NC State dropped another one yesterday, but honestly that isn't all that surprising. It was surprising how long we were in the game. The crazy part was how many top 25 teams lost. Numbers 3, 4, 5(Friday), 7, 10, 11, 13, 21 and 22. I think two of those losses were to other top 25 teams: Southern Florida(18) over West Virginia(5) and Cal(6) over Oregon(11). But, that leaves seven upsets. You just don't see that every week, otherwise, NC State may have more wins.

Labels: sports

Craig Groeschel is a teaching pastor at LifeChurch.tv. He has written a new book on having a marriage that lasts called Going All the Way.

Though I have been married for almost three years now, I am not immune from divorce. In case you didnt know it, marriage take work. Especially now that we have a little one, I feel that we need to make sure we our focused on our marriage.

I look forward to hearing what Craig has to say.

Labels: books

Kim and I watched Beyond the Gates the other night. It was a based on some events that took place at a school in Kigali, Rwanda in April 1994.

It was a good movie, but not for the faint at heart. There are some awful things that happen in the world. We talked about it afterward and Kim said something like, "Stuff like this makes me mad at humanity. Sometimes I think I might prefer to remain ignorant about somethings."

One cool thing about the movie is that right before the credits rolled, they took time to point out all the people who were a part of the original events that took part in the making of the movie.

Labels: entertainment

Yesterday I was tested by God.

I made this post about walking in the rain last Friday. Then, on Wednesday night, I facilitated a discussion about Philippians 2:14, which says "Do everything without complaining and arguing."

Well, yesterday, I was walking from my building to Daniel's building a little before 5 o'clock. He was driving home, and I was done with work. So, I decided to walk to his building since he has to drive out of his way to pick me up, and then drive right back by his building to get home. Just trying to do my part in conserving gas, being green, and redeeming the world, ya know.

Anyway, about 100 yards from my building it start to sprinkle. I walk a little farther. It rains a little harder. I walk a little farther. It rains a little harder. Soon, it's a steady rain.

So, I am walking and I think, "This must be a test." It is like God was saying, "Well, you liked walking in the rain Friday. How do you like it now? You just talked about not complaining. Are you going to complain about this?"

The circumstances were different. I wasn't going straight home this time. I didn't make the conscious choice to step into the rain this time. After thinking this, I sort of chuckled to myself, sucked it up, and just walked in the rain.

God's got a funny sense of humor.

Labels: indiscriminate

WARNING: This post passes the Shannon threshold for post length by about double. I understand if you don't read it all. I probably wouldn't.

For the past few weeks, at our Sunday morning services, Jeff has been going through a series on justice1. He is wrapping the series up over the next two weeks and asked a few people that are currently involved in areas of injustice to answer a few questions about their specific area. So, since I took the time to type it all out to him, I figured I would post it here.

Give us a brief overview of the problem and what you are doing.

About 40 million, that's 40,000,000, people worldwide are currently living with HIV/AIDS, and about 6,000 more people are infected every day. Approximately 60% of that 40 million live in Sub-Saharan Africa. There are about 12 million children in Africa that have been orphaned because their parents have died of HIV/AIDS. But HIV/AIDS is not just an Africa problem. It's a world problem. It's an African problem, but it's also a Raleigh problem. It's not their problem. It's my problem. It's our problem.

We are currently trying to inform and educate as many people as possible about this crisis. There are a lot of misconceptions people have about HIV/AIDS. On a local level we are partnering with an organization that provides support and assistance to those afflicted with HIV/AIDS and their families here in the Triangle. On a global level we are trying to raise awareness and organize our ideas into a plan of how we can best put our resources and talents into action.

How is your issue addressed in the bible?

In Matthew, Jesus instructs us to love our neighbor as ourself. Then, he is asked by a religious leader, "Who is my neighbor?" With the parable of the good Samaritan Jesus shows us that everyone is our neighbor. For too long, like the priest and the Levite of Jesus' parable, we have passed by the man on the side of the road, too busy or too "holy" to involve ourselves in lending a helping hand.

Jesus showed love and grace to the most overlooked and the lowest people in his society. He touched lepers and healed them when others barely saw them as human. On writer said that those afflicted with HIV/AIDS are the lepers of our time. The stigma of the disease has kept the Church away and has left those afflicted to fend for themselves.

What was it that led you to get involved in your issue?

About a year ago at this leadership conference2 held at Hope3, I saw an interview with Bono4. I had heard about Africa having problems and I had seen commercials on TV with images of children with flies on their face, but I had never seen it as my problem. In the few minutes while he talked about what was going on in Africa and the world, my eyes were opened and I began to see the things he was talking about as more than just issues in the world. I started to see the people that are suffering the injustices in the world. I started to see that I had a role to play in bringing justice to those situations, but I wasn't quite sure what that role was.

In January, I went to another conference, in Michigan. I sat in on a breakout session there that focused on HIV/AIDS. I was shocked by the enormity of the situation. We all know that HIV/AIDS is a huge problem in Africa, but the speaker went around the globe, region-by-region, and described the situation in each area. Experts say that at the current rate of infection, within five years India would surpass Africa in the number of HIV/AIDS infections and within five more years China would surpass India.

Upon leaving that conference I was even surer that something had to be done. I was given a book at the conference. It was the story of a man who has a faith that leads him to action. I was inspired in many ways by the book. It made me want to take more action. Soon after that, we showed the Bono interview from the conference at Visio Dei. Then, a few weeks later, Jeff talked about the parable of the Good Samaritan. He encouraged us to develop an aggressive love, not just a love that stands by as those around us suffer.

All these things, and more, have pushed me towards action in bringing justice to those, both locally and globally, that have been afflicted with HIV/AIDS.

How can people be involved?

The best thing people can do is to educate themselves. Most of us took some sort of "health" class in middle or high school and learned about HIV/AIDS, but there's a good chance that most of that knowledge was forgotten soon after we left the class. Having an understanding of what HIV/AIDS is, how it is transmitted, and how it affects those who have it is a great start. Then, when you hear about people who are afflicted, you will have a better idea of what that means.

As for action, there are a few things that we have already done or started doing. Back in May we had over 20 people participate in the Triangle AIDS Walk/Ride. We also raised over $3,000 for the Alliance of AIDS Services - Carolina. We will be putting together another team after the beginning of the year with the hopes of increasing those numbers.

A few home groups have started working with AAS-C to care for those afflicted by HIV/AIDS. Our hope is to get Visio Dei involved with them doing something, at least one thing, every month. Activities can range from organizing a food pantry, to moving furniture, to painting a house, to doing yard work, to providing transportation for someone.

As I mentioned before we are still working out our global plan. We would like to find those interested and being to pool our ideas. Some ideas already in the works deal with providing support for organizations who care for orphans who have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS and partnering with organizations who are providing clean drinking water and sanitation for communities.

1. back You should listen to the podcasts. It's been a great series.


2. back It was the Willow Creek Leadership Summit. (That link is for 2007, but I was at 2006.)


3. back Hope Community Church, the church that our church plant came out of


4. back Honestly, at that point, I don't think I knew who Bono was. I may have known he was a part of U2, but I can't say for sure. If I had been put on the spot, I couldn't have told you more than two U2 songs.

Labels: activism, church

For most of the summer, Raleigh, and most of North Carolina2, has been in a drought. The lakes are extremely low and voluntary water restrictions have moved to mandatory. Precipitation has been very hard to come by. However, last Friday, thanks to hurricane Humberto, we got some much needed rainfall.

I had to leave work yesterday at 4:303. As I walked through the atrium on my way out, I could hear the rain pounding on the roof. I rounded the corner to head for the exit, and through the glass doors I could see the rain I had only heard before. It was pouring. One might use the phrase cats and dogs, but that would not do justice to this barrage of liquid precipitation. No. This was more like anteaters and orangutans.

As I neared the exit, I saw that several co-workers had decided to wait it out. They stood there umbrellas in hand, waiting. Some found this the proper occasion for chit-chat. Others, it seemed, grumbled. There were a few brave souls that ventured out into the torrential downpour. They pointlessly ducked under their umbrellas and scurried across the parking lot toward their cars.

In that moment, I... I took the road less traveled by. I walked by the people waiting for a reprieve, and walked out the door like it was any other Friday afternoon. I didn’t hustle toward the car. If anything, I may have walked a little slower.

In that moment I couldn’t help but smile. I looked to the sky and let the rain fall on my face. I could see the rain. I could smell the rain. I could even taste the rain. It was incredible. I couldn’t fathom complaining about being wet. For weeks people have been complaining about the lack of rain. How could I, or anyone, complain now that it was here.

As I made it to the car, the song on my iPod finished up. It was Endlessly by Fugitive4. The last line of the song says this…

You’re perfect in every way. Like a bright, sunny day, your love shines down on me. You love me endlessly.

I guess that applies to the rain too.

1. back Thanks to Rebecca for taking such a great picture. Also, Congratulations to her and Joel on their wedding.


2. back I heard a stat on the radio that 80 out of 100 counties in NC were in a severe drought.


3. back Kim went on a girls' night out on Friday night, which I think was really good for her.


4. back I’m not even sure where I got the Fugitive cd.

Labels: indiscriminate

I've decided I want to go to Africa next summer. I don't really know what that would look like. I'm not sure who I would go with, how I would get there, or where I would stay once I get to my unknown destination. It's just something I've felt drawn toward for awhile now.

I asked Kim what she thought about it. She asked me why I want to go. Great question. My first thought is that I want to see it first hand. I've read plenty of stuff about the troubles facing our peers in Africa: poverty, hunger, war, disease. Now, I want to do more than just read about it. I want to live it. I want it to become a part of who I am. I want to be moved beyond emotion.

Also, I want to dig a well for a community there. Well, maybe not me personally, but I would like to finance the digging of one. Well, not even that. I want to raise the money to finance the digging of a well. I'm not sure what the looks like either, but I figure if I document it here you all can ask me about and maybe even help me figure out some of the details.

So, I worded the first sentence carefully "I've decided I want to go to Africa next summer." I definitely want to go, but my concern is leaving my wife and son here while I fly half-way around the globe. I would like to ask you all to pray for me. I need help making decisions. I am a bit impulsive. So, I need to make sure I fulfill my responsibilities as a husband, father, and participant in the redemption of all things.

Labels: travel

I talked to someone the day after I posted in response to Traci's post. They made some statement about me wanting to quit my job. I don't think I said that in my post, but maybe that is how it read. Also, Patrick asked why I feel that security in my job is a bad thing. I don't think I said that either.

The struggle I was trying to explain is that I work for an incredible company doing a job that I do not feel I was made to do. It seems like the the goal should be to evaluate my gifting and passions, and to find a way to convince someone to pay me for doing something where they intersect. My current position is not at the corner of Gifts Street and Passions Avenue. This is where the struggle comes in.

I do not typically define myself by my job. Since, I know that I am not doing the job God made me to do1, it makes it easy for me to view it as the thing that provides me with the funds and flexibility to do the things I feel I am better gifted for and more passionate about outside of work.

So, if an opportunity presented its self for me to move toward a new career path, one that would better fit my gifts and passions, would I be willing to give up the security I have in the job that I currently have for something that is almost certain to be less secure? That's what I was trying to say last time. Not that I do not want security or that I want to quit my job.

1. back I do not dispute the fact that God can use me where I am. So, don't read that into my statement.

Palmer got to go to his first ever NC State game. He was one day short of three months old. It's never too early to start with the brainwashing,

Labels: sports

• Dear Palmer, Welcome to Wolfpack nation.


• Man, we stunk it up in the first half.


• Through one quarter, it didn't seem much different than last year.


• We went for it on fourth-down five times, 3-5. Incredible.


• Marcus Stone = Leading Reciever?!?


• 12 men on the field coming out of a timeout = coaching mistake?!?


• Toney Baker just wanted to be fresh for Anthony Hill's senior season.

Labels: sports

In general, I am a laid back person. I don't have a lot of rock hard opinions about small things. I do however have what I like to refer to as preferences. Some of my preferences are about how I think other people should live their lives. When someone acts outside of my preference, I am left wondering why they would choose to do what they just did. It is at these moments that I contemplate a career as a life coach, decision manager, or common sense consultant. Here's an example of someone, or an entire group of someones, acting outside of my preference...

First, let me set the scene. I work in a building with about 1,000 other people. There are five main floors in our building. Each floor has two sets of bathrooms; a men's and a women's on the north side of the building and a men's and a women's on the south side of the building. Each men's room has two urinals; one situated approximately 1.5 feet from the floor and one approximately eight inches higher from the floor.

Now, as I noted, there are two urinals. I refer to them as the tall one and the short one. Recently, I have walked into the restroom to find people that I think should be using the short urinal using the tall urinal.

This is outside of my preference. When this happens, I start to think that there shold be some sort of sign like at the fair or Disney World that says, "You must be this tall to use this urinal." I would probably draw the line at 6'1". I would say 6'0", but men who are almost six foot often claim to be.

Think the recent increase in frequency of this occurence has raised this on my pet peeve-o-meter. It just passed people who won't stop talking about Barry Bonds and steriods on the list. The increase in frequency was due to the temporary closing of the South bathrooms on the second floor of building R for retiling, which, thank goodness, has since been completed. Now, those Southies can go back to using their own bathroom. <GangSign style="Corporate:Geek">North-side</GangSign>

Labels: indiscriminate

As you know, we recently had a baby. As you may also know, when you are expecting a baby, people throw you baby showers. With baby showers come gifts. And, if you are my wife, or like her, with gifts comes the task of writing out Thank You Cards.

If you are a parent you know that the first few months of parentdom is a trying time. If you are anything like Kim and I, that time is filled with a lot of guesswork and it is more like a day-by-day experiment than anything else. The baby cries. We feed the baby. We change the baby. We hold the baby. If none of those three things work, we just start making it up. Hold the baby this way. Lay him in the bed and let him cry for this long. Rock him. Bounce him. Swing him. It is all just a big experiment.

So, while we are working our way through the scientific method, there are certain things that we have to sacifice to be able to spend enough time doing "research" to get the proper results.

In my opinion, one of the first things that should be sacrificed is Thank You Cards. There should be some sort of reprieve for Baby Shower/Baby Gift Thank You Cards that do not get sent before the baby arrives. There should be a special section in the BGTYC, "Baby Gift Thank You Card", Code that grants a longer repreive for those parents whose children come a month or more in advance of their due date.

If you are a parent you understand. We are grateful. However, free time is spen on more important things, like sleeping. If you are not yet a parent and you are upset that you have not gotten a Thank You card yet, let us know what you got us and we will send it back to you. There's a good chance he's already grown out of it.

Labels: baby

I have the desire to own a macbook. Sometimes the desire is stronger than others. Like right now, for instance, the desire is strong. I want to be able to sit on my couch, watch the replay of the Tennessee-Cal game, and post on my blog all at the same time. There are a couple problems with fulfilling my desire, though I have rationalizations for ignoring at least one of the problems.

One, macbooks cost money. I know, I could get a basic macbook for about $1,000. My job offers an employee purchase program where I could get an interest free loan for one year to buy the machine. So, I could get a basic macbook for about $85 per month.

Two, I am trying to not "buy" into the life of excess. In a lot of ways I already have, but I am trying to run my finanical decisions through some filters that asks "Do I really need this?", "What else could I do with this money?", "Whose kingdom is this expanding? God's? Shannon's?"

Maybe when Kim starts working from home, I will be able to convince myself that we "need" a second computer. The iMac can become her "work" computer, and I can get a laptop. Until then, if anyone is giving away free macbooks, I'll take one.

Labels: indiscriminate

I mentioned about a month ago that the end was near for Bandit. Well, a few weeks ago our new friend Bernie took Bandit home to live with him and his cat Socks. Socks and Bandit did not quite hit it off. Bandit got to stick around the Newton household long enough to make it into a picture, but not much longer. I guess there just wasn't enough turf for two cats in Bernie's three hundred square foot apartment.

So, now Bandit has a new, new home with our friend Jessie. In Bernie's words, "She really wanted a cat, and Socks really didn't want another cat living in his house." Jessie was super pumped about getting Bandit. She had spent some good times with him when Kim's old small group used to meet at our old apartment.

On a side note, Smokey seems to be doing okay with the transition. He seems a lot more affectionate now. It also seems Bandit was responsible for all the things we used to blame on him. Smokey has yet to jump up on the counter or onto any of the furniture in Palmer's room.

Honestly, I miss Bandit a little, but I think that things are probably better all around with him in his new home.

Labels: indiscriminate

I have several unrelated things that I have wanted to blog about recently. So, this is the beginning of my barrage of random blog posts.

It is unlikely that I will finish the birth story in this barrage, mainly because my northern friends continue to badger me about it, and I don't work on demand. I am an artist. You can not force art.

Labels: indiscriminate