kevinandlindsay.net

Six weeks ago I made the move to Texas leaving behind the state I have called home all my life and setting up shop in this fair land. Many wonderful people have welcomed me into their homes and lives and have made the transition rather pleasant. Being summer and all, I really haven’t had much time to relax and explore my new habitat. However, several good road trips with the teens (nothing is close in Texas) have allowed me to appreciate the geographical diversity that is present in this vast territory. Things here really aren’t that much different from Tennessee. I have been warned about something called an “aggie” but I haven’t run over one on the road yet or seen one in the wild; I think they mostly come out at night and travel in packs. My UT t-shirts and other orange paraphernalia has been welcomed and praised by many people. It is good to see the “Big Orange” has a presence here as well.

I have talked to quite a few people from back home and I am generally being asked similar questions by those I speak with. I thought it might be helpful if I just wrote out my most common answers that you might be enlightened and have your Texas questions answered.
1.) Yes, it is hot. Very, very hot.
2.) No, I haven’t killed an armadillo with my car yet.
3.) Yes, I have seen an armadillo.
4.) Yes, everything really is bigger in Texas, including me (I got to work out more)
5.) Yes, it really is THAT hot.
6.) No, I haven’t cooked a brisket yet but I do intend to when we move into a house.
7.) No, we don’t have tumbleweed where I live.
8.) No, I haven’t met George or Laura or been to their ranch.
and, finally….
9.) Yes, it is really, really hot.

Now, I’ve enjoyed playing around a bit in this blog but, in all seriousness, Lindsay and I believe we are very blessed to be here and with this Christian family. I appreciate all the prayers that have been lifted up for my wife while she has been recovering and pregnant. We are grateful for our new Texas friends and miss all you in Tennessee dearly. God bless!

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I know it seems cliché, but it really is hard to believe another year has already rolled by. I have to say, 2007 really was a blur. Since time seems to be moving a little more rapidly each day, I think it is important to take a moment to look back on the previous year and remember that which is quickly fading into the grey haze of forgotten memories. Therefore, I would like to share with you a few random lists. (These lists are in no particular order and as complete as I can remember)

Books I Read (13 )
The Case for Christ (Lee Strobel)
Next (Michael Crichton)
Wild at Heart (John Elderedge) (again)
Inside Delta Force (Eric L. Haney)
The Irresistible Revolution (Shane Claiborne)
Hound of the Baskervilles (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J.K. Rowling)
The Dangerous Book for Boys (Conn & Hal Iggulden)
Rediscovering the Kingdom
Astronomy for Dummies (Stephen P. Maran)
National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Night Sky (as it is a reference book, I didn’t read it cover to cover)
The Five Love Languages (Gary Chapman)
The Alchemyst (Michael Scott)
**I also read a plethora of religious, astronomy, coffee, and current events periodicals and articles.

Movies I Saw (13, I put a “*” by the ones I liked.)
Spider-Man 3*
I Am Legend*
Borne Ultimatum*
Eragon
Transformers*
Shrek the Third
The Illusionist*
The Astronaut Farmer
The Last Mimzy
Wild Hogs
Ghost Rider*
Fantastic 4 2
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

Plays I Saw (1)
Macbeth

TV Shows I Watched Regularly (4)
24
Lost
The Unit
House

Favorite Dishes I Cooked (8)
Prime Rib on “The Egg” (grill)
Amber Jack with a White Wine Butter Saffron Sauce
Swordfish with Mango Salsa
Rustic Potato Chowder and Butternut Squash Soup
Butterscotch on Apple Blossoms
Chili
Warm Chocolate Melting Cake
Cornish Hen and Chestnut Stew

10 Greatest Blessings of 2007 (in no particular order)
Staying Home With My Daughter
Working at Starbucks
Our Sunday Night Life Group (and each person in it)
Coffee with Don (and other friends)
My Wonderful Wife - who I am grateful for daily
Worshiping at Woodmont Hills
The Constant Providence of God
Good Health
Vacationing With My Wife
Finding out I am going to be a dad again

K><>

Usually in the TFTD blogs I share with you some of the outrageous and inexplicable behavior of some Starbuck’s drivethru patrons. Usually this behavior is not very positive. However, in this segment, I am honored to share some behavior that was no less than inspirational and, somewhat contagious.

A Single Act of Kindness
I hate to say this but, it would seem that the holidays have not brought out the best in many people. On the contrary, it would seem that the lines, traffic and gift buying has produced some rather unfriendly drivethru patrons. However, this is not so of everyone. Perhaps you have seen that insurance commercial in which a person witnesses another’s selfless act of kindness and is then inspire to be kind to someone else. Then another person witnesses that act of kindness and in inspired and so on and so on. Well, I was witness to a real life example of this.

Being the Christmas season, the drivethru has remained quite busy. Even on a weeknight, vacancy at the drive up window is rare. Last Monday night there was a line of cars ordering tasty hot beverages. After taking one man’s payment and delivering the change he asked, “What is the total of the order of the person behind me?” We told him the total and he paid for her order as well. We asked if he knew her but he said he didn’t, he just felt like being anonymously generous. When the lady got to the window we told her about the beneficent stranger and she was taken aback. After considering this surprise gift, she asked, “How much does the guy behind me owe?” After finding out, she immediately paid for the next patron’s order. This pattern continued for no less that the next fifteen minutes and included over a dozen orders without any prompting from us, the SB staff. Some people paid more than would have had to and some paid less but, no one paid for their own. In fact, no one broke the chain of paying for the next person’s order until the last car came through and had no one behind him to pay for.

And think, this wonderful experience is all because of the initial gift of that first patron. It’s amazing just how contagious positive behavior really can be. Perhaps today, you can be that spark that sets off a chain of generosity and compassion at a restaurant, store or even your own home.
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I really must apologize for length of time that has passed since TFTD part 1. It isn’t that nothing of interest has occurred (quite the opposite actually). Rather, I just haven’t taken the time to stop and write anything down. So, without further chatter…

Starbucks is My First Stop in the Morning…My Very First Stop

I work mostly nights but it isn’t uncommon for me to work on a Saturday morning or afternoon. Saturday’s are without a doubt where most of my memorable drivethru experiences occur. I can’t really put my finger on it, but there is something about the seventh day clientele that’s just a little bit…off (yeah, that’s a good word for it).

One such Saturday I had taken the order for a couple of common beverages and was preparing to go to the window and complete the transaction. Everything seemed quite normal as I slid open the window, announced the total and received from the lady driving, a crisp ten dollar bill. I went to the register to get the change but I new in the pit of my stomach something was wrong. The ten dollar bill seemed ok. The car was a run-of-the-mill late model sedan. The lady driving, a stocky, middle aged woman, seemed like nothing out of the ordinary. I wondered what it could be that just seemed a bit…off (yeah, that’s a good word for it). I began thinking about her passenger, a short, heavyset man that looked to be in his late forties. I assumed the man was her husband. As I was counting out the change it struck me that the man in the passenger seat had a significant amount of hair on his back. And then I knew why I was so disturbed. I shouldn’t know that he had back hair and I wouldn’t have except, he was wearing no clothes. All that separated me from full disclosure was a short, old pair of knit boxers. Now, I want to know (really somebody please enlighten me on this) what possesses a man to get out of bed, go right to his car with his wife and drive to Starbucks. Is it just that he likes his coffee first thing in the morning (even before he showers and gets dressed) so badly that he is willing to go out for it…like that? Second, what possesses this woman to nonchalantly cruise to her local coffee shop with her near-nude hubby?

Now, while I know that Starbucks strives to help people feel at home there, I still could not mistaken it for my own kitchen. Nor, would I so inconsiderately inflict on others not living in my home, the shortcomings of my male form. Needless to say, I had to get my coworkers to verify that I wasn’t just having a terrible hallucination and they were able to then share in my trauma.
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