A pop classic... or maybe not...

So, I was at a Memorial Day BBQ where we played a game called "Catch Phrase - music" and this song was one of the answers that had to be guessed.

Apparently the people I was playing with aren't saavy with 1970's music... nevertheless, I had to blurt out the answer to save the rather embarassing scene that was created. EOD.

Perhaps these hits by the same group were more familiar...

Escape

I find it very relaxing and almost a way to 'escape' from the daily grind of work to watch a talent show such as So You Think You Can Dance.

Last night's 2 hour season premiere was amazing. The raw talent - amazing. That coupled with the truth that I always wanted to be a performer - not that I have the talent anymore - but I love 'dance'.

On Tuesday night while enjoying the Surf City street fair (every Tuesday night on Main Street) in Huntington Beach, we watched a troup of street dancers perform and were blown away by a guy named Robert Muraine. He is a pop-locker and B-boy dancer. He was AMAZING. I told Dawn to shoot a video of him, she didn't and now I have nothing of my own to post on this guy, but everything he did on the street he did IN LAST NIGHTS SHOW!

That's right - this guy was the final performer on Day 2 of the LA auditions. You have got to see this guy - he is stinkin' amazing!

Oh, the days when I used to move like that... NOT!

Hey - don't judge me.

Here is what happened to him - straight from his website:

-'So You Think You Can Dance' Flown To Vegas (April 23 2008)
-'So You Think You Can Dance' Cut From Hiphop Choreography Heat (April 24 2008) - bummer....

COUNTDOWN

WAAAAAHOOOOOOO!!!! IT STARTS!

TONIGHT!!!!
2 hours of DANCING!

At our beach house...

One of the many benefits of running your own company is you get to choose where to work. This, of course is the biggest benefit of being an Appraiser here in beautiful CA - when the weather is nice - you can work at the beach!

So this week, the wife & kids packed up our beach house (our 32' 5th wheel) and headed to the beach - Huntington Beach that is... Surf City baby!

So this week I get to wake up to the sounds of waves crashing on the beach and work with the ocean immediately outside my windows - ah... only in SoCal can you truly enjoy the beach!

Last evening there was a Street Faire on Main Street (Surf City Nights, every Tuesday, 5 - 9pm) there were street entertainers, food booths, a farmers market and many other vendors. We rode our bikes over to enjoy the festivities and then walked to the end of the pier (Shooby-d'ooby'd down) to Ruby's for dinner and to watch the dolphins jump in the waves.

What a great night! So now (today) I am back at work at my beach house desk (folding table on the sand) writing up appraisals all day.

HURRAH! REVOLUTION IS BACK!!

This post is in celebration of what an AWESOME and POWERFUL Lord I serve.

God is faithful, loving, kind and keeps his promises. Today at Revolution Church was evidence of just that very God that He is...

I don't know about the rest of you who were at today's celebration service - but I really sensed God's spirit moving in the body of believers. From the very beginning of service with the celebration of reconciliation to the 'spot on' delivery of the Word to the POWERFUL worship lead by Elijah and guest musician Todd Proctor. God was moving.

For the first time in 3 months I felt the "Revolution" again. Like the phoenix rising from the ashes I could sense God's sprit stirring in my heart and I could see Him moving upon the body of believers. As I looked around during worship - admiring the group of fellow believers, the core of Revolution - I was moved. Moved that all these believers, in coroporate community - celebrating the risen Lord.

Revolution is, at it's very core, a loving and caring church that is outward focused and cares for everyone, no matter where you are on your journey with Jesus. Revolution is in the process of restarting what has been missing for so long - we are hearing stronger presentations of the Word, we are going to start serving our community again, start re-connecting with our neighborhoods! Won't it be great to start handing out water bottles at community events again? How about joining in community events, just to serve the local area surrounding the church? Having everyone around the community of Long Beach again start referring to Revolution as the Church where Jesus is.

Jesus himself said, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets. Matthew 22:37-40. (emphasis mine)

For those of you have not given up; Those of you who refused to give the Devil a foothold in His church; Those who refused to do nothing and allow evil to infuse itself into a 'good work'; I say Thank you.

Not that I have authority to say thank you, other than to say that those who stayed with the church to hold hands spiritually during the past few months of crisis; those who joined many of us who have been on our knees praying for God to guide us; those who joined in corporate worship singing praises to the God that is bigger than any of our little concerns - you have done these things just as Jesus commanded. And for that you will be rewarded; you have 'loved your neighbor as yourself'.

Yeah, there is still some healing that needs to take place. There is room for improvement. It isn't perfect, but really only One Man was perfect and even His first group of leaders had problems...

But of all the places I can call my church home - I can't say I would rather be anywhere else then with this group of fellow believers.

I am proud to say I am a part of:

REVOLUTION CHURCH

A movement of the Heart!

By the way, there was an empty seat in my row... You can come and join us on Sunday, consider this a personal invitation.

96 degrees

It was HOT today.

I finished work early (3:30) and headed outside to the pool... after a quick vacuum it was time to cool off...

what did you do to keep cool?

TRUTH

The world says: “There are many ways to heaven”

God says: “Only Jesus, My Son, Made the sacrifice for your sins.”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (NIV)

How good is good enough to get into heaven? If you work hard, raise a nice family and give to charity, is that enough? Or do you have to become a missionary or give up the things you really want to please God enough to let you through the pearly gates? Or maybe you are going to have to live numerous lives in order to get “promoted” into heaven. What about the Muslims, Hindus and other religious practitioners?

Don’t all roads lead to God?

The answer is NO.

All religions are not the same. There are some profound, fundamental differences that cannot be ignored. Christianity is unique and actually offers the most hopeful, joyful solution to the problem of man’s sin and inability to enter a sinless eternity. Let’s face it, why would anyone want to enter an eternity that is the same as their current life – all belief systems hope for a ‘better’ eternity. It may be a life filled with 72 virgins, being the ruler of their own planet, coming back as a higher life form or even becoming a god – but they all hope for a better future.

Look at it from this angle: You need someone or something to take the punishment for you sins. Someone has to pay the price for your bad behavior. Someone has to account for your ‘indiscretions’. Someone has to pay the price... Mohammed didn’t – never even claimed to. Buddha didn’t – wise perhaps but not a savior. L. Ron Hubbard didn’t nor did Joseph smith. Only Jesus died for your sins. Jesus is the only One who rose from the grave to give you hope for the future. He is the only One who can make you clean enough to enter heaven.

Jesus didn’t just die for the sins of the Western world. He is the sacrifice for the sins of the WHOLE world. He died for the Asians, Middle-Easterners, Africans, Europeans, Australians and both North and South Americans. His sacrifice was intended for every man, woman and child in every country on every continent; your friends and your enemies; His friends and His enemies.

He and no other.

All roads do NOT lead to heaven. But thank God there is a road that does – and His name is Jesus Christ.

In Jesus Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7 (NKJV)

I thought I was old...

...at least that is why some of my friends keep telling me. That was until I saw an article tonight here, that made me gasp.

Madonna, Michael Jackson, Alec Baldwin and Prince will all turn 50 by the end of summer.

50!

Wow.

Ok, Madonna, yeah, she looks 50, Michael Jackson - he may be 50, but he doesn't have any real skin on his face, Alec Baldwin - yeah, he could pass for 50 - but Prince? come on, he doesn't look over 35.

50 - wow. That is only 4 or 5 years away for me. I don't feel 'almost' 50. I sure as heck hope I don't look nearly 50. Please don't feel as though you need to comment on that fact.

Are you an 80's fan?

I took this 80's music test - and did really well...

I saw the link here: http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/05/80s-lyrics-qu-1.html

take the test... let's see how you stack up -

Final Score: 176

Thanks Uncle Freddy!

Dawn's brother Freddy works as a set painter for various TV shows and movies - it just so happens that he is working on one of Ashley & Garhett's favorite TV shows, "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" - so uncle Freddy called and invited Ashley & Garhett to join their cousins and visit tonights taping of the new season.


So, Dawn & I decided to make a date night out of it. We dropped the kids at the studio and spent the night enjoying the flora and fauna of West Hollywood. (yuk).


Here are some photos that uncle Freddy took after the taping when he took our kids backstage to the stars dressing rooms. The kids got to hang with the stars, get autographs and see all the neat sets that Freddy painted.

Here is a photo of all the cousins (Liam, Garhett, Ashley, Darius & Nicolette) with two of the newest cast members.

THANKS SO MUCH UNCLE FREDDY -WE LOVE YOU!

(Oh, Uncle Freddy - since you also work on Hannah Montana, if you get a couple of extra tickets to go to a taping there, remember how good the kids were tonight!)