By Teaching Children and Inspiring Families,
Operation Shoestring Ensures We All Rise Together.
You should check out Operation Shoestring and our Operation Spring Fling today!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Operation Spring Fling is April 16!
Operation Shoestring is hosting our annual Operation Spring Fling at the Mississippi Museum of Art on Friday, April 16. This fund-raising party is a wonderful way to support the very important and successful growth going in the Bailey Avenue area neighborhoods. It's also a great night of music and merriment!
You should check out Operation Shoestring and our Operation Spring Fling today!
You should check out Operation Shoestring and our Operation Spring Fling today!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The true uniqueness of “Ole Miss”
As I was coming back from lunch today, I was listening to a national sports talk show and they were discussing tonight’s hoops games. Several times, the hosts referred to “the Cuse” in reference to Syracuse. It got me thinking… How unique is the University of Mississippi’s “Ole Miss”!
There are colleges and universities all over this country that are looking for a one-of-a-kind moniker. There is great benefit in being so easily and instantly recognizable. While many have tried, there are very few that have succeeded. Granted, some of the most prominent schools don’t need them – Notre Dame, Harvard, Yale and Duke come to mind. They are their own brands but they benefit from either a short, non-geographic name or the fact that they’ve existed for hundreds of years.
Others have been successful in the process. I think “FSU”, “UVA” and “LSU” are universal. So is “Bama”. “UGA” is easily recognizable, although it is not often spoken. Miami is now commonly referred to as “The U” but that was more of a marketing/branding scheme.
“Big Blue Nation” is actually a clever nickname but it refers more to Kentucky’s fans than it does to the school. Texas is “UT”, although Tennessee tries to claim it too. Southern California is “SC” and California-Los Angeles is “UCLA”. Both have their challengers, though. South Carolina tries to lay claim to “SC” and there are several variations of “UC”, such as “UC-Santa Barbara”, “UC-Santa Clara” and “UC-Berkley” with which to contend.
Many, try as they might, can’t seem to get it right. “The Cuse” is clunky and awkward. So are “Zona”, “Va Tech” and K State”. In fact, there are so many “State” schools in the country – Mississippi, Michigan, Iowa, Washington, Arizona, etc. – that none of them really stand out as “State”. “A&M” has stood the test of time but only because all the other “A&M” schools have changed their names.
And then there’s “Ole Miss”… For generations, this has been the identity. It was selected as the name of the yearbook many years ago but it quickly became the name most often used to identify Mississippi’s flagship university.
It was never created for a pure marketing purpose. It wasn’t created to sound good on ESPN or anywhere else. It wasn’t invented to fit easy on a bumper sticker. It was organic in its creation and adoption and it has flourished over time. It serves as a nickname but it is also so much more. It has grown to be somewhat of a feeling. It is almost a fondness or a frame of mind.
In a very real sense, “Ole Miss” is the achievement that so many other schools strive for in their pursuit of a nickname or a unique identity. It’s one of the many reasons why it is great to be an OLE MISS Rebel!
There are colleges and universities all over this country that are looking for a one-of-a-kind moniker. There is great benefit in being so easily and instantly recognizable. While many have tried, there are very few that have succeeded. Granted, some of the most prominent schools don’t need them – Notre Dame, Harvard, Yale and Duke come to mind. They are their own brands but they benefit from either a short, non-geographic name or the fact that they’ve existed for hundreds of years.
Others have been successful in the process. I think “FSU”, “UVA” and “LSU” are universal. So is “Bama”. “UGA” is easily recognizable, although it is not often spoken. Miami is now commonly referred to as “The U” but that was more of a marketing/branding scheme.
“Big Blue Nation” is actually a clever nickname but it refers more to Kentucky’s fans than it does to the school. Texas is “UT”, although Tennessee tries to claim it too. Southern California is “SC” and California-Los Angeles is “UCLA”. Both have their challengers, though. South Carolina tries to lay claim to “SC” and there are several variations of “UC”, such as “UC-Santa Barbara”, “UC-Santa Clara” and “UC-Berkley” with which to contend.
Many, try as they might, can’t seem to get it right. “The Cuse” is clunky and awkward. So are “Zona”, “Va Tech” and K State”. In fact, there are so many “State” schools in the country – Mississippi, Michigan, Iowa, Washington, Arizona, etc. – that none of them really stand out as “State”. “A&M” has stood the test of time but only because all the other “A&M” schools have changed their names.
And then there’s “Ole Miss”… For generations, this has been the identity. It was selected as the name of the yearbook many years ago but it quickly became the name most often used to identify Mississippi’s flagship university.
It was never created for a pure marketing purpose. It wasn’t created to sound good on ESPN or anywhere else. It wasn’t invented to fit easy on a bumper sticker. It was organic in its creation and adoption and it has flourished over time. It serves as a nickname but it is also so much more. It has grown to be somewhat of a feeling. It is almost a fondness or a frame of mind.
In a very real sense, “Ole Miss” is the achievement that so many other schools strive for in their pursuit of a nickname or a unique identity. It’s one of the many reasons why it is great to be an OLE MISS Rebel!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
"Counterfeit Gods" by Tim Keller
We worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson and one of the many great ministries that the church offers is the Discipleship Groups that meet on Wednesday nights. (The supper that they offer on Wednesday night's is pretty dang good too!)
Typically, we pick a book to read and study in our Dicipleship Group. The church does a great job of recommending different reading materials and they've never steered us wrong. We've read and studied several Tim Keller books and I'd recommend any and all of them for you to read.
This semester, we started on Keller's "Counterfeit Gods" and it's REALLY compelling! Essentially, he goes over the way that mankind creates idols out of very real and legitimate parts of our lives. Many times, folks think of little golden statues when the subject of idols is discussed. But, really, anything that we love more than God is an idol for us. It becomes a "conterfeit god" and we worship it in many ways -- with time, money, energy, devotion, etc.
I've not finished it yet but what I've read so far has really drilled down into my soul and spoken to me about my own idols. I recognize that, throughout my life, I've had any number of idols stand in the way of my relationship with God. In my youth, it was acceptance by friends, popularity, girls, athletic success, etc. In my young adulthood, it was partying, status, money, women, my work, or my pleasures. In recent years, it's been my wife, my marriage, my children, my job, or my security.
Keller says that things are all "good" and positive until they become more important than my God. As it is so often for us humans, we can turn a good thing into a bad thing with the turn of a head or a heart. We can take a God-created, God-given beauty and make it the center of our universe, thus making it destructive instead of awe-inspiring.
As I read this book, I hope to discover ways to turn my heart away from my own idols and toward God's beauty and joy. I want these wonderful things in my life, but not at the cost of my relationship with my Creator and Savior. I know I can have them and cherish them but only if I see them through the prism of God and his saving, redeeming Grace. I can only imagine how beautiful they will be when I begin to see them fully in His light.
If you want to hear a bit about the book from the author, check out this link: "Counterfeit Gods" on YouTube.
Typically, we pick a book to read and study in our Dicipleship Group. The church does a great job of recommending different reading materials and they've never steered us wrong. We've read and studied several Tim Keller books and I'd recommend any and all of them for you to read.
This semester, we started on Keller's "Counterfeit Gods" and it's REALLY compelling! Essentially, he goes over the way that mankind creates idols out of very real and legitimate parts of our lives. Many times, folks think of little golden statues when the subject of idols is discussed. But, really, anything that we love more than God is an idol for us. It becomes a "conterfeit god" and we worship it in many ways -- with time, money, energy, devotion, etc.
I've not finished it yet but what I've read so far has really drilled down into my soul and spoken to me about my own idols. I recognize that, throughout my life, I've had any number of idols stand in the way of my relationship with God. In my youth, it was acceptance by friends, popularity, girls, athletic success, etc. In my young adulthood, it was partying, status, money, women, my work, or my pleasures. In recent years, it's been my wife, my marriage, my children, my job, or my security.
Keller says that things are all "good" and positive until they become more important than my God. As it is so often for us humans, we can turn a good thing into a bad thing with the turn of a head or a heart. We can take a God-created, God-given beauty and make it the center of our universe, thus making it destructive instead of awe-inspiring.
As I read this book, I hope to discover ways to turn my heart away from my own idols and toward God's beauty and joy. I want these wonderful things in my life, but not at the cost of my relationship with my Creator and Savior. I know I can have them and cherish them but only if I see them through the prism of God and his saving, redeeming Grace. I can only imagine how beautiful they will be when I begin to see them fully in His light.
If you want to hear a bit about the book from the author, check out this link: "Counterfeit Gods" on YouTube.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Mississippi Blues Marathon
Tomorrow is the third running of the Mississippi Blues Marathon, an urban full and half marathon through the streets of Jackson and Flowood. It has been my pleasure to lend a hand in this race every year. This year, the start/finish area will be practically on the front steps of our beautiful Old Capitol Museum in downtown Jackson.
I am so proud to play a tiny little part in a really great downtown Jackson event. I want this downtown area to re-emerge and become the vibrant urban place that it should be. It's going to take events like this and visionaries like this team of race organizers to accomplish it. It is such a worthy cause!
Please take the opportunity to find a music spot on the route and enjoy the festivities. Yes, it's going to be cold but good blues music and the act of cheering on dedicated athletes is sure to warm your heart and your body.
Come out and enjoy!
Mississippi Blues Marathon
I am so proud to play a tiny little part in a really great downtown Jackson event. I want this downtown area to re-emerge and become the vibrant urban place that it should be. It's going to take events like this and visionaries like this team of race organizers to accomplish it. It is such a worthy cause!
Please take the opportunity to find a music spot on the route and enjoy the festivities. Yes, it's going to be cold but good blues music and the act of cheering on dedicated athletes is sure to warm your heart and your body.
Come out and enjoy!
Mississippi Blues Marathon
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
My Christmas "feeling"
I love holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. When I was a kid, it was easy to understand why I loved Christmas. I was an only child for nearly 14 years (until my FANTASTIC sister was born). I was the center of attention and Santa loved giving me presents! But Thanksgiving was always just as important to me and I didn't understand why.
I think I'm beginning to understand. It's people! I am really enjoying being around family and friends at this point in my life. I went through a period where I preferred to be alone but I am sensing a change in me and it feels very familiar.
When I was a kid, I loved being in the center of it, whatever it was. I wasn't the ringleader, necessarily, or the main attraction. I was reserved and measured, to be certain, but I didn't want to be left out of anything. That carried over into my teens and I grew up with a group of friends that really did know how to enjoy being in one another's company. I miss you guys and wish we could reconnect more often!
As I became a young adult, though, I felt less of a desire to be involved. After college, I think, I became a solo person. I had one or two people that I worked with that were very important to me, but we rarely if ever did anything outside of work activities. Even after getting married, I really didn't connect with the folks that we socialized with and I didn't have too many friends and even fewer buddies. I didn't realize how much I was missing that until I recently began to "venture out" again.
Everyone needs to have a gang of friends. It's not necessarily the guys that you go out and party with. I know I'm too old for very much of that! It's the friends that you can go out and be REAL with. I'm not downplaying family at all, but you need friends just as much. You need to have folks around you that love you for you and not just because of blood relations. I've had some great times with my friends this year. I look forward to all that we'll experience next year.
Family is important, though, as long as they are genuine relationships. We all need members of the family that you can just sit and talk to, without all the pressure and stress of "family junk" that usually comes along with the holidays. I think I'm lucky in this category. I love spending time with our families and it's one of the main reasons why I'm really enjoying these special times again. We can spend moments of time really experiencing one another and appreciating what we love about each other.
My Christmas wish for anyone reading this is a simple one. I hope you take the time to stop, sit down, relax, and share this time with folks who are special to you. Don't just tell people THAT you love them, tell them WHY you love them. It could be one of the best Christmas gifts you give this year.
I think I'm beginning to understand. It's people! I am really enjoying being around family and friends at this point in my life. I went through a period where I preferred to be alone but I am sensing a change in me and it feels very familiar.
When I was a kid, I loved being in the center of it, whatever it was. I wasn't the ringleader, necessarily, or the main attraction. I was reserved and measured, to be certain, but I didn't want to be left out of anything. That carried over into my teens and I grew up with a group of friends that really did know how to enjoy being in one another's company. I miss you guys and wish we could reconnect more often!
As I became a young adult, though, I felt less of a desire to be involved. After college, I think, I became a solo person. I had one or two people that I worked with that were very important to me, but we rarely if ever did anything outside of work activities. Even after getting married, I really didn't connect with the folks that we socialized with and I didn't have too many friends and even fewer buddies. I didn't realize how much I was missing that until I recently began to "venture out" again.
Everyone needs to have a gang of friends. It's not necessarily the guys that you go out and party with. I know I'm too old for very much of that! It's the friends that you can go out and be REAL with. I'm not downplaying family at all, but you need friends just as much. You need to have folks around you that love you for you and not just because of blood relations. I've had some great times with my friends this year. I look forward to all that we'll experience next year.
Family is important, though, as long as they are genuine relationships. We all need members of the family that you can just sit and talk to, without all the pressure and stress of "family junk" that usually comes along with the holidays. I think I'm lucky in this category. I love spending time with our families and it's one of the main reasons why I'm really enjoying these special times again. We can spend moments of time really experiencing one another and appreciating what we love about each other.
My Christmas wish for anyone reading this is a simple one. I hope you take the time to stop, sit down, relax, and share this time with folks who are special to you. Don't just tell people THAT you love them, tell them WHY you love them. It could be one of the best Christmas gifts you give this year.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
It was FOGGY in Jackson today!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The Fair Starts Tomorrow!
I think one of the fondest collective memories of my childhood was going to the Mississippi State Fair each year. I can remember coming around the bend of I-55 North and seeing my first glimpse of the Farris Wheel. What a thrill! Neon lights bouncing off the gloriously hideous orange and yellow of the Coliseum. I could practically hear the carnies yelling, "See the world's smallest woman!" or "She speaks, she sings, she crawls on her belly like a reptile! It's Snake Woman!" In mere moments, I'd be going 500 miles per hour in the Matterhorn and the Rock and Roll Express or eating my weight in footlong corndogs and onion rings.
It seems like every trip to the Fair included my best friend, John. When we were little, we would spin ourselves (and my Dad) sick on the rides. When we were 10 or 11, John provided expert advice on which cheap piece of brass jewelry I should get the girl I was "dating" at the time. I want to apologize to the many wonderful young ladies I knew at Carver Elementary and Jr. High School. Each of you meant much more to me than the tarnished trinket I gave you. It was a gift from my heart, though!
In our teen years, John was the best double date pal around. He was nearly a year older so he could drive long before any of our friends. A non-chaperoned ride to the Fair or anywhere else was a big reason I had any dates at all when I was 14! He always had a cool car too. It was either the Chrysler with the sunroof or the Jaguar. Thank goodness his sister's GMC Pacer burned to the ground before John was able to drive. Can you imagine trying to pick up chicks in a fish bowl?!
My daughters are very excited about going to the Fair again this year. They've asked me to drive by the Fairgrounds each morning so they can watch it being built. Every time we make the crest on the Pearl Street bridge, I feel a little twinge of excitement in my stomach. The air seems a little cooler this week and, from my building, I can see the Farris Wheel standing high above the hundreds of workers hurriedly building their city of lights.
It's true what they say. You can't go back and relive your youth. But you can sure enjoy the faint memories from time to time.
"Step right up and test your arm, son! Knock over these bottles and you could win this beautiful charm bracelet for your girl back home. It's only one dollar!"
It seems like every trip to the Fair included my best friend, John. When we were little, we would spin ourselves (and my Dad) sick on the rides. When we were 10 or 11, John provided expert advice on which cheap piece of brass jewelry I should get the girl I was "dating" at the time. I want to apologize to the many wonderful young ladies I knew at Carver Elementary and Jr. High School. Each of you meant much more to me than the tarnished trinket I gave you. It was a gift from my heart, though!
In our teen years, John was the best double date pal around. He was nearly a year older so he could drive long before any of our friends. A non-chaperoned ride to the Fair or anywhere else was a big reason I had any dates at all when I was 14! He always had a cool car too. It was either the Chrysler with the sunroof or the Jaguar. Thank goodness his sister's GMC Pacer burned to the ground before John was able to drive. Can you imagine trying to pick up chicks in a fish bowl?!
My daughters are very excited about going to the Fair again this year. They've asked me to drive by the Fairgrounds each morning so they can watch it being built. Every time we make the crest on the Pearl Street bridge, I feel a little twinge of excitement in my stomach. The air seems a little cooler this week and, from my building, I can see the Farris Wheel standing high above the hundreds of workers hurriedly building their city of lights.
It's true what they say. You can't go back and relive your youth. But you can sure enjoy the faint memories from time to time.
"Step right up and test your arm, son! Knock over these bottles and you could win this beautiful charm bracelet for your girl back home. It's only one dollar!"
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