Dad Eats Paper Blizzard from DQ

This one made me laugh so hard I cried….maybe because it hit a little close to home (with more hair and less pleats of course)

$20 a Gallon Builds Community?

This morning on the Today Show, Matt Lauer interviewed Forbes Magazine writer and author of the recent book “$20 Per Gallon” Christopher Steiner Twitter:: @cpsteine

Their discussion was focused on what could or would happen as we reach certain price points per gallon over the next few years and maybe decades.  Here are a few of the key points, but feel free to enjoy the conveniently located video.

Price Points and Changes that may occur at those points:

$6.00 per gallon

• Death of the SUV
• Crumbling Road Infastructure
• Healthier & Safer Americans

“For every dollar the price of gas goes up, the obesity rate goes down 10% and saves America 11 billion dollars”

$8.00 per gallon

• Major Airlines Fold
• Vegas Resorts & Disney Close
• Families Live Closer Together

$14.00 per gallon

• Wal-mart Dies
• More Mom & Pop Stores
• Factories Return to the U.S.

$20.00

• 90% of Americans Live in Cities
• 70% of Americans Never Own a Car
• Nuclear Reactors Power Most Everything

The beauty of this is that it is a progression back toward ‘Main Street’, back toward the center of town, back toward people living, working, and playing within Walking Distance from their regular and favorite places.

Let’s not let it take $20 per gallon to push us to Community as we gather at our Third Places – let’s engage now in relationship with someone within walking distance.

Instrumental Third Places

Saturday I had the great privilege of watching students play at the Birmingham Jazz Hall of Fame; inside of The Carver Theater.

As I walked through the place, observing the many people who had played there before, I realized what an instrumental place this place had been to so many in the community.  Birmingham is still struggling to find their real identity in the Downtown area – but as I sat there watching this generation play music and letting the violin, the bass, the cello, the snare drum – serve as instruments for them to express and tell their story – I just have to believe and have hope that we are on the right track to restoring Instrumental Third Places in our cities and communities.

Thank you to Dr. Frank Adams and the wonderful group of musicians that have impacted lives for generations and who are leaving a legacy of sounds in our lives.

What Third Places have been Instrumental to your community and how can you breathe life back into them?

ARC Launches The Bug Conference

Yesterday was great start to many conversations that have the potential to change a lot of lives and communities.  The Association of Related Churches (ARC), along with Church of the Highlands, hosted a Social Media Clinic for church planters and existing churches.

Much love and thanks goes out to one of the greatest young leaders I’ve ever met – Guy Walker – who coordinated the event and provided great opportunities for conversation, connection, and new communities.

Presenters::

Maurilio Amorim // Shaun King // Greg Atkinson // Jeff Murphy

Lynse Stevens // Guy Walker // Doug  Foltz // Michael Trent

Third Place Consulting & Cafe Divine

Dirty Church launches thru Tokbox

This morning we launched the conversation of Dirty Church through the social media tool Tokbox – I think we had close to 40 people stop by and join the conversation.

Dirty Church is about recognizing that God is pleased when we use what He gives us. It is important that we don’t work so hard to keep our church facilities clean that we don’t allow them to get Dirty and used.

The Dirty Church Awards are being created in collaboration with The Idea Camp to bring awareness and conversation to the use of the buildings / facilities that churches have in their hands. We are building criteria or characteristics of a Dirty Church right now and would like for you to contribute and help us develop that; what makes a church a Dirty Church? Then, we will begin to create a few categories and open the discussion across social media to allow for nomination for the Dirty Church Awards.

Thanks to Charles Lee for his amazing help pulling off the launch. And thank you to the many who showed up to hear the heart and now share the story. You can join the conversation with us on Twitter (use #dirtychurch) or at The Idea Camp.

So You Think You Can Tweeter

I was recently asked, “So do I just go online and sign up for a Tweeter account and start Twittering?” My response:: “Step away from the computer sir before someone gets hurt!”

Wes Stafford and Pineapple

What a way to start my first day in Hawaii – first, the best pineapple I’ve ever had and then hearing Wes Stafford, President of Compassion International. Wes and I had a chance to speak and I am so honored and inspired by this man’s story and life.

Third Places Now & Next

Absolutely amazing – now this is what I’m talking about. Finally someone has put into a short video what I’ve been hearing, sensing, picturing, and believing for – watch, think, enjoy, change:

Bartender In Church – Illustrated

An amazing artist and friend created this after reading my blogpost: “So a Bartender walks into a church…”