The Moderator Chair is Empty

I was just going to shut down my laptop and pack it up for the ride home from work and checked drudgereport to see what had happened in the world and saw that Tim Russert had died and put on the XM to Fox News to listen to coverage.

It took me a few minutes to process this. He is the common man of Washington that made it big. He comes across non-partisian. He was like me and you and he was gone. It reminded me of when John Holman the space reporter from CNN died suddenly in a car accident.
http://www.cnn.com/US/9809/12/holliman.obit.02/
Even though Robert Hager retired in 2004, I miss him more than any other reporter when crisis, weather or transportation issues happened. I grew up watching him. He was simply the best there was when things were tough. Times like the Iowa floods would have been his fortay.
I miss this type of reporter for the ones today that have an agenda.
http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=74072

Tim Russert was touted last night for his work ethic, his love of family and his faith. Wonderful to have enjoyed him so many times thru the years. NBC will leave his chair vacant on Sunday.
Whom takes up the chair has shoes that can't be filled. Just can't. He was once in a lifetime just like you and I are. Created for a relationship with the one true God.

Some bullet points from things I have picked up. The Friday Chattanooga paper had an article talking about Riverbend's featured act the Bachman Cummings Band. They had issues as The Guess Who and broked up due to Bachman's devout Mormonism. But.....
He has since left the Mormon temple the article states. "We found some things that couldn't be reconciled." "Religion is a bunch of rules, a fear factor."
I thought that said alot about the Mormon church . That is not the case of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray for Randy Bachman to have someone share that with him.

A recent study by the Jenkins Group, a custom book publishing firm showed these interesting facts:
*One-third of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of THEIR LIVES
*42 percent of college graduates never read another book AFTER COLLEGE
*80 percent of US families did not buy or read a book last year
*70 percent of US adults have not been in a book store in the past FIVE YEARS
*57 percent of new books are not read to completion

Does that tell you something? It does me.

Two weeks ago we were training new internal auditors in our ISO 14000 system and before the morning started I had just looked at this article below because it talked about Pepsi's new stance on talent and sustainability. I shared with the group from this article.
A new talking point was in this article that trust me you are going to be hearing more in the business world. Thank goodness it isn't like the 2005 HR speak phrase of the year "Onboarding" -the new rave phrase among HR people for orientation. (I just don't get it still and I am in HR) but the word in this article centers off of environmental sustainability which is now pretty common place (we in flooring have been knowing this for about five years) the word is "human sustainability." Read the article to see what Indra Nooyi, the CEO of Pepsico is starting among business. It will ripple. Business loves new words like this.
http://www.astd.org/NR/rdonlyres/F467615A-B5B4-4383-A78F-D67DF9AA867F/17013/76080632.pdf


Right before I got on a plane Monday I was reading about Steven Colbert in the Chattanooga Free Press and love this quote as he was talking about his Comedy Central show, The Colbert Report and himself...."I am not a passive verb," he says," This is first person, present tense, at all times, I am a verb. As Buckminster Fuller said,"I seem to be a verb." The show is present tense, present active. We're not passive, we don't observe. We set the news agenda. We create the news. We throw the pebble of the show into reality and we report on our own ripples."

I really think he and I could get along. But, he is really quick witted.....and Buckminster Fuller did at least believe there was a God who put all of this together. But, he pulled that name in didn't he?

I do hope that the Celtics can finish off the choking Lakers tomorrow and we can move onto pre-season NFL football! Dan Patrick has Dan Shaughnessy on Friday after the 24 point come back and he admitted that he had written his column for Friday about the Lakers big win and had to do a re-write for Friday publication. Here is a link to the Boston Globe Blog from LA. Rondo is ok and Perkins still 50/50. The Lakers say they have put the last game behind them. Yeah.
Alabama has put six straight losses to Auburn behind them too. Lakers are still favored by six-seven and haven't covered a line in the last two games? Bettors can't be happy. I stepped back in the NBA season gingerly after a 15 year absence. 15 years ago I was pulling for Magic and the Lakers...today Pierce and the Celtics....
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/

August 3rd is coming up fast. Colts and Redskins for one quarter of action followed by three quarters of senseless banter. To start the NFL season back. No Brett Favre...Ouch...

While Tim Russert's death is so sad, Charlie Jones passed away too on Thursday in CA. He was on his way to dinner at Torrey Pines with friends and had a heart attack. His voice was like melted butter. He was one that I grew up with too. He always had the AFC late games with Merlin Olsen. I was just thinking of him the other day as they showed highlights on NFL Network and wondered what he was doing....He was such a joy to listen do a game. Such a joy! I must make an effort to listen to Vin Scully today before he is gone from the Dodger games. There are so few men left that truly understand how to do games and care to do them well. Most are just saying things about the moment and not painting a picture for you of what is happening and coming up. If you are watching the NBA finals you know what I am talking about. The year I got married the Celtics and the Lakers were duking it out and the announcers then were better than the three doing the game now. (Off the soap box)

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jGBDZNoq4J0JP8H9G6EpCg3otkQQD919J8L01

The next time someone starts talking about the possibility of building a commuter rail between Atlanta and Chattanooga and they say it can't be done, show them this article and tell them it is time we start working on this mode of transportation. I wish a presidential candidate would start the dialogue.

http://www.usbusiness-review.com/content/view/906/31/

Last but not least the NY Times writing about what Bush called the Pope. HA!
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/wait-what-did-he-just-call-the-pope/

This shocked me.
No thanks Billy Graham—that’s the message John McCain had for the renowned evangelist, who had requested to meet with the presidential candidate. A letter to Graham from the McCain campaign read: “I must pass along our regrets and do not foresee an opportunity to add this event to the calendar. I know you will understand that with the tremendous demands on his time and the large volume of similar requests, events such as this are extremely difficult to schedule even though each one is important.” The exchange comes only weeks after McCain severed ties with pastors John Hagee and Rod Parsley over controversy that erupted when the media highlighted controversial segments of the preachers’ past sermons. [newsmax.com, 6/8/08]

Happy Father's Day! 1 Timothy 3:4

Father's Day/Wedding Anniversary

This next weekend will mark Father's Day once again. I am extremely blessed to be a dad of our wonderful children. It is a day since Fletcher came into this world 14 years ago that I really am just thankful. Don't want anything (although the XM radio gift five years ago/it was a father's day-birthday gift combo) still is one I love because I have enjoyed having XM both at home and at work. Being a radio/music/info consumer it has been super. That is a whole different blog about how that technology works.

I just enjoy seeing these children grow and look forward to what God has in store for them in their lives. I have more than enough for this life. I just want my children to know the one true God and to have a continuing relationship with Him. For He is worthy. He is not just a story, either you believe who He said He is or you don't. Your faith will show it, through your actions. OR inaction.

Being their dad is wonderful and they are a blessing to me. The way they study, and are learning the word of God, how they interact with others makes me proud.
But men today are not real clear on what this looks like. With 72 million children under the age of 15 without dads in this country today you can see why. They see divorce as a norm. Most 20-30 year olds come from broken homes and have the technology downpat just need to know what it means to chart the course. Name one tv show today that is a role model show? Guys today have the God of Materialism down. How do you get a view of this manhood?

How do they get this? Well, one of the best ways is to make time to start I share here is what I have done. First is to learn about it from men that have been there. Pray for someone to disciple you that is older and been there done that. AND- Large and. Listen to wisdom, have someone whom can tell you NO, bad idea- and challenge you. Don't have someone that tells you how wonderful you are all the time. Beteachable in all things. Show humility at all times. It is not a sign of weakness but strength.

Next, in the word of God look for applications to your life and your family. Precept Austin's link to the right can take you to some wonderful sermons around the family. This will allow yourself to see ways to honor your wife and stay in touch with your children.
Learn more about yourself. Seriously. Your behavior profile can tell you alot about yourself. This helps me more than anything in dealing with my children but also all people.
Have a plan thru prayer. Men's Fraternity is a wonderful baseline curriculum for men to see in "Winning at Work and at Home," what your role is thru different years with your children. The reason I say have a plan is that the time moves very quickly.
Congratulations to all the dads out there. Even if you have a prodigal or are struggling, continue to pray. Continue to trust God. Life is a training ground for heaven. As my bible study teacher said last week-Are you closer to God yourself than yesterday? Last month?
This pursuit of holiness in very important mine and your growth as men.
Do you see where God is using circumstances to bring you closer to him?
Do not be alone men either. You can easily be picked off in isolation.

21 years of marriage to my wife. We celebrated this yesterday with dinner at Bonefish Grill. Wonderful meal and service. So much to be thankful for. We both looked at how different we are today than on that day in 1987. I thank the Lord for his patience with me.
We went by World Market and then LifeWay and they ran us out at 9pm. Patrice has purchased a new glider for her and her mom to sit in on our front porch. The installation begins tomorrow as the final push to renovate our front bathroom. (We love American Express Rewards Points)

We came home and Brynna had made a banner for us. Corley made a newspaper of the "Humphrey Family News" complete with a salute to us, movie polls and upcoming stories. That was pretty funny. She didn't realize I used to do this, let her read some old handwritten papers I did in junior high and she laughed. That is too funny.

Our Dads and Daughters class started this Wednesday with a good start with more men than we thought had signed up! We have men that have one daughter all the way to four. They all want to raise Godly women. It will be an exciting eight weeks for us to learn about being better fathers....Our summer breakfast series starts this Tuesday. Don Gordon will be leading a series around "Walking With God," Please continue to pray Don's wife's family in the passing of her mother.

Must travel on Monday, hopefull we will see a post by Gary. If the Braves lose today, I may been in for some heckling in Philly. I got a text after last night's game from a friend from work up north....that just read....."get the broom out." I look forward to the cheesesteaks. The Braves just need to finish a game. (Like the Lakers do!)

Two things I have down from work this week- One is a quote-"To teach is to learn twice," -Joseph Joubert

and from Pat Leconcini's e-blast this week on Leadership. That leaders need to get out of their office since leadership is social by nature since it always relationship driven. Staying in your office leads to privacy instead of openiness and colloboration. Now, Pat is an extrovert so he admits later that this plays a role in his thinking and it does. But, his points are true about the relationship angle. My job is always about relationships and if stay in my office all the time I will not be able to help in things that happen the course of just walking thru our plants or offices. So for yourself how does that apply? Don't send an e-mail to someone next to you. Talk to them. Don't let an e-mail thread go beyond about two-go talk. Leaders listen, Leaders open doors, bring about change and then go back for more.

May God Bless you today....May you understand the overwhelming grace He gives you and me. May we take His light and shine it around us and make the world a little brighter place. May you be salt to this world to bring a flavor to it that is different and inviting.