It's getting cold. Ready for the Red Carpet?

Surprisingly enough we have only had 1 lite snow here in Chicago. My time here has been pretty good. I have made some new friends and already had to let go of some bad ones. I refuse to hang out with fake ass people who lie, cheat, and manipulate.

My time at Willow Creek has been awesome, nothing like Fellowshipchurch.com but pretty darn close. Just as I'm getting settled into the Creek, Mike Breaux announced he is transitioning into the sister church Willow planted a year ago in Rockford ILL. He will be missed. Thanksgiving was spent with the my sister Debra and her family. It was our first ever Thanksgiving. Victoria will join us in Kenosha for Christmas. Harley my dog loved her first ever snow storm. She loved rolling around in the snow. David Kelly is a really good friend who we are now meeting on a weekly basis for lunch on Wednesday.

Lets roll out the red carpet, bring on the DJ's, and of course get ready for the flash bulbs. The newest and hottest gay club will have their "hard opening" Friday December 7. This VIP event will be an event you don't want to miss in the gay district called "Boystown. You don't want to miss this event, so come out an support one of my best friends Geoffrey Carlson as he has been promoted to the Bar manager of this new venture. The place to be is Scarlet, see you there. Yes, I will be there, I'm V I P, biiootchh.
living for an audience of ONE...

Getting settled into Chicago, baby!

Getting settled into CHICAGO, baby!

Well it's official, I LOVE CHICAGO. It is awesome, people are great and I'm out of the dirty south and glad to be back in the Midwest. It took 3 days to move and travel a normal 15 hour ride in a uhaul, but I kept getting stopped by those darn cops. It was definitely hard saying goodbye to my friends but well worth it. Harley my dog loves it here in a small sky rise of 13floors. We have around 50 dogs in the building or so, her friends are limit less. We go have a meal on the rooftop deck and watch the boats everyday,also we go to the beach, and a dog park or dog beach everyday. On Oct. 14, she turned 1years old, and my sister Debra & aunt Andrea with some others from around the building made it to her birthday party. While at church she jumped up and ate all of her birthday cake, oh well what can you do, she even had a short visit from Geoffrey Aaron Carlson aka the Artist who is one of my bestees from Omaha. Love you
I realized that living my 5 years down in Texas has kinda instilled in me a little racist stance at times, that will not be happening here in Chicago. My last person to give me hug and send me off my was my friend of color Charles, and the first one to help me move in was another person of color-Hector. After the 3rd time of him offering to help me unload my uhaul, i took him up on his offer, and we immediately started up conversation and we realized we both have a Nebraska connection. He lived his only two worst years of his life married and living in Grand Island Nebraska. Poor guy. He works with cars and paints/maintenance. We have hung out almost everyday these past 3 weeks. I know some of you may look down on me for this one, but I really don't give a crap. I found a bar you can bring your dog into. I love it and so does Harley. I have met some friends Geo and his Spanish German Shepard named Toro, and also Rob and Sascha with their two pugs. We hang all the time and the dogs get along really good. I am still looking for a job, and hopefully will be landing one real soon.
living for an audience of ONE...

Moving in with ELIZABETH TAYLOR in Chicago!!

living for an audience of ONE...
When you read that opening statement of my usual closing to the current blog, what comes to mind. Let me tell you my version.

I moved here from Omaha, with a quick stint in Vegas and this Thanksgiving of 2007 will mark a 4 year investment into one of the fastest growing mega church's around... fellowshipchurch.com Dallas and FC has changed my life, I am eternally grateful to the people I did meet that would allow me to have what ever influence I had on them and many have thanked me for my "invaluable commitment to friendship, in which we will never find in another person like yourself, you will be undoubtedly missed."

With those wonderful comments, I will bow, and take a good long breath with a sigh of satisfaction that I was able to take over 80 people to a worship service like they have never experienced...http://www.blogger.com/www.fellowshipchurch.com/splash/. I found a place on the 3rd day this past week. God is definitely orchestrating this whole move to Chicago. Nobody ever finds a place in less than a month. I am 4 miles north of downtown Chicago or the "Loop", 2 blocks from the lake and 1 mile from a dog beach. I'm moving to the new up and coming Edgewater/Andersenville area. Great community that I am moving into. YOU know us Thompson's when we do anything, its always REAL BIG. This old Hilton hotel that was converted into apartments was previously owned by the one and only ELIZABETH TAYLOR, so with that being said, I got an awesome apartment and I owe it all to Geoffrey Carlson, who found this awesome place only 5 train stops north of him. THX geoff!

So Monday and Tuesday I will begin to pack, this upcoming Wednesday September 26 I fly to Omaha, for my 15 year class reunion, Sunday night fly back. Monday & Tuesday pack and load trailer and pull out that Wednesday morning at 5am, never to look back and hoping to pull into Chicago by 3pm on October 3 with a smile on face and my dog harley's.

I have learned lots of things here in my time, some good, some bad. My experience over all has been somewhat positive, but I had my fair share of trials. I have become really critical, a little on a racist stance, and very pro me, and that is not what Christ would have me live like. Not everybody in the DFW area is fake and materiallistic but a good fair share is and they don't even realize it. ***FOR ALL MY fake so called friends, get real, quit being so fake and phony like a $4 dollar bill. Live life like no one is watching, and if the earth is your playground or stage. The only 1 watching that matters is the one who continues to give you life...God is the only audience I live for. Goodbye Texas...hello to Chapter 3 of my new life in Christ, in the "Windy City Chicago" here I come."READY?? :)

Summer of 2007 Rethinking Jesus Naked...

Well I'm back...this summer I decided to take a step back and examine my life and really ask myself why am I here?, am I of influence to people? So I stopped my life in the real world of journaling for the summer...a little sabbatical to step back and realize Ineed2change.com. God has been keeping my busy with me counseling a few couples, and of course trying to let people see in my life of me trying to real in a really fake world.

I really learned a lot of over the summer, and I will try and fill you in on the jam packed summer which was unforgettable. Please don't start singing...lol. Ed Young my senior pastor from Fellowship has been gone traveling on speaking engagements since May 15. He is back this weekend with a prelude mini-series, called "The HOUSE".

MARK YOUR CALENDARS ))) 09-08-07 a very significant weekend in the life of fellowshipchurch.com. It's going to be the biggest series ( people are all ready talking about this one, nation wide,) we have ever done only 2nd to the Just Lust series. The t.v. commericals are getting ready to air, the banners for all the buildings are made, the interstate billboards are getting ready to be hung, and they just finished a massive flier/mailing invite. I am just waiting for Ed to call me personally to invite me to the kick off (we do things in the bulk down south!)Why I say that is this past month for the 2nd year in a row FellowshipChurch.com was voted "Most Influential Church" in the Nation. All I can say to that is go God!

I have had one major event per month starting this past April and running through Christmas. April for Easter Kim&Jeff Fornoff along with Shane Kardell, Cheryl Reineke and her man Jeff spent 5 fun fill days with me and went to church with me. May I had a huge birthday bash and a another friend came for 4 days.

June I had two wedding and a graduation to attend, July Shane Kardell came down and met my dis function family for 5 days(can you say drama?). August we all went camping in PottsVille Texas and I just got back from hanging out my pops, seeing Nan & Papa in the nursing home, also the Fries family reunion this summer was in Branson we all enjoyed chillin and catchin up over 15 years.

The last weekend of September I am back in Omaha which I have been gone from for 3 years. WOW. I have my 15 year class reunion and seeing all the change happening in the Big O. October my father and he is best friend will be visiting me in the end of October.

Thanksgiving this year I will be spending with my extended dis functional family AND with my sisters in Kenosha Wisconsin, and Christmas and New Years will be spent somewhere in the heart of Mexico. Una Mos Cervaza Porfavor!!!

This rainy summer has also been filled with the drama that comes with these crazy friends. A bar fight, getting strangled on fathers day, 2nd bust for mary jane in the car for my friend who I had to bail out again,(NOT ME) a knock down drag out fight in the middle of downtown Dallas with the drunks, and last but not least...

I am a father for the 2nd time again. Yes it will be the last, but this 8 month old bundle of Joy has brought me to loving kids again. She is a wonderful addition to the Thompson Family and dad met her last weekend and fell in love with her. He name is Harley and she is a 25pd Doxson, Rottweiler, beagle, basset hound. She has brought life back into the family.

Well to say the least I have been busy, but I forsure know that what I have learned this summer is far greater than anything a school will teach you. What God has been teaching me is to "Honor God, Love people". It is not easy, but the rewards have been a blessing to my life. I had to let go of some people in my life, that just didnt want to be helped. The biggest loser that I didn't want to say goodbye to was David Thompson. This kid has issues that I pray no one has to encounter them before he stops fighting with God and giving up and dying to himself. You cant help a person who is a fake, lying, deceiving, manipulative "so called christian" who cant even tell his own parents, pastor, youth pastor, or friends the truth. PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS KID, he has alot of growing up to do, and it ultimately almost cost me my life. Enough on that subject.

living for an audience of ONE...

Mexico Bound for my Birthday:)

Well it is the day before my birthday, and I am getting ready to go to Mexico with a really close friend from work named Pablo. He is 35 and has 6 kids and is from the town of Cuernavaca Mexico which is 50 miles from Mexico City. I leave at 145pm and he left today. I am little nervous, but really ready for a nice vacation. It has been a hard first month of being the bar manager/asst. GM, but I think over all, I have done really good. Managing people is not easy that is for sure. I have been there since it has opened, and I think people respect me. So far in the first month let alone first week, I have had to fire one person, (which I totally enjoyed, just cause I am an ass****), and I had to hire a new girl. This weekend at FC, I went with Shelly, her husband John couldn't make it, and they were talking about walking through the right doors to avoid divorce..

living for an audience of ONE...

Whats Going down in the Garage weekend? Happy 420:)

Well today is 4:20, its a national holiday for some, and just another day for most. I of course celebrated it in full grand fashion. As I sat back with my friends and realized that I had my silly little perma-grin going, I began to laugh. I was thinking, it has been a really hard week for me, but extremely life changing for some. How can someone, wake up and decide to flip out and began to take another persons life. The Virginia Tech massacre is such a sad reality of how people that I even know, don't take life serious enough to destroy someone elses. It is very sad. I would sad indeed.
Well, I miss my friends that came down to visit me. Here is a little break down of who did what, who did who, and all that juicy jazz gossip. Thirsty Thursday was a huge success, which entangled 15 people, playing drinking games in my apt. Friday morning we enjoyed a nice massage, and then went into Dallas to check out the scene, downtown, west end, where they filmed Dallas from the 80's, we shot 9mm baby squirrels(which are guns, no we didnt shoot squirrels) at a shooting range.
Saturday was spent in Ft. Worth, meeting my girl Karla at the zoo, checking out the art scene, the cattle drive at Historic Stockyards, and then off to Sundance Square for a surprise concert with Trace Atkins and of course lots of beer, laughs, and the downtown water falls that just reopened. The concert was the main surprise, along with Ryan trying to be young again, and doing a complete face plant after jumping off a high ledge, oh to be young again??

Sunday, we woke up and went to church, then we dropped off Kimmie and Jeff at the airport. Cheryl, Ryan, and I went to the blue mesa Addison for an awesome free Sunday brunch and then off to the Texas Motor Speedway to check out all the rednecks tailgating. Monday morning was not too hard waking up from $2.00 Texas beers at one of my favorite bars the Flying Saucer. I ran them to the airport and then I was off to work. It was an awesome time, and I was able to meet Cheryl's boytoy Ryan, which I think will fit in just fine in the group that has more drama for their momma's. Peace, I m out.
living for an audience of ONE...

Going down "in the Garage" weekend...

has been a success. The gang made it in safe and sound Thursday night at 730pm, but we did have to wait for the baggage for 30 minutes, which sucked. Cheryl played a joke on me and told me that Ryan didn't come because they got in a huge fight and bailed out. When we almost got to the baggage claim, he all of sudden mysterly popped up. I got punked. Thirsty Thursday was a success.
Pictures to follow soon...
living for an audience of ONE...

Good Friday and Easter weekend in the south

a huge cold front came in last night and it is a bit nippy. Easter weekend will be a bit chilly, and I know there are forecasting ran for Sunday morning, Hopefully it will pass so all the church's who have planned for a sunrise service can still do it.
People have emailed me and really want to know if I enhanced my picture on my myspace account and the answer is no. I really look that good, kids and yes the wait is melting off. Check it out for yourself if you want.http://www.myspace.com/randypaulthompson

Looking forward to having a few friends from Omaha come and visit me, you can check out my calendar of events in my life on the front of my blog spot, or check them it out here.
Tomorrow night at 5pm, I am going to just one of Fellowshipchurch.com's 17 Easter services around the metroplex. Enjoy the weekend and have a happy Easter!!
living for an audience of ONE...

April Fools weekend download...

was a little uneventful, but still drama free.I'm trying to move beyond two people that were in my life, but are no longer. How does one do that? Better question how does that person go to sleep at night knowing that he is a fake, lying deceptive, manipulating bastard that only cares for himself. I guess the guilt will eat him alive. I am over past relationships, but the memories still haunt me. Does anybody have a way to get rid a manager, but not fire them, so they can't collect unemployment. Pass on the info.

This weekend at Fellowship it was supposed to be Ed Young Sr. and Ed Jr decided to do a remake version from 3 months ago as a Easter plug to invite our friends and family. Saturday night 2 friends and I went to an arena football game, that was really fun, came back to my place and chilled and threw the football.

The count down has begun, nine days till the gang is all here.

living for an audience of ONE...

Chicago will never be the same...

but I guess I wont be either. Nobody knew it, but I got in a day early and hung out with a friend of mine who just graduated from mortician school and lives in the heart of Chicago. He called me Tuesday morning and said when you get in tonight, I have a little meet and greet welcome to "Chicago party" for you. He picked up at the airport and went on the train to his funeral parlor that he owns. He saved 3 fresh bodies that just came in that morning for us to work on together and I told him I was really interested into see how death works and really trying to see if I could let go of my moms passing. I pumped blood out of the one, and sawed a guys chest in half to look at his heart and lungs to see what they look like after years and years of smoking. Oh yes, by the way....we did have to have a couple of martinis and nice blunt for me to even walk down the stairs of his house which is the mortuary house. Very cool and very intriguing how life works and ends.
Wednesday I spent by myself in solitude and that night meet Geoffry Carlson and his new boyfriend and we all went out for drinks in Wrigley ville, which is where they live. The next day I literally walked all around downtown Chicago until lunch when I met my good friend David Kelly from the Upstream where we use to work together. Friday afternoon I met my sister and niece and we checked out the whole Belmont District from 3pm until 9pm. TONS OF fun.

Saturday morning we woke up and drove down to Chicago for the dyeing of the river at 1045am and then walked to Balboa street for the noon time parade.We were able to keep a little warm with our first time to a Cerality Cafe. It was the first time me and my sister Debra and I had a really good time by ourselves hanging out together. My friend Brennan Sanders that I have known since 94 came down and spent the later part of the afternoon with us and him and I took the city, just us guys. After dodging all the drunk people that were running crazy through the streets of downtown Chicago for St. Patty's Day we had a nice relaxing dinner a few too many Guinness', and then off to Bin 36 to sample some wines. One of my favorite spots in Chi-town and it is right next door to the infamous House of Blues which is right on the river. It was an awesome weekend that confirmed to me that in a year I will be living in CHICAGO. Watch out chi-town, "Big Ran is coming back to the Midwest with a little Texas heat!" Count on IT

living for an audience of ONE...

Christmas Services pictures are out...

This year Fellowship took a huge step to really feed the need of Christ more in our life with a church wide fast. "Larger than Life" series was a huge success along with the famous wrestler who is a believer Hulk Hogan as co-speaker with Ed Young for this whole month. The last weekend of January we ended the series and fast with a church wide communion. The Saturday nights service was filled with a few Dallas Cowboys football players who helped out with the service. FC grapevine and Miami Florida campus gave away 2 pairs of free vip super bowl tickets with a camera crew that filmed this remarkable event the whole way.

We had a church wide "Larger than Life" new worship cd live taping and is now out and literally running off the shelves. People have been asking what the Christmas services looked like this year, check them out here. Just find Fellowship Church Gallery.
Looking forward to the next 3 days, my best friend from Omaha Matthew Smith will be in town to visit me since I have gotten out of the hospital. Matthew has been a rock and pillar of faith to keep pointing me in the direction that I always need to be moving... forward with my life. Thank you for all the time, energy, love and support you have shown me through this difficult time that you always said, "randall, your one of my best friends we will get through this, don't worry buddy, we will get through this." Friends are good God thing, that I don't take for granted.
living for an audience of ONE...

Where have I been???

That is a really good question many people ask, but only few will ever know the answer?. Its hard to see life through eyes that might be a little blurred. I have been gone for a while, but I am back and gaining strength. God leads us through valleys and mountains. I am praying that it will seem like more mountains will come my way, but the valleys have been also a good learning lab and honestly a true blessing in disguise.

I know this will be a shock to most people, but I have been in a psychiatric hospital for a while, due to overwhelming life circumstances that have deemed me to check my self in and get help. It was not easy, but with the support of many friends and family behind me, it made it a lot easier. I was very thankful for all the many people who came and visited me while I was there, and made my day go a lot faster waiting for that 6pm hour each evening to come so quick with anticipation of who was out there to visit me.

living for an audience of ONE...

Kool and Gang kicks off new series at FellowshipChurch.com

Fellowship kicked off a brand new series with no name, no title, just a simple smiley face kinda like the one from Walmart.
Its something that everyone wants. And we are willing to spend endless years, countless dollars and boundless energy looking for it. We think if we can just catch it, we will have it made.

But what does our search have to do with the life God wants us to live? Could it be that in our quest we have become distracted from discovering something greater?

We will see just how this plays out in our daily lives. And well learn just what it takes to stop the search and begin to actually live, "Outrageous, Contagious Joy".

It's a survival guide not to be happy, cause happines comes and goes, but to be joyful in all situations. Ed Young's new book relaease this weekend helped us kick off the new series along with the one of the singers of Kool and Gang to sing "Celebration". A very big black man came out from the glow of lights with dreads from his head and face beard, it was definetly a sight that only can happen at Fellowshipchurch.com.

living for an audience of ONE...

Welcome to the world.... Depression leaving my life...

I am hoping everybody had a an awesome New Years and welcomed in 07 in with a bang. Mine was very good, I went on my first blind date in over 8 years, yea I don't get out much do I? Her name is Dawn, and she is a smoking hot blonde, age 30 years old, and she's pretty cool. We did have a good time, who wouldn't going out with me?

I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME INTO THE WORLD, TWO OF MY BEST FRIENDS WHO HAD THEIR MIRACLE BABY. CONGRATS TO michelle & randall james ON THE NEW BUNDLE OF JOY. MACIE RENEE DECEMBER 21, 2006. SHE IS 7IBS, 2 OUNCES, 19 INCHES LONG. Can' wait to see the little one in August.

Life is getting alot better for me. I still have my moments, and once in a while a down day, but it is not so bad, that life seems to have to stop for me. I am so thankful to my friends for sticking by my side. David, has been such an encouragement to my soul, who was the one who really encouaraged me to get on medication. He is such an extreme blessing to me that anything that come up in my life, he is the first one to say, "Bro, we will make it through this, I am going to be there for you, no matter what, we will take care of this, don't worry." Those phrases have been a encouragement in the down times of life. All of my friends down here, including myself have noticed a 110% change in my life with this medication. Also thank you John and Shelly Ammerman for your listening ears, advice, support and a hand in finding a really good doctor. God brought you down here to help me out a little. Thank you.

living for an audience of ONE...