Family

Fathers and the Funnies

by Andy Wood on September 30, 2009

in Five LV Laws, Principle of Legacy

Joel and me 2Took a look at the funnies the other day.  To be honest, I read them for the laughter.  But I noticed something else in the process.  Call me sensitive, or call me curious, but I was intrigued at the ways dads are presented.  If it’s true that art imitates life, we may have some big problems.  With fathers.  With God.  With ourselves.

Who is Father?  According to the comics, he is Dagwood, the family calamity.  He lives to sleep, or to eat, or to deal with the occasional salesman.  He’s loveable, but always a little bit late, and about one brick shy of a load.

Who is Father?  [click to continue…]

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The Catch

by Andy Wood on September 11, 2009

in Turning Points

(A Turning Point Story)

bass 2“So I guess you’ll write something about this in your article,” my dad said. 

“Probably,” was my reply.  Probably, indeed.  I don’t know what you do with your fish stories, but mine wound up in the freezer.  And somewhere in heaven, Jonah must have been smiling.

Long ago now – about 15 years – I took the kids fishing.  This trip was a lot more fun previous ones because they were able to bait their own hooks.  All totaled, they caught 18 fish, and loved every minute of it.  I just caught one.  But I had no complaints. 

“Asking to be caught.”  That was my interpretation of what Daddy called “guarding his nest.”  I called him Big Boy, and for good reason.  He was the biggest bass I had ever seen in all my years fishing the family pond.  And what was most amazing was that I actually saw him!  Hovering in the water there, about three feet from the dam, he just stayed in one position. 

Silently, breathlessly, I flirted with Big Boy for an hour. [click to continue…]

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Two Dresses

by Andy Wood on July 11, 2009

in 100 Words, Life Currency, Love, Photos, Time

dressThe only time I ever bought clothes for my children without a guardian present, I bought two dresses in Mobile – this one and a green one.

Actually, I bought the same dresses twice, for a special reason.  Earlier that day my twin girls were born.

Little did I know how quickly they would outgrow them.

Today this dress – and the girls who wore it – turns 25.  Time moves even faster now.  But the love that filled my heart that July day is stronger than ever.

Happy Birthday, ladies.  May you change your world as much as you’ve changed mine.


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The Smokehouse

by Andy Wood on April 29, 2009

in Five LV Laws, LV Cycle, Photos, Principle of Legacy, Protecting Your Investment

shopBehind the home my dad grew up in, and lives in today, my grandfather built a smokehouse around 78 years ago.  Every winter, when the weather got extremely cold, my grandparents, my dad and his siblings, and their farm hands would kill 10-12 hogs – 3-4 at a time.  I’ll spare you the details (you can thank me later).

My grandmother’s job was to smoke the meat.  After the meat had been salted down for 21 days, she would take it out, dip it into warm water to get the salt out of it, then hang it in the smokehouse on poles.  She would smoke the meat really slowly for two weeks, keeping the green wood barely smoldering.  She wouldn’t let the fire blaze up or have any heat to it.  She kept it going just enough to cure the meat and give it that good smoked flavor.

Here’s how she described life with the smokehouse: [click to continue…]

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The Lemonade Stand

by Andy Wood on March 9, 2009

in Exploring the Possibilities, Five LV Laws, LV Cycle, Principle of Increase, Turning Points

lemonade-standIt all started with an idea in the mind of a four-year-old.  Cassie certainly wasn’t the first kid to set up shop as a lemonade business.  But she’d read about it or seen it on some cartoon or something, and she was inspired.

We were living in Birmingham.  Corner lot, pretty busy street.  But that didn’t deter Miss Entrepreneur and her twin sister.  They were out to make some money, and had just been given a sure-fire way to do it.

What do you say to a born dreamer, with stars in her eyes, and a plan for making her dreams come true?

“Okay.”

You say, “Okay.”

That’s what Mamma said, and she went about helping the twins prepare for their first business venture.  There was a table to set up, a sign to make, and, of course, a pitcher of lemonade and cooler of ice to prepare.

And there were the pigtails.  I’ll never forget the pigtails. [click to continue…]

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Go Get Your Bride – The Wedding Ceremonies that Changed My Heart

by Andy Wood on March 3, 2009

in Life Currency, Love, Turning Points

carrie-and-me

It took more than 25 years, but I finally met Jesus at a wedding.  And when I did, I made peace with weddings in general.  I’d like to tell you how.

For years I have made the statement that I’d rather do a funeral any day than a wedding.  Yeah, yeah, I know that sounds twisted, vile, and patently un-American.  But from a ministry perspective, there’s no comparison.  Unlike weddings, at the funeral:

  • The family will actually listen to what I have to say.
  • Nobody has spent years fantasizing and obsessing about how this will be the perfect day.
  • The cost, even with caskets and cemetery plots, is usually less.
  • Long-term success is assured – deceased persons don’t have a 50/50 chance of changing their minds at a later date.
  • Prospective candidates aren’t inundated with supermarket magazines modeling the latest casket fashions.
  • There are no attendants who are required to buy swishy dresses or rent tuxedos.
  • People don’t “experiment” by cohabitating with the casket for a year or two to see if there’s a fit.
  • Photographers don’t roam freely about the service, or dominate the entire reception.
  • Expenses can be offset by life insurance.  (Try telling your insurance agent you need wedding coverage.)
  • People actually give some thought to life after the ceremony.

Simply put, marriage is made in heaven, but weddings (aka American Idolatry) are made in hell.

An Idea Born of Necessity

All that changed a couple of years ago, however, when I was doing premarital counseling with two couples who had a similar problem.  [click to continue…]

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How to Know When It’s Time to Put Your Dog Down

by Andy Wood on January 8, 2009

in Esteem, Life Currency, Time, Turning Points, Words

(And other lessons learned from The Senior Ladies Exercise Club)

I couldn’t help but overhear.

The way I figure it, the whole block could have overheard.

I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions this year, but I did make a lifestyle change (hey, I’ve done it three days in a row – that ought to count for something).  Yes, friends, I’m back in the gym.

I’m still trying to figure out the best time of day to work out.  I think people like my associate, who works out at 4:30 every morning, need to work on a different kind of health, if you know what I’m sayin’.  So yesterday, I show up about mid-morning, to find the parking lot completely full.

Not a good sign.

Well, maybe they’re all in a class or something, I hoped to myself, as I headed to the cardio room to resume my Couch-to-5k training schedule.  To my chagrin, the place was packed.  Every treadmill taken.  And it was only when one became available and I nabbed it that I realized – I’d been sucked into the vortex of the Senior Ladies Exercise Club.  They probably have their own name for it; that’s just my name for the Twilight Zone I was in.

The last time I was this surrounded was when I was asked to speak to a room full of women-only about Things Husbands Wished Their Wives Understood.  They were a great group, really sweet and highly motivated.  Didn’t matter – I was scared to death.

Anyway, there were three ladies on treadmills to the left, and what seemed like 93 to the right. [click to continue…]

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My Favorite Personal Posts in 2008

by Andy Wood on January 1, 2009

in Following Your Passion, Life Currency, LV Cycle, Words

Okay, one last (I promise) favorites list – especially  for those of you who may be new to LifeVesting or haven’t discovered SynerJACK yet.

One of the things blogging has done for me has been to get me to write more often, and more content, than ever – something I’ve always wanted the discipline or inspiration to do.  Some of those pieces were duds.  Others were things I was really proud of, but didn’t seem to resonate with others.  And some, like this and this seemed to capture a lot of attention and imagination from others.

What follows are, in order, the ones that still resonate with me.  Taken collectively, they reflect my passion, values, relationships, and a couple of things I think are hilarious or supremely important.  I hope you like them, too.

1.  The Holy Spirit Salad
I still just laugh and laugh, and Robin still punches me when I do.  But I have to admit, God speaks to people today, and He does so in many different ways.  Still not sure about the Holy Spirit salad, though.

2.  He Had a Hammer
In response to a question about my childhood hero.

3.  Don’t Go Gently
Butch Lowery died more than 15 years ago, but his life still speaks to me today.

4.  Last House Standing
A picture-and-100-words piece about resilience, strength, and determination.

5.  The Language of Letting Go
In a year of transitions, we went from mere in-laws to empty-nester grandparents.  This came as no surprise, but it required a new level of communication and understanding – the language of letting go.

6.  Braves Lose!  Braves Lose!  Braves Lose!
A tribute to Skip Caray, one of the greatest broadcasters and cultural icons of my generation.

7.  To Prepare a Place
It had been a while – and I’d forgotten what groom-love looked like.  What I saw revealed far more than a man in love with his bride.  It was a reflection of Christ’s love for His.

8.  The Myth of the Early Christmas Shopper
Who says that just because you love somebody you have to get their Christmas gifts weeks in advance?  This is a fun look at the joys of shopping on Christmas Eve.

9.  Grace Works for Pastors, Too
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, scripture says.  This describes some of the most life-giving words I have ever heard.

10.  16001 Crosses.
This year I met one of the most remarkable men I’ve ever known.  Neville Davidson refused to accept complete blindness as the end of the story of his life.  He has found a way to give back, and in doing so, has touched countless lives.

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Halftime: Scenes From My Weekend in the Locker Room

by Andy Wood on November 4, 2008

in Uncategorized

Pardon the cat blog entry, but I turned 50 today.  The way I measure it, that’s halfway to Heaven.  So my kids insisted we all converge on the DFW Metroplex for the weekend to celebrate.

I don’t think I could have possibly conjured up a better celebration and memory maker – provided by my family, my awesome team at TPCC back home, and some help from people with names like Harrell, Crabtree, and Edwards.

It all started with the confidence that I could leave home and work for the weekend, knowing that the church was in very capable hands.  I am so grateful for the staff and leadership at Turning Point.  So when Chad, our youth pastor, calls me on Friday to ask it if was OK to title his message on forgiveness, “The F-Word,” I didn’t think twice about it.

We went to Cassie’s house in Euless and had the official family celebration Friday night.  (If you know Carrie, you’ll have to ask her what kind of birthday cake they served up.  I couldn’t mention it unless you paid me lots of money.)  It was there that they presented me the surprise they’d been teasing and hinting about for weeks – two tickets to the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.  As big a NASCAR nut as I am, I’d never been to a race in person.  Needless to say, I was very excited.

Saturday we drove to Canton, Texas – home of the (literally) world’s largest flea market.  I’ve never seen anything like it.  There had to be more than 150,000 people there, and this is a monthly occurrence.  One entire section – about the size of most flea markets – is devoted almost exclusively to pets and livestock.  Hundreds of puppies, along with miniature goats, long-haired rabbits, half-sized calves, llamas, donkeys, exotic birds, and even baby pigs.  We came home with Gracie – a seven-week-old Maltese.

Saturday night I shouted myself hoarse watching Texas Tech shock Texas.  From the Longhorns first play from scrimmage (a safety) to Tech’s last (an incredible touchdown), I was blown away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaN_ce47MOY

Who would have ever thought that, nine games into the season, the top 5 BCS teams would look like this?

Alabama is #1 for the first time in the regular season since 1980 (Roll Tide!).  And my wife’s alma mater is close behind.  Incredible.

The race was a true spectacle.  TV does a good job of presenting it, but there is no way to compare the 3D effect of actually being there, along with 171,000 other people.  And it was pretty cool that we pick up a couple of Carl Edwards #99 caps, and he proceeds to win the race.  The view was incredible, the weather perfect.  And for all uncultured folks that think NASCAR fans are a bunch of beer-throwing rednecks, let me just say these were some of the friendliest, most gracious and sportsmanlike fans possible.  Even, the Earnhardt fans.

Of course, through it all, the most fun part was sharing it with family.  It was the first time to see all seven of them together in a long time, and we totally enjoyed that.  We also hadn’t seen Laura Kate in a good while, so we were glad to have some time with her.

My eardrums have returned to normal, and my voice is nearly back.  The kids have all gone back to home and work.  Carrie, Cassie and Joel did such a wonderful job of helping me celebrate.  Robin and I are back home – ready to start the third quarter.

I do so want to finish strong.

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Seven Keys to Standing When the Nations are Shaking

by Andy Wood on September 25, 2008

in Consumers, Five LV Laws, Life Currency, Love, LV Alter-egos, Money, Principle of Abundance, Principle of Freedom

This site is nearly a year old, and I have never written a post I am more serious or urgent about.

There are times when our spirits and/or minds are unusually drawn in certain directions.  Ideas and concepts leap off the pages of the Bible.  Words or names get planted in our consciousness and never seem to go away.  These times, I believe, are no coincidence.  They are times in which the Holy Spirit is bringing grounded biblical truth to bear on current experience.

Simply put, He’s speaking.

I don’t have experiences like this tremendously often, which makes the times I do have them all the more compelling.  What I am about to share grew out of such a time.

As I mentioned earlier , I believe we are entering a season that for many people will be a season of restoration and change worldwide.

We are also living in tense, fearful days.  I called a banker friend yesterday and asked him, in the words of an old Randy Stonehill song, if we should go back to trading seashells and just admit we’re broke.  (He was encouraging.  But then, he’s a banker.)

I also spoke about this Sunday (Listen Here) that these are days in which anything that can be shaken will be.  God is shaking the wealth of the nations.  People are afraid.

How do we stand strong when we’re living somewhere between the faith and the fear?  How can we be in a place where we see the joy beyond what we endure?  How can we allow the Holy Spirit to shake the barnacles off of us and prepare us for a “latter glory” that will come?  How can we be lights in a world of confusion and darkness?

Sparing you the details of how I got there, there are seven things we must do, and do quickly: [click to continue…]

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