The Way

This phrase, "Take Me to the Edge" is a theme for a new campaign at our church, Hermitage Hills. I know that it is a phrase in a worship song sung by some group that our pastor heard a few months ago but I don't know the full story behind it but Poly gave us a short explanation in his message on 2/5. This phrase, "Take Me to the Edge" is an interesting one to me. Aristotle says, "the mind never thinks without a picture", so the picture I get in my head is an experience that happened almost a year ago when I bungee jumped in New Zealand. It was a cool morning but sunny and beautiful and I was nervous on the ride over to Kawarau Bridge , the home of the original bungee jump. I was trying to play it cool in the van, but I was shaking and not because it was all that cold in the van. I was nervous and even somewhat afraid. (If you know me well, you know that heights are not my forte.) Shelbi, Mark, Wilson and I had already paid for the bungee jump ahead ...

Here it is January 13th (Friday the 13th for all of you superstitious folk) and I am finally getting around to another blog entry. It was a great holiday break and I really have no excuse for not blogging, I just didn't. Sometimes I feel like writing and at other times, I don't. It was a season of good times but no writing. This past year, for those of you who have kept up, has been a good year for the Turners. We enjoyed a family trip to New Zealand with our kids in March (we shared a bunch of pics of that trip). Shelbi and Mark are still in Rome, GA and are doing great. Shelbi took on a new assignment at work as a trainer for new nurses; continuing education for nurses; and got her Masters. Mark still runs WinShape ;-), well at least the operations part of the boys' camp. Morgan and Wil made a move to Jackson, TN where Wil is pursuing a nursing degree via fast track and Morgan is an enrollment counselor for Union University. They are doing great and we are blessed to...

Some of you know that I have been training to complete an IRONMAN competition. Some of you know it all too well. I have posted to Twitter and Facebook incessantly and you have endured those posts. What you may not have known is that the reason I post my silly workouts is because there are many folks who hold me accountable to do the workouts. Twitter and FB are the easiest way to keep those few informed. Thanks for enduring. If you have known me for awhile, you have known that I enjoy being outside; I enjoy physical exercise; I like to set some goals that I just cannot go out and accomplish without some pretty strong disciplined and regimented plans; and that I am a tad bit obsessive. (I may have understated that last statement.) I have a friend at work who has completed 8 IRONMAN competitions and a couple of years ago I went to support him at IRONMAN Florida. I wrote about it here if you are interested. It was at that event that I realized that I believed I could finish one of t...

Photo by Harrison's Lens It has been a bit of a whirlwind since the Big Day of the Wil and Morgan wedding. They honeymooned in Mexico and came back relaxed and tanned and ready to start real life together and 6 weeks in to their marriage they are doing great. Their apartment is set up and they are back into a routine of work and living life. I do want to share this picture with you of Morgan and me walking down the aisle. The first time I saw it, well, I might have teared up a little. So honored to be dad to both Morgan and Shelbi and now dad-in-law to Wil and Mark. Who knew it could be this good? Mark and Shelbi are doing great and extremely busy. Mark's season of work is much like mine in the summer. We work about 10 months behind the scenes and then summer hits and we run like crazy as campers hit our respective sites. Mark is training for IRONMAN Arizona which takes place in November so he is swimming, biking and riding whenever he can between a busy work schedule. ...

Many who read this know me pretty well. Others of you have a tendency to know me through conferences, projects, or some even through creeping on me and my happenings via Twitter or Facebook. Some times I write something rather pithy, or report on what has been happening in our family, work, or even some kind of fitness adventure I have embarked upon. There are times that I struggle with what to write, what I want to reveal or even to just ignore hoping that somehow I do not write something that would be offensive; too self revealing; or just plain stupid. The filter that I try to write through does include a lens that I hope will be informative and especially encouraging. I do not always hit that goal, but that is a desire of mine. This post is one designed to point out some of the struggles I contend with practically every day I am alive. At its' root, it is addiction or addictive behavior. At times I masquerade it well and at other times, I am blatantly out in the open with ...

Here we are at 2013 and how amazingly quick 2012 was in so many ways. A year ago today, Shelbi and I were in San Francisco "on one last trip before you get married"excursion. She was not even engaged yet, but this dad knew, that by year's end, Shelbi would add a new last name. We had a great time out there and in April, Mark popped the question and in August, well, if you follow this blog at all, you know that we enjoyed a glorious day at Mark and Shelbi's wedding . 2012 brought on some new adventures for us as a family too. We said so long to Evelyn in May (the Chinese student who spent the school year with us) and said Hello to Alysha Cook . She has been with us since July and we are thankful that God put us all together. She has picked up a new name while here so if you see her, just call her Lily. I took on a new role at work and am excited to see what God allows us to be a part of in making a difference in cities. Actually, I get back at it Jan 2. It is a f...

The past couple of weeks have included less work travel so that has allowed for more family time on the weekends. And that is good. I love what I get to do work wise, but I am most fulfilled when I get to hang out with Sondra and the rest of our family. I know over the years I have had to remind myself that what I get to do work wise does not determine who I really am. I have repeated that to myself many times and have shared that with many people I come in contact with in life. Our culture can deceive us into believing that real success is based upon how much you are "out there making a difference". I know that that if I am "out there" making a difference and my family is sucking wind and crumbling, then really I have taught our kids how to gain the whole world and lose their own soul. Definitely not something I want to be indicative of me. A couple of weekends ago we headed to Rome, GA to hang out with Mark and Shelbi. Morgan came home from Union, we jumped...