Capitol One Bowl

The Razorbacks take on the Wisconsin tomorrow and McFadden and Jones are going to run all over the badgers. They had a cupcake schedule with only playing one top 25 team. Jim Donnan with ESPN has a great take on the game.

Arkansas enters this game fresh off a tough loss to Florida in the SEC championship game. The Razorbacks have a young team that is talented all around, and will benefit from having time to regroup. Wisconsin is coming off a great regular-season run that ended on a high with their No. 6 ranking in the last AP poll of the season. The Badgers' lone loss came at the hands of their only ranked opponent: Michigan. It will be interesting to see how Wisconsin fares against an Arkansas squad that came close to running the table in the nation's toughest conference. The Badgers are assuredly talented, but the Razorbacks will provide a real test for them as well. Both teams run the ball extremely well, to the point where the quarterbacks are nearly a non-factor. This game will be won or lost on the ground.

Pennsylvania

We arrived in PA last night at 2 a.m. (3 a.m. eastern time). I kept the clock in my car on central time so it wouldn't seem so late. It is good to be home. I mentioned on Friday that I was going to see We are Marshall and let me say, it was awesome. It pumped me up and made me want to go conquer the world.

Family & friends

I love spending quality time with family. Jonathan and I out eating some great soup in a bread bowl from San Francisco Bread Company and surfing the web. In about an hour, we are headed to the movies to see We Are Marshall. Since we have been in Arkansas, I have gotten to see a ton of my friends and all of my family. I spent a couple of days at my Grandmother's. There is nothing better than staying at Gram's House. For more about that check Jonathan's entry on my favorite holiday by far. God has given me a big family with an older sister, Rebekah who has four children and lives in Broken Arrow, OK. I also have two younger brothers whom most of you know well. When we get together there are a ton of kids running around and the conversation usually finds its way on religion or used cars. Over all we have a blast. My parents recently remarried so on holidays, the entire family spends it together. I have a lot of friends in central Arkansas since I attended seminary in Little Rock and ministered at various churches in the area. Today I had lunch with Derrick Shaw and Ben Hightower. I had the honor of performing both of their weddings. I love those guys. I thank God for allowing me to spend a couple of weeks in Arkansas so I can catch up with everyone and watch some good movies. If you haven't seen Will Smith's new movie The Pursuit of Happiness, go see it. It is great! Jonathan and I also got my wife's satellite radio installed so we will have some great tunes on the way home. As I enter my last blog from Razorback Country, I say its been great to see everyone and GO HOGS!

~ time in the south ~

I am currently sitting at San Francisco Bread in Little Rock, checking my e-mail and surfing the net. Christmas in Arkansas had been a blast. We have been able to spend time with both mine and Renee's families. There is nothing better than spending quality time with friends and family. I am glad we got to spend Christmas here. This Christmas is our first as a "church planting family" and we have been so blessed this Christmas. There have been half a dozen churches and individuals who showered us with gifts and it has been awesome. I thank everyone who gave us gifts.

I did get to spend last Wed. night with Ross McBroome and the students from First Landmark in Sheridan AR. They are coming to PA this summer for a mission trip and I am pumped. My youngest son Micah keeps saying, “I want to go home.” I would have to agree with him. 2007 is quickly approaching and I am ready to get the new year kicked off and going in Washington.

Top Things I Hate About Traveling

We made our trip from PA to AR in one day. We left at 7 p.m. and arrived at 10:30 p.m. We spent a long time on the road and I wanted to list some of the things I hate about traveling.

1. Stinky funky bathrooms (every state needs QTs aka Quick Trips-the best convenient stores only located in OK & GA)

2. Truckers who think they own the road

3. Stopping every 45 min - 1 hour for bathroom breaks (pregnant wife)

4. Eating too much fast food for convenience sake

5. Paying $2.35 a gallon for gas

6. No radio because I broke the antenna off in a car wash (I recently purchased a SIRIUS satellite radio specifically for our trip but still need my F.M. antenna)

7. Two worst stretches of Highway seperating PA and AR -
Between Nashville and Jackson TN and West Memphis and Little Rock AR

8. Getting stuck in traffic because of a wreck miles ahead (waited for an hour and a half 30 miles south of Nashville)

Overall the trip wasn't too bad. I just wanted to vent a little. My wife and sons did awesome and we actually had a great time until we got stuck outside of Nashville. I thank God for safe travel. From now on we will make the trip in one day. I am glad to be on Christmas break chllin with the family.

Blog Fast

I want to apologize for the lack of entries on my blog. I have recently took a seven day fast due to the lack having any internet connection. From now until the first of the year, my blog entries will be very sporadic. There seems to be no Panera Bread in Central Arkansas. I noticed yesterday while I was shopping in Little Rock yesterday that San Francisco Bread Company offers free WIFI, but that is too far to drive everyday. I am currently blogging from my brother's church in Benton. There are more entries to come.

Early Christmas

My family and I will be celebrating Christmas early this year. We are opening presents tonight. I know it is a little bit unorthodox, but I am known for doing things differently. We leave for Arkansas on Friday for a two week Christmas vacation. Jeremiah and Micah are ready to see their cousins and grandparents. I am looking forward to hanging out with everyone too. It is going to be refreshing seeing everyone.The only part of the trip I am not looking forward to is the fifteen hour trip there and back.

Trip To Inwood

My family and I just returned from a visit with our Sending Church in Inwood, WV. I have the best Sending Church with the greatest sending Pastor. It is so rejuvenating for us to visit with them. Just physically seeing everyone and hearing their encouraging words pumps us up. It makes us want to come back to Washington and continue on! I am so thankful to have met Pastor Devin and Inwood through Jason and Russ. I thank God for placing me in the best situation any church planter could dream of.

Christmas Party

Last night, Jason and Russell's families from Morgantown, Scott's family from Mercer, Andrew, Allison and my family all convened at our home in Washington for our first ever church planting Christmas party. Jason made some awesome Texas style salsa and Andrew brewed up some great Starbucks coffee. We had a blast sharing stories and being entertained by Jason and Scott. It was awesome. Seeing all of our children playing together was a true blesing.

I am preaching tomorrow night at Inwood on Seizing the Moment. Last night as I looked around the room I saw husband & wives, sons and daughters who had taken full advantage of the opportunities God had given them to plant churches. It takes great faith to move to a new place and plant a church, but the rewards are so great. It is my pray that more couples would answer God's call to plant more churches in WV and PA. I am glad to be part of the movement which is occurring!

Second Place

As I watched the Heisman Presentation tonight, I think everyone knew Troy Smith would walk away with the coveted trophy. He did by taking 87.6% of the first place votes, setting a new record. It was pretty cool to see Darren McFadden come in second ahead of Brady Quinn. I predict Mcfadden will be back in New York next year and has a great chance of winning the Heisman in '07.

Another First

Today, we got our first taste of winter in P.A. The temperature started out in the 30's and has dropped all day. It started snowing about 10:00 this morning and as of 3:00 this afternoon, we have about an inch. This was our first big snow and both of my sons absolutely loved it. We went out and sled and made some snow angels. I am posting a few pics. Our oldest son Jeremiah actually lasted a lot longer than his younger brother Micah. Micah absolutely hates posing for pics. I think I only captured his back.

Evaluation

Today Andrew and I sat down at Starbucks, with a tall maple latte in hand (I hate coffee), to evaluate our last six months of planting a church in Washington. We graded ourselves in the particular areas within our church plant. Some of the topics included relationship building, evangelism, small groups, accountability groups, prayer, events, discipleship, network building as well as some other things. There are some areas we have done really well and some which we need some work in. Our overall score came out as average. We have some work to do mostly because I refuse to be normal, mediocre, typical, fair or familar. I want everything we do to be exceptional and notable. I am excited about what God has in store for Project Ecclesia in 2007. Evaluation is necessary and needed. We have some new ideas and strategies we plan on implementing and then re-evaluate everything again in two months. We are glad that God has called us here and we definitely have a lot of work to do in order to reach the many unchurched people in Washington.

Lesson Learned

Currently, I hear God screaming BE FAITHFUL IN THE LITTLE THINGS! I always want more more more, larger larger larger, quicker quicker quicker. As I think back to the life of David as he watched over his father's sheep, God was saying, be faithful in the little things because one day you will do some great things. This has been a difficult thing for me to learn. I will probably never be the King over a country, but I hope one day to lead a church full of people. It is my prayer that I will faithfully lead the people God has currently given me so one day I can lead the more.