Please head on over to here and vote for my dog.  Today is the last day and the polls will close at midnight.  Please vote 5 bones so we can win!!

thanks,
shelby

P.S. if you can't vote, clear your cookies in your browser and then vote.  In fact, if you want to do that all night, you can!!

Read the blog below and you know what is going down.  I just found out that you can vote everyday if you want.  Chester has dropped to 4 bone which will not win.  PLEASE HELP ME OUT!!

Click Here To Vote!!

Thanks,
Shelby

I am trying to get my dog in the Purina Dog Show in New York City and it all starts with a little online voting.  I need you to click on over and show my dog some love!!  If he is the highest rated in his class, HE WINS!!! 

If you don't know me, just act like you do for a brief minute and hook my dog up with 5 bones!!

Click Here To Vote!!!

Thanks,
Shelby

Check this website out.  You can get free Narnia on your iPod video.  Check It Out!!

If I subscribe to Napster and download all the music I want for $15 a month, could I not just burn that to a cd and upload that to iTunes and transfer to my iPod??  That would be a whole lot cheaper than $.99 a song.

Ok, so all of you probably thought that we had a baby.  Well, we didn't, sorry :(  BUT, we did go and adopt a new dog today.  His name is Chester.  Say Hi!!  He is a one year old 
Lhasa Apso.  He was abused and then taken to a shelter and now is part of our family!!!!  I am sure there will be some more pictures coming but I hope you enjoy this nice little matrix of pics.  Have a Good day!!


photo from scfutebol77

So, anytime that it is 25 degrees outside, you shouldn't ride your bike with no gloves!!!

LONDON, England (CNN) -- In the strange days of the 1980s, when cubes were Rubik and shoulders were padded, cell phones were the apex of executive luxury, despite weighing more than two pounds and boasting a battery life that wouldn't last until lunch (which was for wimps anyway)

.

Known affectionately as "the Brick" -- largely because it was the size of one -- the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X was introduced in 1983 to a public who would, for the most part, still have to spend another two decades queuing up to use slightly soiled phone boxes.

With a launch price of almost U.S.$ 4,000, Bricks were the preserve of the rich and powerful, who were often seen touting them as brash symbols of wealth in an era when stock markets soared almost as high as hairstyles.

But as prices plummeted and networks fanned out across the globe, cell
phones have become ubiquitous, their ring tones chirping everywhere from the boutiques of Beverly Hills to the arid plains of Afghanistan.

Sincethe advent of these cheap, mass-produced handsets -- manufactured byMotorola and rivals such as Nokia, Siemens, Sony Ericsson and Samsung-- the nattering classes who once saw their phones as status symbolshave been forced to swap gossip using same models as the rest of us.

Now, however, a new breed of device, perhaps more bling tone than ring tone, has begun to emerge, catering to customers who care little for
miniature movie cameras or built-in MP 3 players, but for whom talk is
never cheap.

In January 2002 Vertu, a newly-created independentsubsidiary of Nokia, unveiled a sleek collection of phones that wouldappear more at home in the window of an exclusive jewelry shop andcarried price tags -- roughly U.S.$5,000 -- to match.

'Best that money can buy'

Cased in precious metals such as platinum and gold and boasting features such as a sapphire crystal screen and jeweled bearings under each key, Vertu phones, the company says, are handmade to "set the standard for exquisitely crafted, high quality, luxury mobile communication."

To prove a point, the company recently launched a limited edition jewel-encrusted handset retailing for almost U.S.$84,000, stamping its
mark on a luxury phone scene that it already dominates. "Our phones are
the ultimate," Vertu spokeswoman Kathryn Robinson told CNN.

"They are designed to withstand being run over by a sports car. They have integrity of materials and design that other mobile phones do not."

Robinson says Vertu's phones appeal to "people who have achieved success in life and now want to have the best that money can buy" -- a client list that includes celebrities such as Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham.

But despite its obvious glamour, Vertu has done littleto impress phone experts. "They are basically nothing more than a bitof bling," Dan Maudsley, a journalist for Britain's What Mobilemagazine told CNN.

For Maudsley the current ultimate phone is the Sony Ericsson W800, a handset that combines communication device with a music player capable of storing several hours of music and, with a basic retail price of less than U.S.$ 500, far more practical.

"Nowadays anyone can have a designer label, but almost no one can afford a Vertu," he added.

"You've got to be made of money to have one, but as a phone they're pretty average," he said.

Combining both the luxury of the Vertu and the state-of-the-art technology of modern mobiles is a tiny European operation run by Austrian marketing manager-turned master craftsman, Peter Aloisson.

Rather than create his own handset, Aloisson has for the past few years been taking existing phones and customizing them with jewels and precious metals into Midas-touched replicas of their former selves.

Million dollar phone

"I knew that mobile phones would become part of daily life, and as with
all things that are part of daily life, such as watches or tie pins, there should be luxury versions of them," he told CNN.

Aloisson
currently produces about three phones per year, depending on orders
from his celebrity and wealthy clients, mostly retailing for in excess
of U.S.$30,000.

The Vienna-based craftsman says he is now workingon a cell phone that could claim the "ultimate" crown for good -- a special order for a German manufacturer that will cost in excess of U.S.$1 million.

"It will feature solid gold parts with an exterior covered with 2,590 natural blue diamonds, some of the rarest jewels on Earth," he said.

Although the phone is being constructed for marketing purposes, it will eventually be sold off, no doubt creating the world's ultimate phone bill.

So a few weeks ago, ok a 5 weeks ago, my bike was stolen from the Baptist Collegiate Ministries bike rack.  This really flipped my lid that someone had the guts to steal a bike at a God blessed establishment.(wow, i think I used some word that are big)  Any ways, I have totally been bummed out about it because this is my third, I repeat 3rd, bike stolen in my five years here at MTSU(Yes, i said five).

Just last night some friends and I were talking about our bikes because that is what we love to do.  And I said jokingly and in a high-pitched-funny-voice, "Loooooord, please cast conviction on whoever stole my bike. Bless the children in Anarticia, Amen."  ok so like total being a goof-ball.

Well this morning I receive a phone call from my wife ( i like using that word) and she says that my bike is sitting against the bike rack and she is going to put it inside the BCM.  I thought she was pulling out one of her sick jokes, but she was serious!!

So let me just say, I LOVE CONVICTION OF SIN!!!  I am so greatful that I got my bike back.  Now I have no reason to be late to class!!

Out like pump high-tops,
Shelby

So I saw today where "Cry Out To Jesus" by Third Day hit the number one most download song on iTunes in the genre of inspirational over, hold on, grab your pants, this may blind-sid eyou..."I Can Only Imagine".  What?  Is this song finally climbing down the ladder of, "The most overplayed song in the world and people still download it" list? 

If you haven't already heard, Jeremy Camp put out an acoustic unplugged album today.  If you are a Camp fan this is a must have for your collection.  This album combines his extrodinary lyrics with his heart-felt passion, overtop of the melodic notes that send you into a deeper passion to understand the creator. The purity of his voice and lyrics is allowed to shine, like light piercing through darkness.  Possibly his best work yet.

Go and get it!!  If you download it from iTunes you get the digital booklet.  $9.99 for 11 great songs and the artwork.  Must have!

If you don't know, I am a youth pastor at Rock Springs Church in Smyrna, TN and we meet at LaVergne High School.  This past wed. night we were going to having a huge event.  We had the band Clemency come out and we were giving away a video iPod and tons of other things.

Well, we arrive at the school to start to set up.  Clemency comes with their huge truck and trailer.  And we goto the front door to be met by two cops, custodial staff and the administration to tell us that we can no longer meet there on Wednesday nights.  So after a huge tuffle and intense fellowship (arguing) we couldn't meet there. 

We ended up turning away around 100 students, which looks bad on our church, and had to send Celemency back to Brentwood and call little Caesers and tell them we would not be picking up the 100 pizzas we order.

God has things happen for a reason.  I just wish he would hav told me that was going to happen before putting three month of planning and promotions into it.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.
May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

What will He do? He will sanctify us wholly. He will carry on the work of purification till we are
perfect in every part. He will preserve our "whole spirit, and soul,
and body, blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." He will
not allow us to fall from grace, nor come under the dominion of sin.
What great favors are these! Well may we adore the giver of such
unspeakable gifts.

Who will do this? The Lord who has called us out of
darkness into His marvelous light, out of death in sin into eternal
life in Christ Jesus. Only He can do this: such perfection and
preservation can only come from the God of all grace.

Why will He do it? Because He is "faithful"—faithful to
His own promise which is pledged to save the believer; faithful to His
Son, whose reward it is that His people shall he presented to Him
faultless, faithful to the work which He has commenced in us by our
effectual calling. It is not their own faithfulness but the Lord's own
faithfulness on which the saints rely.

Come, my soul, here is a grand feast to begin a dull month with. There may be fogs without, but there should be sunshine within.

Shelby

Would you rather have an unfaithful man or women that treats you like a queen/king 

Or

A faithful man or women that treats you like crap?

Just curious, I had to answer this today in class.

In Nebraska a gas station was offering gas for $.29 a gallon!! That's right, 29 pennies. The manager meant to put $3.29 but did not enter the "3". As the news leaked, a line formed for over 2 miles.



photo from scfutebol77

One man said that he filled his Dodge Ram Ful-Size truck for only...$4.00. Maybe somebody will be clumsy and gives us a break. The mamnger that made this mistake would not state her name but then was later on fired.

If you read the blog below this one, you will see that best buy really just hooks you up. Today, I will be going to Best Buy and picking up my new Video iPod which has 10 more GB of space and will be black...all for the low price of free!!!

Today is my new favorite day!!

Back in the spring of last year I entered to win a free iPod from Best Buy. After shopping for many month's i get a email confirmation saying that I won!!! Yay for me. It cam with a 3 year service plan and replacement policy. Well let's fast forward a few month to today and that is where my story begins...
Today itunes told me that my ipod was corrupted. I thought, well I have a service plan, let's use it. So I take my 20GB B/W iPod to Best Buy and they tell me the best new i heard all day. "We don't carry the black and white iPod's any more, but you can just go and pick up a color one and we'll replace this one."

So I get a 20GB iPod Photo for my old black and white one. I hope that Apple comes out with something cooler, because as long as it is under $300, I can replace my stuff for new things!!!

So I am on iTunes searching through the podcast on leadership or religion. As I am scrolling through the list of relegious podcast, I see a name that stuck out. I am pretty sure you all know who he is...Lane Wood. What Lane Wood?? Yup, has his very own podcast!! You should subscribe to his podcast and support his ministry in Manhattan. (goto podcast and search "Lane Wood") Sent him an email of encouragement and let him know that you are praying for him.

Also, while you are at it, email Nathan the same. Let these guys know that we support them and what God is doing through them in NY and NJ areas.

Rock On,
Shelby

Since Switchfoot did record this album in a studio and only in greenrooms on their tour. This album is creative and very well put together. If you didn't know, they would record a song, then ask their fans, wherever they were playing, if they liked it. With that kind of feedback, it is bound to be good.
This album is everything one can come to expect from Switchfoot with a major label release. The production has been significantly upped, leaving each song more lush and full than any recording the band's done previously, without compromising the song's raw energy.

The band has never been known as one that has an especially evangelistic message. So when the listener looks into the "everything is meaningless" messages that Nothing Is Sound adopts, finding the word "Lord" as the only potential reference to our Jesus (used thrice in one song), there really shouldn't be any surprise. The band's debut The Legend Of Chin possessed a similar subtlety.

But where Nothing Is Sound lacks in direct spiritual and Christian message, it makes up with hopeful or relevant writing. Songs like the hooky first single "Stars" point out the problems with being self-centered and the implication of something greater beyond ourselves. It also provides a slam on post-modernism. "Lonely Nation" Is my favorite. It shows a side of our world that maybe only christians may see. The view of our world is lonely and searching for something all the time, but missing it everytime. "Easier Than Love" is a beautifully blunt attack on the world's view on sex and love, declaring the obvious reason that "sex sells" in the media is because sex is easier than the more difficult and seemingly impossible "love." The catchy rock song opens with bold verses like "Sex is currency / She sells cars, she sells magazines / Addictive, bittersweet, clap your hands / with the hopeless nicotines..." It's songs like this that offer a message mainstream listeners seldom hear and probably doesn't even know what to do with. It's refreshing to say the least.

Ferociously catchy songs like "Lonely Nation," "Stars," and the Bob Dylan-inspired "Happy Is A Yuppie Word" drip with emotion and passion, all the while capturing a fine sense of the band's engaging live performances. The album is sensitive and desperate, while offering glimmers of light at the same time. "The Shadow Proves The Sunshine" is a rock ballad inspired by a fact-finding trip Switchfoot took to South Africa earlier this year to see for themselves what poverty and disease was doing to the country. "The Blues," which Foreman penned on New Years Day 2004, is a song about finding beauty in the world ending and resonates with the pretty laments of songs like "Let That Be Enough" from the band's second album. Musically, much of the album remains in the same vein as signature Switchfoot fare. The bittersweet ballads are all there, and the rock element that band has explored in recent years is worked further throughout the album's songs. But fans of the more stripped-down sound of their earlier releases may have a hard time swallowing the more produced approach.

Nothing Is Sound is a sonically rich album that fits nicely among the band's impressive discography, offering fans something new, but keeping it very much Switchfoot from start to finish. Whether or not the mainstream continues to embrace the band's music, Switchfoot remains to be one of the best bands in today's current music scene.

Life is Good!!

I have been following Switchfoot for forever. I got thier first CD when I was like 14,and have bought everyone since then. Well, today just got sweeter. I am chillin' in my PJ's watching some infomercial when the doorbell rang. I slowly get up and go to the door and guess who was there...SWITCHFOOT!!!

Ok, not really, but it was the postman with their new CD that doesn't even come out until Tuesday. On top of that, I received a free poster!! I love days like today!!



photo from scfutebol77

Then I pop it in my DVD player to find that Switchfoot was in my TV playing the CD in 5.1 Digital Surround Sound!! A DVD and a CD all in one!! The day just gets better!!



photo from scfutebol77