There and Back Again

Good Life

2011-09-10T22:53:00.001-07:00

About a year and two months ago, I went with the Vacation Club of Greater Oklahoma to Las Vegas for a 4th of July getaway. Chet, Lindsey, Malori and I headed west to enjoy some pool time, eating, and just getting away from Tulsa. But the real reason we went was to see One Republic in concert at the Mandalay Bay. Honestly, at the time, I couldn't name a song they sang. I was going for the company. Chet gave me a CD a few months before we went so I could hear and learn some of their songs. The only one I managed to get through was one I actually knew- "Too Late to Compromise", or "Apoligize". So....I didn't really know what to expect other than a great time with friends. We didn't even really go to gamble, although I budgeted (for you Malori) 75 dollars in which I played roulette with. I lost the money, and I think Malori's eyes about fell out of her sockets at the pace that I did lose said money. But other than that, it was strictly a leisurly trip. On Saturday night, we headed over to Mandalay Bay, and told the taxi driver how big of fans the other 3 were. We got settled on the artificial beach....and when they started playing, it felt like a combination of Dave Matthews and Maroon Five combined. The band was incredibly talented. One song that they sang stuck out to me- "Good Life". Now, remember, this was July of 2010. When we got back to Tulsa, I kept the CD Chet let me borrow for several more months, and I kept playing that song over and over. I kind felt like it was mine, and few others knew or heard of it other than the die-hard One Republic fans. Ironically, about 6 months later in March, I stopped by Choctaw Casino (just to use the bathroom and get a free DP). I went out to their pool area and they have these big comfy chairs you can sit and relax in. It was a gorgeous 70 degrees, and as I was sitting there with my eyes closed enjoying the nice break from being in the car, "Good Life" came on. It turns out they released it as a single, and became one of I Tunes most downloaded songs, and its played all the time on the radio now. Almost too much. I'm kind of being selfish, as it was my song before the rest of the world had to discover it. However, the lyrics and music....I can't put my finger on it, but it lures you in. I dedicate this as Jeff's 2011 song. I've had some great times being 30, as well as disappointments. There are some areas of my life I feel are stalled out. In other areas I have grown. Sometimes I feel closer in my relationship with Chirst, while other times I feel like I'm still a child in my faith in areas. I've made some new, dear friends in 2011 in whichI am so thankful. Some friendships have changed dramatically, despite my efforts to hold them together. Others I might have let go without intention. There are days I feel I do very well at my job, and other days, I'm frustrated that I am not moving up faster. However, I need to remember that its going to be a good life. I don't know if One Republics' members are believers, but I'm certain God has my life in control, and with that, I can rest assured He will be with me on the journey.

What a Thursday!

2011-09-05T22:00:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday, I met my Uncle Scott at Shades of Brown for a coffee around 5:30 after work. It was nice to catch up with him and see how things were going, and to enjoy a grasshopper. I have two great aunts and uncles. Being by Scott and Vicky has been such a blessing, as they invite me over to eat, go to their lakehouse, etc. Its nice having that family connection so close when the rest of my family is in Texas. Anyway, after grasshoppers, I headed south for Blake's birthday at Los Cabos on the Jenks Riverwalk. When I arrived, I noticed an entorage sitting next to our two tables. It turns out Marie Osmond was sitting behind us. She looked like she had some work done but she definetely had lost some weight. I ended up sitting back-to-back with her, and I laughed to myself, since I have had my share of celebrity run-ins lately. It was so random to see her there, but she had a show at the casino the next night. After dinner, Chet, Linds, Natalie and I headed over to Yolatti by the riverwalk. At 9:30, we drove over for some bowling. It had been about 4 years since I had last bowled, and it could not have been more fun. For some reason, I had the best scores in my life. I bowled a 124 the first round, then a 143, then a 150 on my final round. My friends were giving me a hard time because of my "windup" and follow-through but it obviously worked well. It was such a blast hanging out with them and just having a good time. I took Chet back to his car after bowling, and several girls had tagged it with random messages. Ok, headed to bed, as I am going to Little Rock tomorrow for the day....goodnight!

Ready for football!

2011-08-31T22:36:00.000-07:00

Friday night Baylor plays TCU down in Waco on ESPN to start their college football season and I'm getting pumped. Sic'em Bears!!! I am having some people over to watch it and eat some fajitas early in the evening. I've loved Baylor my whole life, and especially football. Wes Cash had invited me to join him in Waco, but can't make it this weekend. We made a bowl game last year and went to the game. Hoping for a 7-5 season so we can make another bowl. I'll be there for Homecoming to see them play Missouri. I remember listening to the games on WBAP 820 growing up, and even remember crying when they lost a close game to A&M- I was that invested. Anyway, not much else to say tonight. Ready for the weekend.

FB Detox, Friends and my plans for next week...

2011-08-24T22:50:00.000-07:00

3 Things on the top of my mind tonight....
1) This summer, JD, one of my friends from church, has been leading us on a Wednesday night study on "Spiritual Disciplines." Its been really a great study. One of the nights was on simplicity. He challenged us to simplify our lives. Another week was on fasting- deciding to give up something and instead spend time in prayer or scripture. I chose facebook, an almost necessary evil. I deactivated my account on 8.22 and its been quite a difference. I haven't missed it as much as I thought I would. Its odd though, as sometimes I will subliminally start typing facebook.com before I even realize it. Each time, I try to spend time in prayer. I think really decided to follow through with it to seek out God's direction for my life. So many times, I've gotten caught up in others' lives virtually, with envy and/or jealousy. I see my friends at different life stages and I want this or that. Anyway, I'm doing well with being of FB. I have been reading some of my close friends' blogs, and its been nice to see into their hearts. I plan on re-activating my account a month from now, but until then, ignorance is bliss, and I didn't realize how much time I spent on facebook.
2) God has brought some stellar people into my life in Tulsa. One of those friends is my buddy Chet Wilson. We meet for iced tea at McAlisters at least twice a week. I really admire Chet for his authencity,frankness, and his loyalty. I met him through some church friends a while back at the good ole' Caravan (country-western dance place), and I thought at first he really didn't care for me as a friend. We laugh about this now, but he agrees with that statement. We talk about girl situations, our faith, and tons of random things. Chet doesn't let you throw a pity-party. He usually offers advice, and tells you to grow up and get your butt in gear. He's also a man of his word. When he says he is going to do something, he does it. He is a good road-trip buddy, as I've been on group trips with him to Sam and Ellas (pizza place in Talequah) countless times, as well as Pops, a Route 66 gas station where you can eat and get all kinds of great sodas. He's been there for me this year through lots of laughs, spin classes with Trina, runs around La Fortune, and even some tough times where I just needed someone to talk with. I am headed to London, Paris and Italy with him and Kyle Young, another friend, in October. They haven't been to Europe before, so it should be a blast! Chet is wise beyond his years, and am very thankful for this friendship.
3) Next week, I am going to do a bunch of random things for friends...I won't elaborate but should be fun!

This past weekend

2011-05-02T22:30:00.000-07:00

I can't believe May is already here. It doesn't feel like it. Its been in the 40s and 50s for the past couple of days. I had a really nice weekend. Friday, I went with Chet, Bobbi, Amanda Willie and a new friend Kyle down to Pop's on Route 66 near OKC. It was really a great time. If you haven't been, I would highly encourage it. Its a gas station with about 500 kinds of sodas, and it also serves food as well. It was built by the CEO of Chesapeake a few years ago. Its kind of a throwback to the old Route 66 days, but also looks modern if that's possible. I drove the group down there and we enjoyed some nice cherry-limeade slushes as we waited for a table to open up. We hung out on the grass and got to know one another better. Kyle played on the TU basketball team, and seems to be a really cool guy. I knew Bobbi and Chet well, but we played "speed friendship" during the night, and always learn more each time. I had a buffalo burger along with whole fried okra. The burger was great, but I prefer the cut fried okra. After dinner, I bought some Cheerwines and a few orange sodas and we came back home. It was nice to get away from Tulsa for a little bit. Saturday was pretty relaxing. I woke up about 11 am. That evening, I celebrated the fact that I paid off my car and and now debt free! You don't know how good it feels to have no debt (except the house). I will never buy a car with credit again. To celebrate, I went to dinner with my best friend Jay to Red Rock Canyon Grill and had some great calamari for an appitizer and pork chops for my meal. He had the BBQ ribs. Sunday, I went to church, then ate dinner with a new friend from church who just moved to Tulsa. I took him to Fuddruckers and we had some good conversation. Sunday night, I went over to Lindsey's house and had pizza with her, Chet, Kevin, and Natalie. I like it over there because it brings back some great memories of when I first became friends with all of the LifeChurch people. We went over there after a Valentine's dinner. There are many times I wish everything was just like it was then, but that's not how life works. People move on. I headed home afterwards, got some coffee at Cherry st, and headed home to get ready for the week. I'll try to blog more often. Its a good outlet!

Saturday's Thoughts

2011-02-26T21:14:00.000-08:00

Ahh... today I woke up at 12:30. It had been a while since the last time I did that, but it felt really nice to sleep in. I went up to the mall to get some new shirts as well as look for a few new hats. It's been a while since I bought anything for myself, and found some clothes at Banana Republic, J Crew and Fossil. At 6, I headed up to El Tequila for a birthday party for a friend in my small group named Lindsay. Afterwards, we went over to Brookside for a swing dance that they have every Saturday. It was fun, and got to see many friends there who I hadn't seen in a while, notably Sarah Spelth, Suz Winnie, Laura Bower, Zach Vincent and others. I stayed there til 10, then headed over to Cheesecake Factory where I met up with some other friends for dessert. I had Dulce de Leche cheesecake. It was awesome. Afterwards, I headed back home where I am now.
As a side note, I'm not sure anyone actually reads my blog, as its not published on my facebook, and been forever since I started really writing again. However, its been nice to have an outlet to talk about things going on, so I will continue to write even if no one is reading it. I don't care if anyone knows who I am, and I am certainly not writing this blog for some eloquent thought-provoking reading. Its just me being open with what's going on in the life of Jeff. All I really want to do is live my life to please and honor the Father, that should be enough. I don't care about new cars, big houses, trendy churches, what friend group or how many friends I have. Are those things nice and make you feel "good"? Yes, of course, but I've learned it doesn't satisfy. Too many times I have put my hope and faith in others, but we humans are going to fail, disappoint, and deceive one another with words and actions, as hard as that is to accept. People say one thing and do another. I've done it to others in the past. Or maybe its just putting too high of expectations on relationships. The only truly sustaining thing we have is Christ. I've been reading in Romans the past week. Actually, Jay and I challenged each other to read a chapter of Romans and a chapter of Psalms each day as a way to stay in God's word. I'd love to be able to talk about how God spoke through each daily reading, but its been difficult to get together with that frequency. The one verse that stood out to me today was one that I actually learned in Bible Drill- Romans 5:8. "And God demonstrated his own love to us, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." When I read that verse again, the words "own love" stood out to me. God loves us with more abounding love than anyone can have for us. He loved me so much to die for ME- Jeffrey Edward Moss. That's a humbling thought.I think keeping a journal of what God is speaking to me each day may be the best option. Romans has so much meat. It seems each time I read a chapter again, I get something else out of it. Anyway, that's enough for tonight. Its been a very quiet weekend. I think i'll head to bed before midnight again. I plan to make it a great night.

A Side trip

2011-02-22T19:39:00.000-08:00

"Wanna get away?" I love those Snickers commercials from a couple of years ago, especially one where a guy painting "Chiefs" in the end zone realized he wrote "Chefs" instead. I used to not mind at all being alone. In fact, I was overly independent and didn't need to be around people all the time. Maybe I was just fooling myself into believing that. Over the past couple of years, I have loved being around people, and feel like God has blessed me with some incredible friends in Tulsa, as well as maintaining those in Texas. There are times, however, when I feel like I need to escape from the daily grind and spend some time alone. Its a refuge to get away from the stress and frustrations as well as to listen to how God wants to speak to me. Most times, I head west. I think its the idea of open praries, rugged terrains, and adventure. Recently on a trip back from Enid, I decided to be random and exit Highway 9, which goes north right by Lake Keystone into Osage County. After driving through Cleveland, I took some roads with a point to get somewhat lost. I drove past several miles hilly terrain and it quickly felt like I was all alone in the Oklahoma wilderness. I turned off again to a windy road and parked the car. We had been blessed with some very mild late January weather, and it was sunny and in the 60s. I stayed out there for about an hour praying, thinking, and just letting God speak to me. Its sometimes difficult for me to focus when I'm in my comfort zone of home and familiarity. Being away from it all, though only 31 miles from Tulsa, let me recharge my batteries and just relax and renew in the midst of the Father's creation. I should remember to take some time every once in a while to be proactive in being alone- a retreat to learn, grow and listen to how the Father wants to direct and speak to me.

Oct 18th....

2010-10-18T22:36:00.000-07:00

I was reading tonight out of 1 Corinthians and Isaiah, which are a part of a devotional I am reading. A verse that resonated with me was 1 Corinthians 2:9, which is tied with Isaiah 64:4. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him."

I read that verse over and over again. It has multiple meanings to me. Heaven, of course, is something we can not even fathom. The beauty and majesty of of what that place will be like is something we can't conceive. But how it really spoke to me was that if we love God, we will get ourselves out of the way and follow his will for our lives. His ways provide a more fulfilling life than what I fuel myself with everyday--temporary things. If we can love God more and more each day, we can take our minds off fleeting earthly joys, and be prepared for the greater things He has in store for me.

The Roaring 20s

2010-10-05T21:28:00.001-07:00

This week I turn 30. That seems like a big number. The past 10 years I learned a lot about myself. I thought I would break down some of the last 10 years and highlights as I look forward to the next decade. Here are some of the highlights from my 20's....

-The Baylor Years-age 20-23. I thrived at Baylor. I loved it from the beginning. Growing up going to homecomings and games, it was kind of surreal being an actual student there. I made tons of life-long friends through my years there. People like Wes Cash, Trey Guinn, Greg Rowe, Davi, Erik Olson, Toby Tull, Drew Mitchell, the Boehrs, Laura Collins, and many more. BRH Choir and Phi Chi were the two things I cherished most. In BRH, I was able to travel to Mexico, Paris, and Canada on trips each May. My only regret is waiting until sophomore year to join. Through the fraternity I was in, I made some great friends, did SING 2 years, mission trips to Tennessee, and a lot more. I spent many days eating lunch in the SUB, napping upstairs in the great couches, and just walking around the beautiful campus. I spent long nights at Common Grounds, the library basement, and the business school. I remember on 9/11 getting ready to take an ISY test and running over to the SUB to watch the coverage on TV. Also, I loved my Baylor sports. I went to every home football game, lots of away games (Boston College, Kansas, A&M, etc). Basketball was just as fun, although the team wasn't as good back then. We saw BU beat #6 Kansas when I was pledging, including lots of Terry Black dunks. I was really upset when I had to leave Baylor in Dec of 2003. Seriously, I almost had to be dragged away from my house kicking and screaming. Sic'em Bears! -Backpacking in Europe- age 21-29. I went to Europe 9 times in my 20's. I went for the first time in May of 2002 with the BRH Choir to Paris. It was so fun. Afterwards, about 6 of us stayed for a week and went backpacking/hostelling in Switzerland and Italy. It was love at first train trip. I went again after I graduated in Jan of 2004, and every year since (mostly in October). A couple of years I went twice. Highlights include Poland, Auschwitz, Norway fjords, Switzerland, Munich, Edinburgh, Ireland, and many many more. I enjoy backpacking because it lets me get my mind off of life and just get to live as a vagabond for 2 weeks. Seeing different cultures and how people interact give you a different perspective on life.

-IBM- I interned at IBM at age 22, and came back once I graduated in Dec 2003, and have now been there nearly 7 years. I have really enjoyed working for the company. I have enjoyed the 5 managers I have worked for. I made some great friends in Dallas working at IBM in Coppell. I loved travelling to Colorado every couple of months for customer visits. My favorite memories are the 100% Club trips for when I made my number. I especially liked San Diego and Palm Springs. We went on a cool hummer tour through the desert, and got to see Jay Leno perform for us on the last night. Very memorable.

-Investing in my home church- When I graduated, I spent age 23 to 27 back at my home church working in the singles ministry and later, working with 6th graders in youth for 2 years. I love my home church, Plymouth Park Baptist, in Irving. My parents still attend. We did a lot of fun things in the singles ministry. I was Bob Barker one time (grey hair provided by lots of baby power) as we did "The Price is Right". I also lead a welcoming team where every Monday, we would take fresh Eatzi's Bread to first time guests. Later, we started taking bread to the surrounding neighborhoods. In youth, I was able to lead a couple of kids to a relationship with Christ. We did tons of football games, parties, etc. My time at PPBC was a labor of love. There were few times I did anything out of obligation. It was for the love of the Church, and wanting to see people come to know Christ. I really loved doing ministry with my longtime close friend Kim Holland-Bacon. Her husband Brett challenged me as a leader in our sunday school class and church ministries. I'm glad I chose to stay while many others were fleeing to other "cooler" churches and cities for whatever reason. That would have been the easy thing to do.

-Family life. I have a wonderful family. I always felt so loved when I came home from college and now. There is nothing like sleeping in your own bed. One of the things we loved and still do is get I Fratelli pizza and bring it home as we watch the classic movies like Patton, The Great Escape, and others. My mom and dad paid for my education, which left me debt free when I graduated from Baylor. That is sacrifice I am really grateful for. There are no better grandparents than the ones I have. I loved the trips to Carlsbad to see Grandma and Grandpa, including the hikes in Guadalupe Mountains, the Caverns, and recently, the new trail in town. My Papa and Granny gave me a lot of inspiration. I loved having Easter at their country club each year, and always thought it was cool that my 89 year old Papa was still selling houses.

- The Tulsa Years. Ages 27-29. I moved to Tulsa at age 27 in March of 2008. It was a hard move for me, but a really great decision. My uncle Scott and aunt Vicky helped me transition to Tulsa. They live a street over from where I moved in to, so I got lots of invites to home cooked dinners and after dinner warm chocolate chip cookies. It took me about 6 months to feel plugged in. I now have a great community of friends here, especially through church. I met Krista Rahija through a phone call thanking me for visiting the church. We've been friends ever since. She was my small group leader and is a trusted friend. I think our love of coffee and talking brought us together. I met Amber and Suzanne Winnie at Jason's Deli, and through them, was able to meet a ton of friends. They are very special to me. John Holland, aka The Motivator, is a goliath of a man, and one outstanding individual. He was my small group leader as well. I've met my match for people who like to eat out. I respect him greatly for his wisdom, and his ability to emulate what it is to be a "man". I met Jay Stevenson, my best friend, in Oct of 2009 at church. I knew we would be good friends just from our first few times hanging out. We both went to Baylor the same years, but didn't know each other, even with the same major. He has been a loyal and supportive friend. He encourages me to be a better Christian. We keep each other accountable in our Christian walk, and I'm extremely grateful for his friendship. Also, we have developed a code language that a Navajo Indian could not crack. We are headed backpacking in Europe in a couple of weeks, which will be a blast. This year, I've made more friends. Through Jay, I met Chet, Lindsey and many others that have been a real blessing. I even went to Vegas with some of them over the 4th of July. I'm grateful for these special years, and look forward to the next years and beyond.

Today

2010-10-05T14:27:00.001-07:00

Im in the middle of writing my 20s rememberances.....its a fairly long entry. So it will be up tomorrow. Today was really incredible outside! Wish this could day be the temperature every day.

Thoughts from 9/1

2010-09-01T23:12:00.000-07:00

Listening to "Your Love is Extravagant" tonight as I wind down the evening. Just such a great song to remind me about the extravagant love of our God. Learned this song my freshman year at Touchstone, the Monday night worship at Baylor, and it still speaks to me today as much as back then. My favorite lyrics are "Spead wide in the arms of the Christ is the love that covers sin. No greater love have I ever known, you'd consider me a friend, capture my heart again." Why is it so difficult to stay true to the one who is always faithful? I catch myself drifting all the time. Why am I seeking the things that don't satisfy in the long run, and even knowing that, continue to chase after it? Maybe its just the nature of flesh.

Anyway, on a lighter note, it was a full day. I worked til about 5:15. Had some fires to put out from the opening bell today. I went to eat lunch at Baker Street pub with Jay, which had some great fish and chips. Then, I went downtown to print off some papers for work, and stopped by Topeca in downtown, which is a great coffee shop inside the historic Mayo Hotel. Its kind of my favorite coffee place, and no one else seems to know or agree with me, and that is ok. I like the sitting on the cool leather couch and log in remotely to work. The hotel reminds me of some old Chicago hotel on State Street, like the Palmer House. Going there to work is a nice way to break up the routine of staying at the home office, and I don't have to sit in a cubicle. I got a house blend today, which was strong and really good. Before heading home, I met with Pastor Brad for a little bit at Starbucks. He gave me a new book which I plan on reading very soon. It was really thoughtful of him. Tonight my small group went out to the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma where we packed boxes for the hungry that they distribute. We then went out as a group to Chipotle. Afterwards I came home to help a friend out with some stuff she is working on. A challenging day, somewhat frustrating, but also rewarding.

25 Things you may or may not know about me

2010-08-26T19:12:00.001-07:00

This is a little lighter topic....here are 25 random things about me that you may or may not know.

1) I really enjoy getting my shoes shined at the airport. Kind of feel like a king for about 10 minutes.
2) I love dill pickles at the movies.
3) I have a jealous nature about a lot of things. I fight this battle daily.
4) My favorite fast food place is McAlesters.
5) I grew up wanting and still want to be a weatherman. Was my job at career day in 3rd grade. Brought in a huge National Geographic map and pointer and gave a weather report to the class.
6) I'm a huge Star Wars nerd. I went to all opening nights for the last 3 movies. My brother is just as into Star Wars as me. We are collecting all the vintage Star Wars figures.
7) Built a library in 3rd grade in our garage and had my family come out for the ribbon cutting ceremony. I would sit out there and make my family check out books.
8) I'm a political junkie. I read realclearpolitics.com everyday and track all the polls. On presidental election night in November, my house turns into Election Central, including a large map I print out to color in when states either go for the Republicans or Dems.
9) I love Conan O’brien and excited about his new show this fall.
10) Favorite books of the Bible are Nehemiah and 1 Timothy
11) Don't mind eating or going to a movie by myself. Is that weird?
12) I like to visit movie locations in real life. I've been to many spots of my favorite films, as well as "The Music Man" filming locations.
13) I love traveling. I went to Europe for the first time in 2002 and have been to 9 times. I’m going back in October to visit Spain and Portugal.
14) A pet peeve of mine is when people pop their gum.
15) Had 12 years of perfect attendance in school. Moss kids don't miss school. Even with work, my dad jokes that his happiest day is when all 5 Moss family members are working at the same time.
16) My 5 favorite movies are: "Dirty Rotten Scrondrels", "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", "Return to Me", "Waiting for Guffman" and "Best in Show". "Groundhog Day" is close.
17) I love Baylor football. I would listen to every game on WBAP 820 growing up. There were games I cried at when they lost. I made Baylor shirt one year that I wore around Irving. It was green with gold "puff paint". My dad, grandpa and I went to the John Hancock Bowl in 1992 and saw Grant Teaff’s last game. I took and take a lot of heat for being a Baylor fan.
18) I really like Las Vegas. I’m not a big gambler but love the energy of the city. It never seems to get old. And I especially like staying at the Wynn.
19) I'm a P1. I enjoy listening to 1310 The Ticket and listening to "The Hardline".
20) I think loyalty is one of the best traits a person can have.
21) I'm a routine kind of guy I don't like change.
22) I want to go travel to every major league baseball field.
23) Late night Whataburger taquitos with picante sauce are awesome.
24) I wish I knew how to cook more dishes and have people over alot for dinner.
25) I grew organic vegetables this year for the first time. The tomatoes are the only thing that survived the rabbits and heat, but they turned out really well. I harvested over 120 tomatoes.

Cademon's Call- Reflections

2010-08-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

Its amazing how music and transform you to a particular moment in your life. I'm listening to come Caedmon's Call right now. Why? Their "Forty Acres" CD was really popular back when I first started at Baylor 11 years ago in the fall of 1999. I was thinking about my sister starting her last year at Baylor tomorrow, it made me think back to my time there. I can't believe it was 11 years ago. Sometimes I wish I could go back to those college days. I remember like yesterday moving into Martin Hall Room 119 in the Dungeon. It was actually below ground with our windows at the top of the room level with the ground. I had a great roommate, Brett Gibson, who is now in the ministry serving in Waco. It was really hot on move in day, and remember being greeted in the parking lot by upperclassmen who helped unload the car. I met some great people those first few days. The first girl I met at Baylor was Belinda Petri, who I became close friends with, and ironically, we both live in Tulsa now. I met her the first night at our min-con group introductions. We did a ton of stuff together that week, including going to the Caedmon's Call concert the last night. Her good friends ended up being a couple of my roommates my sophomore year. Belinda and I ended up being welcome week co-leaders our junior year. I experienced a lot of football that first semester as well. I went up to Boston College with Ruthie to see the Bears lose in overtime in my first collegiate game as a student. I remember the UNLV football game with the Baylor Line. We had the game won, and lost in a last second fumble. It was a painful sports year.

I grew a lot from my experiences during first year at Baylor. I was really sad to pack it up for the summer. Looking back however, each following school year after got better and better. I was fortunate to be surrounded by some truly incredible people and friends. And even today, as I look back on Baylor, I'm learning slowly but grudingly that God continues to provide for me each year after college with friends, church, and experiences that build upon the past, not making me yearn as much for it, though its hard. So, I'll finish the CD jamming to favs such as "There you go", "Thankful" and "Shifting Sand" and reflect on the great moments of my new chapter of life at Baylor and the new pages I get to write daily even now.

Washington DC

2010-08-12T23:18:00.000-07:00

I'm back from D.C. and I had a great time. Its fun to travel, but really fun when your company pays for you to. I just hosted a couple of customers up in Gaithersburg, MD for an IBM storage conference. We got to eat at two really nice places- Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Bethesda, as well as Old Ebbitts Grill across from the White House. I also got to eat at Boston Market a couple of times. We had them in Dallas, and were a favorite of mine, but in Tulsa, they do not get to experience it. In addition to host, I got to put on my tour guide hat and take the guys around to several monuments and museums around DC. We saw the Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, White House, National Archives, and a night tour of the Jeffreson Memorial (extra beautiful at night). DC always seems to be buzzing- lots of young people around playing softball and kickball on the mall. The last night, I saw a concert from the US Marine Corps Band on the Capital grounds. I also ran from the capital to the Lincoln Memorial and back, which provided great views the entire run. My job can be stressful, but its times like this that I really do enjoy my job. It was good to get back to Tulsa this evening, but had a great few days up on the east coast.

Seasons of Friends

2010-08-07T15:01:00.001-07:00

Friendships change. This week I spoke with a longtime friend who I hadn't spoken to in quite a while. It was just different....hard to talk to, and the conversation went dead really fast. Usually, I'm pretty good with keeping a conversation flowing, as I work with customers all the time and have to keep some talking points in my head that I can always turn to in case lunch gets "weird". This time though, we had little to talk about. Kind of sad....there just wasn't a lot we still had in common. But, I've come to the realization that some friendships are just for a season, as hard as that is for me to say. In this case, I had this mindset that we'd be close friends forever, and that our kids would be friends, our families live by each other,and go to Baylor sporting events, etc. That is not how it works in life apparently, as much as I want it to. However, there are some of those cherished friends that I can pick up the phone and it feels like we haven't skipped a beat. I heard from my old roommate a couple of days ago and it was like we were still in Baylor mode even though I hadn't talked to him in over 6 months. I have some high school friends that I saw at a wedding a couple of weeks ago, and it was like being back at good old Irving High. I really hope the friends I have made in Tulsa can be these lifelong friends. One pattern I've noticed is that when you have a bond through Christ, its easier to stay connected. Life can be tough, lonely, and always changing, but its nice to know of the friends that God places in your life for a specific time period, as well as those life long friends who you will grow old with.

Tracking my Goals....

2010-08-05T05:16:00.001-07:00

At the first of the year, I put together my 2010 resolutions. Now if you are like me, you know that many times, this infamous list is put together with good intentions, but for some reason gets forgotten about around March. Well, I kept it this year to help keep me accountable, and the results right now show some good progress, along with some "incompletes" as well as some failures. Who's perfect anyway right? I will highlight from each category: The good news: I achieved the 185 lbs. Actually, yesterday I weighed myself and I was 182.8. Early last year, I was 220 lbs. Being 6'4", there's alot of places to put that weight. I just wanted to trim up. I almost completely gave up cokes, switching over to unsweet tea (thanks Mcalisters!) as well as running. Also, I have really tried to not eat as much fast food, but when your car starts pulling over to the local Taco Bueno at 11:30 at night, some things just can't be helped. I am giving myself an "incomplete" for "Run Bearathon". This had nothing to do with me. I trained for a good 5 months for the Bearathon, which is a half marathon, down in Waco. Got all trained, drove down there, ate my card-loading pre-meal run, stretched, got my runner's chip, and then one little bolt of lightening and "RACE IS CANCELLED". Some people were very upset at the race. I was secretly ok with it since I would have been extremely cold and wet for 13.1 miles, but registered a few sad, spiteful looks to fit in. Good news is I got to see Wes Cash and Seth McCall, who I rarely get a chance to see but a couple times a year. On a sidenote, I did eat very well that weekend (Viteks BBQ, Rudy's BBQ, Chuys, I Fratelli Pizza, etc). Jay did go down there with me, which made for a fun roadtrip. That's probably why we ate so well! Finally, I have failed so far this year in "go on mission trip". I have supported several people going on trips, but one just not has come up yet where I have attended. I know God will provide that calling for me, but as of yet, haven't seen the opportuniy. I get really comfortable here in the states with all the luxuries we have. I think the opportunity to serve overseas would allow me to really appreciate all that I have. Make it a great day!

Rebalancing

2010-08-04T14:16:00.000-07:00

I decided recently to consistently be reading in the Word daily each morning, along with memorizing a Bible verse each day. I have completed Day 3 today, and am excited about developing a habit of starting each day the right way. I just finished 2 Timothy this morning- such an encouraging book. The verses I memorized were 2 Timothy 1:7, 2:16, and 3:20. 2:16 says "avoid godless chatter, for those who take part will become more and more ungodly". I'm guilty of this alot. Lord today help me speak encouragement and praise over slander and gossip. Anyway, it was a great first book to get me reading and praying consistently.

Long Break- Im back

2010-07-16T23:06:00.000-07:00

I am back to the blog! Its been since March, and no better time to get back in the groove than when you can't sleep at 1 am. I am headed to the Cherry Street farmers market in the morning for some fresh produce and good breakfast tacos. Looking forward to it!

Phillipians 1:6 and the daily roundup

2010-03-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

"He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it." Phillipians 1:6 This was a verse I wrote down last night, and was highlighted in Brad's status. Its been on my heart all day today. I can remember singing this song in church growing up. Its an encouraging validation that he will carry his work to completion. He is working on our behalf to complete what He has started. It began as a downer sort of day. Cloudy, grey skies. Around noon, was informed that several of my friends from Dallas were laid off from my employer. But talking to a fellow co-worker, who is another believer, really encouraged me to know God is working for our good. Romans 8:28 speaks of "all things working together for good." I pray that doors of opportunity are opened for my friends through these tough times, and that they would feel the comfort and guidance of the Spirit. God can do "immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us." That is why I have decided that I am not going to worry with what happens in my life. He who has promised is faithful.
I ended the evening eating dinner with Jay and Chet at Genghis Grill. It was a great conversation, great meal, and really enjoy the time spent in Christian fellowship with these guys. I ran 4 miles after that to continue to train....yesterday I ran the Turkey Mountain road and it was STEEP. I am sore over most of the lower half of my body, but hopefully that means an easier time in the race. Make it a great night!

Wakita, OK

2010-02-24T15:24:00.000-08:00

One thing I really love is finding film locations of movies, especially my favorite movies. (an older post was dedicated to the Irish-Italian restaraunt in "Return to Me", the only "chick flick" I consider a Top Ten movie). Does anyone remember the movie Twister? Its one of my favorites- a 90's classic! I go to Enid, OK alot for work, and couldn't help but make a 30 mile trip north of Enid to the tiny town of Wakita, OK, the infamous town of Aunt Meg in the movie. Its about 15 miles south of Kansas. A lot of the movie was filmed in town or around the area. The actually have a museum dedicated to the movie I had read about. It figured it would not be hard to miss because there are only like 10 buildings in the downtown. Sure enough, it was on main street. I walked right into the "museum"- actually it was just an old general store. Two older ladies looked suprised to see me, and I noticed when I signed the guest book, I was their only visitor that day. But suprisingly, the book had people from all over the US who had visited. I got the VIP tour of the museum- they were really excited to show me several movie props, including a signed "Twister" pinball machine signed by Bill Paxton. Apparently, he was really popular on set because he was so nice to all dozens of the townspeople. Helen Hunt was not nearly as friendly, according to the ladies. Also, I learned that the town got the directors to use Wakita because they had a bunch of old buildings that needed demolishing, and couldn't afford to do it. So, the studio tore down several of the buildings and left them in piles on main street to make it look like a twister had come through. Anyway, it was a cool side trip in the flat, open plains of western Oklahoma. If you need a personal guide, let me know!!!! (Pictured left is the "Twister" Museum in Wakita).

Bearathon 2010!

2010-02-22T00:02:00.001-08:00

I'm getting excited- in less than a month is my 3rd half marathon- the 2010 Bearathon in Waco, TX. My motivation of doing it this year was to lose some weight. I started training at 215, and am now around 193, so its helped me get in shape. If I wasn't eating so poorly recently, it would probably be more. I want to get down to 185 for the race so I can run faster. This half-marathon (13.1 miles) is a really pretty run through Waco, along the Brazos River, and into a very hilly Cameron Park. About 7 miles in is when you hit the hills, and let me say, it feels like you are climbing Mt. Everest. Last year, I breezed through the first 7 miles, and hit a wall, or mountain I should say, once the elevation started to climb. Maybe that had something to do with the fact I ran LaFortune Park only, which is very level--not many hills. Once I was out of the park in the race, I was able to recover. I did the first Bearathon in 2003 with a time of 2:10. Last year, I was 1:57:02. This year, my goal is 1:45. This is a really aggressive goal. I've been training currently at about 8:20 a mile, which is 1 hour 49 minutes. Maybe I'll get a good draft from the runners to pick up some steam. Last week I didn't train because my right knee has been hurting, so I feel someone out of shape this week. Tomorrow, I will be running 6.5 miles at the 8:20 pace and see how I feel. The good news is that I have trained alot more this year than last, so hopefully I can get close to 1:45. My running buddy Wes Cash is doing it with me again this year. I am really looking forward to it. I always get really nervous about a day before for some reason, but am ready for March 20th! The pic on the left is me crossing the finish line last year.

Gratitude

2010-02-21T23:09:00.001-08:00

I think in our culture today, and specifically my generation, its really easy to lose a sense of gratitude for what we have and are given. Its really become such a "me first", self-absorbed society. I'm guilty of it. I'm sure there are times when I haven't expressed gratitude for things others have done for me. My mom and dad always went above and beyond in providing for me. I'm sure there are times when I've neglected to express appreciation. My grandparents always send me money on all the major holidays. I forgot to call my grandma and grandpa to say thank you for the Valentines' card. Grandma, if you are reading this, I owe you a call!

Two words go a long way: "thank you". Whether its a meal or coffee, or just when someone goes out of their way to reach out and do something for you, appreciation is a conscious acknowledgment of others' sacrifice. I am not always perfect, but strive to be thankful. I think a lack of gratitude, or a sense of entitlement, is one of the biggest turnoffs. When I see this attitude in potential girls I'm interested in, or just friends in general, I high-tail it for the hills. I just don't like being around people who don't appreciate others. Its pretty much an indication of how they think- "Me first, others second".

The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, my favorite musical group in the world, did a song called "Thanks". Its lyrics are simple- "Thanks, thanks; I give you thanks, for all You've done. I am so blessed, my soul has found rest, oh Lord, I give you thanks." Its a simple chorus, but a reminder just to be thankful. Gratitude is not a fruit of the spirit, but I think it could fit under peace, joy, or goodness. We should be living everyday thankful for the gift of salvation that comes through Jesus. The appreciation of his sacrificial death for us should be reflected on daily, and seen in our lives- towards Christ as well as those God has placed us with in our lives.

I couldn't find the Brooklyn Tab version, but here's a clip from the Gaither's doing "Thanks". Its a great clip below....have a great week, and THANKS for reading!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi8cdWynAK0

Downgraded to coach!

2010-02-16T21:49:00.000-08:00

I'll admit it. I'm an airline snob. Over the past two years, I've been a member of American Airlines Executive Platinum status for the traveling I did with them 2007 to present. The lure of arguably the best marketing program in business (AAdvantage) made be 100% loyal to American Airlines. I would avoid Southwest Airlines like the plague. After reaching 100 flights in a year, I was bumped to ExecPlat in 2008 and got to sit in first class every time I flew. It was awesome! I saw and sat next to some famous people. I loved the great breakfasts, sitting in a big leather chair, and getting drinks in an actual glass. Sometimes the attendant would address me by "Mr. Moss". Is it wrong to say I'd secretly laugh as I saw the masses walking past me in first class to their cattle car in coach? Flying to Europe in a seat that folded out to a bed, not to mention the incredible food, was an experience in itself. I also enjoyed getting to upgrade friends who traveled with me, or give upgrades to my friends who got married (Kim and Brett). I became obsessed with checking my miles to see when I had my next free flight. Well, I had a rude awakening yesterday. In 2009, I flew 92 times- 8 short of the cutoff for ExecPlat. I've officially been downgraded to Platinum, and what a difference it is! I went to check in yesterday, and when I looked at the ticket that printed out, it said 21F. Back of the plane! As I walked past the people in first class, I was thinking "Are they looking at me like I'm some commoner going back to the sardine can?" I enjoyed my coke in a plastic cup, not a nice crystal glass. And no gourmet nuts as a snack. I think I have a new goal this year of getting back to my ExecPlat status. Its amazing how a marketing program can change behavior. I was trying to figure out the fastest way I can get back to status- 10 trips to Frankfurt equals 100,000 miles. Or maybe 25 round trips to Austin.....I say all this tongue-in-cheek and really halfway kidding on all of this... I'm not that devastated. I've been able to see some incredible places over the last few years. Only this year, I'll be doing it from the back of the plane.

Olympics and more

2010-02-14T22:57:00.001-08:00

I watched some of the Winter Olympics for the first time this year....i even you tubed "Olympic Fanfare" to get in the spirit. I watched the mens' luge and some speed skating. It reminded me of the days back in elementary when me and my friend Chris Dupree would take his 2 skateboards and "street luge" down Hackmore Loop, his street. It was kind of hilly, and made for a good time. We never thought about cars that could have easily taken us out. Secondly, I remembered today thatI had this fascination with ski jumping in middle school, and wanted to take ski-jumping lessons. I think I just wanted to feel like I was flying...kids are weird. Today it snowed again, but melted pretty fast. Tomorrow I go to Austin through Wednesday, then back to Tulsa. Should be a fun week----I get to hang out with some of my co-workers that I rarely see, so it should be a great time.

There's this ringing in my ears....

2010-02-13T23:06:00.001-08:00

Its been a while....life has been good lately. This past week, my boss was in town, and also filled with lots of customer events and meetings. I think I set a record for client meetings this week- it literally flew by. Tuesday night I went over to Amira and Emily's to watch "Lost", which has been my favorite show over the past few years. Jay brought some of his favorite pizza and we watched the show. Its really hard to remember everything that has gone on in the show, but its turning out to be a great next couple of months to end the series. Wednesday, after traveling about 300 miles, and five customer meetings, I went to the TU game with a customer and business partner. The game was actually really fun, and TU beat Southern Miss. I may try to go to more of those games. I hadn't been to Shades in a while, so after the game, I met Jay up there and had some great lattes. I love that place!!! I miss going there everyday when I lived in Brookside. Thursday evening I spent eating sushi at Fuji with Oliver Bergmann, an awesome co-worker. Afterwords, we went over to Cosmos for some coffee and hung out there for a while. After that, I headed up to Caravan for some country dancing. Friday night, I met some friends up at Starbucks in Brookside and we played several games. It was really good to see some of the friends who I hadn't seen in a while. Today I woke up at 10, went to the Flea Market to look for fishing stuff, and back home. I went to dinner tonight at Carinos and then had a great dessert time back at Lindsey's house. Finally, back to "The Van" tonight and just back......and there's this ringing in my ears...

Snow

2010-01-29T17:15:00.000-08:00

It iced last night and snowed all day today in Tulsa. This is actually the first time I've been here when it snowed. The last couple of times I was out of town. Anyway, I still get the urge to go outside and run around in the snow- always have! I walked down to Walmart today and the new Panda Express for lunch. We got over 6 inches as of 6:00 tonight, and it was still falling lightly. Anyway, here are a few pics from the day....

New Additions to House

2010-01-25T19:42:00.000-08:00

It only took over a year, but I have finally gotten some new furniture for the house. I bought a new mattress for the guest room at JC Penney Homestore in S. Tulsa, and its really comfortable. I laid down on it last night, and fell asleep until 5 am this morning. I bought the 2 chairs from target.com and they arrived from UPS today. I had to put them together, but it was simple enough. Anyway, here's some pics of the new additions.....to the left is the new black leather chair from target.com in the guest room. Below is the new chair in the living room. Also from target.

New mattress for guest bed. Still need some pics for the room...

Living room sitting in new chair

New Dark brown chair from target.com

Thursday...

2010-01-21T20:52:00.000-08:00

Its been a great week.! I was up in Kansas City on Tuesday for our team meeting and 2010 kickoff. I met my new boss, who seems to be a really good guy. Wednesday, I drove back to Tulsa and went to Clinton Elementary, where I mentor a cool 1st grader named Devon. Afterwards, I went with Jay to Tulsa's oldest eatery- Ike's Chili- really good place! We go almost weekly to a Tulsa hole-in-the-wall place after mentoring. Some of my favorites have been Ike's, Brownies, and JJ's Gourmet Burger.
I watched the Baylor vs. Kansas game last night- we lost but it was a really close game until the end. The Jayhawks hadn't lost at home in 52 games, but hopefully we will meet them again in the Big 12 tournament.
Today was really busy....had two customer meetings, cold calling in the morning, working on a RFP in the afternoon and then a happy hour with Juniper Networks, one of our business partners. Afterwards, I went to group where we discussed "The Good Samaritan". Looking forward to the weekend--- tomorrow I'm eating lunch with some friends at Albert G's- one of my favorite Tulsa places, and then on Saturday, we are having a big flag football game, which should be awesome! I've also got to run- I've slacked off the past couple of day.

I'm also finally getting a mattress for the guest room- only took a year, but it takes time to furnish a house. I also bought two chairs from target.com. The pic above is of one of the chairs. Anyway, have a great weekend!

Psalm 19:14

2010-01-17T20:21:00.000-08:00

"May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be pleasing to you. oh Lord, my Rock and Redeemer" -Psalm 19:14.

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Its really simple, yet its not. Its so hard to constantly tell my flesh to quiet down, and to say, desire, and feel the way God intends for us to. When I think about this verse,"The words of my mouth" part is not as hard for me, as I'm not a person that gets angry very often. I am a pretty laid back guy. I can usually find something nice to say about someone, and try to be positive. But I don't hold a candle to how Jesus can speak to us each day if we let Him. "The meditations of my Heart' is what I struggle with the most. Alot of times I'll mediate on the things of life that don't matter. They are fleeting. Maybe situations don't work out as I think they should, or that girl doesn't like me, or I feel like a friend has wronged me. Or maybe its just a bad attitude, or a grudge that I hold against someone for a really stupid reason- something they probably don't even know bothers me. I've got to remember to just let it go, and rely on the Rock- the true sustainer, one who never disappoints.

There was a song in either high school or college that is basically just this verse in song. Sometimes I'll sing it to close out one of my quiet times with God.

Here is a link to the song...played by Shane & Shane, another favorite of mine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c5aP6PQOSo

Have a great Monday,
Jeff

2010...

2010-01-16T08:20:00.000-08:00

It's been over a year since my last post, but after some encouragement from some of my Irving friends, I have finally made it back to the blog and hope to keep this updated as possible. I spent some time over the Christmas break working on on my 2010 goals/resolutions. I have them posted in my office but thought I would share and update the progress....so in no particular order:

1) Get to 185 lbs- I weighed about 215 poulds last year at this time, and have gotten down to 193.2, so 8 pounds to go. After your mid 20's, it gets harder to keep it off, so I've been trying to eat a lot of sandwiches, and not much fried food. Also, I am off regular cokes...trying to drink unsweet tea as well as water.

2) Eliminate CC debt- my goal is to have this taken care of by Jan 31st. I think I'm going to achieve it by then. I had some various debts from impulse buys, etc, but its going to feel awesome to be cc debt free....never again! Only debit cards...

3) Bearathon- I ran this thing last year at 1:58:02, and my goal this year is to get to 1:45- yes its 13 minutes faster, but I'll also settle for 10 minutes better. I've recently been running at 4 miles in 34 minutes, so as long as I don't die on the Cameron Park hills, maybe its attainable??? I have a couple of friends planning to run as well, which will be nice...its alot better with company.

4) Tithe consistently- I used to be really good at this, and have slacked off for a variety of unacceptable reasons in 2009. The first 10% of my income is the Lord's, and I need to do it with joy, not out of obligation.

5) Make 2010 Quota- made my number in 2009, and trust me, its alot more fun at work when you are making your number, vs. not!

6) Relationship- I would love for this year to be the year....enough said.

7) Become a better friend- Generally, I just wanted to develop the friendships I have and continue to maintain ones that are long-distance. Also, I want to consistently pray for my friends- their specific needs, requests, things going on in their life. I want to bless others more this year.

8) Go to a Baylor Bowl game- hey if you don't write it down, it certainly wont come true. I would love to see Baylor's first bowl since I was in 7th grade.

9) Go on a mission trip- I'd like to get out of my comfort zone and be a part of a mission trip in 2010.

10) Sing in "The Messiah"- Random right? I've wanted to sing in this Christmas presentation for a while. They have some opportunities in Tulsa, so hopefully I will find the time to do it.

Those are my goals- will I accomplish them all? Probably not, but I hope to at least knock out the majority of them. I've found if I write something down as an objective, I'm more likely to get it done. I pray that when 2011 comes, I don't look back on these and me be in exactly the same place I was at the start of the year. What are your 2010 goals.

New House

2008-12-07T22:00:00.000-08:00

This is a bit outdated, but I did move into my first home about 3 weeks ago- after renting for over 4 years, it was time to make a purchase. Its a 3 bedroom/1bath home in Midtown Tulsa built in the early 50s. I had to do nothing to the house- everything was redone before I moved in! I feel like its a great first house- all refinished wood floors, granite countertops in kitchen, and i was blessed to get a new refrigerator, new stove, incredible front loading washer, dryer and even a lawn mower with the house, thanks to my aunt and uncle. I am not sure how long I will be in Tulsa, but for the time I am here, this house will be perfect for me. Here are a few pics before I moved my stuff in....

Ode to Bennigans

2008-07-31T19:54:00.000-07:00

This week, a part of my teenage years died- I read that most Bennigans in the US were closing down for good. Bennigans equals 1990s to me. Right up there with Chili's, I spent a lot of my Aspen Diner work money at this place. One of my first memories of Bennigans was going to the one right by the ice skating rink at the Galleria. In 7th grade, my junior high choir sang at Macy's and Nick Beckham and I went to that Bennigans with our parent's money, then bought Christmas presents for our girlfriends afterwards.

I spent many nights of my teenage years at Bennigans on friday nights after high school football games. Many times, our group would fill up a quarter of the restraunt with my friends from Irving High. We had 2 Bennigans in Irving- one in Las Colinas off 114 and one right at 183 and Esters. In high school, we usually headed over to the one in LC- I don't know why- maybe because Las Colinas was more prestigous. Even after high school, I would still go to the one on 183 with my friends Daniel, Dustin, Thomas, and Justin many many nights during the summer. I really don't know why we always went to Bennigans....i guess it was a matter of convenience.

Does anyone remember the Monte Cristo- Glorious! Ham, swiss cheese, and deep fried in a thick batter, garnished with powered sugar and served with a side of raspberry jelly. It must of had 5000 calories, but it was so good!

Commitments of today's generation?

2008-07-29T00:45:00.000-07:00

OK, this is a more serious post, but I've just been wanting to write down some things I have been observing lately and they have been in jumping around in my head. Ive noticed in my generation, there is lack of commitment or loyalty, whether its People feel a certain way and decide to do something, without regard to any people they affect. I've seen it from my friends and peers. I see people at work just quit randomly after our employer spends tens of thousands of dollars on them for training. I have tons of flaws, but have always tried to be a loyal person. I always try to honor my commitments, even if I didn't exactly like it at the time. If I say I am going to commit to a ministry, I do it and put my whole heart into it. I know in the end, God is going to take care of me, and has a perfect plan for my life (wife, future, family, etc). Its just so sad seeing people just fly from one thing to another, without regard for the people they hurt by breaking their responsibilities. I've noticed that both in Tulsa and Dallas-people just feel like they can show up and expect something catered just for them, the way they want it. If they don't feel like it fits their needs, desires, or wants, they just pick up and head somewhere else. I've even seen people walk into church, check the bulletin to see who is preaching, then get back in their car and head to the church on the other end of town for a little church buffet. Or go to worship at one church, and sunday school at another church. I saw that alot in college at Baylor, and even today. People think things aren't like they like them, and 2 weeks later, they just leave. I saw it occur working in youth. There were a couple of people who just left mid-year, not really caring that they had high school guys there that they were mentoring. Very sad. Its the kids who suffer, not the ones who jumped ship. I've seen it in other areas of the church too. Where is the commitment?

I think we have alot to learn from "The Greatest Generation", typically our grandparent's age. Many people think these people are just old and rigid, set in their ways. However, I have learned a lot from them .If you look at most, they are grounded. If you look in the church today, these people still are the people who are giving their all, even as they grow old. They committed long ago, and are still working for the kingdom. I know they endured trials and hardships over the years, but are still there, serving the Lord with a smile. I've been guilty of buffet church since moving to Oklahoma, and I have really been convicted of it lately. I never want my life to be dictated on whether I fit in with a certain group, or based on whether I'm being compleltly fed at church-I mean, we should be feeding all week through spending time with God. When its all about us, it takes the focus off the real person we are there to worship.

So what do you think? Do others see this too in our generation?

MBA

2008-07-01T22:11:00.000-07:00

I graduated from college over 4 years ago, and i've been telling myself I want to get an MBA for the past 3. I honestly wish I would have just done it after undergrad....I'm so lazy when it comes to studying for the GMAT, and really out of study mode now. Last week, I finally took the plunge and got some info from OSU, since I live close enough from Tulsa . I have also been looking at Texas Tech. My brother just graduated from Tech, and several people I know went there for grad school. They have some weekend programs I could look at, and still work during the week. Its probably the best time of my life to do it before I get married and have kids.....i don't even know if it would benefit me in sales, but its one of those things I personally want to achieve.

The Windy City- June 5-6

2008-06-19T20:52:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Chicago for a few days for my job. I hadn't been there in 10 years, and really had never seen much of it. A couple of things I observed...

1) Chicago rush hour traffic makes Dallas traffic feel like a breeze. It took me an hour and a half to get from O'Hare to downtown. I now understand why so many people were walking downtown and don't even own a car. They take the train everywhere. Next time, i will ditch the car. It again made me thankful I work from my house most of the time in Tulsa and don't have to sit in traffic half my life. So much less stress!

2) Another thing I determined...if I were to move to Chicago, I would live in the Old Lincoln Park area. For those who have seen "Return to Me", its the same neighborhood they filmed the movie. Lots of huge trees and long streets of brownstones with lots of character. I've heard prices start at a very affordable $1.5 mil. I walked down Sedgwick St. and saw in some of these cool homes. They are like 3 or 4 stories tall, and reminded me of the Cosby home. Anyway, I actually ate dinner at the Twin Anchors Restaurant in that area. It was featured as the Italian-Irish restaurant in "Return to Me."

As soon as I walked in, I recognized it from the movie. There was the bar, and I even saw the booth where the "water lady" annoyed David Duchovny. The place is so famous- Frank Sinatra came a ton in the 40's, and Conan O'Brien had just visited a few weeks before I came. The bartender was really nice, and told me about the tons of celebrities who frequent the place, as well as showed me the pic of him and Conan.

It was a really fun, albeit short trip. I want to make it back to Chicago and spend more time in this historic city.

Shades of Brown

2008-06-17T18:13:00.000-07:00

I live about 1 block from this incredibly cool coffee shop called Shades of Brown in the Brookside area of Tulsa (pictures to follow). It reminds me alot of Common Grounds from my Baylor years. Very eclectic- they often have live music on the weekends. I love walking to it about 4 times a week. Its been really nice weather wise for the past month, and its become a routine of mine to workout, go home, and later in the night go to Shades of Brown for a vanilla latte. Its served in a big homeade ceramic mug (see left). On top of the latte, the barista always makes the most interesting designs in the foam, like a leaf or other unique things. I love these local coffee places so much better than Starbucks. Ironically, I walk past the local Starbucks each time I go.

The place is so warm and inviting. It also seems to be a refuge for hippie children and college students home for the summer. People are usually smoking pipes/cigars out front. It also has the coolest artwork that they put out each month on the walls by local artists. There is also a cool community board that offers all sorts of classes and events. The only thing that makes me feel out of place is that I am not using a Mac, just a regular black thinkpad.

By the way, I've decided that I love living close to everything I need. In Grapevine, it took about 20 minutes to go to the grocery, church, work, etc. Now, I am about a 5 minute walk from just about anything. I have a Wild Oats grocery, Quick Trip, tons of places to eat, and the fitness center all within a very easy walk.

New Years 2008

2008-06-14T17:55:00.000-07:00

In late December, I went with several of my Baylor BRH friends over to Great Britian and Ireland for New Years. It seems like forever ago....so much has happened since then. The trip was a blast. I have traveled over there several times by myself, which is also cool, but being with people you know can't be beat. We all got along great, all had the same mindset of what we wanted to do, and got to experience some incredible sights in England, Ireland and Scotland. I think about working at the IBM building in London and how neat that would be to do for a couple of years.

First Post

2008-06-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

This is a first post for me in the blogging world. I have become somewhat of a blog stalker over the past few months. For some reason i love reading other people's life stories, so I thought I would start my own, even if no one reads it. My goal is to have a way of sharing experiences and pics throughout life's journeys. I have been fortunate to get to travel a lot, and hope to post these pics as I go forth.
I moved to Tulsa in early March, so this has been an interesting transition in my life. I grew up in Irving, and this is the first time I have been away from my family, friends, and church that I deeply love. So far, its been interesting. I love the area I live in. Its so close to all these cool places to eat and hang out. It reminds me of a cross between Deep Ellum and the M-Streets in Dallas. I can walk anywhere- to the store, coffee shop, lots of cool places to eat, etc. And I have become an avid fan of Quick Trip---they have ice like Sonic, and the stores have everything you could want. So clean too. I have to go there at least once a day for a 49 cent coke....just go in an get a coke if your thirsty (Guffman reference). Alright, well my first post is complete. I hope to stay active in doing this daily, and adding some pics as well. This first pic is me and some of my best friends from Baylor. I have stayed close with most of these guys, went on ski trips, and lots of fun memories. Me, Guinn, Alfredo, Greg and Davi at the Baylor BB game last year.