Thanksgiving Every Day

Okay, so this picture is a couple of years old, and one of my goals before the end of this year must be to get an updated family photo.

I am the most blessed man. Jesus saw fit to take my sins upon Himself, so I could be declared "not guilty" before a Holy and Righteous God. I could stop right there and that would be more than enough evidence to back up my claim of being the most blessed man. But, God didn't stop there. He blesses me with:
**My Bride, Peggy. She has put up with me all these years (we dated for four years before getting married nearly 28 1/2 years ago). Peggy is my best friend and the love of my life. I could not have asked for a better life partner. Always supportive, always giving, and not afraid to kick me in the butt when needed (and that is often), Peggy is the BEST part of me.

**Our children, Emily, Ian, Elliott and Abi. Yes, God has blessed us with four kids (we don't do the in-law thing around here) who love Jesus and serve Him with their whole hearts. It has been, and continues to be, such a blessing watching them grow in their faith, and watching them express that faith.

**My Dad, who is now living with us. Dad taught me what unconditional love was like. Dad taught me the good parts about being a father, and I could never repay him for that. To have him with us now is an adjustment for everyone involved, but I LOVE having my Dad with us. Let me refer back to my comments about Peggy in this matter as well, she is so supportive, loving, and great making this transition in our lives.

**Vero Christian Church, our home and our family. We LOVE serving God through the ministry of Vero Christian Church, and feel so blessed to work beside our elders, deacons and staff. Working with Steve Jones is a blessing beyond words. His support and Christian love for me and for what I do around here makes my labor for the Lord that much more enjoyable. Working with our praise team in rehearsals is the highlight of my week, surpassed only by what we do on Sunday mornings! Working in the student ministry is still a great passion of mine, and our youth sponsors are phenomenal.

**Christian brothers and sisters around the country and around the globe. I am so grateful for the communication age in which we live. Being able to stay in touch with dear brothers and sisters in Christ through the Internet and through text messaging keeps me grounded. I miss being able to be with "the crew" in person, but since we are now scattered all over the country literally, at least I get to be with them in Cyberspace or via the cell phone!

**Living in Vero Beach, FL. I always teased that I thought God was calling me to a "beach ministry" never dreaming that I would actually live in a beach town. In Florida no less! Wow, God You ARE amazing!

During this Thanksgiving season, I am reminded that I need to be thankful every day. I try to be, but I don't always express that thanks properly. May this be the year that all of that changes for the better. To God be the glory always. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow, and make no mistake, they are overflowing in my life!

Remembering Mom

Mom would be celebrating a birthday today. Because Mom was a lady, I won;'t reveal which birthday it would have been, but it would have been a BIG ONE. It's amazing to me how that after 16 years since she passed from this life due to pancreatic cancer, I still miss her so badly every single day. The picture here is my favorite one ever of Mom. I snapped it while she was ironing (obviously) and if there was one domestic chore she hated, it was IRONING! You can see her telling me, "you had better not take that picture!" I disobeyed, and the picture was taken. I wish I could say it was the only time I disobeyed, but that would be a lie. I did try, however, to honor and obey my Mom. You see, Mom is one of my heroes.

Divorced just about the time my youngest brother was born, it was Mom and us three boys (with lots of help from my grandparents). That is until my Dad came along. When Mom started dating my Dad, I got to see what true love is like. Not just the romantic love between two adults, but the love for us boys that poured out from both Mom and Dad even before they got married. Dad recently reminded me of the gentleman's agreement we made when he first started dating Mom that we would "adopt" each other. What sweet memories.

Mom was the closest thing to being omniscient to anyone on this planet. She used to do this whole routine where she very dramatically reminded us that, "Mom knows all, sees all, but doesn't necessarily tell all." And she did. I found out the hard way on more than one occasion that I really couldn't pull a fast one over on her (even when I thought I had).

I am so glad to say that I had a great relationship with Mom. We remained close even when I "sneaked out of the nest" as she used to say. When I graduated from high school, my family moved to Alabama. I stayed in Kentucky and went up to live with my grandparents. Mom somehow had the mistaken notion that I was coming to live with them in Alabama at some point, but I never had intentions of doing so. That was my sneaking out of the nest, and we laughed about it for years.

When I brought Peggy to Alabama as we were letting family know of our intentions to become husband and wife, Mom had finally gotten to the point where she accepted the fact that her "baby boy" was gonna marry some girl. I know that Peggy didn't think Mom liked her for several years as we dated, but she now knows what Mom was going through (since our "baby boy" has married a fine young lady, himself). It wasn't that Mom didn't like Peggy, she just wasn't ready to share me with some other female. Mom wasn't just my Mother, she was my confidant, and she knew (rightfully so) that her position would change with my marriage to Peggy. My Bride reminds me a lot of my Mom, and that is the highest compliment I could ever pay Peggy.

When Mom was diagnosed with cancer, we were all caught totally off guard. Mom was rarely ever sick, and had shown no signs of the cancer until it was in the final stages. We got word in early July, and by October 17, 1993, Mom was gone from this life. I had the privilege of videotaping some conversations with Mom where she talked about everything from her childhood to meeting and dating and marrying Dad, to stories about each of of kids, and stories about her grandbabies. While Elliott has some vague memories of her, Ian and Emily really only know her from the video, from pictures and from the stories they have been told. I want them all to know how much they were loved by their Grandma Blount.

I was with Mom when she breathed her last breath. She had slipped into a coma on that Sunday afternoon, and I sat by her hospital bed in the living room and held her hand, praying, singing, and dreading the moment. I dreaded it for my sake, because I was not ready to say goodbye. I am glad that I was there and had that time. I am so proud to be Bettie Blount's son. As I remember her birthday today, I want to praise my Lord and Savior Jesus for walking with me every day as I miss my Mom. I praise Jesus for the strength He gave me to get through that very tough time of having to say goodbye. I don't concentrate of that final weekend with her on this planet, but I have a flood of memories that make me smile as I write this note today.

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Hampton Inn Lobby on a Rainy Monday.

So, I haven't updated here in a long time, because I mostly update via Faceook these days. However, for the three of you who may read this blog rather than Facebook, here we go, buckle your seat belts!

About three weeks ago, we got word of a water pipe break in Dad's house in Anniston. The water was shut off, but not before it had formed a two-foot deep pool in the garage. I scrambled desperately to get things taken care of in Vero, so I could take some time off to come up here (I am currently in Anniston) to see what had to be done. In a nutshell - Dad's house suffered MAJOR mold damage. I have produced a series of videos mostly from my cell phone titled "Mold Monster" which are on Facebook. I MAY post them here sometime in the future, but don't hold me to it. The bedroom level of Dad's house will be gutted. Mold remediation has already begun, and reconstruction will follow. the process should take 5-6 weeks and could cost upwards of 50-60 thousand dollars! Yeah, you read that right.

Lil Bro was with us for the first few days (taking days off he could string together from his job), and we FOOLISHLY allowed Dad to talk us into staying at the house for the first two nights we were in town. Sleeping with the Mold Monster is about as stupid a thing as you would ever want to do. After a round of antibiotics, and many decongestant pills, I am about to get back to normal, but my sinuses haven't felt this bad in ages. Dad's homeowner's insurance is paying for us to stay at the Hampton Inn here in Oxford, AL, while we are in town. We leave here Wednesday to head back home to Vero Beach! Meanwhile, we are gearing things up for some outside work to be done on the house (trimming and removal of bushes, etc.), as well as the inside work. Good parts of all of this include the fact that the garage will be emptied out, and the stuff that has been cluttering it up for way too long will go away, AND I won't have to be the one making it go away. Fo' realz, the bottom line of this situation is that the house will be in much better shape than it has been in nearly two decades, and for that I must give God a huge shout out of praise!!!

We are hoping to see Aunt Phyllis either this afternoon or tomorrow afternoon and I am seriously looking forward to that visit. Words cannot express my love for Aunt Phyl, and she continues to be a source of great strength and comfort to me. We've been through a lot together over the course of my very short (ahem) lifetime, and I always enjoy the chance to just hang out with her.

Dad and I have made two trips to the Etowah County jail in attempts to visit with Donna, and so are we are 0-for-2 in that regard. We will make at least one more attempt, but because of privacy issues, we cannot even find out if a visit will be possible. yeah, it is a strange world , this realm of county jails, but it is the reality of life regarding Donna. 'Nuff said.

So, with the Mold Monster on the run, with work being done inside and outside the house to enhance it's value, this trip to 'Bama has been far more productive and encouraging than I thought it would be. I am such a skeptic still. I must repent of that and ask God to continue showing me His mighty ways!

Y0ur continued prayers for Dad, Donna, Ed, Aunt Phyl and me are greatly appreciated. Your continued prayers for my Beautiful, and Wonderful Bride, for Ian, Emily, Elliott and Abi are greatly appreciated as they continue to be so supportive from afar (FL). God is so good. May my life reflect His goodness and His love always.
Be God's,
Scott

Rock the Universe Weekend

I just finished up another Rock the Universe weekend at Universal Studios Orlando. It was a fantastic weekend on several levels. First, the students and Junior Sponsors we brought were wonderful. No problems, no missteps, and everyone got along (or at least they hid it from me if they didn't). Second, the concert lineup included some of my very favorite artists: David Crowder Band, Casting Crowns, Toby Mac, Jeremy Camp, and Third Day just to name a few.

Most importantly of all, I got to spend a lot of time with my Bride. My favorite moments of the weekend were those times when I walked hand-in-hand with Peggy without having to say a word. You see, words do not adequately describe the depth of love I have for my Bride, and getting to spend time alone with her in the midst of crowds, or just walking around the parks...well those are my favorite times!

Make no mistake about it, the DCB concert was a blast. We stood with Jimmy Adams and "got rowdy" with DCB on Friday night. It was an amazing time of giving God the glory. Saturday evening's Casting Crowns concert provided the inspiration for my Sunday morning devotional message to our students (see my devo blog at Speaking Blountly for those details. Getting to see a bit of Pure NRG, and Plumb in concert yesterday was fun, too. Riding some rides at Universal we had never tried before was a hoot. Props to the Jimmy Neutron and Disaster rides.

However, my favorite times of the weekend were those quiet, hand-in-hand times with my Bride. No contest!

I Love My Wife and My Life!

I got to spend Labor Day not only taking care of some yard work, and attending the church picnic, but I got to spend a big part of the day with my Bride. I sat with her at the picnic (a rarity to be sure), and after we came back home, we slipped into our bathing suits and lounged in the pool for a couple of hours. I am so blessed to be married to Peggy, and I truly do relish every moment I get to spend with her. I know that she often feels like she gets my "leftovers" and while that is sometimes the case, it is never my intention.

So, please let it be known to all the World (Wide Web): I Love My Wife and I Love My Life!

Thank you Peggy for putting up with me. You are God's second greatest gift to me (after my salvation in Christ).

Birthday Feast

Okay, so yesterday was my physical birthday. I have a habit of truly downplaying this day, because I really don't get all that excited about it. Last night, Peggy reminded me that it is a big day, because it is the day that God brought me into this world. Touche, my Bride. Point well taken.

Nevertheless, my "Birthday Celebration" was at Taco Bell (my choice), and my Birthday Feast is pictured above - a Volcano Nacho! The fact that Peggy, Ian, Emily, Dad, Turtle, and Chancho were with me, made the celebration! Being surrounded by the people I love is all the gift I needed, and I got exactly what I wanted!!

We spent the evening watching Tim Hawkins do his "I'm No Rock Star" comedy video because Chancho had not see it yet. Oh, Tim Hawkins makes me laugh.

I am the most blessed man on this planet. I have my salvation in Jesus Christ, I am married to the most beautiful woman alive, have fantastic children who love Jesus, and my Dad is with us. What more could I possibly desire? Nothing. Thanks to all who made my birthday a beautiful celebration!

Encounter!

So, yesterday, I celebrated my 24th birthday, having been baptized into Christ on August 27, 1985. I talked about that some in my devotional blog Speaking Blountly so I won't go into any further details on that milestone here. I will just say that I am the most blessed man on planet earth.

This afternoon, I head to Miami with Elliott, Abi and Andrew for what will be an amazing 24 hour Worship Conference. I will absolutely feel out of place with folks who are so gifted in this area, but if I am to grow as a worship leader, I need to "feel out of place" at times.

I am going with the intention of learning everything I can possibly take in, and to just enjoy the time of celebrating Jesus with like-minded folks and especially with Elliott, Abi and Andrew! Yeah, I'll try to be faithful enough to blog about the experience so the two of you who read this blog can live vicariously through me. lol

Thanks in advance for the prayers as we travel to and from Miami between now and late night Saturday. Especially remember my travel mates, who must head to the Gulf Coast after dropping me off (and picking Jayla up).

Happy 28th Anniversary, Baby!

Yes, I kissed my Bride at sunrise on the boardwalk in Vero Beach this morning. We went over to start the celebration of our 28th Wedding Anniversary, by watching the beauty God provides for us with a sunrise. Such a sense of peace, hope and majesty all rolled up in one. After basking in the glory of God's sunrise gift for us, we had a little breakfast at a place to remain anonymous for fear of multitudes of folks trying to track our movements. lol

We then came home and lounged for a bit before heading out for nearly five hours in the pool. Skies were a brilliant blue with fluffy white clouds, and the occasional high altitude jet leaving its con trail. We had others in the pool for a while, then they all left and it was just the two of us. I really like it that way.

As I type this, the most beautiful woman in the world is getting ready for our dinner date (again at a location not to be disclosed), and I am simply marveling at how blessed I am to be married to Peggy Ruth Dixon Blount. She is without a doubt the most beautiful woman (physically, spiritually, and emotionally) I have ever met. My love for her is far deeper than it was 28 years ago when I was forgetting the words to the Kenny Rogers song, "Lady" as she walked down the aisle at our wedding ceremony.

Happy Anniversary, Peggy. May my life say more adequately what mere words seem to fail to convey when I tell you that I love you!

Your Own Jesus

I just finished reading Mark Hall's forthcoming book, "Your Own Jesus." Yeah, Professor Jeff Sagstetter calls me a Hobb because I got an advance copy of the book to read and review online (which I have done in a couple of places...Facebook and Amazon). While I will never match the good Professor in Hobbness, it was a pleasure to read this book.

Mark Hall is not only a singer/songwriter and frontman for the contemporary Christian Group Casting Crowns, but he is still involved in student ministry at his local church. He writes "Your Own Jesus" from that perspective. Intertwined with lots of personal illustrations, solid biblical truth and thoughts from various songs from the CC project "The Altar And The Door," this book cuts to the heart of the matter: we need to passionately pursue Jesus every day of our lives. For years, I have tried to communicate to students the need to passionately pursue Jesus. Not just because it is something you ought to do, but because it is who you are: someone who is passionately in love with Jesus.

At our Senior Roast last month, I told the six high school graduates that statistically, 5 of them would turn their backs on Jesus and the church within the first couple of months of being away to school or out on their own. Honestly, I can think of three of them who are already on that path. It scares me for their sakes. It frustrates me that I cannot seem to communicate this TRUTH more effectively. I know, even God can't/won't force people to love Him, but it hurts nonetheless.

As I blogged about last week, my physical hurt from missing Peggy while she was gone to KY needs to translate into how I feel when I miss my time with God. More and more, it does. How to get others to that point is a whole other matter. I will do my best to model the lifestyle. I need to pray MORE for the people with whom I have contact who need to be passionate in their love for Jesus. I need to explore these issues with students in teaching sessions, with worship team folks in rehearsal and on Sunday mornings, and with everyone on a daily basis. I need to do a better job of helping others realize that they need their own Jesus, not the one I have, or their parents have, or their friends have, but everyone needs to have a personal, passionate relationship with Jesus.

I've spent time in the Word today loving on my Jesus, how about you?

Be God's,
Scott

Counting Them Down

Not that I am getting excited about the return of my Bride or anything! I've had this countdown widget going on my Mac Pro desktop for way too many days now, but the time is drawing near! My Bride is schedule to be on the ground in Orlando by 6:30 this evening.

On another, quite serious note, please remember my brother-in-law Alvin Parker in your prayers, as he is ready to undergo a heart catheterization procedure as I type this note this morning. The prayers of the righteous can easily handle this situation, and I ask that you pray not only for Alvin but for Peggy's sister, Terri, and their kids Brad and Amber so that all will have peace throughout the procedure and the recovery. I thank you in advance for your prayers!

One More Day!

Yes, as I type this I have jut over 26 hours until I am reunited with my Bride! I have missed her so badly, it physically hurts. I am glad that she had this time with her family in KY, but three weeks...well, that's way too long for me.

As I think about how much I love Peggy and how it hurts to be apart from her, I cannot help but stop and think about how much God hurts when the people He loves so deeply, choose to be apart from Him. I cannot help but wonder why many of us who claim to love God don't feel that physical pain of separation when we fail to spend time with Him on a regular basis. Hmmm...maybe we are just too quick to give God lip service instead of life service.

May the pain of separation from my Bride serve as a reminder of the pain God feels when I separate myself from Him, and may I never do so again! May the joy of the pending reunion I will have tomorrow evening in Orlando be just a glimpse of the joy awaiting me when I am united with my Lord and Savior on that first day on the other side of eternity.

I can't wait to wrap my arms around Peggy in the airport tomorrow. I can't wait to spend more time with my Lord in prayer and Bible study. I wish everyone were as anxious to spend time with God as I am to spend time with my Bride.

Sad Face

I picture messaged this sad face to my Bride yesterday along with a countdown to the time her plane is schedule to land in Orlando. As I type this there are seven days, seven hours and 43 minutes until that happens. I miss my Bride terribly, but I am so glad that she has been able to spend some time in KY with her family. I praise God that the original reason she rushed back up there was only a false alarm, and Mom is doing just fine!

I have enjoyed some extra time with my "chilluns" and the shopping time spent with Chicky last Saturday, but I do miss my bfffff, and long for her return.

Yeah, that's all I have to say today. I love Peggy with all my heart, and when we are physically apart for long periods of time like this, it physically hurts. I praise God for my Bride every day, as I am the most blessed man on the planet.

Peggy, BEEG KEESES await you in the Orlando International Airport, and a trip to Joe's Crab Shack will start off our date next Tuesday evening! I love you!!!

July 4th without my Bride

We had the Jones family in for our July 4th Feast of Baby Back Ribs and fixins. Actually, Tami Jones provided some delicious potato salad, banana pudding, and cupcakes, while we provided Ian's famous slow grilled ribs and grillin' beans. It was quite the feast and quite the celebration except for one very important person who was missing from our gala: my Bride!

Peggy is in Kentucky, having been called up there due to a medical emergency that is not really a medical emergency. See, we got this call from Peggy's sister Terri on Monday, June 28th, saying that Peggy's Mom had a blood clot in her heart, and the doc said for Peggy to get up there as soon as possible. We got her out on one of the first flights possible (yay, AirTran, which now has service from Orlando to Charleston, WV), and after arriving in Kentucky, seeing her Mom, and a couple of tests on Mom's heart later...no problem, it was a shadow from her hiatal hernia! Of course, Peggy's return flight to Florida isn't until July 21st. Sad face.

So, we celebrated Peggy's and my 32nd anniversary of her agreeing to be my steady girlfriend with her in Kentucky and me in Florida. Not my favorite way to spend that special day in my history with my Bride!

However, having Steve, Tami, and Katie Liz Jones along with Chris Stephenson (Katie's fiancee) over for dinner was a blast! We enjoyed our meal and then spent some time watching some Tim Hawkins songs and comedy bits on You Tube. No I haven't linked it here, go find it yo9urself! It is well worth the effort!!!

Then, Emily, Ian, Turtle, Melvin, Ashley and I joined the Cina and the Bellis families over at Riverside Park for some fireworks. The grand finale looked like this through the lens of my enV2 phone's video recorder:




Now that I have updated my blog at least once this month, I can go back to the tons of video and audio work I am doing for the church. I love my life, but I miss my wife and am counting down the days until I hold her in my arms again!!!

Your Own Jesus

I have read an advanced copy of the first chapter of Mark Hall's (front man for Casting Crowns) forthcoming book "Your Own Jesus." The book comes out on August 1st, and I am anxiously awaiting its release. In the introduction, Hall declares..."many of us believers, even longtime members
of the body of Christ, have genuine faith but parasitic practices." That is a beautiful way of putting it. Too often, those who claim that they want to follow Christ, simply want to let someone else do all the "heavy lifting" while they go along for the ride. then, when those spiritual freeloaders find themselves on their own, they fall against the weight of the world. The world wants to belittle faith in Christ. The world wants to crush the spirits of those who try to follow Christ. Without a genuine faith of your own (not your parents' faith, not your minister's or youth minister's or youth sponsor's faith, not your friends' faith, but YOUR faith), you are doomed.

Hall goes on to write: "This book was generated as I asked myself — as I
now ask you — some difficult questions. Is your walk
with Jesus Christ characterized by personal faith, personal
prayer, personal study, and personal disciplines?
Or do you get by with the overflow from more mature
Christians?
Do you have your own Jesus?
Perhaps reading these words makes you uncomfortable.
The notion sounds almost heretical."

Yeah, I am hooked already. I have two other books I am currently reading ("Crazy Love," and "The Hole In Our Gospel"). Gonna hafta get them read so I can be ready for the release of Mark Hall's "Your Own Jesus."

Gonna hafta continue encouraging the students in our ministry to get their own faith and run with it. The time to be parasitic in your faith is long gone!

Be God's,
Scott

This and That

I am so glad that I live under the New Covenant with God. In my daily devotional readings through the Chronological One Year Bible these past few weeks, I have been going through the tumultuous history of Israel and Judah under kings who failed to follow God with all their hearts. As I started reading in the book of Amos it struck me that God says your sins will not be ignored. When I think of the sins in my life, I am so glad that God doesn't ignore them. Because of Jesus, my sins are forgiven and forgotten by the Creator of the universe!

Father's Day, 2009 fell on June 21st. That makes Ian and Emily 11 years old spiritually on Father's Day! I had the privilege of baptizing them into Christ on June 21, 1998, and to this day that is by far the BEST Father's Day I have ever had. However, this year comes in at a close 2nd. Elliott preached at First Christian Church Clearwater, it was his first sermon ever! I had the honor of being there to hear him preach! Along with my Bride, Ian, Emily and my Dad! Afterwords, Elliott, Abi, Ian, Emily Dad, Peggy and I went to Moes Southwest Grill for a Father's Day Feast! Yes, it WAS a great day.

I've been having an interesting Twitter conversation with Robin Sigars lately on doctrine, obedience and love. We are both of the opinion that the former receives too much emphasis to the detriment of the latter two. I maintain that if we obey God's Word and love people the way God intends, our doctrine will be right. After all, how can we obey God's Word if we are not obey it fully (see my comments on Israel and Judah at the beginning of this blog)? Those who do not fully obey the Gospel may love, but they are not obedient. Those who obey the Gospel but don't love, well, resounding gongs come to mind. Lord, I pray that You will help me lovingly obey Your Gospel so that my life will draw others to Jesus.

Did I mention that I was like a kid on Christmas morning yesterday? Well, the new microphones are in, and I cannot wait for this Sunday's Celebration Services! Big Dogg Audio RAWKS!!!

With the afternoon Thunderstorms rolling in, I should end this for now, with the desire to do this more often and to even try to be deep enough on occasion that someone might actually get something out of my rambling posts on this blog site.

Be God's,
Scott

Terminal Case of Motorcycle Fever

Okay, it is no secret that I have had motorcycle fever ever since re-acquiring my motorcycle license about a year ago, and while riding the Scooter named Greta. Alas, poor Greta is having fuel distribution problems once again (and with all the home remodeling we have had to do lately...re: replacing shower walls, etc.I cannot get her looked at right now), and wiht my van doing CIY duty this week, I needed a vehicle. John Martinelli (otherwise known as satan's minion) offered the perfect solution: his MonsterCycle! Picture here in my driveway, I am indeed wrestling 900 pounds of two-wheeled machine around the roads of Vero these days. John says I can keep it for a couple of months, because he needs the room in his garage at home right now. Yeah, my case of motorcycle fever has gone terminal. I believe we will need to take up a special offering to treat this serious medical malady afflicting me, don't you?

Wicked Winds of the West

Afternoon thunderstorms are the norm for this time of year here in Paradise On Earth. Yesterday evening, a particularly ominous looking bunch of clouds with a stiff westerly wind (but very little rain) blew in...most appropriate for my mood. Suffice it to say that we have enough plumbing-related issues going on at the house these days to put us under. And I'm not talking about water.

But, my Bride reminds me that it is only "stuff." God provides a way around the "stuff" and besides, how could I dare to complain when I have friends to the north (in the Daytona area) who have suffered fo' realz flooding over the past couple of weeks? Still, I need to just spend MORE quiet time in reading and reflecting upon God's Word. I need to hold my Bride in my arms, and remember that with Jesus and Peggy here, everything will be just fine.

Slow Down!

The month of April was a whirlwind, and it is not my desire to reap the whirlwind, by any means! To say that the old acronym of Being Under Satan's Yoke (BUSY) would describe April is a gross understatement.

I did a whirlwind trip to and from Alabama and brought Dad home. That trip happened faster and sooner than I had originally anticipated, but the bottom line is that Dad is now here with us. We have discussed many things including putting the house in Anniston up on the market, and the pending financial tsunami that must be taken care of. Now, Dad would just as soon not think about any of that, and I am walking the fine line between being "pushy and controlling" and being realistic and practical. Actually our "big talk" about all of that went far better than I had thought it would go, and I am so grateful for the continued prayers of folks who know what is going on.

Peggy's Mom is healing well, and is already back in Kentucky following her broken leg, surgery, and rehab in Florida. We are praising God for how He has worked in that situation, and for Mom's attitude, which has been superior!

Ian now has a full time job at the Sprint Store here in Vero! Praise God for answered prayer, and for angels in the flesh like Jim Adams. We have seen such a difference in Ian's demeanor and we are giving God the glory for the mighty work He continues to do in Ian's life!

Emily is home for the summer, having completed her first year at FCC, and I am so glad to have my Chick-A-Boo back home. We are in prayer for a summer job for her, and she may have a good line on a possibility with a day camp operation through the Salvation Army. It would be PERFECT for a gal majoring in Elementary Ed!

Peggy has battle several different "bugs" over the past month, an indication that she is working too hard, not resting enough, etc. I worry about my Bride, because of stress levels that normally go up at the end of the school year, and now with the added stress of having Dad here, and being married to a goober like me. She assures me that all is well, but I just want her to feel well for more than seven days in a row.

Ministry is going at a break-neck pace, as usual. Senior Roast is coming in a month, and I am so not ready for all the media work I need to do for that. Praise Team stuff is going well, and we are hitting our groove at a higher level these days. That is a blessing beyond words. I also know that discussions about what will be removed from my overburdened plate ministry-wise have to come soon, and I dread that. Please pray for those conversations and decisions and may God be gloried in all we do!

Now, it's time to head to the store, go to a wedding at the church, put the final touches on youth groups tomorrow night, get a few things gathered up for a teacher/sponsor appreciation luncheon meeting we have tomorrow, hang out with Dad, take care of my Bride, and whew...maybe I should take a nap first!

Still Playing "Catch-Up"

Today has been filled with those "catch-up" activities that we all love so dearly: finally got my tax information gathered up and sent off to our CPA who resides in Arizona...just six weeks behind schedule on that one; talked with a couple of great brothers in Christ via phone and Facebook, and got caught up with those guys. Just years behind in that category; working on sermon CD duplication, video rendering for a teaching series we are starting to put together at Vero Christian Church, trying to get more done in the worship ministry area like worship services planned, etc.; gearing up for this weekend's trip to the Believe Conference in Kissimmee; trying to prepare for the Resurrection Sunday services coming in a couple of weeks; and anticipating a trip to Alabama to pick up Dad and bring him down this way for a while, we miss him so much!

Yeah, life keeps getting in the way of doing any meaningful blogging. That is a lol statement, folks. Your continued prayers on our behalf are greatly appreciated and sorely needed!

Top Ten Misconceptions

In our Sunday evening youth group, we are three weeks into a four-week series on the Misconceptions about Jesus/Christianity, using the tried and true video clips produced by Vintage 21. In preparation for last night's lesson, I had asked several ministry buds, as well as my students and sponsors to give me what they would consider their #1 misconception about Jesus/Christianity. Here are the results of that survey in a top ten order of my own choosing:

10. Jesus was/is white.
9. Jesus was a good man/good teacher...that's all.
8. Jesus was all about the "do's and don't's."
7. Jesus was meek & mild walking around like Mr. Rogers all the time.
6. Jesus doesn't hear me any more.
5. Jesus drank alcohol so it is okay for teens to do the same.
4. Christians shouldn't be seen in places like casinos or bars, because it would "ruin our witness."
3. You have to get your life straightened out before Jesus will love you or use you for Kingdom work.
2. Jesus wouldn't really let us go to hell for our sins because He loves us too much to do that.
1. The Primary Reason Jesus died was because He loves us. (the Primary Reason was to honor and obey God the Father, Whose plan was for Jesus to die to take away our sins).

I have asked my students and sponsors to provide me with a top ten list of ways Christians perpetuate these misconceptions, and will compile them for this Sunday's lesson. Any thoughts along those lines? What is it that those who claim to follow Christ do these days that perpetuate misconceptions about what it means to truly follow Christ? How do we further perpetuate the misconceptions people have about Jesus? I am interested in your replies. You know how to reach me.

Passing Me By

To say that the last couple of weeks have been one big whirlwind would be an understatement. I have made four cross-state trips to the Tampa Bay area over the past 11 days, and tonight I will sleep in my bed for the third consecutive night for the first time in two weeks. Some of the trips were business, one was pleasure, and two were related to Peggy's Mom breaking her leg and the subsequent surgery to repair that break.

Peggy's Mom is doing fine post-surgery and is in a rehab facility. Peggy is gonna go back over to check on her and Dad next weekend, and this coming week, we are gonna try to have as "normal" a week as we possibly can. Whatever normal is.

My other cross-state trips involved a look at audio and video equipment we are considering and/or have purchased for the church, and a trip to watch LSU whoop up on UK in the SEC basketball tournament. Yeah. 'Nuff said.

Anyway, I cannot thank my prayer partners enough for the prayers lifted up for Peggy's Mom, for our travels back and forth, and for our friend Kevin Patton who fell 25 feet from a roof in the Ashland, KY, area, breaking lots of bones in his body, but who is now recuperating at home following several surgeries. God is good, and I want to praise Him always.

Goodnight to the two people who read this blog. I'm gonna get in my bed for the 3rd straight night! That is a trend I want to continue until I head out for the Believe Conference next weekend.

Stirrup Cay

My Favorite Ship Shot
Originally uploaded by blountman

On Sunday, we ported at Stirrup Cay, a private Island owned in part by NCL. They have a private beach which was way too crowded for Peggy's and my liking, so we took the two mile walk to the other end of the island t see the lighthouse and some other very interesting sights.

This picture is my artsy shot of the Norweigian Sky through some of the vegetation as we took one of our "side trips" off of the main trail. Words cannot describe how much we enjoyed this walk and the scenery God put together for us to enjoy. It was so easy to worship our Creator as we walked in unspoiled beauty of a Caribbean Island! Check out the other pictures on my FLICKR site.

While I had a blast on the entire cruise, this was by far my favorite part of our experience! Walking hand-in-hand with my Bride and exploring together was fantastic. Getting to take some side trails and look back at the ship over coquina rock, or in the lightly forested areas...breath-taking!

The lighthouse was cute, but the view from the end of the trail at the neighboring islands was fantastic! Some of the locals were around in their sailboats, and I have one picture of people walking a sandbar between two islands. Pretty sweet, indeed!

We did eventually head back to the beach and to lunch, but not before seeing several iguanas, including one three-footer. It was such a relaxing time. It was a perfect way to spend the day: walking in unspoiled beauty with the most beautiful woman on the planet. Now, THAT is my idea of a perfect day!

Snorkeling The Reef

Scott
Originally uploaded by blountman

Until Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, I had never been snorkeling before. I am ready to make it my new favorite hobby! A group of about 20 of us in the Deibel Party joined about 20-25 others for an excursion to a coral reef just off of Nassau.

Yeah, Tom took that picture of me snorkeling so I would have photographic evidence of my adventure. The other pictures in this set are all from my hand. The beauty of this coral reef was difficult to capture with my little throw-away underwater camera.

The coral was beautiful, and it was beyond cool to literally be swimming with the fishes. You could reach out and touch them, if you were quick enough, and they certainly were not afraid to get in your face!

Now, the water was a tad on the chilly side...okay it was stinkin' cold! Take your breath away when you first jump in cold! However, after taking my first peak at the coral and then following some fish around, I soon forgot all about the chilly water temp. Oh, did I mention it was windy as well? Some experienced snorkelers commented on the white caps on the wave. Didn't deter me. I spent about 50 minutes absolutely reveling in the beauty of God's creation under the sea. It truly was one of the best worship experiences I have had in ages.

I cannot wait until I have the opportunity to snorkel again.

Peggy at the Market

Peggy at the Market
Originally uploaded by blountman

Norwegian Sky Bahamas Cruise, Day 2. Saturday morning featured a walk around the immediate downtown area of Nassau by the pier. We looked in several shops, and then hit the "Straw Market." I was struck by the sameness of the items for sale in the SM, not just the materials, but the prices. We didn't try to bargain with anyone primarily because we didn't see anything that just jumped out at us. We did enjoy the stroll, and we did wind up purchasing a Christmas ornament in a shop at the pier. We also toured the Nassau Senor Frogs gift shop. Being a frog freak myself, well...a picture of me in front of Senor Frogs can be found on our Flickr page.

Day 1 Cruisin'

Trekking from Vero Beach to Miami with Steve & Patty Macaluso was an absolute treat. Steve drove! We enjoy their company so much, and the trip was uneventful which is my favorite way to travel by automobile. Boring car (or van) trips are the best! Not that the company was boring, but the drive was uneventful with the minor exception that my Sunpass apparently decided it didn't want to work. Had to take care of all of that after we got back from the cruise, but that is a story for another post.

Boarding the ship was a relatively painless and easy process, and we were able to navigate to our stateroom very quickly. We did talk with Ann a couple of times in the process, and that made things much easier.

Speaking of Ann...when I first met Tom and her last May, they had come into the church office wanting to talk with someone about doing a wedding ceremony for them. I scheduled an appointment with them for the next day. I had plenty of paperwork for them to fill out, and we talked about their backgrounds, church experiences, family life, etc. After about an hour, I decided that I would indeed perform their wedding ceremony for them. They wanted to get married that Saturday (this was on a Wednesday).
On the appointed day, Peggy and I were there with Tom & Ann. We held the ceremony in the welcome center of our church building, Peggy took pictures, and I did the pronouncing. They wanted Peggy & me to go out to dinner with them that evening, but we already had plans. We sent them to the Lobster Shanty since they were brand new in town, and they told us that they would see us in church the next day. They did, and have been attending VCC ever since. A couple of weeks after the wedding, they attended our Discover Vero Christian Class, and I had the privilege of baptizing them both into Christ that evening in their swimming pool! We love Tom & Ann dearly.

Back on board the ship, we worked through the initial orientation, and the soda package confusion. We found Ann to talk with her about the soda package, and she broke down crying in her stateroom. Too much stress. We assured her that everything was just fine with us, and just spent some time loving on her to help calm her down a bit. She is such a dear, and we kept reminding her that this was to be a celebration cruise. She assured us that she would be fine, she just needed to vent. I am so glad we were there for her!

The "venting" took another form later on that first night, when Ann and the "Gang" (which included Patty Macaluso and Peggy) got up to do some karaoke. Here's a video snippet of that performance:





Overall, the first day/evening on board the Norwegian Sky could not have been better! And the fun was just beginning.

Norwegian Sky Weekend

Peggy and I have just returned from a three day Bahamas Weekend Cruise aboard the beautiful Norwegian Sky. It will take several posts over the next couple of days to fill you in on all the details, but here is the cliff notes overview:

Tom & Ann Deibel hosted the cruise and invited Peggy & me because I did the marriage ceremony for the Deibels last May and Peggy was the ONLY witness for their ceremony.

About 50 people were in our group including Ann's family (Mom, siblings, and one adult child, etc.) and Tom's family (parents, siblings, one adult child, etc.) and their friends (from before their marriage, living in Buffalo, NY, and in the Cincinnati, OH, areas as well as some of us Vero Beach folks).

We met and made some wonderful friends on this cruise. We ate like Kings & Queens (although Peggy did very well in sticking to her Weight Watchers routine). We toured Nassau. I snorkeled on a coral reef for the first time in my life. We hiked on a private island (Stirrup Cay) and got some great pics of scenery and iguanas. Pictures will be posted on my flickr account later. I spent quality time with my Bride (that was my favorite part of the trip). Peggy sang karaoke with Ann and the "Gang" one night on the ship. Yeah, a video snippet will be on flickr soon. We laughed and loved and expanded our family on this trip. A much-needed getaway, and a blast.

Now, I know you are savoring the thought of more details, but these cliff notes have come to an end. Chapter one of the Weekend Novel will be posted soon.

My Valentine

I love Peggy Ruth Dixon Blount more than I love life itself. I have been blessed to be married to her for 27 1/2 years and we dated a little over 4 years before we got married. Yeah, she has put up with me for a LOOONNNNNGGGG time! My Bride is the best part of me. She is not just my better half, she is the BEST half. Were it not for her love and respect and support for me, I would probably be long dead. I'm totally serious. My Bride is Jesus in the flesh in my life. Today, that day set aside for "lovers," my Bride & I have cleaned around the house, I washed her car (and my van), I cleaned the pool, and we made a trip to Wal Mart. Yeah, all that stuff is way romantic. It is how we decided to spend this day. Oh, we went out on a date last night and had a nice meal along with some "alone time." Next week, we are taking a cruise to the Bahamas. Today, my Valentine and I did what we wanted to do. Together. What a perfect way to spend the day!

My Bride and my love for her!

This has been an interesting past week to ten days for Peggy and me. Peggy has had a severe infection in a finger and at one point we were afraid that it might require surgery. There was precautionary talk of not squeezing, or trying to "pop" the infection pocket for fear the infection could spread into her lymph nodes. Yeah. Not fun.

Finally, she got in and saw an orthopedist, who lanced it, drained it, and sent her to a wound care place for therapy. At $40 a pop AFTER insurance, and with three visits down and at least one more to go, the therapy has been not only effective, but expensive. Whatever the cost, my Beautiful Bride is worth it. I don't tell her enough, nor show her enough, but I love her more than I love life itself. In fact, after my love for Jesus, my Bride is my second love. By a mile over anyone or anything else. I *know* that she knows that, but I want to show it more and more each day. She deserves nothing less.

Blessed By Living In Vero Beach

Okay, I'll admit it. Sometimes I rub it in to friends who live across the Midwest and in the Appalachian Mountains that I live in a beach town in Florida. I mention riding my Scooter (Greta) to the office this time of year, often without a jacket on. I send picture messages of the thermometer reading from my van showing the warm temperatures. I send picture and text messages when my Bride and I walk on the boardwalk along the beach. I can be a real stinker that way. I know that I have been blessed beyond measure to have the privilege of living in Vero Beach.

This morning, as I think about friends in Lousiville, KY, who have been without electricity for more than 24 hours, with temps below freezing, there are no arrogant thoughts about living in Vero. Only prayers that the ice storms that have wreaked havoc in a large section of this nation would subside, that crews are able to restore power quickly and that life can return to "normal" for those affected. I know that similar prayers were offered up for us right after Francis and Jean both made landfall within 35 miles of my home a few years back and we were without power for two different 10-day stretches. I still would rather be without power in 90-degree weather than in sub-freezing weather, folks. I still am praying that power is restored quickly and that my friends will see the light and move down here with us in "Paradise on Earth" (my nickname for Vero). I still praise God every day for the privilege of living here and serving Him at Vero Christian Church!

Noob Evangelism

During the month of January, the student ministry at Vero Christian Church is cleaning the church building. The crew that cleaned today as usual had a great time while working around the building. In fact, one member of the crew, who shall remain nameless, gave me a good back slap. Of course, the back slap included a name tag which reads, "My name is NOOB." Great fun when you are hanging with teenagers.

I took the name tag off my back, and put it where it belongs: on the front of my shirt. We finished up the cleaning, and I left for a quick stop at the bank. Now, I had already been to my favorite branch of the bank once earlier in the day. I have teased around with one of the tellers for several years, we call each other "trouble" and ask if each other has been behaving. Of course, we haven't. Now, there is a relatively new teller who sits next to my "fave." I always ask her if she is making sure my "fave" is behaving, just trying to draw her into the friendship, raise a smile, etc.

When I came in this evening still wearing my name tag, the newer teller called me over to her window, by calling me by my name tag. I laughed and said something about my students loving me, casually mentioning that we had been cleaning the church building. Newer Teller looks surprised, and asks if I am a minister. Busted, I tell her that I am an associate minister working in the area of music and students. She can't believe that I am a minister, saying she thought I was a "heathen." My "fave" and I both get a big laugh because she has known I am in the ministry for at least five years now. I laughingly respond that I am gonna have to pray for the teller over her "heathen" remark, and by now I have the attention of all the tellers...being the only customer in the bank and all. One of the other tellers even jokes that she had some oil if we needed to anoint the new teller and pray over her. We all shared several good-natured laughs. Then, the conversation turned a little more serious.

After letting them all know that I serve at Vero Christian Church the newer teller says that she had been thinking about coming to our church to visit, since she lives in the neighborhood right across Oslo Road from where the church building is located. While saying that she would be out of town this weekend, she declares in front of her co-workers that she was going to tell her boyfriend and they would come for a visit to VCC next weekend.

All because I wore a name tag declaring to be a "Noob." All because one of my students slapped it on my back in jest. Who knows, "Noob Evangelism" might just catch on.

Taco Bell, Part 2

Standing in line for 40 minutes to get tacos wasn't enough for me. After enjoying the Taco Party at lunch yesterday (as previously discussed in this blog), I took my Bride on a 20-Cent Taco Party experience yesterday evening. The lines were actually a tad longer, and we parked in the same spot I had at lunch time.

As my Bride and I dutifully took our place in the cue, people around us were astounded to learn that it was my 2nd trip to the Bell for the day. I simply told them, "it is a social event." Lightening the mood proved to be most effective. Instead of people being grumpy that there were actually waiting in a line that would prove to last almost a full hour to get tacos from Taco Bell, we laughed, we smiled, we got to know each other just a little bit. It was, dare I say it...fun.

The lady in line behind us was dismayed to learn of the 10 tacos per customer limit. She had 3 teenage boys and a husband at home awaiting a bounty of tacos. Since my Bride & I were only getting 10 tacos between the two of us, we volunteered to place an order for her. After all, 20 tacos sure beats 10! She was amazed that we were willing to do that. Come on, all we did was place the order, she forked over the $2.14 for the purchase of those ten tacos! My Bride continued the conversation with this lady, coming to know where she attends church (and she is a nominal attender), letting her know about Vero Christian Church, found out her occupation and told her about someone in our church who is in need of the services she provides.

Another lady had two toddler girls with her, both of whom were extremely well behaved and quite cute. She did have another adult with her to help take care of the girls, but by the time our 55 minute wait for those delicious tacos was over, we had gotten to know her, and the ladies all joked some female joke that I tried to stay out of, if you catch my drift.

The point is, we saw the taco cue as an opportunity to let the light of Jesus shine in our lives. The folks around us were engaged in light-hearted conversation with people around them, who had before this experience, been strangers. We talked about church matters, talked about our kids, talked about work and made connections. We enjoyed each others company while standing in a Taco Bell for nearly an hour waiting to pick up our precious order of 20-cent tacos.

God will show up in the strangest places if you just remember to bring Him along. After all, He is there anyway, so you might as well acknowledge Him and allow Him to be the life of the "party." Even while standing in line for cheap tacos.

History Making Day

On a cold, clear January day, history was made. Yeah, we inaugurated the 44th President of the United States, but I am talking about 20 cent tacos at Taco Bell! Ian and I arrived at the Vero Beach T-Bell with bellies anticipating tacos. Apparently everyone in the free world had the same idea at the same time. Don't they know that there are Taco Bells in other places, too? Being unable to enter the parking lot, I ejected Ian with cash in hand so he could get in what would prove to be the line that went around the world. I parked in a space at the strip mall deal just to the east of the Taco Bell, and made my way over only to find that Ian was a mere five feet inside the building in that line that did indeed extend outside! The mood was festive, as everyone was ready for some cheap lunch (even if their lunch break took them to supper time). Even the employees were laughing it up, with one taco assembler proclaiming that she would have dreams about making tacos tonight. No doubt.

It took a mere 40 minutes for Ian and I to get our precious bags of 10 tacos each (the limit imposed per customer by Taco Bell), and with envious eyes watching our every move, we made our way through the crowd of folks who were still waiting for their number to be up (or at least called). We even got to see our good buddy Greg (one of the two folks who reads this blog), and invited him to bring his supper tacos over to the house. He was still a good 35 minutes away from getting his tacos, so I hated to think of it as lunch since it was already 12:30.

Now, I missed out on the Free Taco day back during the World Series thanks to a scheduled colonoscopy. That is a story for another day. Turtle, Jordan and company say nothing tastes better than a FREE taco, but the 20-cent variety don't taste too bad either. All ten of them. See, I had been fasting and praying before heading to Taco Bell. Now, I am just a-full. And Peggy wants to stop by there to pick up tacos for supper. I might just explode into one big taco salad.

Mobile Blog Test

Just testing my ability to post on my blog from my phone.

A Different Order

Hebrews 7
15 This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared. 16 Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. 17 And the psalmist pointed this out when he prophesied,

“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

18 Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless. 19 For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

20 This new system was established with a solemn oath. Aaron’s descendants became priests without such an oath, 21 but there was an oath regarding Jesus. For God said to him,

“The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow:
‘You are a priest forever.’”

22 Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God.

In preparing for tonight's College Bible study, I am again wrestling with this different order of priesthood as Jesus represents. The story of Melchizedek is told in much greater detail here than it is in Genesis 14:18-20 when the story is first told.

As we continue our study in Hebrews, the college crew is getting a good dose of reinforcement in the idea that the priesthood of Jesus is superior to the priesthood of the Levites under the Law. In fact, it is flat out stated that way in the passage quoted above. But, who is this Melchizedek? What is his story? God has chosen not to reveal much about him, but if Jesus is a priest in Melchizedek's order, then the dude must've been pretty tight with God! That's good enough for me. I don't make that last statement lightly or flippantly. I am say (and I will repeat it) that if it is good enough for God, then it is good enough for me.

That attitude doesn't always make life easier, but it certainly adds clarity.

Be God's,
Scott

Da Bug

I have already chronicled my on-going battle with throat and sinus type issues, and as the meds take full effect, I am now in that stage where the symptoms are worse just before they take the big turn for the better. Last night, I fell asleep sitting up on the couch. It was around 7 o'clock. This morning, I got up as usual, took care of the morning routine, and laid back down while Peggy was getting ready for school. I fell into a deep sleep and she had to wake me up to tell me goodbye. It was then that I decided I would do some work from the house this morning, and take a nap. I slept for a solid two hours. This after a full night's sleep that was extremely peaceful and restful. The gook in my chest is starting to break up now, and I am coughing a little more today. It is time for this stuff to go away! And to think, I was in the doc's office last Thursday for a checkup, and everything was fine. Hey, maybe I am allergic to the doc's office!

Yes, I Love Technology. Always and Forever.

The only thing better than a strained throat for a worship minister, is having a worship minister's microphone fizzle out on him in the midst of the services. I had the privilege of having both situations occur this morning. What fun.

The rest of the praise team did a fantastic job of rolling right along with or without me. I'm working on getting my throat healed back up, but the microphone situation? Well, we're working on it.

To quote Kip's song from "Napoleon Dynamite": Yes, I love technology, but not as much as you, you see. Still, I love technology. Always and forever."

Throat Afire

Okay, so yesterday, I went to the doctor's office for a routine visit. Everything was fine. By praise team rehearsal time last night, my voice was going all weak, and my throat felt funny. So, I didn't yell and scream as my college football hero (Tim Tebow) led the Gators to another National Championship. This morning when I got up, my throat was on fire, and I could feel the effects of infection in my right ear as well. Beautiful.

I called the doc, got some antibiotics, and basically rested all morning. My afternoon was filled to overflowing with responsibilities: radio station voice tracking (yeah, a little more bass and nasal than usual), picking up my prescriptions, picking up Peggy's car from the shop, and oh my goodness...I forgot about the fact that the month of January is the youth group's turn to clean the church building! Oh yeah, we're supposed to meet at 4 p.m. Fridays to do this act of service. Good thing a concerned Mom called me at 4:15 (while I was in Walgreens getting my prescription...well only one of the two I am supposed to have, but that's another story). So, I flew to the church building, and we got the crew going at it.

Now, Peggy has gone to the store for some soup, and I am going to call it an early evening. Sore throats and worship leading are a bad combination, and I gotta get this thing whipped before Sunday. Oh, did I mention that we are going to Kissimmee tomorrow to help the Emily's move into a new apartment at school?

What is in a name?

Interesting reading from the One Year Chronological Bible from Genesis and Chronicles today. I was checking out the meaning of names, since Esau means "hairy" and Jacob means "deceiver" and those names seem to fit those characters perfectly. So what about my name? I am "painted warrior" "beautiful at birth." Blount My Bride is "Pearl" " "friend." Our baby girl is "Rival;emulating" "friend" while our middle child is "God is forgiving" "painted warrior." Our eldest is "beautiful at birth" "my God is the Lord" and his bride is "Father is rejoicing" "God is gracious."

Very interesting study this morning, and I am so glad to see that our names truly do reflect our personalities. I am married to a Pearl of a woman who is my best friend. Our daughter does emulate her Mama, and their friendship is stronger than ever. Our middle child knows the forgiveness of God in a very real way, and he is a mighty warrior for Christ's Kingdom. Our eldest was beautiful at birth in my eyes (not so much for his Mama, but that is a story for another day, oh "smurf baby"), and his life reflects the fact that "God is his Lord" while his bride certainly is a cause for a "Father to rejoice" and she reflects in her life the fact that "God is gracious."

What's in a name? More than we Americans like to think. By the way, I found the meanings of our names by visiting the website: Baby Names World.

For my devotional thoughts on this topic, see my devo blog at Putting It Blountly. This is the "painted warrior" who was "beautiful at birth" wishing you and yours a blessed day!

Putting It Blountly

Okay, so for the past couple of days as I have started getting back into the blogging habit, I have double posted devotional thoughts on both this blog and on the blog I originally had set up for devotional type thoughts. The name of that blog is Putting It Blountly which is an obvious play on the (mis)pronunciation of my last name. So, this blog will go back to mostly being inane ramblings about life in general, and the other blog will have more of the devotional feel to it. Don't say that you haven't been warned!

Speaking of inane life-happenings...had a "Power Lunch" with Jim Adams of Sebastian Christian Church and Ron Matthews of Southside Christian Church of Fort Pierce today. Food at the Olive Garden was wonderful, and the company was even better. It is so nice to get to hang out with some guys who want to see teens in our area connect with other Christian teens who don't happen to attend the same congregation. One of the things I have missed the most in the 8 1/2 years I have lived in Florida is a sense of camaraderie among Restoration Movement Churches. There are a number of reasons why this hasn't happened to this point, none of which are of any concern to me. This is a new year and there is a new hope (and attitude) that encourages me. Ron, Jim, and I even have our next "Power Lunch" scheduled. Oh, I'd tell ya, but then I'd have to...well you get the point. *grin*

My prayer is that from this tiny band of motley guys can grow a regional network of Restoration Movement churches deciding and desiring to do more events together. It is good for the students, and it brings honor to our Lord.

As Rich Mullins would say:
Be God's

Faith & Obedience Test

From today's reading in the One Year Chronological Bible...

Genesis 22
1a Later on, God tested Abraham’s faith and obedience.

Abraham has already packed up his family and left the land of his forefathers to take up residence in the land promised to him & his descendents. Abraham has been faithful and obedient in believing that he would be the Father of a Great Nation even when he was 99 years old. Abraham has already been described as one whose faith was credited to him as righteousness, and he has already been described as a friend of God. Yet, in Genesis 22, we read that God was going to test Abraham’s faith and obedience. If Abraham was not immune to further tests from God, why should I think that I would be? I am certainly no Abraham! May I always pass the test, and may all who follow Christ do the same.

Impossible? No!

From today's reading of the One Year Chronological Bible:

Genesis 18
14a “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

God is speaking here to Abraham after Sarah has laughed at the news that she will bear a son to Abraham in one year. Abraham is 99 years old, and Sarah is approaching 90. Of course the answer to God’s question about Himself is, NO! Remember when an angel of the Lord told Mary that she would conceive a child, and that her cousin Elizabeth (long thought to have been barren) was pregnant? Luke 1:37 says, “For nothing is impossible with God.” God is not just in the baby business; God is in the business of doing the impossible. Nothing is too hard for the Lord, and if I am doing my best to follow Him, and His direction for my life…well He will take care of the obstacles and opportunities that present themselves along the way.


Be God's,
Scott

My Responsibility

I am reading the Chronological One Year Bible this year, just to mix up my daily devotional reading a bit. I've done the one year Bible reading plan each year for over a decade now, and decided to change things up a bit this year. From today's reading in Genesis 17 (New Living Translation), I saw this: 9 Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility." It has me thinking about my responsibility as a child of Abraham (spiritually). The New Covenant is summed up by Jesus when He said that we should love God with all we are and all we have AND we should love people the way God loves them (love your neighbor as yourself). My responsibility is live that way. It isn't easy, but it is my responsibility as a child of God. I often fail to live up to my responsibility, but it is my responsibility nonetheless.

May 2009 be one of accepting my responsibility, embracing it, and running headlong to Jesus with it. May this be the year that you do the same.

Oh, What A Night

Blogging from my iPod Touch can be an adventure, but nothing like the adventure of a youth all-nighter with a couple other churches. Yes, I (a card carrying member of AARP) led/hosted a youth all-nighter last night. Let the jokes begin.

Let me say a big thanks to Ron Matthews of Southside Christian in Ft. Pierce and Jimmy Adams of Sebastian Christian for all the did to ensure the success of the event. To my college crew: Ian, Emily, Turtle, Jordan, & Kevin: Beeg thanks! To Greg (one of the two readers of this blog) and Anne: you are the BEST sponsors ever! To my Bride: how could I ever survive without you? You are the best part of me.

With a water line break at 1:30ish, we saved the church building from being totally flooded. Yeah, doing an all-nighter saved the church building! The break was construction related, not student related. Thinking about what could have happened had no one been around when the flooding started last night...well as one of our Elders put it: "God was in it" for us to have been there for the all-nighter. Yes, He was.

Now it is time to head back to bed and rest up for a day of leading praise & worship at VCC. Man, do I ever have a lot for which to be thankful! God RAWKS!