Boston Marathon, April 19

I gotta tell you that I am getting a little more than excited about this race. This training schedule and the weather have been pretty tough, but I am starting to feel like I am about ready. Did a 10-miler today and mixed in 4x800s and 4x400s and hit my marks. I love it when a plan comes together. Here is the information on how to track me via your cell phone if you are so inclined.

TEXT
Simply send the word RUNNER to 31901 using your US mobile phone*. You will then receive an SMS text response with instructions on how to submit a runner's bib number. (*Message and data rates may apply. 8-10 messages. Send STOP to quit. Available on participating carriers AT&T, Alltel, Boost, Nextel, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, Verizon, and Virgin.) My runner # is

11463

Turner, Paul A.

46

M

Hermitage

TN

USA

E-MAIL
You can register for the AT&T Athlete Alert Program through the registration page on the race website.

We are headed to the beach later today. Ready for a break. The guard dog is posted at the door of our house. Neighbors have shot guns and shoot first and ask questions later. Good luck!

Honduras

What a great week of missions with the DCA students on the Honduras Mission trip. We partnered with Cristo Salva, a ministry of encouragement to the Honduran people, and ministered in a number of different ways. As usual, I came back more blessed than we were probably able to bless those there.

Thirteen students, along with Kristen Folsom, and myself departed last Monday and returned late Friday night. It was a quick trip filled with food distribution, visits to schools, home visits, and services in the evenings. Hondurans meet at the church nightly to worship. The worship experiences were led by DCA students and God did some wonderful things to encourage the Honduran believers.

Pastor Ray Marcos and Pat Havender hosted us via Cristo Salva and did a wonderful job of coordinating the many ministry activities we were involved in. I was chief truck driver and all around coordinator of packing and changing the flat tire. Coordinator is the operative word. The male students did a wonderful job of actually carrying off the packing and tire changing. The students did a great job of ministry with the people of Honduras. I am so thrilled that there are students who "get it" when it comes to ministry and are willing to jump in and do whatever is needed. It was fun for me to not have an official up front role this week. Many times on these trips I am the lead so just being there and doing whatever was very refreshing for a change.

On another note, my NCAA basketball bracket is totally blown up and the only thing that would make it worse is if Duke were to win the national championship. It has been fun to see some of the "underdogs" pull off some stunning victories. Bad for the bracket, but good for the game of basketball.

The pic above is of Kristen (group leader), Morgan (our youngest) and me looking clueless. Actually I was just really relaxed because Kristen had it all covered.

March Madness Begins

Woohoo! Oh, boy! Today the Big Dance kicks off again. This is an annual event that really is like no other. There will be a few upsets; blowouts; last second 3s to win ballgames; good officiating; terrible officiating; way too many pundits on tv telling us what we just saw; "up too late at night" watching ballgames excuses; bandwidth at companies with the life sucked out of them; bragging; lying; fans way out of line; and coaches who will lose their jobs.

Just a reminder - this is just basketball. I love it, but in the overall scheme of things, it is basketball. It is a great diversion and a wonderful time of talking trash. It will also create opportunities for conversation with people we may not normally talk to. I am going to use it as a time to share Christ. To tell others not only about basketball, but to begin a conversation about someone and something more important.

I am not ashamed of the gospel. I am going to share.

10 Days and Counting

Sometimes in my line of work, I hit these stretches where it seems like I am burning a candle on both ends. Now is one of those times. With some special projects that we have going on centered around FUGE camps and training, it is a busy time. Sort of run at it hard, kind of busy time. Ten work days in a row is all good, but still 10 days in a row. The past two weekends have been filled with church visits and then FUGE Winter Camp this past weekend. Both of those weekends have been very good and the ministry contacts have been wonderful.

In my role, I get to listen to and encourage youth leaders. So many of them are doing a wonderful job of loving on students and their families and they find themselves of love and encouragement themselves. Thus my role and I have to tell you, I love it. I met with about 120 youth pastors and their wives two weeks ago today, a smaller group at two churches in MO a week ago and then had the privilege of meeting with 150 leaders Fri-Sun at Ridgecrest this past weekend. It is something I absolutely love doing and am grateful that God has not only given me the opportunity to do but has equipped me to do as well.

On Monday of this next week, Morgan and I and 15 other folks leave for Honduras to minister to and love on the Honduran people. I am really excited about this trip because Morgan and I will be together. She has been to Honduras before and this will be my first trip. I think she is a little excited to take me since she is the old pro on this trip. Can't wait.

The next few weeks are filled with wonderful opportunities of ministry in New Mexico, Texas, Massachusetts (with the Boston Marathon mixed in), Florida, California and Louisiana. I will pace myself (especially during the marathon, pun intended) and also have mixed in a 5-day beach trip with family in that stretch.

Looking forward to March Madness beginning on Thursday. Still looking over my bracket. Sitting down to talk trash and basketball tomorrow with 4 of my favorite buddies. Good times!

Preparing for March Madness

I love this time of year with all the college basketball that is going on. I am a North Carolina Tar Heels fan and loved the last few seasons and have suffered with Roy Williams and his crew this year. I grew up in MO have been a Missouri fan but my heart is with Carolina.

March Madness has changed though. Back in the day before every team was overanalyzed by every computer in the world, you had to go on what little info you had on teams and make out your bracket w/o the help of every ranking, expert, ESPN ex-coach, ex-player analyst. I miss those days. I miss the days of looking at the tournament bracket and just going with what YOU know, not what every expert tells you you ought to know in filling out your bracket.

I gotta tell you, I do not like taking the bracket, run it through some stupid research program on my computer and then they tell me which teams I should choose. I don't care about the Alex and Dewayne scales, Rivals.com, ESPNs Digger Phelps and "Baby" Dick Vitale or even what the Richter scale has to say about this year's tourney. Let me look at the list, go with my gut and pick 'em. In fact, that is what I will do. I get the privilege of having lunch w/ my buds Larry, Rick, Sid and Pat next Weds before the Big Dance starts and we will talk trash. We will have fun. Some of them will have researched the dog out of every ranking, scale, etc. I will not. My bracket is about who I think will win. RPI, DUI and IOU are not for me. I will get about half my bracket correct if I hold true to form. I will have 3-4 of the final four on my bracket. And . . . if I don't, I will still sleep at night. I will still love the game, because the game is what it is all about. College kids (18-22 year olds) playing a game that their coaches will strategize, coach, encourage, and scold ad nauseum. One team will come out on top. Last year it was my beloved Tar Heels. This year it could be Syracuse, Kansas, Kentucky, or even Dook. Of those four, I could applaud Syracuse, stomach Kansas and would be disgusted if Kentucky or Dook won. Only because I do not like those programs. Love the game tho. And respect Coach K even though I do not like his school. (Must be the Tar Heel thing).

Wrestling with Myself

Had a great experience over the past weekend running 20 miles on Sat. with one of my running buddies. It is always good to do those long runs with someone else and Frank is a new running friend who has a great story to tell. About 7 years ago, he weighed close to 300 lbs., smoked 2 packs/day, and drank a 5th of vodka daily. He realized that lifestyle was leading to an early grave, so he began exercising, gave up smoking and heavy drinking and today weighs about 175 lbs. and runs about 60 miles/week. Awesome story.

Saturday afternoon I flew to MO to spend a little time w/ my dad and then had work on Sun/Mon in MO doing some interviews listening and learning about what camp customers are looking for in a camp. Great time with my dad, brother and sister-in-law and then great time visiting with churches.

One of the churches we visited I know well. I grew up going there from age 5-13 and my dad has pastored there twice. They are great people. It is a small, rural congregation. It exemplifies the majority of our churches in the SBC and thankfully is a church that loves Jesus and people. We visited with a couple of other churches and had great visits with them. I really enjoy the job I have and really want to figure out a way to minister to all churches.

This week I do a presentation on reaching this generation for Randall House and then head to Ridgecrest for Winter Camp. Always enjoy teaching and encouraging youth leaders.

On Monday, I went and saw The Book of Eli. What an amazing movie. I cannot condone the language, but there are many strong messages in the movie. I loved the fact that Denzel was on a mission and would not be distracted from completing it. You need to see this movie. It is one of those that has me thinking about how I live and what I spend my time doing.

LOST this week was the best episode hands down. I love the stories of redemption that are throughout the characters of the show. It was a strong episode.

Found this picture of my family circa 1970. I am about 5-6 years old. Made me miss my mom too but love the pic. Love that I can laugh at myself.

Turn the Page

Yesterday was a page turning day for the Turners. Morgan walked off the basketball court for the last time in her high school career. The DCA Lady Cats played their hearts out this season and especially yesterday in the state semis and came up a little short in the game. The final score was 58-56 and was probably one of the best games I have seen this group of girls play. They have nothing to be ashamed of at all. They left it on the court to use that old cliche'. I was proud, very proud as a fan of the players, coaches and the fans.

I reserve my greatest pride for a girl that just happens to look like me, think like me too many times, and who showed me something in her that I thought was there, but have seen it blossom beautifully especially in the last few weeks. Number 21, Sr. Morgan Turner is one of the kids that I am not very objective about. She is ours. She leaves her stuff laying around the house, is notorious for leaving her clean clothes in the clothes basket to live out of daily, and who captured our hearts over 18 years ago when she showed up early one morning in January. She along with her sister Shelbi have had very good athletic and academic careers. They have brought great joy and happiness to their mother and me.

I remember a little of 18 years ago announcing to a congregation that "Morgan Paige Turner was born early yesterday" and as I said it, it dawned on me that we had named our daughter Paige Turner. Sounded sort of funny when I said it out loud. I am glad we had already decided that we would call her Morgan. Thankfully we did not set her up for ridicule for all her life being a paige turner.

So . . . we turned a page. I am going to miss not having one of ours on a soccer field, volleyball or basketball court. I will get past that. I am excited about watching our girls continue to grow and become more like Him in their college years and beyond. I am a blessed husband and dad.

Proud of you Morgan and the whole team and coaching staff of the Lady Cats. What a great run. Thankful to all who have invested in our girls up to this point and excited about what God has in store.

The pic above is of the 5 Srs. on this year's Lady Cats team. Morgan is the second from the right.

Pushing On Farther than You Think You Can Go

This past week has been a good one. It has included long runs for marathon training, a trip to Orlando for the Youth Pastor's Summit and a DCA Lady Wildcats basketball win, as well as, a guys loss.

A good friend and former boss lost his dad this past week and is burying him today. Pray for Joe and his brother Jerry please. Their daddy was a great guy and has left a great legacy for these two and their families. His daddy lived a long productive life and in many ways pushed on farther than many thought he could go.

USA Hockey definitely went farther in the Olympics than many thought they would or even could. The DCA Lady Wildcats have pushed on through a couple of weeks of less than stellar playing but have won because they thought they could. They play in the state semi-finals tomorrow and if they win will play Sat for the state championship. I am proud of all the girls. Regardless of the outcome, they have been exemplary. At the most, Sondra and I will have a girl on the team for two more games. Hard to believe our girls' playing days are coming to an end.

My running and training for Boston have definitely been difficult this winter. I am not getting any younger and the weather has been a challenge for me but I am continuing to push. We will see.

I led a breakout session for a little over 100 youth ministry folks at the Youth Pastor's Summit on Avoiding Burnout. At times we have to learn to do less in order to do more intentionally. We spent alot of time in Romans 5 and other related Scripture. I found out a long time ago that if I give them what I think, it is fleeting, if I give them Him and His Word, it remains.

I desire to make much of Jesus in my life. At times I do well and at other times I find myself trying to put myself out there rather than Christ.

A good friend of mine, Jeff Lovingood, who is a self-described "just a country boy youth minister" was given the Lifetime Achievement Award yesterday at the Youth Pastor's Summit. It was well deserved because Jeff has pushed through many adversities to become a faithful servant of Christ. Thankful for his friendship and leadership.

I am praying that I never settle. Do just enough to get by. Press play when I am delivering a "talk" to youth ministers and volunteers. I want to continue to push on farther that I think I can go.

What about you? What are you pushing on? Are you settling?