Andrew's work is on youtube.com

I am so proud of my son. He has been shooting, editing, and producing videos for years now and recently he wrote, taped, edited, and produced a promo video for Watershed which is a young adult gathering every Thursday night at NCBC. He did phenomenal job!

If you would like to contact Andrew to film a promo, commercial spot, or just a fun video for your event, click here to send him an email. Tye out.

Click here to watch the video on youtube.com.

Hunting 2006

CAUTION!!! If you are an animal lover, or an animal rights activist you are probably not going to enjoy this post. Consider yourself warned.

Click here for picture that would be here.
Click here for a slideshow.

Well, after a year off from hunting I was so excited to get to hunt again. I only have two hobbies - bike riding and deer hunting. Saturday morning I arrived at Mick's house at 5:15 AM ready to get hunting. We enjoyed an awesome breakfast with venison sausage, eggs, and toast courtesy of Mick. Then it was off to our spots.

I got in place around 6:10 AM and IT WAS COLD, about 12 degress if I remember correctly. No worries because I have some awesome hunting gear I've purchased over the years. All total I saw 7 deer, several squirrel, an owl, and a bald eagle! WOW!

Short version - catch me at Panera some Monday morning and I'll tell you the extended version. About 7:30 AM I saw one of the biggest bucks I've ever seen walk right in front of me at around 75-80 yards. I grunted and it stopped which initiated a stand off for the next 10 minutes! I decided not to shoot because I didn't think my gun would reach that far. Hmmmm

About 30 minutes later, a doe walking the same path except the opposite way came along so I decided to try my luck and hit her on the first shot! I was shocked! You know what that means? I could have taken the buck with the gigantic rack! bummer!

All 4 of of us got a deer (Mick's is not in the pictures) by 8:30 AM! Then, Eric got his deer the next morning early. Today I went out to Micks and helped prepare the meat. I'm looking forward to some of the hamburger, jerky, and venison sticks. Thanks to Mick for letting me join you and the boys this year!

What!?! Tacos again? (said in a whining voice)

Are your kids like mine? Probably. Last summer we had a taco bar for our son Andrew's high school graduation party. We planned for a 100 and I think we had around 50 people show up. What do you do with all that taco meat? Don't get me wrong. I love tacos because they are easy to fix, easy to clean up after and they are semi-healthy because my wife Judy rinses the meat after it is cooked. Needless to say, we have eaten a lot of tacos since then!

The funny thing is, the kids whine if we eat the same thing twice in a row. NOT ME!!! I could eat the same food day in and day out. I view food as a means to an end; that is, fueling this bod! The kids feel put out if they have to eat the same food twice. And if you are an adult like this then I've got two words for you - grow up! : )

In the Bible, the children of Israel had just been delivered from Egyptian bondage and slavery. God is now providing their every need, with the exception that it is not exactly to their liking. God was providing this incredible, delicious, honey and cracker sort of thing every single day and all they had to do was collect it - as much as they could eat! Listen to these classic whiners taken from Numbers 11:4-6 (The Message):

The riff-raff among the people had a craving and soon they had the People of Israel whining, "Why can't we have meat? We ate fish in Egypt - and got it free! - to say nothing of the cucumbers and melons, the leeks and onions and garlic. But nothing tastes good out here; all we get is manna, mann, manna."

Don't we do the same thing? God has given us so many blessings! Yet, we feel slighted if we don't get our way, or trials come our way. The People of Israel had quickly forgotten that God miraculously delivered them from 400 years of slavery and was meeting their every need.

Today, let's put on an attitude of gratitude. Whether you live in a modest home, or a big one; drive a luxury car or a beat up old pick-up truck. Let's be thankful for God's gracious provision and thank him for all he has done.

Let's also thank God for sending is one and only son Jesus to die in our place so that we could have the free gift of eternal life. Tye out.

...always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph 5:20NIV

Ray Charles plays the saxophone!

Ok, they say that if you ain't learning, you're dying? Today I learned something I didn't know and that is that Ray Charles actually played saxophone. I'm not completely surprised - talented people like Ray could probably do about anything in the music realm he set his mind to. Click here to watch the video. And, if you didn't see the movie Ray, you missed a treat.

He obviously had incredible ears and you have to dig those cool Bird licks. It's uncanny the way almost the entire solo is one Bird lick after the next.

Ray had a ton of God-given talent. It really is too bad that he lived such a sinful life. We'll never know where he stood with the Lord (we can only know that about ourselves) but maybe someday we'll see him in heaven playing in the big band up there. Tye out.


P.S. It is amazing how Ray looks like Jamie Foxx, or is it the other way around?

I love White Castles!

So, while IM ing with my wife in Cincy the subject of food came up and I mentioned that I would love to have some White Castle hamburgers, as would our senior pastor Bob Westfall. Well, Judy stopped at one of the little white restaurants on her way back and picked up 8 burgers - they're small. I gave Bob 5 and I kept three, and they were delicious! Click on the pic for a slideshow of White Castle pics.

White Castle hamburgers brings back many fond memories. I've always been a hyper kid who could never sleep on Christmas Eve because I would be so excited. So, Dad would take me out for a drive and we would typically wind up at a White Castles restaurant because they are open all night and those little square hamburgers are irresistible. Sometimes we would go to the one on William Howard Taft, then other times we would go into the inner city of Cincinnati. Thanks Dad for all those wonderful memories!

Then, when I was in college I would eat there once in a while. When I moved to Tennessee we found a restaurant called Krystals which featured the same little hamburgers as well as an incredible breakfast for $1.79.

Thanks Judy for this wonderful treat. Tye out.

My version of Extreme Home Makeover

By now, you probably know that Judy and the girls went to Cincy for the weekend. This was my opportunity to get some much needed projects done around the house. On the docket was the following: install overhead microwave, install garbage disposal, work on downstairs remodeling project, clear out garage to get car in (this would lead to more projects). So, what did I do?

First thing, I decided to install the microwave and you can click on the pic to see a slideshow of my progress. Then, it was out to garage to get it cleared out. I had to hang three bikes, organize my library which was still in boxes in the garage, and generally clear things out.

Microwave - I had to run a dedicated circuit which went really well. Tom Jedlicka came over and tied the circuit into the panel, plus helped me tidy up some cabling issues downstairs. While he was over he also helped me develop a plan for wiring the bedroom and bathroom in the basement! Thanks Tom!!!

I wrapped everything up around 3:30 AM this morning, so I am bushed! It was good to have the family back and Judy was pretty excited! Tye out.

Top Ten Reasons I'm Thankful

left to right: Robin, Dan, & me, Donna, Ken, me, Andrew

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Also, happy thanksgiving to my wife and daughters who travelled to Cincy to spend the weekend with her family. So, today Andrew and I spent the afternoon with Ken and Donna Smejkal where we ate lunch and watched Gladiator, something we have been hoping to do for months! Then, it was off to the Koskamps for dessert. Thanks for the pecan (correctly pronounced pee-can) pie Robin! It was delicious! Now we're home, kicked back watching Deal or No Deal. (I know, I'm hopeless.)

So, what am I thankful for? Actually, I can't think of one thing I'm not thankful for. So, here is my top ten reasons I am thankful:

1. Jesus because he took away my sins
2. My wonderful wife of 21+ years
3. For four incredible kids! (Andrew, Allyson, Morgan and Mackenzie)
4. The opportunity so serve at New Covenant Bible Church
5. The Bible - it's my operator's manual for life
6. The opportunity to use my musical skills at church
7. The opportunity to use my musical skills in some bands around here
8. For the broken road that led me to Iowa
9. All my friends at New Covenant Bible Church - thank you so much for being there for me and my family
10. My health (last but not least)

Tye out.

...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Th 5:18NIV

Deal, or No Deal and Zanny Henseler

Zanny on "Deal, or No Deal"

Our family has gotten "addicted" to this newest game show called Deal, or No Deal. We enjoy "coaching" the contestants and trying to think of what we would do if we were on the show.

Well, they've been going over-the-top here recently. Zanny Henseler (prounced like Danny with a z) came on the show wearing lime-green and telling Howie that her dream was to get a lime-green Cadillac Escalade. Well, she did pretty good and as the show goes along wouldn't you know it, the banker (you have to watch sometime) offers her an $83k tricked-out lime-green Cadillac Escalade, with 24 inch spinners and all! WOW! Well, needless to say, she took it. But that is when her "troubles" began.

You see, someone forgot to tell this 21 year old that there is something called sales tax, and she is responsible for it - $25k worth! I guess she could borrow the money from somewhere, then sell her dream car (does a 21 year old need a ride like this?), buy a beautiful, small, used car that gets good gas mileage and even slurge a little with a paint job, spinners, and stereo. She'd still have somewhere around $40k+ to pay her for her schooling. hmmmm....

But nobody asked me! Tye out.

P.S. Click here to read Zanny's friend's blog. She's a believer!

Check out this post by my friend Kim Pagel

My boss, coworker and good friend Kim Pagel posted this article on his blog and it is well worth the read. Check it out by clicking here.

Alright, OK, You Win (I'm in Love with You)

Man, I love jazz music! I'm sitting here at Panera enjoying a cup of joe and listening to Yahoo! Launchcast Music and this jammin', rockin' tune comes on the "radio" - Alright, OK, You Win by Diane Schuur off her album Blues for Schuur. That chick (relax, this is standard jazz talk) has got the smoothest alto sound going which a touch of Ella Fitzgerald in there! But besides that, why do I like it so much? First off, the rockin' rhythm section. There is nothing like a rhythm section that is playing on the same page because it creates so much synergy. (BTW, a rhythm section is just that - bass and opt. rhythm guitar, B3, piano, and drums) they bring a simple chord progression to life. It's hard to play in a band when the rhythm section is not solid - it's like walking a tight rope or on thin ice. And might I mention the bass player? Wow, what cool lines as he walks that thing right over the changes.

Second, the horns join in. They are powerful on this cut and add to the synergy of the rhythm section. There is nothing like it when everyone is working together. I love it!

Then, Diane rides the top like a surfer on a wave. And, I love the jazzy love songs because I'm a bit of a romantic. (true confessions here!) Judy, if you're reading, this song is perfect! I'm definitely, totally, and completely in love with you.

Tye out.

Mackenzie's "to do list" for daddy

Judy and the girls are heading out to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family and so Andrew and I will be hanging around, working around the house, watching cool guy movies, and I have a book to read.

Well, Mackenzie, who is a great list-maker, made up a to-do-list for me while they are gone. Check out the organizational skills of an 8 year old:

1. Wake Up
2. Get Dressed
3. Brush Teeth
4. Feed Mackenzie's Fish (A Pinch)
5. Coffee
6. Make Breakfast
7. Get Ready For Work
8. Go To Work
9. Get Home
10. Have Fun
11. Maybe a Blog
12. TV (While Computer)
13. Make Dinner
14. TV
15. Get Ready For Bed
16. TV
17. Go To Bed
18. Do All Over In The Morning

Notice her attention to detail. Also, notice that she balanced work (#8) and play (#10). Notice also that she knows her dad pretty well - she has studied my habits, i.e. coffee in the morning and the fact that I usually watch TV with my laptop (#12). Her fish will get fed (#4) and there is time given to blogging (#11).

Pretty good stuff, huh. Thanks Mackenzie for tackling this assignment and making sure all the bases are covered. In a couple of years I'll be looking for a full time admin assistant and you will be first in line for the job!!! I love you.

Daddy out.

Taylor Hicks sings at the final Nascar race

American Idol winner Taylor Hicks sang the national anthem before the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Ford 400 this past weekend at Homestead Miami Speedway. It's the first I have heard of him since his winning it all on American Idol. He was definitely NOT my choice. He is a great Elvis impersonator, but he was no American Idol. His performance of the Star Spangled Banner was ok - if you like over the top Elvis impersonations.

I was reminded why I didn't like him. Chris was really the best of the three. Kathrine was a solid second. Her rendition of "Over the Rainbow" still brings me to tears, in a good way.

Tay-Tay should take-take some lessons from Tony Bennett. Tye out.

Tony Bennett celebrates his 80th birthday

I love jazz music. As I'm sitting here watching Tony Bennett's 80th birthday celebration he just finished singing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and for some reason I'm feeling emotional. This music moves me. The time period moves me. I'm not much of a Christina Aguilera fan, but man, that platinum blond, 1930's period, hairdo was right on and she didn't sound half bad singing with Tony. I love that time period - Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey, Errol Garner, et. al.

I dig the piano lines, and the upright bass licks. I love the big band sound. It's soothing, exhilirating, happy, and sad all at the same time.

But Tony. Oh my. Unfortunately I tuned in too late and missed most of the special (did anyone TiVo it?). Someone just announced on a voice over that when someone asked Frank Sinatra what he thought of Tony Bennett he said that Tony was the best and that he could bring a song to life the way the writer had intended it and more.

Finally, here is what the show's director Rob Marshall said about it:

Marshall chose to end the special with Bennett again in an empty hall, belting out his signature, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," accompanied by Bill Charlap on piano.

"After so many great artists, we have Tony alone on a bare stage with just a pianist. The magic is all about him ... just to hear him alone singing this touching, beautiful song as the epilogue is very, very moving."

"I found myself brought to tears so many times, I couldn't ever say cut," Marshall said. "Tony is an emotional singer, he sings the truth from his heart."

Put the DVD on my Christmas wish list. Tye out.

I met yet another servant leader!!!

Me and H.B. London

I am privileged to serve on the executive board of L.C.A.E. (Linn County Association of Evangelicals). Now don't get too excited and send me cards of congrats for my "appointment" because I'm kind of a glorified dog catcher on the board. I greet people at the monthly meetings and take out the trash. I just count it a privilege to get to be there each time! I love it!

Anyways, LCAE just hosted H.B. London with Focus on the Family's Pastor to Pastor division. HB is James Dobson's 1st cousin and about 15 years ago they established a ministry to pastors. On Wednesday night Judy and I together with about 10 others from the executive board had dessert with HB. You can click on the pic for a slideshow of pictures from the meetings on Thursday.

At the dessert I was able to personally thank HB for his ministry there because on at least three different occasions I had to call with issues I didn't know what to do with. Each time the pastor/counselor spent lots of time on the phone with me and each time recommended a book which they sent to me for free! And they didn't even ask for my credit card number! Praise the Lord for this awesome ministry to pastors!

BTW, in getting to know HB I soon discovered that he was a servant leader! I love servant leaders! Thanks HB for your ministry and investment in my life!

Are titles really important - part 2

I posted on a recent email I received from a nationally known speaker and author about how he was beginning to use Ph.D. when he signs his name. Why is this? Since I have been burned in the past by self-serving leaders who really care about position and title I decided to send an email to ask about it. (no kidding)

Well, much to my surprise I received this thoughtful and clarifying response from the president of Man in the Mirror that publishes info for men and men's ministry:

Tye –

Thanks so much for the feedback.

Pat [Patrick Morley] has carefully chosen to use the PhD in certain settings simply as a way to steward the message. It’s a reality that most people typically give more credence to information that comes from what they consider to be a credible source, especially those that are not yet convinced. Part of what Pat feels called to do is to further a national dialogue about the importance of discipling men. In the opinion of Pat and our management team, using the PhD gives more benefit by helping more leaders consider what is said than the harm that is done when some see it as pretentious. (In the same way that leaving “Pastor” off for you probably gets you more of a hearing from your target audience.) Clearly that is a judgment call and we could be wrong.

If you have a chance to meet Pat, you will know that he could care less about titles. However, you’ll also learn that he wants to be as effective as possible with every opportunity that God gives.

Hope this helps clarify – and keep the feedback coming. We are here to serve leaders like you.

David Delk
President, Man in the Mirror

A couple of observations. First of all, they welcome feedback and actually asked for it - a sure sign of a servant leader. Second, David freely admits that while this decision was well thought out and the pros and cons weighed, they still could be wrong - another sign of a servant leader.

I don't know Patrick Morley, but I feel a lot better about his leadership and trusting him to guide our men's ministry team through some retooling by way of his book No Man Left Behind.

Servant leaders only for me please. I avoid using "Pastor Tye" because it has a lot of baggage attached to it. Pat uses Ph.D. to broaden his audience and gain crediblity for the people he is trying to reach. It works. Tye out.

VHS, 30, dies of loneliness

The home-entertainment format lived a fruitful life
By DIANE GARRETT

After a long illness, the groundbreaking home-entertainment format VHS has died of natural causes in the United States. The format was 30 years old.

No services are planned.

The format had been expected to survive until January, but high-def formats and next-generation vidgame consoles hastened its final decline.

"It's pretty much over," concurred Buena Vista Home Entertainment general manager North America Lori MacPherson on Tuesday.

VHS is survived by a child, DVD, and by Tivo, VOD and DirecTV. It was preceded in death by Betamax, Divx, mini-discs and laserdiscs.

Although it had been ailing, the format's death became official in this, the video biz's all-important fourth quarter. Retailers decided to pull the plug, saying there was no longer shelf space.

As a tribute to the late, great VHS, Toys 'R' Us will continue to carry a few titles like "Barney," and some dollar video chains will still handle cassettes for those who cannot deal with the death of the format.

Born Vertical Helical Scan to parent JVC of Japan, the tape had a difficult childhood as it was forced to compete with Sony's Betamax format.

After its youthful Betamax battles, the longer-playing VHS tapes eventually became the format of choice for millions of consumers. VHS enjoyed a lucrative career, transforming the way people watched movies and changing the economics of the film biz. VHS hit its peak with "The Lion King," which sold more than 30 million vidcassettes Stateside.

The format flourished until DVDs launched in 1997. After a fruitful career, VHS tapes started to retire from center stage in 2003 when DVDs became more popular for the first time.

Since their retirement, VHS tapes have made occasional appearances in children's entertainment and as a format for collectors seeking titles not released on DVD. VHS continued to make as much as $300 million a year until this year, when studios stopped manufacturing the tapes.

Date in print: Wed., Nov.15,2006, Los Angeles

PS3 - The sad story

(The following article was copied off CNN's website as reported from Reuters)

And one man was shot early on Friday morning outside a Connecticut Wal-Mart store in while in line for the PS3, Connecticut State police said.

He was one of 15 to 20 people lined up outside the store when confronted by two armed men who demanded money at around 3:15 a.m., Lt. J. Paul Vance said in a press release.

Police said the victim had confronted the armed suspects and was shot. He was treated at the scene and transported to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center across the state line.

Police were searching for the two suspects.

This is sad. Tye out.

Sony's PS3 Hits today - the REAL story

So, I'm over at Starbucks this morning around 7 AM sipping on a decaf Americanna whatever that really tasted good when I can't help but notice people and tents lined up at Best Buy across the street. Did I fall asleep and sleep straight through Thanksgiving and now it's the day after? I hope not.

A young guy told me in Starbucks that they were releasing for sale Sony's latest and greatest game, PS3. People started lining up on Wednesday to get their playstation this morning. The problem seems to be that Sony only manufactured 400k of them with promises for more soon.

But the real story? E-bay. People are so desperate to get these games apparently they are willing to pay huge sums of money to get their hands on one. I just checked a few minutes ago and one of the systems had a current bid of $7600. WHAT!!! Wow, people love their games.

So, if you spent 48 hours camped out in line to get one of these babies, what would you stand to make as profit? That's about $146 an hour profit!!! Not a bad day, night, day, night's work.

Tye out.

P.S. Most of them are going for around $2-3K.

Ohio State vs. Michigan

(The little boy on the left is a Michigan fan. The other children are Ohio State fans. Get it?)

Ok, I don't really care too much for all this rivalry stuff. Actually, I think it's quite petty. But then again, I root for Big Bands, jazz greats you have never heard of, and actually I'm thrilled to death that Ivan Basso was signed to Discovery. If you have to ask.... So there! (I'm having fun with this if you can't tell!)

I've never been one to care much for one team over the other. I went to a University where our teams were mediocre and they were called "Crusaders." GO CRUSADERS!!! YEAH!!! Give me a break. At least they could get a non-offensive mascot and a cool name.

I am however a fan of a good game. I love watching a great quarterback - Peyton Manning, Cordell Stewart, those Dallas guys a few years ago, and what's his face up in Green Bay - but he should have quit two years ago. I loved watching Lance ride past Jan in the prologue of the Tour de France two years ago. I cry every time I think about Nadia getting a perfect "10." I love that girl. I love it when I hear Dexter, Trane, Miles, and Bird. I dig it when Buddy plays the heck out of the drums. I still get goosebumps just thinking about the night we saw River Dance, and Stomp. I love a good performance, no matter what the venue.

Anyways, I got this picture today and even though I could care less, it made me laugh and thought it might make you laugh too. If it doesn't, then just go on with your day and do something constructive like take a nap...while Ohio State beats the you know what out of Michigan (is it state, or University?). Tye out.

My brother Scott makes the news

(Scott - shadow figure - performs a raid)

My brother is in law enforcement and has been for a long time now. He started off in a street beat that in his first year saw him face almost every kind of crime you could imagine. Later he would leave the streets to work with the sheriff's office.

I just found out that his office was featured in a segment on the local news station for their work taking down online predators called a "cybersting." (click here to watch the video) whoah! That's some serious stuff. Scott is doing a great job there in Warren County and I am very proud of him. Great job Scott! Keep up the good work!

As you are watching the video, my brother is the one addressing the group. In the raids, he is wearing an orange shirt. He also has a goatee.

A proud brother Tye out.