ChrisTrent.NET

ChrisTrent.net Has Moved...

2006-05-13T21:14:00.000-04:00

After months of thinking about it, I finally decided to make the switch to Typepad. It will allow me to use some features blogger doesn't offer. Therefore, this blogger will no longer be updated. If you are getting this via syndication (RSS FEED), you'll need to go to the new site and subscribe to the new feed. www.ChrisTrent.net should forward you to the typepad account, however, if your reading this during the early stages of the switch over, you can head on over there by going to http://plumbgiddy.typepad.com/ Once again, you can still continue to visit my site by simply going to christrent.net. It may take a few days for the address to work right, but it will happen.

Dillon Graduates

2006-05-13T09:53:00.000-04:00

While Wendy and I were gone on staff retreat, Dillon graduated from Wee School. He is now ready for kindergarten! Yikes!!! He's ready, but Mom and Dad are not!

Quick Post...

2006-05-10T16:53:00.000-04:00

Hey... I'm still working on something new, not to mention, I'm currently on a staff retreat. I hope the changes will be worth the wait. Better updates, commenting, and very cool picture album hosting. Most likely it will happen sometime next week. 'Til then... have a great one!

Still alive...

2006-05-01T14:25:00.000-04:00

I'm working on something new, so my blogging will continue to be less than normal.

Cool changes are coming!

Until then, here are a couple great pics from the zoo last week...

BTW - my arm is looking a ton better. Now it is only scaly looking instead of oozing yucky stuff. Poison ivy is bad stuff!

You should see my arm!

2006-04-24T10:25:00.000-04:00

I've either got a bad poison oak or ivy rash that is straight up NASTY! It is itching like CRAZY!!! Anyone have a good backwoods home remedy for me?

It is not a jellyfish sting, so save that remedy for another time! :-)

Micky D's

2006-04-22T13:52:00.000-04:00

I watched a pretty interesting Biography Channel story on the history of McDonalds this morning. Did you know that 1 in 8 Americans have worked at a McDonalds? Did you know that "Ronald" McDonald was originally named "Donald" McDonald?

And here is the kicker... some studies have shown that the golden arches are more recognizable around the world than the Christian cross! One thing is for sure... McDonald's success was based on a clear, unchanging vision of Ray Kroc.

Rain

2006-04-19T09:48:00.000-04:00

Washed my car when I got home from work yesterday and sure enough...

RAIN

Everytime. Well, at least 9 out of 10 times.

He has Risen!!!

2006-04-16T12:16:00.000-04:00

Here to make you smile...

2006-04-13T14:08:00.000-04:00

My head is killing me!

2006-04-12T14:28:00.000-04:00

Gotta love this southern pollen! It is so bad that you can see the stuff cake up on your car! I can't imaging what the inside of my nose looks like. Here's the local scoop: April 12, 2006 The pollen count is 1,312

What this number means: The pollen count is the amount of pollen particles measured within the last 24 hours in a cubic meter of air. 0-30 Low - Only people extremely sensitive to these pollens & molds will have symptoms. 31-60 Moderate - Many people sensitive to these pollens & molds will have symptoms. 61-120 High - Most people with any sensitivity to these pollens & molds will have symptoms. > 120 Extremely High - Almost all people with any sensitivity at all to these pollens & molds will have symptoms. Extremely sensitive people could have severe symptoms.

120 and up???

We're at ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND TWELVE!!!

The Nose Does it Again...

2006-04-11T14:23:00.000-04:00

So last night Abby Girl did it again... I recently told you about how she often smells the popcorn I often cook after she goes to bed and asks about it: "you eating popcorn?" Well, last night, she was taking a little longer than normal to finally fall asleep and Wendy went up there to check on her. Wendy had been painting her toes, and sure enough, Abby said: "you painting your toes???." I'm not sure why this is so funny to me, but everytime she shows off her great sense of smell, I get tickled.

And... We're back.

2006-04-07T14:42:00.000-04:00

We got back last night from the Middle School Choir Trip to Nashville, TN. We had a great week singing, doing work projects, and having fun. My group, GO CAMO, painted three nursery rooms and a kitchen. They turned out great. We even went the second mile and painted the carpet some :-)! I'll try to get some pictures up pretty soon. For now, gotta head to the gym... it's been over a week now... I'm dreading it!

Random Stuff...

2006-04-01T15:29:00.000-05:00

It has been a crazy couple of days. Early yesterday morning, Wendy came down with the same stomach virus Abby had a few days earlier. It really wiped her out for the day. It has run its course, but she is moving a little slower than normal. As I'm typing this, the middle school choir students are on their way to Nashville. We decided to give Wendy an extra day to recover, so, Wendy, the kids and I will catch up tomorrow. It feels weird to be here while Chris, Elizabeth and the rest of the crew are on a youth trip. It is really awesome to work with a great team, but it is humbling to realize the show can go on without you. I'm blessed to be a part of a church with such abundant resources. Josh, our student choir guy is leading the trip and I know it is going to be a great one. We'll be in Nashville through Thursday. The choir will sing in a few different churches, and we'll do work projects Monday - Wednesday. I also found out today that my Mom is in the hospital... kinda the same thing Wendy had, but it is taking her a bit longer to get over it. Please pray for her recovery. It will probably be a few before I post again... see ya next week... Oh yeah, one more thing... check out www.northlakestudents.com One of my former students back in Garland put together a web site for my former youth group. It rocks! Miss you guys!

Wacky Wednesday

2006-03-29T14:47:00.000-05:00

A few weeks back, Dillon had Wacky Wednesday at Wee School. They were studying the letter "W" that day. I hope it makes you smile.

Loch Ness Monster!

2006-03-23T15:52:00.000-05:00

I am admittedly a sucker for legends and folklore. For instance, there is pretty much no question in my mind that Big Foot is real. If not, who did the Six Million Dollar Man have the fight with? Another fascinating legend is the Loch Ness Monster. Well, check out this Loch Ness Monster News! Turns out, that some believe that Loch Ness is actually an elephant. Here is the theory: "The reason why we see elephants in Loch Ness," asserts Dr. Neil Clark, a paleontologist, "is that circuses used to go along the road to Inverness and have a little rest at the side of the loch, and allow the animals to go and have a little swim around."

My Goodness!

2006-03-21T17:50:00.000-05:00

It may have finally happened! The key word here is "may". If the reports hold true, this is a 25 pound 1 oz World Record Bass. You can see the article here.

Popcorn!

2006-03-17T10:01:00.000-05:00

Today's funny is brought to you by popcorn... that's right... popcorn. In recent days, I've started to wonder whether or not my little girl Abby has some kind of super smell sense. As an X-Men fan, I'm starting to wonder if she may have mutant powers. I love popcorn so much that I eat it at least 3-4 times a week as a night time snack. I usually make it right after we put the kids in bed so I don't have to share. (sidenote: just took a sip of my cafe mocha from Panera Bread... wow, that is good) A few weeks back, Abby did the funniest thing. She started calling for us, so Wendy went up stairs to see what was going on. She asked Wendy what we were eating and went on to say that it smelled like popcorn. She has repeated this several times since! For some reason, I find it hilarious that my 2 1/2 year old can smell popcorn from upstairs in her room and call us out on eating it without her.

T.O.? How 'bout NO!

2006-03-14T20:09:00.000-05:00

Dallas Cowboys... why do you do this to me? I want to stay true to my calling as a Cowboy fan, but Terrell Owens? The guy is a jerk! I know there have been jerks that played for the Cowboys before, but T.O.? We're talking about the guy who, while playing for the 49'ers, spiked the ball on the STAR after scoring a touchdown!!! DON'T DO IT!!!

I'm Backing Up!

2006-03-13T09:47:00.001-05:00

... my home computer that is! In all these years of being a computer nerd, I've never really been good at backing up my home computer stuff. However, a couple of years ago, Wendy and I started using our digital camera and dropped the old 35mm. I've got at least a couple years worth of family photos saved on my home computer's hard drive. I've been planning on getting an external hard drive(too many and too much of a pain to use cd's) for several months now... I just kept putting off spending the $75-100 bucks. Well, last week the unthinkable happened... our home computer died! It would not work!!! Thankfully, it turned out to be a different problem rather than the hard drive dying on me. Our family pics mean too much to take a chance any longer. So, we went out and purchased our very own external hard drive... we're talkin' 160 GIG of backup space. So, are you backing up??? You never know when your hard drive might die. Hmmmm... spiritual things are coming to my mind.

Backyard Fun...

2006-03-09T10:08:00.000-05:00

We've really been blessed with a great back yard. The zip line came with the house and there is plenty of room for the kids to drive the jeep around. Be sure to take a look at the end of the video where Abby has her first fender bender... I hope State Farm doesn't find out about this.

Johnson Ferry Staff Trip to Aquarium

2006-03-07T11:18:00.000-05:00

One of the things I love about being on staff at Johnson Ferry is how we have fun together as a team. Twice a year we have an all day staff retreat with everyone that works at the church. On this retreat, we went to the new Georgia Aquarium. As you can see, we had a great time playing with the penguins... Danny Downing (JF's Recreation Minister), Chris Conner (JF's Middle School Associate) and Mr. Penquin (Pastor or JF's new Penquin Missionary Baptist Church Start) were nice to pose for the picture with me.

Abby's Hair Cut???

2006-03-05T18:37:00.000-05:00

Abby is trying to start a new trend here with her new electric look. Yikes!

Abby's FIRST Haircut...

2006-03-03T16:09:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, Abby got her first haircut today. She did great!!! No tears or complaining at all. Now she has cute little bangs to go along with that cute little personality.

Lesson from the Gym...

2006-03-02T15:39:00.000-05:00

Of course, at this point, you would be asking: "How would you know???" Well I guess it about time to go public with the fact that I've been going to the gym for a couple of months now. Yup... you got that right... muscles galore!!! (Not really!) My goal from the start has been to do more than I've ever done and do it on a regular basis as part of my ongoing lifestyle. I hope to loose a little weight in the process. So far... so good. In the process, I've learned a few things that surprised and tickled me about gym life: In no particular order: 1. Dudes don't care about being naked in front of you! What gives??? 2. People don't wear hats when they work out. For some reason, this surprised me. 3. There really is such a thing as a gym rat. Gym rats are those people that always seem to be there working out... no matter what time I go. 4. Even LA Fitness smells like a gym. I'm still not used to it! 5. There are a lot of people who don't have a clue what they are doing... I'm not the only one. 6. A lot of guys have still not learned that you don't have to use dirty words to be cool. So far, I've heard 'em all in the locker room. 7. The first 10 minutes of my cardio workout is horrible!!! After that, it's like my body gives up and says: "ok... let's just get it over with" 8. Did I mention the smell? 9. It will cost you an arm and leg to hire a personal trainer... it's like $35 bucks for 30 minutes!!! That doesn't include the start up fee and the length of commitment you have to make. 10. The Jacuzzi feels good. 11. Wear flip flops when you shower... never... ever... let your feet touch the floor. 12. Carrie Underwood's new album is great to work out to... not that I have her on my IPOD or anything... 13. Everyone else in the gym can lift, pull, and squat about a billion more pounds than I can. There is nothing like benching 20 pound dumbbells when the guy next to you is benching 85 pounders! 14. There is this smell I can't get used to.

My Bro is Headed to Fellowship Church!!!

2006-03-01T13:27:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to be able to tell you that my bro-n-law is headed to Fellowship Church as one of their web designers. FC is one of the best (maybe THE best) at church web design. Andy's passion has always been to use technology in a way that effectively reaches people for Christ. He has done that for a while now at Lifetime, and now God has opened up the next door in his journey. I'm proud of you and Tiffany bro for your willingness to live for and serve Christ!!! For a glimpse into his heart on his new job, check out his blog entry HERE.

Wendy's BDAY...

2006-02-27T11:35:00.000-05:00

We had a great day yesterday for Wendy's birthday. She had balloons on her small group table waiting for her when she got to church so everyone would know it was her birthday. We came home and had boiled shrimp for her special birthday meal. Then, later that night, we celebrated with CAKE!!! Umm... Ummmm... Good!!! We don't eat cake very often due to our new careful eating habits... make me want my 15 pounds back... not really... COMING SOON... LESSONS FROM THE GYM!!!

Happy Birthday Wendy...

2006-02-25T21:03:00.000-05:00

Wendy's birthday is tomorrow. Oh yeah... 35!!! Once again she is as old as me! At least for 5 months.

She really is the best and I'm so glad God allows me to experience her in my life.

Happy Birthday Babe!

I Love You!!!

Fantasy American Idol

2006-02-23T21:45:00.000-05:00

Call us nuts, bored, weird, etc... We're playing Fantasy American Idol at the youth house. Several of us got together today and had a draft to pick our favorites. We developed a point system that awards you points if your contestant survives the week and does well in the process.

The Scoring System:

Player Advances + 10 points Wins American Idol + 35 points 1st Runner-up + 20 points Bottom 3 - 5 points When a judge says, “The Player to Beat” + 5 points Top 12 + 5 points (per player) When a judge says, “That was just awful” - 5 points

When a judge says, “Great song choice” + 5 points

Long story short, it makes the usual "water cooler" talk a little more fun.

I'm currently tied for the lead with 40 points!

i need a life.

NASHVILLE!!!

2006-02-20T20:57:00.000-05:00

I'm sittin' in my hotel right outside of Nashville, TN. We've had a great day checking out the places we'll be visiting while on our mission trip over spring break. We had an especially fun time tonight at the Alabama (the country band) Grill. It was a fun place with a lot of really cool country music memorabilia and FRIED PICKLES!!! They were dang good.

Gettin' Close...

2006-02-18T09:41:00.000-05:00

... to being done with this busy month that is! There has been a lot going on this month. Winter Retreat, Conclave (about to leave), Pre-Trip to Nashville (leaving tomorrow). I'm glad I don't have to travel all the time! We'll meet Grandy and Pappy in Montgomery today to pick up Dillon and Abby. Wendy and I both are big time ready to see them. I wish I didn't have to be gone to Nashville so soon after being away from them these last few days.

Greetings from Chattanooga...

2006-02-17T09:54:00.000-05:00

Wendy and I are sitting in Chattanooga, TN at the Southeast Conclave where I've experienced one of those dream come true kind of moments. For a long time now, I've wanted to teach in a conference type setting. Yesterday, it happened. I taught a class during the first breakout session entitled... Help!!! My Desk is a Mess!!! 27 people showed up! I couldn't believe it. I thought for sure I would have like 2 people... We had a great time discussing ideas about how to be better organized in ministry. It was fun... in an organizational-nerdy kind of way. Now, Wendy and I are chillin' without the kids and catching up on a much needed break. CYA!

My Valentine...

2006-02-14T09:51:00.000-05:00

You might be thinking that this is kinda a funny picture to honor my lovely bride with on Valentine's day. Well, one of the things I love most about Wendy is her willingness to have fun. Happy Valentine's Day Babe!!!

Winter Retreat 2006 - REFUELED (Thanks for the correction Steve)

2006-02-09T10:28:00.000-05:00

STRONG ROCK I love going on retreat weekends. If you think about it, pray for all of us while we're away. We're leaving Friday evening and getting back on Sunday afternoon.

Lea and family are in India!

2006-02-08T17:46:00.000-05:00

When we first arrived at Johnson Ferry, we lived with an awesome family in their (really nice) basement for 3 months. The Babcocks... they are such a great and giving family. Lea makes frequent comments here on ChrisTrent.NET. Please pray for them this week while they are in India on a mission trip. There is a chance Lea will be posting an update while they're in India, so be checking back.

Opie saved the day!

2006-02-05T20:06:00.000-05:00

Well, I finished my movie weekend last night about midnight by watching Cinderella Man. Why didn't I hear more about this movie??? I'm gonna go ahead and say it out loud... Rocky is no longer my favorite boxing movie. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it!

Wasting 4 bucks

2006-02-04T09:45:00.000-05:00

Well, it is just me, Dillon and Abby this weekend. Wendy is off at a well deserved women's retreat. We're having a great time so far this weekend. We're headed to Target sometime today for some new toys!!! I decided to catch up on some movies I've been meaning to watch, so I rented War of the Worlds. I watched it last night after the kids went to sleep. Let me get this straight? Not much of a story line, big time special effects, Tom Cruise looking like... Tom Cruise, aliens, etc... where did I go wrong??? Ohhhh... by not asking some friends what they thought before spending 4 bucks at Blockbuster. Tonight... Cinderella Man... Has to be better!!! If not, Opie will owe me 4 bucks!

I want to be a good American...

2006-02-01T10:37:00.000-05:00

...but I can't stand the State of the Union!!! Don't get me wrong... I like hearing from the President. For the most part, I even like the President. What I can't stand is all of the applause throughout the speech!!! Couldn't we make one of those "Please save all applause until the end of the program" rules for the State of the Union Address? The speech lasted 51 minutes but was interrupted 61 times!!! Drives me crazy!

24 Humor

2006-01-31T11:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Bro!

2006-01-26T13:17:00.000-05:00

Today is Andy's (my very cool bro-n-law and creator of AndyKnight.com) birthday.

I'll keep this simple and to the point... 30!!! Welcome to the club!

Finding God at the Mall???

2006-01-23T11:07:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, Wendy and I had a night out without the kids and made a trek to the mall. At one point in our visit, I made my way to the very cool Apple store to check out the latest Ipod accessories ($50 to listen to FM radio on my IPOD... way too much for me). After I finished, I decided to sit down on a bench outside of Apple and wait on Wendy. As I sat there, I began to think about how much the mall represents many things that cause us to get off track with our walk with God. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that the mall is a bad place, but I'm saying that a lot the mall offers can be a distraction to our walk with God. For instance, have you ever been to the mall and realized how uncool you really are? Vanity. Have you ever been to the mall and been bombarded by all the sexual images? Lust. Have you ever been to the mall and spent more than you should have? Greed. I started wondering where I could find God in the mall. As I looked around, nothing was coming to mind. Then it happened. While Wendy was in another store, I decided to get my rings cleaned at a small Mom and Pop jewelry store. I met Dan. While he was cleaning my seminary ring, he asked whether or not it was a religious school and whether or not I was a pastor. "Here we go" I thought. "I get to try and explain what a Middle School minister does." He told me about his middle school daughter and how he attended a church near by. We had a conversation about God's love and justice. When finished, I walked away thinking about how God could be found in a little jewelry fix it shop through the kind words of a pleasant little jewelry repair man named Dan. I think God is cool like that. Using the most unexpected people and places to reveal himself.

What's Up Y'all???

2006-01-20T12:01:00.000-05:00

I'm chillin' out right now at Panera Bread while Wendy and the kids are up at the church. FREE WI-FI!!! Everything is great in our world. Dillon and Abby are back in the swing of things. Wendy is making sure they stay in the swing of things. And for me, work is great. Uhhhh... that's about it for now.

Lesson learned from last night's American Idol...

2006-01-18T13:19:00.000-05:00

...this year's American Idol is not from Chicago.

A few things...

2006-01-16T13:03:00.000-05:00

- David Copperfield was simply amazing! The dude made a car appear on stage out of stinkin' no where!!! The dude disappeared several times and then proceeded to make 12 audience members disappear and then re-appear at the back of the room. Crazy stuff. If you ever get the chance, go! - 24 started last night. This show stresses me out! One big caution: very, very addictive. Jack is one fella you wouldn't want to mess with. - I can't believe Indy lost yesterday to Pittsburgh! Yikes... is Manning going to be another Marino???

David Copperfield

2006-01-13T14:11:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow night I'm going to see the very cool... David Copperfield!!!

I hope Wendy doesn't ask him to make me disappear!

I'm sure there will be a follow up post.

Morning Blessings

2006-01-10T09:54:00.000-05:00

I want to share a picture of one of the daily blessings I have being Dillon and Abby's Daddy. Almost every morning as I'm leaving the house, Dillon and Abby open the upstairs window and wave bye to me. I stop the car, roll down the window, wave, give the peace sign, and blow kisses. It is such a great way to start off my day. God is so good to have blessed me with such a great family!

Christmas Vacation Wrap-Up Video

2006-01-04T11:32:00.000-05:00

Not only is this one new, but I've fixed the Dillon Singing Christmas songs video under Family Videos.

Pics and Ramblings...

2006-01-03T14:10:00.000-05:00

Back from Christmas and NEW PICS are uploaded. Click Family Photo Albums on the right. Other random thoughts going through my brain: It is quiet at the youth house when you are the only one working. I got a new battleship handheld game and the computer cheats. I dislike the Redskins now more than ever due to the sweep and knocking the Cowboys out of the playoffs. I'm now officially addicted to putting Legos together with Dillon. What is the deal with the lady that married the Dolphin? Weird. We're starting a new series on Sunday called Big Church Words and I really need to work on my lesson. I really, REALLY hope to stay more In Touch with my brother-n-law and his family this year. I have to catch up on my One Year Bible Reading! I'm looking forward to Sunday and seeing all of the MS students. It's been too long. George Jacobus is a punk for not calling about the news that he is going to be a father. I wish I lived back in the old days where family all lived closer to each other. My wife and kids are cool. I love living life with them.

2006-01-01T12:22:00.000-05:00

Happy 2006!

Merry Christmas

2005-12-24T21:26:00.000-05:00

I hope you all have(or had) a wonderful Christmas.

We'll be making our way to both Alabama and Florida over the next week or so. It may be next year before I post again!

Have a great new year!

Dillon Singing...

2005-12-22T13:57:00.000-05:00

Click on the Video link to your right to check out a new Dillon video.

I'm on EBAY!!!

2005-12-22T07:50:00.000-05:00

Well I finally gave it a shot and I'm selling something on EBAY. So far, is has been supprisingly easy. To take a look at my first auction, click here. I haven't gotten any bids so far. I think my timing may be bad due to Christmas.

How 'Bout Those Redskins!

2005-12-20T15:35:00.000-05:00

First, let me start off by thanking my friend, Chris Trent, for allowing me to post on his web site as a guest. This has come as a result of Chris' misguided support of the Dallas Cowboys. This time he got in a little over his head. I've been a Washington Redskins fan since I was a kid, and the Redskins-Cowboys game has been a bone of contention between Chris and me since we've known each other. It's the greatest rivalry in the NFL in our humble opinion. Earlier this season the 'Skins came back from a 13-point deficit at the end of the fourth quarter and won at Texas Stadium 14-13. The second Redskin-Cowboy game was this past Sunday, and Chris and I placed a little wager on this game. The loser had to allow the winner to be a "guest columnist" on the loser's web site. If you go to JasonBarmer.COM, you will find that Chris has no article. The reason? The Redskins absolutely demolished the Cowboys. There they were, "America's team", in America's capitol city receiving the most lopsided beating in the 45-year history of the rivalry. It was a beautiful day. Final score... Redskins 35 - Cowboys 7. I've enjoyed stopping by, and I can't leave without a free plug for JasonBarmer.COM! Thanks, Chris, for being a great friend... even if you are a Cowboy fan.

Group Hug!

2005-12-18T21:02:00.000-05:00

This morning when Dillon woke up he made his usual trip to the potty and seeing he was about finished I sat down and asked for my morning hugs. He told me he had to put his new Wookie Flyer down(Star Wars Toy) and then he'd give me my hugs. Upon his return, Wendy turned the corner (not knowing he was about to give me my hugs) and asked for her morning hugs. It was obvious by the look on his face that he knew he was facing a difficult choice... who would get the first hug??? I joked with him and asked him "now what are you going to do?" He was smiling as he looked at both of us and within a few seconds he proclaimed "group hug!". Great moment. In other news, the Cowboys stunk today!!! Dang Redskins!!! (Thanks Rick Bell for enjoying all of those awful updates you gave me while I was traveling back to Atlanta!!!) I have a great friendship with a guy by the name of Jason Barmer. He is a huge Redskin fan!!! We actually attended a Cowboy/Redskin game together while in Dallas. Anyway, prior to today's game, we made a little deal about the outcome of the game. Some would call it a bet, but being Baptist and all, I'll go with the word deal. In the next day or two I'll live up to my end and allow the first guest post on ChrisTrent.NET where Jason will get to have a great time I'm sure. Yikes!!! What was I thinking???

Tears again this year!

2005-12-14T13:46:00.000-05:00

So, Abby cried again this year when we went to see Santa. Dillon was braver than ever... went right up to him by himself and gave him the low down on what he wanted for Christmas. Abby is simply not going to get anything this year. That'll teach her! The cool thing about Abby crying each year is that Wendy and I get to take our picture with Santa. Very cool! I miss the guy... or at least the simplicity of when I used to be a kid. (wow... that sounded very blogosophical) (wow, wow - I think I just coined a new word) We're headed to 'bama this week for the Knight family Christmas party. While there, I'm going to preach at FBC Leroy, Alabama. If there are any Leroyians reading come and visit! Should be fun. One more unrelated thing... Church Service on Christmas Morning Controversy??? Give me a king size break!!! Fundamentalism and Legalism STINKS!!! Seriously... why does it have to be a right or wrong issue? Why can't it be right for one group without others getting all worked up about it??? ArrrrgggghhhhhHH!!!!!

My Mother-n-Law is cool and today is her birthday!

2005-12-07T08:40:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Grandy! Thanks for being such a great momma-n-law, Grandy, and Mom. Thanks for being a great friend. Thanks for cooking shrimp. Thanks for letting me marry your little girl. Thanks for feeding me every night during my entire senior year of college. Thanks for not killing me when I took your little girl to Texas. Thanks for cooking shrimp. Thanks for our long talks on the phone. Thanks for telling me you are proud of me. Oh... and thanks for cooking shrimp. You're the best and I love you very much.

Back from Thanksgiving...

2005-12-01T11:07:00.000-05:00

Well, we're back and finally settled from Thanksgiving. We had a great time visiting with my family in Crestview, Florida. I've uploaded some great pics in the Family Photo Album section and a really funny video of Abby doing the Chicken Dance in the Family Videos section. Enjoy!

Crestview here we come...

2005-11-23T08:37:00.000-05:00

We're walking out the door to go to Crestview for Thanksgiving. It'll be a few days before I update again. Have a great Thanksgiving everyone! Chris <><

Thankful.

2005-11-21T14:42:00.000-05:00

The week of Thanksgiving is such a great reminder to consider how blessed you really are in life. I have so much to be thankful for: God's grace when He revealed to me my need for Jesus. Wendy - incredible wife, incredible mom, incredible friend Dillon - my best bud, great son, great brother Abby - potty trained, hugs, kisses, attitude, potty trained Family - Wendy and I are both so blessed with great extended family Calling - I continue to be amazed that being a Middle School Minister is my job JFBC - great church, great staff, great people Friends - God has been so good in this area of my life So, what about you? I'd love to hear from ya.

It's been a good day

2005-11-18T16:36:00.000-05:00

Today has been good. The kinda day that refreshes something inside of ya. Wendy and the kids were at the church this morning for her scrap booking get together and I have the day off. So, I headed over to Panera Bread for a Cafe Mocha and free WiFi. I spent the morning not hurrying and was able to make a couple changes to my website, catch up on my One Year Bible reading (Ezekiel is tough), and just get some good ole' thinking done. Oh, but it's gonna get better. In about 45 minutes, Wendy and I are going on a date to On the Border for a little bit of GeoMex(it's kinda like TexMex but in Georgia).

Dillon Singing

2005-11-16T17:36:00.000-05:00

My boy is gonna be a star. Check out this video of Dillon singing. The video is off a bit, but you can still hear him. Funny stuff. Click HERE!

DNOW 2005

2005-11-14T17:05:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a weekend! DNOW was once again incredible this year. We're all pretty worn out from all the going and doing but it was all worth it. There are a couple of youth ministry events that God always seems to use to do huge things in the lives of students. DNOW is definitely one of those type of events. I'm looking forward to the stories we'll continue to hear about what God has done. In all of this, I've been reminded of how cool it is to work with the JFBC student staff. They're all so gifted. I'm thankful to be a part of the team. Today has been a great day of catching up with Wendy and the kids. We went to Chuck E. Cheeses and then played in the back yard for a while. Fun stuff.

The Secret of Good Potty Training

2005-11-10T09:16:00.000-05:00

That's right, we've discovered the secret of good potty training... boots, hat and sword. Abby started her "Save My Parents Tons of Money by Not Wearing Diapers Anymore" training this past Saturday. She was big time ready and took to it great. We've been blessed now with two easy potty training experiences. Now if I can only talk Wendy into having another baby... :-)

Pray for my little nephew

2005-11-08T14:16:00.000-05:00

My little nephew, Caleb, was bitten by a bat yesterday. He's going to have to start treatment for rabies today. You can see more details on my brother-n-law's website: AndyKnight.com

***Update: (Wednesday, 7:13pm) The bat does not have rabies. Big Praise!!! Caleb does not have to have anymore shots.

Star Wars Episode VI

2005-11-05T18:26:00.000-05:00

Oooop’s... I mean III. Kinda confusing. So this week the last of the Star Wars movies came out on DVD. It is hard to believe that as a kid I saw the first (fourth) episode in the theater. Equally hard to believe is seeing Dillon have the same amazement I had as he watches the movies. For the record, he is actually pretty good with a light saber. Yesterday, I spoke at the Hightower FCA and used Episode III Revenge of the Sith as an illustration for the lesson. I showed two clips that featured Chancellor Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker. In both clips, Palpatine is slowly and methodically luring Anakin to the darkside. He tells him all kind of lies and plays on Anakin’s pride and fear. Science fiction? Yes. Lessons to be learned? You bet ya! Compare the story found in Star Wars to the the story found in Genesis 3 about how Adam and Eve were first tempted by Satan in the garden and eventually chose to do what God had told them not to do. Satan flat out lied to Eve about how it would be ok for her to eat from the tree and he lied to her about God’s motives. He played on her pride. The lesson: Satan is crafty and cunning and out to get us. He is real. And don’t forget... we’re responsible for choices.

Fall Festival, Trick or Treat and Trunk or Treat

2005-10-31T20:01:00.000-05:00

Zorro and Minnie Mouse have made their whirlwind tour of the various Halloween options. On Saturday night we had a great time at the JF's Fall Festival. There were a lot of great rides including a Ferris Wheel! Very Cool!! Tonight we went to our neighborhood Halloween Kick off where we started off the night with pizza. This is our first Halloween in our new neighborhood, and we had a blast. There were kids and families everywhere. We finished the night by going up to the Trunk or Treat at JF. It was fun to see a lot of the 9th grade students that were in middle school last year. All the HS students did a great job decorating their cars. We had a fun few days, but we're glad to have a rest from all the going and going and going.

Who Wants to Have Some Fun???

2005-10-28T18:11:00.000-04:00

Do you really want to have some fun or are you just saying you want to have fun???

I found this cool little idea from my brother-n-law's cool web site, AndyKnight.com.

So, if you take a look at ChrisTrent.NET ever so often, place yourself on the map!

CLICK HERE and be sure to put a picture if you can.

It's Cold Outside

2005-10-26T16:07:00.000-04:00

It's now cold outside and I'm not sure I like it. When did the weather change??? It makes me think of a song I like...

Every Season by Nichole Nordemon

Every evening sky, an invitation To trace the patterned stars

And early in July, a celebration For freedom that is ours

And I notice You In children’s games In those who watch them from the shade

Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder You are summer And even when the trees have just surrendered To the harvest time

Forfeiting their leaves in late September And sending us inside

Still I notice You when change begins And I am braced for colder winds

I will offer thanks for what has been and was to come You are autumn And everything in time and under heaven Finally falls asleep

Wrapped in blankets white, all creation Shivers underneath

And still I notice you When branches crack And in my breath on frosted glass

Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter You are winter And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced Teaching us to breathe

What was frozen through is newly purposed Turning all things green

So it is with You And how You make me new With every season’s change

And so it will be As You are re-creating me Summer, autumn, winter, spring

Splendid and Paintball and Feed the Hungry

2005-10-23T20:00:00.000-04:00

Spendid(Girls Weekend), Paintball and Feed the Hungry all in one weekend??? Johnson Ferry’s Middle School ministry had a lot going on. Thankfully we had lot’s of help to make it through. Kelly (our girl’s ministry associate) did a great job leading the Spendid weekend. Chris Conner(our MS associate) led the guy’s paintball outing and got shot up pretty good. And today, I led our Feed the Hungry ministry project. Of course we had great adult leaders at all three events that helped us pull off such a busy weekend. Feed the Hungry is a mission project we do each year to help those in need of food in the N. Georgia area. We pass out bags with lists of what to bring for several weeks leading up to the collection day. On the day of Feed the Hungry, our church members leave the food at their cars. We then pick it up, sort it, box it, and load it up on the back of the moving truck. Today was awesome! We pretty much filled the back of a 20 foot moving truck up with food! Our middle school students served the Lord well today! In other, more trivial news, if you are looking for a win, the Cowboy's quarterback is giving them away for free... all you have to do is be tied with less than 10 seconds left and he'll be happy to throw you the ball so you can turn around and kick a field goal to win the game!!! Enough said!

Wendy at SPLENDID...

2005-10-21T18:13:00.000-04:00

Wendy is teaching at Splendid tonight. I am so proud of her for getting out of her comfort zone a little bit and teaching one of the seminars.

Splendid is a girls only weekend where our 6th-8th girls come up to the church for great teaching, worship and fun. Wendy's session is titled Mean Girls: Choosing Beauty over Beast. Note: the pink font is in honor of Splendid... don't expect to see pink again on ChrisTrent.NET.

Starbucks and a Great Quote

2005-10-20T10:29:00.000-04:00

Check out this cool article from USA Today about Starbuck's new add campaign: HERE

The Quote:

"You are not an accident. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. He wanted you alive and created you for a purpose. Focusing on yourself will never reveal your real purpose. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense. Only in God do we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance and our destiny." - The Rev. Rick Warren for Starbucks

Pics from Pittsburgh

2005-10-19T09:37:00.000-04:00

Hey... Check out pics from our trip to Pittsburgh. CLICK HERE! Wendy and I had a great time hanging out with the youth staff.

I didn't bring a long sleeve shirt, so I was cold most of the trip.

Did you know they put french fries in their salads and on their sandwiches??? Weird... but good!

PITTSBURGH!!!

2005-10-14T09:33:00.000-04:00

Wendy and I are in Pittsburgh with the rest of the youth staff for the National Youth Worker's Convention. We flew in last night. Believe me... it is always a blast traveling with the Johnson Ferry Youth Staff... some stories are better left untold. Dillon and Abby? Grandy and Pappy just happened to be coming up to Atlanta for a wedding, so they are taking care of the little ones.

A special week deserves a special page...

2005-10-11T22:12:00.000-04:00

Our Disney Journal with Photos

103 More Disney Photos

Videos

Back from Disney...

2005-10-10T08:19:00.000-04:00

I'll be posting my Disney journal as soon as I put the finishing touches on it. Of course there will also be pictures! For now... We had an absolute blast and we'll be going back!!!

2 Years in the Making...

2005-09-30T10:06:00.000-04:00

Well, it is finally here... our trip to Disney World starts tomorrow! As you can imagine, we are so excited to see Abby and Dillon experience Disney World and all it has to offer. They can't stop talking about it. Dillon can't wait to ride the Star Wars ride and Abby wants to see "Mitty Mouse, Donld Dutt, and Gooty"... hopefully she won't freak out when she really sees them. The cool part of the trip is that Wendy's parent's and my sister and brother-n-law are also going. I know there'll be memories that last a lifetime and Chevy Chase/Clark Griswold moments galore! I'll blog and post pictures when we get back.

Happy Birthday Abby!

2005-09-23T15:37:00.000-04:00

My little girl is 2 years old today! This is her 2 year old picture. I know, I know... she's a cutie!

Am I the only one???

2005-09-14T11:37:00.000-04:00

Ok... Is it only me or do other people have this problem also... Every time I go to get ice out of the freezer, I drop a piece. I'm telling you... I can't seem to successfully get all the ice into my cup!!! No matter what I do, a piece will escape and hit the floor!!! Drives me crazy!!! It's ALIVE!!! The ICE IS ALIVE!!!!

Family Update...

2005-08-30T21:34:00.000-04:00

Many of my friends have asked about our family in both Mobile and Northwest Florida. We're thankful that so many of you remember us in times like this. The good news is everyone is safe. The Knight's bay house did suffer some damage, but we're all very mindful that it is nothing compared to the loss that New Orleans and surrounding areas is dealing with in this very moment. Pray. "80% of New Orleans is still badly flooded." "It could take 1-2 weeks for much of the water to go away."

Backstage with Big Daddy Weave

2005-08-30T17:58:00.000-04:00

Wendy, Dillon and I had a great time Sunday night at the Big Daddy Weave concert. We used them at our camp for about 4 years, so they hooked us up with tickets and backstage passes. We even got to hang out with them on their tour bus. Very Cool Night!

Recent pics from Vacation..

2005-08-18T16:23:00.000-04:00

Dillon and Pappy Riding the Go-Carts

Dillon and Abby at the Beach

Dillon and his Shark Tooth

Me and my Sister, Nikki

Abby at the Beach

School is back... thus the Monday top 5 or so x's 2...

2005-08-15T11:09:00.000-04:00

So what are the "TOP 5 or SO" things you love most about school? AND... What are the "TOP 5 or SO" things you don't like about school? *** for those not in school, feel free to get creative or simply brag about how you don't have to go anymore.

Napoleon Dynamite Movie Night

2005-08-02T06:46:00.000-04:00

Last night the JFMSM hosted a Napoleon Dynamite movie night. We watched the movie while eating hot dogs and of course... tots. We then had Napoleon games: draw your best liger, tot put, uncle rico's football toss, tether ball, tot eating contest, and best of all... get your picture taken with a live llama! What a blast!

Abby with the "horse-e"/"dog-e"/"oh-maa"

The JFMSM team! What a proud moment! I'm sporting my new Llamas of Atlanta T-shirt.

Happy Birthday Nikki...

2005-07-29T15:26:00.000-04:00

I've got such a great sister.

I love you Nikki and I'm very proud to have you as a little sis!!!

Happy Birthday Dillon...

2005-07-20T14:53:00.000-04:00

Today, Dillon turns 5 years old. I love my best bud so much!

Another Top 5

2005-07-13T13:46:00.000-04:00

Here is the new...

MONDAY'S (on Wednesday) TOP FIVE:

Tell me your 5 favorite candy bars!!!

Click 'Make Comments' to Add Yours

Hurricane Dennis

2005-07-10T14:26:00.000-04:00

Please pray our family.

Wendy's parents have a home on Mobile Bay and another home about 1 hour north of Mobile.

My sister and aunt have homes near Pensacola about a mile off the water.

Both my parents live in Crestview, Florida (about 40 miles north of Fort Walton Beach)

Please pray for the safety of all those involved.

Middle School White Water Rafting...

2005-06-30T19:39:00.000-04:00

Click on Picture for Larger View

I went white water rafting this morning for the first time. It was Incredible!!! Cold, but Incredible!!! The JFMSM left yesterday and camped out last night... that's right 40 middle school students in tents! Everyone did great. We got up this morning and took on the 3's and 4's (rafting talk for the level of intensity/difficulty) of the Ocoee River.

I'm really starting to feel like a life time youth minister after this summer. Earlier this summer I played paintball for the first time. Today I went white water rafting for the first time. Now if I can only do the snow skiing thing, I might actually survive as a youth minister.

Going on vacation. Later!!!

News from the Trent Family...

2005-06-21T16:32:00.000-04:00

What Abby looks like when she says "Kitty Cat".

Dillon and I went to see Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3D. Wendy and I painted our faces at camp because all our students were in the Red Squad.

In other news, last night we hosted Jared Hall for a JFMSM Family Night of Illusions. The dude can flat out do some serious illusions. He did some card stuff that messed me up! The best part about the night is that 6 students accepted Christ.

Monday Top Five

2005-06-20T10:24:00.000-04:00

Here is the new...

MONDAY'S TOP FIVE:

Tell me your 5 favorite restaurants... In Order!!!

Click 'Make Comments' to Add Yours

Johnson Ferry Middle School CAMP!!!

2005-06-18T16:07:00.000-04:00

Click pic for Larger Version

Student Life Camp '05 was incredible!!! Wendy and I had such a great time getting to know our students from JFBC. I'm so proud of the way they connected with God during the week. It was obvious that they were there to have a blast and hear from God in a big way. Way to go JFBC... we love you guys. Dillon and Abby also had a great week staying with Pappy and Grandy. They went to their first circus and Dillon can't stop talking about how the guy put his head in the lion's mouth.

I should be posting some updated pictures of Dillon and Abby pretty soon. Later Gators!

A Week Gone By Already???

2005-06-06T15:10:00.000-04:00

Here is the new...

MONDAY'S TOP FIVE:

Tell me the 5 things you love most about the Summer

Click 'Make Comments' to Add Yours

New Feature on ChrisTrent.NET...

2005-05-30T11:54:00.000-04:00

Alrighty... I've decided to try something new on the old web site here... I give you the:

MONDAY'S TOP FIVE LIST

That's right... your opportunity to give your opinions about your favorite things in life.

TODAY'S TOP FIVE Tell Me Your Top Five Favorite Movies of All Time

Click Make Comments to Add Yours

Ohhhhh Yeaaahhhhhh....

2005-05-19T13:17:00.000-04:00

Happy Mommy's Day...

2005-05-08T13:46:00.000-04:00

Mommy, Dillon, and Abby

Wendy does an incredible job being Mommy to Dillon and Abby.

A-Whoa-o-Whoaaaaa...

2005-04-20T09:06:00.000-04:00

Ok... I watch American Idol. So who do you think is going to be in the top three at the end of the season and who do you think is going to take it all? CTRENT... OUT!

Choir Tour to Mobile, Alabama

2005-04-09T10:30:00.000-04:00

Click on Group Pic for Larger Version What a Great Week!!! God really blessed our group with some great experiences. I'm so proud to be the Middle School Minister to these JF students. It was awesome to see you all used by God in such a great way!

My Team...

TEAM SEVEN!

You guys were the best! You know I need to paint my house pretty soon... wanna help?

Mobile Bound...

2005-03-31T08:27:00.000-05:00

Wendy, Dillon, Abby, and I are headed over to Mobile a few days early today for the Middle School Choir trip to Mobile, AL. I'll meet up with the group on Saturday night. If you're reading this, do me a favor and pray for our group while we are in Mobile. We'll be singing at a few different places and doing house repairs on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

I'll blog some pics of the trip when I get back! CYA!

How About Some Family Pictures???

2005-03-27T18:21:00.000-05:00

WHAT YOU LOOKIN' AT???

Here are a few pics from recent days in the Trent family. We had a great time today doing the Easter thing. We rode to church together and had a wonderful day at JFBC. We then met the Herrings at the Gatlins and had lunch together. The kids did an egg hunt in the rain, but still had a great time.

Easter 2005.JPG Dillon and Will are Good Buddies.JPG Abby and Taylor Enjoy the T-ball game.JPG

Also take a look at my cool nephew and the cool shirt he's wearing for Easter. He and Dillon both have great taste!

Dillon's First T-Ball Game

2005-03-19T15:32:00.000-05:00

Here is Dillon after the game with his teammates, THE SHARKS. Contrary to nasty t-ball rumors, none of the team uses steroids. :-)

Dillon's First Hit:

Dillon's First Hit.JPG Can you find the ball?

Napoleon Dynamite

2005-03-12T15:33:00.000-05:00

Wendy and I watched Napoleon Dynamite. All I can say is "GOSH... why did I spend that much time watching a movie with absolutely no point!?!"

Next time, instead of watching ND, I'm going to do "whatever I want."