Bright Beginnings

The YMCA has a great program where they collect money to send kids back to school shopping. Each kid gets $125 at Wal-Mart. For the last two years Waters Edge has financially sponsored kids to go shopping. But wait there's more...the staff also takes the kids shopping. It's a great experience. I love the York County YMCA and their staff. Top class people. Here is a pic of the WEC staff right before we went shopping.

Chipotle

Thousands of years ago God provided manna from Heaven for the Israelites in the wilderness. No one knows what that manna tasted like but I suspect it was a lot like a Chipotle burrito. Like manna from Heaven God inspired the yummy goodness that is Chipotle. If you let me pick where we're eating I'm picking it ever time.

Don't judge me, but I may or may not have eaten at Chipotle 4 times last week. I had a gift card and our Chipotle just opened so this trend won't continue. It was worth it though.

I love Chipotle. I've heard people say that they like Moe's better...everyone is entitled to their opinion but in my opinion if you prefer Moe's you have faulty taste buds. I've heard people say that it's too spicy. In my opinion, if that's you, man up and learn to love the spicy goodness that is Chipotle.

It is without a doubt my favorite restaurant. I love it and I think you should too!

Vs.

Vs. - a challenge at robshep.com where you decide the outcome. On this weeks Vs.

Pancakes vs. Waffles.

If you had to pick one for breakfast who would win?

Funny Stuff

If you haven't seen this yet it's worth the view. This is David after he had a tooth removed. It makes me laugh.

Movie Review - District 9

District 9 is the latest sci-fi phenom to be released by Hollywood. If you don't know the story it started when Peter Jackson (Director of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy) tried to make a movie version of the video game Halo. The Halo movie fell through and Jackson decided to make a sci-fi movie anyway. This time though no one in Hollywood could stop him. Instead of a big budget movie where the suits of Hollywood would tell him what to do he create a low budget movie that went under the radar. District 9 was filmed with little fan fair. The comic book fans at Comic Con saw part of the film and began Tweeting and blogging about the film. Hype rose almost to the level of Snakes on A Plane. Hopefully, unlike Snakes, this movie would be worth the hype.

District 9 is a highly original sci-fi thriller. It's bloody, messy, intriguing, and filled with F-Bombs. I could have used about 100 less F-Bombs but I was intrigued by the plot. Unlike a lot of summer blockbusters, where you can figure out the plot in the first 5 minutes, District 9 kept me guessing. One thing that helps is the special affects are stellar. But unlike Transformers there is actually a plot to go along with impressive CGI.

District 9 is rated R for intense action/violence, and the F-Bomb. I liked it but I don't think I would ever watch it again. Therefore I give it a thumb to the side.

Rob's Rating System: Two Thumbs up = I loved it, worth paying full price, and I will own it on DVD.One Thumb up = An OK movie, worth a matinee showing, and I may buy it on DVD if I see it in the $5 bin.Thumb to the side = Wait and rent it. I wouldn't be mad if someone gave me this DVD, but I wouldn't buy it.Thumbs down = I hated it, wish I wouldn't have wasted money on it, wouldn't own it on DVD

Help

I'm currently watching a Rock Band video version of a classic Beatles song. A video game version of Ringo is singing, "I get by with a little help from my friends." VH1 has been playing these videos for the last couple of weeks to promote the Beatles new game.

Last week my cell phone rang with news that a youth pastor was facing charges of having a relationship with one of his 15 year old students. This youth pastor was married with kids. I've received far too many phone calls like this for it to shock me. Not even a month ago I was talking to one of my friends about another pastor who resigned because of an affair with his assistant.

I understand how this can happen. I'm not lonely. I have lots of friends. But I don't have anyone in my life who talks about the struggles in life. In fact I could make a decision that would ruin my life and get away with it for weeks before anyone would notice. Right now the thing that keeps me on the straight and narrow is my love for God, my love for my wife, and my desire to not let down the Students that I lead. But far too many leaders, who are greater than I, have fallen and it does worry me.

I believe that all of us need "a little help from our friends." We need to be there for each other before, during, and after a fall. I pray no one ever has to make a phone call about how I ruined my ministry because of some stupid affair. I'm praying even harder that God puts into place the right people who love me enough to ask the hard questions. People who don't assume every thing's fine because it always has been. Friends that will be so involved that they notice if I start to do something stupid.

Cool or Uncool

Cool or Uncool, a game at robshep.com where you decide what is cool or uncool.
Here's how you play.
Step 1: Read the question below.
Step 2: Decide whether you think it is cool or uncool.
Step 3: Post your decision by leaving a comment.
Cool or Uncool? Adult guys wearing jean shorts.

How to Ruin Your Marriage: Part 2

How to Ruin Your Marriage: Guys Edition

• Don't help out around the house. You didn't marry your mother so don't expect your wife to clean up after you. It's not that hard to pick up after yourself. Seriously, don't leave your dirty underwear on the floor.
• Don't have a job.
• Never allow her to hang out with her girl friends.
• Allow jealousy to consume you.
• Look at porn. If you want to ruin your wife's self esteem let her know that she is not good enough for you. In fact tell her that you would rather pleasure yourself to an image that you don't know and that you can't touch. At some point she is going to find out your secret so get some help. If you don't you might as well tell her you wish you were married to a picture of a naked woman.
• Never communicate your feelings. Typically girls express their feelings more than guys. If you shut her out by being silent then she is going to feel like she doesn't know you.
• Don't listen to her. Sometimes girls just need to talk about whatever. Guy's are natural fixers so we want to fix whatever the problem is. Sometimes a girl just wants to be listened to. In fact most of the time she will come up with the right answer on her own. She just wants to know you support her.
• Don't live on a budget.
• Forget what you did to get her. If you used romance to win over your wife then you better use romance to keep her.
• Put yourself in compromising situations with other women. If you want to ruin your marriage flirt with girls, hang out with girls other than your wife when your wife isn't present, and fool yourself to think that you can resist another woman's touch.

How to Ruin Your Marriage: Part 1

How To Ruin Your Marriage: Ladies Edition

• Nag him. Women seem to worry about things more than men. Often that worry leads to the wife nagging her husband. If a guy wanted to be nagged he would have married his mom. If you want your husband to run away nag him about minor things like taking out the trash, playing video games, and or not having a job. Ok maybe that last one is worth nagging him about.
• Use sex as a punishment. If you want to ruin your marriage say things like, "Your not getting any tonight because blah blah blah."
• Never let him hang out with his guy friends.
• Disrespect him! Guys are wired to want respect. If you disrespect your husband to his face or behind his back it will shatter your marriage.
• If you never give Victoria a call and ask her what her Secret is. Every once in a while retire the ratty old t-shirt and visit Victoria's. If you can't afford Victoria's Secret then cut two strategic holes in that t-shirt and viola.
• Don't live on a budget.
• Never have fun.
• If every once in a while you don't hang and do something he loves you will ruin your marriage.

To be continued...

My last day as a 30 year old

Today is my last day at 30 years of age. I love birthdays! I don't think I will stop loving my birthday until the day when I can't control my bowel movement. I'm not afraid to turn 40, 50, 60, or even 70. I just don't want to fart one day and have to change my shorts because I'm too old to control it. When I can't feed myself, clean myself, and or make it to the toilet then I will stop celebrating birthdays. Until then I celebrate!

Today as my last day at 30 I'm going to celebrate with a Buffalo Chicken Dip made by friend Bethany Poteat. I'm then going to Chipotle to eat my last meal as a 30 year old. Sounds like a good last day as a 30 year old.

Picks from the Cruise

Here are some pics from my cruise last week. It makes me want to take another one right now.

The Unlikely Disciple

Last week I read the Unlikely Disciple: A Sinners Semester at America's Holiest University by Kevin Roose. Kevin took a semester off from Brown University to enroll at Liberty University.

Now one would think that a Brown University Student who does not follow Christ would hate Liberty. To his surprise he enjoyed his time there. The book is entertaining, heart warming, and funny. Kevin writes it as it happened. He includes swears, sex talks in the dorms, and his thoughts on Jerry Falwell.

I loved the book, partly because it brought back so many memories. I graduated from Liberty and things have not changed that much since I was there. Even if you hate Liberty U, I think that you can pull something from this book. It's not a pro or anti Liberty book. It's a fascinating story that gives an in depth look at a outsiders view of Liberty University.

My First Cruise

Last week my wife and I went on our first cruise. Just in case you were wondering here are my thoughts about cruising...

• There is a lot of food. We went on Carnival and I ate a lot. With that being said the food was good but not great. If anything on the boat was served at a local restaurant I would not go to that restaurant for the food. I don't say that to be negative because I liked the food I just didn't love it.
• I don't like laying out in the sun. My wife loves laying out in the sun. One day I was laying out and I felt like 4 hours went by. I knew I made a great effort. The truth was only 20 minutes had passed.
• We went to Cozumel and Progresso Mexico.
• We got an hour long massage on the beach for $10 each. It was worth every penny. However if I paid $11 I would have been mad. The masseuse liked to use her elbows and the karate chop method. I don't think either are effective.
• I bought a Luchador Mask. These are the masks that Mexican Wrestlers wear. Mine looks like Spider-Man.
• I won a competition on the boat. It was movie theme songs and I got 8 out of 11 right. I missed Casper (seriously this should not be in the competition), 1941 (who has seen this), and Temple of Doom (I put Indiana Jones but it had to be specific). The prize is a ship on a stick.
• Doing a cruise with friends is the way to go. We had a lot of fun with our friends.
• All week long I put SBF 50 sunblock on. I don't think I got any sun, so on the last day I put on 15 and I burned. I'm white. I wish I would have got a little tanner, but I'm glad I didn't burn on the first day.
• I liked being unplugged from everything. I couldn't text, get online, or check email.
• We didn't do any excursions because they were expensive. Maybe next time but for now we just wanted to enjoy the cruise.
• Overall I liked a cruise. I want to go again. My wife loved it. She is ready to go tomorrow.

Thankful for things I don't like

I try to be thankful for things. I don't always succeed but I want to be thankful for things...even the things that I don't like. For example I'm thankful for public restrooms, but I hate em. First off the restroom is supposed to be experienced in private. For the first few years of our lives going to the bathroom is a spectator event, but that is because someone else cleaned us up. Once you become potty trained the bathroom is a private moment. The problem with public restrooms is that the private becomes public.

There are some things that just shouldn't be shared with strangers. On my drive home from my vacation a guy tried to open the stall I was in. Luckily I locked the door. He then asked if anyone was in there. Awkward. I wouldn't have answered but he sounded panicked and I was afraid he would have crawled under the door if I didn't answer. I sheepishly told him yes. When I left the stall he went in and started ripping the loudest farts I've ever heard. I don't want to share that moment with anyone. There I was trying to wash my hands and this guy is machine gunning farts. I left that experience being very thankful for public restrooms, but I truly do hate em.

Movie Review: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

G.I. Joe has been a huge part of my life. They were right up there with the superheroes of my childhood. I've been waiting for this movie since I was 10 years old.

The movie is not bad but it definitely wasn't worth the wait. In fact I would have loved it more if I was 10 years old. The makers of the movie gave a valiant effort. The plot is something right out of a G.I. Joe cartoon. The special effects are great. The action is intense. It's got everything a summer popcorn flick should have. So, what's the problem? I guess that it's just a lot of splash without much substance.

I was hoping for it to be as good as this summers Star Trek or better yet last summers Iron Man. It was closer to the Mummy. Maybe because the same director made those films, but it had The Mummy feel to it. A lot of action, but at the end of the day I just didn't care about it. G.I. Joe is rated PG-13 for intense action sequences and a few swears. I give it a thumb to the side.

Rob's Rating System: Two Thumbs up = I loved it, worth paying full price, and I will own it on DVD.
One Thumb up = An OK movie, worth a matinee showing, and I may buy it on DVD if I see it in the $5 bin.
Thumb to the side = Wait and rent it. I wouldn't be mad if someone gave me this DVD, but I wouldn't buy it.
Thumbs down = I hated it, wish I wouldn't have wasted money on it, wouldn't own it on DVD.

Bad Drivers

Have you ever noticed there are no bad drivers? Let me clarify...there are plenty of bad drivers out there, but for some reason whenever you confront a bad driver they never admit that they are bad. I'm not saying I'm an amazing driver, but the worst drivers I know all claim to be good drivers. For just once I would like for a really bad driver to say, "ya know what...I stink at driving."

What are they saying? Part 2

Have you ever sang a song, maybe for years, only to find out later that you were singing the wrong words? Sometimes it's just hard to make out what the singer is saying. Case in point the song Broken by Lifehouse. When I first bought their CD (yea I still buy CD's) I thought I heard a lyric that just didn't make sense. The lyric sounded like "I may have lost my wiener, haven't forgotten my way home." I didn't think the song was about a lost wiener dog, or sausage made from beef, or...some of you people need to have your brains washed out with soap. Dirty people.

I listened to the song a million times trying to figure out what he sang. I finally had to look at the lyrics because I was sure what I was hearing was not right. The correct lyric is "I may have lost my way now, haven't forgotten my way home." Now I can't prove this but I think that other people thought the same thing because when Lifehouse released the single it was a different version. The radio version rocked a little more and that line is spaced out so it is clear that he sings "way now."

What songs do you sing the wrong words to?

What are they saying? Part 1

By now you are probably past being sick of seeing coverage of Michael Jackson. I've watched so many specials I feel like I was friends with the king of pop. His videos have been on a lot and I found myself watching the video for Smoothe Criminal. I don't have a fat clue what Michael is saying during half of that song. I've tried to sing the chorus but I just make up words.

Without doing a google search what do you think he says for that chorus?

8 Years & Counting

Today my wife, Monica, and I celebrate 8 years of marriage. In some ways 8 years seems like a long time, but in others it really doesn't. I mean I have a great memory, but I have a hard time remembering LBM...life before Monica. I can't even imagine life without her. I love her more today then when we got married.

In an imaginary world if I wasn't married and I met her today, 8 years later, I would still want to marry her. Hopefully if that were the case she wouldn't be married because I would have to beat up her husband. If I couldn't beat him up I would have to try because he would be married to the love of my life. I would probably do a drive by kick in the shin and then run away screaming you ruined my life. It wouldn't be his fault but I would fight him anyway. Luckily God worked it out so that we are together. I think He knew my life would stink without her.

Happy Anniversary Monica. The only woman I've ever loved.

Vacation had to get away

Vacation is what I love the most about summer. My wife is a teacher so she gets a good long break from work. I take a few days off throughout the summer but our big vacation comes during the first week of August. This year Monica and I are taking our very first cruise.

I've resisted going on a cruise before because I wasn't sure I would love it. I think I'll love all the food and shows at night, but during the day I worry I will get bored. I'm not a lay by the pool kind of guy. I'm not a read a book in the hot sun kind of guy. I'm not a tan kind of guy. For vacation I like to see things. Normally on a vacay I go to a city and dominate all the tourist attractions. I run around so hard by the end of my vacation I need another vacation. And that is the reason for going on a cruise this year. I need to relax. I need to rest. I can't wait for this cruise.

So how about you? What are you doing for your vacation?

What I wish all women knew

It's impossible for guys to fully understand women and it's impossible for women to fully understand men. For example I don't think a woman can ever fully understand how visual guys are.

I love my wife. I don't even want to think about another woman. When a girl goes out in public she sees what she is wearing as cute or nice or trendy. If she has a nice body she doesn't mind showing off a little skin or wearing something that is so tight it leaves nothing to the imagination. I mean she has worked hard for her body so why not show it off. When a guy sees that same girl his eyes see something very different. What she sees as cute he sees as hot. Now that might be what she wants, but most guys don't stop there. The image of that girls body gets embedded into a guys mind. One look can lead to one thought which leads to a lot more thoughts. A guy can take a little bit of skin showing and turn it into a fantasy as elaborate as a Harry Potter book...although this fantasy is not kid friendly.

As a guy who loves his wife I try really hard to bounce my eyes. When I see a girl that is showing some skin I try to force my eyes to look elsewhere. Sometimes I will even just say out loud I love my wife...I love my wife. I will do whatever I can to not think about another woman. I have had friends become addicted to looking at the female body. Their addiction included the Internet, magazines, and then turning the thoughts they had about those woman into reality by hiring a prostitute. If a guy wants to keep his thoughts pure he has to work really hard. A lot of well meaning girls don't make it easy because they just don't understand the guys mind. When a girl reveals her body it's not just the guy she wants to impress that notices. It's every guy. The grandpa, the father, the husband, the pastor, the 10 year old boy, and the check out guy at the grocery store all take notice. I wish that just for a day woman would be able to see things the way guys do.

Thrift Store Prom 09

Thrift Store Prom 09 was an event for Waters Edge Students. It's similar to a prom but instead of renting a tux or buying an expensive dress Students went to the thrift store and picked out their outfits. We danced, we ate, we played a game to crown a king and a queen, and we took ridiculously cool photos. Here are some pics for the night.

Behind closed doors

Lately I've been wondering why more people don't hurt themselves walking through closed doors. Think about it...you can't see what is on the other side. People walk in and out of them all the time. My question is why aren't more people hurt because they walk through the door at the same time? A person could get hurt when reaching for the door as someone on the other sides pushes it into their hand. I think it's only happened to me once. I walk in and out of a lot of doors. Why don't I collide more? Is it blind stinking luck or coincidence?

Harry Potter

Up until last week I had never seen a Harry Potter movie. They didn't look interesting to me. Over the years everyone from students at Waters Edge, friends, to my brother were telling me how good the movies were. Monica and I recently borrowed the five movies that are out on DVD. Last week we watched all five movies. Now that I've seen them here are my thoughts...

• The first two movies are decent but not great. The CGI looks really dated, but that is to be expected because they are older movies.
• The third and fourth movie pick up steam and are enjoyable movies.
• The fifth movie was my favorite.
• I didn't like how Harry and all of his friends lied in the first two movies. Whenever they would get caught for their mischief they would lie to get out of it.
• By the third movie I was wondering what all these wizards do once they graduate from Hogwarts? Besides becoming a professor or selling wizard wands what else can a graduate do?
• It was a little unnerving when they said things like divination and incantation. I grew up listening to the Christian music artist Carmen sing about a witches invitation. It painted a vivid picture in my mind of demonic activity surrounded by witches.
• I personally think that Harry Potter falls in the fantasy world of Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz, and the Narnia series. It was a make believe world of fantasy. Like anything in life there are good and bad things you can pull from the film. Overall it seems to be a series about good versus evil.
• I'm looking forward to the sixth film. Monica and I plan to see it soon in the theaters. I've heard mixed reviews about it.
• Overall I've enjoyed watching the movies. I don't think I'll ever own them on DVD. I don't have a desire to watch them again, but I did enjoy them. Whenever we would finish a film we would want to watch the next one to see what happened next.

Finish Strong Part 5

I may not have started strong, but I want to finish well.

I make mistakes all the time. I get frustrated at stupid things. I put my foot in my mouth. I hurt people that I love. I'm not perfect. It's my goal to not be perfect but to be genuine. I want to be real. I want people to experience the real me and not some fabrication of who I think people want me to be. In doing so I hope people aren't shocked when they see me make mistakes. At the same time I hope to learn from my mistakes and become a better person.

History teaches us about a man named Saul. He was very religious. So much so that he persecuted people who didn't believe the same things about God that he did. One day Saul met Jesus and it radically changed his life. He went from arresting Jesus followers to leading them. At the end of his life, while in prison for his faith in Jesus, he wrote "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

We all make mistakes, but it's not the mistakes that should define us. It's the way we finish the race. Saul wasn't defined by how he started the race, he was defined by how he finished it. Don't let yesterday's mistakes define you. Learn from them and become everything you were destined to be. Finish strong.

Concluded

Finish Strong Part 4

I may not have started strong, but I want to finish well. 

A few weeks ago a new friend of mine told me and my wife, Monica, that we acted like newlyweds.  She then asked how long we have been married and was shocked to hear that it's been almost eight years.  

When I first met Monica she was mean to me.  She had a great relationship with the last youth pastor and wasn't real found of his replacement...me.  It wasn't that she was mean it was just that I didn't know anyone and she appeared to go out of her way to not welcome me.  After a few months I won her over.  I asked her out.  I took her on a date.  I wooed her for an entire week.  At the end of the week I wasn't feeling the connection and I broke up with her.  I know it's cliche but it really wasn't her...it was me.  I had an idea of what I thought I would feel when I found the one.  I expected it to be like Hollywood.  Our relationship was good, but I had an idea that when I met the one I'd be finishing her sentences by the second date.  

A year after the breakup I fell in love with Monica.  I felt like God led us together.  This August we will have been married eight years.  I love when people think we are newlyweds.  It's sad for me to think for most people the only time married people get along with each other is during their first year of marriage.  Today I love being married to Monica.  I hate even thinking about life without her.  We didn't have a storybook beginning, but I believe when we are long and gone we will have lived happily ever after.