tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16699916428513674032024-02-07T19:12:09.574-08:00WojomaniaThe life and times of James M. Wojtowicz, Sr.
AKA "Wojo"
Nothing fancy, just thinkin' on the web.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-87510395211627380562010-01-01T00:54:00.000-08:002010-01-01T00:54:51.774-08:002010Welcome to the future...<br />
Sitting at Epic at 2:50am with a whole bunch of students at the first Revolution lock out. We are currently entrenched in a battle of the band Rock Band style! We brought in the new year over at the Bowling ally. Man how I wanted to throw the Big Lebowski quotes around. Anyway, I got to chat with my homies back in Vegas. No real changes for me this year. Just want to be a better leader, husband, musician, artist and Christ follower. I hope to inspire and be inspired this year. Peace out.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-3611662361460502282009-12-31T08:45:00.000-08:002009-12-31T08:45:09.695-08:00Things I SeeThere are many passages of scripture that bring us comfort and encouragement as we journey on toward our final home. But, one in particular is my favorite. John 14:1-4.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-26659">1</sup>"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-26660">2</sup>In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-26661">3</sup>And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-26662">4</sup>You know the way to the place where I am going."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sometimes I miss little things in life because of the stresses and business that tends to consume me. Mostly do to the fact that I can't say "no" very well. However this Christmas, I got to see the truth of this passage while preparing a gift for some wonderful kids.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Mark Thomason is a great friend and keyboard player. I am blessed to know him and his family. Mark asked if I would help him transform his home office into a playroom for his girls, Erin and Emily. We started on Tuesday with removing office stuff and painting, and finished at 2am Dec 25th.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now during the prep and painting, the running of wire in conduit, I never really had a spiritual though. We may have talked about the worship set for the coming week, but nothing deep or life altering. To tell the truth, setting up a wii, projector, screen, sound system and lights, we were more irreverent that reverent. But something happened to me on Christmas morning when the girls had opened all there presents and then went down stairs to put them away.<br />
</div>Emily saw the bow on the door and said "did we get a new door?'. I about fell over. Mark told her now and had the girls open the door to there new game room. It was awesome! The girls were blown away! Erin looked around with her mouth hanging open. Emily stopped in the middle of the room and turned around to face her dad and mom and yelled "This is awesome!" That's when what Jesus told us in John 14:1-4 hit me. <br />
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While we are sleeping and doing life, our Jesus is working on a room in our Fathers house for us. And I know that I will walk into my room and yell "This is Awesome!"Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-48821778423103716962009-12-23T13:30:00.000-08:002009-12-23T13:51:07.279-08:00Primal by Mark BattersonThis is my first every blog book review. In some ways I am excited, and in some ways I'm scared out of my mind. The book I was asked to review was <a href="http://www.markbatterson.com/">Mark Batterson's</a> new book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Quest-Lost-Soul-Christianity/dp/1601421311/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261602992&sr=8-1">Primal</a>. <br />
<div><br />
</div><div>First the book is a great read. I would say a must read for anyone looking to rekindle the spark for Jesus that gets weak as we journey through this life. Mark does an incredible job of breaking down complex truths in a practical and understanding way. Mark explores the mysteries of Jesus' command to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. In each section of the book, he takes us through each of these aspects and breaks them down for us. I enjoy the very technical information that mark uses explain the great scientific mysteries, and how he is able to tie them to God our creator. The illustrations are clear and easy to grasp. If you are not into tech stuff, you may not fully enjoy the book. However, Mark also includes other, equally engaging stories to bring the point home. <br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>I conclusion, I feel Mark has done a great job of communicating to us the need to get back to the basics of our faith. He did so in a respectful non-comdeming matter as well. While reminding us of where we are lacking as Christ followers, he only needed to remind us of the wonders of God for us to realize we have strayed the course. And don't we all need to get back to the basics of loving God?<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>Peace...<br />
</div>Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-28604320652984799202009-12-21T13:59:00.000-08:002009-12-21T13:59:28.913-08:00Monday downloads...Cool week for sure.<br />
<ul><li>Staff meeting/Christmas dinner was amazing. It's like Christmas at all our evening staff meetings though.</li>
<li>Made sure the sound system we installed at Priceville Elem worked for their xmas program.</li>
<li>Unloaded a bunch of furniture for Jeans co-worker who lost her home in a fire. It came all the way from Houston, Tx. The generosity of people never ceases to amaze me.</li>
<li>Went shopping for that same family on Friday night with the Revolution Youth. Great times with great young people.</li>
<li>Shot 2 video segments for Epic. We actually had a director and sound guy. Made editing real easy too.</li>
<li>Got my first book in my blog review. Trying to finish it this week.</li>
<li>Started working out with Marlin Gill in the mornings. After my first day, my bronchitis from last week flared up and took me out again. I'm back though for tomorrow.</li>
<li>Watched Christmas Vacation with the Potters. Amy had never seen it. She has now!</li>
<li>Amazing services at Epic yesterday. The band was spot on. The Tech team didn't miss a transition and The Kids from Journey did an awesome job! Way to go Pastor Kenny!</li>
<li>Made fried mashed potato cakes yesterday for Jean. They were great, especially with cheese on top.</li>
<li>Went to see the Dave Matthews Band in 3D movie with Justin Potter and David Simon Friday night. Amazing 3D and really inspired me to get off my butt and do some Dangerous Hours shows.</li>
<li>Came to realize that adversity is the catalyst to great things. Makes you determined to push through to the finish.</li>
<li>Great vision casting meeting with IV this week. Lots of great things in the future for Epichurch.tv. and more importantly, the people of Northern Alabama. </li>
<li>Filled in the last puzzle piece that is live streaming. Working out the kinks now so that we can "go live" with an iCampus at Epicchurch.tv.</li>
</ul>Just excited about the future with my wife Jean. She is the best life partner. She teaches me stuff all the time about being like Christ. She is only beginning to see the leader she is gonna be in the kingdom. Look out people!Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-7479854437371625862009-12-14T11:34:00.000-08:002009-12-14T11:34:59.388-08:00Monday downloads...I was sick, sick, sick all last week. But, God saw in His wisdom to heal me before Sunday. So all went well at Epic.<br />
<br />
<ul><li>My Grandmother Tina Hallock, 99, passed away Tuesday night. It was good to spend time with her over Thanksgiving. I will miss her for sure. She took me in when I had no where to go, and was always excited to see me when I would come to visit. I'm glad she can now rest.</li>
<li>Spent the greater part of last week in bed due to a self induced NyQuil coma. I love that stuff.</li>
<li>Great times at The Brick on Friday night. Got to hang out with some cool Epic people and listen to a great band/Artist. If you get a chance, check out Michelle Malone. I also got to hear a potential guitar player for Epic. Good times.</li>
<li>Traded some stuff to Guitar Bob for an amp to have as part of our backline at Epic. It is a Line 6 Spider 2x12. It will work perfectly for what we need it for. </li>
<li>Ate some great Italian food at Melody Gills home on Saturday. Wow, what good stuff that was. Melody is the CEO of Doctors For Doctors and is huge part of our creative team. Thanks Mel!<br />
</li>
<li>Finished the Pushin' Daisies Series yesterday. This 2 week series on heaven and hell was a very cool way to segue into our Christmas series "Better Days".</li>
<li>Even though our ace keyboard player Mark Thomason was out yesterday, the Band did a phenomenal job. We had pedal steel player Warren Lynch back with us. Good stuff.</li>
<li>Got to watch the Drs4Drs and Epic community get onboard to help out a single mother of 5, whose home burned down on Tuesday. The response has been huge. Within a week, she has another house on the way, and lots of stuff to fill it.</li>
<li>Picked up another student this week. This now means 3 for me. Yes, finally getting back up to where I was in Vegas.</li>
<li>Jean handed out Hot Chocolate at the Decatur Christmas Parade on Monday night. I stayed home and slept.</li>
<li>Watched the 4 Christmas' last night. Pretty funny, but the 4th Christmas was not as funny as the other 3. Seems like they ran out of things to mock. I thought Tim McGraw and Dwight Yoakum were hilarious. </li>
</ul>Anyway, today already is shaping up to be the beginning of a great week. Peace.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-34946500791484746882009-12-07T08:06:00.000-08:002009-12-07T08:06:18.819-08:00What if?I've been thinking about this for a long time...<br />
<br />
Questions I have:<br />
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1. <b>Can a volunteer serve multiple churches at once?</b> I help out church A on Sunday morning because they are portable. I am on staff at church B that is not portable. My free time on Sunday is spent serving at another church. This is really a good one for musicians. <br />
<br />
2. <b>Can resources and materials be shared between churches?</b> I think this happens more than sharing people. Lifechurch.tv is great at this. They give it away for free. What about chairs and lighting, or PA equipment. What about another church using your facilities for something like meetings or special services, maybe even band rehearsals?<br />
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3. <b>Supporting another churches ministry?</b> Epic does not have a homeless/hardship ministry. We don't have a food pantry, clothes closet or kitchen. We have 3 Sunday services and a Wednesday night youth service. That's all we do <i><b>AT</b></i> Epicchurch.tv. But we support 2 other churches who have established homeless/hardship ministries. One is the <a href="http://ncc.arilion.com/page2.html">Neighborhood Christian Center</a> and the other is <a href="http://www.decaturdreamcenter.org/">The Dream Center</a>. We funnel funds and people to both of these ministries to help them realize the vision God has placed on there hearts. We maximize everyone's potential by working like this.<br />
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<br />
Just a few thoughts. Comments please.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-51116231151115301012009-12-07T07:16:00.000-08:002009-12-07T07:16:58.704-08:00Monday downloads...Wow, the weeks are flying by! Soon it will be Christmas. I missed last week, so I may have a little bleed over. But It's my blog.<br />
<ul><li>Cookie went back to Vegas Tuesday. We had a great time hanging out with her. Looking forward to her spending the summer at Epic.</li>
<li>Great time cruising abound Birmingham. Got to meet some very cool people on my tour of Bham music stores. My favorite was a tie between Highland music, and Homewood.</li>
<li>Started production on our new Video announcements. It's gonna be cool. Announcements are needed, but really mess up the flow on Sunday mornings. Just my thoughts.</li>
<li>Had to most amazing rehearsal Thursday night. </li>
<li>Helping a friend in Vegas with an arrangement for his drumline. Very honored and humbled.</li>
<li>Used Motion to create a video roll in for our Pushing Daisies series. Technology is amazing in that it lets regular people like me do great things with video.</li>
<li>Visited the NCC in Decatur this week. Glad to be a partner in the work with them. </li>
<li>Totally "tuned" the PA system at Epicchurch. Sounds way better! Thanks Mark and Ownthemix. </li>
<li>Getting to do some book reviews. Scary for me. I'm really stepping up my game for sure.</li>
<li>Went to Elaine Gills financial seminar on Saturday. It is always good to hear financial wisdom. No matter what stage of the financial freedom journey you are on, there is always something you can learn.</li>
<li>Hung out with the Thomason's on Saturday afternoon to watch Alabama roll over Florida. Great game.</li>
<li>Tried to find a church in Cullman for Saturday night service. Lets just say they were not where mapquest gps had them located. Matter of fact, they had no map on the web either. Reminded me that it's the little things that count in ministry. Updated maps are important.</li>
<li>3 Rockin services yesterday! Foo Fighters, Pink, Hillsong United, and Nickleback all in the mix yesterday.</li>
<li>Long nap after services yesterday...4 hours. I was wiped out. Worth it for sure.</li>
<li>Caught up on The Office and V. Still undecided on V. Can't wait for LOST!</li>
<li>Started Justin Potters Maori warrior tattoo. It's gonna be amazing. Stay tuned for pictures.</li>
</ul>I'm sure there was more, but that's okay. Peace.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-52118552387772076902009-12-04T09:25:00.000-08:002009-12-04T09:25:13.062-08:00Thoughts on MusicianshipHere are a few of my thoughts on musicianship.<br />
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<ol><li><b style="color: black;">Prepare</b>. You have to be prepared for the musical situation you are going into. Are you familiar with the style, song selection etc.? The less experience you have, the more you need to prepare.</li>
<li><b>Gear</b>. Do you have the right gear for the job? I just had a phone conversation with a guitar player considering joining the Epic band. He had looked over the song list I sent him, and he said he would need to get another guitar to make sure he would have the right sound for us. I about fell over. That is what a musician considers when taking a gig. "Do I have the <i><b>right</b></i> gear?", not "do I have gear?". I have mixed sound for many a band with a Marshall Stack in the backline for a small club, and destroyed the mix. Marshall Stacks are my among my favorite amp rigs along with some killer boutique amps. But they don't fit every situation.</li>
<li><b>Know your place</b>. If you are not the MD, don't try to become one. Be ready to give input if asked, but don't try to run the show. I have had many a professional give me suggestions that made the song rock. I love that. I have also worked with people that totally wanted to rearrange the entire arrangement or tell everyone else how to play their parts and not even know their own. Ouch, I have even done that once or twice. It's a hard lesson, but one that needs learning.</li>
<li><b>Attitude</b>. Don't bring your emotional junk to the gig or rehearsals. Be positive about what is going on. Remember, you are making music! If you are doing a church gig, talk with the worship pastor long before rehearsal or the Sunday you are scheduled. He/She will be able to focus on you and help. Encourage others in the band too. Everyone loves a little encouragement.</li>
</ol>This list could be, and should be expanded on by greater minds than mine. If any of you readers, have a comment or suggestion, please respond. <br />
<br />
PeaceWojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-49257429853793143282009-12-02T20:10:00.000-08:002009-12-02T20:10:28.914-08:00Do You Get It?Most leaders agree, that you need so surround yourself with people who "get" the vision. Knowing the vision and "getting" it are two entirely different things. Here are some practical ways to identify people who get it.<br />
<ol><li>They talk about it as much as you do. Maybe more.<br />
</li>
<li>Ownership. They give you unsolicited feedback. This means they are thinking about it and owning it.<br />
</li>
<li>Time and treasures are invested.</li>
<li>They <b>may not </b>be <b>Christ followers</b> yet!</li>
<li>Multiplication. They get people involved that you didn't even know existed.</li>
<li>They encourage, not criticize. Solutions are presented with problems.</li>
<li>They are not spiritual <b>Vampires</b> that suck the life and love of ministry out of you.</li>
</ol>Who do you have on your team that is like this? Don't spend time babysitting people who will never get it. Invest in those who do, and ask God to give you discernment.<br />
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Peace and Love.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-87903875733254883972009-12-02T19:58:00.000-08:002009-12-02T19:58:06.590-08:00Thoughts from Tony Morgan: Church MathOne of the blogs I follow is <a href="http://www.tonymorganlive.com/">Tonymorganlive.co</a>m. Here is some cool stuff from his blog.<br />
<br />
more staff = fewer volunteers<br />
lack of planning = financial challenges<br />
more meetings = less ministry<br />
unclear vision = packed ministry calendar<br />
packed ministry calendar = volunteer burnout<br />
more announcements = less ministry engagement<br />
more ministries = more announcements<br />
fewer people inviting friends = smaller crowds<br />
lack of added value = fewer people inviting friends<br />
fewer constraints = less creativity<br />
same methods = same resultsWojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-62411336225768402582009-11-25T14:22:00.000-08:002009-11-25T14:22:49.926-08:00Thankful...I am giving thanks this year for so much that, it will be hard to get it all on here. <br />
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First I am thankful for a loving God who allows me through grace to be his kid. I love my Pappa.<br />
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Second, my wife Jean, for being an amazing partner in life. I don't want to do anything or go anywhere with out her with me. She loves adventure and we have definitely have that going on. Love you baby!<br />
<br />
Thankful for:<br />
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<ul><li>Epicchurch.tv Decatur, Alabama. You are an inspiration to me on what a church can be to the broken and lost in a city. I know God is opening the heavens over Decatur, and you are pouring out all so he can fill it up. </li>
<li>IV and Bene' Marsh, Garrett, Josh and Ella. There are no words to explain your love or express the gratitude for all you have done for Jean and I. What started out as a desire to do some consulting work for you guys has turned into the dream that started back in Las Vegas. Never thought we would serve in the Kingdom together and yet here we are. IV, I know our hearts were knitted together for the sake of the Gospel and it is a honor to call you friend</li>
<li>Marlin and Elaine. I am inspired by your steadfast love for Christ's bride. Thank you for following the voice of God and making the way for us to come along side you in the work. You both Rock!</li>
<li>Mark Thomason, you are my hero and don't even realize it yet. Thanks for helping me stay sane and showing me true musicianship and professionalism. We have only yet to see what sonic awesomeness is coming. Stay focused on what is good in life and you will find the peace you are looking for.</li>
<li>Jeremy, Jane and Jackson Strawn. I miss you guys terribly. I cannot listen to DMB without thinking of you guys and all the support you brought. You supported me through some tough stuff and I thank you guys. I know we will see each other soon, but you need to get your butts to Decatur.</li>
<li>My Family in Michigan. Can't wait to see you all tomorrow. All that comes to mind is, Good Times! I am glad I no longer live 3 days drive from you. </li>
<li>Kenny, Jodi and Colton Gonz. Bring on the "Gringos"! I hope I make it through the holidays without you guys. Wow....is all I can say. Kenny, when you are ready, we have a place for you guys! Love, Love, Love, is all we have for you three.</li>
<li>My two dogs, Joy and Muffin. </li>
<li>Music</li>
<li>Justin, Amy, Tina, Kenny (and the 8 kids), Jason, Linda, Melody, Grant, Houston, Wes, Andrea R, Mike, Andrea H, Latrice, Doug, Charles, Barbara, Landon, Sam, Summer, and all the other Epic folks who have welcomed us with open arms. I know I've forgot some, Terry, Tasha, Dallas, Keisha, Brilley...okay don't everyone else get butt hurt. I still love you all.</li>
<li>My Crosspoint Peeps, Wendy, Jack, Kevin, Stacey, Jason...you guys rock. Love being a part of the Decatur God story with you all.</li>
</ul>Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-44820381976562752372009-11-24T12:25:00.000-08:002009-11-24T12:25:08.182-08:00This week so far...Only Tuesday and man I am deep into the business of getting things ready for Sunday morning. I'll be traveling out of state this week for Thanksgiving so got to get everything set up in advance. Maybe I should pretend that I am off Thursday-Saturday every week? Hum, makes me wonder if my production value would go through the roof? Well I'm videoing tomorrow over at the church we are supporting for Thanksgiving by cooking and helping serve meals. I love that fact that we are able to partner with other churches who have bigger facilities to handle stuff like meals, and we give them volunteers. Very Kingdom minded. I think Jesus instructed us to love each other and that's how people will know we are His disciples. Programing lights next and then EQing the monitors, followed by uploading a video to Vimeo and adding a link to our Epic video blog. Yay!! I also have two guitar students this afternoon and band rehearsal at 6:30. Told ya, busy bee I am. <br />
I everyone has a great time with family and friends this Thursday. Share some love with those who are going through tough times too. Peace.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-34586786153994787312009-11-23T13:51:00.000-08:002009-11-23T13:51:29.702-08:00Monday MondayOh yes, how time flies when you are having fun. Seems like a blur this past week. A good blur, but a blur none the less. Let me see if I can re-cap.<br />
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<br />
<ul><li>My Mom turned 68 this past week. She is doing real well, and can't wait to spend Thanksgiving with her and my family this week. Love you Mom!</li>
<li>Cooked a Turkey and made gravy for Jeans Thanksgiving party at work. Turned out real well.</li>
<li>Spent a majority of the week watching and learning at www.ownthemix.com.</li>
<li>Edited a new video that shows the churches and ministries that Epicchurch.tv partners with in Decatur.</li>
<li>Picked up another guitar student. Grand total of 2 now. Gotta start out small ya know.</li>
<li>My wife is killing it with the production team. They are making weekend services jam!</li>
<li>Tackled some tough songs this week. "If Everyone Cared", "Broken" were some awesome radio hits that we did. Mark Thomason on keys really took us to a new level. Everyone in the band is growing and getting better each week.</li>
<li>I still think church musicians have the toughest jobs. Learning different songs each week is challenging for sure. Glad to have some great people on the team.</li>
<li>Leaders are not the most popular people sometime, especially when they have to make a tough decisions. </li>
<li>Got to watch the Lawrence County Pee Wee football team play in the championship game Saturday night. The got beat pretty bad. But it was the championship game.</li>
<li>Unveiled our "Decatur Dave and Decatur Danielle" profiles at the Dream Team meeting yesterday. Very aggressive move I would say. My favorite quote from IV, "We will do anything short of sinning to reach people."</li>
<li>Actually watched an Alabama football game on Saturday. Well, it kinda played in the background while we worked on vocals for Sunday. </li>
<li>Did a tattoo on Friday night. Love pushing ink.</li>
<li>Enjoyed some wonderful quality time with my wife Saturday morning. Advice to husbands, DATE YOUR WIFE!!</li>
</ul><div>Peace out!</div>Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-87490539728364143252009-11-18T07:17:00.000-08:002009-11-18T07:17:18.552-08:00Good timesSo yesterday I cooked my first turkey of the season. Yes me. Jean works for a company called <a href="http://www.drs4drs.com/">Drs4Drs</a>, and they had their pot luck thanksgiving lunch yesterday. So, Jean informs me that I am on turkey duty.<br />
Actually, I love to cook turkey. I want to get a deep fryer one day and fry one. Maybe Christmas. Anyway, I did what Grandma used to do, I got a turkey bag! I love those things. Cover Turkey with olive oil (the real stuff not Popeye's girl), flour the inside of the bag, put in the oven and bang zoom...turkey awesomeness. Now the real trick is the gravy. I like to use all the juices from the turkey plus the giblets. This part is scary for me though, thickening the gravy. Now Jean trusts me with the turkey, but here words to me as I dropped here of at work stuck to me like a sweaty t-shirt on a hot Alabama day. "Don't make the gravy runny!" I was paralyzed with fear. I was confident until those words were spoken. So the whole time I'm prepping the gravy, all I could think about was getting it thick enough. So with a mixture of flour and water ( I mix the flour up with some cold water so when I add it to the hot broth I don't get lumps), I started the thickening process. Of course I wasn't sure how much I would need, so I made a bunch. Two cups of my flour/water mixture and still not thick enough. So one more shot, except I added more flour than water. So you know what happens next. Lumps in my gravy!! Aaarrrggggh. If only there was no pressure to have thick gravy! Only kidding.<br />
Jean didn't like it though. She was ruined by Angela Neal, our good friend from Kentucky, who makes awesome gravy. Everyone else in the office loved it, or at least told me they did. I think I got props only because I was a man making turkey and gravy. I'll that that. I did get to enjoy the pot luck too. <br />
Good Times...<br />
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I still need to get a grill so I can make my own BBQ... Peace.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-81849860129985318812009-11-17T07:55:00.000-08:002009-11-17T07:55:51.602-08:00Big GodWow, I thought I posted this on Friday! Maybe I was so upset, I forgot to hit send? Here it is from Friday morning at Starbucks.<br />
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I am reading "Starting HD Chuches" by Ron Sylvia, and God just decided to speak to me. I am really toast right now. Tears are flowing from my eyes. I had to stop to write down what I am feeling. I was reading Chapter 4 and on pages 46-47, Ron is telling a story of needing finances to keep the church going. Needed $18000.00 for the year to keep going. So he has a special offering and explained the situation to the people. Took the offering and brought in $50000.00!! When I read that God sort of whispered to me "Why don't you believe I can do miracles like that?" And so here I am weeping because He is right. Somewhere along the way, I stopped believing He can do anything! IV just walked in and I'm sitting here in a mess of tears...he is puzzled for sure. We are shooting a video today, so I'll give him the 411 in a minute. I just want to get back to the way I used to believe in God. Powerful, able and wanting to do miracles for His children. Now time to ask Daddy for forgiveness for my lack of faith.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-82898626572810012202009-11-17T07:45:00.000-08:002009-11-17T07:45:01.804-08:00Monday on TuesdayWow, the holy hangover was kicking yesterday. We had our creative team meeting as well. Thank God for coffee and diet Mt. Dew. Here is the download or scoop if you will.<br />
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<ul><li>Over 400 at Epic yesterday. The third service is really rockin'. There is something to be said about sleeping in Sunday morning, then coming to church to get your praise on. I want to call the 12:30 service "The Brick" service, since people who were out at The Brick on Saturday, can still come!</li>
<li>The band, did Money by Pink Floyd and did a really great job. If you are not a musician, you wouldn't understand how challenging that song is.</li>
<li>We had our first Jam session Sunday at Epic. It was amazing. Our keyboard player Mark, is the most amazing keys/piano player I have had the chance to work with.</li>
<li>Jean made here first batch of cornbread...it was amazing!! She got the recipe from Benny Perrin who owns BB Perrin's here in Decatur. Thanks Benny!</li>
<li>Got messed up by the book "Starting High Definition Churches" by Ron Sylvia. Really made me realize I don't trust God. Almost afraid to pick it up again.</li>
<li>Great hang time with IV Marsh and Justin Potter on Thursday. It's great when leaders can get together and sharpen each other. </li>
<li>Shot a Video with IV on Friday about all the things Epicchurch.tv are involved in. Funny thing, we never set foot in our building.</li>
<li>If you haven't been to the NCC on Bank St here in Decatur, you need to stop in and see how they do ministry to the poor. </li>
<li>Love the new direction with the music at Epic.</li>
<li>Got to tour Athens, AL with IV and Bene. </li>
<li>Ate at Dub's Burgers in Athens. I'm told it's been around since after the great flood. Moses loved the place....I did too!</li>
<li>Trying to get into college football here. Never really been into sports that I am not currently playing in, so it is a challenge. But Auburn needs to stop giving the games away! </li>
<li>Got to admit Alabama is tearing it up this year. </li>
<li>Our Tech team is setting new standards in creativity...Love you guys!!</li>
<li>Starbucks is the greatest office you could ever have. I love it.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Got to hang with Kevin Burns from Crosspoint Community this week. Love hearing God stories about other churches. </li>
</ul>I know that is not all, but it is a lot. Overall it was a great week filled with God, friends, and music.<br />
Peace. Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-9506273803362345412009-11-12T14:50:00.000-08:002009-11-13T06:37:34.636-08:00Leadership stuff...After dropping Jean off at work this morning, I made my way to my Starbucks office again for some meetings. On the way I was thinking about all the technology at my fingertips. Literally at my fingertips. That thought morphed in to the information available at those same end of digits. Then I thought, "I have no excuse not to be a great leader, because I have access to some of the greatest leaders of our day, right on my phone!" So just saying that if we are leading people, we have no excuse to suck at it. I may blow it from time to time, but it is not because the skill or technique or truth is not out there for me to grab a hold of. Just a thought, so get out there on Twitter, the blog-o-sphere, Facebook, Podcasts and the whole other host of resources, and lead!!Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-27500909281925577052009-11-11T09:56:00.000-08:002009-11-11T09:56:53.890-08:00Starbucks ObservationOkay, I am sitting at the Starbucks store in Decatur, AL. I am studying Jesus, trends in technology, blogging, reading and enjoy the people. As I watched people come in and place orders, I had this thought; People come to Starbucks because they want a great coffee beverage, not to be convinced that coffee beverages are great. The customer comes in and is asked what they would like and the customer orders. Now a fist time customer will look at the menu, and maybe inquire about a certain beverage, but they know why Starbucks is there. They don't expect a pizza from Starbucks.<br />
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So then I thought about churches. And I could totally be off here, but if someone comes to your church, don't they expect to here about God, and maybe even Jesus? Did someone already invite them? Did someone already tell them about Jesus? Did they hear the audible voice of God say "get to church"?<br />
When someone comes to Starbucks, the Barista doesn't explain the way the coffee beans are grown and processed to become the awesome beverage you are enjoying. No, they make it and you enjoy. In church we need to present Christ and let people enjoy him. How to present Christ?<br />
<ul><li> Be yourself and reflect his love to everyone who walks through the door. Everyone!! If by being yourself you are judgemental and unhappy about life, you may need to do some self evaluation. Ask someone that will tell you the truth, not someone who surgarcoats it. <br />
</li>
<li>If you are a teaching Pastor, teach a practical life lesson, something anyone can start applying to their everyday journey.</li>
<li>You must believe in the product, or in the case of the church, the message of Christ. If you really don't think Christ can change lives, well, you might want to talk to him about that. </li>
<li>Celebrate change. When Starbucks announced the new instant coffee, I didn't hear one employee at my, yes my, store complain about it. In fact they were giving out free samples.</li>
<li>I call the Starbucks I go to "my store", because it is where I spend my money and time. Let people know that you support "your church". I don't bash other Starbucks stores, there is only one other in Decatur at Target, but I celebrate the whole Starbucks experience. We should celebrate the Kingdom of God the same way. You may have your favorite place to worship, but don't bash the church down the street.</li>
</ul>So I hope I was able to translate what was going on in my mind to "paper". I started blogging to do just that. If you have any comments or additions please share. Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-6208703937819734352009-11-11T07:46:00.000-08:002009-11-11T07:46:08.355-08:00Are we too focused??At Epicchurch.tv, we have our creative meetings on Mondays. We begin my debriefing Sunday service. We "walk through" the service beginning with the parking lot and end with the dismissal of the last service. With three services, it is a lot to download and digest. The funny thing about it is, we all have a different perspective on the service. And what I've found out is that the closer the area of ministry is to your heart, the more you notice what went wrong. I'll try to explain better. <br />
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I really thought we struggled with a few songs on Sunday. We don't do 3 chord 4/4 songs to just get by. I throw challenging stuff at our band. But, learning a new popular song each week is a daunting task for any band. But I knew where we missed vocal cues, missed a transition to a chorus, played the wrong chord, etc. The rest of the creative team and staff thought it was off the chain. I was perplexed to say the least. But again I know what was missing and they were enjoying the energy and vibe that was coming from the stage. And they were worshiping Jesus. <br />
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Now, when we discussed the greeters, I thought they were awesome and friendly. The kind of people who make you feel welcome when you go to a know place. But, there were missteps and cancellations, and some challenges had to be overcome. Same thing in the parking lot and kids. <br />
I didn't notice because, it's not my area of passion. I am focused on the worship band and tech crew. I spend my waking, and sometimes sleeping, hours fixed on what Sunday will look and sound like. <br />
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So in light of this new although simple revelation, I am gonna really enjoy Sunday morning and not get too, focused on things that don't happen the way I think it should. I'm gonna step back a little and see the forest.<br />
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I love our team!! <br />
Peace<br />
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Peace.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-90346033776917622692009-11-09T05:42:00.000-08:002009-11-09T05:50:00.916-08:00Monday MondayTime for the weekly data dump. Second week of the "Jack" series. <br />
<ul><li>We had 9 people get saved during a series on Money!! Just goes to show you how powerful the message of the Gospel is.</li>
<li>IV preached up a nice little storm for us. Man it was awesome. </li>
<li>The Louis CK clip from Conan was a big hit. Makes you think for sure.<br />
</li>
</ul><ul><li>Did another tattoo this week. Lots of fun, but scary because it was on a friend of mines daughter. She is 21, but still, I was nervous.</li>
<li>Keyboard player Mark Thomason joined the Epic band this week. What an amazing player.</li>
<li>Did Madonna's "Material Girl" for the opener Yesterday. April tore it up. Fun song.</li>
<li>Took Jean with me to help out at Crosspoint, we had a blast helping out those guys</li>
<li>Went golfing in Alabama for the first time. Enjoyed the company, did not enjoy my crappy swing. You can't go 3 months without hitting the ball and expect to have a great round. </li>
<li>Our whole leadership team is on Twitter now. Very cool to see us embrace technology. </li>
<li>We were given a new dog this week. We are still trying to decide a name for her. She is doing real good and Joy is loving having her around.</li>
<li>Joined the Dream Center for adopt-a-block on Satuday. Me a guy named "Skimp" who lost his son to drug overdose in October. We are gonna hang out more for sure.</li>
<li>Got caught up on "The Office" and "Grey's Anatomy" this week. I love Hulu.com. Gonna watch "V" next. I remember the first one. I was a little young still, so I don't remember the graphics being too cheesy. I just remember on of the nice "V's" was played by the same guy that played Freddie Krugar in the Nightmare movies.</li>
<li>Had a tragic loss in Las Vegas this past week. DJ, who was a solid christ follower, was killed in a motorcycle accident last Tuesday. He was 21. He had a band called Cross Out These Eyes. His memorial was yesterday. Over 500 people attended. Gonna miss him for sure. </li>
</ul>Remember to love each other. Especially those who don't like you. <br />
Peace.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-43356246572736153942009-11-06T13:05:00.000-08:002009-11-06T13:05:45.664-08:00VideoIt's been a very productive week. I am doing some video work today with <a href="http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio">FCP</a> and <a href="http://www.apple.com/motion">Motion</a>. I am loving those programs. I think I can get real good with 3d graphics if I keep putting in the hours. It is so fun learning new stuff. I think that is the key to staying young and keeping your mind healthy. So not much today other than that. I don't think I really have anything of super importance to share. Just loving technology today. Peace.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-26921654213244073022009-11-06T12:55:00.000-08:002009-11-06T12:55:04.110-08:00And more TattoosHere are the pictures of my use of color and shading. I used a no 3 liner and 9 round shader for each of these. The little butterfly to the lower left of the big one, I did at the same time as the big one. My customers were very happy with the work. I was too.<br />
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</div>Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-46531581564114625442009-11-02T13:37:00.000-08:002009-11-02T13:37:27.777-08:00Monday MondayLot's going on, but just gonna talk about Sunday at <a href="http://epicchurch.tv/">Epicchurch.tv</a>.<br />
<ul><li> 4 conversions and 8 re-commitments!!</li>
</ul><ul><li>We launched the "Jack" series. Already messing people up. It's amazing how people respond to money series when you just tell it like it is. </li>
<li>Our band went to a whole new level yesterday! The energy was crazy. It was loud, and raucous and full of excitement. <br />
</li>
<li>The tech team was spot on with lighting cues, video and sound.</li>
<li>Showed and amazing video of our Epic yard sale. We gave away so much stuff. I cried everytime I watched it. And I'm the one who shoot and edited it!! </li>
<li>In case you missed it- 4 conversions and 8 re-commitments.</li>
<li>Great snacks in the green room. We have some people who make sure we stay fueled up. Of course I'm like a tanker so to speak.</li>
<li>Our 20 year old drummer thinks I'm on some kind of "look younger" diet or supplement. He can't believe I'm as old as I am. I told him I was only 12 years old in God's kingdom.</li>
<li>I get to work with one of the best leadership teams around! Truly committed to reaching the lost, hurt and broken. A bunch of little Jesus' they are!!</li>
<li>I love our smoke machine!!!</li>
<li>Pastor Kenny is creating a Kid frenzy over in the Journey building! In 10 years, there is gonna be some 15 year old freaks for Jesus in the youth group. </li>
</ul>Peace... Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-45870267693347910962009-10-28T13:23:00.000-07:002009-10-28T13:27:57.268-07:00Tattoo you? Tattoo me...Okay I finally got up enough nerve to finish my Koi tattoo on myself. It was my second tattoo ever, and I was a little timid about coloring it in. So this afternoon, I sat down and started pushing ink. I am really happy with the outcome. I tried many different technique to find which shading effects worked and didn't. This is why you practice on yourself, you can experiment. Total time invested about 4 hours. I used a no 5 liner and a 7mag shader.<br />
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</div>Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669991642851367403.post-13357981857005820952009-10-28T07:50:00.000-07:002009-10-28T07:50:10.541-07:00A penny saved...My brother and sister-in-law, Pat and Melissa, have been on this incredible journey over the past year. They have been living off the land so to speak, on their farm in Michigan. You can follow their blog here at <a href="http://www.truenorthfound.blogspot.com/">True North Found</a>. Anyway, the goal is to cut spending by using the natural resources that are abundant on our property in Mi. Our family shares 120 acres of land, of which my brother has a house on the west 40. The started small, just turning off lights and unplugging things from the outlets when not in use. Now they have a garden, pigs, clothes lines, and a wood burning stove. The have literally cut their expenses in half if not more. My brother has coined this phrase, "Every dollar I don't spend, is one I don't have to earn." Basically he decided not to have to work 50-60hrs a week away from home, but now works 50-60 hours around the farm. Anyway, you can check out his blog and get more info.<br />
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Jean and I are always looking for way to cut cost. And I have my brother to thank for keeping us inspired and giving us valuable information. I think more people can do this if they want to. Jean and I were shutting off lights, unplugging things, keeping the heat at 64 degrees etc. But we still would have lights on at night while reading or watching TV. So I thought about oil lamps. Ya know the kind with the glass globes on top and the really wide wicks. So we inquired of my brother and he said, "Candles". Candles are a lot cheaper and would last longer than the oil lamps. So we went looking for those tall candles that come in the glass containers. We call them "holy santos" candles cause they look like you would see them in a Catholic church. We actually had to go to a hispanic grocery store to find them, but we did and they work great. We started out with 8, and at $1.80 a piece it was very inexpensive. The store we went to was on the northwest corner of Central and 14th st here in Decatur.<br />
Now you can use the expensive ones if you want, totally up to you, but we wanted to go as cheep a possible. So now we will wait for next months electric bill to see if our usage has dropped. Oh we also decided to remove the extra bulbs from the ceiling fans and bathroom mirrors. We ended up removing 6 light bulbs total. 6 light bulbs not using up power. <br />
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I hope this helps anyone who is trying to cut expenses and save money. Also GET ON A BUDGET! You will be surprised at where you are leaking money. If you have any tips for us, please comment. Peace and blessings.Wojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01673668252959577865noreply@blogger.com3