Saturday Shout Outs!

June has arrived and so has another edition of my Saturday Shouts Outs! There's a lot going on in the coming weeks, and there are some special announcements hidden in the text below. Today also features a few creative updates on my personal philosophies of life- the things I find to be most important these days. If you think you know me, you might want to double check! I like to think of myself as constantly evolving. Ha! So anyway, jump in, hang on and enjoy! Let's get started...

* Congrats to all of my school teacher friends who have survived (or have nearly survived!) another school year! Enjoy your summer. It will be shorter than you wish!

* My favorite world traveler, Ashley Goad, is currently in Russia doing mission work for the church. Prayers are welcome! 

* The Soiree at Chez Hanbery for all of our FUMC-Kissimmee alumni is coming up June 20th from 2 PM until at Jerry's residence in Orlando. For more details and to RSVP visit the event page in the Kissimmee Facebook group or text me at 813-919-3755. We're excited!

*  Our dear friends Karen & Jimmy Chester (parents of proud mama Brittany) became grandparents again this week! Many blessings on their family- they are some of the sweetest people we know!

Ben Bishop

* Stanley Cup Finals, game 2 tonight in Tampa. Mathematically speaking it is not a must win game, as you must lose 4 times to lose a best of 7 series and this is only game 2. But in every other way this is a MUST WIN game for my Bolts. Let's go Lightning! Side note: While cheering like crazy for the hometown Bolts, I do have a confession- Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks is worth the price of admission! What a player!

* Philosophy Update #1: "You know life is like a train. It's bearing down on you, and guess what? It's gonna hit you! So you can either start running when it's far off in the distance, or you can pull up a chair, crack open a beer, and just watch it come!" ~ Eric Forman, That 70s Show  And I say bring it on!

* Will Jones is officially enrolled at the University of Central Florida for August! He enters as a junior and still plans to major in Film Studies. We are so proud of who he is and excited for what is to come!

* We're less than 3 months away from a NC beach reunion with some of the people we love most in this world, and we're still hoping for even a few more old friends to join the party. Just as long as they don't want the pink beach chair. There's a LOT of controversy over the pink beach chair...

* Philosophy Update #2: I can't even explain how much I love this quote...

* It is clear to me at this point that Facebook does not like my blog anymore. For several years my analytics showed about 50 hits a DAY coming from links we posted on FB. This past WEEK there were only 17 visits, and that's been normal for well over a month now. If people have quit reading I can deal with that- although it seems unlikely to me that everyone quit reading all at once! If they aren't seeing the links very often, then that is frustrating. Thus endeth the rant.

* Love & Mercy, the new film about the life of Beach Boy Brian Wilson, opened yesterday in limited release. As soon as it hits Tampa I will be there! I just don't know yet when that will be...

* Philosophy Update #3: "Don't goin' shooting all the dogs down just 'cause one's got fleas!" ~ Brandon Flowers, Dreams Come True  It's past time to stop looking at labels and start seeing individuals. We are all uniquely created.

* Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of an unhappy day in my life, and I am feeling a need to vent a bit. So tomorrow is also the beginning of a very personal 4-day blog series in which I will deal with some things for the first time. Most of you know I was at one point on probation; most of you know that 14 months ago that probation was terminated. But I have never written about what it was like while I was ON probation. That is going to change between tomorrow and Wednesday. So hold on...

* Philosophy Update #4: No more focusing on flaws, in myself or in others. Let's focus on the joys and sorrows we all deal with, not on the smelly parts of our lives! 

* I ask for prayers for my friends Lisa Ramos Moran and Leigh Ann Everhart Venable, both continuing to deal with treatments for cancer. Prayers are also lifted for all of those who are dealing with stress and sickness, family issues or personal demons. It's a tough world. We all need prayers.

* Philosophy Update #5: "When you get up in the morning and you see that crazy sun, keep me in your heart for a while. There's a train leaving nightly called when all is said and done, keep me in your heart for a while."  ~ Warren Zevon, Keep Me In Your Heart

The late great songwriter composed those words after he knew was dying with mesothelioma. The song is an anthem to holding tight the people and the memories that matter because we simply do not know what tomorrow holds. David Letterman once asked the terminally ill singer if he understood more about life as he approached death, and if so, what advice could he offer. Zevon's famous answer? "Enjoy every sandwich." 

That's it for today. So to sum up our philosophy lesson- laugh, love, forgive, never regret a smile, don't label people, focus on the positive and enjoy every sandwich. Kissing slowly is optional. :) Those are my new goals each and every day. Have a blessed day, and I do hope you'll come back tomorrow. If not, then please do "keep me in your heart for a while..."

Because of Jesus,