Sunday

This was so funny but oh boy is someone gonna get in trouble! If you are in central Arkansas and get the Democrat newspaper then go look again at the Wal-Mart insert. Look really close. Did they r.e.a.l.l.y mean to send Arkies an insert that was all LSU team gear? Someone is gonna be in the principals office tomorrow morning. You just don't insert the rivals team game gear into an Razorbacks Sunday paper.

Meanwhile at church today...

E #1: Geo, what do you need?
Geo: Huh?
E: What do you need? Is your computer (at church) what you need?
G: I'm making it work but for what I want to raise the bar to before the next Echo conference. Well, I could use some new equipment.
E: Ok, and this time we're not buying the cheap stuff. You get what you pay for, you know? Start looking and give me your list. OK?
(I'm sleeping right... I'll wake up in a moment and it will be a Commador 64)

E#2: Hey Geo, are you all set up and comfortable?
Geo: Huh? (note to readers... no this isn't a Huh? like my hearing aid and CI are turned down)
E#2: Do you have what you need?
G: You mean the system? One of the other E's already asked me but thanks, I appreciate you!
E#2: No, I mean do you have the set up such as desk and stuff up there?
G: Well, there are some exposed wires and a couple of switch boxes on the floor that guys step on. I need to build a small cover for them.
E#2: Let's get a new control center for you.
(I've gotta really be sleeping huh??? Really!)

I'm looking around for the joke cam. Ok I go to Echo and then I'm asked if I want new equipment. The honest truth, I need new equipment in the control (crows nest) booth bad. The set up goes way back... leave to Beaver back.... but I've made it work for a whole year next month. The system is really about 5 years old.

It's hard to believe I've been doing the media in services for a year next month. It's been a good year. Some services I'd be so wrapped up in the song or message that I'd almost forget to advance. I sat through the transition back in the spring that caused a lot of heartache but turned out to be a blessing after all. Some folks left and others grew stronger.

Our team has built sets that we've never had before. I still love the rock that rolled away from the tomb on Easter. That was the MOST nerve racking service I've ever sat through. It (rock) was bottom heavy to hold it in place and once it started to roll we could only pray (and boy did we ever) that the rock was not going to roll off the stage and take out the whole deaf ministry section of the audience.

I've been asked over and over if I'm recouped from Echo yet. My answer is close to the same each time... I'll never come down off of that trip! It pushed me and pushed hard to make me step out of my comfort zone box and be bold but it couldn't be a "me" media or it doesn't count.

I injected a little into the services today. The Welcome was more of a modern look rather than the usual flower of the week type photo. Those are nice, don't get me wrong, but I've been using that type format since last year. The communion service was actually a motion loop. A cross with moving clouds behind it. Folks loved that one.

Next week is going to be a great service. It will be about prayer and I'm going to do some lighting effects and motion graphics in one part. It will be broken up into different areas of prayer where different folks will get up and pray about a certain thing then in the middle of the service the lights will go down and I will play a mini movie of people praying. It really cool because it's all shot at real modern angles and in black and white. It's different people praying or maybe a shot of their hands and it very subtly fades in and out. This will be a 2.5 minute confession, individual (silent) prayer. Afterwards they were talking about the lights coming back on. I said, no, let's leave them off and have only the light from the song on the screen and have the song be some very personal "is your heart right" type song. Then we'll bring the lights up slowly. The E's loved the idea!!! I was so excited that they are letting my team do this!

It's been a good year in media ministry! It real good year.

This afternoon our small group went to River City to cookout for the homeless. I'm telling you what, American Idol has nothing on some of these ladies and men who are homeless and can sing. They usually have one or two of them sing and it's that soulful bluesy sort of singing that only a black person can do. That's not a racial statement by any means. It's a true statement that means they have a gift from all their pain and suffering. There was a huge crowd that came out today so I was glad we had extra help on hand. I think we get to do it through October. If you've never gone to a homeless shelter and worked a little, try it. It makes you look at things in a whole different light.


Awwright, I'm done yapping....

Life is good!