p2 (pronounced p squared)

I'm Back!

2009-01-06T08:54:00.005-05:00

Soooooo......

I haven't blogged in about 6 months

But I want to start again

Not for any one particular reason but for many

Twitter kinda satisfies my need to stay in touch with folks quick and keep people updated on whats up with me but I need a little something more

More on family life more on the incredible things happening at Revolution...just more in general

I looked back over my blogging history and was just kinda blown away about how great my life is and has been and want to continue to document that, so I'm back

So if you are dropping in for the first time ever or just in awhile....cool. Check out some of my older posts and I hope you enjoy the ramblings

It's not gonna be consistent, I will leave that to twitter but want to get outside of the 140 characters from time to time so....here goes!

p2

"Wait....did that guy just pick up his own arm?"

2008-07-29T21:13:00.004-04:00

Somewhere round here...it all went down

So today was our Multi Site Staff Retreat/Meeting

A day to get away and finalize our plans for our second site in Holly Springs.

The day started great with Gary deciding we should stop at Bojangles and grab breakfast which was an awesome surprise as I haven't eaten there in forever. Great country ham biscuit.

SO we continued on and it was on me to lead the pack as I had directions and a GPS. Tim had set everything up for us to go to a cabin East of Ellijay, only we didn't exactly know how East it was.

We found ourselves on crazy backroads in the middle of the mountains running out of gas. I was low and Gary behind me was strugglin. Not only was the gas situation scary, but the Cajun Filet Biscuit from Bojangles had many adverse digestive side effects which were not helped by stressful mountain roads and it felt like a race with the devil to make it to the cabin before someone had an accident.

But after a very stressful journey we did finally arrive and the cabin was NOT a cabin. It was a mountain chalet. (I dont know what a chalet is but I mean it was amazing) It was the most incredible mountain cabin/home I had ever seen.

We then proceeded with all of the items of the day and after an amazing time of questions, debate, planning, quiet time, and excitement we felt very productive and had even finished ahead of schedule.

After even more important debate (where to eat dinner) we decided to head to the Smith House. Alot of us were excited, some of us looked like a little girl who had just gotten a pony.

As we headed back out and said goodbye to the cabin, we decided to head back to the gas station we had past on the way in, even though The Smith House was the other direction, but we didn't know a gas station was the other way for sure and we were on fumes.

So we headed that way and we saw what we believed to be a more bootleg gas station before and Gary and Jenna actually pulled over to get gas (we had 3 cars in this caravan) but Tim and I had heard that the other gas station was more legit, so we decided to head there. Well it didnt end up feeling that close, even though it was only 3 miles away, on fumes that can be very stressful.

So we finally arrived at "The Hunt'n and Fish'n Headquarters"

We pulled in...Tim and I got out of the car to pump gas, Gary told me they had the card and I should go ahead a fill up. At this point the day had been a huge roller coaster and by now many of us we stressed out to the point of snapping, so Tim and Gary decided to have "healthy aggressive verbal reconciliation of their issues" this is something we like to do at Revolution, run to conflict and have healthy honest discussions...we just haven't ever done it at a gas station before.

So I guess I was just very intrigued by all the days events and I remember Tim saying something to the effect of "this one must the only one thats working" about the gas pump in between continued talk with Gary.

Either way I was very distracted as I began to pump, just thinking lets get this gas then go have some southern cookin goodness. The beginning of pumping gas was weird (it didnt feel right) but I attributed it to the fact that we were in the boonies and they had old school pumps with tickers.

Well a few minutes into my fillin up, the world began to run a little slower and a sudden terrible realization flooded over me in a horrible way...

Do you remember that scene in Saving Private Ryan where they are on the beach at Normandy and the sound goes out and you can kinda hear gunfire and stuff but not really and the guys are gettin blown up and the theres that dude who is lookin on the ground and picks up an arm and then you realize its his arm?

Well thats what happened to me then, the rest is mostly a blur and I could post my thoughts but I think it would best to let Gary do it.

Because he has pictures and I lost the privilege when I made one of the dumbest decision I have ever made. I apologize to the entire staff at Revolution Church publicly and pray they will forgive me....

New Effort

2008-07-25T16:19:00.002-04:00

So I have been feeling bad that we don't really have a ton of footage of the boys.

Mainly because of video camera sucks.

But technology is cool and both Laney and I both have comps that can capture movies. Youtube kindof provides ways to share your vids with everyone and stores them.

This first video sucks but its a start so we will continue to work towards videos of the boys that capture who they are and if they do, then they will be entertaining.

And here, we, go!

The Dark Knight

2008-07-23T09:54:00.003-04:00

So.....I saw this awesome movie last week and twas so awesome, I am blogging about it. Which I clearly don't do very often. : )

So it definitely lived up to the hype, especially Heath Ledger, all the buzz is not just because of his death, his performance was one of the most amazing villains ever. Christian Bale was very good as a torn hero too.

I havent really weighed in on the film yet because it took awhile for me to process it. Not that I didnt like, I loved it, but it didnt end with a happy little bow on it.

I imagine thats how I would have felt at the end of Empire Strikes Back the first time I saw it. But I have watched that film so many times and have known so much about Star Wars for so long I can't remember not knowing Darth Vader was Luke's father and the sense of defeat the good guys in Star Wars must have been feeling then.

Anyway like I said TDK does not have a necessarily happy little ending, and I couldnt get away from that while thinking about it this week.

But that also reminded me of what it's like to be at a church plant and to be on the edge trying to make a difference.

Not everyone totally gets what you are doing. I have relatives, old buddies and people I know in the community who just do not get what is going on here. I have had people ask me if I get paid or is this a hobby, are we going to join up with a chruch that has a building when we "grow enough", and others have said, so you arent really a church are you?

Just like the people of Gotham who were wanting Batman to turn himself in, they dont get it.

Also Batman's wrestling with this and the role of Dark Knight reminds me alot of the pressure of being a pastor, especially at a church like Revolution.

You cant make everyone happy, and in the end if you are doing good, do what you have to and move on because the plan God has is so much greater than any "haters" in the community.

Just like Batman, I look at our community and feel the need to do something to make an impact....even if it means embracing a role that people will not understand and will even look at with disdain.

Whatsup?

2008-07-08T16:12:00.002-04:00

I pretty much twitter everyday now so if ya wanna be in on the Porter happenings stay tuned there, though I will keep this blog going, for the most part I will be staying true to twittering.

I feel like a hippy...

2008-06-05T08:36:00.003-04:00

Or a wierdo one...no comments please...

I saved a little 3 foot king snake today from the street and was so excited about it.

I guess its because I usually only see them dead and the fact the king snakes are good snakes that both control rodent population and will kill poisonous snakes.

Anyway I gotta go hug this tree, and if you see a snake that looks like this guy, don't freak out, or throw a rock on him like Tim did the other day, just let him go, you will be better off...unless you like rats and poisonous snakes

Family Prison Break update

2008-06-04T08:46:00.003-04:00

Last night was crazy!

I know I havent posted in awhile due to the twitter updates but I gotta let some steam off! : )

So I documented whats been going on with my family a few weeks ago and how both my parents are addicts and spiraling out of control.

Last night was kindof the straw the killed a herd of camels though...

Now my mom is finally home from her 4 trips to the hospital and seems to be doing well but with her over/under medicationing (a word?) there is no telling when the phone will ring again.

Now my dad on the other hand is gone. He is stuck at Kennestone, where he went in for severe restless leg syndrome and sciatic nerve issues, only to have them hold him for almost a week now, and he has called me almost every single day, which I have not answered once.

You see, on May 24th I ended my relationship with my dad with only one chance for a reunion, that he calls me after he has been thru at least 4 months of rehab. I have been thru so much crap with this and he has always taken advantage of people who feel sorry for him so a clear boundary need to be set, and when he did not get back into rehab, our relationship ended.

But then I kept getting these phone calls and he is talking about how they are keeping him longer because of spine and brain issues and it sounds serious, so I started feeling guilty, and I almost called him...but I spoke to my mom first who then told me that he was actually trying to get a hold of one of my sisters social security numbers....anger.

So I called him but not out of guilt....out of a desire to stress the seriousness of our family's mindset towards him. My sisters decided that they are in the same thinking as me and want to lay down the boundaries and move forward.

So last night I told my dad to never try and screw with our family again and to not call any of us unless he is on his deathbed or has been thru 6 months of rehab.

I hope he gets it and changes his life but the bottom line is we have to move forward and he is not adding to our lives and only destroying his.

I believe in grace and in hope and that God has a plan that is sometimes hard to see but I also believe God wants us to protect things he gives us too, and I will not let someone who nearly destroyed the family I grew up in, destroy the family I am making now.

Sorry just needed a vent...thanks blogger.

When will they learn?

2008-05-20T08:39:00.003-04:00

Time after time after Cyndi Lauper stinkin time these dummy photographers and officials get stuck with javelins at track and field events!

This has gotta be one of the stupidest moves ever.

If you are a photographer or track and field referee and you get assigned to the javelin then leave....just leave.

Common sense for a Tuesday from yours truly! : )

BTW the guy only received stitches, no major damage.

Thursday Hilarity!

2008-05-15T10:57:00.003-04:00

Above: The motorcycling Jesus
Google Jesus Junk, its fun!

I recently discovered this blog that called
Stuff Christians Like

Its freakin hilario

go...now

This is one of my favorites

Hat Tip to Scott Hodge

God rocks...

2008-05-14T09:53:00.002-04:00

My face off

Strugglin with all the crap going on with my mom and stuff and then I start reading the big book this morning and God just busts up all my issues...

Once again, He rules....I drool

Uhhhh....WOW?!?

2008-05-13T11:21:00.003-04:00

This is pretty weird but cool too

I wish I was that creative/productively Psycho

My craziness doesnt seem to be good for painting

HT to Slashfilm

Why Prison Break is important

2008-05-12T16:20:00.002-04:00

In the last few weeks we have seen some incredibly powerful services at Revolution Church as we have talked about things that keep people in prisoned.

I haven't really talked alot about the series mainly due to the fact that it's been hitting home pretty much every week.

I have mentioned my strained relationship with my dad here multiple times, but I don't know that I have ever talked about the fact that he is an addict too. Since his second divorce he has been in and out of full blown steal from family and sell whatever ya got crack smoking madness, and rehab multiple times.

My mom has also had issues with addiction to painkillers and due to her rheumatoid arthritis and a doctor who evidently isn't paying much attention/get's bonuses based on prescriptions, my mom continues to have episodes of delusional behavior (just a few weeks ago I had to rush her to the hospital as she almost burned the house down because she had the oven on for 15 hours and was talking to people who were not in the room or had not been alive for years as well as calling me every male in our family EXCEPT my real name).

I have adopted an attitude and thinking that nothing will really surprise me and it usually gets me by, but just in the last 2 weeks I have been real frustrated and really had to rely on God to give me some strength.

My dad visited Revolution 2 weeks ago right on the day of the addiction message and then came to hang out at my house (something I am very careful with, boundaries are SO important with addicts) and he told me about how during his last relapse he had lost hope and wasn't sure he wanted to go on (ie Live anymore). I knew from what my cousin told me he was driving and over borrowed (stolen) truck. He asked if he could wash some clothes, he didn't have enough to even fill the washer into the small load category and they smelled as if it had been weeks since they had been washed and had been in anything from a garage to an old bar. He brought my boys some gifts that I am pretty sure were from a community charity or similar place. I gave him $8, two pairs of old shoes and a box for his clothes and it was just sad.

supposedly he is in rehab right now (probably the 4th time in 2 years) at least thats what he said on his voice mail message he left me this week. I also told him that if he didnt go that he could have no place in my family, and he thanked me.

My mom, as the 4 of you may know from twitter, had a heart attack last week, but not on the Sunday she was admitted in to the CCU. She actually had the heart attack on Thursday of last week but didnt go into the doctor until 4 days later. Probably due to the fact that she was high on Oxycoton for most of the week last week. Now though the doctors have to give her some pain meds but because she mentioned her prescription continue to prescribe her the very drug that may have caused damage to her in the first place.

My sisters and I try to tell the doctors and nurses what is going on but they are too slammed to pay real attention.

I say all this crap to say this...

People who have addictions and prisons that hold them back from what God wants them to be, not only imprison themselves but by doing so imprison the ones who love them as they have confined relationships. Because either you get, high dad or mom (or insert persons name) who doesnt care about anything or you get needing to get high person who is angry and will not listen to anything you say. Now we would love for our parents to get healthy but (especially for our mom) the very thing they need(relief from the pain of a heart attack) MAY cause the most harm (prolonging her addiction). Welcome to the frustrating prison of loving an addict.

Anyway, just needed to vent a little

New Pastor at Revolution Church

2008-05-08T08:46:00.002-04:00

Everyone please welcome our pastor of care...Revolution style!

HT The Regular Guys

WHOA WHOA WHOA

2008-05-08T04:36:00.001-04:00

MANDY tweaked her blog without written authorization!

Looks good though...for a girl

Like Parodies?

2008-05-06T17:30:00.002-04:00

How bout commercial parodies?

Well jump right over with this link and laugh and cry until you have a gall stone...

Enjoy the top 50 commercial parodies!

HT Dead Guy's Sec

Dangit...Gary Lamb!

2008-05-05T16:35:00.003-04:00

While on a field trip today, Gary got us all hooked on Twittering.....

the world may never be the same

6 years ago today...

2008-05-05T07:46:00.003-04:00

My first kid, Avery was born

I love all my boys the same but different and the difference for Avery is that God just showed me so much when he was born.

That first kid changes your life but in so many good ways.

I can't believe how smart and funny he is and how much God loves me to bless me with Avery and his brothers.
His party isnt until this weekend but I gave him his big present this morning...and yes I did feed the monster that is his video game addiction.

So look for a post sometime in 2009 about us beating Kingdom Hearts 2.

Happr Birthday Avery!

uhhhhhh....wow

2008-05-01T07:50:00.006-04:00

Like I said yesterday, I am not the world biggest fan of Daughtry and Bon Jovi, but I had a blast!

I did learn a great deal though and would love to share these lessons with you today....

Jon Bon Jovi is an amazing showman and literally was a preacher, rocker, cheerleader and awesome party guy all rolled into one

Music can literally make people feel/think like they are so much younger. I saw 40 and 50 year olds ladies dancing like they were in middle school, and some 30 year olds dancing like they were strippers and were somehow going to literally dance their way backstage with Ritchie and JBJ

Of course I didnt meet Daughtry but he seemed like a really cool guy, he was very humble, realized that almost everyone was there for JBJ and even made fun of himself and how much the radio plays his songs

When The Jovi hit the stage I was checking out the whole band and knew JBJ was cool and that Ritchie could rock and then I saw the drummer and he looked like he could kill someone so was impressed.......but then.......I saw her....

The hottest keyboard player of all time

We went to Houstons to eat and I wasnt REALLY hungry so I ordered the Thai Steak and Noodle Salad....freaking amazing. Seriously maybe one of the best meals I have had in years.

Anyway, I have a ton of pictures but can't get iPhoto and blogger to play nice as blogger keeps wanting to rotate them.

A few more quick hits about the concert

Phillips Arena is a bad place for a concert, because it is designed to be loud
IT WAS THE LOUDEST PLACE I HAVE EVER BEEN, and not because of the music, I thought my eardrum ruptured at one point due to the screaming
TSHIRTS at concerts cost $40-60....wow
The heat that was given of by all those hormone laden women made it about 107 degrees
People dressed as if they were going to meet the band, not hear them play
Never drink an espresso before you are about to go into traffic and you have drank water all day, closest I have come to peeing my pants since kindergarten
JBJ is a working man's band, line for the BUD LIGHT station: 60 deep, line for the "fine" beverages.....2 people
Daughtry came out for Blaze of Glory and they tore the place down
I gotta say that being a church guy, I was kinda proud in that the church is leading the way, or at least competing well in some technological things like Imag and lighting and sound
I really feel like both bands genuinely wanted everyone to have a good time, which we did. : )

WUT'S GOIN ON?

2008-04-30T08:37:00.005-04:00

Family Stuff

Avery is kickin tail at school and getting ready to have summer break and his birthday, which is May 5th. He is also really into this game Kingdom Hearts, which he has me play for him all the time..it is probably one of the most difficult and challenging games in history but he loves it so I play it for him. : )
Jake is all about Batman right now. He is also the king of silly as when I got home on Monday he rushed to the door to inform me that I was a popcorn head. He may not have rushed as he had his Batman cape on and actually flew.

Mason is growing like crazy and at 7 months he is actually pulling himself up and standing and kinda freaking us out as it looks like he could walk very soon. He is also so fat/big that he cant use the tub chair but that doesnt matter as he can sit up fine without falling over by himself.

Laney and I are headed on a date tonight thanks to a friend and whil I am not the biggest fan I think we will have a blast!

Later

What happened to our plane?

2008-04-23T13:23:00.003-04:00

Thats what happened to our plane

Well kinda

We were supposed to go to Seattle but during taxing, we are pretty sure our plane backed into something. So we had to go to straight to Vegas.

Thanks Failblog for putting our trip into images

March 26th!

2008-04-20T14:45:00.007-04:00

March 26th...really, has it been that long?

I guess so considering I have preached twice, gone on staff retreat, took some days off with the family, been to other churches to learn and some more stuff that I can't remember but I have been slammed.

Anyway I know some people may take me off their blogging roll because they have heard stories about the last week of my life in Vegas but I just wanted the two of you who still hope to hear some crazy story about my kids or church to know that I will keep the candle burning.

Here are a couple pictures of madness...Big Elvis (Gary called him Fat Elvis) performing in our hotel and Tim who just learned that Snickers really satisfy you and have caramel....and my tattoo.

Sorry they are all sideways, I havent figured this iPhone photo stuff...

Behold!

2008-03-26T15:11:00.001-04:00

Egg Drop Madness!

Uhhhhh.....Yeah

2008-03-24T12:29:00.002-04:00

This weekend was insane!

We had an egg drop....that shut down the city.

We had church on Sunday....that was our largest day ever!

Still recovering from all of that.

Will post more later, right now still following up, breaking down game tape and figuring out how much trouble there is in the world.

Later...

2008-03-17T08:36:00.002-04:00

That's when you will see another post from me

I have a little engagement coming up that will dominate my week into next week

So until ya hear from me next....

Happy St Patrick's Day, March Madness Day, Good Friday, Easter Egg Drop and EASTER!

Impressive...Most Impressive

2008-03-10T08:55:00.002-04:00

As Gary and Perry mentioned, the other day Tim, Adam, Thad, Gary and I all headed up to NewSpring for their All Staff meeting and to hear Pastor Steven teach and fire up the team

It was awesome! Afterwards we hung out with people in our areas and just brainstormed and shared ideas and it was great.

I got to hang out with a huge crew from NewSpring and Larry Brey from Elevation.

All I have to say is impressive.

I left there more fired up for what I do than I have been in quite awhile.
NewSpring's greeters and first impression team is amazing and Elevation's assimilation strategy and systems has got to be some of the most creative and effective I have ever seen.

Thanks guys for a great day!