Halloween in Pittsburgh

I flew to Pittsburgh yesterday to be at the Youth Specialties Convention. LifeWay Student Ministry has a booth and I am actually leading a seminar on Monday morning on the Seven Mega-Trends Effecting Student Ministry. Sounds like an impressive title. I enjoy doing this conference and we will see how it goes. This is the first time we have had a LifeWay employee leading a conference at YS.

Sondra got home from MO on Tuesday night and we spent the day together on Wednesday. It was a great day with a workout and a run at the Donelson Y, Panera, chiropractor visit, a little laundry, dinner at Olive Garden to celebrate Sondra's birthday from the 25th, and church. Big fun just to spend the time together. Morgan was at home sick but is doing better now.

Shelbi got her new glasses and I will post a pic when she sends me one. The DCA Wildcats got a big win over Ezell tonight and I am waiting to hear where they travel for the first round of playoffs.

I will post again later this weekend. All is well with the Turners for now.

Catching Up

Morgan and I enjoyed a good weekend together. Saturday we did very little. I was tired from traveling and running a marathon and Morgan, well, she is 16. She is always tired. I mustered a 5-miler and then headed to Panera for a little coffee and bagel - minus Sondra :( - and then came back home with a chocolate pastry for Morgan, and watched football, did laundry, ate dinner with the Drummonds - amazing meal - and then headed to the Burden's for some homemade ice cream and cookies. A good Saturday.

Sunday was church and then Morgan and I caught a quick lunch at Cinco and then headed to the Belmont women's soccer game. Great game that Belmont won 3-2 in OT. It was absolutely beautiful here in middle Tennessee weather wise on Sunday but a cold front came through and the last two days have been sunny, but windy and cold. It will be good to have Sondra back tonight. She has really enjoyed her time with her mom, sister and niece, and today she went through Jackson and spent the afternoon with Shelbi. Got Shel some new glasses picked out and visited the dr. who has been treating Shel for a staph infection. It is looking good and finally getting better.

My dad has been having pretty bad trouble with his feet and legs and got to the dr. on Mon. and they figured out that the high powered antibiotics he has been on for his stomach has the side effect of affecting nerves. The meds were helping his belly but causing some nerve damage. Looks like it is all reversible and he is already feeling better.

I am playing nurse for Morgan tonight. She came home puny from school today and is in bed. Looks like a cruddy, head cold. I also met with a board of directors that I am on helping students get copies of Scripture. It is a subsidiary of the Gideon's International and I believe has great potential to bring about lasting change. It is a very eclectic group of men who I already have great respect and admiration for. Can't wait to see what God does with this ministry.

Sondra and I are spending the day tomorrow and then I head to Pittsburgh (brrrr) until Monday night. Back for a day or two and then off to Kansas and Missouri. This is a pretty busy time for sure.

I have included a fun picture of the girls when Morgan was in Jackson about a month ago. These two are a hoot!

Happy Birthday Sondra

Today is my wife's birthday. I will not tell you how old she is but we are pretty close in age. She is in MO visiting with her mom and her sister, Bronwyn and niece, Katie are coming up tonight. We have talked a few times on the phone, via text, via email, and we even skyped a few minutes ago.

What an amazing woman! Unbelievable wife and mother and absolutely the love of my life. Happy Birthday Sondra. I love you. You are simply the best.

Headed Home from San Diego

It has been a really good week in San Diego. It is hard to complain about having to come to this beautiful city. We had great meetings with the state sunday school youth associates. They are such a great group of people who are really interested in ministering to students in a way that helps them to come to know God, take ownership of their faith and make Him known. I so enjoy being with these folks.

I am ready to be home though. I had a great lunch with Mike Lovato from Magnolia Ave. up in Riverside and got to meet he and Nicole's new little daughter, Addison. She is a sweetie. Looks like her daddy but hopefully she will grow out of that.

Sondra is headed to MO today to be with her mom for a few days. It is Sondra's birthday on Sat. so that will be a special time for her with her mom. We will celebrate when she gets back home next week.

I am feeling pretty good since the marathon. Still a little tired but that may be due to the time change stuff I have put myself through the past couple of weeks with two CA trips with a marathon stuck in the middle. Still have been celebrating the race results from Sat. some at least in my mind. It is an amazing thing that God gives the ability to run. I also got to catch up with my good friend, Steve Elkins at the race. We toed the line together and parted about the half-marathon split area. He ended up running a 1:42 half I think. Good race for him. He had not done a ton of training and just recently got on with H&R Block which is great. Sprint laid him off back in the spring so I am glad he landed there. He is such a great guy. And a good friend for over 30 years.

Our volleyball Cats are playing tonight so I am planning on getting back in time for Morgan and I to drive down and see them play. I have only seen them play a couple of times this year since Shelbi is not playing anymore. She is all grown up and enjoying college. And . . . she got a spider bite last week at home on fall break and is dealing with that. Pretty funky looking bump on her leg and the doctor is treating her.

Enough from me right now. Pray for Sondra as she travels today.

Quick Marathon Report

It is Sunday afternoon and thought I would give you a quick update from the KC Marathon yesterday. Flew to KC on Thurs., my dad picked me up, we went by the race expo and picked up my packet. Drove home to Harrisonville and just hung out. Watched the BoSox come back for an exciting victory. Friday I was a slug and just pretty much laid around and did nothing but carbo load and . . . well, carbo load. Up early Sat. am to get ready for the race and drive to KC (about 45 minutes), toe the line at 7a and run for 3 hours, 28 min, and 14 seconds officially. Good cool day to run and I had a good day. Qualified for Boston which was the goal. Headed to my brothers to clean up and then on to Los Corrales for mexican food. It was awesome and I was plenty hungry. This mexican place is a restaurant we have been going to since I was a kid growing up in Independence. Man, it was good.

Dad and I headed back to Harrisonville and I just laid around again like a slug. I was tired but not totally trashed. Watch some of the Mizzou fiasco and some of the Red Sox game and went to bed about 930. Up early this morning, headed to church with my dad and had a great time in his sunday school class and then he preached a great sermon out of Psalm 32. I love to hear my dad preach. He is clear, easy to follow and full of passion. It was a great day of worship.

Titans move to 6-0 after and thumping of my Chiefs. I am a Chiefs fan at heart but really enjoy the home town Titans as well. The Chiefs are just pitiful.

Headed to San Diego in the morning for a series of meetings and then back to Nashvegas on Thurs. Missing home and family, but had a great time running KC and being with dad and my brother and sister-in-law. Speaking for dad tonight at his church since dad announced I was this morning in the service. Earning my keep I guess.

CA, AL, MO, CA

I got back from California Monday afternoon and enjoyed being at home in my own bed. Tuesday am I headed out to Birmingham along with our youth minister Justin, to teach a seminary class at the extension center in B'ham. It was a great time to spend with Justin and to listen and learn what God is up to in his life and the life of his family.

We met with Paul Kelly, one of my best friends, and enjoyed a great lunch and then some hang out time at Starbuck's and planning for the seminary class. We talked about all kinds of things including the sorry state of the whole political process and the candidates and did not settle anything. It was a long day but we taught for two hours and then climbed back in the car and made our way home in time to get involved in some fun construction traffic once we reached Nashville again.

Today has been good with enjoying the Career of Excellence Awards that LifeWay bestows on employees who have gone above and beyond. Ed and Chris are two of the recepients that I have had the privilege of leading during my tenure.

I got the hairs on my head cut and made my way to the chiropractor for a good realigning. Watching the debate tonight (not sure why) and then heading to KC tomorrow to be with my dad and then run the marathon on Sat.

Monday I am headed to San Diego to meet with some of our state youth associates. Tough place to go of course. Okay, so not really but am looking forward to being with them and some other youth ministers in the southern California area.

I am running little, waiting for the marathon and drinking lots of water, and starting the carbo loading. Praying for a good day on Sat. and running like the wind.

Back from Sacramento

It was a good trip to Sacramento for YS-NYWC where we worked many hours in the LifeWay Student Ministry booth and talked to some great student ministers. What a great job I have. I get to listen to and learn from people who work with students all over the country. I also get to share some of my story and the things God is teaching me.

Tomorrow I head to Birmingham to teach at the New Orleans Seminary extension there. It is a youth ministry class and we will look at curriculum and talk some student ministry philosophy as well. My youth minister, Justin Heap, is going to make the trip with me and I am totally stoked about spending time with him. He and his wife Trisha and baby O are such a blessing to us as a family and as a church.

Shelbi has found a guy she really seems to like and I have yet to meet him but I know Shelbi well and know that he must be a good guy. I do know that he is one lucky guy if he gets to hang out with Shelbi. I am going to get through my travels the next couple of weeks and make a road trip to Jackson to see Shelbi and meet Brett. I am not planning on taking my gun, but plans can always change.

It is marathon week and I flew back through Chicago today and there were many marathoners on the plane. I am praying for cool weather and a good running day. It is carbo week too since it is marathon week and come Thurs. or so I am going to feel pretty bloated and giddy, ready to run on Saturday.

Sondra's mom seems to be doing pretty well. Sondra is doing okay too. Times get hard when the house gets quiet and with me traveling the next two weeks, it will be somewhat quiet. Thanks so much for praying for them.

I am including a pic of one of my co-workers, Scott Mills, who is just a lot of fun to work with and be around. He is a dancing phenom too. Here he is working the booth in Sacramento.

Been Guilty of This

I thought of this in light of the debates the other night and then realized that I have been guilty of this a few times myself.
Just click on the image and you should be able to read the third frame.
In Sacramento now and headed over to meet with my buds for the YS Conference.

Post Debate Hangover

I watched the debate last night more because it was from here in Nashville than I did because I thought I would hear something that might help me decide who I might vote for this election. I did twitter a couple of times during the debate and really thought neither one said anything of substance. I did get to see a couple of people I knew in the pre-and post- debate part on CSPAN and then Todd Smith of Selah fame was the bald guy with the green and khakis on on the front row. I have worked with him a few times in the past. Good guy.

My take on the debate - wasted time.

This has been a pretty good week and we got some rain in Nashville yesterday and today. My grass is already a little greener. The weather has cooled off some too and I am in the middle of my big taper for the marathon on the 18th so my running is going well.

I leave today for Sacramento, California and the YS convention. I will be back on Monday and then head to Birmingham on Tuesday to teach at the New Orleans Seminary extension. It has been to be home for the past few weeks.

Sondra finishes her teaching assignment today after 9 weeks. She has really enjoyed it but I think she is looking forward to having some time back and it not be a constant daily assignment.

Okay, I saw this online this morning and just had to laugh. So many times I have wondered what "leave it all on the field" would look like in my mind and this is pretty close.

I stayed up too late last night watching the Red Sox and JD Drew blast a 2 run homer in the top of the 9th, but it was a good game. I really have enjoyed the Red Sox the last few years. I am a Royals fan at heart and one thing I have not had to worry about the last few years is how they will do in the playoffs. Maybe next year.

I am pretty domesticated today. At Panera by myself this morning as Sondra and Morgan head to Jackson to spend time with Shelbi today, so I have started the laundry, will vacuum the house, wash the beast, and watch some football on tv before heading to Vandy/Auburn. My good buddy, Keith, scored me a ticket to "the game" in town this weekend. I don't deserve it, but am thankful for grace.

I enjoyed a 7-miler this morning and did 5 @marathon pace which is 8:00/mile pace. I remember a few years ago where that pace did not seem hard at all, but age is creeping up on me and things are a little different.

Will try to skype some family overseas later today and also get home in time to watch the Mizzou/Nebraska game tonight if I can find it on a local channel. I may have to check out ESPN 360 to get it or at least listen to it online. Go Tigers!

Go to Bed Already

It is pretty crazy late for a guy like me but for some reason I am not ready to give up on this Angels/Red Sox game yet. It has been a really good day starting out with a nice, cool 5-miler and then I had to take my car for an oil change and tire rotation. I just left it at the shop and walked about 3-4 blocks to work.

Very productive day in the office and a great lunch at Demo's with Byron Hill. I am really appreciative of Byron, his take on life and work and family, and just enjoy listening and learning from him.

Tonight's DCA game was pretty exciting with DCA coming back in the 4th quarter to win by a touchdown. Our boys needed a win in the district and they overcame a sloppy quarter and a half and got the win.

Tomorrow Sondra and Morgan are headed to Jackson, TN and going to spend the day with Shelbi. I will be around the house most of the morning after a 7-miler with 5 at marathon pace, and then I got a ticket to the Vandy/Auburn game. It is the ESPN Game Day Central game and I will probably try to get down into some of that tomorrow. It should be a fun day and hopefully a great game. I am pulling for Vandy, but much more interested in the Mizzou/Cornhuskers game tomorrow night. Mizzou has not won there in like 20 years or something crazy like that.

The marathon training is going well and I am enjoying the cooler weather and the taper. I run two weeks from tomorrow in Kansas City and am looking forward to this one being over and hoping to qualify for Boston. Here is hoping I can run a 3:30. We shall see.

Headed to bed. The game is still going but I am out of gas.