Random Thursday Randomness

1. I love Wednesdays. One reason I love them is because I love band practice and choir practice at church. Wednesdays are good. That's all.

2. Yesterday was no exception, although I did have to go to two places that aren't exactly bucket list places on any given Wednesday. I had to take my car to the garage (although that wasn't so bad, because I got some unplanned visit time with a buddy and some biscuits and gravy at Mrs. Winners beside the garage). And I also had to take an unexpected trip to the doctor. As we were talking and eating our (very delicious) biscuits and gravy, I began to have a pain in my left ear that rendered me unable to talk or even move my head. My buddy said he watched my countenance change as my eyes began look like a dude who was in pain. And I was. I tried to pull my ear off because I thought I was dying, but it wouldn't come off. So I called an ENT and they were able to see me right away. It wasn't an infection...it was one of a couple of things...still not quite sure. But I loved this doctor and am thankful for the treatment and diagnosis he gave me.

Since I know you're wondering, I was indeed able to finish my biscuits and gravy.

3. It's amazing to me how easily the weather can affect my mood. Seriously, this time of year makes me crazy with happiness.

4. Speaking of crazy with happiness, I'm heading to Boston tonight for our Living Proof conference this weekend. I don't think I've ever been to Boston. I can't wait! Boston in the fall...isn't there a song about it?

Anybody out there coming to LPL Boston this weekend?

I just checked the weather for Boston tomorrow: high of 71. I fear I may embarrass my loved ones with my giddiness at some point today. Or tomorrow. Or any day, really.

5. Spirit Week at my kids' school this week. Monday was 80's Day (which, according to my iPod, is any day).





Who are these children who are ready to mug for the camera so early in the morning??? Their mother's influence, obviously. :-)

6. Here's a good word for us all today:

Psalm 25:9 - He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

Oh Lord, lead us today. We trust in YOU.

This Portion of My Life Is Brought to Me By The Word SURPRISE.

So, my wife got in cahoots with the worship staff at my church today. They surprised me with a Book Release Day Surprise Party. Again, as always, I was clueless. Walked right by this door of the normally-empty extra office before the party and didn't even see it:


I'm sharp, let me tell you. Nothing gets by me.

They had balloons...flowers...Popeye's Chicken...strawberry cake...Dr. Pepper...friends...family...

Popeye's Chicken, I said. My wife knows my love language.

It was a room full of happy. That's what it was.

Here's Mr. Dorky McClueless walking in:


I bet Max Lucado doesn't get Popeye's on his release days. So there.


The strawberry cake was a conduit of the glory of God.


I even got presents.





I'm so thankful for the sweet people in this picture...and so many more, who have made me feel so special this week and always. Thank you so much!

September 28, 2010

This book is officially available in stores today. The original release date was October 8. But the date got moved up. So today is the day.

(It's also my dad's 86th birthday. Happy birthday, Dad!)

I still can't believe that the Lord granted me the blessing of putting these thoughts to paper. I'm completely serious when I say that I feel so inadequate to have done so. But I humbly submit Surprised By Worship to you with great anticipation that, by the grace of God, He might use it to encourage you to look for Him in even the most surprising places. When you seek Him with all your heart, you most assuredly will find Him. He promises (Jer. 29:13).

Home

Hey, friends. Hope you all are well. We have been on vacation this past week. Had a fun and relaxing 5 days at the beach. Because of our move and all the craziness that it caused, we were unable to have any kind of get-away this summer. So we took the kids out of school (thanks to some most gracious teachers) and went to the beach with some friends. We had a great time. We did a whole bunch of nothin'. It was awesome. I did a whole lot of lovin' on these faces...






And flirted with this babe...


And ate a lot of this...


And rode this slide about 9,275 times...



And marveled at this a lot...



Speaking of marveling at things...on our second day we headed to the shore and quickly saw the "Hazardous Marine Life" flag billowing in the strong ocean breeze. Bummer. I'm an ocean guy, and I've trained my kids to be the same. We love nothing more than bobbing up and down in the waves for hours on end. So our Tuesday morning dreams were shattered pretty quickly when we saw huge schools of tens of thousands of little minnow-looking fish. I'm talking fish as thick as the sand we were standing on. I'm talking nations of fish. I'm talking LOTS AND LOTS OF FISH.

But, why were they labeled "hazardous marine life?" Granted, I didn't really want to jump in and roll around in these thousands of little fishies. But I didn't really understand why they felt the need to tell us they were hazardous. Then I realized what was really going on. Those little fishes were being pursued by bigger fish. And the bigger fish were being pursued by tons of these bad boys:



Mmm hmm. Pretty intesnse. There were a bunch of them. Needless to say, we didn't do any bobbing in waves on Tuesday. But on Wednesday...


...it was back to normal.

This was the first set of consecutive days in months that I had time to actually think and process thoughts and ponder and evaluate. I nearly pondered myself to death a couple of days, but it was good. It was so needed and so refreshing for me. One of the things the time allowed me to do was look at my life and decide where I could be giving a better effort, and make wiser investments (time and energy investments, not money investments). Recently, my wife has been calling me on the carpet for not being a very thoughtful blogger...and certainly not a very consistent one. After having this break, I'm encouraged and motivated to put my thoughts down on "paper" here more consistently.

It has been a CRAZY year, with our move, with a new, very time-consuming job, and with the writing of the book. But I am feeling settled and spacious and happy now. I think I might actually have more than 3 or 4 brain cells to actually write a complete sentence or two here every now and then.

It was a great week. I love vacation. But it's good to be home.

This Sunday at Englewood

Tomorrow morning's worship -
Who Is Like The Lord
Sing To The King
Revelation Song
Holy, Holy, Holy
Christ Is Lifted Up
One Thing (Response / Invitation)
Message - The Great Commandment, The Great Commission, The Greater Things (Matt. 22:34-40; 28:16-20)

Tomorrow night's worship -
To The King
New Doxology
Our God
Stronger
Message - Evangelism Done Right (Acts 15:36-16:5)

Can't wait until church tomorrow!

Living Proof Live Chicago

LPL Simulcast Chicago from Rich Kalonick on Vimeo.

I Know This is Late Notice, But...

Hey, friends. I'm sorry this is really late notice, but I wanted to let you know the team and I have 3 concerts this weekend:

Friday night, September 10 - Bardstown, KY at 7:30pm
Saturday night, September 11 - Gadsden, AL at 6pm
Sunday night, September 12 - St. Charles, MO at 6pm

We are pumped to be worshiping together in these 3 great places. If you're close by, I hope you can join us!