Big Is The New Small

In the spirit of March Madness, I’m going to share 7 random, rambling Monday March Madness thoughts that are in my head:

1. My Sooners won this weekend and I’m picking them to win the NCAA National Championship; especially w/ the play of Superman Big Blake Griffin.  Blake’s parents attend my campus and I talked with his dad at church this weekend about how Blake is able to stay so cool and calm through all of the flagrant fouls.  His dad said he taught Blake and Taylor early on to never retaliate or let people get you out of your game.  That’s good advice, “Don’t let people get you out of your game.”
2. Followed up with a lady this weekend who had been a stripper for many years; however she is now free from that lifestyle/world.   She now has a great job and according to her, God is really moving in her life.  You can totally feel the weight lifted from this woman’s life!
3. The Dave Ramsey Life.Money.Hope Series has people excited to run from debt with Gazelle Intensity.  There is a married couple who are successful business owners that volunteer at my campus who came up to me and said they are selling their Escalade!  They are ecstatic and serious about living debt free!
4. My wife and I taught Prep For Marriage this weekend (Fri. & Sat.)…  I Really Love My Wife and God is truly blessing our current season of marriage (It’s Fun).  I enjoy seeing couples excited about making the commitment to join their hearts together in God’s love.
5. I’m getting excited about “One Prayer” 2009, you and your church should be getting excited as well; click here for more information.
6. There is a chance for Severe weather and tornadoes today…  When meteorologists say severe weather in Oklahoma, they mean business.
7. God created me to lead, learn and make a difference.

What has God created you to do?  How was your weekend?  What random Monday March Madness’s are going through your mind?

Christians Make Me Sick when they are judgmental, hypocritical, self-centered, weird and just plain stupid.  You know the ones who think it’s all about them, their style of worship, their style of music, their style of dress…   They only want to hang out with people who look like them, people who act like them and people who have the same supercilious attitude they have.  Heaven forbid them being willing interact with prostitutes, bar-hoppers, addicts, homeless, poor, prison inmates, individuals whom are of “The World…” you know, the least of these.

Do you know some Christians who make you sick?  Are you sometimes that Christian that makes yourself sick?  Personally, I am sometimes that Christian who makes myself sick; however I try to be that Christian that honors what Christ teaches, which is the antithesis of everything I have just discussed.  Here are some thoughts and questions to ponder:

• When was the last time you had a conversation with someone who was poor, homeless, drug-addicted, incarcerrated and “Of the World?”
• When was the last time that you or your church contributed your time, resources or money towards doing something significant for a needy part of your community?
• When you go to church is it all about what you can get, or is it about what you can give?
• Does the term “Seeker Church” seem weird or refer to someonelse’s ministry and not yours?
• Have you shared your faith with someone today or this week?

It’s time to get sick and tired of sick and tired Christians; however at the end of the day we must pray that God will change their our heart.  Do Christians Make You Sick?  Share your thoughts!

Today is Friday which is generally my off day and my boy’s favorite day of the week, I’m going to be at the office today working on my message and doing some other stuff, I cant wait until this weekend for college football as Florida is going to put a spankin’ on Bama and OU is going to put a whoopin’ on Missouri; and then my Sooners will go to the national championship while Mack Brown continues to whine, make appearances, make phone calls and fly airplanes around, I really need to take my dog to the groomer or just go by some clippers and fade him up myself, my wife and I had a great time at the Beall’s last night as we connected with the other metro campus pastors and their wives, God has really been stirring some stuff inside of me lately, I mean stirring, I am diggin’ my relationship with God and can’t wait for the next season as He is preparing me for what He has already prepared me for, It’s cold outside and I need to put my Christmas tree up and I have still not caved into the neighborhood pressure of putting lights on the house for the first year, I love my wife and my boys and basketball season starts this weekend for my boys I believe, did I say that it was cold and I am going to be doing some live video streaming this weekend from church and other places via qik; however you will have to follow my twitter to know when those are going to happen; sometimes people irritate me when they make a big deal out of things that are not a big deal; you are not that big of a big deal so don’t always try to make a big deal out of stuff, quit trying so hard to implement your systems and care about/develop the people who will in return go implement the systems, there is so much stuff going on in my head, I am trying to get it down on paper, it’s what most people call a book, this post is the most random ever, however that’s how life should be, mix it up, let it flow and watch what God does, get out of the mundane, quit sitting back waiting on life to happen and go make it happen, the future started yesterday and we’re already late. 

God Is… Rev. Scott!

What’s rambling around in your head?  Share your Rambling Run-On Sentence!

It’s Monday, It’s Morning and I’m Rambling 10 Times

• My Sooners are #3 Behind Texas in The BCS Poll; I don’t want to hear the argument that Texas beat OU, because if that’s the case Texas Tech should be ahead of Texas.  OU is playing great right now and I want a Playoff.  President Obama Can You Help?
• My friends @ Flamingo Road Church just kicked off a sweet new series this weekend that will bless many: The Gift Revolution.
• We have a little down time between sports, the boys don’t kick off basketball until Dec. 4th.
• I am really pressing people at the n-dub to move from our Packed Sunday 10:00 & 11:30 experiences to our Sat. Night Experiences.  That’s the only way we will grow… seriously the more people, the more lives that will be changed! 
• I need to find more time to simply just write… I am reading and writing regularly; however I need to dedicate time specifically to writing.
• I watched the American Music Awards (Kanye West is talented but always comes across arrogant, Beyonce & Rihana are beautiful and talented, Myley Cyrus is growing up and New Kids On The Block Brought Back Memories)
• Looking forward to some Thanksgiving Grub!
• Leaders are responsible for creating a culture of growth, life, love, challenge, authenticity and leadership.  ”Your leadership will only be as successful as the successful culture that you create.” S.W.  {read the quote again}
• My entire staff is getting ready to go through Seth Godin’s newest book Tribes together.
• How was your weekend?  What are you Rambling about this Monday Morning… It’s your world you can share any randomness: sports, personal, ministry.  Sound Off!

My 9 year old son Wesley doesn’t like watching the local news; as he thinks it’s “nothing but negative and scary.”  The local news is supposed to be a snapshot of our local area, our surroundings, our world…  As I was watching the news, thinking, praying and listening;  I was reminded that my son has a point and it was motivation to post this ranting run-on sentence; I apologize in advance:

I am sick and tired of all of the negativity, as I was watching a totally false negative campaign ad against a personal friend of mine, who in my opinion happens to be one of Oklahoma’s top politicians, I just shook my head, then I listened to the story about the young girl who was kidnapped and found with help of the amber alert, then the story of the prison warden’s wife who ran off with an escaped inmate for more than 10 years, he said this she said that, voter fraud and then one of my twitter buddies said the deaths of Jennifer Hudson’s family being murdered is all over the news in Chicago, the people are buying up guns because the fear of their gun rights being negatively affected, people are hanging a look-a-like dummy of V.P. Candidate Sarah Palin suspended with a noose around her neck and calling it Halloween art, the bail-out, and this truck driver allegedly saw a little girl bound and gagged riding down the street, and these guys were caught planning the assassination of Presidential Candidate Barack Obama and a thief runs over a Lowe’s security guard, OU’s defense is not any good, the Governor allegedly gave over the limit in campaign contributions, he said this-she said that, this ignorant person dropped the “n-word” in addition to saying everyone should “own one” and to top it all off, Joe the Plumber aint even a freakin’ plumber… 

Are You Freakin’ Kidding Me…  Stop The Freakin’ Madness!  

I see why an innocent 9 year old or 40 year old for that matter can thin the news is “negative and scary.”  This Madness is not just happening because we are a week away from Nov. 4th although it ’s heightened.  {Ugh}

A small silver lining: The stock market is up nearly 900 pts., gas is as cheap as it has been in a long time ($1.95) and the Oklahoma City Thunder kick off their inaugural season tonight.

The Real Silver Lining: God is Good… All The Time!    Praying…

Random Friday Morning Thoughts and a Roll Call!

• My 5yo at-least a few days a week asks me: “What Day Is It?” If it’s not Fri. He says “Maaan!” When it’s Friday he says “Yesss!”
• All three Oklahoma College Football Teams are undefeated Oklahoma Univ. (OU), Oklahoma State Univ. (OSU), and Tulsa Univ. (TU).   I don’t want to hear nothing about the SEC!
• The Red River Shootout (OU vs. Texas) is this weekend.  Colt McCoy will get hurt trying to run on my Sooners.  I’m sorry burnt orange is just a horrible color.  Boomer Freakin’ Sooner!  National Champions this year baby…  
• I am going to spend some time today writing/outlining a potential book and my wife and I teach Prep For Marriage Tonight!
• I will be filling in at the Oklahoma City Campus this weekend; I haven’t been there in a year and a half.
• Twitter is the easiest and fastest growing social networking place… follow me on twitter here! 
• If you have linked BigIsTheNewSmall.com  let me know so I can show you some LinkLuv!
• Transcend The Isms’- “You have another gear… are you willing to shift?”

I would like for everyone to participate in a Roll Call; It’s quite simple… Share the Following!

Name, City/State, Website/Blog and a one-liner of your choice!

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend! BigIsTheNewSmall

A. College Football “My Sooners”- I have never seen as many upsets in the Top 25 in one week for as long as I can remember:  USC, GA, FL, WIS, W.F., Clem, & E.C.  I know how it feels as a Sooner fan to get upset… but not this year we are going to lay the smack down for the rest of the season.  The team that scares me just a little is OSU who just jumped into the top 25, their offense is sick, they had record attendance at their new stadium, we play them the last game of the season and they have been known to be a Sooner Spoiler.   Do you have any college football thoughts or smack talk?  Go ahead make my day!  Even you Dusty! 

B. Blog “An Open Apology“- A friend of mine Aaron Havens has this blog called An Open Apology with his buddy Jonathan.  This site is inspired by their book, in which they are currently pursuing a publishing deal.  The blog is designed to be owned/operated by the readers; as they journey together down the road of Christianity to Christ.  Go by and check them out and let them know BigIsTheNewSmall.com sent you.  Are we more concerned about being in love w/ Christianity and the systems than Christ Himself?

C. Book “Transcending The Isms”- I have been contemplating writing a book for quite some time now; as far back as my days in corrections and politics.  I have a bunch of thoughts, outlines, title suggestions, notes…  I might have just landed on a title for now; who knows it may change tomm.  The title was inspired by my post last week Transcending The Isms’.   Do You Have any thoughts on the title or suggestions?  Are there things that you have been contemplating doing, that you need to just getem’ done?  

D. “All of The Above”- Share your thoughts on a A,B, C or D all of the above.  It’s Monday you can sound off on anything that you want.  If you didn’t get a chance to see the LifeChurch.tv message this weekend, you missed a good one, my man Herbert Cooper did an amazing job.  BTW- I forgot to ask, How Was Your Weekend? 

• USC Goes down, if my Sooners handle their business they will be number 1. (click here) 
• PETA wants Ben and Jerry’s to use breast milk in their ice cream. (click here)
• MySpace Music Offers Free Music Tracks to combat itunes. (click here)
• If you can’t get enough political banter check out Election Twitter. (click here)
• If you have linked to BigIsTheNewSmall.com let me know & I’ll link you back; to subscribe (click here)

1. Please share any links that make you think, blogs that make you think or books that make you think.
2. What’s happening in your world?  Will there be a debate tonight?  7 Hundred Billion Dollars? 
3. So much to talk about I would love to hear from you on any subject, It’s your world; Sound Off!

I will close with the way every President and Presidential Candidate Closes their Speech!

“May God Bless You and God Bless America!”

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend! 

Here are some Random Rambling thoughts this Monday Morning:

• We had a lot of new families at the n-dub this weekend… I met some cool people!
• Our team is going to Eischen’s for lunch today (All they sell is fried chicken and fried okra… it’s the best)
• Worship was amazing this weekend Andy did the anointed song “Healer” which some call controversial… see story here
• My boys are active this fall (Wesley- tackle and flag football) (Jayden- flag football and soccer)
• My Sooners are the real deal… Bring on USC!  Georgia should have gotten beat by the old ball coach.
• Praying for everyone devastated and affected by Hurricane Ike.
• Twitter is really the happening thing now… follow me here

What’s going on in your world this morning?  You can share any randomness… sports, politics, personal, ministry.

What are some cool blogs or books that you are reading? 

Free Is The New Friday:

Today is going to be a different take on the Free Is The New Friday; in other words we won’t be doing it every Friday, but rather on a random basis.  The winner for this week is Bert Boan; who will be getting hooked up with a Starbucks giftcard from Dusty.  Kyle, Dusty and Steve still have some advertising coming; Steve is going to donate his advertising to either Derrick or Jason.

Please Go Vote For BigIsTheNewSmall:

I want to thank those of you who nominated BigIsTheNewSmall.com for the Black Weblog Awards; it’s because of you that we are a finalist in the category of Best Faith-Based Blog.  Voting is open until August 31st; however the sooner you vote the better.  Encourage your friends, blog readers and others to vote for BigIsTheNewSmall;  you can vote by clicking here.  We are a longshot, but we will see if we can win; click here to vote.  Thanks In Advance!

Follow Me, Friend Me, Link Me:

• Facebook (Let’s be friends… click here)
• Twitter (Follow me… click here)  I am really diggin’ Twitter you should join!
• LinkLuv (If you have added BigIsTheNewSmall.com to your blogroll let me know and I’ll show you some LinkLuv)

My Life, My Family: (Run-on Sentence)

Wesley is playing tackle football and wants to also play flag, Jayden is playing flag, my wife and I fly out next Friday for our cruise (yes), the n-dub team is really special, today is my day off, I have some good books I’m reading, I have a book I need to write, we took dinner to a couple in our lifegroup last night that just had a baby, I’m ready for college football, this season of life is busy but really good…  God Is Good!

Questions:

• Who will Obama and McCain pick for VP Candidates?
• Any pre-season college football choices, favorite college football team, smack talking…?
• Anything you want to share, debate, sound-off about… what’s up in your world?