeks ago. If you scroll down my blog page, you will see a box on the right called, "interesting stuff i've read". I read a lot of different blogs, and the best posts that I come across are listed there. For instance, Tony Morgan had a post about his all time favorite books on leadership. His list is basically identical to mine, so I included his post there for you to click and check out. I update the list at least once a week, so make sure that you take a peek every now and then.

Meltdown

As a loyal Tampa Bay Rays fan, I understand what it means to be patient. But, sometimes they can be downright hard to love. This week they have blown leads of 8-1 and 8-2! Against the Blue Jays, all they had to do was close out the ninth inning, but they went through four pitchers and ended up walking in the losing run! Last night against the Marlins, they were up 8-2 when the pitcher gave up a grand slam. They ended up losing 14-8 after the bullpen took over. This is very frustrating as a fan, but I think it can teach us something as leaders. The truth still remains, you're only as good as your weakest team member. That is true in sports, business, and ministry. I have learned to take my time when adding someone to the team. Whenever there are open positions to fill, it's tempting to try to hire someone quickly. But I have found that it's better to hire the RIGHT person, than just to get someone in there. Tim Stevens has a good post on good questions to ask in interviews here.

Home

Thanks to everyone who has been praying for my mom. She came home from the hospital today and is continuing the healing process. I just talked to my sister, and she said that they are sitting on the couch watching a movie together. The doctor says that she is doing great and everything is going well.

Music stuff: downloads du jour

It seems like the posts have been so serious lately. It's time for something a little lighter...

Here's the list of albums I downloaded into the Yahoo Music Jukebox this week...

Wanda Vick- Bluegrass girl
Believe it or not, I enjoy some good bluegrass every now and then. This album has a number of remakes of other popular songs like "Bless the Broken Road" and "I still haven't found what I'm looking for". So, if you're a fan of Bluegrass, check it out. (Uh, Dad, I guess that means just you and me.)

Amel Larrieux- Lovely Standards
I had never heard of her, but she has a great voice. This is good winding down music.

Cubano Jazz -
I have always been a fan of latin jazz, and this is a great collection of big band oriented cuban music. If you like this, you will also enjoy listening to Irakere.

Chick Corea and Bela Fleck- Enchantment
What if you paired up a legendary jazz pianist and a banjo player? Here's your answer.

Maroon 5- Nissan Live Sets
A good pop/rock band that actually has talent.

*A side note about music selections...Please understand that I enjoy music and discovering new artists. There are a lot of artists that I listen to that I wouldn't recommend to my kids. But, I find that truth is all around us, and I enjoy hearing what artists are saying, and it helps me to understand what is currently happening in popular culture. That being said, these next selections are great for everyone...

Jeff Deyo- Unveil
Whenever I see that Jeff Deyo has a new release, I get nostalgic. I haven't spoken to Jeff in a number of years, but I remember when he was just getting started in music, and I'm glad that he's been so successful. You might also want to check out my friend Aaron's podcast interview with him here.

Nate Sallie- Ruined for Ordinary
We heard him at the Winter Jam concert earlier this year, and have also been hearing his music on "The Message" on XM radio.

Britt Nicole- Say It
I downloaded this one mostly for the girls. It's nice for them to hear positive music from a good role model. We saw her at the Winter Jam concert also. The girls got to meet her and she was very nice and signed their t-shirts. (I also feel like I have an investment in her career, since I paid "concert price" for those three shirts.) :)

Mom Update

I spent most of the day in the hospital waiting room while my mom was in surgery. When I arrived in the morning, she was already prepped and ready and didn't seem nervous at all. My sister Angela flew down from North Carolina, and so she, my dad and I gathered around her to pray before she went in. At 12:30 we learned that surgery had begun. At 2:30, the first surgeon gave us a report that the mastectomy was done and that she was doing fine. He then said that the plastic surgeon had begun the reconstructive surgery. At 6:30, the plastic surgeon came out and told us that his part was done, and that it had gone smoothly as well. We were glad to hear it and thanked God that she was out of surgery. When I got a chance to see her in the recovery room, she was still pretty groggy, but she kept saying, "I'm glad it's over." As I'm writing this, Anne and Angela are with her in her room. Thanks to everyone who prayed. Please continue to ask God to be with her as she begins the healing process.

Blessed

I have been blessed to have the best mom in the world. She has always been my biggest cheerleader, my best coach, and a great role model. On Wednesday, my mom is going in for surgery. This is her third bout with breast cancer, and the doctors have recommended a double mastectomy. Please agree with us in prayer that God will guide the doctor's hands, that her recovery will be swift, and that she will be completely healed of cancer. I mentioned in this post that the last time she was diagnosed, she placed a sticky note on the refrigerator that read, "Devil get ready for a fight!" I'm happy to report that she's still fighting, and most importantly, has faith that God is going to be with her through this. As the possibility began to unfold that the cancer had returned, I could tell that she was discouraged. She really didn't even want to go to the doctor and have to face the possibility that she was going to have to fight again. But I told her that I thought that the fact the doctor was being so attentive was a positive sign. I told her that the doctor believed that she had a lot more life to live, and wanted to make sure that she was able to live it. She told me that those words encouraged her, and I could tell because after that she went on the offensive, tracking down results, getting appointments with doctors when none were available, and staying positive through it all. I know that God has blessed her, and that He will be taking care of her in all of these situations.

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." Ephesians 3:20

Mexico Recap

The team arrived home on Saturday night and we were all glad to be back safely. But I think that all of us will take a little piece of Mexico with us in our hearts for the rest of our lives. For me it was the opportunity to meet Yanitza (pictured here). Soon she will be moving in to the small house that we all had a hand in constructing. As she walked through the property she was smiling in anticipation of the day she will be able to move in. Steve, who led our trip, told us that she is currently living in a space even smaller than the one we are building, and there are nine children in the home. Soon, she will bring her three children to stay in this newly created home. Steve said that he asked her where she wanted beds positioned and other questions about the house, and she replied that it didn't matter because it was going to be such a blessing to have more space than she does now. The humbling thing is that she is so grateful for what she will be receiving. It makes me realize how ungrateful I am at times for how God has blessed me. For our team, it made us realize how much impact we can have when we choose to serve. Even though we were only in Mexico for a few short days, the work that we did will make a difference to Yanitza and her family for years to come. (If you would like to see more pictures of our trip, click here.)