Thanks to all who have contributed to my blog by joining the many conversations. You have helped me reach 1000 comments, a feat which reveals how small-time of a blogger I am, yet is still a big accomplishment for such a small-time blogger. Thank you for helping me form this small community, I look forward to seeing where it goes from here and the next 1,000 comments to come.
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I would like to introduce my friend, the Man of the Millennium (as voted by the ladies), and my most rabid, I mean avid nickcarnes.com reader, Drew Hall. Drew is a student at (Updated) Kennesaw State Augusta State University (emphasis on the University) and is one deliciously sexy man. In his spare time from taking long romantic walks on the moonlit beaches, he strums the guitar in heavenly melodies and loves to watch the television series made about his personal life, Entourage.
Drew spends his days thinking up solutions to world hunger, extreme poverty, and bringing about world peace; in his spare time, Drew writes poetry, enjoys painting and purchasing the fine arts, and reading romance novels to better relate to his one day wife.
Ladies, I know you are dying to hear Drew’s deep soothing voice on the other end of a telephone conversation, but due to his high volume of fans that voted him in as the Man of the Millennium, we must ask that you email him first, with a full personal profile to:
Drewisthesexiestmanaliveonthefaceoftheearthhotsohothesizzlesohmywhataman@yahoo.com – We’ll respond as soon as possible, and please, Drew is very open to the women in his life, but he has come to a decision that he cannot date anyone over the age of 97. His grandma is 98 and it would be a little weird.
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On Thanksgiving exactly 1 year ago today, I began a journey that has changed my life, hopefully forever. It took a lot of pain and sickness to begin this journey, but now as I look back, I can say I am glad I endured it.
Since last year I have lost 47lbs. I was 193 lbs the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and as of Monday (the day I am scheduling this post) I am 146 lbs. I told my wife I was going to try and lose 3 more pounds so I could round it up to 50, but no luck so far! 
For those who do not know the story, I was extremely sick and in a lot of pain the Wednesday before Thanksgiving last year. I drove myself to the Emergency prompt care where I was diagnosed with an ulcer. I was given some medicine and sent home. The pain increased the next day and moved to the lower right side of my abdomen and eventually let me dad talk me into going to the ER. Once I arrived and saw a doctor, I was almost sent home without even being checked. The doctor read the chart and the diagnosis from the prompt care doctor and didn’t even walk in the door, before he turned to leave, I asked him a couple of questions that prompted him to do his job, and he skeptically decided to do a CT Scan on my Abdomen, he still stated he doubted I had anything wrong other than an ulcer. When the test results came back, they decided they needed to do an Emergency Appendectomy, and the rest is history…except the fact that the surgeon said my Appendix looked very sick, so I could have been sent home and it burst giving me gangrene or killing me. So, in my week of recovery I lost 6 lbs and determined to keep it up, I worked hard to lose the additional 41 lbs. My original goal was 165 lbs and I have overshot that by 19!
The positives: I feel great! I don’t dislike looking at myself in the mirror or having my picture taken. I’m in a whole lot better shape, I’m healthier, and I can encourage and empathize with people who are on a journey to lose weight and have a healthier lifestyle. Looking at old photos and seeing success!
The negatives: I’ve been criticized more since I lost weight than when I was 40 + lbs overweight. I guess some people don’t like to see others actually be successful at something they set out to accomplish. Along with losing 7 years of weight I lost as many years worth of clothes, so it has been challenging to replace them, especially with the changing season. Looking at old photos and regretting I let myself get so overweight.
The humorous side: Having people ask me, “So what did you do to lose all of your weight?” and then upon hearing my answer having them reply, “Oh, I could never do that!” – I guess some people want it the easy way!?
By the way…I missed Thanksgiving dinner last year and will be making up for it this year!
The Journey – Starts HERE – 6 lbsHERE – 10 lbs HERE – 179 lbs HERE – 172 HERE (Changing my Goal) – 167 HERE – A Meal of Pills & 159 lbs – I feel like Amway – 2 months finally lost 1 pound – 3-D Plan to eating healthy part 1 – 3-D plan to eating healthy part 2
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I grabbed this video from my friend Neely’s site the other day. I saved it for today because I thought it would give a great perspective on Thanksgiving.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZFFxDcSfeA]
America…you are truly blessed. Even if you are considered “poor” or in “extreme poverty” in America, you are rich and have plenty to be thankful for. Beyond the material things that are obvious, today I am thankful for a loving Jesus who gave up everything to love me, to forgive me, and to have a relationship with me. I am thankful for my beautiful, awesome wife and my beautiful and healthy 3 kids. I am thankful for my family, my friends, and life! I am also thankful for living in America and the freedoms that we have, and for our soldiers who put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe and free.
Join the Conversation…What are you thankful for today? Have you been taking it for granted?
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I’ve always heard that there are stackers and then there are filers. Honestly, I’ve tried to be a filer, but there’s just one problem, I’ll file something and then I forget I even have whatever it is that I’ve filed (Out of sight out of mind) and I find myself either frantically looking for it (except where I filed it) and eventually recreating it and a new folder to file it in. So, I am a stacker. Amazingly, I can find anything I have stacked on my desk. I found these pictures on the internet and it made me feel smart. So, what does your messy, or clean desk say about you? Apparently, Einstein’s desk says the messier the smarter!
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One statement made on the site where I found these said, “Some people say a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, what does that say about an empty desk?” Join the Conversation: What does your desk look like? Are you a stacker or a filer?
h/t: Picdic
h/t: LIFE Images
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I got this video from Josh Griffin’s blog. Its funny, yet rather sobering to see some of the cheesy churchology played out in an organization outside the church. Check it out…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7_dZTrjw9I]
Join the Conversation, What’s one of the cheesiest things you’ve seen a church do?
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Click Photo to Watch Video
11 year old Brenden Foster is no longer with us on this earth, but his legacy will live on. He lost his battle with cancer since I posted the first story about him HERE. As you can see in this new CNN Report, Brenden inspired several groups, including some schools to get involved in helping the homeless who are less fortunate than any of us who have the capabilities of viewing this blog right now.
I wonder how many of us would lie in a hospital bed with only a few days left on this Earth and instead of thinking about the sad state we were in, would spend our time thinking of others and how we could help them? I can’t help but to be inspired by Brenden. I can’t help but to ask myself, “What’s my excuse for sitting still?” I can’t help but to ask, “What’s your excuse for sitting still?” Shane preached this morning about “The Kingdom” and his main point was, The Gospel is lived out with your hands and feet, not your body in a seat.
If you live in the CSRA, especially if you attend The Church @ Greenbrier, you can join us at The Augusta Rescue Mission, this Thursday (yes that is Thanksgiving) to serve the poor and homeless a Thanksgiving meal. It starts at 9 a.m. and most people are working until 2 p.m., but you are free to leave earlier if you need to. Join the Conversation, What can you do to make Brenden’s dying wish come true?
Video URL: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/11/22/jaffe.wa.boy.dying.wish.obit.komo
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Adoption Rocks T-Shirt with Long Sleeves
Look what I can do!
The cold weather is coming in, and I can still wear my “Adoption Rocks” t-shirt. My white thermal long sleeve shirt fits perfectly underneath and I must say they go perfect together!
Are you looking for a way you can be a help to someone this holiday season? Looking for a great Christmas gift for that friend or loved one? The Adoption Rocks t-shirt is that perfect gift. Not only are you giving someone a great gift they can use over and over again, but you are helping provide a new home for a baby girl or for two siblings.
My friend Neely and her husband Josh are on the waiting list to adopt a little girl or siblings from Africa. She had these t-shirts made up to help raise the money its costing them to make the adoption happen. You can go to http://www.onemomtrying.blogspot.com to read about their adoption journey, but also most importantly to help them make it happen. When you go to Neely’s blog, look to the right hand sidebar and there is an order form, select your size and color and then select the “Buy Now” button to place your secure order.
Don’t let the cold weather be an excuse not to help someone! Help provide a baby girl or siblings the warmth of a home and a loving family by buying a shirt today. In fact, I think it would be ok to buy 5 for Christmas gifts too!
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Click Picture to Watch Video
I saw this video on CNN.com where a lady lost $400,000 to a Nigerian email scam…yes that was $400,000 (dollars)…watch the video to see what all she sold and cashed in for what she thought was going to be a $20 Million Dollar payday. I think the lady in the video says it best, “YOU DON’T HAVE FAMILY IN NIGERIA!” Don’t fall for this scam. ALSO – Check out the 419 Eater website for funny stories and pictures of Nigerian email scammers being scammed by some smart people…they would be the people who did not send $400,000 to a “family” member in Nigeria (These stories are awesome).
Also on the video is a sad, but semi-funny story about an elderly lady who was robbed when she fell for an exploding toilet story by a robber who was wearing a fake water company uniform.
And the third story is about two men who stole an ATM with a stolen fork lift. Watch the video, I am sure you will be entertained. Join the Conversation: What’s the funniest crime story you’ve ever heard or experienced?
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/11/19/pn.most.outrageous.email.scam.cnn
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If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord – and he will repay you! Proverbs 19:17
I found this verse interesting. People always talk about being ‘the hands and feet of Jesus’ to help those who are in need, but how about the ‘bank of Jesus?’ I think a lot of us look at giving to the poor in terms of what we have financially, we make comments like, “When God blesses me with extra, then I can give to others.” However, I get the impression that God works like this, “You give from whatever I’ve already given you, and then I’ll repay you based on your kindness.”
To me this puts a new perspective on Matthew 25:40 (MSG) where Jesus says, whatever we do to those overlooked and ignored, we do it to Him. Proverbs is saying that we are not giving our money to the poor…we are giving a loan to God, he’s just predesignated that he wants the money to go, and he wants it to go to those who are overlooked and ignored. This promise from Proverbs is not limited to “Christians.” I see tons of secular businesses that are very successful, and many times if you look behind the scenes they are highly involved in charitable giving. I just think the Church should be leading the way…
This is personally something I have to work on. My family is definitely not rich, but that cannot be an excuse! Join the Conversation…What do you think? Is God’s credit good enough at your bank?
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