Matthew Robinson

When I got out of the shower this morning I couldn’t find Sadie.

Guess she needed a quick nap before her butt went outside for the day…

We had a little fun tonight.

Hot Chicks and Mr. Right has been a series that we were able to pour a little bit of “umph”  in to.

And I felt, during my first walk onto stage in that suit, like I was hosting the Oscars or something.

There was a vibe.  And I’ll take it any day.

We’re portable.  We have been since day one, and honestly, it doesn’t get any easier with every passing Sunday.  I used to think it would, but now I realize that it can only become more efficient.  I’ve gotten to a point to be able to start doing a bit more of what I love…thinking more creatively, and thinking of creative solutions to do Goliath church on a David budget.

I can’t wait for the next few weeks at the Well.

Josh Hignight’s story from the couch tonight is so similar to many of those in our crowd.

I used to think that everyone has always had “it” figured out for their whole lives.  But more often than not, I’m finding out that adults make decisions, and made decisions, and I’m convinced that the more we talk about this, the more people we’ll connect with.

We need ushers.  And if you’re reading, and you’re willing to stop being selfish and willing to help one Sunday a month during the first fifteen minutes to help people find seats, you know how to get a hold of me.  This issue, one I’m pumped to have to deal with, is only going to get “worse.”

And amen to that!

Text of the night from someone leaving the service: “Dude.  We have reached traffic jam church status.”

Amen to that as well!

I finally got to see the Ark all put together.  And talk to first timers at a high-top on the Portico.  And enjoy a song from the house while seeing the lights in action.

Many of our thougths and plans and dreams have come together.  And those crazy thougths and plans and dreams are just growing bigger and wilder and totally not us but Him with each passing day.

There’s more that’s still to come!

Dean-isms:

• Guys you are different…just so you know.
• One of the keys to relationships is acknowledging that men and women are different.
• When it comes to Mr. Right, scripture tells us there’s no such thing.
• Tallahassee’s full of artificial south boys…they’re like “man we’re just Dixie” and I’m like “Dude, you went to Chiles…”
• Most guys would say “yes” if you asked them if they were a Christian…and they mean because they’re not Jewish.
• (Loved the description of gym guy!)
• What does it look like to be a man? It’s to be a person who is humble enough to submit himself to God.
• If you’re a girl in our culture and you sleep around a lot you’re called a whore.  If you’re a man, people think you’re the dude.  We need to define masculinity a different way.
• Husbands: Love.  Your.  Wives.
• Ladies, guess what—we can’t read your mind.  Stop doing that!  But guys, here’s your job—figure out what your wife needs to be loved by you.
• Married people in this room: take your wives on dates–a lot.
• (The challenge for 2 dates a month for the married folks…and the promised free baby-sitting by our college kids.  Love it!)
• Ladies, don’t complain about men being pigs when you’re dating pigs.  Stop dating tools.
• Don’t complain to me about dating pigs when you’ve gone to Sonny’s, and said: “bring on the pork!”

5:30 p.m.  EST.  Sunday nights.  Come join the fun…

Where did this week go?  Not complaining here…it’s just flown by!  Looking forward to a beautiful weekend in Tallahassee, Kayla’s birthday, a hopeful visit to the Body Exhibit, lunch with the parents of some of our college kids tomorrow and the start of baseball, and of course Sunday night!  I’m not sure it gets any better than that with a pre-Spring pair of a Saturday and Sunday.

I slept straight through a 5:00 a.m. alarm this morning (not sure I even turned it on after I set it last night) in an attempt to meet up with some buddies for a 6:30 a.m. breakfast.  When the weekend setting alarm went off past 8 o’clock, I knew I’d be thrown off all day.  And when I did shoot up out of bed, I noticed that Sadie, at some point, had jumped up and made herself a spot at the end of it.  I’m not sure if this was the first time, or if it’s happened before, but needless to say I guess I broke my own “no dogs in bed with humans EVER” rule without evening knowing it.

I’m glad that American Idol flew through the audition rounds this year.  I miss my Idol crew and our viewing parties of that last couple of years (though I never did win the pool), but watching this week made me realized how much I love the DVR.  I can’t stand the filler.  Yes, I know that show is a rating and advertising juggernaut for FOX, but for the LOVE!  I don’t need or want to watch Ryan and someone’s family members awkwardly chat until at least we have the final six.

I’ve read over and put together Dean’s slides for Sunday night and can’t wait for Hot Chicks and Mr. Right part two.  It’s dude-centric, and it’s going to be some intense fun.  I’m getting to talk to someone on the couch who I’ve been wanting to talk to for months now, too.  We tried to get a step team…we really did to help make a point during the evening, but it’s going to be nothing short of a miracle if that happens this Sunday night.

Newsweek’s article about “sexting” is very disturbing to me.  And as a former public school teacher, at both the middle and high school level, I know that my team and I dealt with this issue more than once.  I’m not sure where the balance in the criminal justice system and society at large should lie in dealing with these issues, but the awareness of one’s “cyber identity,” from an incredibly young age, needs to start being discussed…yesterday.  This four year old on the heart warming commercial is cute, and I have no doubt she’s for real…but what happens when she’s five, opens up a facebook account, and starts her own blog?

We’ll all have to help her understand that’s what out there stays out there…forever.

And finally, I’m still trying to figure out what my six word memoir would be.

Suggestions?

T.G.I.F.

For the first time in forever I wasn’t on stage tonight.  While I felt a bit naked without my Brittney Spears mic, it was nice to be able to produce and direct and roam and cheer for my cohosts!

Take this for a Sunday line up: Justin T. and Beyonce, two Hot Chicks, Matt Long and the doo-whops rocking out, some of the FSU Golden Girls, one of Dean’s strongest sermons I’ve ever heard, Teri and Krissie a little Christina Aguileraa style, and The Stand.

Throw in some kicking (and totally rigged!) lights, a still-in-testing live video feed, a team of a million volunteers effortlessly pulling it all together, and I’ll celebrate 350 people any night.

And if you didn’t like the dancers.  Oh well.  And if you didn’t like the video. I don’t care.

When someone I’ve been inviting for a year finally comes and says man, how awesome is this, and asks if he can come back next week (asks!) I’m listening to that.  And the 15 other conversations I had that were similar to this one. These are the ones I’m listening to.

No where near it.  That’s how far we were from the line.  And it all had a point.

To reach the people no one else is reaching, you have to do the things no one else is doing.

Plain and simple.

But for some reason, so uncomfortable for some.

And yes, for me, at times (I grew up at St. Johns Lutheran Church, so don’t tell me).

and.  And.  AND!

Above all else, the Truth was spoken.

Yes, it all does have a point.

Some glimpses from backstage:

Dean-isms

• All the ladies, guess what, you are beautiful. You are.  You are. (powerful!)
• As if he cares…guys hate Valentine’s Day…we fake it.
• When you date, you either get married or you break up.  Only those two things can happen.
• Because Jesus Christ wants this rose, and that’s the truth of the Gospel.
• Guys…you want to know how to find a hot chick?  Open your freakin’ eyes.  And second: grow a set.
• Chances are, she’s not at Potbelly’s on nickel beer night, drinking more than you.

And finally, the unveiling of a project that’s taken a month.  I don’t know in the beginning half of what I end up researching and figuring out in the end…all I hope is that the website’s new look, however cool it may or may not be, is able to effectively convey our message: www.thewelltallahassee.com

One of my favorite songs from my celeb crush Carrie Underwood-Robinson is called Lessons Learned.

And shortly before the new year, after reading Jovanna’s post on Ancora Imparo,  I began refelecting upon that which I am still learning.

I’ve had a draft in my Gmail folder for several weeks that I’ve ammended and molded and massaged and come back to on many occasions with the intent to pull the pieces together.

I’m not sure I’m able to, but over the course of the past year, these are some of the sinepts I’ve picked up on:

• Sleep is valuable.  And I function better when I get more of it.
• You can’t say you’re invested in something unless you invest both your time and your money.  Not time.  Not money.  Not time or money.  But time and money.
• No, I don’t know everything.  But, I do know more about some things than you do, just as you know more about other things than I do.
• Most issues in my life and in the lives of those around me boil down to communication.  At times too much, at times a lack thereof, at times not in the fashion that the sender and/or the receiver intends.
• Most students are bored in classes because they have boring teachers.
• Expectations have to see the light of day.  Tell me.  Or show me.  Or let on just a little.  But don’t expect me to always be able to read your mind.
• It all comes down to the “big ask.”  And most times when you do ask, people will respond.
• One’s perception is one’s reality.  And that has to be respected.
• I can always be a better version of me than I was the day before.  I’m not good at being a better version of some one else.
• You have to stay in touch with the people you love.  Family.  Friends.  And if you don’t make the effort (which I’m horrible at doing at times) you will feel the void.
• Trying is only an excuse for not actually doing.
• You have to exercise.  You will gain weight if you don’t.  You will loose weight or maintian weight if you do.
• Age doesn’t matter.  On the outside, it’s difficult to distinguish, by sheer appearance alone, a 26 and a 21 year old.  You can learn from, love, teach, and lead along side with people who are much older and much younger than you.
• It’s actually much easier for me to multi-task than just -task.  I need to do more just -task-ing.
• A church is not a building.  The Church is people.  And it’s amazing what these people can accomplish for Him when they feel called…and respond.
• I should always keep trying to figure out the difference between wants and needs.
• I should not text while driving.
• I will not always do everything perfectly.  And neither will the people inside the inner circle of my life.  And it’s okay to admit faults.  But I need to celebrate success more often.
• There’s nothing like a trusted friend.  And you have to have atleast one person in your life who can ask you anything, who you can tell anything, and who can challange you.
• The thought “If I can just make it to tomorrow” is actually an optimistic one.
• If you believe in it, it just might happen.

A Thursday funny making its way around the office…

“Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work, hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest, prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.”

Sarah Graves live from The Ark…the last ten seconds are the funniest…that kid is crazy!

Well Kids The Ark Grand Opening from The Well Media on Vimeo.

We did it.

It all came together.

The nightmare of a trailer is finally re-made (and had a fun day with the guys, studs Lawton Graves and Matt Long…and the world’s longest Home Depot trip clocking in at two and a half hours).

And then there was this little thing called The Ark…I never want to sew another stitch, and I never want any one on our team to have to, either.  UNBELIEVABLE!  I’m not sure what I’m going to do without seeing Sarah and Lawton and Grace and Amanda every day during the week…the withdraws will be rough.  But the Well Kids have a new home, the grand opening was spectacular, and it freakin’ rocks!