David Cox | iBlog

Picture

2009-03-16T10:08:00.003-06:00

This is a square version of our logo. Actually, I just needed to upload the picture somewhere so that I could link to the URL. I decided to use my blog for something...so here goes.

LifePoint Church

2009-01-11T14:10:00.002-06:00

Today was an exciting day as we unveiled the new identity of our church! As we begin moving off-site and starting up satellite campuses, we need a 'glocal' identity. (Global + Local) We needed a name that would span time and distance. Here is the video that introduced the new identity to our people. It's exciting to be a part of what is going on in Smyrna, TN!

LifePoint Church from LifePoint Church on Vimeo.

World Outreach Church

2008-12-19T16:52:00.003-06:00

I love when churches think outside of the box, and World Outreach in Murfreesboro is one of those churches. While at the mall today telling Santa what we want for Christmas, we passed by a HUGE store occupied solely by World Outreach Church. (strategically positioned right next to the live Santa setup) They were offering to gift-wrap your holiday treasures for FREE! Just come in and get your newly purchased gifts wrapped for free. What a great opportunity to invest in the community in which God has placed them! Way to go guys!!!

Amazing features coming for ProPresenter for those with an iPhone or iPod Touch

2008-12-06T11:49:00.004-06:00

halo

2008-11-26T16:59:00.004-06:00

'halo' as defined in the dictionary :: a disk or circle of light shown surrounding or above the head of a saint or holy person to represent their holiness.

Enough said!

My day in the spotlight

2008-11-22T22:22:00.004-06:00

I had the chance to visit Lakewood Church in Houston TX a couple of weeks ago while at the wfx conference. I don't in any way claim to be a big fan, but it was cool to see some of the gear they use (which is really the only thing I was there for). Also, I was able to take a tour of the stage and production areas. Very cool stuff...and I may even give Joel a run for his money if I'm ever given the chance! HA!

wfx Houston

2008-11-08T17:32:00.008-06:00

Well, I am back from my trip to Houston, TX where I attended the wfx conference. I had a great time learning and checking out the latest gear with Lloyd, Greg, James, Jim, and Linda. I would have to say that the biggest highlight of the trip was getting to see my sister, brother-in-law, and niece. It was my first trip to see them since they moved to Houston. I also enjoyed getting to see Lakewood Church in person. It is a pretty impressive place.

check out the waterfalls on either side of the choir lofts...

here's Joel up close and personal

here we are behind the scenes...

this was a sign that I found in the conference center...couldn't figure this one out...

Trick or Treat

2008-10-31T20:27:00.003-06:00

We had a great time this year in our new neighborhood. We met up with some friends that live two streets over from us. Our kids are best friends. It's a lot of fun trick or treating with folks you know.

Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-26T19:18:00.003-06:00

Our small group had our annual pumpkin carving contest tonight. Here is what we came up with this time.

what a comeback!

2008-10-13T22:04:00.003-06:00

My boy came through for me tonight! I needed 22 points and Edwards put up over 30! Thanks man, I owe you. Sorry Sully.

Day FIVE Magic Kingdom part 2

2008-10-08T20:07:00.007-06:00

Well...we finished up today with Magic Kingdom part two. It's a huge park and we needed two days to see it all. Here we are with that common 'family pose' that you track someone down to take for you while the professional photographers are looking at you like you just beat their kid. Oh well...How about that sky! Looks like a dream...

We got to see the daytime parade this time. It was hot, but the kids seemed to really like it.

Joshua and Hannah had a blast on the pirate ride and enjoyed celebrating in the store afterward.

One last thing....At the end of "It's a small world", this was one of the signs. I know these are not NY Jet colors, nor is the name spelled the same, but this is the way Brett SHOULD spell his name and the jerseys should have this logo on them.

Day FOUR Hollywood Studios

2008-10-07T20:11:00.007-06:00

Formally MGM Studios, Hollywood Studios did not disappoint! What an amazing day of fun and magic! We started with Star Wars then moved to Indiana Jones. Shortly after we moved on to a stunts spectacular! Needless to say, Joshua was in heaven. Soon after that we moved on to some things that Hannah absolutely loved! Here is a pic outside of Hannah's favorite show.

Here are some pics from the finale! Wow! Image projection on spraying water, fireworks, lasers, smoke, fire, actors, and much much more. This was an amazing show!

Day THREE Animal Kingdom

2008-10-06T18:01:00.008-06:00

Day three was filled with a lot of walking, animals and shows. There was some pretty amazing things at this park. We attended several shows like the one below.

Expedition Everest was amazing! One of our friends from high school actually helped design this ride.

Here is a closer view.

Joshua got to ride it twice! Once with mommy and once with me. We took turns at the bottom watching Hannah.

One last thing...I couldn't believe my eyes when I read this. It was on one of the tiles in one of the men's bathrooms. This was not posted to be funny...it was actually posted to give directions! Wow! If you need this, you probably deserve to have dirty hands.

Day TWO Magic Kingdom

2008-10-05T17:49:00.010-06:00

Today was more of what I expected from Disney World. I've been to Disney several times now, and let me tell you, the fall is the time to go. The weather is cooler and the lines are shorter. We had a blast today! Check out the pics::

Hannah's favorite ride was Dumbo!

Joshua liked the fast roller coasters the best!

You will have to figure this one out. Notice in the first pic the two signs, directly one over the other. I took closer pics so you could see what was actually written on them. Weird!

Day ONE Epcot

2008-10-04T21:45:00.004-06:00

Well, after a long drive we made it for a quick 2 hour tour of Epcot Center. The kids are beyond excited. Tomorrow we will be at The Magic Kingdom! It's gonna be a lot of fun. More posts to come...

After Epcot we ate a LATE dinner. This is Christy at 10:00pm singing some karaoke at Denny's for $5 off our dinner. What a ham. :)

My bum thumb

2008-10-02T20:19:00.003-06:00

The golf retreat this year was another great success! I had a blast hanging with the guys and playing some golf. One thing was a downer this year, however. One week prior to the trip I received a second degree burn in our kitchen while pulling out an oven rack with a faulty oven mitten. OUCH! Well, as you can imagine, it affected my golf game. I dropped out of the top four to sixth place, but I decided to play through the pain anyway. The trip only comes once a year!

This is a picture of my thumb after the third round (one round to go).

Annual Spades Championship

2008-10-01T22:13:00.004-06:00

Here is the score card from our annual spades championship. David McCaman and I dominated Jason and Nathaniel again. Okay...to be fair we'll give you 200 points...umm, looks like we still won! Oh well, there's always next year!

TN state fair

2008-09-30T20:35:00.004-06:00

This was our first year to go to the State Fair as a family. It was a lot of fun. The kids really liked getting to see the Monster Trucks!

A Kicker is a man's best friend

2008-09-16T08:41:00.003-06:00

Who says that kickers are not important! My fantasy football team this week put on a show and I won my first game of the season with my...that's right...kicker! Many thanks to Nick Folk for coming through for me. I won by .3 points.

What do the Democrats say about McCain?

2008-09-03T10:20:00.001-06:00

Fantasy Football

2008-09-02T15:47:00.003-06:00

So far so good. I'm tied for 1st. I can only go up from here! GO TRYTONS!

Tiger Commercial

2008-08-25T08:53:00.002-06:00

You may have seen this commercial that aired last year, but here is the uncut raw footage of the video shoot. The original commercial cut away before Tiger took off running. Pretty funny.

New Attic

2008-08-16T20:03:00.007-06:00

It's done! (at least for now) I don't know why I had to build this in AUGUST, but anyway...here it is! Special thanks to my dad for loaning me his Paslode cordless nailer! Wow, did that ever make the job easy. If you currently own a compressor and pneumatic nailer, sell them and buy this thing. It is really great. Anyway, here are the pics::

Double Date

2008-08-09T21:21:00.005-06:00

Well, today I decided that I would spend some individual time with the kids. I took Joshua golfing for the first time on an actual course and he did great. Check out the great ball striking in the video below!

Joshua drives it long! from David Cox on Vimeo.

After lunch I took Hannah on a "date with daddy". We went out and got some sweet ice cream. I love spending time with the kids. I'm looking forward to many more memories to come!

Dare you to move

2008-08-03T10:43:00.002-06:00

We have been preparing for a new series titled 'dare you to move'. The staff prepared a video that was played as a promo during a recent Sunday service. You can check it out here, as well as all the uncut performances of the different staff members. It's great to be part of such a fun team!

Jott

2008-07-14T16:34:00.004-06:00

I have yet another cool little piece of technology that has invaded my life. It's called Jott. Every time something new comes along, I'm generally skeptical at first. Is it really gonna work, is it worth the trouble, how useful will it really be? Well, I can tell you that Jott is amazing. Basically, all you do is call 1-(866) JOTT-123 and talk. That's right...just talk instead of type. Here are some of the things that I have already done using Jott::

1. sent emails to people while driving (the email, as they get it, appears to come from my current email address and also includes a link if the recpient wants to listen to the actual voice recording)
2. updated my twitter
3. updated my google calendar while on the go (by saying something such as: "meeting with Jason tomorrow at 2:30") When I went to my online calendar, there it was...scheduled for 2:30 on the next day!!!
4. listened back to other people's blogs
5. and many other things that I haven't even checked out yet

And this all by using only my voice. Pretty crazy, but it works amazingly well. Give Jott a try...it just might make your life a little simpler.

Joshua Rides

2008-07-13T21:03:00.004-06:00

Well, we are almost at the new house and Joshua is already making the most of the new cul-de-sac. He has just crossed over into the world of bike riding without training wheels. Enjoy the video.

Joshua rides from David Cox on Vimeo.

great drum solo

2008-07-05T19:56:00.001-06:00

different way to play the drums...

Drum Solo. from Dan Masquelier on Vimeo.

2nd annual Fourth of July Cookout

2008-07-04T08:28:00.004-06:00

Each year we plan a time for our entire tech crew to get together with our families to eat, play, hang out, and shoot fireworks. This year was no different. Although I was out most of the day, several volunteers pitched in to make the event possible. Thanks to Linda, Danny, James, Lloyd Justin and my wife Christy for making the event go so smooth. This year was a lot of fun as we took turns playing golf on our mini-driving range, horse shoes, volleyball, and 'red-neck' golf (thanks Randy). This year we had a bit of excitement while shooting the fireworks off. One of the fireworks got loaded in sideways and you can see the result below. Thankfully no one got hurt in the making of this picture. Thank goodness for blast shields...

Acafest 2008

2008-07-03T08:52:00.004-06:00

It's time for Acafest again, and this year I will be speaking on Worship Technologies. I look forward to reconnecting with Keith Lancaster and being there for as long as possible. With the new house, it's gonna be tough to stay as long as I would like, but those are the breaks. Anyway, if you attended my session and would like the notes, just click here. Also, if you have any questions from the session please feel free to email me here.

Vote for Joshua's School!!!

2008-07-01T08:22:00.004-06:00

Hey guys! We are trying to raise some money for Joshua's school...so if you feel inclined, please go here and vote for his school. (besides, two of my favorite kids in the world are starring in the video!!) Big Lots is doing a contest for schools across the nation. We want our school (Thurman Francis Arts Academy) to win, so vote away. You can vote 3 times a day, so come back each day and vote 3 times. I NEVER forward things like this to people in a mass email, but if you are one of those people, I won't get my feelings hurt if you do it to your address book! :)

Once you click on the link above, you will need to do a search by zip code. see pic...

Type in 37167 and then look for this video...

You can watch it, and then vote to the left of the video up to three times!

Thanks for the help!

Back from Camp Whatever

2008-06-29T13:41:00.003-06:00

Well, we made it back from Camp Whatever in one piece. What an incredible week as we saw God move in the lives of Students and Adults all week. We were led in music all week by Dave Hunt. What a great man of God. So much wisdom and talent. Adam Robinson spoke and did a great job unpacking God's word through stories and just the reading of the Word.

I was honored to be a part of such a great experience. I have posted some videos below that I edited each day for the morning worship times. Special thanks to Sully and Kurtis for getting the footage and to Sully for helping with Friday's final graphic. You guys rock! Enjoy the videos::

Camp Whatever Tuesday Morning Highlights from FBCSmyrna on Vimeo.

Camp Whatever Wednesday Morning Highlights from FBCSmyrna on Vimeo.

Camp Whatever Thursday Highlight Video from FBCSmyrna on Vimeo.

Camp Whatever Friday Highlight Video from FBCSmyrna on Vimeo.

Joshua can swim

2008-06-20T18:33:00.006-06:00

Today marked Joshua's last day of swimming lessons. He is just like a fish in water...except for the arms, legs, hands, feet, neck, hair........um, on second thought, he is nothing like a fish in water...more like a 7 year old boy who just learned how to swim. He is doing great! We are looking forward to our first trip to the lake so he can show off!

Joshua's Swim Lessons from David Cox on Vimeo.

On the road again

2008-06-20T09:23:00.005-06:00

Just got this picture of Jason sent from his phone. When I went to view it, I saw the advertisement in the column and thought it was fitting.

Finished painting the bathroom

2008-06-15T22:08:00.007-06:00

Christy and I have finally finished changing out the wallpaper and painting for the weekend. What a job! Anyway, we hope that this "new look" will sit better with people as the house shows. Keep your fingers crossed!

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

Finished painting the kitchen

2008-06-14T14:06:00.006-06:00

Christy and I spent most of the day Friday and some on Saturday taking down wallpaper and re-painting our kitchen. We've been told that most of the people looking at our house didn't like the wallpaper, so we decided to do something about it. The wallpaper was existing when we moved into the house, but was fairly easy to take down. Here are the final pics.

Micah's New Desk

2008-06-12T21:47:00.003-06:00

Well, with our Ministry Assistant out this week, Micah has found a new place to do business. We are still in process for getting his and Sully's offices ready, so in the meantime, Micah has made the most of the new opportunity. Better enjoy it while you can...

Ustream.tv

2008-06-11T14:13:00.002-06:00

Came across a cool service that allows you to live stream yourself online for FREE. It's called Ustream. We are planning on live streaming our student ministry's Camp Whatever activities this year with a live (always on) camera. You can watch it here. The dates will be June 23rd-27th.

Twitter Screen of Death

2008-06-10T14:02:00.003-06:00

For those in the twitter world, here is what is becoming the famous twitter screen of death, which I've dubbed... TSD. If you are not a member yet, join! They will eventually get their act together and we will all be living in a happy world knowing what each other are doing from moment to moment.

setting an example

2008-06-09T20:41:00.003-06:00

My kids have been watching Christy and I workout for the past year or so and it is beginning to rub off. The kids both love to "workout" in the morning when I get home from the YMCA. It's fun to watch them do their version of a push-up! Here is a video of one of our inspirational talks. Next we are going to learn how to spell "Bench Press".

Exercise from David Cox on Vimeo.

gaming is great exercise

2008-06-08T17:23:00.001-06:00

Who says that playing video games is not great exercise?

Gamer Exercise from David Cox on Vimeo.

Band Auditions

2008-06-06T15:04:00.002-06:00

Here is a promo we did for our upcoming Band and Vocal Auditions at FBC. Micah is such a great movie star!

Micah's Cool Band Audition Video from David Cox on Vimeo.

House for Sale

2008-05-26T15:12:00.006-06:00

Well, we are moving...hold on...don't panic! We are staying in Smyrna. We are just looking to get into that second house and feel it's time to make the change. Here is a link to our MLS. Check it out and pass it along if you know of anyone looking. By the way, we just reduced the price to help speed up the selling process. You can contact Matt Maynard with any specific questions about the house or to setup a showing.

A lesson in giving

2008-05-25T12:29:00.005-06:00

This past Friday Night, Joshua had his first piano recital. He did a great job! He is definitely comfortable in front of a crowd. After finishing his second piece, he bowed for an extended time while "the crowd went wild". He took a quick moment in the middle of the bow to wink at his fellow competitors. ...such a good sport...

Anyway, when he finished the recital his "Pops" gave him a 5 dollar bill as a reward for doing such a great job. Joshua was excited, as you could imagine any 6 year old would be. I mean, you can do a lot with 5 dollars. When he showed the 5 dollars to me that night I asked what he planned on doing with it. Without even blinking an eye he replied, "I'm going to give it in the offering at church." I immediately asked, "how much are you planning on giving?", just to hear the reply, "all of it!" Wow! When we got home from church today, one of the first things Joshua told me was that he gave the 5 dollars at church. We talked about how good that made him feel, and you could just see the joy all over his face.

What an amazing lesson from a 6 year old. At times when we gripe and complain about giving our measly 10%, Leviticus 27:30, my son is teaching me that the greatest joy comes when you give it all away!

Two Roads Traveled

2008-05-12T21:08:00.005-06:00

Us Production Staff guys have a little on-going bet about the most efficient direction to leave when exiting the parking lot at the church. Some like to take the route with lots of turns because they feel it is "shorter", while others of us prefer the long straight-away. The argument being made by me is that I would rather drive 5 extra feet and not wear out my tires, while I see some of the other guys (Micah and Stew) taking the curvy route and therefore making more trips to the tire store. But don't take it from me. I was outside today and decided to take two pics. One of my front tire and one of Micah's. The better tread is mine (of course) as Micah's tire reflects months of driving through the parking lot on two wheels as he rounds the corners to beat me out of the parking lot. I look forward to seeing those new tires...you'll need them soon.

Twitter

2008-05-12T08:48:00.003-06:00

No it's not an affectionate name for my sister. It is a new (to me) service that allows you to keep up with what your friends are doing. With my limited use of Twitter so far, it has been enjoyable. If you have several friends/co-workers that you are trying to keep up with, (on an hour by hour basis) try Twitter. Also, for all you Google users, twitter works seamlessly with Gtalk where all your Twitter updates and 'following' can be done right in your Google Chat.

I'm so popular

2008-04-26T19:09:00.001-06:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
3,960
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Mr. Mom

2008-04-15T06:27:00.002-06:00

While mommy is away in India, I have the pleasure of waking up really early everyday with the kids. ☺ I also have a chance to feed the kids breakfast each day and send them off to school. This morning Hannah asked for some “Mushroom Cereal”, after a little thought I figured out she must be talking about Marshmallow Cereal…otherwise know as “Lucky Charms”. She has also recently been calling yogurt, “o…gritt”. Enjoy them while they're young.

Google's FREE Voice Activated Search

2008-04-12T12:33:00.004-06:00

Need to find a business phone number, but away from your computer? Out and about and without a phone book? Try GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) and find what you need using your voice. It will ask for a city and state, followed by a prompting for business name or category. I tried it today and it works great! It will even connect you for free. It seems that my life if full of Google lately. What an amazing company. If you get a chance, just go online and check out all the features that Google offers to make our lives easier. Here is a list of some of the things I use Google for::

1. Gmail
2. Google Calendar
3. Blogger
4. GOOG-411
5. Product Search
6. Image Serach
7. Maps
8. Web Search
9. Google Reader (for organizing and reading blogs)

NCAA Final Standings

2008-04-08T15:10:00.003-06:00

Well, I came in 3rd. Not bad considering I didn't even know how to spell baskitbal before filling out my bracket. Congrats to Micah for winning it all. What do you win anyway? I never heard...

I have no idea...

2008-04-05T20:53:00.002-06:00

Halo 3 Stats

2008-04-05T16:44:00.003-06:00

Just some of my most recent Halo 3 stats.

nice to be on top

2008-03-30T17:46:00.006-06:00

Well, here is yet another post about my bracket! It's pretty exciting to be in the lead right now. I think it's funny joking around with the other guys in the bracket about their position only to hear, "what, I'm where...I really wasn't paying any attention...it really doesn't mean anything to me" HA! WHATEVER! I know you guys are all watching these games with your laptop in your lap checking on where you are in the bracket. Anyway, I'll just enjoy it while I can.

a nice moment

2008-03-28T11:37:00.004-06:00

Each year some of the FBC team puts on their basketball thinking caps and fills out a NCAA bracket for March Madness. It is a crazy few weeks as we watch games with our laptops in our laps updating the latest scores and standings. We have some pretty competitive staff members so needless to say there's some major smack talk that goes around during these games. Last night I enjoyed a moment at the top. Check it out!

The Home of Tiger Woods

2008-03-24T10:17:00.018-06:00

take the test

2008-03-19T17:45:00.002-06:00

See how observant you are...

The Power of Xbox … It's an Xbox Baby!

2008-03-15T20:18:00.003-06:00

As quoted from the xboxlive website::
"We recently received word from an appreciative community member with a unique story which we thought to share with the rest of you. Plus, we're just suckers for an adorable baby picture … atop an Xbox. Congratulations from the Xbox LIVE® team, Stacy and Mike!"
And then from the happy new couple::

"My soon-to-be husband and I thought we were the first … but haha, we were wrong. I just thought you might be interested to know that Mike and I met playing Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Lockdown™. Funny thing is, we hated each other at first, but somehow ended up falling in love. I was from Georgia and he was from the Bronx. On a leap of faith we met, and we have been together ever since. If it wasn't for Xbox LIVE, our paths would have never crossed. :) We had our daughter—who we thought to be the first Xbox LIVE baby—on September 24, 2007. Maybe she's the first Xbox 360® baby, at least. :) Her name is Victoria Marie Figueroa! I AM SO THANKFUL FOR XBOX AND THE ONLINE COMMUNITY! If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have the man of my dreams and a beautiful new baby! —Stacy Simpson"

Internet Speed Test

2008-03-15T19:27:00.003-06:00

Ever wondered how fast your internet connection was downloading and uploading content? Well dslreports is for you. You can choose a server (I normally choose 'speakeasy' in NY). Give it a try.

These are my most recent results. Green is download speed while red is upload.

Tiger Cub Derby Car

2008-03-14T14:28:00.008-06:00

Well, it's time for Joshua's first Derby Car race for Tiger Cubs. We joined the Tiger Cubs (pre-Cub Scouts) this past fall. Joshua has had fun making things, camping, fishing, and now building his first Derby Car. We will be racing tomorrow. No matter what happens in the race, Joshua is a winner for competing. Good luck Joshua, and great job!

Open Office

2008-03-13T19:45:00.003-06:00

In 2000, Sun Microsystems founded the Open Office Project. In a nutshell, it offers a FREE office suite to users of Windows, Linux, Solaris, Mac OS X, as well as on many other platforms. That's right...and with no strings attached!!! It offers all this functionality in more than 100 languages, many of them professionally supported. Try out the free download here, and see for yourself how close the programs come to the Microsoft products you are already familiar with.

Oh, just in case you were wondering, you can open regular Microsoft files in Open Office and vice versa.

Praise and Harmony

2008-03-11T19:46:00.012-06:00

I spent the better part of last week in Tulsa, OK with Keith Lancaster recording the newest Praise and Harmony project. I had a GREAT time getting to know new folks and spending time doing what I love doing...making music. Keith did a great job leading the crew, and I had a blast just doing whatever I was asked. I also made some new friends on the trip. From the group Acappella, Allen Brantley, and JJ... from Durant, Anthony Lancaster...and from The Vocal Union, Gary Miller. We had a great time driving up to Tulsa from Nashville, playing Tiger Woods golf and Guitar Hero in the van.

Enjoy some of the pics from the event...

From left to right...Me, Anthony, Allen, JJ, Gary

Here's the crew...I'm in the front next to Keith.

Fine tuning the mic placement.

Giving instructions to the singers.

Looking on as Keith leads the session. Props to my wife for an excellent hair line...

Google Calendar

2008-03-01T09:31:00.003-06:00

Google has always, since its inception, been the leader in simple. Google offers several simple but useful services such as gmail, blogger, product searches, etc... One of the services that I have found very useful is the Google Calendar. One of my favorite things about the calendar is that I can edit the calendar from work (with my office computer) while Christy is also editing the same calendar from home with our laptop. We see real-time changes as we are editing and can keep up with each others schedules with ease. Another advantage to online calendaring is that we can be anywhere in the world on any computer and still see/edit our personal calendar/schedule/todo items. Here are the latest features of Google Calendar.

A Nathaniel Hale Shot

2008-02-28T15:30:00.002-06:00

Most people who play golf have an amazing shot every once and a while. Then, there are those people who tend to get smiled on more than the rest of us when it comes to golf breaks. Nathaniel Hale is one of those guys on our staff. He has hit more shots off trees, out of ditches, etc, than we can begin to count. I know skill is involved, but sometimes it just gets frustrating to see someone be so fortunate when the rest of us have to really pay for our mistakes. This golf shot reminded me of him, so I dedicate this to you Nathaniel!

Rhett Butler

2008-02-27T16:35:00.000-06:00

Another great performance by an amazing musician.

Microsoft Surface

2008-02-26T13:04:00.004-06:00

Well, several years ago I made the switch to Apple. The primary reason was for the ease of use and stability of it's video editing software. Although I'm now a "mac guy", I still enjoy the latest technology, even if it's Microsoft that's producing it. I got a link today from my dad that pointed me to just that. Microsoft Surface promises to be an amazing tool for sharing photos with friends, uploading content to your phone or mp3 player, as well as paying for your evening meal. Check out this short video that shows some of the cool features that should be here in the not to distant future.

Where do you stand Politically

2008-02-23T17:47:00.002-06:00

Not sure who to vote for this year? I must admit, it's been an interesting year so far in the primaries. So...are you lining up with one or another of the candidates? Do you know where they stand? If not, take this little test. It was pretty revealing to me.

Take the test

Blu-ray vs. HD DVD

2008-02-18T21:34:00.010-06:00

Well, it looks as if the war is finally coming to an end. All signs are pointing to Blu-ray technology as the next big thing to replace the current DVD technology. Here is what I'm finding out:

Seven of the eight major movie studios (Warner, Paramount, Fox, Disney, Sony, MGM and Lionsgate) are producing for the Blu-ray technology, whereas HD-DVD only has support from two major movie studios (Paramount and Universal).

Just some of the companies that support Blu-ray technology EXCLUSIVELY.
1. Sony/Sony Pictures
2. Wal-Mart
3. Warner Bros. (this is a recent big announcement)
4. Disney
5. Fox Home Entertainment
6. Netflix (this is a big one)

Toshiba has been the leading producer of HD DVD software and hardware until now. They just announced the following on Blu-ray.com:

"Toshiba will announce that effective immediately, production of HD DVD hardware, software, and authoring tools will cease, and that sales and support of existing products will end sometime in March."

Another quote by Samsung:

"Samsung is expected to show more interests in Blu-ray products than rival HD DVD."

Some key differences in Blu-ray vs. HD DVD

1. Blu-ray's total disk capacity is 50GB while HD DVD is just 30GB.
2. Blu-ray has adopted a higher data transfer rate for video and audio (54Mbps vs 36.55Mbps). The greater capacity and data transfer rates for Blu-ray will allow the movie studios to release their movies with higher quality video and audio than the HD-DVD format.
3. Blu-ray sounds cooler

I would still wait until the technology goes through a couple of upgrades (Blu-ray is getting ready to release an updated version soon). As the upgrades come and the companies all begin competing for your money, the cost will come down soon. For now I suggest just using your current DVD player and downloading your HD content through Tivo, XBOX360, iTunes, or just check out your favorite network on the web.

God is at work!

2008-02-11T15:54:00.000-06:00

It has always been a pleasure to serve at FBC, but never has the time been more exciting than right now. This past week we saw nearly 800 students take part in our Middle School and High School outreach events, Rush Hour and Fuel. Over 70 students indicated that they had received Christ for the first time! What an amazing event. Then just two short days later we celebrated marriage at our annual Romance and Roses. Over 300 couples joined together to make the statement that their marriage was a priority and wanted to make it even better. Following that we went into our weekend services where we saw 11 people baptized...that's 19 in the past two weeks with more coming up! Wow, God is amazing! Following that we entered into a time on Sunday Night called Sacred Gathering. What an amazing time as over 600 people gathered to commit to two and a half days of fasting and prayer to seek God and His direction for our lives and church. I look forward to the next two nights as we gather and seek God for His will! What an exciting time to be serving at FBC!

Me in a nutshell

2008-02-03T16:27:00.000-06:00

New Year's Resolution

2008-01-05T10:38:00.000-06:00

Well after about a week of deciding, I've decided that my New Year's Resolution will be to procrastinate. I haven't started yet, so, so far so good.

A Legacy

2007-12-27T17:58:00.000-06:00

I was digging around my old video files when we transferred to a new computer and came across this. This video was taken back in 2003 and features my PawPaw (Gerald Williams), mom (Judy Cox Keisler) and myself. PawPaw had just finished singing a special music at FBC when Kyle Goen brought us all on stage for an impromptu moment. PawPaw has been traveling/singing in ministry for almost 60 years now. He is still going strong with The Melody Boys Quartet today! What a legacy he is carving out.

Little Drummer Boy

2007-12-25T15:51:00.000-06:00

Joshua got his first drum kit this Christmas. Mommy and I are still wondering if we made a good decision (all the noise), but I think it will be worth it. At his current age of six, he is already showing a strong ability for music. This video was taken just after Joshua walked into the room and saw the drum kit. He immediately sat down and started playing. Such the rock star!

New Screens

2007-12-23T11:42:00.000-06:00

Well, we finally finished! After several months of blood, sweat, and tears the screens are finally installed. We took this chance to change the aspect ratio from 4:3 to 16:9 (also know as widescreen). The change was necessary for future broadcast of our service to other venues and satellite campuses. The angles are much improved for the viewing experience over the entire congregation.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-21T09:21:00.000-06:00

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee just release a new commercial that is getting some attention from the press. In the commercial he reminds us all of what Christmas is really about. It's nice to hear from someone again who is not afraid of this time of year, and not afraid to just speak the words 'Merry Christmas'.

Elf Yourself

2007-12-08T21:05:00.001-06:00

Have you elfed yourself this Christmas Season? This is a fun little tool that is sure to bring a smile. Enjoy!

Click Here

Our little pumpkins

2007-12-05T21:52:00.000-06:00

Here are the kids... They just LOVE each other...at least right now.

Ring the Bells

2007-12-04T09:10:00.000-06:00

Check out this blog from Jason Stewart. I'm sure this CD will rise very quickly to the top of your Christmas listening.

New Christmas Series

2007-12-03T10:02:00.000-06:00

We are in a new series for the month of December entitled 'A Christmas Story'. Yes, it is a take off the movie that we have all seen 1000 times. We had a great time of worship yesterday as we kicked off the series. As you can see by the set, I have not been blogging lately. Special thanks to Alec Klapper and all the volunteers and staffers that came together to make this a reality. In addition to this we are in the midst of a renovation in our Multi-Purpose-Center, aka 'The Hub'. I will be posting pics soon as we near completion. For now enjoy the pic of the new series.

Finding your strengths

2007-11-03T09:52:00.000-06:00

Joshua played his last soccer game of the season today, and possibly, the last one of his life. We will let him make the choice next year if he would like to continue. Sports have been fun, but music seems to be what really excites him. He has been taking piano lessons from mom and is doing great! His favorite thing to do is to teach himself how to play tunes that he has heard on TV or the radio. We have been amazed at how quickly and easily he has been able to pick out the melodies. What a talented little kid! We'll continue to give him the choice as he tries to decide what he likes to do. I guess only time will tell.

Cub Scout Campout

2007-10-06T21:04:00.001-06:00

Well, the whole family just got back from a great weekend of camping, cooking, fishing, gun/arrow shooting...that's right...we have officially kicked off Joshua's life into cub scouting. We had a blast experiencing first after first with Joshua. He had a GREAT time as did Hannah. We spent last night in a tent all together. It was fun, but man that ground sure is hard. I think it has gotten harder than when I was a kid. I can't remember it ever bothering me that much before. Oh well, enjoy the pics...

Tooth Fairy

2007-10-01T07:52:00.000-06:00

We had an exciting morning today as Joshua lost his first tooth. He can't wait to leave it under his pillow tonight to see what he gets. The tooth has been loose for several days now. He was just wiggling it this morning when it fell out.

Guys and Dolls

2007-09-30T20:31:00.000-06:00

Christy and I had the privilege of getting to see Guys and Dolls this past Saturday night at Smyrna First Assembly. Our very own Ron Alley had one of the main roles and he did a GREAT job. Ron showed us a side of him that I have never seen, but now appreciate. We had several folks involved in the production including a long time friend, Andy Upchurch, who was the Music Director. Andy also surprised me with his ability to lead an entire orchestra with great precision. Joshua's 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Coble was also in the show. She did a great job as well. Other's that we knew in the show included, Greg and Alice Baldwin, Gui Bokoles, Sarah Upchurch and Abbie Ebensberger. We were so proud to be so well connected with such a great show. We are looking forward to our next opportunity to experience the quality of a true Broadway Production right here in little ole Smyrna, TN.

Just out for a stroll

2007-09-27T19:27:00.000-06:00

Hannah decided that she would take her baby Claire out for a stroll today. Just thought I would share. Poor thing...

Golf Retreat 2007

2007-09-24T13:54:00.000-06:00

Well, it's finally come and gone! Our annual golf retreat is in the books! I can't believe that it has already passed. This year was a lot of fun as we took 4 new guys (Micah Huebner, Kyle Goen, Chris Hollomon, Allen Bishop) along with the original group of four (Nathaniel Hale, Jason Stewart, David McCaman, and myself). I wasn't sure how it would all work at first, but in the end, I think it was a great success. Outside of spending time with family, I can't think of much else I would rather do than spend a few days with my closest friends enjoying golf, food, cards, and XBOX. This year was a series of ups and downs for me as I won some rounds of golf (over people I have previously never beat) and lost a few rounds of cards (by people that I have never lost to). Either way it was a fun time. I ending up finishing in the 4th spot out of 8. That is about 4 spots better than I expected. I am already looking forward to next year when I shoot my first round in the 70's and win spades by a margin of 250 or more. To all who went on this trip...thanks for making 2007 a fun trip!

Grass Valley Indigo

2007-09-13T08:25:00.001-06:00

This post is sponsored by my Aunt Shelia who has prodded me on to a new post. Sorry so long, but here goes...

Our new production switcher is a gem. The Grass Valley Indigo has been everything and more than was expected. Since making the move our quality has dramatically improved. With all of the scaling and scanning capabilities, the Indigo does away with a lot of outboard gear. The ease of use also makes it valuable to our volunteers who only get to touch it about once a month. Thanks Grass Valley for making an affordable broadcast switcher that is both easy to use and advanced in functionality!

Cruise

2007-08-12T21:58:00.000-06:00

Christy and I had a GREAT time celebrating our 10th anniversary this year. Us and two other couples, also celebrating their 10 year anniversaries, spent one incredible week at sea. This was the first time for any of us to be on this type of ship, and man was it cool. Take a look at the pics for a taste.

It's finally HERE!

2007-08-10T19:43:00.001-06:00

Many thanks to all who have helped make the transition into the new video suite. It's been a long week of work, but I really feel that it is going to be worth it! Thanks again to all who have suffered in the cramped space that we came from. You guys are the best. It's time to stretch out and enjoy a new room.

NEW VIDEO SUITE

2007-07-21T14:43:00.001-06:00

Well, it's finally here. The new furniture arrived and was installed yesterday! Wow...everything turned out so great! Thanks to Rack & Roll Woodworks for doing such a great job. Now it's up to us to fill the racks and make it all work. (I think I can already feel a headache coming on). Anyway, I am looking forward to moving over the next couple of weeks.

ACAFEST 2007

2007-07-09T18:16:00.000-06:00

It was my honor to be invited to ACAFEST this year in Nashville, TN. Thursday I co-taught a class on recording acappella music. Saturday morning I co-taught a class on mixing/mastering acappella music with Melissa Lancaster. Melissa is the daughter of Keith Lancaster, the founder of Acappella. Christy and I had a great time Saturday night attending the 25th anniversary concert that featured members from the group present and past. What a great time seeing some of the originals singing some of the music that I grew up on! Wayburn Dean and Rodney Britt are two of my all time favorite singers and it was great being able to see them again. Over the past few months I've also been able to get to know Keith on a more personal level. He is a great man with more talent than one person should have. Connecting with Keith has been possible through the friendship of a longtime friend, Matt Straughn. It has also been great re-connecting with Matt as well. Matt and I spent many years singing/recording Acappella's music. Ahhhhhhh the memories! Matt recently did a 5K run in Hendersonville, TN where he came in first place, and beat the second place runner by over 3 minutes (or about 1/2 mile lead.) He also ran the Boston Marathon this year. Way to go!

Service with a smile!

2007-07-08T10:39:00.000-06:00

This past July 3rd we had our July 4th Volunteer Appreciation Cookout for all the media staff at FBC. We had over 90 people attend for a great night of fun, food and fireworks. It is amazing to me how many people serve each week with joyful hearts at FBC. We truly couldn't do what we do without you guys! Thanks again for being such a GREAT team!

Camp Whatever

2007-06-28T17:59:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm back from Camp Whatever! I always have a blast when I get the chance to go. One thing this year that really struck home was how God has gifted our individual staff members in so many different ways. It is only by His Sovereign Will that we have been placed together to accomplish the goals He has set out for us. It is really amazing to see how each person can flourish in his/her own strength, and watch God put it all together into something that glorifies His name. It is with the greatest honor that I count myself as part of the team...a team that God has joined together.
Okay, enough serious stuff...it's time to show our team in a lighter moment. This is a video of Jason, Nathaniel, Allen, and myself as we teamed up for a friendly game of BBall. Enjoy!

Busy time of year

2007-06-24T19:54:00.000-06:00

This past week was VBS! What a great week we had as 32 children gave their hearts to Christ for the first time. It was exciting to see the 800+ people here each day. Tomorrow I leave for Camp Whatever (Student Camp). Last year was my first year to go, and I have been looking forward to this year ever since we got home. It is a great week for students to grow in their relationship with Christ and to connect with other students. I am blessed to be a part of such a great team who seek to honor God with the energy and excellence they each put into what they do. This year we are taking 300 students to Horns Creek. I look forward to what God will do...

Joshua's Birthday

2007-06-10T20:13:00.000-06:00

Today was a GREAT day! Joshua celebrated turning 6 to his current favorite theme...Star Wars! One of the highlights was a new bike and his favorite gift was a cool new light-saber. Happy Birthday Joshua! We love you!

HALO 2

2007-06-08T14:55:00.001-06:00

Okay, so I am a huge Halo 2 nut! I love to play, but really...I'm not that good. It is a rare treat that I actually beat someone good, so since it happened last night, I thought I would post about it! I won't mention any names, but let me just say...you know who you are! Read it and weep! WOO HOO!!!

Great Story

2007-06-04T09:17:00.000-06:00

Check out this great story from our Communications Minister, Jason Stewart, that goes right along with my previous post. We serve a huge God...let's make sure and keep Him out of a box!

Creating Culture

2007-05-29T17:52:00.001-06:00

In an earlier post I blogged about engaging culture. One of the areas was that of creating culture:: We can compete for culture by creating culture. In the immortal words of the Italian artist and poet, Michelangelo: criticize by creating. At the end of the day, the culture will treat the church the way the church treats the culture.

We as a church have created just this very thing. We have created a culture where you can dress as you are and not feel out of place. When you think about it, there is really nowhere else you can go and have such a wide variety of dress (without being looked at as though you are CRAZY). Think about it...on any given Sunday in our church you are likely to see a man in a suit shaking hands with some teenager in shorts and flip flops with no thoughts of judgment or disappointment. It's cool that we are in a place where you don't have to be something you are not one day a week. Some weeks I feel like getting a little spiffy for church and other days I just want to feel comfortable. Glory to God that He is not interested in our outward appearance, but ONLY the inward. It's really hard sometimes in our culture to understand that, as all we usually tend to do is look at the outward.

A view from above

2007-05-20T19:14:00.000-06:00

Having a large parking lot has its advantages. We often have folks come by and fly their model airplane/helicopters and drive their "fresh from the garage" kit racecars. Last week was no different. I got an email this weekend from 'Robert' who used our parking lot to fly his model helicopter. As he did, he got some really cool photos of our campus. Just thought I would share.

Larger than life from China

2007-05-13T14:44:00.000-06:00

We had a GREAT treat this morning in both worship services. Pat, Amy and Jadyn joined us from China LIVE via iChat. We were able to setup a live conference for our church body to be introduced to Jadyn. The technology still amazes me. We were able to see and speak to Pat live and without any lag time! Half-way across the world and we were able to talk as though he was just in the other room. You can check out the new baby pics at www.pathood.org Our children's department also did a great job leading us in worship. I am so blessed to be a part of what God is doing through our church...at home and abroad.

Claire Evans

2007-05-01T20:57:00.000-06:00

Well, here she is...Claire is home and healthy. Mom is doing great and dad is as well! I am looking forward to meeting the newest member of our family. Joshua and Hannah can't wait to meet their new cousin. Make sure and click the above link to see a picture.

Fun with Photo Booth

2007-04-30T20:31:00.000-06:00

Well, my new MacBookPro came in today and I am as busy as ever trying to update/install all the programs that will be used on it. I will be using the latest version of Parallels, and running Windows in conjunction with Mac OSX. It really is pretty impressive. I will be moving my PC out of my office for good and going to a Mac only world. Hard to believe it finally came to this. Anyway, the kids and I took a few minutes tonight to play around with one of the programs on the new book. Enjoy the pics!