Run Fat Boy Run

So yesterday I jogged in my first 5K. I had some thoughts as I huffed along...

• I was glad they posted signs that showed where to jog. I don't have a great sense of direction and I was afraid I'd end up in Williamsburg. That's about 30 miles away from the race for those of you who don't live in the 757.
• I was definitely in the top 5 fattest participants. For those of you who skim I wrote fattest and not fastest. If you count the people who walked then I might fall out of the top 5.
• I jogged with my brother. I've been training for about 2 months. He was supposed to train with me, but he only made it out once. That was two months ago. He still finished before me. I did find out that when he ran track in high school he ran a mile in 4 minutes and 30 seconds. I asked him if we do a 10K next year if he'd skip the training. He said no.
• Pretty early on in the race my brother stepped in dog poo.  I know this because he was in front of me for most of the race. Not only could I see it, but I could also smell it.
• I cramped up really bad around 1 1/2 miles. I woke up at 6:00 AM and made the poor choice to eat breakfast. I thought it would digest by race time at 8:30. I had Frosted Flakes. They're Gr-rr-reat!!!...except on race days.
• Some people take 5K's way too serious. One guy yelled at two girls to get out of his way. 
• Around the mile marker we saw people running back towards us. I told my brother that they were running the wrong way. He told me that they had already made it to the halfway mark and were running back towards the finish line.  
• Some people jog in costumes. I can't decide if those people are gifted or crazy. I sweat way too much to add a costume.
• It was a lot of fun seeing friends at the race. I ran into some high school friends, our neighbors, and some church friends.
• My wife and sister in law surprised us with a home made sign to cheer us on. I loved having their support.
• My parents also came to support us. I felt very loved by all the support.
• Lots of people asked if I was now addicted. I'm not. I enjoyed it and I hope to make this a yearly tradition, but I'm not addicted.
• My time was 32.30. That's fast for me. Here are some pics of my first 5K...



Pictured Above: My nephew Connor rock'n his bear outfit.

Pictured Above: Nicole and Connor followed by my Dad and Mom.



Pictured Above: Rob and Jon posing before the race.

Pictured Above: And we are off

Pictured Above: The former Waters Edge Intern - Thomas. He killed it.

Pictured Above: My brother Jon crossing the finish line.

Pictured Above: Rob looking really tired as he crosses the finish line.

A Special Announcement From Robshep.com

As promised I have a special announcement. The Beatles are now on iTunes and my favorite Beatles song is Help. I kid I kid. Last week Apple created some great hype when they posted on iTunes "Tomorrow is just another day...that you'll never forget." Their big new news was that the Beatles are now on iTunes. I thought it would be fun to play off all of that hoopla. I digress.

So there is a curse at the Waters Edge office. Now it's not really a curse and please don't get mad at me for calling it that. I've said for years that whenever a WEC staff member has a baby while on staff it is always a girl. Lead Pastor, Stu had a son, but then started WEC and had two girls. Worship ninja Phil had two girls while on staff. Former WEC employees Bill Sprouse and Ambre Delongchamp both had girls while working at WEC. Jake and Kristi miller got pregnant while on staff and it was a girl. I will be eternally thankful for whatever genders we get, but I would enjoy having a boy.

We are having a boy. We aren't supposed to find out until Dec. 6, but Monica (my wife) is a ninja. She talked to a friend at church and arranged a sneak preview with an ultra sound machine. Baby A was wide open. He was kicking Baby B and spreading his legs for the world to see...or at least the four of us viewing the ultrasound. Baby B was more modest. He or she wouldn't turn over so we couldn't see the gender. I guess we will have to wait until Dec. 6.

I was in such a good mood I decided to dress like a Pilgrim for Thanksgiving with my parents. We celebrated Turkey Day last night. We wanted to wait to post it online until after we told our families. We told my family last night and Monica's today at 2. I hope that you enjoy your Thanksgiving! This is one Thanksgiving that Monica and I will never forget.

Pictured Above: Rob rock'n his Chuck Taylors in a pilgrim outfit.

Pictured Above: Rob and his nephew Connor.

Pictured Above: Rob and Thanksgiving feast...at least part of the feast.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today at 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time robshep.com will be making a special announcement. Until then enjoy the funniest Thanksgiving video in the history of Thanksgiving videos. Enjoy.

Mind Dump

My brain is constipated with random thoughts. It's time to free up some space with another mind dump...

• Tomorrow is just another day...that you'll never forget. At 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time robshep.com will be making a special announcement.
• Tomorrow I'm jogging in my first 5K. My goal is to not come in last. In order not to come in last I'll take out a senior citizen, a kid under the age of 11, or anyone else that I can trip. 
• I'm trying to prep myself to not bolt out the gate when the gun goes off. I'm pretty competitive so I can see myself sprinting and then not finishing the race.
• A handful of people have asked what motivated me to start jogging. It all started when a friend of mine got bit by a bat. I was scared that she might get rabies, so I formed a 5K fun run to raise money for the cure of rabies. Oh wait...that's from an episode of The Office.
• The real reason that I started jogging was because of a video I saw on Tyler Stanton's blog. This video is very inspirational...
• I've been fat my whole life. I'll probably always be fat, but this video inspired me to start jogging. So far I've lost 7 lbs and as you know I'm about to jog in my first 5K. That's huge coming from a guy who believes that the only reason someone should run is if someone is chasing them. And the only reason someone should train to run is if you know in advance that someone is going to chase you.
• I had to pay $25 to jog in this race. It kind of felt like buying bottled water. I have water for free and yet I've often paid high dollar for water in a bottle. I can jog for free, but why not pay $25 to run with a bunch of people?
• Are you going shopping on Black Friday?
• If you ever see NBA 2K11 for PS3 Facebook, Twitter, Text, or leave me a message. I can't find that game anywhere. I had a gift card that I was going to use for it, but it's been sold out everywhere.
• There are not many things that I HATE in this life. I try to be a lover not a hater. I do hate lima beans, having to do something twice (like when I bend down to pick something up and it slips out of my fingers), and the thought of wearing a thong. It's not on my list yet, but PC computers are quickly gaining ground for things I hate. This post was supposed to be up by 7:45 AM, but do to massive technical difficulties it did not. Out of frustration I told Monica that from now on it will be worth it to save the extra money and buy a Mac. Uhhhh!!!!
• This week is a week to be thankful. I'm thankful for DVR, people who mow lawns for a living (if I had the money I'd never take care of a lawn again), the hair that is left on my head, and the person who came up with the phrase - righty tighty, lefty loosey. That guy has saved me a lot of time over the years.
• I love wings. I used to not like hot wings, but I'm now a fan. Where is your favorite place to get wings? I really like Quaker Steak and Lube. Maybe I can get some wings on Thanksgiving.
• Have you ever tried to sell your gold jewelery? There are a lot of commercials that make me feel like I'd become rich if I sold my high school class ring. I don't know anyone who has made any money by selling gold jewelry.
• Have you ever plucked a nose hair? It not only hurts, but it makes you sneeze like a Snuffaluffagus. You know that hairy thing from Sesame Street that looks like an elephant? I don't know how he sneezes, but I bet it's crazy. My nose hairs grow like I snort Rogaine. I have clippers but every once in a while one will slip out and I have to pluck it.

Whew...I feel much better now.

Things I'm Thankful For On This Thanksgiving

In some ways this has been a difficult year. After much prayer we decided to use IVF to try and get pregnant. This was an expensive decision. My wife and I hate debt. We have no credit card debt and we like it that way. I lost sleep thinking about the amount of debt that we'd incur through IVF. After seeking some Godly wisdom my mind was put to rest. This was the right move for us.

God blessed our decision and after six years of trying, we became pregnant on our first try with IVF. It is a miracle that Monica is pregnant. It's just as big of a miracle that we have been able to stay pregnant. Through the last 18 weeks we have had multiple scares. Hearing Monica yell out "Rob I miscarried" was an awful experience. Thankfully the babies have remained healthy and the scares have been...well, just scares.

Dealing with the ups and downs of this pregnancy led me on an emotional roller coaster. So much so that I think it was what triggered a three week struggle with depression. I sought help through a Christian counselor, and things have been great ever since.  We are so blessed that I don't want to come off as complaining about the few ups and downs that we've had.  I know that compared to some our struggles have been mild. For us though it's been the hardest year of marriage. 

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and give thanks. As I reflect over our year I can't help but thank God for the amazing blessings that I have.  On this Thanksgiving there are some things that I'm extremely thankful for...

1. Eating large amounts of amazing food on Turkey Day. Now this isn't really any different than a typical day for me, but the difference is that over eating on Thanksgiving is expected and acceptable.
2. I'm jogging in my first 5K on Thanksgiving. I'm still not sure why they call it a 5K. I think it means 5 thousand laps. I hope it's a short track.
3. My wife is pregnant on Thanksgiving! We have to wait until Dec. 8 to find out the genders. This week Monica has been on a mission to find an ultrasound machine to find out the genders a little early. If she accomplishes her mission this will be an extra special Turkey Day.
4. My family. I love Thanksgiving because our families get together. We have a tradition where we celebrate Thanksgiving with my family on Wed. and then we celebrate with Monica's family on Thursday. It helps spread out the yummy goodness. And no matter what happens my dad will declare, "I think this has been the best Thanksgiving ever."
5. Thanksgiving = Christmas. The Christmas season officially begins on Thanksgiving. As soon as Santa appears in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade it's officially acceptable to celebrate Christmas. Christmas tees and decorations are displayed, Christmas music is played everywhere, ugly Christmas sweaters come out of the closet, I send out my Christmas list, and the holiday movie season begins. It's the most wonderful time of the year!
6. Waters Edge Church is at the best place that's it's ever been. That's saying a lot because it's always been a great place. This Thanksgiving I'm so thankful for the new staff that we've been able to hire. With their help we are taking Waters Edge to a whole notha level! I'm thankful for Cara, Carlyn, Josh, Bishop Larry T, Mr. Anderson, and Josh Fowler. Welcome to the team!
7. Noodles. Now that may sound strange and I understand that. Who has noodles for Thanksgiving? I do. It's a tradition that I think my grandma started years ago. These noodles are strands of lip smacking joy. I can't wait for the noodles.
8. Hanging out with Ruth Peters. Ruth is, my buddy, Dan's mom. She's 2 legit to quit and she's in town. We get to hang out with her on Friday.
9. Friends. I love my friends. I love having some time off so that we can hang out. Love em.
10. Catching up on movies. I'm off Tuesday - Saturday and good portion of my time will be spent watching movies. DVD's, classics, and movies in the theater. Can you dig it?!!!!

I've given you ten things I'm thankful for, and now it's your turn. What is one thing that you are thankful for this year?

Thanksgiving Porn

Do you like porn? Chances are you or someone you know does. Now they might not be proud of their love for porn, but the stats don't lie...

• 40 million Americans regularly visit porn websites.
• In the U.S. Internet porn makes 2.84 billion $'s.  It makes 10 billion total.
• 25% of all Internet searches are for porn. That's 68 million in a day. On a side note if you blog add naked, sex, or porn into a title of your blog and watch your stats rise.
• There are 116,000 searches for child pornography every day.
• 20% of men admit to watching porn at work. I bet they don't work in a cubicle.
• The average age in which a guy first sees porn online is 11 years old. That's 5th grade.
• The most popular day to watch porn is on Sunday.
• The least popular day of the year to watch porn is Thanksgiving.

Chances are those that view porn fall into a few categories. There are those who watch it and feel guilty about it. This guilt leads to isolation and depression because they can't beat this addiction.  Then there are those who watch and don't think twice about it. Except for on Thanksgiving. I think it's interesting that the least popular day to view Internet porn is on Turkey Day.

To like porn is unfair for your significant other. They can't live up to the images that you view. And I bet that you would hate it if they spent hours a day fantasizing about someone else. Fantasizing about someone who meets their needs, does whatever they want, and has bigger private parts then you.

Porn is easier to get to today then ever before. So what can we do? There are no easy answers and there are no  quick fixes. In fact most people aren't willing to get crazy enough to beat this addiction. The following are some things that I know have worked...

• Be honest with someone. Having a person who you check in with is crucial to overcoming any addiction. I know a guy who overcame a porn addiction and if he looks at porn he has to write his accountability partner a $1,000 check. 
• Never be alone. I have a friend and whenever his wife goes out of town he has a friend stay over at the house. He doesn't trust himself alone, and he's not willing to allow this addiction to win.
• Internet protection. XXX Church offers a free online accountability. You can set it up so a friend gets sent a copy of all the websites you look at online. I also have a friend that won't own a computer. He told me that you can't watch online porn if you don't have a computer. He was right.
• Seek help. This is such an easy thing to get addicted to. I have a friend who first became addicted at the age of 4. Nudie magazines were in his house and it took just a couple of looks to get him hooked. No addiction is easy to overcome. With help though all addictions are beatable. After ten years of giving into a pron addiction a friend of mine went to see a Christian counselor. It was this move that saved his marriage, ministry, and state of mind.
• Protect your man. If you are a female then protect the men in your life. Get the mail and throw away the Victoria Secret Catalog before he gets home. Oh and spill something gross in the trash so it ruins the magazine.
• Outsmart it. Read reviews of why movies are rated what they are rated. If it has nudity in it don't go see it. If a visually stimulating image pops up on the TV cover your eyes so that you won't see it. Don't believe the lie that you can handle it. Guys can't.
• If you are a parent of a boy talk to him about it and set up a means of accountability. Protect your son! I know it's awkward, but not as awkward as getting caught watching porn with your pants down by your ankles, by your parents.

Like I said there are no easy answers. The thing that stinks about this addiction is that there is such easy access. Porn comes looking for you. This post is not meant to make anyone feel bad. I know it's hard, but protecting your mind is worth it. With a lot of work everyday can be Thanksgiving when it comes to viewing porn.

Influence Shout Out

Influence: a power to affect persons or events.

Who has influenced you? I am who I am because of the influence of the following people...

• My dad and mom - my dad has influenced my love for movies and having a sense of humor. My mom has influenced my writing. She is the one who signed me up to write movie reviews for the Daily Press. I wrote for a full year while in high school. I enjoyed it so much that when I started a blog I continued writing movie reviews.
• Tripp and Tyler - I don't know Tripp and Tyler but their videos and sense of humor have had a great influence on me. They are ha-larious. Waters Edge has had a good handful of videos that were inspired by these guys. Whenever I need a little humor inspiration I watch one of their videos.
• Pat Pettit - When I was in 9th grade I met Pat. He was my Sunday School teacher and then he became my youth pastor. Pat was the first guy that when he preached I paid attention. He was engaging, passionate, and funny.
• Monica Shepherd - my wife has influenced my confidence and ability to speak my mind.
• TobyMac - I like to rap. I wouldn't lead with that in a conversation or put it on my resume, but I enjoy preforming.  I've been watching Toby in concert since I was in 6th grade. I'm not to his level by any means, but I pretend to be when I get a chance to rap on stage at Waters Edge.
• Stu Hodges - Stu is a type A personality. I'm not. His work ethic and drive have greatly influenced me.
• Rosie O'Donnel - Do you remember her daytime show? It was funny and very entertaining. There was a time in my life where I started being embarrassed about some of the things I loved. I get really excited around celebrities. I love super heroes. I still enjoy watching cartoons. It was during my first year of college that I started feeling embarrassed about things I liked. I felt like I needed to grow up. Watching how much fun she had on her show made me think that it's possible to be an adult and still enjoy things from your childhood. So in that regard she definitely influenced me.

So who influenced you? Give em a shout out in the comment section.

Toxic Thoughts

I've never been a prisoner of war.  OK I've never been in war or prison, but I have watched all of the "Rambo movies." I've also seen the Chuck Norris classics, "Missing In Action." Ok the "Missing In Action" movies are not classics, but don't tell Chuck Norris that.  Now the thing that both of these franchises have in common is that the hero spends some time as a prisoner of war. It should be mentioned that "Missing In Action" ripped off an early script (from James Cameron writer of Rambo II) of "Rambo: First Blood Part 2." Hence the exact same plot. I digress.

Now you have to be pretty BA (Bad Attitude) to capture Rambo and Chuck Norris. SPOILER ALERT: Considering that Rambo and Chuck Norris escape and then both single handily destroy most of the Vietnamese army, it's pretty impressive that they were captured.

Toxic thoughts attack like an invading army. Whether it's negative thoughts about someone else or about ourselves, toxic thoughts bombard our minds.

The language that the Bible uses to describe toxic thoughts is violent. "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.  Did you catch that? We take captive every thought. Our weapon of choice is the Bible.

In this scenario thoughts are more like Rambo or Chuck Norris. You've got to be pretty BA to capture them. The problem is even when you capture them they still keep coming. Oh and they don't stop...Rambo has made 4 movies and Chuck made 3 "Missing In Action" films. 

Practically this is what capturing thoughts should look like...

• A lustful thought attacks the mind - beat it up by quoting "If you eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away." - Matthew 18:9. Now this verse isn't being literal, but it is painting a picture of how serious we should be against sins of the eye.
• And for everything else - "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." Philippians 4:8 I use this verse often. When negative thoughts attack my mind I say this out loud. I take thoughts captive by making them obey this verse.
• Oh and Philippians 4:4-7 is amazing for this. This verse promises that if we pray with thanksgiving Jesus will guard our hearts and our minds.

Fighting toxic words isn't easy. War never is. I don't know about you but I don't want to lose this war. I want to fight back with a weapon of mass destruction. Thank God for the Bible. Not even a Rambo or Chuck Norris sized toxic thought can withstand it.

My pastor did an amazing job talking about this subject on Sunday. It was like a steak from Ruth's Chris...it's so good it doesn't need any sauce. You can listen to it here.

Starving For Words

Have you seen the TV show "Undercover Boss?" It's a pretty good show. The premise is to have the owner or CEO of a major company covertly start working at their own company. In the process they see how their company is really run and they meet the little people who work for them. 

A few weeks ago one of the owners of the Chicago Cubs was on the show.  At the end of the show they reveal who they really are to the employees they work with.  I couldn't help but notice how malnourished the employees were.  They weren't lacking food. They were lacking positive words.  As the boss was praising the employees for their hard work it was evident that they hadn't heard positive words in a really long time.  They ate up his words like a fat kid on the day before fat camp. 

I can't prove this theory, but I feel like most people are starving for positive words. I once heard a pastor say "if you ever think something good say it." For some reason we think twice about saying positive words and yet we don't think twice to tear someone down. There is someone in your life and you are the only one who can feed them positive words. Like a newborn baby they can't feed themselves. It's easy to forget to give positive words to co-workers, bosses, neighbors, friends, and especially family.  The question is, who do you need to feed?

Mind Dump

It's been brewing for some time now. The following is a massive mind dump of all the random stuff going on in my head...

• Question: Do we really need a video game based off the TV show The Bachelor? I saw it the other day and I couldn't help but wonder if anyone ever bought this game.
• No Shave November is in effect. I know two people who are participating. One has really blond hair and the other is a high school student who...well it doesn't really look like he's participating. Do you know anyone?
• Next week is Thanksgiving! Love it!
• I love the TV show "Chuck." It's one of the best shows that no one is watching. What I mean by that is the ratings aren't great, but it's still a great show. Do you have a favorite show that's not real popular?
• I saw a sign that said "Slow Children At Play." Now typically the sign is read SLOW. Children at play. Most of the time the slow is written really big and the other words are underneath it. This sign was not written that way. When I read it I thought...that's not a very nice thing to say about some kids. They can't help it if they are slow. What's next "Nonathletic Children At Play." I then read the sign again and understood what it was supposed to say.
• Speaking of slow...I jogged almost 6 miles for the first time in my life. 3 thoughts...1. That's the furthest I've ever jogged. 2. Nobody was chasing me. 3. Fat guys shouldn't jog that far.
• I had heard that if you can jog 3 miles then you can do 6. I wanted to test that theory out. Apparently it's true. What they didn't tell me is that I'd be sore for more than 3 days. I feel like I'm 107 years old. I waddle when I walk. Once I get moving I'm ok, but it's getting started that hurts.
• I wish that I could do something else while I was jogging. Like if there was a way for me to blog while I jogged I'd be set. I have a lot of thoughts while jogging and I often forget them by the time I get home.
• Now that I've jogged 6 miles my next goal is to jog with Danielle Peters. She's like Forest Gump. Let me clarify: she is nothing like Forest Gump with the exception that she runs really far distances. She has run multiple marathons.
• With the holidays coming it's time for the "Winter Movie Season!" I have been slacking big time on seeing movies. I can't wait to get some theater time in the next few weeks. If you like the movie reviews at robshep.com then get ready...they are coming.
• Mr. Anderson has started his new job as the Community Group Manager at Waters Edge. I'm so thankful to have him on the team!
• Now some have asked why I call him Mr. Anderson. 2 reasons 1. The Matrix. If you haven't seen the first Matrix then you are probably one of the ones who asks that question. "Mr. Anderson" is one of those very memorable lines from that movie. 2. I give almost everyone a nickname. I don't know why, but I do. If I've given you a nickname then you know it because I'll most likely only call you by that name.
• Oh and his name is Steven Anderson.
• Mr. Anderson made his debut at Waters Edge on Sunday. You can watch it here. We did something at church that we've never done before. It's within the first 5 minutes of the service.
• If you like video games then you should help settle a debate by voting on the new survey at robshep.com.  My buddy Dan Peters claimed that nobody plays PS3. I claim that it is a superior system to the XBox 360. It comes with a blue ray player and you don't have to pay extra to get online. The PS3 is the Cadillac of gaming systems.
• This Wednesday we will be 17 weeks pregnant. There is a small chance that at our appointment on Wednesday we will be able to find out the gender. I doubt it, but there is a small chance.
• Speaking of being pregnant...my wife looks pregnant. That's a good thing because she is, but over night she started looking really pregnant. Now don't get all sensitive on me. I'm not saying my wife looks fat. She looks pregnant and that's a good thing. In fact it's a God thing. We've waited 6 years for this and we are loving it.
• It is kind of weird though seeing everyone touch her stomach.  People we don't even know walk up an rub her belly like it's good luck. 
• Have you seen the Geico commercial with the woodchucks? Ha-larious. It's still my favorite commercial on TV. In case you haven't seen it...
• A close second is the new "Call of Duty: Black Ops" commercial. It features Kobe Bryant and it makes me want to play that game. Click here if you want to see it.
• Speaking of that game I've never really played it. It's sweeping the nation. Most my friends play it. I don't know how they play "Call of Duty" without laughing. I mean when doody calls you've got to answer it, but I'm not sure I want to play a game with that name.
• Speaking of doody...this "Mind Dump" is over.

Whew...I feel much better now.

Mrs. Robert Christopher Shepherd's Birthday

Today my wife turns 31.

• At the age of 31, French Egyptologist Jean Francois Champollion deciphered the Rosetta stone. I'm not sure what that is, but my wife often translates Spanish words before they get explained in movies and on TV.
• At 31, British physician Thomas Wedgwood produced the first photograph.My wife loves photographs. Thanks to her I have every second of my life documented through pictures. Love it.
• At 31, Eli Terry produced clocks with interchangeable parts. He also introduced the free-trial, no-money-down sales method. My wife doesn't have interchangeable parts, but she does know how to tell time. She's often very patient with me when I'm running late.
• At 31, Gregory Pincus achieved in-vitro fertilization of rabbits. Later he invented the birth control pill. My wife experienced in-vitro fertilization and like a rabbit she's producing multiple babies.
• At 31, Dennis Kucinich was the youngest person ever elected to lead a major American city (Cleveland). No offense, but it's Cleveland. How major of an accomplishment is that? Lebron James. Nuff said. Anyway my wife is the youngest person living in my house.

I've heard it said that people use their 20's to figure things out. It's in their 30's that they really start living. Monica didn't wait to hit 30. She's driven, accomplished, and fabulous. Monica is an amazing wife. At the age of 31 she will receive her Masters degree, birth not one but two babies, and celebrate 10 years of marriage. Those are not small accomplishments. In fact I'd say they are amazing accomplishments. Some people fear getting old. I look forward to getting old with Monica. She makes every year significant. Happy Birthday wife.

Beautiful People

It's been said that it's not easy being beautiful. I know. I'm the best looking over weight, balding, average height guy I know.  For me I think it has to do with where I was born. Springfield Missouri just produces pretty people. Brad Pitt is from there. Technically he was born in Oklahoma, but he was raised in Springfield. That should count for something.  I digress.

Some people are just naturally beautiful. If a female ever catches my eye there are a few things I will do to protect my mind from doing anything else other than appreciating her beauty.  I've bounced my eyes. That's where I drastically turn the other direction to not allow a second glance. There have been times where I look at my wedding ring to remind me of what I have. I have also been known to remind myself that, no matter how pretty, she still farts. I know that sounds crass, but for some reason knowing that something beautiful does something gross helps. 

It's this realization, that beauty still comes with gas, that helps keep my mind in reality.  The reality is that no matter how pretty someone is they still come with faults. A lot of times we create an imaginary reality in our minds. It feels real, but it's unrealistic and unhealthy. Nobody has it all together. Nobody is perfect. Nobody is flawless. I want to get to know people past their made up selves. That means that I have to keep my mind in reality.  It means understanding that no matter how good looking someone is they will come with farts flaws. 

To Cuss or Not To Cuss...That Is The Question

There are two types of people in this world, those that cuss and those that don't. Now those that cuss and those that don't cuss fall into multiple sub-categories.  For those that cuss you have a handful of categories. For example...

• Potty mouth cusser - this person will cuss and it doesn't matter who is around. They could be around a little kid, their mom, or the Pope himself. It doesn't matter who they are around, cuss words will be a flying.
• Cuss like a sailor cusser - this person is similar to the potty mouth cusser with the exception that sailors have some respect. This person would show some cussing restraint when they are around little kids or their mom. They might still cuss at the Pope.
• Reactionary cusser - this person chooses when to let their choice of cuss words fly. This person feels that for some occasions no other word adequately explains how they feel.
• Stub thy toe cusser - this person would claim that they don't cuss, but when they stub their toe a cuss word, burried deep within their soul, comes flying out. 
• The shock cusser - this person uses cuss words to shock others. Typically this person hangs out in church going circles. They choose their choice words and let em fly to get a reaction.

For those that don't cuss you have a handful of categories.  For example...

• The substitute cusser - this person doesn't cuss, but they say all the substitutes for the cuss words. They say things like "Shut the front door," "frick'n," "dang," "shoot," "crap," & "bull poop." I would probably find myself in this category. I have been heard calling someone a "jack hole." It's only when I'm really upset and it normally involves sitting in traffic. I know that all I've done is take the first word of a particular cuss word, subtract the actual cuss word, then add the ending of another cuss word, minus the first word that actually contains the cuss word.  It's a complex formula, but it gets me out of actually saying a cuss word. I'm not proud of it.
• The strict no cusser - this person won't even say words that are substitutes for cuss words. This person would probably even blush if they heard the word shoot or dang. When this person gets mad flowers bloom, rainbows come out, and little kids sing about unicorns. Picture the real life version of Barney the Dinosaur. 

Did I miss any categories?

Yippe Ki Yay Mr. Falcon

What is your favorite classic movie line? There are some great ones out there. "I'll be back," "Here's Johnny," "Yo Adriane!," "Here's Looking At You Kid," and then my personal favorite "Yipee Ki Yay Mr. Falcon." 

One of my all time favorite movies is "Die Hard." If you are not familiar with Die Hard it's about a cop named John McClane. He's portrayed by actor Bruce Willis.  Now in "Die Hard", John McClane is a hero, but he doesn't want to be. He just happens to be the right guy in the wrong place. There are two things you can count on from a "Die Hard" movie. 1. John McClane will get beat to a pulp. 2. The movie will end with him saying "yipee ki yay mother f*****," or if it's on TBS, "yipee ki yay Mr. Falcon."

There is something amazing about that line in the movie.  John McClain has defied all odds. He should have died multiple times, but he just keeps going. He's taken the bad guys best shots and he's still coming. When he finally gives the classic line it's given with an exclamation point. It's saying I took your best shot and now I'm finished with you. It's saying I should be done, but I kept coming.  It's saying I win.

This line is so powerful I'm tempted to name my twins Yippee Ki Yay and Mr. Falcon.  There have been worst names. No offense to La-a (pronounced Ladasha) or Nosmoking (an actual name based off the no smoking sign in a hospital).  I don't think my wife will go for it, but it would be an awesome set of names. Who would mess with Yippee Ki Yay Shepherd and his or her twin Mr. Falcon?

Nobody likes going through heartache or pain. Nobody enjoys going through difficult situations. Nobody enjoys struggling.  Nobody enjoys pain, but God can use difficult situations to draw people closer to Himself. Without struggle we wouldn't have happy endings. Without pain we wouldn't appreciate healing. Without John Mclane getting a serious beat down we wouldn't appreciate "yipee ki yay Mr. Falcon."

I hate pain, but I love how I feel when I overcome it. If there is a hard situation in your life hold onto God and when you get through it you will be a better person. And when you get through that pain make a declaration. That difficult situation gave you it's best shot, but it couldn't shake you. You may have been hit hard, but you are not done! You're still coming! You won't quit! You will win! Yipee Ki Yay Mr. Falcon!

How To Make A Marriage (or any relationship) Work

Conflict arises in relationships because of unmet expectations. Think about the last time you got mad at someone. Wasn't it because you had an expectation and a person didn't meet it? You thought they would call and they didn't. You expect them to respect you and they don't. You expect people to not be rude to you and they are.You expect them to not text, and eat a Sloppy Joe, while driving down the interstate.  When expectations aren't met it causes conflict. 

You can apply the following to any relationship in your life. It's magnified in a marriage relationship because you spend so much time with your spouse.

If you want to make a relationship or marriage work then ask the following questions when someone doesn't meet your expectations...

• Have I communicated this expectation clearly? Your spouse can't read your mind. If you expect them to not leave their underwear in the middle of the bedroom floor, then you need to clearly communicate it. It's not fair to get upset with someone if you have never talked about your expectations. 
• Is this expectation realistic? Is it realistic to expect your husband to be McDreamy when he's more like McRib? Is it realistic to expect your wife to be in the mood every time that you are?  The answer is no. Some expectations need to change because they are unrealistic.

Now this only works if both people involved in the relationship are willing to work on it. If you clearly communicate your expectations and if you change your unrealistic expectations then you will have less drama in your relationships.  The hard part is forcing yourself to communicate when an expectation is unmet. That's where I struggle. It's not easy, but applying this to your relationships is how you can make a marriage (or any relationship) work.

You May Now Call Me Kobe

Have you ever thought about changing your name? Sean Combs does it on a regular basis. He went from Puff Daddy, to P Diddy, to Diddy.  Facebook started out as The Facebook. Before she became "Friends" with everybody Jennifer Aniston was known as Jennifer Anastassakis. It's not a major change, but up until high school everybody called me Robert. I didn't plan on the change. Some friends of mine just started calling me that and it took.

In the Bible names were changed on a regular basis. Abram became Abraham.  Saul was a murderous, persecuting, Pharisee before God changed his name to Paul.  Peter was one of Jesus 12 disciples. I'm pretty sure it was Jesus who changed his name from Simon to Peter.  I have never read anything about the significance of God changing some one's name, but it happened a lot in the Bible. I bet Judas wished that someone would have changed his name after he betrayed Jesus.

Having your name changed is like getting a fresh start. It's a constant reminder that something major has changed. In seminary I was introduced to a lot of students from Korea.  One of the students told me that all the Korean students had both a Korean name and an English name. John was the name of choice for most the guys.

I don't know what last week was like for you. There is a great chance that in some aspect of your life you blew it. Maybe you let someone down. Maybe you let yourself down. Maybe it's time to change your name. I blow it on a regular basis. Thank God I'm forgiven. Maybe you are not where you thought you'd be in life. Maybe you lack direction. According to God you are chosen. No matter what your name is if you know Jesus you are Forgiven and you are Chosen. Maybe today it's time to start living like your name is changed.

When talking about this with a couple of friends they quickly called me Kobe. I'm not sure that's the name I'd pick, but he is the greatest basketball player in the world.

Mind Dump

The pressure's been building. The following is a massive mind dump of all the random stuff going on in my head...

• If you live in the 757 there's a great chance that you've seen a slew of geese. They are everywhere. Now the problem with these geese are A. They walk across streets. I feel insulted that they can fly and they decide to walk across the street. B. They don't fear man. These things strut in front of cars and force them to stop. Now I'm not saying that I try to hit these birds with my car, but I do try to put the fear of Rob in them. I often speed up or drive up on them to make them move faster.
• I went to the movies for the first time in months. I love going to the movies, but with Monica on bed rest I haven't made the time. I love going to the movies.
• Tonight is the recording of WEC's first CD. Can you dig it?!! I can't wait to sing with Phil Poteat and the Waters Edge Band.
• My wife and I do crazy things in our sleep. This week we had another exciting adventure. At 12:22 I woke up to "Rob," "Rob." It was a calm but serious tone...to be continued...
• One thing that I've tried to train my wife to do is not react BIG when she is scared. Now I know you can't really help how you react, but her reaction would scare the poo out of me. There were times when we were walking and her reaction to a bug would make me think I was about to be man napped. When you are a kid it's called kidnapping...since I'm a man...you get the point. There were also times where she would be concerned as I was driving. Her reaction would lead me to feel like we were about to get run over by an 18 wheeler.  She'd slap the side of the door and gasp. In my mind we were dead.  In reality we had got a little too close to the curb.  I've asked her that whenever it's possible to stay calm when she's scared because I react crazily to her reaction.  She's done a great job at this. It should be impossible, but she now stays very calm when she is scared.
• So back to the crazy sleep...Monica was very calm, but I could tell she was scared. She then said, "someone is in our room." I quickly looked around the room and I didn't see anyone. So I tell her "There's nobody in the room." She then says, "Yes there is. I just saw them put something on our door and now they are standing on the stairs." I responded by asking, "Are you asleep?" She says, "No. I'm not. I saw someone put something on the door and now they are on the stairs." I get out of bed with my dukes ready to punch anyone on the stairs. I walk out, turn on the light, check to make sure the doors are locked, and wait a few seconds for someone to jump out at me. No one did. I get back to bed and Monica lets me know that she woke up telling me that someone was on the stairs.
• Apparently I cussed on my blog this week. I'm not a great speller. Thanks to spell check I catch a lot of mistakes. I was trying to spell assess and I left off the final s. I don't know how many people noticed, but only one person mentioned it in the comment section. Now I don't cuss, so when I read that I laughed. It was a mistake, but I made it three times on my blog.
• Do you play "Words With Friends" for the iPod, iPad, or iPhone? If you play look me up...robshep.com. It's a lot of fun.
• Have you seen Lebron James new commercial? It's a mini movie. You can watch here.

• I think it's a genius commercial. Whenever you do something different people are going to crucify you. I don't have a problem with what Lebron did. He may have made a bigger deal about it then what it deserved, but so does almost every football player after they score a touchdown. I think if he wins people will forget about all the negativity surrounding "the Decision." I'm still hoping they don't win. I'm a Lakers fan.
• My friend Stephen Haggerty posted a very funny review on a new App. It's called "Phone." Check it out here.
• I'm liking the band Gunger. I heard them at the conference Catalyst. I like the songs, "Beautiful Things," and "The Earth is Yours." If you'd like a sample check em out here.

Whew...I feel much better now.

This Is Worth Fighting God

I don't recommend fighting with God. He's got that all powerful thing going on for Him.  He's also got that three in one thing going for Him. When you fight God you're fighting the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three to one isn't good odds even when you are not fighting someone who can call down a plague of frogs on you. 

There is however one thing that I think is worth fighting God over.  There are people who strongly hold to the belief that everything that we do in this life is predestined. In other words God has a plan and every action that we do is already marked out for us. That includes people who are destined to spend eternity in Hell.  There is even Biblical evidence to back up their belief. Romans 9 makes a pretty strong case to support this line of thinking.  I believe in the Bible so I agree that God is in control and has a plan. But if God created some people to be predestined for destruction then I'd want to fight Him on this. 

There was a time when God got really ticked off at His people. He had just rescued them from Egyptian slavery and while He was talking with Moses they create a god in the image of a cow. I'd be pretty upset myself. I mean at least make a god in the image of a lion or tiger or bear, but a cow...oh my.  He threatened to destroy them but didn't because Moses asked Him not to.

In my opinion this idea of predestination is worth fighting with God over. I'm not saying you have to cuss God out or tell Him to put up His dukes. I'm just saying that it should cause us to argue on others behalf. Something inside us should cause us to beg God to move in our friends and families lives. I don't want anyone to be separated from God for all eternity. If someone is predestined it's worth fighting God over.

So My Shrink Said...

Yesterday was my first appointment with my counselor. Two weeks ago I was dealing with some depression. I posted about it here. The first session was mainly him listening to what was going on. Nothing profound happened, but talking about things energized me.

I understand why going to see a counselor has got a bad rap. Nobody wants to give the impression that they are crazy. In fact I was a little sad to not see any padded rooms, drooling patients walking in hospital gowns, or straight jackets. I was hoping to see something out of the movie 12 Monkeys or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I guess all that stuff is hidden in a back room. I kid I kid.

I'm not a handy type of guy. I don't fix things. I don't know how to fix household type of things and I don't enjoy fixing household type things. When my car breaks down I proudly go to a mechanic to have him fix it.  When I ask for help with my house or car I'm not embarrassed. In fact I think it would be silly for me to try to fix it on my own.  Why not entrust my house and car to a professional who can fix the problem.  This is the same way I feel about Christian counseling.

Maybe it's because of the stigma of crazy. Maybe it's because of pride. Pride to admit that you don't have all the answers or that you need some help. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm not afraid to admit that I need a little help from a Christian counselor. As a mechanic analyzes the cause of the problem I'm looking for a different set of eyes to analyze what was going on with me. 

In the first session he told me about change points. They assess a certain amount of points for changes in a person's life.  He said that if a person has a major change like a death in the family they will assess a large amount of points. He then said that at 100 points there can be cause for concern. He said with all the changes going on in my life he'd assess that I was at 300 points. I'm excited to continue this journey and figure out what I can do.

Olympic Run

On Thanksgiving I'm planning on jogging in a 5k. The last time I moved as a part of a race it didn't go so well for me.  I was in the third grade. It was for the Boy Scouts, and it was the annual Boy Scout Olympics. I was living in Germany and the BS Olympics were held in Munich. The Olympic stadium in Munich is famous for the terrorist attack during the 1972 Summer Olympics.  Oh, and just to clarify, for this blog BS stands for Boy Scouts. 

For some reason I didn't get the memo that we didn't have to wear our BS uniforms during the BS Olympics. It doesn't makes sense to me now, but as a third grader I guess it made sense to wear the official uniform. I entered many events, including a relay race. I don't remember the distance that we ran. The only thing I remember, is that when it was my turn to run, my BS pants kept falling down. During the race I had to keep hoisting them up the entire run.  It must have been pretty noticeable because I remember people laughing. I also remember hearing about it when I went back to school. I'm hoping that this Thanksgiving 5k turns out better than the BS run. I'm thinking I'll wear suspenders just in case. I'll keep you posted.

Why Do They Call You Christian?

I often wonder about things. I don't know the reason, but I enjoy knowing why. I want to know why a jean company would put pant sizes on the outside of the jeans for the world to see. I want to know why it's impossible to pop all the kernels in a bag of microwavable popcorn? I'd love to know why I'm 5"10, and I love basketball, while at the same time my lil brother is 6"1 and could care less about basketball.  With it being Halloween weekend there were multiple scary movies on TV. My wife mentioned that the movie Halloween 3 was on, and that it didn't have Michael Myers (the main villain) in it.  I wanted to know why, so I googled it.  The point is that I like to know why.

Now this is something that you might not care about, but have you ever wondered why people were first called Christians? It started during a severe time of persecution. Christ Followers were so severely attacked that it lead many to leave their homes and relocate to different parts of the world.  There was a group in Antioch who was making so much noise people called them Christians.  Now when I write noise I'm saying they were yelling like a bunch of banshees.  They were making a difference with the way that they lived. They were telling people about Jesus and so many people were affected that they were called Christians. 

Many believe that the name was meant to be a derogatory name. The Bible says, "They were called Christians." - Acts 11:26.  They were called this name because of the way they lived.

If someone looked at my life I wonder what they'd call me? It's easy for me to get wrapped up in my life. It's easy for me to spend most of my time thinking about me. It's easy for me to call myself a Christian and yet live completely for me. 

I want to live a life where people call me Christian. I don't want it to just be something that I call myself. I want my life to make such a difference people can't help but notice my God. 

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. - 1 Peter 2:11-12.

Mind Dump

It's been brewing for a while. The following is a massive mind dump of all the random stuff going on in my head...

• 2010 is rounding the corner to the end of it's existence.  According to the documentary, Back to the Future II, we now have less than five years to invent flying cars, hoverboards, and self tying tennis shoes. I just hope that by 2015 someone invents an ironing board that doesn't squeal like a banshee every time you set it up.  Awful.
• "That's what she said" has changed the way I speak and write.  Thanks to, Michael Scott from, "The Office" that joke is said so often I now think defensively against it. Whenever I write an email, blog, twitter, or speak in public my mind filters the things I say so I don't set someone up to say "that's what she said." It's not easy. In fact it's really hard.
• That's what she said.
• I love that the NBA season started this week. Love it!
• The NBA needs to make West Coast games start earlier. There is no way the NBA will ever catch the NFL's popularity if they don't make games come on earlier. I tried to stay up for the Lakers season opener and I just couldn't do it. The first quarter didn't start till 11:00 PM.
• I'm still really enjoying the book, "Sun Stand Still" by Steven Furtick. It's practical, and it inspires me to live audaciously.
• So the San Francisco Giants are in the World Series and they are winning? I remember watching them in the World Series when an earth quake hit. That was a crazy thing.
• I'm pulling for Texas to come back and win the World Series. We lived near the stadium for two years.  We went to a game when A-Rod was with them.
• Today is the deadline to sign up for a volunteer exclusive event at Waters Edge. We are recording our very first CD with Phil Poteat and the Waters Edge Band. It's going to be a night of epic proportions. If you volunteer at WEC you can register here.
• I was asked recently what the best movies of the last few years were. It was really hard for me to think of a list of great movies. There have been some good ones, but in my opinion there's only a few great movies.  My favorites are The Dark Knight, Slumdog Millionaire, The Blindside, and Iron Man. What about you? What great movies would you list from the last 3 years?
• I'm getting a hair cut today. I like a hair cut, but I just hate going to get one. It feels like a waste of time to me. Even though it only takes 15 to 20 minutes I'd rather do something else. I guess once I go bald I won't have to think about hair cuts any more. 
• I love when people leave comments on my blog. I think it's my love language. I hope the new comment system has made it easier. There certainly are more people leaving comments, so I hope so. 
• I have the privilege of speaking this weekend at Waters Edge. We moved our Sunday evening services to Saturday night for one time only.  I hope people actually show up on Sat. night. 
• This week Monica and I hosted Mr. Anderson and his wife Kristi. They were here to find a home. They did, so he starts his new job at Waters Edge on November 8th. Can you dig it?!!?
• Mr. Anderson is going to be the Community Group Manager. He's going to help take Adult Community Groups to a whole notha level.
• Kristi Anderson introduced us to something called miracle mud. I can't wait to A. try this out. And B. blog about it.
• So I'm painting a ceiling today. Apparently the people who built my home didn't prime the bathroom ceiling before they put the popcorn crud on it.  We paid someone to paint our ceilings and as soon as paint hit the popcorn it crumbled.  We (I say we because my good friend Dan Peters is going to help me) have to scrape off the popcorn crud, prime it, and then paint it.  It took Michelangelo (no not the Ninja Turtle) 4 years to paint the Sistine Chapel. I'm hoping it doesn't take me that long.  
• By the way my house is for sale. I feel like we've done a great job at taking care of the house God has blessed us with. It's going to be a little sad to sell it.  
• Some of the Students in my Student Community Group were talking about how sad/weird it will be to meet at another house. For some of them they've been at my lil house every Wednesday for the last 3 years.
• God made it so birds can fly and humans can't. I wish He would have at least made it so that birds can't poop while they fly. They are like flying weapons. I think they poop on things just to remind humans that we can't fly up there to catch em.  Luckily for us God gave man the ability to invent guns. I kid I kid.
• There are some amazing cooks in this world. Many people have brought food by since Monica is on bed rest. A-MAZING!
• Monica is doing ok. She is feeling better and having less problems which is great. She's a little bummed about missing so much time in her classroom. She is teaching kindergarten for the first time and hates that she can't be there. I'm praying she can go back to work soon.

Whew...I feel better now.

I Am Blessed

There is a fun group game that we call visual telephone. I'm not sure if that's the official name, but it's ha-larious. The game involves writing a noun, players interpreting that noun, and then drawing the interpretation of that noun. So if the first noun is Rob it ends up being something crazy like ninja billy goat.  It's a lot of fun.

One of the last times I played the noun I was given was, "we are blessed." Two observations...1. I'm not great at grammar but I'm pretty sure that's not a noun. 2. How in the wide world of sports do you draw we are blessed? It ended up being pirate booty. Like I said it's a lot of fun.

Now I may not have a fat clue how to draw "we are blessed," but I do feel blessed. This week Monica and I have been blessed by so many people.  We have had tons of food provided, a year subscription to Netflix given to us, and we were given multiple gift cards. People have been going above and beyond to show us love. Monica is on bed rest and it has equaled the best food I've eaten, lots of company, and loads of encouraging words.

The love people have showered on us has overwhelmed me. It's helped lift my spirits. Last week I posted about dealing with some depression. Having all this loved poured on us has led me to feel like my old self again.  Just knowing that people are praying for us and for our babies means the world to me. I am blessed.

Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Halloween Sluts?

What are you going to be for Halloween? That's a question that gets asked a lot around this time of year.  According to multiple students, and some parents, one of the top answers high school girls give to that question is, "I'm going to be a slutty _____.  A slutty nurse, a slutty school girl, a slutty army soldier, and even a slutty, I don't know what I am, are some of the costumes students are baring for Halloween.  The key is to find a costume and make it slutty.

Now the following is not me being judgmental. The worth of the person isn't changed by what they wear. However, I am making a judgment. You say, "what's the difference?" I say, "the difference is I'm not questioning the worth of the people involved." There are lots of things in this life that we should make judgments about. For example I know a lot of people like to snort liquor and drink crack, but I've made a judgment call to abstain because of personal convictions.  You make judgements about lots of things. Whether or not to overeat, exercise, watch hours of TV, or look both ways before crossing the street are all judgment calls that you can make.  In this life it is wise to look at a situation and then make a judgment based on how you think it will affect your life. If it affects your life in a negative way then it's not best for you. It doesn't change a person's worth if they disagree with you. I'm simply making an observation and giving some alternative options. If a person doesn't agree with me I still feel like they have worth and value.

The definition of a slut is
a. A person, especially a woman, considered sexually promiscuous.


b. A woman prostitute.

2. A slovenly woman; a slattern.

I'm just not sure that's what any girl should want to represent. I don't even know what a slattern is, but it doesn't sound respectable.  I know they are just having fun. I know they don't see themselves as that. In fact I know some great girls who have vowed to save themselves for marriage and are still representing something slutty for Halloween.  I know that it's perceived to be cute. I know many teenagers will disagree with me, but I just think that there are other options.
 
I know I'm old school in thinking but I believe that if it's not on the menu you shouldn't advertise it. In other words if your not a slut don't represent one. Sure you could say the same thing about being a bum for Halloween. I mean nobody aspires to be a bum, but dressing as a bum doesn't cause guys to think impure thoughts.  With so many options out there for girls I wish more of them would not use Halloween as an excuse to dress slutty. Some things just shouldn't be seen by everyone. What are your thoughts?

You Can't Shake Me

Yesterday was another Dr.'s appointment that had some good news and some scary news. The good news is that we heard both our twins heartbeats. The bad news is the Dr. labeled Monica as a threatened miscarriage.  The Dr. said that 95% of the time what Monica has doesn't lead to a miscarriage, but he seemed concerned about her. In fact this was the first time they didn't give us pictures from the ultrasound.  We have to go to the Dr. once a week now to check on the babies, and Monica is on bed rest until an undetermined date. 

The roller coaster of emotions hasn't been easy to ride.  I know that compared to many we have nothing to complain about. We are blessed, but I'm tired. I'm tired of being scared that we might lose our babies. I haven't met them yet, but I feel a love for them that compels me to worry for their safety.  I'm tired of feeling helpless. I'm tired of hurting for Monica. I'm tired of all the scares. Scares that have led to tears, prayers, and more scares.  I'm tired of fighting the fear that comes with Monica on bed rest. If she can't go back to work we are docked her pay. I'm tired of not having a reason or a cause for Monica's problem. The Dr. said that he's now concerned for Monica's health. I'm tired of worrying about how I can't live without her.  I'm tired of not being able to fix this. I'm tired.

I'm tired, but I'm not shaken. I will not waiver in my faith in God. This world can hit me with it's best shot and I will still have lived a blessed life. I am loved by God. I am loved by God. I am loved by an amazing God.  A God who led me to the love of my life. A God who has a plan for my life. A God who is the giver of life.  A God who has surrounded me with people who show us such love and support that I don't dare question His love. I may worry. I may struggle. I may cry my eyes out, but this world can't shake me.  YOU CAN'T SHAKE ME from believing that I am loved by God!

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - The Apostle Paul, Romans 8:38-39.

Rocky - The Musical

I never noticed that Rocky Balboa had a musical. That all changed last week.

I'm a big fan of the Rocky movie franchise. When we went to Philadelphia I had a CD with the Rocky theme ready. It played on repeat as we drove around the city. One of my goals in life was to run the museum steps that were made famous in Rocky I and II.  I ran them both times I went to Philly.  I own all six of the movies and will watch them at least once a year.

Last week I had the privilege to watch Rocky IV.  It's probably my favorite in the Rocky series. As I watched it I couldn't help but notice something that I had never noticed before. There are a ton of musical montages in the movie. Now most movies have a musical montage. It's where a song is played as the actors do something. It could be a flashback scene. It could happen when the hero of the movie turns things around. Or in Rocky's case it could be as he trains for a big fight.  You may have never noticed it before, but the next time you watch a movie I'll bet that there will be a music montage of some sort. 

Rocky IV has 6 music montages. I think that constitutes it as a musical. They are all awesome, but it is a lot of musical montages. There's the beginning of the movie where "Eye of the Tiger" plays. There's Apollo Creed's fight entrance to Living in America by James Brown. There's the epic flashback scene, the arrival in Russia and two, count em, two training montages. Finally there is the classic theme that plays during the final fight scene of the movie.  If you are a fan then you'll appreciate and remember the following...

Leave A Comment

I've heard from multiple people that they've tried to leave a comment at robshep.com but for whatever reason they couldn't. So I downloaded a new comment system. I hope it makes things easier.

This is where you come in. Will you leave a comment and let me know if leaving one was easy or not. If what I have is not as good as what I had I'll change it back. Oh if you've never left a comment before I'd love to know who you are. Tell me your name and where you are from. Thanks in advance.

Mind Dump

My brain is constipated with thoughts. The following is a massive mind dump of all the random stuff going on in my head...

• I was passed by a mini-van that had the fake wood paneling on the side. Do you remember those? Now two thoughts came to my mind when I was passed by this van...1. how slow was I going to be passed by a mini-van from the 80's. 2. who ever thought it was a good idea to put fake wood paneling on a van?
• While jogging the other night I passed an elderly guy who was walking his dog. Now the reason this is getting mentioned on the blog is because this elderly guy was wearing a flashlight on his head, and he was looking for his dogs poop so he could scoop it into a plastic bag.  I giggle whenever I see people scooping their dogs poo into a plastic bag, but the site of this guy with the flashlight on his head was very humorous. 
• Last week I posted about lima beans. My wife loves succotash which is lima beans mixed with corn. I forgot to add the following to that blog post. If a food wants me to eat it then it can't have the word suck in it. Granted it's spelled slightly different, but I still ain't eating it.
• This week Waters Edge hosted a House Party. It was the biggest House Party ever. Now after the House Party I form new Community Groups with the info that people provide on their info cards.  I put the groups together with the help of Josh Wilson, Director of Administration.  After looking at one of the info cards Josh said...and I quote..."this guy said he came to the House Party with Anita Group." After he said it I thought that it sounded like something out of a Bart Simpson prank. There is no way another person has the name Anita Group. If you don't get it then let me fill you in...it sounds like "I need a group."  Whoever put that on their info card is pretty witty. 
• Halloween is a week from this Sunday. Are you a fan? Will you dress up as anything?
• Speaking of Halloween vote for your favorite candy on the new survey at robshep.com.
• I think I'm going to jog a 5k on Thanksgiving. I've been jogging 3 miles and it actually is becoming a little easier.
• I bought new jogging shoes last week.  I also bought some jogging socks.Did you know that you are not supposed to jog in cotton socks? I don't know what the difference is but I figured if I'm going to do it I might as well try to be like the pros.
• You might have noticed, but I don't call what I do running. It's seriously jogging. It's a little faster than a power walk, but I'm pretty sure a two year old or an elderly person who doesn't need a walker could catch me. 
• Last night on my way home from the Redbox I saw a lady crouching in the middle of my street. As I drove past her I saw that she was scooting a dead squirrel out of the street and she was using a stick. I really wanted to ask her why she was doing that.
• Next week Mr. Anderson will be in the 757. Mr. Anderson is the brand new Community Group Manager at Waters Edge Church! He is an answer to prayer and I can't wait to start working with him. He's coming with his wife Kristi to look for a place to live.
• Speaking of a place to live we are selling our townhouse. It's really hard to think about not living here. We've lived her for 5 years and it's the first house that we bought.
• If you are looking for a local realtor we've been really pleased with Dan Peters of Creed Realty. He's gone above and beyond!

Valley God

I think that most of us have a limited view of God. I think we underestimate His love for us. I think we underestimate His jealousy. God wants our hearts, minds, and devotion; and He's jealous when we give it to something else.  I think we underestimate God because we see Him with a limited perspective. 

I recently read a passage in the Bible that grabbed my attention.  Israel is at war with another nation. They are outnumbered vastly. God speaks through a prophet and says, "Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord." - 1 Kings 20:28.

God acts on Israel's behalf because an army that attacked them viewed God as a God of the hills and not the valleys.  This nation had a limited view on God and they suffered for it. Similarly we suffer when we limit our perspective of God. God is not a God of the good times only. He's still God during the hard times. God is God who cares about us. He cares about our needs, wants and desires. God is a God who is faithful. God is a God who passionately wants a relationship with us. 

For me it's easy to remember that God is good when I'm on the hills. In other words it's easy to remember that God is good when my life is good. But God is good when I'm in the valley just as much as when I'm on the hill. God is still in control. God is a valley God just as much as He is a hill God. 

I Want The Old Rob Back

For the last four weeks I've been struggling with depression.  I'm not sure what triggered it. If you read robshep.com regularly you'll remember that it was about four weeks ago that I started jogging outside. Coincidence? I don't think so, but I do hate jogging. 

The strange thing about it is that nothing has triggered it. No one has hurt me. No thoughts are keeping me up at night. Nothing has changed with my schedule. I'm still eating Chipotle once a week.

I first noticed it when I had lost my passion and motivation to blog. Normally ideas come somewhat quickly to me but I went a whole week wrestling to get blog posts up. I think that depression can manifest itself in various ways and one sign can be a loss of passion or motivation. 

Since then it has randomly hit while I was at work, at Community Group, or even just at home by myself. It doesn't seem to last for long periods of time, but it has been consistent enough that I know I want some help. I want the old Rob back. 

I scheduled an appointment with a Christian counselor. Our first appointment is next week. I think talking about it will help. I talked with my pastor about it on Monday and since then it has been a lot better.  I don't know if it has been triggered by the emotional roller coaster that I've been on with Monica's pregnancy. It's been filled with intense excitement and multiple scares.  I don't know if it has been caused by stress of my job. I don't know if it's from carrying the burden of the multiple people that I have counseled.  I don't even know if I'll get any answers, but I'm excited to meet with a Christian counsel to see what they say. 

My Life Would Suck Without You

On my jog last night my iPod was set on shuffle and the Kelly Clarkson song, "My Life Would Suck Without You" came on. Yes I have some Kelly Clarkson on my iPod and no I'm not too prideful to admit it. I like some of her music. I digress.

While listening to the chorus of that song I couldn't help but think of how my life would literally suck without God.  Now I have a lot of great things in my life. In fact most days I love my life! I feel I live a charmed life, but without God it would suck.

I don't remember a lot from my Greek classes in Seminary, but I do remember the word "skubala." Skubala means poop, but it's more equivalent to the the vulgar term that rhymes with spit. As a kid I heard another kid tell a joke with this word in it..."Shhh it's around the corner." Now this isn't a word that I use. I don't even feel comfortable writing the joke that makes two words form this word. 

The context of this word comes from Paul's letter to the Philippians. He wrote, " What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ." The word that is translated rubbish is actually a nicer version of this word. The point is that Paul was saying that he considers everything in his life poo compared to knowing Christ. He had accomplished a lot of great things, but they are skubala compared to knowing Jesus. In other words his life would have sucked without God. 

I'm not trying to preach in this blog. I just couldn't help but write about it. Last night while jogging I was overwhelmed with the blessing of having God in my life. Without him my life would suck...or if you prefer it'd be skubala. 

How to Make Your Man Better Part 2: Guest Blogger Monica Shepherd

Last Wednesday, Rob posted a blog on How to Make Your Man Better. Since I believe so much in this topic and it received so much feedback, I thought I would follow up with a guest blog about respecting your husband. Rob discussed how men desire and crave respect, but that some women have a very hard time respecting their man. "A respecting wife inspires her husband to greatness. A disrespecting wife is like a swift kick to the crotch."
In the comment section of the original blog, Lindsey asked for a top 10 list of ways to respect your husband, so here it goes!

1. Pray for your husband every chance you get. Pray that he would pursue God, make wise decisions, and have the energy to love you well! I always ask Rob about his day each morning so I know exactly how to pray for him during the day. If he has a Sunday programming meeting, I pray he has creativity. If he has a counseling appointment, I pray God would give him wisdom.

2. Tell him every time he does something well! Even if it is something small like unloading the dishwasher, thank him and make sure he feels appreciated. Believe it or not, it propels him to continue doing things for you! If it is something big at work, avoid negativity and find the good to encourage him with. Rob's love language (how he feels the most loved) is words of affirmation. Don't get me wrong, we give constructive criticism, but it is well received because we pour on the compliments as well. We are each other's biggest fan.

3. Never bad mouth him to your friends or family. This does not mean you are fake if you have a frustration or problem. If you have an issue with him, communicate it with him, not everyone else! It will not get better if you do not talk to him about it fairly. There is nothing more disrespectful for any relationship than to bring it to others before you bring it to the person directly involved.

4. When communicating to your spouse, avoid using the words never and always. The chances of him "always" doing something or "never" doing something are slim. Even if that is how you feel, you have to fight fair. A better way to say something is, "The last two times this happened, I feel like you...." Wait until the 2nd or 3rd time this thing that "always" happens occurs, and communicate fairly and timely to avoid it becoming a bigger issue. Respect him by communicating reasonably. When I conference with parents, I don't just dump everything on the table bluntly. Why would I do this with the man I love?

5. Tell him you love him every chance you get.

6. Tell him how proud you are of him as a husband, father, employee, whatever! Find something to celebrate!

7. Be creative in how you show him that you love him. This is different, and often better, than just saying I love you. I have sent Rob cards at work, flowers, made a picnic of his favorite foods, surprised him with trips and sporting event tickets, and bought him little presents. This leads him to do the same for me and it just perpetuates the cycle! Whenever he surprises me with flowers or something at school, my principal still asks what he did wrong, but that's the whole point of this! We don't wait for something to be wrong!

8. Communication and creativity also play a role in the bedroom! Both are necessary and make for a much healthier relationship! You might not think it's related to respect, but you'd be surprised!

9. Take an interest in what he is interested in! He won't look for other people to share things with if he can share them with you! Before college I could not name a single Laker player besides Magic Johnson. Now, I can name the entire team, all of their past all-stars, and I wear jerseys to the games! I also love watching SportsCenter and PTI now, which started because they were a big part of Rob's life! I don't belittle his hobbies or interests, and this shows that I respect him.

10. Ask him how you can be a better wife or how you can show him more respect. Every person feels loved in different ways, so your spouse's love language might not be listed here. Ask him! He'll be impressed you care! Warning- if you ask him, be prepared to follow through!

It is just as important for the husband to cherish the wife. Wives respecting their husbands is not a one way street, but it does make it a million times easier for your husband to cherish you if you are trying the list above. Finally, tell him what you need! Husbands can't read minds and shouldn't be expected to. That's all.

An Update About Jogging

So a month ago I posted about how I hate jogging outside. I asked readers to convince me to give it another chance. They did and so I've been jogging 3 to 5 times a week ever since.  I still hate it.

Two weeks ago my knee swelled up like a hemorrhoid on a old person or pregnant woman...take your pick. There wasn't any pain in my knee but it swelled nice and big.  Out of all my years of running on an elliptical I've never had any knee problems.  I will say however that it has gotten easier. I will also say that I do enjoy the challenge of pushing myself to see how far I can go. On Tuesday I went over 3 miles for the first time in my life. 

The following are some interesting things that I've noticed since I started jogging...

• The first mile is still hard. It's no longer hard because my lungs feel like they are going to explode, but it is hard because I feel like at any moment my legs will give out from under me. One night it was so bad I thought I was going to have to crawl to a strangers house and beg them to let me use their phone to call my wife so she could pick me up. That would have been ha-larious...after the matter. Can you imagine if a fat white guy, who you didn't know, and who looked like he was about to die, crawled up to your doorstep and asked to use the phone?
• I jog in my neighborhood and certain sections have their own smell.  There is one section that smells like lovely lady perfume. Now lovely lady is not a brand but a thought I have. It smells like a lovely old lady who put way too much perfume on. She's nice and the smell isn't bad, but it slaps you in the face.  There is also the dryer sheet smell. I don't know why it's so strong or consistent, but one corner always smells like someone is drying clothes. There is also a section that smells like a gas leak, and an occasional dog poo smell.
• After the first mile something kicks in and my body stops hurting. From there it's just a mental game where I have to convince myself to keep going instead of going home to watch TV.
• It's easier on me to jog at night then in the morning. I don't know why, but I can go farther if I go at night.
• I like jogging to slower music more than I do upbeat music. I tried this the other day and it helped me keep my pace slower. A slower pace has allowed me to go farther.
• I sweat a lot. So much so that I've been thinking about carrying around a sweat towel.
• When I burp I get discouraged. For some reason I feel like a burp pushes me backwards and slows me down. I know it doesn't, but I think that I feel this way because it's the opposite of how I feel when I poot. 

Well that's it for this jogging update. For all you joggers who read my blog...if you have any suggestions for some new jogging shoes I'm going to get some this weekend.  Let me know what you like.

I Think Seth Godin Hates Me

Now I know what the title of this blog is, but I don't really think that Seth Godin hates me. I did however have an interesting interaction with him last week at Catalyst. I was blessed with the opportunity to host a VIP luncheon with Seth Godin. Now if you are not familiar with Seth he is a blogging master, genius writer, and thinks on a whole notha level.  Below is my brief conversation with Seth...

Rob: Hi Seth, my name is Rob and I'll be hosting you for this luncheon.
Seth: What does that mean?
Rob: (nervously) um...it just means that I will be facilitating questions to you.
Seth: You broke the first rule in catering.

Time out: Now I had nothing to do with the food at this event. I felt bad that a catering rule was broken, and because I was hosting I decided to take responsibility...even though I had nothing to do with the food. Time in:

Rob: What's the first rule?
Seth: Never put the food table against a wall. It slows things down because people can't go on both sides of the table.
Rob: That's a good rule. I'm sorry about that.
Seth: (nothing but silence)
Rob: Now Seth, can I get you some food or are you going to eat later?
Seth: I don't eat.

He then walked away and that was the end of our conversation. I'm not sure what his last statement even means. I mean does he truly never eat? Surely that's not the case. But if he does eat then what did he mean by his statement? Now you need to understand that I get really nervous around guys I look up to because I have a tendency to say really dumb things. After analyzing our conversation I don't think I said anything dumb around him, but when it was over I couldn't help but laugh at our interaction.  I love Seth's blog and his books are incredibly influential. If you haven't read anything of his you should check it out immediately. And if you ever happen to host a lunch with him make sure you don't break the number one rule in catering.

How To Make Your Man Better

A lot of women marry an idiot.  Maybe it's just men in general, but it seems like women have a hard time respecting their husbands.  Now when a woman has a hard time respecting her husband her first response is to nag him, or put him down. 

I recently heard a story from pastor and author, Craig Groeschel.  He was counseling a couple with his wife. The wife they were counseling kept belittling and disrespecting her husband. Finally it got so bad Craig's wife remarked that the issue the couple was having was a direct result of the way the woman was talking to her husband.  The woman responded by saying, "maybe if my husband was half the man as yours I wouldn't have to talk to him like that." Craig's wife responded with, "maybe my husband is the man he is because of the way I respect him." Now I put that in quotes, but it was written from memory. It's what I remember him saying, but there is a chance that it's not an exact quote. 

I loved what Craig's wife said. I love that she respects him and it helps make him a great man. I think there is so much truth in what she said. I don't know why God wired men to desire and crave respect, but we do. A wife thinks she's helping her husband when she nags or puts him down, but it's the opposite. A respecting wife inspires her husband to greatness. A disrespecting wife is like a swift kick to the crotch. So if you have a man help respect him to greatness.

I can say with confidence that I wouldn't be the man I am if my wife wasn't amazing! I praise God for her.

Bowlin'

It's no secret that I have a men crush on Tripp and Tyler.  I guess it'd be more proper to say I have a man crush on both Tripp and Tyler.  I think they are funny. I recently got to enjoy some of their videos at Catalyst. They helped emcee this great conference and as usual they were ha-larious. Their latest creation is an ode to bowl cuts. It features Chris Tomlin and has a cameo from my friend, Chad Johnson (no not the football player).  Enjoy...