tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153724782011-07-16T23:06:50.071-05:00observations | conversations | exhortationsSteven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.comBlogger2531100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-7475614370222801082008-05-11T20:29:00.010-05:002008-05-11T21:34:39.037-05:00

Many superheroes gain their powers through some random accident or mishap.Peter Parker "gets bitten by a radioactive spider during a science demonstration" and becomes Spiderman. Bruce Wayne "[witnessed] the murder of his parents as a child [leading] him to train himself to physical and intellectual perfection and don a bat-themed costume in order to fight crime" as Batman. Dr. Robert Bruce

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-40781748771192258562008-04-23T11:57:00.005-05:002008-04-23T12:11:57.672-05:00

Nice product placement, Abercrombie & Fitch. How did you pull that off?Oh, wait ... that's right. It's hard to find any three random frat guys standing next to each other who are NOT wearing your self-promoting, over-priced t-shirts.Personally, I prefer my self-promoting, over-priced Polo shirts. They aren't as obvious.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-2450900856670069672008-04-23T08:47:00.003-05:002008-04-23T09:22:05.589-05:00

What would you do if you saw this on the way in to work?Well, apparently all of the thousands of inbound commuters on the west side of Houston either (1) cannot read, (2) don't have working horns, or (3) are stick-in-the-mud fuddy-duddies. We turned the radio down and had the windows cracked so we would be sure not to miss any birthday honks. But we got nothin'. Nada."Why aren't they honking for

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-70585823722387092008-04-10T09:18:00.004-05:002008-04-10T10:15:58.527-05:00

Soccer season kicked off last night with our first practice and parents' meeting. One of the items on the agenda: choosing a team name.This crucial decision was left in the hands of the kids (under the guidance of the coach's wife) while the coach conducted the parents' meeting. She took suggestions from the two girls and four boys assembled in a huddle on the field. One boy offered "tornadoes"

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-19722749150042270002008-03-18T11:25:00.002-05:002008-03-18T11:29:27.058-05:00

Love it.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-10099846960496983832008-03-14T09:36:00.014-05:002008-03-14T16:17:13.432-05:00

Three years after I first started growing my hair long, I finally decided I was over it. The number of out-of-control-flying-in-my-face bad hair days were beginning to outnumber the good ones. Plus, since I am now responsible for getting our son to school on time, I could benefit from shaving a few minutes off my prep time in the morning.Amanda opted to try out a new hair place near our house

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-525567314108414652008-01-27T14:53:00.001-06:002008-01-28T13:10:52.324-06:00

I went through rush twice at Baylor and never got a bid from a fraternity. I got over it a long, long time ago ... but Saturday really helped put to rest any lingering issues I may have had with the rejection.Months ago, I told my groomsmen and ushers to save the date this weekend for a possible overnight stay somewhere -- a dude ranch? fishing trip? But as the BIG DAY approached and time and

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-64298433786215289012008-01-18T14:53:00.000-06:002008-01-18T15:06:29.260-06:00

The Comcast dude just left our place after four hours of getting us set up. I'm assuming everything works. Time will tell if everything is Comcastic.What is NOT Comcastic is that the technician apparently called some of his buddies and told him where he was working. I noticed a car waiting by the curb with a couple of other dudes in it. At first, I figured it was one of our new neighbors. But

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-42879853909670462762008-01-17T21:23:00.000-06:002008-01-17T21:40:04.872-06:00

One of my most favorite co-workers at HFBC is Shirley. Originally from Diboll in deep East Texas, Shirley has an accent that arrives about two minutes before she does wherever she goes. You may recall a previous post I made about her experience with OnStar. She had to cancel the service because everytime she called them the operator had to put her on hold while they found a specialized linguist

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-86720971302531201042008-01-12T14:51:00.000-06:002008-01-12T15:25:35.737-06:00

Today is Saturday, January 12 -- my first full day in our new home on Eagle Falls Street. The good folks from Cantu Moving showed up at my townhouse on Friday at 9:00 am sharp. Too sharp, actually. I overslept and spent the first hour or so helping them move in my glasses and morning hair. Not my best look, but one of the guys said they were used to it. By 11:15 am, we were packed up and on

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-86820441860659075592008-01-03T20:28:00.000-06:002008-01-03T20:30:26.457-06:00

This story is heartwarming and inspiring. Amanda and I have decided to take an extra week off for our honeymoon to help out with the cause.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-90166375315629944072008-01-02T22:12:00.000-06:002008-01-02T22:23:12.315-06:00

As a follow-up to my last post ... tonight, as Braden and I were driving on the Katy Freeway at rush hour to meet Amanda somewhere, he busted out with, "I love me some Chick-Fil-A!" I think it was his way of dropping a hint about what he wanted for dinner.Then, he warmed my heart with, "I love me some Steven!" Precious and adorable, right? Right.Then, after going nowhere for awhile as we sat

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-25041139864441353202008-01-02T15:22:00.000-06:002008-01-02T15:51:12.929-06:00

Here are a few random things that Braden has shared with us recently:"I love me some Fuddruckers!" -- on our way to eat there with my parents. I'm trusting that FBA will straighten out his grammar if we don't do it first."You don't know my life!" -- in response to just about anything. For those who know the story, you'll recognize that as the punchline from a story Natalie White Kondratenko

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-10330469156878534102007-12-27T18:58:00.000-06:002007-12-27T19:22:43.206-06:00

If you're like me on long flights, you doze in and out of sleep capturing a glimpse here and there of all that's going on in the cabin around you. Now, imagine opening your eyes during one of your more lucid moments to find this hanging off the passenger's ponytail in front of you: That's what happened to some poor folks on a flight from Peru to the United States. Kinda reminds me of this guy:

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-83395859643478486782007-12-27T17:40:00.001-06:002007-12-27T17:44:18.466-06:00

Amanda and I closed on our new home today. I'm not sure when I'll move in, but Amanda and Braden for sure will not move in until after the wedding.So for now, I can say that I have a city home and a house in the country. I like saying that.After we closed, we drove by the house and around the neighborhood. We spotted a woman walking her dog -- and a bird. That's right. She was walking a bird

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-77750042892673433992007-12-27T09:58:00.001-06:002007-12-27T10:47:29.260-06:00

On our way to Amanda's parents' house the other night, a car entered the freeway just before I did. But in this case, to use the term "car" is like using the term "house" to describe Versailles or the Biltmore Estate.No, my friends. This was no mere car. This was a Rolls Royce Phantom.Sure, this wasn't the first Rolls Royce I had ever come across. Living in Houston, it isn't all that unusual --

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-71589115090768157112007-12-19T17:40:00.000-06:002007-12-20T13:47:20.058-06:00

On Monday, I began to feel a sharp pain in my lower abdomen. I chalked it up to possibly pulling something while packing and moving heavy boxes into my PODS unit on Sunday. But on Monday evening when I went to bed, I could not get warm -- tossing and turning with the chills. Now, I've had about as many pulled muscles in my life as I've had athletic accomplishments, but I'm pretty sure that pulled

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-2542876176425360032007-12-17T12:17:00.000-06:002007-12-20T13:29:37.459-06:00

A couple of stories from our attempt to find coffee on Friday night ...Adventure #1Amanda and I went to the POPS concert at Jones Hall with my family on Friday night. Afterwards, she and I decided to go somewhere for some coffee since it wasn't very late and since Braden with with her parents that evening. A perfect setting for a spontaneous "date" with each other.Since Daily Grind now closes at

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-52736853922026748402007-12-14T14:12:00.000-06:002007-12-17T11:25:43.138-06:00

Forgot to tell you ...Last Monday, I took Braden to buy a few Christmas presents. As we were about to leave, I heard two of the staff members shrieking in the back by the service exit door. My initial thought: Somebody is trying to break in or attack one of the workers, taking advantage of the dark alley behind the building!I looked around the corner and saw that the back door was open. One of

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-85554175623427760552007-12-13T14:05:00.001-06:002007-12-13T14:49:05.957-06:00

I called the wrecker service in Falfurrias. (There's a phrase I've never said before.) The kind receptionist confirmed that the Explorer was, indeed, used to smuggle illegal aliens. Nice.And even though I explained that I am no longer the owner, she said that -- by law -- she has to mail me a second notice "41 days" from the date it was impounded. However, she says that I do not have to take any

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-66981688465715939652007-12-12T10:16:00.000-06:002007-12-12T10:59:45.266-06:00

I received a certified letter in the mail the other day. Actually, I received the postcard that says they tried to deliver a certified letter and that I would have to go to the post office to pick it up. Ugh.In the midst of buying a house, I figured it may have something to do with the loan approval or one of the many other steps involved in the process. So, I added "Stop by the Post Office"

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-41762667362586410802007-12-03T16:45:00.000-06:002007-12-04T14:23:20.538-06:00

For those of you who have ever put a stake in the ground to boldly proclaim your position on something, let my story serve as a cautionary tale of what may very well happen to you:Old Me: Living outside the Loop is ... well, I don't know what it is, but it's NOT really "living."New Me: I already have plans for where I'll hang Christmas lights next year on our new house outside Beltway 8. We found

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-63938311855500146292007-11-07T14:44:00.000-06:002007-11-07T14:47:31.474-06:00

I have much more to share about our trip to Baylor's homecoming this past weekend, but for now, I wanted to share this picture from Amanda and Braden's first bonfire! Sic 'Em!

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-56834189786967020812007-10-23T11:34:00.000-05:002007-10-23T13:21:43.249-05:00

Amanda and I attended our first couples event with our Married Young Adults class last night. It was a "Bring Your Own Pumpkin" party where each couple carved their own creation. Since Braden was with us, we let him choose the design. His choice? A big 48 to represent Jimmie Johnson (his favorite NASCAR driver).So, I cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin and gave Braden an ice cream scoop to

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-42459819754625659302007-09-25T13:38:00.000-05:002007-09-25T13:41:26.752-05:00

On Saturday, I was expecting a very important delivery of capital campaign materials. The plan was for the delivery guy to call me on my cell phone since I would already be at church for a Summit Ministries prayer breakfast (for the capital campaign, actually). When the estimated delivery time came and went without a phone call, I contacted the man behind all of our beautiful campaign materials

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-72723476690399803372007-09-24T15:21:00.000-05:002007-09-24T15:49:40.091-05:00

I've moved in to a larger office here at work. Or at least on Tuesdays until about 5:30 pm.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-59635709759382189252007-09-20T09:16:00.000-05:002007-09-20T10:11:27.558-05:00

My niece and nephew turned 13 this week. Some of you may remember when they were born. I sure do.It was 1994 and I was staffed in Miami on my first out-of-town project with Accenture (then Andersen Consulting). Since they were born on a Monday, I had to wait until Friday evening to see them. And since Al Gore's invention--the internet--had not quite caught on, my parents had no way of sending me

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-35388476642005921702007-09-13T23:02:00.000-05:002007-09-13T23:36:46.666-05:00

While in the Nashville area for a conference, a group of us from Houston headed to Dotson's Restaurant for dinner in historic downtown Franklin.It's listed as a "meat and three" place and that's what I had -- meat and three sides. Meat loaf, green beans, mac 'n' cheese, and sweet potato casserole, to be exact. I should have journaled before I ate. That dinner changed my life.I was impressed by

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-52452708874858050022007-08-29T19:01:00.000-05:002007-08-29T19:26:32.905-05:00

Groundhog Day is just silly, right? Clearly, the behavior patterns of an underground critter have no bearing on the climatic conditions of an entire nation -- or on anywhere, for that matter.So, February 2 needs a new claim to fame.There it is on the calendar, an innocent victim in the mad rush to the all-consuming Valentines Day less than two weeks away. Target and Walgreens have their

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-27993808972487743612007-08-29T11:17:00.000-05:002007-08-29T11:44:59.195-05:00

If you read the post about the Damsel in Distress and Dude in a Dilemma, please read this post:Last night, Amanda called me shortly after I got home from having dinner with her and Braden. It was about 8:30 pm and she was stranded on the shoulder of an overpass on the 610 Loop in the Galleria area. The car had run out of gas. It was dark. It was raining. And she had a four-year old in the

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-964374992799134252007-08-28T11:19:00.000-05:002007-08-28T11:42:30.363-05:00

I am down-right, beside-myself, thrilled-beyond-words, giddy-like-a-kid-on-Christmas-morning happy to tell you that I am officially engaged!The big moment went down last night in the HFBC Worship Center. Yesterday was Amanda’s 31st birthday, so we made plans to go to dinner. When I picked her up, I told her, "Honey, I hate to be "that guy" but I have to run up to work. I forgot to leave something

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-52122783824455006712007-07-30T12:15:00.000-05:002007-07-30T13:52:01.179-05:00

Sunday was Amanda's week to volunteer in Extended Teaching Care at church during the morning services. She loves the opportunity to hold the newborn babies. If I were her, I would love the fact that volunteers are not permitted to change the diapers. That is a paid worker's duty (no pun intended). But I digress ...So, we decided that I would go to morning church, too, and we planned for her

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-63125387793231238102007-07-23T12:51:00.000-05:002007-07-23T13:07:41.802-05:00

A couple of items from our trip to Colorado:A bag of chips I had for lunch had an expiration date of 9/11. "What's the big deal?" you ask? If you don't know, then you don't know my life. Here's some background: August 9, August 12, August 16.Here's an example of horrible layout and design from a restaurant menu:Since it's hard to read, let me type it out for you:Great Kids MenuBeer, Wine &

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-52442615595861416362007-07-11T14:32:00.000-05:002007-07-11T14:41:24.888-05:00

A representative from a local radio station presented a proposal to me today for a potential radio ad campaign for HFBC. It was a follow-up to a previous meeting weeks ago.At the end of the presentation, she shared an additional incentive with me. She spoke with her general sales manager and he agreed that if we sign on with them, they would never again play "Happy Birthday, Jesus" on the air.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-90807422378838761742007-07-09T15:00:00.000-05:002007-07-09T15:56:09.171-05:00

Today, a digital camera I ordered for work arrived from Amazon. Inside the box was the invoice, packaging materials ... and a coupon for 55 cents off one (1) package of Hormel Natural Choice Deli Meat.The coupon also includes a recipe for a bagelwich. Here are the directions:"To assemble bagelwich, layer bottom half of bagel with lettuce leaf, cheese slices, tomato slices, bell pepper rings, ham

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-81397082874105142862007-07-08T13:52:00.000-05:002007-07-08T14:13:48.416-05:00

The validity of the poll may leave some room for doubt, but here are the "New Seven Wonders Of The World" as determined by an international audience:The Great Wall of ChinaRome's ColosseumIndia's Taj MahalJordan's Petra Peru's Machu PicchuBrazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer (sweet!)Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid(You'll notice that these are all man-made "wonders" of our world. The website linked

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-20423124163671789952007-07-05T10:52:00.000-05:002007-07-05T11:51:44.276-05:00

A Rolling Stone reader poll has determined the 20 most annoying songs ever:Black Eyed Peas, My HumpsLos Del Rio, MacarenaBaha Men, Who Let The Dogs OutCeline Dion, My Heart Will Go OnNickelback, PhotographLou Bega, Mambo No. 5James Blunt, You're BeautifulSpice Girls, WannabeSisqo, The Thong SongCher, BelieveAqua, Barbie GirlChumbawumba, Tub ThumperRednex, Cotton-Eyed JoeEiffel 65, BlueCrash Test

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-34204577062534325572007-07-05T09:46:00.000-05:002007-07-05T10:05:26.260-05:00

Just a few random observations from the past week ...(1) This is from one of my frequent lunch spots. The misspellings abound there, as evidenced by this sample from their whiteboard menu. Not pictured here is another offer for "free" chips and queso with a certain purchase. Why the word "free" is in quotes makes me suspicious. What's the hidden cost?(2) One of my all-time favorite spots in

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-53111748950640860652007-07-05T09:39:00.000-05:002007-07-05T09:41:28.696-05:00

Check out BibleMap. It's pretty cool.That's all.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-62863807404918147102007-06-25T00:12:00.000-05:002007-06-25T00:25:22.065-05:00

I thought this was a novelty gag gift when I saw it at the end of the check-out aisle at Buc-ees in Luling. But as I commented out loud to Amanda that it had to be joke, the customer in line behind us assured us that it was not. He should know -- he happened to be a Budweiser employee.If you haven't connected the dots just yet, let me spell this out for you. Inside that can is a combination of

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-27934986373178180442007-06-14T11:48:00.000-05:002007-06-14T12:39:10.577-05:00

On Sunday, June 10, I had the honor of representing all megachurches in a brief interview on Fox News Channel. In case you missed it, click here to view the interview using QuickTime.THE BACKGROUNDSo, how did this all come about?On Friday, I received a call from a FNC staff member. They wanted to know if our pastor would be available for the story at 12:30 pm on Sunday. I checked with Gregg to

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-65726639932113174572007-06-09T14:50:00.000-05:002007-06-10T01:02:02.735-05:00

If you read my reports from the Belize mission trip, you'll remember the story of the "Bible scholars" at the orphanage. Here's a picture of the guys (l to r): Errol, me, Aaron, and Kendrick.Aaron joined me while I was guarding the basketball hoop tower against the other kids. They wanted to climb it or shake it in an attempt to knock Russ off while he was helping to install a new hoop. On our

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-47100821378396473402007-06-07T16:31:00.000-05:002007-06-07T18:02:16.249-05:00

The latest addition to my office:If the camera phone picture isn't clear enough for you, it says:"I wasn't a great communicator, but I communicated great things."Ronald Reagan For me, this quote summarizes what I do here at HFBC. I'm not that great, but the Message is GREAT! (Insert Tony the Tiger impression here.)

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-67854417888032052662007-06-02T08:44:00.000-05:002007-06-02T09:12:14.223-05:00

Have you ever pondered what it was like for the early church to communicate with one another as the faith spread around the present-day Middle East and beyond -- especially when they were out on missionary journeys? How long it took to hear from one another?That thought crossed my mind once again this week in a moment on the mission trip to Belize. While sitting in the business center at the

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-53905940621103713122007-06-01T11:27:00.000-05:002007-06-02T08:41:47.768-05:00

Howdy from Belize!Sorry for the delay between reports. This will be the last one from the trip. I'm typing over a cup of coffee (sweetened with pure cane sugar) in an internet bar called "Lime" across the street from the "airport" in the heart of San Pedro. Prop-planes are lined up and ready to go. I'm pretty sure Jimmy Buffet is sitting a few stools away.So, where were we? Oh right, Tuesday ...

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-66695597761907849622007-05-29T14:20:00.000-05:002007-05-30T17:49:49.818-05:00

Hello, from Belize!Well, we're on Day 2 of full-time ministry here in Belize City. I thought you might like to get a brief update on how things have been going so far ...Saturday, May 26Arrived here with no problems at all. That evening, we had dinner at the hotel with three pastors (and one of them brought his wife). After dinner, we all met together in a meeting room at the hotel for a time

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-16564454084322075562007-05-19T22:55:00.000-05:002007-05-19T23:42:56.727-05:00

Late Friday afternoon, I received a phone call at work from an elderly woman with the sound of concern in her voice. "I understand that you are the person I need to speak to about flying the American flag for Memorial Day," she started as soon as I answered the phone."Huh?" I thought without expressing it out loud."I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm not quite sure what you are talking about," I said much

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-21281736505406705632007-05-11T08:47:00.000-05:002007-05-11T09:11:05.679-05:00

Remember the story about the damage to my car? The passenger-side scrape and the mirror hanging on by wires?Well, when my dad saw the car and the dangling mirror, he said, "What you need to do is get some duct tape ..." "No!" I asserted as I interrupted him. "Any conversation about repairing a car that begins with getting duct tape is not a conversation I want to have."Truth be told, I stopped by

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-24011130914859740812007-05-04T16:44:00.000-05:002007-05-04T17:44:29.972-05:00

"Of one thing we can be certain: The range of our choices in life will be on the rise. With wealth and knowledge growing exponentially, life has begun to resemble a smorgasbord, where the appetizers are laid before us in an alluring array, making us ever more gluttonous but with proportionately diminishing satisfaction. We need to be reminded that imbibing and disgorging are not just physical

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-13348005426058334602007-05-02T17:45:00.000-05:002007-05-02T17:55:26.590-05:00

As a member of Leadership Houston's Class XXIII, I was introduced to nearly 50 other classmates from all walks of life throughout the Houston community. Together, we learned about a variety of issues facing our city and heard from leaders in the public and private sectors about what can be done about them. We also gained valuable experience about leadership in general.Applications are now

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-58682242763691911222007-04-18T22:56:00.000-05:002007-04-19T10:07:03.840-05:00

When I left work on Tuesday, I found that my car had been side-swiped in the church parking lot. The guilty woman left a nice note on my windshield. Now, there is a scrape/dent along the passenger side doors -- and my side mirror is hanging on by a wire. When I drive down the road, the mirror just dangles there knocking up against the door -- bump, bump, bump.The timing wasn't so great for this

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-53125528824476578732007-04-11T00:32:00.000-05:002007-04-11T01:30:31.740-05:00

I know who Don Imus is, but I've never heard his talk show. Similarly, I know what catfish is, but I've never tasted it.This morning, the Today show practically tied me down and shoved a 646-pound Mekong giant catfish down my throat -- without the decency of giving me fries on the side.Matt Lauer (whose job I still want) grilled Imus on his comment about the Rutgers women's basketball team. Then,

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1894989951431064282007-04-05T12:53:00.000-05:002007-04-05T13:05:46.692-05:00

Three things I keep reminding myself to get through the initial buyer's remorse: (1) It'll grow back.(2) At least I have hair to cut.(3) Amanda says she does not love me for my hair. (*) (*) She said that before I got it cut. She did not say that after I got it cut, as in "I love you despite your hair." Just wanted to go on record with that, thank you very much.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-37299508204231175382007-04-04T12:09:00.000-05:002007-04-04T12:19:27.696-05:00

For a girl born and raised in Iowa, Mom pulls off the whole Texas thing pretty well, huh?

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-8547407643773282682007-03-31T15:16:00.000-05:002007-03-31T15:36:24.638-05:00

This post is more than 5 years overdue. But as I sit here at the Daily Grind working on my computer and listening to Sting, I cannot get past a certain song. It reminds me of a moment -- over 5 years ago -- that left an impression on me that I've never been able to shake.It was in 2001 or 2002 and I was at home watching TV. There was a 2-hour special on A&E with Sting doing a private concert

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-76398397774242292942007-03-31T14:05:00.000-05:002007-03-31T14:16:24.026-05:00

Move over, Sanjaya. I've got the hair AND I can actually sing. That makes me a formidable competitor. On top of that, I know some people in India who can turn the tide my way if I ask. I'm just saying.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-90674385834817053402007-03-22T13:13:00.000-05:002007-03-22T14:09:02.847-05:00

I received the following IM from Amanda this morning:"Thank you for the roses, they are beautiful!"That put me in a pickle. I did not send her any flowers, but she thought that I did. There's no way I was going to be "that guy" and try to claim responsibility. And, I didn't want my natural curiosity to come across too strong and risk looking as though I was concerned about who the sender may

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-67702164431425853272007-03-20T16:48:00.000-05:002007-03-20T16:56:06.204-05:00

It may not be a front page story about the gift of salvation, but the caption of this photo on the Chronicle's website made me happy.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-4501054388678982522007-03-19T13:10:00.000-05:002007-03-19T14:10:06.335-05:00

On Sunday in the Real Deal (the Sunday Bible study I teach), I may have experienced my newest most embarrassing moment. Here's how it all went down ...We were reviewing the latest unit that we just completed in our curriculum. I presented some "real world" scenarios to the class and asked them to discuss how the lessons we've studied could be applied to each one.One of the scenarios was:You work

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-31420948695335382082007-03-09T11:11:00.000-06:002007-03-09T11:22:34.290-06:00

Yesterday, I saw my first bluebonnets of the season in Memorial Park. At the risk of somebody referring to me as the "Real Men Of Genius" ad's "Too Proud of Texas Guy," let me lead us all in our national anthem. All together now ... Texas, our Texas! All hail the mighty State!Texas, our Texas! So wonderful so great!Boldest and grandest, Withstanding ev'ry test; O Empire wide and glorious, You

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-70509133617243088622007-03-06T15:36:00.000-06:002007-03-06T15:52:24.863-06:00

On this day in 1836, the Alamo fell. Gen. Sam Houston cleaned up the mess about six weeks later by defeating Santa Anna and his peeps near present-day Baytown.On this day in 1998, my house became mine. This is the 9th anniversary of my closing date. Over the years, I'm sure my house has been invaded by more people than the Alamo was -- several times over, in fact. And she's still standing

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-55571027511186941642007-03-03T10:54:00.000-06:002007-03-05T22:15:36.110-06:00

The Houston Chronicle called the other day to get a quote from Pastor Gregg about James Cameron's new documentary, The Lost Tomb of Jesus. The article ran today in their Religion section, with Pastor Gregg's comments at the top of the story."The Bible throughout history has stood firm while people have desired and tried to throw rocks at it," said the Rev. Gregg Matte, pastor of Houston's First

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-79969829632234728932007-03-02T15:52:00.000-06:002007-03-02T15:54:15.717-06:00

There, but for the grace of God, go I. Bless his heart.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-26421920293323518132007-03-01T22:23:00.000-06:002007-03-01T22:39:40.738-06:00

Thanks to Stan for digging up these old pictures! Debbie (Dodson) Stouse and some random guy. Some random guy with Mike Cabiro (l) and Les Brown (r). Mike and Les were in my first accountability group. Most of you know Mike already. You can get to know Les on his blog -- The Road Les Travels.Some random guy and Stan Kwan trying to look even more alike than they already do.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-65294400527294573262007-02-22T23:43:00.000-06:002007-02-22T23:47:42.589-06:00

I went to Starbucks tonight and unexpectedly stumbled across one of the greatest natural wonders of the good ol' United States.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-92174662454365266182007-02-21T20:36:00.000-06:002007-02-21T20:53:57.575-06:00

After a long day of back-to-back meetings from 8:30 this morning until 7:30 this evening, I finally pulled out of the parking lot at work and headed home. On the way, I called one of my comfort food places near my house and placed a "to go" order. (Let's call it Philadexas.) After scarfing down a quick bite at lunchtime, I was hungry and ready to go home and just crash.Therefore, when I pulled

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-63615006071527678472007-02-21T00:13:00.000-06:002007-02-21T00:35:20.457-06:00

At dinner with some friends the other night, Susan told us about a guy she's been going out with lately. She willingly shared with us (out loud) that they discussed how to calculate the Dow Jones Industrial Average on one of their first dates.At that point, Cathy confessed, "Wow! I'm pretty sure the most intelligent thought I've had all day was, 'Man, I wish I were black!'"Footnotes:(1) All

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-28767705845458012872007-02-20T12:05:00.000-06:002007-02-20T12:12:27.666-06:00

Here's an e-mail I accidentally received from a potential vendor. It was sent to me and his co-workers:"Will your Mother mind you working for the Baptists? Be sure and take Jill to the meeting with you and remind her to put the St. Christopher on her dash."Honestly, I thought it was funny. Here's my reply:"Looks like I received this e-mail by accident. If I need to call somebody’s mother and

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-4162741270550694722007-02-18T10:36:00.000-06:002007-02-18T10:46:19.300-06:00

Linda Huang, from HFBC, is headed to Rwanda in May 2007 to work as a full-time missionary with World Relief to Rwanda. She will help start up an international Christian school based on American educational curriculum and work as a World Relief worker teaching English communications to local NGO relief workers.Linda has launched a blog to help support her ministry and to educate people about the

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-75805075210427335682007-02-17T01:52:00.000-06:002007-02-17T08:37:08.632-06:00

I thought of another one:(7) Paper towels. They have to be solid white. No patterns. No exceptions. Currently, I'm living with a roll that tells me that "A mother is the truest friend we have" and that "Mothers nurture the flowers in the garden of life." (What?) I'm hoping this roll was left over from a party. Otherwise, I have to come to grips with the fact that my roommate may have bought them.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-85350302842245645462007-02-15T21:14:00.000-06:002007-02-15T21:41:37.717-06:00

This is one of those posts that allows me to publicly laugh at myself, as well as enables me to warn others before they make the same mistake.I made a Key lime pie the other night. The recipe said to use a 2/3 cup of juice from real Key limes (and not just regular limes) if possible. I guess the way that was worded led me to believe that the juice had to come directly from Key limes -- with no

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-7429287778956675922007-02-12T22:59:00.000-06:002007-02-12T15:23:16.646-06:00

Well, I heard from Antarctica but it won't show up on my cluster map:Hi Steven,I'm afraid that won't work - all our networking is transferred via our headquarters in Cambridge, UK, so any user who visits your website will appear to be from the UK, not Antarctica.Sorry about that!SimonSo, like I thought, it won't show up on my map. But at least I made contact! Maybe Simon and his chums will be

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-33917096065369853852007-02-11T11:37:00.000-06:002007-02-10T00:20:15.412-06:00

Africa? Antarctica? Are you out there? On my cluster map (over there in the right margin), you are yet to be represented. I'm guessing my odds are slim for the ice continent since I doubt many ISPs are actually based there. Nonetheless, I just sent an e-mail to a British research station there asking them to stop by and visit in their free time. We'll see.But Africa surprises me a little.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-3520222192238337502007-02-09T23:07:00.000-06:002007-02-10T00:13:48.460-06:00

I detest those chain e-mails where you have to answer about 37 questions about yourself and copy just as many people with your answers. I'm pretty sure there aren't that many people who need to know (or care to know) my favorite ice cream flavor or the last book I read. And we all know how indescribably annoying uncalled-for "reply to all" e-mails can be, right? Exactly.So, I am pleased to find a

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-86444341192326511902007-02-09T11:53:00.000-06:002007-02-09T13:59:52.138-06:00

A close friend of mine has often commented on my loyalty. I take that as a great compliment.Therefore, it's difficult for me to confess how thoroughly disgusted I am with Gov. Rick Perry -- a man I have voted for every time he's been on the ballot.His latest move using an Executive Order to call for the vaccination of 6th grade girls throughout Texas against the human papillomavirus is just about

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-31367008750387972312007-02-08T08:19:00.000-06:002007-02-08T08:30:33.284-06:00

I recently learned that one of The Wiggles is named Murray. And yes, there is an action figure of him.(They call it a doll, but I'm calling it an action figure. Go with me on this one. Please.)If you want a Murray action figure of your own, click here. Apparently they are in high demand and very hard to find!And for the record, it does not appear to be anatomically correct. Just look at his

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-71586923392816134142007-02-06T10:51:00.000-06:002007-02-06T11:17:08.036-06:00

On this day:1895 - George Herman (Babe) Ruth was born in Baltimore, Maryland1911 - Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois2006 - Marjorie Ellen (Marge) Caldwell went home to be with Jesus2006 - Steven William Murray joined the staff of Houston's First Baptist Church

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-9893533336071761802007-02-05T20:22:00.000-06:002007-02-05T23:15:27.997-06:00

I just got back from the 2007 Summit Snow Jam. Who says you have to ski to have fun on a ski trip? Here's proof that you don't:Fly down a mountain at 50 mph. We were safely buckled in, of course, but it was still a rush to soar over the tree tops. Amanda insists that she won, but the guy at the end of the zip line says it was a tie. You decide.Discover a new subculture. The Iditarod takes place

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-53390606556986462542007-01-25T09:42:00.000-06:002007-02-05T20:03:40.626-06:00

(2/5/2007 - The link below has been corrected!)My brother Jeff recently got married to Cheryl in Mexico in a small ceremony on the beach. Pretty much none of you reading this will know them, but I needed to post something on my blog and I thought these pictures would do the trick!By the way ... the song is "I Could Not Ask For More" by Edwin McCain.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-49509527682342656112007-01-12T11:10:00.000-06:002007-01-12T11:35:40.742-06:00

I read this for the first time today and wanted to pass it along:Disturb us, Lord,When we are too pleased with ourselves,When our dreams have come trueBecause we dreamed too little,When we arrived safelyBecause we sailed too close to the shore.Disturb us, Lord,When with the abundance of things we possessWe have lost our thirstFor the waters of life;Having fallen in love with life,We have ceased

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-34325023843494298212007-01-11T07:56:00.000-06:002007-01-11T15:53:11.129-06:00

This is unbelievable to me ...I met up with a friend of mine whom I've known since 3rd grade. He decided to quit his job after being there for nearly 15 years, so I wanted to catch up with him to see what was going on.I asked if he would mind running by the post office while we were nearby. I wanted to check the status of a package I had mailed, and hoped they could give me an update on it.When I

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-58266328993206011602007-01-08T13:49:00.000-06:002007-01-08T13:55:03.354-06:00

I am now accepting entries for possible captions for the following picture. The winning entry will be based on the following criteria:Overall hilariousness and witAppropriateness for use on t-shirts, mousepads, magnets, and other give-away itemsCorrect spelling and grammarEntries must be submitted here on this blog, and must be received before the winner is selected. Prizes for honorable mention

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-3179975267615928712007-01-03T15:39:00.000-06:002007-01-03T15:44:25.249-06:00

This e-mail is from a friend of mine, but she did not send it to me directly. Therefore, I do not feel at liberty to out her here. (Look at me with the discretion!) But, here's what she said. I hope it's funny even though you don't know who it is. I promise that if you DID know who it is AND you knew her personally, it would be DARN funny. ------------------------------------- I DIDN'T NOTICE

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-85552143631787822692007-01-02T15:35:00.000-06:002007-01-02T15:47:30.320-06:00

2007 is still so young, its age can be referred to in hours. In fact, its only 39 hours and 38 minutes old as I type this.But, in this instant-gratification world we live in, those 39 hours and 38 minutes seem like an eternity when you're waiting to see pics from a New Year's Eve party. And since I don't have a digital camera of my own, I'm at the mercy of those folks who had one with them at

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1165289894313863072006-12-04T21:18:00.000-06:002006-12-04T21:38:14.360-06:00

This is my first Christmas season to have a blog. Therefore, I feel like I should post something about last Friday's MURRAY CHRISTMAS -- my annual party for my friends. But, I'm not really sure what to say. I've already thanked people for coming (thanks again, by the way), I've already sent out Stan's pictures (here they are again), and I've already found the owner of gift that was left

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1164901643721819772006-11-30T08:32:00.000-06:002006-11-30T10:07:58.286-06:00

I wonder if this is what comes to mind when the world hears the church's or Christians' statements on making sacrifices to the Lord ...

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1164823432548447512006-11-29T12:01:00.000-06:002006-11-29T12:03:52.590-06:00

The video is funny, but the comments it inspired are ... well ... interesting.

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1164780168577804902006-11-28T23:50:00.000-06:002006-11-29T00:11:40.070-06:00

Went to my neighborhood Target tonight on Sawyer for some stuff and stopped off at the Starbucks inside for a grande non-fat decaf peppermint mocha to keep me company. Hello, sweet friend. I handed the cashier my debit card, but he waved it off. Afraid they would only take cash (which I didn't have on me), I began to mourn the loss of my sweet friend. But, the cashier explained that their cash

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1164566774738091752006-11-26T12:39:00.000-06:002006-11-26T12:46:14.763-06:00

Well, this has come along about 25-30 years too late. If I could have just done THIS the whole time, my P.E. classes would not have been such a "Lord of the Flies" nightmare experience.Be sure to watch the video under "Resources: Related Links."

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1164400871193427502006-11-24T14:29:00.000-06:002006-11-24T14:41:11.216-06:00

For those of you in H-Town, come on out to HFBC on Saturday, December 2, at 7:30 pm for the premiere of an award-winning film -- The Oath of Desormeau. The event is free, so just show up!With coverage in the Houston Chronicle and other sources, we're hoping to reach people who may otherwise not come to HFBC -- or to any church, for that matter. Pray that this will attract film enthusiasts here

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1164068129325758752006-11-20T17:13:00.000-06:002006-11-20T18:27:02.860-06:00

This will only be of interest to about 2 or 3 of you, plus anybody who may be painfully bored at work this holiday week. After some searching on Google maps, I've found every place in which I've lived in the past 36 years.(If you've used Google maps before, you know that the arrow is sometimes off by a block or two. So, some of these links may be misleading.)San Jacinto Hospital, Baytown, Texas

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1163883672199800102006-11-18T14:43:00.000-06:002006-11-18T15:01:12.243-06:00

My excitement about Christmas expressed in a previous post has taken a bit of a hit.Today, on 99.1 FM here in H-Town, I heard The Christmas Shoes by Newsong. Actually, I only heard the last two lines of the chorus as the song faded out. But that was more than enough to bring me down. If I hear Happy Birthday Jesus any time soon, I may just have to shut off all radio stations between now and

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1163797585766074962006-11-17T13:46:00.000-06:002006-11-17T15:06:25.940-06:00

Today was Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day at First Baptist Academy. Abby (12) and Isaiah (5), children of Denise and Don (HFBC's Singles Minister), asked me to be their "grandpa" for the day.I was honored ... and humored, too. Clearly, I fall in the "special friend" category. But since that sounds a little too much like "domestic partner" I'm happy to be considered a grandpa.When I

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1163733563317473432006-11-16T21:09:00.000-06:002006-11-16T21:19:23.336-06:00

Here's a little something I found on HoustonArchitecture.info -- a website I check out for the latest inside scoop on new developments in H-Town. It's a comment somebody posted about residents of new apartment complexes in the Heights area inside the Loop:"Based on my observations, a large majority of those who dwell in the newish apartments that litter Studewood (and soon Sawyer Heights) are

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1163397874609292892006-11-12T23:43:00.000-06:002006-11-13T00:04:34.640-06:00

I've observed some interesting behavior when it comes to instant messaging. Maybe my friends are all perfectionists. Maybe they think I have the IQ of a fork. Or maybe they are afraid of making a mistake in a message to a guy who finds misspellings and formatting inconsistencies on restaurant menus. (Yep. I'm that guy.)Regardless of why it happens, here's what I've observed: When instant

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1163004813936132132006-11-08T10:38:00.000-06:002006-11-08T10:54:36.526-06:00

Tim Russert and Brit Hume may not have been watching, but my eyes were on an election in Baytown last night.I am happy to report that my hometown approved a city-wide smoking ban, with 57% in favor and 43% against. The ordinance is said to be one of the toughest in the state.Before long, Baytown will be known for having the cleanest darn bowling alleys, ice houses, and auto repair shops in all of

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1162759949380281462006-11-05T14:40:00.001-06:002006-11-05T14:52:29.420-06:00

Seven years ago, I finished the Houston marathon. It was certainly the most significant athletic and physical accomplishment of my life, and possibly my most significant accomplishment -- period.Today, Lance Armstrong joined the club of marathon finishers. He called the race "the hardest physical thing I have ever done" -- even more grueling than his worst days on the Tour de France. You see,

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1162599213794365532006-11-03T18:07:00.000-06:002006-11-03T18:13:33.813-06:00

Forget what Hobby Lobby might have told you back in July. The Christmas season did not officially begin until today, Friday, November 3, at about 10:54 am. That's when I had the first sip of my first Starbucks peppermint mocha of the season.I rounded out this first day of the Christmas season by buying Christmas music on iTunes. Nothin' like Martina McBride beltin' out "O Holy Night" to put me

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1162537598676881112006-11-03T00:56:00.000-06:002006-11-03T01:06:38.690-06:00

When I got home tonight, I walked up to the front door of my house and pressed the "unlock" button on my car's remote opener on my keychain.When nothing happened, I pressed it again. Still nothing, so I very intently aimed the remote at the doorknob, pressed the button firmly, and furrowed my brow for good measure.Then I realized what I was doing.Praise the Lord for the ability to laugh at

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15372478.post-1162401338398841662006-11-01T09:53:00.000-06:002006-11-01T11:18:31.383-06:00

In the 8 years that I've lived in my house, I'm pretty sure I've never had trick-or-treaters. I was either at HFBC's Fall Festival each year, or kids just simply didn't show up. Living inside the loop in a transitional area filled with townhomes and crack houses, there aren't many young families in the 'hood.So last night, when I heard footsteps and giggling voices coming up the stairs, I knew I

Steven and Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038066647202584868noreply@blogger.com0