Amie just came in and asked me if I had heard the Brittany Murphy had died.

I hadn’t. I Googled it. I went to my Twitter home page and saw the trend. I clicked back over to the People article. Wow.

I went back to the trending topic. I was amazed. 406 tweets had gone out with ‘RIP Brittany Murphy’ in them in the time it took me to read the People article. Wow.

And my mind shot back to when MJ died this summer- how it shut Twitter (and the rest of the internet) down. How it essentially knocked the Iran elections off the Twitter trending block. Wow.

And then I thought about them. The ones Too Small to Ignore. The 197 children that have died since I started writing this post.* WOW.

For the next week a Compassion banner will be at the top on the site. I really want to encourage you to diligently consider sponsoring a child in need.

~NickShoe

*Source: Compassion Hunger Facts (PDF download link)

You might be saying to yourself, but wait- don’t you already have a site?

Yes.

Then why this new one?

I have my own business now- and I thought it was time to get my own real website- not just a decent blog.

And with that, NickShoe.org begins.

~NickShoe

Can you believe that the 21st Century is about to turn 10? Double digits! Woot woot!
In case you missed it, here it is in 7 minutes.

Well? Did they miss anything?
Do share…
~NickShoe

Skinny Santa

I know- it’s Friday, Black Friday more accurately, and this isn’t a Shiny Friday post.
Carlos Whittaker derailed that train about 10 minutes ago. Blame him. Actually- go read about it and then come back.

Now that you’re back, unless you cheated- now you really do need to go read his post; let’s get down to brass tacks.
My Three:
Physical- Fit into size 36 jeans and large t-shirts. More on that in a bit.
Spiritual- Memorizing scripture (as outlined by LosWhit)
Relational- Connect with my wife everyday.

As you may know I was in the hospital in early October. I gained about 30 lbs there- it was from the meds and was 95% fluids. Pick your jaw up off the floor. The good news is that I peed constantly for about a week and all of it came off. I was 240 lbs. Again, close your mouth- I’m 6’5″, if you didn’t know.
This morning- 255 lbs. So my goal is 235 lbs by January 2, 2010.
Why did I say my goal for this challenge was fitting into clothes then? Because, when I weigh 235 I fit well into those clothes.

BTW- I wore 36 jeans yesterday, but I had to choose between tying my shoes and breathing- couldn’t do both at the same time. Yeah.
And I started thinking about why this issue even exists. Could it be because our Patron Saint Nick is commonly portrayed as an obese retiree? (Oh- he’s not fat, he’s jolly.) It’s funny how things have changed. Mr. Clause used to be a skinny punk. It’s only in the last few decades that the fat guy has showed up to give us presents. (I blame Coca-Cola.) But I digress.

For my Spiritual goal I think memorizing some scripture will not only be challenging but worthwhile as well. No I say this with some hesitancy, because I actually memorize pretty well, so I’m really looking forward to this.

For my Relational goal I want to connect with my gorgeous wife more personally than “Hi, how was your day?”. So that means not cramming it in in the 10 minutes before we fall asleep.

So there it is. You should join me- us.
You know you want to.

I’ll follow the rules. I will update at least 2x/week about my progress. I will be honest and truthful.
Let’s do this.

~Nick

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
“The Road Not Taken”
~Robert Frost, 1915

There are so many metaphors that pop into my head from this amazing poem that I don’t know where to start- so I’ll just let you interpret it for yourself.

Next➾ I no longer work at The Pursuit
Next➾ Amie & Jax & I will still attend
Next➾ Because we believe in what God is doing there
Next➾ I don’t have a job
Next➾ I have a calling

I have been given the ability to do great stuff with media- be it with a camera and editing, with Facebook and Twitter, or with a website.

Check this out:
“He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs. Now Bezalel and Oholiab, and every skillful person in whom the LORD has put skill and understanding to know how to perform all the work in the construction of the sanctuary, shall perform in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded.”~Exodus 35:35-36:1

I’ll have more on what Next➾ will look like soon.

I dreamed the other night that I was talking with a good friend and mentor of mine about what was next for him.
In the dream I leaned over and whispered in his ear Isaiah 30:21:
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
When I woke up the verse was still strolling though my head. And it hit me- take this and hold onto it.

Please pray for clear direction for Amie and I as we navigate.

~NickShoe

This was posted on my facebook wall, after I updated my status to: “not feeling all that well. Plz be praying for getting-better-ness!” (You can look for it if you want, but I deleted it to protect the innocent.)

I’d just like to point out that’s also how the common cold, common influenza start as well.
This swine-flu thing is crap.
So there’s a previously unknown strain of influenza!?
Is that kinda like the dozens of previously unknown species found every year all over the world?
Or the vast amounts of breakthrough in the human genome project that were thought to be science fiction just a few years ago?
I’ve written about this before, check it here.
Fact- the media hype is just that. Hype.
But please- let’s continue to believe everything we see, hear or read.
By all means.
What do you think?

~NickShoe

This is freaking amazing!
I agree with LosWhit- “I believe this video annihilates the idea that people want to show up to an event (church) and stand in rows and be sung and talked to. Safety is overrated. People want to be a part of something big.”
Nice.
I literally got goosebumps watching this!
Did you?
If not, check your pulse.
~NickShoe

Have you ever planned to take some time off and realized that the week leading up to that planned time off is the busiest week of your entire life?

Yeah- that’s me this week.

Staff retreat was Monday & yesterday. It rocked! Thanks for praying with us staffers at The Pursuit for a successful time!
Today, tomorrow & Friday will be filled with a variety of things. Shooting video, editing, going to the Western Idaho Fair (Pronto pups, Roy’s Milkshakes, scones, finger steaks, Pound-o-Fries, et cetera), as well as ramping for an amazing weekend at The Pursuit; which includes our College After Party Sunday @ 8:30PM!

I can feel it already- my face is gonna be rocked off!

How is your week looking?

~NickShoe

Today and tomorrow I’m at my first staff retreat since I started working at The Pursuit.

It’s a great chance for us to not only be together, but to talk through things that are bigger than our weekly staff meetings.

Please join with me & The Pursuit staff in praying that it is a productive, focused time together.

~NickShoe

I had a great meeting recently! How many times have you been able to say that!?

I met with my three bosses. Sounds like a sitcom- I know! But I digress. Paul Hatfield, Gary Osnower, Bren Angelos and myself sat down to discuss my job, or, rather one of my jobs.

I’ve been in the position of Operations Director since coming on in December- sort of a catch all for a lot of things; with major areas of oversight in facilities and, obviously operations. Over the last nine months I’ve been slowly gathering more responsibilities in other areas- namely media.

So, drum roll please: As of next month sometime I will no longer be the Operations Director at The Pursuit. I will, instead, be the Media Director.

I will continue to oversee facilities AND media as applicants are interviewed, as well as assist in the eventual transition with the new hire.

I’m stoked to be working for such an amazing organization like The Pursuit and look forward to this next chapter!

~NickShoe