Uptown Moves Downtown

Life has often been compared to a race, a roller coaster and a box of chocolates. But no one refers to life as a spectator sport. This weekend Ed Young showed us how we can discover an amazing life of purpose and power when we finally decide to move beyond the bleachers. It was the Grand Opening of the Downtown Dallas for a brand new satellite campus, and we had over 2,000 show up for this exciting event for FC and Town and Country Campaign. You can check out all the pictures and the exciting campus that will be reaching people for Christ in a whole new way. Stepping out of the bleachers, heck I am mowing the grass, watering, and seeding. Sometimes you just got to get a little dirty for God, and right now it's really muddy for me in my world. The New launch is still coming, so stay tuned...

living for an audience of ONE...

What to do when you hit rock bottom?

Since God has directed me to be a humanitarian, and my heart of compassion is always alive, I had to take a friend out to dinner for one last time. I want to introduce you to my friend Bennot, he is 22, no parents, no siblings, no grandparents, no car, no job, no apt, and of course no money, but the two good things he has is God and his 4 year old son. I get Bennett, I understand him and I certainly can relate to him a little. I am so happy that the Navy accepted him and he is leaving this Thursday June 22. You might ask, why no life, well he has hit rock bottom, and he is ok with that, his faith has spurred me on to keeping on going, life is ok, and other people might have it a little bit worse off than what you think is devasting to you, but in Bennott mind, your life is just a walk in the park. I hugged him goodbye after hanging out with him for 5 hours and I told him, God is starting over with you, and you need to start a new life with Him and begin to make one for you and your son, from here on out Bennott, everything you do is for your son." Good Luck bro, I wish all the success in the world and I hope God will bring our paths back together.

living for an audience of ONE...

Hang with the boys...

Well this is really getting exciting, however tonight's loss was a huge disappointment. I decided to show my love for some of the friends I have in my life. Afif, David and Donnie met at my house tonight at 5pm and we jumped into the car and headed downtown to a really nice steak house in the west end. Afif was really excited, so excited that he was leaning forward on his chair, and it gave way and he landed square on his ass, as the chair slid backwards a few feet. We all could not stop laughing so hard. We walked into the AAC for the "Mavs Watching party", they were really surprised and very appreciative of my kind gesture. We had great seats, but David talked us into going down closer to the floor for a better view. The last 5 minutes was so exciting that David was the first one to rip off his shirt, then Donnie, and a minute later Afif did as well, and they all were swing them in the air. I will save your fingers, hell no I did not even contemplate taking off my shirt, next year, my shirt will be coming off, along with my 50 pds that David has already helped me to lose.

Peace

living for an audience of ONE...

Can priest drink... The World Cup is On.

Well, growing up in a heavy catholic town of faith, I was always use to the men of the cloth not drinking, but I guess in today's culture, they can, they are, and boy can they "Get R Don". I have waited on a few of them. Most of the priest just walk up to the bar and look at me, and wait for me to ask them what they want for a drink, and usually I just say hello, and move on to another customer, and then they want to know when I am going to wait on them. Most of them are surprised to find out that the reason I don't ask them for a drink is because I tell them, "most people like you, I didn't think were allowed to drink", so I ask you, are they? I guess in Costa Rica, Brazil, and last but not least Mexico they are allowed.
One of my owners has played in a couple World Cup soccer games, and business has picked up and of course right now everybody is watching soccer for the us and "football" for the rest of the world.
living for an audience of ONE...

KK is getting older.

Big D and his best friend Aaron

This weekend my girl is celebrating her birthday and I was not sure where I was going to take the troops. It was 100' all weekend, and they just wanted to drink, and I knew I would be the DD. Karla and her friend Padma have never been down to Sundance Square in Downtown Ft.Worth. "You two have never been, Where are going there", I said. It was crazy and there was a jazz festival scheduled and of course no one told me when I was making the plans. We all got there around 11pm and each of the bars were packed so we ended up going to Bennigans, nothing new. We stayed there until 2am, and then went to a after hours party at a friends house.

Now if you want the gossip and all the juicy details of who puked 4 times, how many fights took place and who went wild, you will have to log on to my other web page, this is the "Christian one." I got home around 4 am and as I was walking into my apt. I kept on hearing these weird noises, ones that would never come from my apt. Next time, I want you to give me some sort of warning, like a sock on the door something, wow I didn't fall asleep until around 10am. You guessed it, not on this web page. Tonight is a very big game for the Dallas Mavs and I am hoping we can pull it off. So,if you are around the neighborhood, and have time, stop on by, you know we are watching the MAVS school the shack attack. U r going down, buddy. Peace

living for an audience of ONE...

Did you survive 6-6-06??? GOT Mavs Mania??? When you know!?

Tuesday down here in Texas, people were going nuts trying to avoid letting there newborns not be blessed by entering the world on this evil day?? People not going out on the streets, looking over there shoulders, and avoiding the crowds. Give me a break people, but I guess you just never know.
People are going crazy considering they have not had an NBA experience like this in 25 years. I will be having my first ever NBA Mavs party at my apartment and the troops will be here, I hope they will bring the beer.
Probably for the last two months or so, I have been home sick. When you know something is going on back at home, but you are stuck here in Texas, and you are just out of the loop it gets very frustrating. I am not dumb, and I certainly have been around the block a few times over and over again. I love my friends so much, and soon I will have one more friend, in which right now, my stomach and soul is so excited, that it is literally killing me inside. I want so much to hug, kiss, and wrap my arms around my friends, but for right now, I can only sit back and laugh at the situation, because I know.
living for an audience of ONE...

Busted Chicago wide open....

We arrived in Chi-town around 9am on Thursday June 1st. Jumped on the "EL" towards downtown Chicago, from right off the bat we were relieved that people would be so gracious to help us out, since they definitely could tell we were not from there. The hotel that we booked was the downtown Hilton Hotel and Towers, we had a lake Michigan view on a high floor, and we got a sweet deal. We got off on the wrong stop 10 blocks from the hotel, and caught a bus to atleast find the hotel, we stored our bags with the bell man and hit the streets running. Within 5 hours under the cloudy dismal, spitting lite drizzled day we took a nap from 5pm-7. My buddy Afif woke me up asking me what was wrong with my face? I jumped into the bathroom to realize that I look like a damn lobster. Burnt to a crisp, and of course had to make our way 7 blocks south to the closest Jewel-Osco for some sunscreen. We found this awesome pizza-Italian pub just two blocks from millennium park with $5 u call it martinis. We had a few too many, and then made our way to the bar to watch the mavs school the suns, a few more drinks, shots, and then it was time to meet my grade school best friend Randy Inserra. Afif decided to take a nap, and then meet up with us around 11pm. We finally made it to Rush street, got kicked out of 3 bars, in one fight, watched Afif puke on a cop car right in front of Wrigley Field and stopped him in mid stream of kissing a few random people that he did not know. Missed going to jail for PI's with a sweet talker in letting us go home. Then we jumped into a taxi cab that was a"HBO-Taxi Cab confessions car", that I signed the release form at the end to seal the deal, only because Afif ran his mouth the whole time, to this day, he still thinks so. ha
Friday morning we slept in till noon and went and hit the downtown riverfront and all around, we found this awesome little Italian bistro, and then meet up with my two sisters, and nieces around 3pm. We went shopping, on a riverboat tour, lots of good laughs and enjoyed a nice relaxing late dinner at the Chicago House of Blues, and then they headed back to Kenosha. My buddy's client flew up in his private jet, and rented some Dodge Vipers that were tooled around the city in. Awesome.
Saturday morning I scheduled a breakfast talk-counseling session with one of my old prof's from GU. I had a great two hour in depth talk with Dr. C and really was able to get a lot of advice from him. Thank your Dr. C. During lunch we cruised up to Kenosha to my sisters house for her daughters family & friend BBQ from noon-4pm. After we all had a quick nap, we settled in for the night to watch the mavs final winning game, then off to the Wine Knot for an awesome glass of wine that turned out to be very relaxing.
Sunday, we awoke up and headed to Willow Creek for church and then to go see my niece graduate from high school, and whizzed on back to Midway airport to fly home by 9pm.

All in all, it was a great vacation and we will be doing it again very soon at the end of summer, however destination will be top secret, since this web page is read all over the world. You will soon find out why. Peace randall
living for an audience of ONE...