New Blog

This is most likely my last blog post on this blog. Moving over to Wordpress for blog now. Much better user interface and easier to handle remotely (iPhone tool) and it plays nicely with the Google browser, even if Google owns blogspot (this blog site). I think you will like the more streamlined view and user interface over there too.

Here's the link:

http://mrsoulmark.wordpress.com/

I will not be deleting this blog, just no longer using it. Thanks for reading my ramblings and posts here since January 2008. See ya!

Weekend Review

Great weekend even if the Tigers lost and it rained (a lot).

The neighborhood party was fun until the rain came. I hope we have the next one in the daytime because it sure was hard to see the food and everyone's face in the dark; but, again it was a fun time for the hood.

Saturday was just a hang out day watching football and some yard work with Tricia before the rain started again. We planted some grass and some flowers in the back. Then the rain really came down, really raining hard. I spent most of the day, after taking Miles to karate, on the couch watching and listening to football. Well, the Tigers fell short this week to Texas Christian. We had a chance, well... a few chances to win the game. It also really rained, did I mention that? The beaver dam is also backing up the water again by the trail.

Today, after a great worship at Freedom and a lunch at the Cici's in Spartanburg, I went out on Lake Robinson with a buddy from Freedom, David Faucette. It was an amazingly beautiful day on the lake. You could see the towers on Hogback Mountain and the sky was so clear and blue after all the rain. Dave was kind enough to take me to get my kayak before we headed out on the water. Dave is a VP at a local bank. His youngest daughter, in Nursing school at USC, was our babysitter before she went to USC. We had a blast on the water today and are planning many return trips soon. Now that the heat is going down, the water is the place to be. I even got to check out Billy Mays home on the lake too. It's empty and HUGE. Go figure. I plan to bring the camera the next time out on the lake. Our neighbors, Todd and Christine, have also invited me and Miles or Tricia to float down the Green River soon. That will be way cool. Love my boat :-)

The kayak is now hanging from the chains in the garage. Yet another great use of the shelves Charles Lamb and I put up in early 2008. We spent some time this afternoon trying to figure out how we would store the kayak. Couldn't put where Keller would be tempted to chew anything. Glad I had such a brilliant idea!

Watching some NFL on Sunday right now and getting ready for my short week at work. I am off to Nashville on Thursday.

Hey, did I mention the Breakfast with Dad that Dylan and I worked out last week? Usually, we go super early to school and stand in line for not-exactly the best breakfast in the land? Well, I had a great idea that went well with Dylan. He and I hit the McDonald's on Wade Hampton. We practically had the place to ourselves. It was the best breakfast with Dad so far! Nice to have his attention for a few minutes too.

Please pray for the people of the Philippines right now. They are suffering from a massive flood due to a Tropical Storm. We have great friends who have been missionaries for the last 20 years there. They have two kids at North Greenville right now too. Jill and Greg Harvell have been keeping us posted. Please pray for everyone's safety and the searching and rebuilding that must take place now. Here's their site: http://www.harvellsforhim.cjb.net/

News on the flood here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6851191.ece

God Bless and See ya!

Ready for the Weekend

We are going to the rescheduled neighborhood party tomorrow. Mom and Pete are also going to spend the night with us since they have something at Taylors First Baptist on Friday.

Watching the Ole Miss vs. USC game right now. Right now, USC looks good.

Work has been busy as we prepare for our annual retreat next week. We only get together once per year. We are going to be at the Gaylord in Nashville, which looks like a very nice place. Looking forward to the retreat and the fun. We spend most of the day in conference and workshops and then have great dinners and entertainment in the evenings. I am then flying back to Charlotte to see Widespread Panic and the Allman Brothers in Charlotte (Oct 4th). Looking forward to that!

So, short week in the office and then out to Nashville on Thursday afternoon. I'll get back on Monday morning after the concert in Charlotte.

Meeting with the Friday morning men tomorrow to continue our discussion of "If you want to walk on water, then get out of the boat". I really get a charge out of meeting and praying with these men, we have shared some deep discussion about faith, family and church. Thank you God for this group.

Back to the chiropractor on Tuesday. So far, a little relief. I'm not convinced yet. But, I did see the xrays and I think I agree with the problem, maybe it's the solution I am still judging.

Well, I'm short on words this week. Hope you are ready for the Fall! I know I am! See ya!

Fall

My favorite season is here! Nice walk this morning with just a touch of cool. I am sitting at the chiropractic office for my 2nd visit. My hips have been hurting for a few months with radiating pain on my left hip. Had xrays on Monday. No sx of fracture, but you don't see nerves on xrays. I'll give this a few visits and see or go back to my family doc.
Back to Life Group tonight studying "The Hole in Our Gospel". A good group is a must!
Ok, gotta run!

via iPhone

Clemson's Stormy Weather Outlook

Miles and I went to the Clemson game yesterday with tickets I got from a good friend from Sumter who couldn't use them. We had very good seats on the opponent side lower deck. We rode to Clemson with our friends (and Clemson grads) Steve and Amanda Somers (Freedom Fellowship friends). We also had the chance to use Mark Thornton's parking space too. Mark started for Clemson as center back in the 70's and has a great parking spot right outside the stadium. That was the best thing yesterday as we had 2 weather delays due to lightning in the area. That was the first time ever I have been to a Clemson game delayed by weather. We got some rain; but, we never heard thunder or saw the flashes. We had to leave our seats and during the first 50 minute delay, Miles and I went back to the car for a break. With the 2nd delay, all 4 of us meet up and decided we were done for the day. The Tigers were up 19-7 in the 4th by that point. It was fun to take Miles to a Clemson game and I ran into an old Clemson buddy, Pete Kennedy. He was with his wife and parents. I haven't seen Pete since graduation. He's living up in Asheville. Of course, we are friends on Facebook now!

That was the good part of the day yesterday; but, I was more than frustrated by Clemson's lack of offense plans. We got a record 6 field goals from Greer (Riverside) kicker Jackson-that tied a single game record and 1 punt return for TD by C.J Spiller. Other than that, the Clemson defense carried the game. BC's only TD was due to the offense giving up a fumble on the 8 yard line in the 4th quarter, yes, it was raining hard then too. Nonetheless, our offense needs to get it together. We have tons of talent and speed, we just need someone to drive this fast car! Texas Christian will be a different animal next week. I hope we wake up in time!

Lots of rain here this weekend and we are looking at rain all week according to the weather report. We have a rescheduled neighborhood party on Friday and I am going out on Saturday morning in the kayak with another friend from church, Dave Faucette. Looking forward to getting out on Lake Robinson this time. Miles has an open house at the middle school tomorrow. Should be a fun week.

Checkout some pictures from the game yesterday and my video of the hill run. Go Tigers!

See ya!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN_kK2iRito (The Hill Run, I added a soundtrack so it wouldn't be a bunch of screaming and yelling)

Bruce Springsteen 9-16-09 Greenville

My first Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen and the E. Street Band show last night in Greenville, thanks to my good buddy, Cliff Marshall. The lights went down around 8:15pm and the show ended a few minutes after 11pm. Great show even if the sound was the usual horrible assault on the ears that is the Bi-Lo Center sound system. Very, very engaging. Bruce is one intense rockin' man.

My favorites would be the "Atlantic City", "Radio Nowhere", "Satisfaction" (request from the audience and first time played), the"Detroit Medley " which was "Devil with a Blue Dress on">"Good Golly Miss Molly">"C.C. Rider", "Dancin' in the Dark" and "Glory Days". "Born to Run" was so good and glad to finally hear/see it LIVE; but, my top favorite was the last tune, "Thunder Road". That's probably my favorite Bruce tune and I had some serious chicken skin going then when it's just Bruce, harmonica and piano. It was that good!

Thanks Cliff for taking your brother from another mother! I can't wait for the next show to "pay you back"!

Greenville, South Carolina
Bi-Lo Center 9-16-09

Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Badlands
No Surrender
Hungry Heart
Outlaw Pete
Out In The Street
Working On A Dream
Wreck On The Highway
Seeds
Johnny 99
Atlantic City
Raise Your Hand
This Hard Land
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Ramrod
Waiting On A Sunny Day (got 2 little girls from the audience on stage to sing with him)
The Promised Land
Backstreets
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born To Run

Hard Times
Double Shot of My Baby's Love
American Land
Glory Days
Detroit Medley
Dancin' In The Dark (got a lady on the stage with him to dance)
Thunder Road

Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen

The screen door slams

Mary' dress waves

Like a vision she dances across the porch

As the radio plays

Roy Orbison singing for the lonely

Hey that's me and I want you only

Don't turn me home again

I just can't face myself alone again

Don't run back inside

Darling you know just what I'm here for

So you're scared and you're thinking

That maybe we ain't that young anymore

Show a little faith there's magic in the night

You ain't a beauty but hey you're alright

Oh and that's alright with me

You can hide 'neath your covers

And study your pain

Make crosses from your lovers

Throw roses in the rain

Waste your summer praying in vain

For a saviour to rise from these streets

Well now I'm no hero

That's understood

All the redemption I can offer girl

Is beneath this dirty hood

With a chance to make it good somehow

Hey what else can we do now ?

Except roll down the window

And let the wind blow

Back your hair

Well the night's busting open

These two lanes will take us anywhere

We got one last chance to make it real

To trade in these wings on some wheels

Climb in back

Heaven's waiting on down the tracks

Oh-oh come take my hand

We're riding out tonight to case the promised land

Oh-oh Thunder Road oh Thunder Road

Lying out there like a killer in the sun

Hey I know it's late we can make it if we run

Oh Thunder Road sit tight take hold

Thunder Road

Well I got this guitar

And I learned how to make it talk

And my car's out back

If you're ready to take that long walk

From your front porch to my front seat

The door's open but the ride it ain't free

And I know you're lonely

For words that I ain't spoken

But tonight we'll be free

All the promises'll be broken

There were ghosts in the eyes

Of all the boys you sent away

They haunt this dusty beach road

In the skeleton frames of burned out Chevrolets

They scream your name at night in the street

Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet

And in the lonely cool before dawn

You hear their engines roaring on

But when you get to the porch they're gone

On the wind so Mary climb in

It's town full of losers

And I'm pulling out of here to win

Born To Run

__________

Badlands

Bruuuuuce!!!!!

__________

Awesome weekend

This past weekend was so great in many ways!

1. Friday night just hanging out with the family (and a trip to Costco).

2. Saturday: a new kayak. I could stop right there and it would be an awesome weekend.

3. Putting the kayak in Lake Lyman and going out twice on the water. Dylan and Miles got really excited about fishing on the lake too. I got 2 new light rod/reel combos all ready for next weekend.

4. Sunday: It just kept getting better with the praise band at Freedom opening the worship service with a tune that the Derek Trucks Band has covered on 2 albums: "I Wish I Knew How It Felt To Be Free". Wow! Goosebumps!

5. Then Cliff laid down some Old Testament on us that cut the skinny and pressure-washed the room. Good stuff brother!

6. Then Pizza Inn for lunch with the family. Dessert pizza is always tops in my book.

7. A Sunday afternoon nap.

8. Then Steven Somers and I head out to Charlotte last night and caught a great Derek Trucks Band show with Mofro opening. Yonrico (the drummer for Derek Trucks Band) had us on the guest list for 2 nice seats. I made a decent recording too. Pictures here.
Made it home around 1am (construction traffic on 85 slowed us about 30 minutes).

As I look back on it, what a weekend! I can't wait for another like that!

Bruce Springsteen with Cliff on Wednesday is making this week look pretty cool too! Ok, gotta get to work!

See ya!

And I wish I knew how
It would feel to be free
I wish that I could break
All the chains holding me
I wish I could say
All the things that Id like to say
Say em loud say em clear
For the whole round world to hear
I wish I could share
All the love thats in my heart
Remove every doubt
It keeps us apart
And I wish you could know
What it means to be me
Then youd see and agree
Every man should be free

I wish I could live

Like Im longin to live
I wish I could give
What Im longin to give
And I wish I could do
All the things Id like to do
You know theyll still miss part of you
Yes sir...
And Im way way over due

I wish I could be like a bird up in the sky
How sweet it would be
If I found out I could fly
So long to my song
And look down upon ihe sea
And I sing because I know
I would see you
I sing because I know
I would see you
And I sing because I know
I would see you
To be free yea

Early 40th birthday present

via iPhone



The annual Sunrift demo sale is something I have tried to make for the
last few years; the date was later this year. See below for my new
Wilderness Systems Pamlico 120. Happy early birthday to me!
Thanks Tricia!!!

Go Tigers

Big game tonight on ESPN with GA Tech and Clemson going head to head. GT is ranked 14th, not sure what that means anymore :-) In fact, Clemson usually plays better when they are the underdogs. Miles and I are going over to Mark and Vonda Thorton's place along with Jason Collins and his son, Blake. Jason went to Africa with me last week. Vonda is his mom too. We are going to have a cookout and watch the game and hopefully give Mark's Dad (GT graduate) a whole lot of smack talk! Mark is also a part of our men's group on Friday mornings too.

It's been a busy week at work and I have a major project kickoff today at 1pm for a new contract in Georgia. I think I have at least responded to everything that was waiting on me. I guess I will find out later ;-)

We went to our first Lifegroup meeting yesterday at Donny and Shelly Kaufman's home. Donny is also the associate pastor at Freedom. He and Shelly have 3 boys and are awesome friends- the kind you can depend on for laughs and support. We are going to go through a book called "The Hole in our Gospel". It challenges you to actually do something with your faith and put your love in action, just as Christ did. So looking forward to getting down into that one with Tricia and the rest of the group. Lifegroup presents a fun challenge this year with Miles going to the youth group (LINC) at the same time. Dylan is staying with his buddy, Nick, while we are all gone. Nick's Mom saved the day by volunteering to let Dylan stay there on Wednesday nights! Good neighbors rock! Speaking of, we are having our 3rd annual neighborhood cookout next Friday and Jason and Rachel Hodges have a band coming to play and BBQ to eat. I'm looking forward to being able to walk to that party next week.

Well, gotta get ready for work. Hope your short week is going smoothly. I will try and post more on the weekend if I get the chance. Hope to watch Obama's healthcare speech on Sunday before heading up to Charlotte for the Derek Trucks Band show. I need about 30 hours in each day, could you use a little more too?

Go Tigers!

See ya!

Back in the Saddle

In case you didn't know, I was in Africa from 27Aug to 5Sept. http://freedom2africa.blogspot.com/

Back in the saddle today at work, lots to catch up on. We had a fun day just working on chores around the home (cleaned the garage) and I snuck in a nap and then we all enjoyed a free Chic-Fil-a meal (free sandwich for wearing our favorite team colors, lots of ORANGE there yesterday). Miles and I then went out to some stores, including Sports Academy. I picked up a new pair of New Balance trail runners for $39.99, I gave my old pair to Mathata in Botswana. Keller and I are going to hit the trail this morning and break them in real nice. Of course, we are going to walk Miles to the bus stop too!

I am so glad it's a short week, we have some major projects going at work and things are reaching a peak if what I read in the emails is correct. Pray for strength and compassion and clarity this week for me. I think I have the time zones just about right in my head.

Looking forward to the annual boat sale at Sunrift outfitters, don't have the money for a kayak this year; but, it's a great place to check out the demo models and see the low prices. We are also going to hit the Big Dig Saturday afternoon. It's a benefit out in the country that allows kids to drive and work big machinery for a donation. The boys are excited about that!

Well, gotta sip some more coffee and kickstart the short week! Hope yours is productive and healthy.

See ya!

Back Home

I made it home around 11am today. It was so good to see the Tricia and the boys (and Keller) and take a long hot shower. I will post more later and some videos when I have them uploaded. Thank you for your prayers and words of support and encouragement. We are already planning the next trip back to Botswana! Glad tomorrow is not a work day!

Botswana 2009 photos