Have you considered any resolutions for the new year involving worship?

I grew up in West Tennessee.  I currently live in Middle Tennessee.  I work with a church in East Tennessee.

Some of you native Tennesseans will remember long ago when the state slogan was "The three states of Tennessee."  Remember the welcome signs bordering our state that actually pictured divisions of West, Middle and East?  I assume the slogan was changed for appropriate reasons.  Perhaps some decided that emphasizing three personalities of our state would only promote disunity.  However, upon closer inspection, people will be pleased to discover the unique characteristics of each "region" if you will.

I love Tennessee.  It's a great place to live and raise a family.  Paris, Tennessee is a special, hometown holding an extra measure of small-town charm.  West of the Tennessee River (the river that flows north) and east of the mighty Mississippi, you'll find the western section of the state that is obviously flatter than the middle and eastern sections.  Growing up in the west, it was not uncommon to see cotton fields and numerous bar-b-que stands.

Nashville has provided a taste of what a metropolitan life has to offer.  Concerts, shopping and entertainment options are dazzling, even in a city the size of Nashville.  There are enough churches available that a dedicated "church-hopper" could visit a different church every week without repeating for years.  The landscape is prominently characterized by rolling hills, common throughout Middle Tennessee.  My family really loves living in Nashville (or, to be more exact, the small town of Goodlettsville - similar to Paris, yet a suburb of Nashville.)

But working with the very special Farragut church of Christ has introduced us to life in beautiful East Tennessee.  I can honestly say that the mountain scenery is becoming more and more captivating and enjoyable.  I was introduced to the mountains of East Tennessee as my Mom is from this part of the state.  In the midst of all the mountain ranges, there are no shortages of rivers, lakes and parks.  What a beautiful place!  We have found a seemingly endless network of the best motorcycling roads in America, coupled with outstanding photo opportunities.  And the most important aspect - the people are warm and friendly.

If you've never been to Tennessee, I hope you get a chance to visit someday.  You'll quickly find why we are proud to call this our home.

In continuing my development in photography, I captured this time-lapse shot of Knoxville last week.

Merry Christmas from our family.

"May you have . . .
       enough happiness to keep you sweet;
       enough trials to keep you strong;
       enough sorrow to keep you human;
       enough hope to keep you happy;
       enough failure to keep you humble;
       enough success to keep you eager;
       enough friends to give you comfort;
       enough wealth to meet your needs;
       enough enthusiasm to look forward;
       enough faith to banish depression;
       enough determination to make each day better than yesterday."

At Farragut (Knoxville, TN) this morning, we truly celebrated Christmas.
I have lived on this planet for a half century now.  I have grown up in the church, but cannot remember a candle service during a Sunday assembly.  (I know this may sound strange to some of our readers of other traditions.)

What special plans do you make for assemblies regarding Christmas?

Here's a shot I captured of Melissa and Zac Gannon (Lancaster Transit) at their latest performance.

Remember the post about my friend Matt Straughn and his running success?  Matt ran the Dallas / Whiterock Half Marathon with 5,200 runners.  Matt placed 32nd in this large group!

He also ran Newtimes Arizona 5 K and placed 7th overall among around 1,500 runners.  Way to go Matt!

Our family stayed in a cabin in the Smoky Mountains for the first time this week.

With a few detours . . .

How often are your assembly plans/times changed for whatever reason?  Do you alter the schedule when it coincides with holidays?  What about Sunday nights and the Super Bowl?  How often has weather affected your services?

Thanks Mike for sharing.

Many have pointed out how common it is for "locals" to overlook the treasures in their own backyard (wherever they may be.)  This was brought to my attention a few years back when an elder from North Carolina was visiting.  His enthusiasm and knowledge of Nashville surpassed my own to a point that motivated me to discover the unique offerings of our area.  Have you heard of people living in central Florida who have never visited Disney World?  What would you say about me never attending a Grand Old Opry performance?

The Bi-Centennial mall is very interesting park to visit.  I took this shot by the globe in the World War II memorial in the park.

Sunday night, I was utterly amazed by the children of the Farragut church and their presentation of "The Mystery of the Manger."  I was thinking, it would be impressive for them to memorize two or three songs - but this musical was packed with almost an hour of outstanding singing, choreography and acting,  complete with a costume change.  You'd have to see it to believe it!