Look Who's Blogging!

Michelle, Marilyn & Will

Greetings! My name is Carl Jones and I used to be a blogger. Every day for the better part of 6 years I would post random thoughts and musings about life, faith friendship and love at this very spot and millions (Okay-tens!) of you would stop by to read each day. Then on November 2, 2015, it all came to an end. As the months passed there were a few random posts, most recently exactly 3 months ago yesterday. Much has transpired in my life since August, and most of it is now behind me. And as I face a future with a bit more free time and hopefully less stress, the urge to write again seems to be coming back. So today, I dip one of my 7 toes in the deep end. Whether I will dive in or not remains to be seen...

Let me try to get everyone caught up on life in Carl Land these past few months. Many of you know my Mom died on February 5th, and much of my time and energy since then has gone into finalizing her estate, cleaning out and selling her villa, and making her decisions and transactions related to her passing. It has been sometimes difficulty, sometimes painful, sometimes stressful and ever-present- and that is just the work. Dealing with Mom no longer being here continues to be a separate but equal difficulty. As I slogged through the process and dealt with call after call from real estate agents, lawyers, bankers, financial advisers and handymen it seemed certain that this was not survivable. To lessen the stress, I changed the ringtone for everyone related to the work to Don't Worry, Be Happy- and it helped! Even so there were numerous obstacles to overcome along the way in what seemed to be a never-ending process. Eventually we found our way through the system, completed the paper work, emptied her home and with the help of an amazing realtor named Carol Zior put the villa on the market. Last Friday we closed the sale, and Mom's home now belongs to lovely couple moving in from Raleigh, NC. The Circle of Life, huh?

Having whined a bit about how hard it all was, I should also tell you that my Mom had crossed every "t" and dotted every "i" in preparation of her passing. Nothing was difficult to find or to process from our end, no matter how difficult the banks and courts tried to make it. And Mom, even as she prepared to leave us, was still taking care of our family. Almost as soon as we started dealing with her death, we began to find indications of saved monies that we didn't know about. And it didn't stop for about the first month. Now, with the villa sold as well, Marilyn, Will & myself have a little surprise nest egg. I took a weekend away to NC and had a great visit with old friends (thanks for the cookout, Martha Farlow!) and some time to unwind. We have some new furniture for the first time in 10 years (my recliner was the only new piece purchased in those years). Marilyn and I will taking a Hawaiian vacation in August for our 30th anniversary. In November, Will & Michelle will join us for a long weekend in New York City. There have been several dinners where friends raised a glass to toast my mother even as she "paid" for it. It is is even possible that I may come out of this with a car of my own. Not new, but still...  God is good, and life is exciting these days. My Mom always came to our aid, even when we didn't ask for it. And now she has done it one last time! We all love and miss her, and her passing just makes me miss my Dad that much more as well.

Marilyn is doing well, working hard and finding ways to spend time at Disney. Her skills in the legal field and as a notary were crucial in expediting all of the paper work dealing with Mom's estate. We look forward to having the resources to do some of the things we have been unable to do for the last decade as we approach that 30th anniversary.

It is also my pleasure to report that our dear friend Lisa Jewett is doing very well. After months of chemo treatments and surgeries her cancer is in remission (but please keep praying!) and her gallbladder has gone bye-bye! She feels the best she has in a very long time and is getting in great time with family and friends before resuming teaching in August. It has been an honor to walk with her through this rough patch, and now we look forward to lots of fun!

Our son Will continues his outstanding work in the film school at the University of Central Florida and at the Olive Garden located near the campus. He is taking three online classes this summer, and they begin today. He and Marilyn spent Mother's Day weekend in NC with her mom (who could use your prayers too- her health is very up and down right now) and had a great time together. And he and Michelle are still going strong!

So I guess that catches you up with my life. It's nice to be writing again, and I think there will be more to come- just not every day. There is so much craziness going on in the world that I have yet to comment on- bathroom laws, Donald Trump and a GREAT Chicago Cubs team- and maybe the interwebs could use one more slightly off-kilter voice. As my Dad liked to say, your future is unwritten until you write it. I'm plowing ahead, seeking to write a new chapter in my own life. You are invited along for the ride!

Because of Jesus,

It's the End of the Blog As We Know It...

November is upon us, and the next couple of months promise to be full of challenges and adventures. My work as chauffeur, personal assistant, official hand-holder and nurse to my dear friend Lisa Jewett will continue. After her surgery on the 10th she will be living with us for several weeks during her recovery period. On the 17th of the month Marilyn, Will and I will be seeing the original Beach Boy Brian Wilson live in concert in St. Pete. There's a phone upgrade in my future. Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. In December we will have Will at home on break for several weeks. There is the excitement of the Christmas season. And on the 18th Will, Marilyn, Michelle (and her brother Alex) and I will celebrate Lisa's birthday by seeing Star Wars: The Force Awakens - in 3D. Tickets have been purchased. Life is going to be interesting. But will it be blog-worthy?

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that, "There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth..." The seasons of life keep turning. Since August 26, 2009 it has been the right time, as well as a pleasure and a blessing to write this blog. It has given me focus, a chance to dedicate myself to something worthwhile, and an opportunity to reconnect with many old friends. It has also helped bring new people into my life who have taught me much about grace and friendship. But now, after 1900+ posts, it feels like the right time to stop. It is simply a matter of inspiration- or a lack thereof. Lately there have been more and more recycled posts and deeper struggles with creating new material that are not too intensely personal. Everyday my heart and my mind turn to the same subjects and the same issues, and it feels like I am wearing them out. So today is the day. It's the end of this blog as we know it- and I feel fine.

From the beginning, this blog has been about the things Jesus has done and is still doing in my life. It's been about the people who mean the most to me and the events that have shaped me. I've shared my biggest failures, my joys and my sorrows, my pain and my happiness. I wrote a novel and shared it with you. I have shared stories of faith and doubt. Through this venue my life has been an open book. But now it is time for a new chapter. To paraphrase Olivia Newton-John, I love you guys- but right now we all know I've got somewhere else to go. Going forward, it is my hope that God will inspire me to reach out and to tell my stories in new ways. For the foreseeable future there will only be posts here if there is important news to share or respond to. You can still find me on Twitter, by e-mail (Youthguy07@aol.com) or by phone (813-919-3755). But until further notice this blog will still be here, but will remain dormant.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have supported me with comments, words of encouragement and simply by taking the time to read my words. It's been a great run. Please understand that this is not a bad thing- there is nothing wrong with me, nothing that is dragging me down. I just need some time and space for my head and my heart, and I have important work to do in the days ahead. I covet your prayers, and look forward to our future adventures together. Please stay in touch, and if it's not asking too much, "keep me in your heart for a while..."

Because of Jesus,

Friday Frustrations

When you try to blog most every day like I do, there are going to be days when you just feel like you have nothing to say. That is normal, and those days can be dealt with fairly easily. It's days like today that are more difficult. There are lots of things on my my mind and in my heart that I could write about- things that are right on the edge of bursting out! And every single one of them is something that needs to be kept inside. Just because there are things that I need to say does not mean that you need or want to hear them. For instance...

• There are so many things on my mind about issues like politics, patriotism and nationalism. But my views would be divisive, even among my closest friends. And no good ever comes from starting arguments about politics. So I won't.
• There are so many people I could write about today. People that I love, people that are hurting, people who are angry at me, people who are disappointed in me, people who need me, and people who don't understand me- so many people. The ones who weigh the heaviest on my heart- the ones who give me reason to write- are the very ones I cannot write about today because my emotions are running too high and my heart is pounding too fast. So that must wait.
• I could write about my beloved baseball, where the World Series is about to begin. But the truth is that I have ignored baseball this summer with far too many other things on my mind, and to write about it now just so I can have a blog post today seems nearly hypocritical. Plus the Cubs are out now, so what's the point...
• One of the things that has been on my mind a lot lately is how easily we do the right things for the wrong reasons, and how sometimes what society sees as the wrong thing is exactly the thing we need to do. But that post would confuse us all- including me.
• I could write one more time about how important it is to live in the moment, to seize the day and to enjoy very sandwich. But the truth is that for me this is a day I don't really feeling like seizing. It's more of day of introspection and "what ifs?" And that's okay...

So today I'll just have to not write about any of those things. Life is filled with stops and starts, with fun and frustrations. The key is always moving forward. Have a blessed weekend my friends.

Because of Jesus,

I'm 6 Years Old Today!

On August 26th of 2009, just weeks after being inspired by the movie Julie & Julia, I began writing a blog. Writing had always been a passion of mine, and blogging seemed like a good way for me to get some discipline back in my very scattered life. My goal was to post something every day for a year- 365 posts - and then re-evaluate. Initially the purpose was to tell stories about my days in youth ministry, which had ended in 2007. And that is what I did- told stories, remembered people and places and celebrated the love of Jesus in my life. Today we arrive at the 6th birthday of this adventure with some 1900 posts having been shared here. I'm still telling stories and still reminding myself and my readers that life is all about Jesus. And along the way we've shared some remarkable things...

• We have relived the great adventure of my life, the 28 years I spent in student ministry. We traveled back to Centre Friends Meeting (1978-79), New Garden Friends Meeting (1979-1983), New England Yearly Meeting of Friends (1985-1986), Springfield Friends Meeting (1986-1994), First United Methodist Church of Kissimmee (1994-2000), Union Church of Hinsdale (200-2001), Wesley Memorial UMC of Tampa (2001-2005) and Trinity UMC of Waycross (2005-2007). Telling the old stories has been a blast; hearing from readers at every one of those stops along my journey has been simply the best! I've also been able to share a a little of the wisdom I accumulated over the years with a new generation of youth pastors, making new friends along the way. It's all been a blessing!
• You've been here to watch my family change and experience life. You've been a part of our birthdays, anniversaries, accomplishments and struggles. You encouraged and loved me when I could "Cross the Bridge" after my probation was terminated in 2014, and wept with us when Disney banned me a few months later. You were there when Will graduated high school, when I was diagnosed with diabetes and became 7 Toe Jones and when Marilyn's dad passed away. Most recently you shared with us as our beloved Conner Dog passed away and Will moved into his new college apartment. The pages of this blog have been filled with emotion. Thank you for being here for us.
• This has been a place to celebrate friendship, from my very oldest friends right up through the wonderful people I have met via Twitter. I have said here before that one of the reasons I have survived the pitfalls of life is that I have the best friends in the world. That has not changed.
• Many of you offered love and support when I shared the stories of my own fall from grace and the aftermath of that sin. There were people who advised against sharing those tales, saying some readers would be disappointed and others would run away. And that did happen. But the love, grace and mercy shown by those who stayed let me know that telling those stories was the right thing to do. Thanks to so many of you for showing me what it looks like to encounter Jesus with skin.
• You have grown with me. In the earliest days of this blog I was ecstatic to have 1200 page views in a month. In July of 2015 there were 21,000. Each of the 6 posts in my Beach Boys countdown got more than 1200 hits eventually. The excepts from my novel, Even Better Than Before, were widely read as was my series on the justice system. While still on the small end of big-time blogging, knowing more people are reading is exciting for me. And the number of folks tuning in every Tuesday to read my thoughts about the #NarrowRoad continues to astonish me- and to remind me that my ministry is a long way from being finished. Truth be known, I would love to preach again somewhere along the road...
• We have prayed together. You have prayed for me and I have prayed for you. We have lifted up those who are hurting, those who are sick and those who have suffered loss. We have celebrated great achievements and prayed for new parents and their children. The Saturday Shouts Outs have long been a place to share prayer requests, and that will continue as we move forward. Being bound together in Christ's love means being bound together in prayer. This blog has always attempted to celebrate that.
• You have allowed me to approach this blog the same way I have always tried to approach life and ministry- wholistically. That's not really a word, but it is a mindset. It means recognizing that all of life ties together. We tend to make boxes for God, boxes for family, boxes for culture and so forth, when in fact life is one giant box. And God made the box! Remember, "all good things come from God," not just the things we talk about in church! I've shared about music and movies, about politics and religion, about faith and doubt and about silly, ridiculous things- and you guys have accepted it all. Even my rants didn't cause too many of you to run away screaming! Most bloggers are niche writers, focusing on one major topic. My topic has been life, and my belief that all of life is about Jesus. Thank you for giving me that freedom for these 6 years.

We head into year #7 with my life in a bit of an uproar. Will is at college, Conner is gone and dear friends are battling insidious diseases. I am at a bit of a loss of what to with myself, and that includes what direction this blog will go next. But it will go forward simply because I need it to. I need the outlet, the discipline and to keep my creative juices flowing. So thank you for sticking with me. It's been a wild ride- and I have no reason to believe it won't keep getting wilder! Let's meet back here again tomorrow and start a new year together. And as a bit of a tease, how about this news- on Friday there will be a new inductee into my Hall of Fame for the first time in over a year. Curious? That's the idea. Always leave 'em wanting more, right?  Much love to you all!

Because of Jesus,

Thank You, Readers!

As I have mentioned before, this little blog is not like the big boys. I don't get hundreds of thousands of visitors each day. I have gotten nearly 500,000- spread out over almost 6 years. You are currently reading a proverbial little fish in the blog pond! And yet somehow the number of readers we do attract here continues to surprise me. July has been a good great PHENOMENAL month so far. Over the years my most read posts have occasionally drawn 500 visits in a 48 hours period, an event which in my mind qualifies a post as Certified Gold. In the very best of times there have been two or three of those in a month. The normal visitor count is more like 275. In June we had a record month and there were 11 that hit 500, including 6 in one week. So far in July, fueled by my popular (and often commented on) countdown of songs from The Beach Boys...well, let's allow the posts and the numbers to speak for themselves. Here are the 48 hour totals for my July top 7...and it's only the 18th. Links are included in case you missed any of them.

1. 10 Things I DON'T Miss About Youth Ministry (593 views)
2. Do We Really Believe in Grace? (572)
3. Celebrating THE Great American Band (559)
4. My Beach Boys Countdown: 55-45 (547)
5. My Beach Boys Countdown: 44-34 (521)
6. Saturday Shout Outs! (506)
7. Fun With Flags (504)

#1 and #3 have both passed the 1000 view landmark at this point, with THE Great American Band becoming top 5 all-time. Several others have approached the magical 500 plateau, making this already one of my best months ever, and I am pumped!!! The analytics on my blog allow to me to see from which states and countries people visit, and what link they clicked (Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc.) to find us here. What they cannot tell me is WHO is stopping by! I know there are new people reading the Beach Boys posts, because they are leaving comments. I sometimes know when Facebook friends are reading because they comment there or *like* the links we post. Ditto for Twitter, just with *favorites* and retweets. This modest effort of a blog began in 2009 in the hopes that old friends and former youth might enjoy hearing some of my old stories. It has become much more than that, especially to me, and I confess I do love to discover who my readers are. It is my mission now to inspire, entertain and occasionally even educate through my writing here. This month has revitalized me, and I look forward with great anticipation to what lies ahead.

Why do I say all of this today? It's my typically long-winded way of saying "THANK YOU!" to every person who has taken time to read one of my posts. You have blessed me in ways you cannot know. Enjoy you weekend, and live life with passion and gusto. Love you guys!

"Enjoy Every Sandwich"

My (blog) Week in Review

Marilyn and Lisa Jewett are off to WDW again today and Will is working a double- so beware! I'll be looking for mischief to get into- today. But tonight will be all about the hockey. It's the always crucial Game 5 here in Tampa. So let's go Bolts!!!

When you write a small and for the most part insignificant blog like this one your expectations are very low and very personal. It is always my hope that a few people will read what I write. There is an effort made to write with style and some quality and there is effort put into saying at least a few things that matter. And it is always my hope that through sharing here others will be encouraged and inspired. Some days these goals are met, others they are not. But every now and then, like a gambler at the tables or a hitter in baseball, I get on a streak. This past week has been one such time. Whenever an individual post on this blog gets over 500 hits in a 48 hour period my silly brain thinks of it as Certified Gold. That's not many for the big boy bloggers, but it's a lot for me. These days it usually happens 2 or 3 times each month. Starting last Saturday, every post this week except for Thursday's (a repeat about lock-ins and sardines) was a "certified gold" post! That is exciting and encouraging for two reasons. One, it means people are reading. And two, these posts were very personal and among my favorite to write, so it was wonderful for them to be seen in such large numbers. So thank you all!

In fact, I loved these "golden" posts so much that today I want to give you a simple way to get a second chance at all of them! Below you will find direct links to the posts and a brief description of each. If you missed them, here's a chance to catch up. If you read them, here's a chance to read some posts that are very important to me a second time. I don't usually toot my own horn, but...TOOT TOOT! Enjoy!

Saturday Shout Outs - Prayer requests, announcements, a Stanley Cup premonition, and lots of updates on my personal philosophies of life.
It Was One Year Ago Today... - A few thoughts on my ongoing banishment from Walt Disney World- and the bigger picture of my life.
Probation Frustration - What life was like during my 7 years of probation- both for me and for my family.
"This Now Defines You" - The disaster that was the 4.5 years of mandatory therapy I received while on probation. Readers have been stunned!
The Song That Never Ends - An update on what life is like now, over a year after my probation was terminated. 
Throwback Thursday: Marathons & Sardines - Great moments from my youth ministry past!
The Theology of Jimmy Buffett - Yesterday's post was actually a flashback (it had been posted before) but was read by a WHOLE lot more people this time around. And I still love it! Plus there's more of my personal philosophy of life contained within. :)

So there it is- my blog week in review! Again, thanks for reading and making this week special. I do love my readers...

Because of Jesus,

Thank You

In August of 2009 this blog began as a way for me to write down some stories and put some daily discipline back in my scattered and battered life. Since then there have been over 1700 new posts shared here, and it has been a true blessing in my life. In the beginning, it didn't matter to me if anyone was reading- and that was a good thing, because no one was! Over time that has changed. In fact, in the first 17 days of April there were more individual page views to this blog than there were TOTAL views during my first 14 months of writing. There were more visitors to yesterday's post than total views in the first 6 months of this blog's existence. While still a very small blog by many standards, it has become more than I would have ever dreamed of in the beginning. So today, to all of you who read or have ever read and shared in this journey with me, I want to simply say

You have been such a support and offered so much encouragement to me over these years, and you are much appreciated. Hang with me, my friends. There is much more to come...

Because of Jesus,

343,721

Recently I have been pondering the future of this blog. The number of page views for my efforts here recently passed 400, 000 and that seemed very cool. And on some level, a little impressive. After all, I began this blog over 5 years ago with the expectation that I would write every day for one year and no one would ever read it. It was just for me, to give me something to commit to and put some discipline in my daily life. So to have lasted so long and had so many people read my posts and encourage me has been a true blessing and very unexpected. But I am also very aware that for REAL bloggers- the famous ones- 400,000 page views is a bad DAY of blogging. I have never been one to worry about how popular my blog is, but on Saturday my curiosity go the better of me. I used some online analytics to find out where this little blog ranks among U.S. bloggers. I then tweeted out the results:

Recent data suggests that I am among the top 343,721 bloggers in North America. So I've got that going for me... #StayingHumble

343, 721. I mean I knew it wasn't Top 100 or anything, but still, it seemed awfully sad. The world chooses to read over 347,000 blogs each day before they turn to mine for wisdom, insights, laughs and encouragement. It was depressing. But then I began to consider the silver lining of this new information. There are several million bloggers in our country, which means there are at least a million bloggers who have fewer readers than I do. True confession- there may have been a small celebratory dance following that revelation! While discovering my blog is not among the most popular hurt a bit, realizing it is not among the least popular was a moment of pure joy. Everything is relative, huh?

There is still some question in my mind as to whether this blog continues to meets a need among my friends and my readers. There are days when there seems to be little response to my posts and I wonder if my words still speak to people. But just like my reaction to the analytics, everything is relative. It these words speak faith, hope and love to one person each day...I'm good with that. It not about breaking in to the the top 300,000. It's about touching lives. So if you are reading this, thank you! You have brought me much joy and encouragement, and I hope I have done the same for you. And together, we'll keep going. Have a great week!

Because of Jesus,

Five Years Old

Today's post will be unlike most of my ramblings- it's short, sweet and to the point! Today marks the 5th birthday of this blog. Five years of rants, insights, laughter and telling you more about me than you ever wanted to know! Five years of of anew ministry in my life. Five years of reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. I have poured a lot into this blog- but it has given so much more back to me. 

So today we celebrate, and look forward to another year together. Thanks so much to all of you for being along for the ride. Happy Birthday, Blog! I never thought you'd make it to 5...

Because of Jesus,

I'm Taking the Day Off

I am not showing up for work today. At least not this job...blogging. This week's 30/30 Vision Blog Challenge post will just have to wait. But I didn't want to just not be here at all, and it seemed to me like I should probably offer an excuse for my absence. So to borrow the classic Irish bar song Why Paddy's Not At Work Today, here's why I'm not here today...

Dear Sir I write this note to inform you of my plight 
And at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight 
My body is all black and blue, my face a deathly gray 
I write this note to tell why Carl's not at work today 

While working on the fourteenth floor, some bricks I had to clear 
And to throw them down from off the top seemed quite a good idea 
But the gaffer wasn't very pleased, he was an awful sod 
He said I had to cart them down the ladder in me hod. 

Well clearing all those bricks by hand, it seemed so very slow 
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured the rope below 
But in my haste to do the job, I was too blind to see 
That a barrel full of building bricks is heavier than me. 

So when I had untied the rope, the barrel fell like lead 
And clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead 
I took off like a rocket and to my dismay I found 
That half way up I met the bloody barrel coming down. 

Well the barrel broke my shoulder as on to the ground it sped 
And when I reached the top I banged the pulley with me head 
I held on tight, though numb with shock from this almighty blow 
And the barrel spilled out half its load fourteen floors below 

Now when those building bricks fell from the barrel to the floor 
I then outweighed the barrel so I started down once more 
I held on tightly to the rope as I flew to the ground 
And I landed on those building bricks that were scattered all 
around. 

Now as I lay there on the deck I thought I'd passed the worst 
But when the barrel reached the top, that's when the bottom burst 
A shower of bricks came down on me, I knew I had no hope 
In all of this confusion, I let go the bloody rope. 

The barrel being heavier, it started down once more 
And landed right on top of me as I lay on the floor 
It broke three ribs and my left arm, and I can only say 
That I hope you'll understand why Carl's not at work today. 

I hope your Friday will be much better than that! See you here tomorrow. Oh...and for those of you who care, the novel passed 18,000 words yesterday. Woohoo!  Be blessed, my friends!

Because of Jesus,

1500

On August 26, 2009, I began this blog with the intention of posting for 365 consecutive days and telling stories about my years in student ministry, my adventures in life and the impact of Jesus on myself and everyone around me. I did just that. I never knew if anyone was reading in those early days, but I kept writing just for me. Since that time I have sometimes wandered off into other areas and sometimes taken a break from blogging, but through it all I have loved being able to share here everyday. There are people who read occasionally, people who read religiously and people who read once and never return. I have reconnected with many old friends and told many old stories. I have also been able to share what is happening now in the lives of friends and family. It has been a remarkable experience- and in many ways a new ministry for me. And today you are reading the 1500th post on I'd Laugh...But All This Happend To Me! I certainly never saw this coming back in 2009...

So where have we traveled in these 1500 posts? We returned to my home at New Garden Friends Meeting, which was also my first big youth ministry position, for 50 posts. I have returned often to Quaker Lake Camp (60 posts). There have been 30 posts with a New York City label, 12 for Atlanta and 19 remembering Myrtle Beach. We traveled to New England Yearly Meeting for 9 posts and to the Union Church of Hinsdale for 42. My amazing years at Springfield Friends Meeting have filled 154 posts, and adventures to Walt Disney World accounted for 54 more!  We've spent 181 days revisiting my time at the First United Methodist Church of Kissimmee. My years at Wesley Memorial UMC in Tampa accounted for 63 posts and Trinity UMC Waycross was labeled 20 times. The Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Convention garnered 23 mentions. Throw in Spanish Wells and Night Of Joy (3 each) and you see that the places I have been are well documented!

The people I have known - old friends and new- have dominated these pages as well. I have shared about Influences (27 posts) and those who are in my youth ministry Hall of Fame (46 posts). There have been 59 editions of the Saturday Shout Outs! And there have been numerous posts dedicated to special people that I love more than words can express. I have also written about things I love- Quakers, youth ministry, baseball, movies, How I Met Your Mother, music and so many more. And I have written dozens of post to remind people that from the very beginning this blog has been all about the love of God whose name is Jesus and the grace, love and mercy he has for us all. Some of my favorite posts can be found under the labels Jesus Revolution, Ragamuffins & Radical Christianity.

I was not alone in reaching 1500. My son has written several posts for me. There have been 3 series of guests posts over the years- Encounters With God, My Best Days and the ongoing #DangerDays series. Even my dog wrote a couple of guest posts.

There have been other landmarks along the way. Early on I did a weekly countdown of my 50 favorite Contemporary Christian albums of all-time, up to 2007. I both started and later killed Comment Day. We tried to #SaveThanksgiving. I wrote about the Republican National Convention being here in Tampa, about Bruno Mars at the Super Bowl, about how Barbeque is a noun not a verb and about the Grilled Cheesus episode of Glee, which is still one of my most popular posts. And very recently I wrote about how I would change the United Methodist Church if were I their "pope" for a day- a post which to this point has been seen over 5000 times. I have learned that you just never know what people are going to read.

But for myself and many other readers, far and away the most important posts I have written were confessional, revealing my story of sin, failure, grace and redemption to the world. To many these posts seemed brave and risky. To me, they were a chance to express what God was doing in my life through the mistakes I had made and the consequences of them. If you never have, click this My Journey tab and read those stories. They are indeed a tale of there and back again...

1500 is a big number, and it requires a big THANK YOU! I would have never gotten here without the encouragement, comments, retweets and hugs from so many of you. If you have read much of my stuff at all, then you know that I believe ministry is all about relationships and community. I believe in the Acts 2 church. I hope that this blog has helped to provide support and encouragement in faith for many of you just as it has for me. I don't know where I'm going next, but I do know there will be a new post tomorrow, and I know that many of you will go there with me. And that has been a constant blessing in my life- 1500 times now. 

Because of Jesus,

30/30 Vision: A Blog Challenge

In my attempt to be more organized and intentional with my blogging this year, I have borrowed ideas from a number of sources and come up with 30 posts about 30 different topics I want to write about in 2014. Each Friday (OK- probably MOST Fridays!) I will take on one of these subjects- and I would love to have some of you join me. You can use this list whenever and however you see fit, but it would be fun to have a few other bloggers along for the ride. Here's my list and a brief description of what I have in mind. 

1. Where Is Home?  -Not where do you live now- where is home? What's your One Particular Harbor where you feel most comfortable at most at ease?
2. Your First Job  -Could be your first part-time position, or your first "real" job. Take this any direction you like!
3. Top 5 Pet Peeves  -What is it that REALLY gets under your skin? And no sugar-coating. Be honest!
4. A Favorite Scripture Verse or Passage  -And why it is significant in your life.
5. Junk Foods You Can't Refuse  -Some people call them "Comfort Foods." What are the foods you know you don't need, shouldn't have, but want anyway when life gets messy?
6. Favorite Childhood Toys  -What a toy (or toys) do you remember with great joy from your younger days?
7. Top 5 Favorite Movies  -Of all-time. Any category, any style. The 5 movies you could take to a deserted island and watch over and over and over again.
8. Favorite Event (concert, sport, etc.) You Have Ever Witnessed Live  -Not on TV. You had to be there!
9. 10 People (living or dead) You'd Invite To Dinner  -And remember, they have to interact with one another as well as with you. :) Bonus points for also creating a menu!
10. Today's Playlist  -Hit shuffle on your MP3 player or phone and tell us the first 10 songs that play. No cheating!
11. 5 Friends You Wish You Could See Today  -Five people you love and miss that you would kill to be able to see TODAY. And why them?
12. If You Could Travel Anywhere...  -Where would you go and why?
13. Your Earliest Memory  -Dig deep, my friends!  
14. Twelve Interesting Facts About You  -And give us the dirt!  It says interesting!
15. What's Something You're Afraid of? 
16. A Book You Could (or have) Read Over & Over Again  -If you could only take one book to that aforementioned deserted island...
17. One Big Regret  -You get one life mulligan. One do-over. What do you do with it?
18. Your Top 5 TV Shows Ever  -And yes, you are limited to 5. No "pulling a Carl" and having a bunch of ties!
19. One Question for God  -You are granted a face-to-face with the Almighty, and you get one question. What would it be?
20. If You Had $100,000 To Spend...  -What would you do with it?
21. One of Your Best Days
22. 3 Songs That Bring Back Memories  - Three songs that are attached to very specific memories...and why they stir those thoughts in your mind.
23. Who Would Play You In a Movie Version of Your Life?
24. Two Friends Who Don't Know Each Other That You Wish You could Introduce  -I really like this one. Who are two people that you love but who do not even know each other? Why do you think they would become fast friends?
25. 10 Fictional Characters You'd Invite To Dinner  -From books, movies, TV shows or whatever. And yes- they can be animated characters!
26. The Worst Job You Ever Had
27. One Surprising Truth About You  - Something that even people who know you well might be surprised to hear.
28. Someone (not a family member) Who Had Great Influence On Your Life
29. A Favorite Vacation Memory  -From any time in your life. What's one vacation memory you will never forget?
30. 5 Things From Your Bucket List  -What haven't you done that you need to get done before you kick the bucket?

So there you go. Starting next Friday, I'll begin at the top and work my way down, one post each week. It will be interesting to see what I learn about myself. Who's gonna' join me? Have a great weekend, my friends!

Because of Jesus,

The Hype & Hot Air of Blogging

I feel a rant coming on...

At this point in my life, I can say with some confidence that I know a thing or two about blogging. In addition to having written over 1300 posts in the past 4+ years, I read quite a few blogs each day. Most of the posts I read regularly fall loosely under the category of Christian Blogs. Lately I have been wondering to myself why it is that some of these blogs seem to pass by mostly unnoticed by the online community while others seem to explode, sometimes turning the authors into "stars." There seems to be little rhyme or reason. Then my wondering turned into a tweet- "It occurs to me as I read today that blogs are like stocks. Some are WAY undervalued, while others are nothing but hype & hot air." Today I'd like to explore that thought just a little more...

Among the blogs I read daily (or however often they post) are several by well-known authors. These blogs get thousands of hits each day, often with hundreds of comments. And some of them are very deserving of the attention. Writers like Rachel Held Evans, Shane Claiborne, Donald Miller and Jon Acuff seldom disappoint, either with content or style. There are others, however, whose popularity confounds me. One of the nicest compliments I ever received was from a college English professor in a congregation I served, who upon hearing me preach said, "That was excellent! Not only did you say good things, but you said good things well!" Some of these "famous" writers do neither, and they do it on a regular basis. I am not speaking of point of view; there will and should be differences there. I am speaking of writing with creativity and saying things that make a difference. Far too many famous bloggers seem more interested in selling their books or lining up speaking engagements than in communicating through their posts- which is fine if that is their goal. What I don't understand is why the online Christian community glorifies these efforts with seemingly universal approval and overwhelming support, when there are far more excellent and meaningful blogs going completely unnoticed.

Let me give you an example. As you can imagine, I read a lot of posts each day that have to do with one of my passions, youth ministry. There is one particular blog I have been reading most every day for several years now. It is always honored as one of the top student ministry blogs on all the lists that worry about such things. It is written by a veteran youth pastor who seems to be dedicated (I do not know him personally) and gifted in his ministry, and his readership is quite large for a Christian blog. His blog links are often retweeted by others on Twitter and lifted up as something we all need to see. I read his posts as often as I can in the hopes of discovering something I have not yet seen, because from what I have read so far...the blog sucks! The writing is stale with the exact same format every day, and the content, while sound, never explores new ground or pushes anyone outside of the box. It simply makes 3 points each day that have been made hundreds of times in hundreds of other places. And yet this blog is lifted up as high quality Christian writing that will be of help to those in ministry. Meanwhile I read numerous other "unknown" youth ministry blogs from people I have connected with through Twitter that are far superior in every way, but because the authors are not "connected" much of the world doesn't know they exist. This is true throughout the Christian blogosphere, not just in student ministry. The best posts I read each day are from writers who wonder if anyone is seeing their work, but who persevere anyway. Or who don't. Many fall by the wayside. And it frustrates me to no end that we can't seem to get their amazing work in front of a larger audience.

I have tried to get the word out over the past few years, publishing lists of my favorite blogs with links and encouragement (see Bloggers You Should Know), but the simple truth is I am not "connected" either. If my analogy is correct, and blogs are like stocks, then what we need are some high-powered sales people pushing these great writers to the front of the line. A shout out from the aforementioned Jon or Rachel would do wonders for these struggling yet gifted writers. A mention from any Christian leader with tens of thousands of Twitter followers could change the tide. So much of blogging popularity seems to be about knowing the right people instead of being about having the right stuff. And readers are missing out on some life-changing writers because there are no brokers to champion their work.

Please know that this is NOT about this blog. My writing is all over the place (sports, personal stories, entertainment, spiritual...I lack focus!), exploring different topics for different audiences on a regular basis. I don't know SEO from SRO. For the most part my posts are about my faith and life, and not controversial or slanderous- things that seem to attract blogging fame. I write for my own enjoyment and am happy when anyone reads along, and to be honest, I have far more readers than I ever imagined when this endeavor began in 2009. But if you want to read some wonderful posts from deserving writers, check out my friends Brent Bill, Amy Nabors or Jason Huffman. Check out the great blogs Love Woke Me Up This Morning or Extraordinary Living. Seek out the writers who are interesting to you. And when you find them, spread the word. There are many who deserve to be heard. And some very famous ones who are just full of hot air. That's one man's opinion...

Because of Jesus,

How To Leave a Comment

I'm praying for my friend Ashley Goad today as she embarks on another mission to Haiti. You can read more about Ashley tomorrow...

There has been a very interesting phenomenon taking place on this blog for the past few weeks, and it has left me a bit a bit flummoxed. According to my official Blogger statistics, I am in the midst of the largest surge of visitors and readers in the 4 year history of this endeavor. I can remember a time when I was excited to receive 25 page views in a 24 hour period. More recently, an excellent day featured 300 visitors. But for the past few weeks, the numbers have way up, including several days with over 1000 page views and more than 500 visitors.  While it is exciting to any blogger to think that their posts are being consumed by more people, it has left me wondering about a few things. Who are these people?  How did they find this particular blog? And perhaps most importantly of all...why aren't more people leaving comments?

I have several theories about the answer to that pressing question. I realize it is possible that my writing doesn't move many people to respond. I choose to ignore that possibility and keep searching. It is also possible that many of these new visitors arrive here by accident or computer error and therefore never actually read anything. I can live with that one. Or that there is some malfunction in the cyber world that allows only certain people to leave comments here, but that theory fails because spammers seems to have no trouble at all leaving their thoughts. My favorite theory is this- there are many people checking out my blog for the first time who want to respond and give me the encouragement every writer craves, but simple don't know how! So as a service to those newbies, here are some simple instructions. This is how to leave a comment on this blog. 

First, scroll to the bottom of this post. Depending on how you have arrived here, you should either see the words NO COMMENTS, the word COMMENT followed by a number, or a box that says ENTER YOUR COMMENT HERE. If you see either of the first two, simply click the word COMMENT and the page will reload and you will see the COMMENT box. Then click inside the box and type in your comment- preferably something wonderful and glowing about the post or its author!  Then comes the tricky part. You will see a drop-down box that says COMMENT AS. Click the arrow, and the choose the identifier of your choice. If all of that seems confusing or like I am speaking Hebrew, the simply choose ANONYMOUS. Make sure to include you name at the end of your post when taking that option so I will know who to thank. And then click publish. Follow those simple instructions, and you too can be published on the old world wide web!

One final warning- because of the spammers mentioned above, I moderate all comments before they actually appear- so don't panic when your comment doesn't show up for a while. I promise I'll get it published for you- unless it's mean and nasty, in which case I will send a virus straight to your phone, tablet or PC.  :)

All kidding aside, comments are a wonderful way to encourage not just me, but every blogger you read. Hearing your responses, and then having others respond to those responses, helps give us a sense of purpose as we write each day. So here's your homework- leave a COMMENT today! Even if it's just "Hi, Carl!" test the process and let me know you were here.  You'll feel a sense of accomplishment, and I will be really, really grateful. Love you guys!
Because of Jesus,

Happy 4th Birthday, Blog!

On August 26, 2009 I began to dabble with this insignificant little blog that I hoped might help me find distraction (and some daily discipline) through telling my story and the work of amazing grace of Jesus in my life.  For the first 3 + years. a post appeared in this space every day- most of them new, and most of them written by me. I confessed my sins here, shared deep truths here, made fun of things here and just generally provided readers with a large picture window into my life. Most of the stories and surreal tales came from my years in youth ministry, which ended way back in 2007. I thought the strangest days were behind me. I was SOOO wrong! Since Halloween of 2012, my life has been a wild rollercoaster ride, and for the past 3 months I have not posted at all. And I have missed it.

Yesterday this blog turned 4, and thinking bout the past 4 years - the highs, the lows, the ups and the downs- inspired me to return to blogging. My goal once again will be to post every day. To all of you who have been so patient and encouraging during my hiatus, I say a hearty "thank you!"  To those of you who have been been praying for me and my health issues, I cannot fully express my gratitude. I am so blessed in so many ways...

Life is messy. I am coming up on my 54th birthday, and I can tell you that life does NOT get easier as you get older.  I have a number of health issues to battle. Relationships are still complicated. Friendships fluctuate.  I still can't jump.  :)  But there is no doubt in my mind that these struggles are less depressing and less daunting when shared with people I love and who I know care about me. 

So I'm back. Back to share my stories, my insights, my humor, my sorrows, and most importantly, my belief that the love of God whose name is Jesus will never leave nor forsake me- even when it feels like I am all alone. Over the next couple of days I will fill you in on what I was up to during my "vacation." It's been crazy, and I do have some stories to tell.  As usual, stories about real life are both humorous and mind boggling. Once again, all I have to say is- I'd laugh...but all this happened to me!  See you tomorrow.

Because of Jesus,

A Time To Rest

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that, "There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth..."  Since August 26, 2009 it has been the right time, as well as a pleasure and a blessing to write this blog. It has given me focus, a chance to dedicate myself to something worthwhile, and a an opportunity to reconnect with many old friends. It has also helped bring new people into my life who have taught me much about grace and friendship.  But now, after 1280+ posts, feels like the right time to stop.  Probably not forever, but at least for awhile.  It is simply a matter of inspiration- or lack thereof.  As I wrote here yesterday, a part of my heart is missing.  I need to seek some peace.  So now is a time to rest.

To those of you who have been faithful readers, I say thank you.  To those of you who may actually miss my daily musings, I apologize.  I don't expect to be gone all that long; perhaps even just a few weeks.  But I also do not know with any certainty when I will start writing again. If you need to reach me, I will still be around Twitter (@youthguy07) and available by text (813-919-3755) and e-mail (Youthguy07@aol.com).

From the beginning, this blog has been about the things Jesus has done through my years in student ministry and is still doing in my life today.  Lately I feel like it has been more about me and my feelings- and I don't like that.  Today, I ask that you would pray for me, that I might better understand God's purpose for my life as I go forward.  You will all continue to be in my prayers. May the love of God whose name is Jesus fill our lives with hope and peace for the future.  I love you guys.  See ya real soon.

Because of Jesus,

"Death...Nooooo..."

My son Will and I are huge movie buffs, and over the years we have developed our own "short hand" language, using lines from movies to make specific points to one another.  One of our favorites comes from Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, the mostly forgettable sequel to the most excellent Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.  In the plot of Bogus Journey (and I use the term "plot" extremely loosely here!) Bill & Ted are battling the Grim Reaper for the right to not be dead.  Yeah, you read that right. In one scene that are playing charades with some aliens (again, I cannot make this stuff up) and the aliens are making some wild gestures and hand signals, seeming to indicate it is a movie.  Suddenly the Grim Reaper blurts out a guess- "Butch and Sundance, the Early Years!"  Bill & Ted look at their teammate, shake their heads in disbelief and utter this immortal line- "Death...Nooooo..."

Anytime Will or I see or hear something that seems so completely moronic, out of place or inappropriate that we cannot believe it just happened, we will look at each other and repeat that line.  It happens more often than you might think.  It is our way of saying "I can't believe you just went there!" 

So what does this have to do with anything?  I read a blog on Sunday from a guy I will call Kevin- because that is his name.  I refuse to tell you more than that because I do not want to send traffic to his blog. (As a side rant, are there any other 3-2-1 Penguins fans out there who have trouble saying the name "Kev-innn" with a straight face?) In a post about the current state of the Christian church in USAmerica, he made the following statement:  

"The Jesus found in scripture would act differently and teach differently if he were in 21st century America. He would be much more conservative, much more restrained.  He would focus more on sin and less on loving one another.  The church needs to realize that just as Jesus would have a different focus, so must we. We need to preach hell fire and damnation. People need to understand that an angry Jesus is waiting to judge us.  Talk about grace all you want to, but trust me- we will all be judged."

"Death...Nooooo..."

We cannot re-write the teachings of Jesus (GOD!) just because they seem out of step with the church of today.  We must change our churches to be more in step with the radical, ridiculous love and grace of Jesus Christ.  We are promised in scripture that he is the same yesterday, today and forever. I try really hard not be judgmental of others, but in this case, I believe Kevin has earned the coveted Green Weenie Award for representing the WORST the church has to offer our world. In fact, I would suggest to Kev that he check out the urban translation of Proverbs 10:19- "Speak not at all, because you are gonna' say something stupid!"

My prayer today is that God will grant me the wisdom and the strength to follow and represent the REAL Jesus.  The one who came to save us, not condemn us. The one who taught us that whatever the question, love is the answer.  The one who gave birth to the church so that we might follow him, not so we can mold him to our beliefs.  Thank you for loving me, Jesus.  And forgive me for my judgment of Kevin.

Because of Jesus,

My Most Popular Posts of 2012

I am always amazed which of my blog post generate the most traffic.  Some of my favorite posts receive few visitors and no comments; others that I think are fairly humdrum may get hundreds of readers.  As we reach the end of 2012, I have gone back through this year's blog entries and found the 10 most visited posts.  If you missed any of these, here is your chance to catch up! Just click and go.  Enjoy!

Bloggers You Should Know
My North Carolina Bucket List
It's Time To Bother Jesus
The Funniest Movies Ever
Have You Seen Jesus My LORD?
7 Warning Signs for Youth Ministries
The RNC Comes to Tampa
The Truth About Barbecue
Youth Ministry Smackdown
Hey- I Know Her!

Not included on the list are any of my Saturday Shout Outs, many of which were among my most popular posts.  I want to take this opportunity to say "Thank you" to those of you who have helped make my blogging experience such a great one, and I look forward to sharing more in 2013.  

Because of Jesus,

Mountains and Molehills

Monday was a momentous day here at I'd Laugh.  Maybe you noticed, and maybe you didn't.  It's not like there was a parade or anything.  The post office was open and garbage trucks still picked up.  Schools were in session. Politicians were still annoying.  In fact, I would guess that for everyone else in the world life went on pretty much as usual.  But for me, Monday was a day of change.  And here's why...

On Monday, for the first day since August 26, 2009, I did not post to this blog.  After 1,147 straight days, I took a day off.  In my mind this was a BIG deal.  In my mind, this was like Cal Ripken choosing to sit.  Many of you know I began blogging with a commitment to post for 365 consecutive days.  Once I passed that milestone, it became a point of real pride to keep going.  And this was a good thing- for ME.  But somewhere along the way my thinking shifted. Instead of thinking of myself as the writer of a very small and humble blog (which is what this is) I began to post everyday under the assumption that people would be disappointed in me if I did not.  There are many people who enjoy my posts, but it was time to admit that their importance was becoming exaggerated in my own mind.  In fact, only one person has mentioned to me noticing that the streak came an end. I had worried for a few months about how to end the streak.  It seemed liked a mountain top moment in my life.  Turned out to be just one more molehill.

So one Monday I did not post.  I did not tweet.  I simply let the world carry on without me.  And you know what?  The world did just fine.  As with so many other things in this life, God has a way of reminding us that it is NOT about us.  Whatever good this blog has done, it is because God has used it.  The glory is His for loving me everyday, not mine for writing everyday.  Now don't get me wrong, I will still post most everyday.  I will still seek to share stories of faith, humor, inspiration and connections.  This blog is my ministry, and I will not dessert it.  I just no longer feel the need to keep a streak alive so people will say, "Wow! Look at what Carl did!"  It's not about me...  My sign off line says it all, and that is not about to change now.  Be blessed, my friends!

Because of Jesus,