Thursday, November 30, 2006

Top 10 Ugliest Uniforms of all time

I read this on Fox Sports, and thought it was a great slideshow of shots of what they deemed the top 10 ugliest uniforms in professional sports. I agree with most of them, but I still think the color of the Vancouver Grizzlies/Memphis Grizzlies is the least professional. What do you guys think? Check out the slide show:

Top 10 Ugliest Professional Uniforms of all Time

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Shout Hallelujah!


It was a good house, and gave us lots of memories. However, as of 2:00 p.m. today, it will serve to make memories for someone else.

We finally, after 6 months of frustration, closed on our house in Olive Branch, MS. I know many of you have been praying for us, and we truly appreciate it. God be praised in this matter. I know He helped me out. We were scared we were going to have to pay a ton in closing, but we ended paying less than half of what we were told.

God truly is great.

Goodbye house, hello less stress filled life!!!

Monday, November 27, 2006

Quick prayer request

As selfish as it may seem, I am asking you all to say a quick prayer for our house in Memphis. Word on the street is that we have a good, bonified contract on it and will be closing on it soon.

We've been plauged with this house, and are ready to get rid of it. This looks rather promising, however, and we hope it works out well.

Also, please pray for my father and mother, Joe and Elaine Widick, as they travel to Honduras on Wednesday. They'll be gone for a few days to visit with some missionaries, and attend the Baxter Graduation.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

I am Thankful

So on this Thanksgiving of the year 2006, what are we all thankful for?

I am thankful for God on high, the loving Master and Creator of this universe, who continues to amaze me daily in so many ways. His blessings are greater than I could ever imagine, and even on days when it seems like nothing is going right, He always is there for me.

I am thankful for my wife Kristen, who has amazing love and patience with such a wretch like me. There are so many days when I don't understand why she loves me, and so many days when I couldn't blame her for storming out, but she never does, her love, like the Father's, is constant.

I am thankful for the Lord's church, especially here in Guntersville, Alabama. The people here are wonderful, loving, forgiving, generous, and genuine.

I am thankful for my family: My father for always listening to me and being able to offer support, my mother for being the greatest cook in the entire world, my brother, I'm thankful for him being alive this year after such a scare he gave us, and my sister for being so kind and wonderful. For their spouses, for being so great to me, loving me as part of their family. For my nieces and nephews for being so full of life with such a great outlook, and for always rushing to give me a hug when they see me.

I am thankful for my in-laws. Granted, there are times when I feel as if I just don't fit in, but they accept me anyways. I have a beautiful father-in-law and mother-in-law, who are God fearing people and would do anything for us.

I am thankful for my dog, Chloe, who offers such brightness in this world of darkness. You can't help but look at her and smile. She loves me no matter what, and is never in a bad mood.

I am thankful for my friends, dear friends in Huntsville, in Memphis, in Ashland City, and in Houston. I am thankful for my friends all over this world, from Tennessee, to Honduras, to Scotland.

I am thankful that God has blessed me with the knowledge of salvation, His love, and the ability to teach others about it. I am thankful for the written word of God, and the ability I have to read it and understand it.

I am thankful that this season, I will be able to sit down at a table full of bountiful food, enough to feed several families. I am thankful that this season I have the financial means to purchase gifts for my family and friends. I am thankful that I have a warm house, a driveable car, and clothes that even if they don't make me look thinner, fit me and keep me warm.

I am thankful for the teenagers in my youth group. There's not a one that I can't learn from daily. They have a zeal for God, and want to know Him.

I am thankful for the parents and volunteers who help with our youth group. I am thankful for the staff I work with, Lisa and Phillip and Donna.

I am thankful for James Byrd, a man who does work for us around the church building in exchange for groceries and gas money, and who always finishes what he starts, and never once complains.

I am thankful that one day, this earth will end, and we will be able to go live with our father in Heaven, without pain and suffering, and singing praises to him for an eternity.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Stranger than Fiction


Last night my wife and I did something we haven't done in quite a while. We went on a date on a Monday night. I told her that I felt like we were in college again. It had been an unusually rough day. I didn't feel well, she had another trial filled day working with her two year olds, so I proposed a date night.

We drove to Huntsville, and went to eat at McAlister's Deli (a favorite of Kristen's), and then walked around Target for a few minutes. Then we proceeded over to the Rave Theater, and went to go see the movie "Stranger than Fictioin" starring Will Ferrell.

Let me start off by saying this is not a stereotypical Ferrell flick. He was not his usual goofy and silly self. He had a more mature demeanor, however he was still hilarious.

The movie is based upon this guy named Harold Crick, who has a very routine life and does the same thing day in and day out. He works for the IRS as an auditor. His life is all about numbers.

One day, a voice pops into his head. The voice seems to be narrating his life. As quoted from the movie, "Its telling me what i've just done and using a better vocabulary".

The voice is actually an author, who is famous for writing books about people who die. Coincidence occurs when her main character's name is Harold's name as well. Harold spends the rest of the movie trying to figure out who the voice is, and in the meantime learns how to live a real life.

I thought the movie was pretty brilliant, especially for a Will Ferrell movie. If you go in just expecting a brainless comedy which is full of potty humor, you will be sadly disappointed. If you go in expecting an intelligent comedy, you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Stranger than Fiction: I Give you 4 out of 5 stars ****, because there are some slow parts of the movie that could have been filled with a bit more humor.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Will it work out for us?

Let me start off by saying that the fall retreat we had this past weekend was great. The highlight was around 11:30 on Saturday night. It was very cold, about 30 degrees outside. Forecasters were actually calling for flurries. I was just about to start the movie "Cars" for our evening activity, when one of our great college age volunteers, Hailey Black, called me over to talk.

Come to find out, her cousin Vince wanted to be baptized. So off we went to the only place at Coker Creek Village deep enough to baptize him...the creek. We all went down to the creek, Vince and I walked into the what seemed like sub-zero temperature water, and I immersed him into the water in baptism.

Then, to top off the weekend, we came home to a great phone call. Our realor called us and mentioned that she is pretty sure we have a good offer/contract on our house. So hopefully later this week I'll be able to report some good news.

We've been holding on to this house too long, but if this offer actually comes through, it will be the best one offered to us thus far.

I'm also soliciting prayers for my wife, Kristen. She is seeking to find a better job, as she is not very happy with hers right now. Please pray that God will bless her with a more rewarding job, both with a better paycheck, but more importantly without leaving her feeling as if she is overqualified.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

In reference to my 100th post

I decided I would give you guys the answer key to my quiz I put on my 100th post, since the test doesn't really do that for you.

1. My middle name?
a. Lane
b. Herschel
c. Michael
d. Derrick

ANSWER: B, Herschel

Tidbits- Lane is my first name, and Derrick is my grandfather's, my father's, my brother's, and both nephew's middle names. Michael is a friend's name.

2. What was my favorite childhood football team?
a. New York Giants
b. Denver Broncos
c. Buffalo Bills
d. Houston Oilers

ANSWER: C, Buffalo Bills

Tidbits- I liked the Buffalo Bills because when I was in second grade, we had to do a report on an African American of our choosing during Black History Month. I chose none other than O.J. Simpson, who at the time was not a fugitive. He played running back for the Buffalo Bills.

3. What superlative did I get my senior year?
a. Cutest
b. Funniest
c. Most Likely to succeed
d. Most Spirited

ANSWER: D, Most Spirited

Tidbits- Cutest went to a druggie, Funniest went to Greg Landers (whose father and sister both won funniest, and he lobbied for it because he wanted to keep it running in his family), and most likely to succeed went to a guy who eventually made a porn movie in a family park.

4. What type of dog was Molly?
a. Schnauzer
b. Pug
c. Lab
d. Mutt

ANSWER: A, Schnauzer

Tidbits- We currently own a pug, and I had a childhood lab named Tipsy (not because she was drunk, but because of a white tip on her tail). I don't think we ever owned a mutt.

5. What character did I play in the musical The Sound of Music my senior year?
a. Max
b. Rolf
c. Captain Von Trapp
d. Nazi Extra

ANSWER: C, Captain Von Trapp

Tidbits- Max was played by none other than Eric Law, Rolf was played by my good friend Jason Bybee, and the lone Nazi Extra I remember was Brad "Biscuit" Siegrest.

6. What city have I not lived in?
a. Houston, TX
b. Olive Branch, MS
c. Ashland City, TN
d. Nashville, TN

ANSWER: D, Nashville, TN

Tidbits- I lived in Houston for two years after I got out of college. I lived in Olive Branch for a year, and in Ashland City for two years. I was born in Nashville, and technically I guess lived there for the first day or two of my life.

7. Which of the following was not a job I had in high school?
a. Manager of the basketball team
b. Yearbook Photographer
c. Academic Decathlon Coach
d. President of the National Honor Society

ANSWER: A, Manager of the basketball team

Tidbits- I took pictures for the paper and the yearbook. I was elected the National Honor Society President because the class before me didn't want a woman president (I had nothing to do with that!!). Believe it or not, we had an Academic Decathlon Team that I helped coach. I never once was the manager of the basketball team.

8. I ran and lost after running for what position?
a. Student body vice-president
b. student body secretary
c. student body President
d. student body treasurer

ANSWER: C, Student Body Presidnent

Tidbits- I ran and lost to Wynne Baker. I couldn't even tell you who won the other three positions.

Hope you enjoyed those! Everyone say a prayer for us this weekend, we have our fall retreat and we're taking about 30 people up to Coker Creek Village. Our Guntersville Wildcats are in the playoffs Friday and hopefully will win!

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

My 100th Post

I would like to thank all of you who read my blog. I don't know who all reads, but I'm glad you do.

This is my official 100th post. To celebrate, I'm going to give you a quiz about myself that I stole from Jason Bybee's blog.

Take time to see how much you know me from reading my blog!

Leaderboard
Create your own friendquiz here

Sunday, November 05, 2006

This is the body, This is the blood


I read I Corinthians 10 and 11 and wonder often if the way I partake of the Lord's Supper is how God intended for this memorial feast to be.

Is it really possible in the 2 or 3 minutes we spend in taking the bread and juice to examine ourselves?

At our church here in Guntersville, we pick the thimble sized portion of grape juice out of the tray and pass the tray on, and put the little cup in the provided holder on the back of the pew in front of us. At least we're able to take our time to drink the juice.

But what about the churches who pass the tray and the people have to put their used cup back in the tray? Sure it saves time in clean up, but does that give you time to examine yourself?

I know that in our modern time constraints of church service, we have about an hour to cram in all the worship aspects, or people start to get upset. We'll spend 30 minutes on a sermon, and 20 minutes singing a song, but only a few short moments on this memorial feast. I don't know about you, but I spend more time than that eating a snack pack of pudding.

I suppose its all in how you approach this "feast", but let's face it, the deck is stacked against you when you confine the parameters of it in a set amount of time. When I remember something, I like to talk about it with others, but when was the last time you talked with someone during the communion time?

I don't see the Last Supper as a time when everyone buried their hands in their faces and closed their eyes in reverent memory and thought. I see them discussing the life of Jesus, possibly weeping together, or celebrating together.

Does anyone else think that there are aspects of the worship service we do that aren't exactly how God intended it?