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The last three weeks have been a blur.  Trip to SC, Easter, birthday, Town Hall for Hope, praise band, trip to Raleigh to see good friend from Philly, trip to Ohio(I’m in columbus as I write this), speaking at a school chapel, Karen’s first wedding show with her coupon books and starting new business.  It wouldn’t have been so bad, but I’ve spent many late nights researching and setting things up for my new business.  I had been trying to do a better job of getting more sleep and going to bed when Karen does, but that hasn’t happened recently.  One night I actually fell asleep on top of the covers when she went to bed early then woke up around 10:30 and got up to work.  I have gotten a lot done and now must wait to see if I’ve put into practice works.  I just saw that Youk hit a walk off HR to beat the Yanks and that Matthew Stafford has signed on to be a complete and total bust with the Detroit Lions.  Sixers won!  Ok, the excitement of what I’m learning about marketing and business is spilling over into the rest of my life.  Karen and I have had some exciting conversations.  We also have faced some stark truths together, but the point is that we are in this together.  I feel like I’ve gotten things sort of off the ground and will be able to resume normal sleeping hours this week.  The children are doing well.  No one’s been sick for a few weeks.  Drake makes me laugh everyday and I think his vocabulary doubled this week.  It may be that he is using sentences more and more.  Charis and Milena need a two day nap because the schedule of the last 3 weeks has been hard on them.  I have been challenged recently about the concept of quality time.  Just because we are in the same room/house/car with our family doesn’t mean that it’s quality time.  One day this week I remember being excited to spend some time with the girls.  I got distracted by something(twitter phone beeps perhaps) and the time passed without much interaction.  I have spoken to Karen about going “dark” one day a week.  Some other pastors I respect spend time away from the electronic stuff periodically.  When this starts it will be important to tell those I’m in frequent contact with that I will be unavailable for the next 24 hours or so.  No Ipod, no txting, no non-emergency phone calls, no twitter, no computer, no chance you say.  I don’t want this to be like the episode of Seinfeld where Kramer vows to stop talking.  He keeps forgetting and when reminded always responds,”Starting…NOW!”  The point is he never stuck to it.  That may be my favorite episode ever.  It has Kathy Griffin in it who I am not a big fan of.  I’m not really sure why she’s famous.  I have been inconsistent in my running during these 3 weeks as well.  Partly due to leg issues and partly due to heart(figurative) issues.  I guess I’ll go running Monday…without the Ipod.

Sorry I haven’t been around the past week.  Been doing a lot of research.  It’s late and I should be in bed, but I’m working on my business plan.  Running has been off the last two weeks.  I was only able to run a mile Monday, Tuesday I tried to do a Fitness on Demand workout that kicked my tail, and today I ran about 3 miles and cut my average mile by almost a full second.  I am committed to leave the couch potato life behind.  I have hit the Mountain Dew pretty hard at times.  I go a week without 1 and then I drink 3 in 24 hours.  Oh well.  I would’ve liked to gone to one of the tea parties yesterday, but I was getting my taxes done.  Last year I said I wouldn’t wait until the last minute.  This year I’m saying…ah forget it.  If you need a laugh check out this site of real job interviews.  If you need to be amazed then google the lady who sang in England.  She is incredible and a bit overwhelmed by the sudden fame.  Since I last blogged I saw the Hannah Montana movie with the twins on Monday.  Movies are hard for them especially during the middle of the day.  Milena slept on my lap which caused my arm to go to sleep which became a problem when my eyes watered(I’m sensitive so sue me) and my contact fell out.  I found it, held it in my other hand for the last 20 minutes of the movie, and then nursed it back to the correct shape and saved it with questionable bathroom sink water.  It’s summer movie season whether the calendar says so or not and we’ll find out tomorrow if Russell Crowe can save Ben Affleck.  Not his character in the movie “State of Play”, but his career.  Ironically, I think Ben is much happier with his life now that his career has tanked, but family is great.  Ain’t that funny.  Not as funny as Greg Paulus playing QB at Michigan though.  Think Greg regrets not going to Notre Dame and playing 2 sports for 4 years?  It’s in my New UNC Fan Contract that I am required to hope for his failure no matter where he goes or what he does because of his Dukeness.  Him going to Michigan now gives me reason #2.  For the record, if I figure out how to make money on the internet, I will not charge any of you for that information…unless you went to Duke.

Before you send your emails and comments and bash me for either trivilizing the gospel or glorifying Carolina basketball just go ahead and take your fingers off the keyboard.  I just want to share a cool way God spoke to me amidst the joy and chaos that was the Tar Heel Nation Celebration.

First, many are wondering:  Why, Heath?  Why did you become a Carolina fan?  Have you turned your back on everything you ever believed about “them”? Let me say, this was not an emotional decision for me.  Some may call me a “bandwagon” fan and that’s okay.  I realized how much heartache Clemson had caused me through the years.  Lots of disappointment.  Sure, there were some highs, but they were all weighed against a growing number of last second losses, unexpected defeats, and Tate George.  Know this, if we were still living in Clemson and Drake were going to be able to make his own Death Valley memories then perhaps this change wouldn’t have occured.  The fact is we live in North Carolina and I didn’t want my son’s choice of teams to be based on stuff I did when I was a kid.  I also didn’t want him to be dissapointed…year after year after year.   Sure, as UNC fans we will face our share of troubles, but they’ll come in the Elite 8 or Final 4 not in the ACC play in game(which was known as the Clemson Invitational before it was done away with).  There were lots of choices for our new team here in North Carolina, but I want to share the 3 reasons we became Tar Heels and what the church could learn from it.

1.    Carolina fans are knowledgeable about Carolina basketball.
2.    Carolina fans are passionate about Carolina basketball.
3.    Carolina fans celebrate Carolina basketball victories in a memorable way.

What if Christians were knowledgeable about Jesus?
What if Christians were passionate about Jesus?
What if Christians celebrated Jesus’ Victories in a memorable way?
I was a stranger on Franklin Street.  I didn’t know many people there.  I didn’t know their chants, cheers, and traditions.  I didn’t know why they were lighting fires.  Despite this, I was welcomed and I wanted to be a part of it because I knew it was something special.  What if we applied these concepts to new people at our church.  What if we really acted like being a Christian was the best and most exciting thing anyone could ever hope for(and you don’t have to light fires, climb trees and poles, or be completely hammered).  It wouldn’t matter if people knew the cheers, chants, songs and traditions.  They would want to share in the amazing experience.  They would not want to miss out!  I know that getting my son and I matching UNC hats is not the most important thing I will ever do, but for a lot of people in our communities, team allegiance is the only thing that is ever passed down.  Sharing our eternally victorious Savior with our community is an opportunity we can’t pass up.

In the past 15 months a few strange things have happened in my life that have led to unforgettable experiences.  First, when we moved close to Philadelphia I adopted the Philles, Eagles, Flyers, and Sixers as new teams for our family.  Obviously, I didn’t have as much invested as Philly lifers but still hurt when the Eagles lost to Cardinals this year and was overjoyed when the Phillies won it all.  I also got to experience the NY Giants Super Bowl parade last year(had a chance to go to the Phillies parade and wish I had a do over) even though I am not a Giants fan.  That was an amazing experience especially to spend the day with two lifelong Giants fans.  So, if you know me, you know that I have been a lifelong ABC’er(Anybody But Carolina).  Last night was the first time in my life that I have rooted for North Carolina.  Andy Hames said,”Heath, you went from 0-53(Clemson’s bball record in Chapel Hill) to 53-0 pretty quick.”  I may never be as passionate about UNC hoops as lifers, but I’m sure gonna enjoy the ride of winning Championships more than…well, never.  Here’s a question:  in the history of mankind have our celebrations changed at all?  We run like mad men, join a crowd, and start fires.  We almost got crushed at the corner of Franklin and Columbus, but once we were out of the mob we stayed out.  What a thrill to buy a 2009 Championship shirt hot off the presses and to have my first Tar Heel experience be on Campus with the rest of Tar Heel nation.  I didn’t know the cheers, the chants, or traditions, but I knew something special was happening and was excited just to be int he midst of it.  I think it brought joy to my friends who had been preaching the Carolina gospel to me for years that I finally converted and we got to share the moment together.  A quick aside-there will be a post about similarities between my experience and first time church visitors later.  I do feel bad for those who through injury or drunkeness or both didn’t get to enjoy the celebration.  Even with the mob, people were genuinely nice unlike other celebrations I have been a part of.  I only got three hours sleep, but I had an experience I will always remember.  And, I’m sure when Drake’s a teenager, we’ll get to share a Championship moment together.  It may not be on Franklin Street, but we plan on watching the Heels win plenty more titles.    Who knows, we may move to your town someday, and celebrate with you…unless it’s New York because we will Never Ever root for the Yankees.  Kudos to Matt Leroy, Justin Simmons, their wives, and the lovechapelhill gang for putting on a great party and letting Carolina fans new and old experience Title No. 5.

I know it’s been a few days.  Took the weekend off from running and basketball to rest.  We did walk 5 or 6 miles at the NC Zoo so that was a good workout.  Friday night, me and a 200 hundred of my closest NC East friends attending the Bobcats-Heat game in Charlotte.  It was a close game and we got to shoot on the court afterwards.  There was a game of knockout, but I missed, ok I airballed, my only 3 point attempt.  Needless to say, I was disappointed.  Saturday afternoon, I ran sound and video for a wedding.  Sunday morning services were great and we watched Rob Bell’s Everything is Spiritual video at Supernova Bible study.  During our leadership team meeting, I got a call from Karen.  She told me that the twins had both asked Jesus into their hearts!  They were talking about Easter and what it meant, and she shared her story of asking Jesus into her heart.  The girls both said they wanted to do it and they did not want to wait until daddy got home!  It’s pretty cool.  I know they don’t understand it all(hey, does anyone), but they understand what they understand.  Heading to Chapel Hill for my Tar Heel conversion tonight to watch the championship game.  Trying to find U2 tickets right this second.  Busy day.  Lots to do.  Thanks for your prayers and I’ve got to run 5 miles sometime!