tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117177192012-02-16T06:12:09.260-05:00That fact that my writings are online for everyone to see must mean I'm pretty special, right? Not exactly, because hey, this is free and it's usually by pure chance you even found me. Enjoy.Scottnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-7413521147991046142008-10-05T20:40:00.004-04:002008-10-05T22:05:26.213-04:00

This weekend we loaded up for the annual family retreat hosted by the GBC at the Georgia Baptist Retreat Center in Toccoa. This is one of the parts of the state I see, oh, about once a year. Usually around now. I wish it weren't so, but 'tis. The last time we went the crew consisted of myself, Amy, and Rylee. That was two years ago (schedule conflict last year). This year it was us three plus

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-19640774138701432532008-09-28T20:47:00.004-04:002008-09-29T16:16:31.406-04:00

Yes, whupping Georgia last night was great. Yes, the guys looked impressive the first half (got outscored 30-10 2nd half. I can almost see Saban partially thankful for that as some flogging fuel this week in practice.). We're #2 in the AP poll now. Last night my wife had a great analogy for how she's still somewhat scared to really believe in this Bama team. For years now we've dominated no one,

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-87208272719107213372008-09-10T21:55:00.003-04:002008-09-10T22:03:16.960-04:00

On Sept. 20 a college buddy of mine, Adam Blalock, and his band, Four Days Late, are opening for Casting Crowns in Dalton, Ga. Pretty cool but somewhat weird when a guy you remember as a scrawny freshman has now started hitting big. Of course, we're planning on going.Here's a video of Adam talking about his guitar gear.Here's another of his band.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-10673073644329731392008-08-27T19:11:00.002-04:002008-08-27T19:33:01.747-04:00

Just finished up with a run that barely covered two miles, but I was heaving and sweating like a ... well ... a guy who hasn't been running a whole lot lately and has been treating his stomach like a dumpster. The challenge about running in my neighborhood is that the hills will slap you around and make you feel like you're running in a dream -- the dreams where you're trying to get away from the

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-52419258083126383342008-08-26T21:21:00.004-04:002008-08-27T06:20:47.674-04:00

Sports commentators and bloggers erupted over the wussification/panzyfication/puddination (choose your term) of America when the story about nine-year-old Jericho Scott trickled out of New Haven, Conn. Scott has too much of a cannon for a right arm and parents of competing Little Leaguers are afraid he's going to bean little Johnny. As the Black Star Ninja said of a a young Michael Dudikoff in

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-83627321381431116182008-08-06T21:14:00.005-04:002008-08-06T21:32:35.561-04:00

Welcome to my restaurant. What would you like to eat?Before I answer she asks me where I would like to sit. I have a choice between three chairs. At each one is an old birthday card that I assume is the menu.I think I'll have a frog sandwich.We don't have that.How about a turtle biscuit?She rolls her eyes for a moment and says,"We have two specials: birthday cake and a vegetable basket."We're at

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-72254058872921907002008-08-04T20:55:00.005-04:002008-08-04T21:41:05.587-04:00

A few days after my last post I broke down and got some more running shoes. I should've done it sooner. There are a lot of hills in our neighborhood and running shoes don't last as long on a big guy like myself. Imagine a semi having to go up and down mountains constantly -- the tires are going to wear down as are the brakes. Going down one hill near my house in early July I found myself looking

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-37392390233340485022008-07-01T06:33:00.000-04:002008-08-04T21:43:20.020-04:00

RunningIt seems like I've hit a wall in my running. I tap out at only two miles, which is pathetic. Mental toughness is the biggest part of it. This morning I tried wearing my old shoes (the newer ones developed a hole in the air cushion-ey part and made a flatulent-sort of sound when I pushed off). About a mile and a half in I realized why I had relegated them to yard-mowing duty in favor for

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-56298510588162197302008-05-06T21:47:00.000-04:002008-08-04T21:43:20.025-04:00

Why can't technology catch up?I have this rant every time I go to the dentist. It begins with the framework of us being a very technological society. People living 15-20 years ago wouldn't recognize our lifestyles at this point. Small, tiny portable phones are capable of ordering a pizza or giving us a map of Machu Pichu. We take organs out of dead people and place them into living people. I

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-77379111171624609152008-04-16T05:47:00.004-04:002008-04-16T06:15:30.918-04:00

Probably one of the best investments I've made in the last year is my iPod. Even at 34, I'm getting a little curmudgeonly and when these little devices first came out I poo-pooed them as just an extravagant little expenditure I didn't need. Eventually I decided to get one, but not one that of those with the screen. I still don't get why you would want one of those. Sure, I can watch "School of

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-9991478674441677302008-04-05T21:36:00.002-04:002008-04-07T08:44:14.925-04:00

20080330 Dad racing 010 Originally uploaded by sbarkley. Last Sunday my dad turned 68. Since forever he's been a huge NASCAR fan. My uncle Chuck was actually the gasman for Richard Petty for years, cementing the King as my family's favorite driver and us kids with Petty T-shirts.Twice a year we would load up with with a few other families and caravan to Talladega. It was great for us kids

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-19455908496965351832008-03-30T23:31:00.003-04:002008-03-31T09:10:33.657-04:00

Tonight my family went to eat at a steakhouse in Gadsden, AL. We were split up between three cars, so I was riding with my brother, his son, and my dad. After leaving the steakhouse, we pulled into the neighboring gas station because Lance wanted to get a drink. He was in there a little longer than it should've taken, I thought. When he came out he told how a girl who had been pumping gas came

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-29685230475865314962008-03-21T08:17:00.003-04:002008-03-21T08:32:48.711-04:00

I woke up this morning when my wife's alarm went off at 5:30. My first thought was "I overslept."5:30."Overslept."That should tell you a little bit about my daily schedule. Newspaper delivery people and morning news anchors are the only ones who wake up earlier. Sick of trying to work in some exercise time throughout the day. I got up at 4 a.m. Tuesday and ran five miles around the

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-51249224353128318892008-03-03T10:37:00.001-05:002008-03-03T10:37:16.721-05:00

Praise Gospel and Soul 016 Originally uploaded by sbarkley. Choirs from M. Zion Baptist, Thankful Baptist, and Cartersville Baptist churches have what's become an annual concert. This one held was March 3.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-74302039550111450232008-02-19T20:40:00.000-05:002008-03-21T08:32:38.510-04:00

Daddy's breath Tonight Amy put Rylee to bed while I rocked Jackson to sleep. After putting him in his crib I went into Rylee's room and leaned down close to her.Rylee: Daddy, your breath smells horrible.Me: Really? What does it smell like?Ry: Dead peaches.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-63785095281605356482008-01-03T22:57:00.001-05:002008-01-03T23:13:22.817-05:00

... since I've actually written on this thing. Does it still work? Can blogs go out of date like a carton of milk? It's the third day of the new year and I've (probably subconsciously) stayed away from the word "resolution." People usually have two outward responses to it: being a champion of the ways this is going to be the year or derision. The fact is that everyone, on some level, plans to

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-75998689552580704162007-05-10T03:20:00.001-04:002007-05-10T03:20:48.487-04:00

I learned about this song a week ago and I still can't get it out of my head.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-88824267771869436352007-05-04T15:32:00.000-04:002007-05-04T16:28:22.027-04:00

Earl isn't one of those shows I go out of my way to get to, but if it's on, I'll partake. I'm glad I watched last night. It was on for something like 33 minutes and 28 seconds, or some kind of funky time like that NBC tends to use from time to time. Jist of the episode: Earl is working on the loading dock of an appliance store when he decides he wants to work up front in sales. Neither the guys

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-89983706102167290462007-04-27T11:49:00.001-04:002007-05-04T16:25:58.286-04:00

I just filed a story on Sweat Memorial Baptist Church in Waycross and its providing a temporary location for students and teachers from Ruskin Elementary School. Ruskin is dangerously close to the fire and will not be usable for days. This video gives an erie sense of what it's like to drive through the area.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-818747101403321592007-03-05T15:34:00.000-05:002007-03-05T16:30:45.154-05:00

It's rare that an issue of The Index goes from the start of the production cycle to the end of it looking the same. Months in advance we plan for particular feature stories/series to go in or prepare for stories that relate to that time of the year, such as Easter.I was working on the first installment of the mental health series in preparation for the March 15 issue when we realized that Easter

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-34625381639902074202007-02-21T21:34:00.000-05:002007-02-21T21:45:37.717-05:00

This topic is one I've thought the church has needed to address for some time. The stress pastors come under is intense, and the fishbowl they and their families live in is a situation the average churchgoer has no concept of.We've all heard stories about a minister who lost his temper and didn't handle a situation tactfully, to say the least. At times these events don't just happen due to the

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-44135026857428679252007-02-16T12:12:00.000-05:002007-02-16T12:34:56.819-05:00

Our current issue was a tough one to get out. First of all, it was centered around the deaths of three missionaries in Honduras. Two of them attended Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cartersville. In talking to the people there I saw how these two guys, Ric Mason and Perry Goad (Perry's on the left and Ric on the right), were not the type of church members to do nothing but keep a pew warm. They got

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-7249539972720330982007-02-06T21:45:00.000-05:002007-02-06T21:58:26.389-05:00

In putting together the paper, I basically read over each page at least twice and usually more than that. In that process, your eyes can play tricks on you and mistakes that are there are simply missed. It happens. When we get the finished product from the printer every other Tuesday I have a gnawing feeling in my gut because whatever is in there, is in there. Nothing you can do about it.That

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-79356135146392003122007-01-12T20:59:00.000-05:002007-01-15T09:29:38.020-05:00

I've been on a few mission trips, but none in a long time and never overseas. If I were to go, I'd probably think of some of the worst scenarios I could find myself in while overseas. The story I heard from Mark Harrison, pastor of Cumming Baptist Church, confirmed one of those scenarios. It also got me thinking about some basic stuff people should think about doing before heading off

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-55030529049296723332007-01-12T20:47:00.000-05:002007-01-15T09:27:05.842-05:00

I truly can't think of why anyone would want to burn a church. It doesn't seem there are too many things worse you could do to get on the bad side of the Almighty. When a tragedy like this happens, though, sometimes it can end up being a positive. Emit Grove is a small rural church near Statesboro in the southeastern part of the state. It sits adjacent to some cotton fields off a county road.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-7167078524271295392006-12-02T23:38:00.000-05:002006-12-03T00:59:45.313-05:00

Stan Wilkins, director of the Davis Ministry Center at Shorter College and interim pastor at Cartersville First Baptist Church, died Nov. 29 at Atlanta Medical Center due to head injuries suffered in a fall at home. He was 53.I write obits all the time at The Index, but this one was very different. See that baby being held in the picture? He's our adopted son, Jackson Reese, all of 16 days old

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-7139279894327936882006-11-15T10:32:00.001-05:002006-11-16T10:13:02.568-05:00

Leaves with Jackson 021Originally uploaded by sbarkley. I'm back home with our new son, Jackson Reese Barkley. Right now, he's asleep in one of those little seats for babies that vibrate, snoozing while the rain comes down outside. Not a bad life.Even though he's only been here a few days, this is a popular little guy already. Family and friends are making their way to see him and add to the

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-55162665126337719792006-11-10T23:50:00.000-05:002006-11-10T23:51:57.006-05:00

It's Friday, Nov. 10. One week ago today my son, Jackson, was born in a hospital in south central Texas. I'm still in Houston, staying with people I just met today, waiting on the paperwork to clear so I can fly with the new member we've adopted in our family back to Georgia.The past two month have been a whirlwind that I'm just not sure I have the energy to write about now. Long story short, Amy

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1156812105931972512006-08-28T20:32:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:37.200-05:00

I'm working on a few stories for future issues of the Index. One will give a little more background and information on the Georgia Baptist Foundation. It's a part of the Convention that many people don't know about, but from talking to a couple of guys there today, it sounds like the best choice for anyone wanting to donate money which will benefit a GBC entity. People who gave money for a cause

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1155867731987648922006-08-17T21:52:00.000-04:002007-01-16T08:54:46.406-05:00

I have quite a little commute when I go to work. If an Atlanta news station ever wants to do a story on commutes and whose is the most insane, I've got to be in the top ten.When it comes to mileage, my car is Madonna and Tara Reid rolled into one. I bought the little 92 Accord for the sole reason of the drive back and forth to work. This was back when filling up my tank required only a small loan

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1155089302983129662006-08-08T21:56:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:36.277-05:00

Today I saw one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. When I say that, I'm not necessarily speaking in terms of special effects or star power, but by a standard a little more ambiguous. Facing the Giants is a film that won't be out until Sept. 29, but a preview of it was given to employees of the GBC and others. It had a few elements that in almost any movie are guaranteed to get me misty,

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1154052369860162402006-07-27T21:53:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:35.593-05:00

I finished up a story the other day that will appear in next week's issue of the Index. Sometimes I'll get ideas for stories from other people or just perusing the papers. Other times it can be a topic I know we need to address. An example of that is an article on MySpace that will also be in the Aug. 3 issue.Other times, I'll find ideas from a report built around the associational missionaries

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1152325129273904622006-07-07T22:00:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:35.354-05:00

The other day I began thinking again about a guy I talked to about a month ago. His name is Paul Casola and you may have heard about him when his wife, sons, sister-in-law, and niece were run down in the parking lot of a McDonald's. I tried getting in touch with him a day or so after it happened, but understandably, his calls were being screened somewhat by the music minister at his church. The

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1146362764611103702006-04-29T21:54:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:35.040-05:00

Spent last week in Richmond, Va. visiting family and attending the annual Baptist Communicators Association conference. I missed out on it last year when it was held in Denver, but entered some stories and was actually part of the haul of honors brought in by the Index. I was given a "Finalist" honor for my story last year about Christians in public schools. Basically it was like a second-runner

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1144806674986467252006-04-11T21:44:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:34.778-05:00

I went out to Calvary Baptist Church in Rome last month to write about something that I've heard other churches have done -- a series relating to NASCAR. This was something I wouldn't have associated together -- church and racing. Growing up my family joined in with a few others and we all went to the infield at Talladega twice during the summer. A young boy could get quite and education if he

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1143344477166071572006-03-25T21:51:00.000-05:002006-11-10T23:00:34.493-05:00

This is one of those quandries that come with being a bi-wwekly. It was actually possible to get this story in when it broke this past week. However, our next issue isn't until the 30th. By then a story saying "Hey, did you hear about this student who found a wad of cash in a wall in New Orleans?" would be met with "Yeah, I did, a week ago."I talked with Marty Youngblood, the campus minister at

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1143339937585500762006-03-25T21:05:00.000-05:002006-11-10T23:00:34.192-05:00

When I first heard about Andy Hammack and family last fall, it was through the regular column by GBC Executive Director J. Robert White. I only had the copy of the article first and hadn't seen a picture, so when I learned they had 10 kids, I assumed there were some twins or even triplets in there to help things get to that number, but no there weren't. Something I can't believe I left out of the

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1143336277581649352006-03-25T20:24:00.000-05:002006-11-10T23:00:33.880-05:00

Movies Originally uploaded by sbarkley.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1143050189120439542006-03-22T12:33:00.000-05:002006-11-10T23:00:33.597-05:00

Yesterday was easily one of the worst days of my life.At around 9:30 in the morning, I hear my phone ringing at work and on the caller ID notice it's my wife's cell number. She had gone to see the doctor that morning for a 12-week checkup on our baby due in October. Whenever I see it's her number I don't go through the formal "Christian Index, this is Scott" biz. A simple "hey" or "How ya doin'"

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1142477519276883292006-03-15T21:49:00.000-05:002006-11-10T23:00:33.291-05:00

Awhile back the Index was sent some DVDs for a prospective review to be put in the paper. Rylee and I watched two of the movies made for kids and came up with the following story, written from her perspective. The review in this form will never see the light of day in print. I guess that's what blogs are for.Recently, new DVDs sent to Index production editor Scott Barkley were viewed by himself

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1141348659007012322006-03-02T20:15:00.000-05:002006-11-10T23:00:32.947-05:00

Only six weeks in the process, but he/she is doing fine along with his/her mommy. He/she is the little blob in the lower-right.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1141096350689208802006-02-27T22:02:00.000-05:002006-11-10T23:00:32.668-05:00

This week's episode was one of the better ones simply to see Gamgee the CTU director get hauled off.4:04 The first lady jumps into the motorcade. Don't you wish the prez was half the man his wife is?4:07 Why can't they just redirect the motorcade? A pimply teen can call in a fake fire that causes a road to close, but President Gumby and Mike can't?4:08 The hobbit is yelling at Edgar. A tenspot

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1137816718654401332006-01-20T23:11:00.000-05:002006-11-10T23:00:32.045-05:00

My three-year-old daughter receives a slew of toys every Christmas and birthday, not to mention most days in between. It’s not that her mother and I feel the need to smother her with things, it’s that she is reaping the benefits of being the only grandchild of both sets of grandparents. On top of that, my wife was the only girl among seven children between Rylee’s Nana and Grammy. That has

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1132537721264263682005-11-20T20:37:00.000-05:002006-11-10T23:00:31.117-05:00

It'a now been a full day since Alabama looked like a pee-wee team against Auburn and I'm still getting over it. Heck, I've had since five minutes into the game to reconcile with the fact that for the fourth straight year the football team I've followed since I was a kid lost to the in-state rival.I realized something from this game. Alabama -- fans, team, coaches, everyone -- has reached a point

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1130536795551746342005-10-28T17:59:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:30.520-05:00

I was listening to a radio station going into work today that had Professor Griff from Public Enemy on. For those of you who don't know, Griff was the guy is this controversial rap group that the others felt was too controversial. Today he was spouting off on topics like how AIDS was a government experiment to kill black people, Christianity is a farce because Jesus really wasn't born on Dec. 25,

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1128477812918639922005-10-04T21:50:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:30.133-05:00

It's been three days since Alabama smoked Florida and I'm still squealing like an excited schoolgirl about it. I tend to get excited when watching Bama play, but for the first two quarters I was running around, jumping and yelling in my living room like my Prozac subscription was WAY overdue. For some reason when I get excited watching football my voice tends to start sounding blacker, like when

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1127958742231550032005-09-28T21:28:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:29.748-05:00

Everybody at some point was young enough to think it inconceivable that they could die. That's why you do so many stupid and reckless things the younger you are. More often than not, we come out okay and maybe just learning a lesson to be more careful the next time. Unfortunately, others don't survive. When I saw this article in the local Sunday paper, my stomach sunk. If you don't know the

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1126837625175632582005-09-15T22:08:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:29.378-05:00

As soon as I saw this story about a Reuters photographer taking a picture of a note President Bush slid to Condoleeza Rice during a UN meeting, I smiled. It wasn't because of the note itself asking whether it was a good time to go for presidential whiz, but because of how Bushhaters were going to attack it.They jumped on it from the start, adding to their list of social gaffes by our president.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1126621862273813942005-09-13T09:50:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:28.748-05:00

There are times where I want to be in a great mood concerning something, but there is just one thing holding me back. It's something that just sticks in the back of my head and keeps me from enjoying an overall picture.That's the case with football right now. For me, Christmas might officially come on Dec. 25, but it actually kicks off the first week of college football. High school is already

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1125626930617825332005-09-01T22:03:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:28.466-05:00

This is unbelieveable. Whenever there is a flood in the U.S., it's almost always a small area or a drawn-out section, such as along the Mississippi River. What is going on in New Orleans is something reserved for disaster movies. Think of it: a city of nearly a half-million people now unliveable. Will these people just resettle in Houston or Jackson or Shreveport -- wherever the refugee bus

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1125070259694069232005-08-26T11:29:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:28.159-05:00

If you've ever had a roommate in college you didn't know beforehand, you have a story. It's a fact of life. I would suspect the girl on the tail end of this beatdown would rather she didn't have this story, though. Don't mess with any Barkley women!

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1124197465073022132005-08-16T09:01:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:27.798-05:00

Why does this scare some people so much? Having an open mind means allowing concepts to be discussed that might threaten your own "concrete" convictions, right? I was taught one perspective during my entire time in school. It was seen as fact. I didn't raise a fuss about it, yet I didn't buy it. It would have been interesting to have been presented another theory or origin, such as intelligent

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1123639416908391192005-08-09T21:42:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:27.485-05:00

Spent the last week in Hilton Head, SC. It was my first time there and I must say, very enjoyable. Before the trip, the only time it seemed I had heard of the place was whenever a hurricane was going to hit it. Getting there had some problems. It's about a five-hour drive from where we live. We got a late start due to attending a funeral. This resulted in us getting on the road at 8:00, with a

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1122642821423027012005-07-29T09:07:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:27.002-05:00

November's elections revealed the voting power of evangelicals. Seeing that, the logical step for liberals was to start to try and appeal a little more to this section of the population. What those on the left don't seem to realize is the way they vote, the issues they support, and the groups that back them reveal to the rest of us their true intent. Don't get a photo op of a group prayer and

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1122642166477461232005-07-29T08:54:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:26.353-05:00

This is something I've been pushing for for a long time, though I must say not necessarily for the same reasons. It's getting to the point that I may need to take out a second mortgage for my cable bill. The frustration on this is compounded that there are basically just a couple of channels I could have, rather than the 100 or so, and be happy. Give me ESPN, ESPN2, FoxNews and Turner South. Have

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1122554308231045192005-07-28T08:36:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:25.965-05:00

It appears that the world of hip hop is now stretching into parents' basements and computer labs.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1122347831381189122005-07-25T23:14:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:25.729-05:00

First Baptist Church in Woodstock is going to be hosting a one-day worship event for singles Saturday, August 13. Click on the link or here for more information. There's a video that accompanies it some give it some time to load if you have dialup.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1122346585601569602005-07-25T22:40:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:25.453-05:00

This is an issue that is gaining steam but those opposed to being open-minded about the beginnings of man just don't want it to build. I'm speaking of those who want Darwinism and evolution to be the end-all argument for the origin of every species on the planet. Like many of you, I was taught this in school: A loooooooooong time ago there was nothing. Billions of years later, I was sitting in a

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1122313082279781202005-07-25T13:36:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:25.208-05:00

Every now and then we need a reminder of what our servicemen and women are going through in Iraq and around the world in the War on Terror. The link to the video is at the bottom. Thank God for body armor.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1122294556455175732005-07-25T08:27:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:24.951-05:00

Want to join in with a few dozen other people who apparently have no job and therefore too much time on their hands? Click on the link to sign up.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1121966475589810872005-07-21T13:19:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:24.642-05:00

Just one word: gremlin.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1121956535267064382005-07-21T10:21:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:24.384-05:00

I was talking with a co-worker of mine today and sports was brought up. She is a former cheerleader -- did it basically from third grade on through college. She says it's a sport and the athletes involved don't get the credit they deserve. Here's the problem I have with that: Anything that requires judges isn't a sport. It's a competition. Don't give me the referees-are-basically-judges argument.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1121738398168303042005-07-18T21:49:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:24.231-05:00

It's great that crazy (married) kids in love can now voice their love to one another via greeting cards. Reading this gave me one of those "hell in a handbasket" moments for society in general and our country in particular. Kelly Boggs has a good column on Baptist Press going a little more into this. Come to think of it, maybe I'm being a little too harsh. Actually, there are other star-crossed

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1121348242682853152005-07-14T09:34:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:23.918-05:00

Oh dear Lord, what have we become? These kids have no shot! It's indoctrinization! It's brainwashing! It's ... wait, there's one for Bama? Maybe it's not such a bad idea to put kids on the right path ...

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1121217634211886942005-07-12T21:03:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:23.594-05:00

It's interesting how in the world of academia it's okay to have an open mind as long as certain viewpoints are not given a seat at the table. The National Education Association, by far the most powerful of teacher unions, has long held a liberal platform in its policies, bowing to pressure from leftist groups. Here's the biggest problem I have with this. Teachers and principals are overall antsy

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1121109425913328232005-07-11T15:17:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:23.227-05:00

000_0016 Originally uploaded by sbarkley. This was actually riskier than it looks. Every toss in the air meant water falling down in my eyes. I kinda had to do a no-look catch a couple of times.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1120827590128104982005-07-08T08:58:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:22.933-05:00

If you ever go on a plane, don't make the same mistake as this pastor did in Nashville.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1120743707758888812005-07-07T08:55:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:22.474-05:00

As I write this, I'm scrambling to fix the problem of going to Destin and face a hurricane. It's quite possible I'll get to enjoy driving seven hours to the beach, stay one day, and be told to turn around with the other 100,000 vacationers to hobble our way back up the interstate even before the first sunburn.I"m hoping this thing takes a turn and goes somewhere else. I've already been on the

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1119986827100528762005-06-28T15:20:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:22.119-05:00

Finally, this has started. I was getting really sick of shows on TV celebrating the sissyfying of men. I'll wash my hair, but I'm not getting a perm. Manicure? I'll bite my nails during football, basketball and baseball seasons. Pedicure? Please. When the toenails start sawing small slits at the end of my socks, I know to get out the nail clippers. I'll jog and exercise, but not necessarily to

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1119986400035373382005-06-28T15:19:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:21.746-05:00

It's amazing what lengths people will go to win a contest ...

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1119986313468036182005-06-28T15:18:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:21.450-05:00

If you're ever arrested in Pakistan, watch your mouth.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1119986097741236162005-06-28T15:11:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:21.224-05:00

Unbelieveable. Billy Graham's message when he preaches is simple. It's barely strayed during his ministry. Despite this, the result is always the same. There is something that touches people in his words. It's like when someone is trying to overcomplicate a procedure and another person steps in and says "Wait a minute, get back to the basics." People are looking for something to fill their

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1119985831002202352005-06-28T15:01:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:20.914-05:00

This writer makes some observations between Christianity and what is portrayed in zombie movies. Some interesting takes in this one.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1119985010073746652005-06-28T14:53:00.001-04:002006-11-10T23:00:20.691-05:00

The fact that the basic freedom of owning and maintaining property is now in jeapordy due to the eminent domain Supreme Court ruling is an eye-opener for churches. Think about it. How many historical churches are located on prime real estate across America. Theoretically, those churches can now be bought up and demolished in order to make room for a business facility. Read the article to get more

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1119985001248674312005-06-28T14:53:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:20.456-05:00

The fact that the basic freedom of owning and maintaining property is now in jeapordy due to the eminent domain Supreme Court ruling is an eye-opener for churches. Think about it. How many historical churches are located on prime real estate across America. Theoretically, those churches can now be bought up and demolished in order to make room for a business facility. Read the article to get more

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1119491316342850412005-06-22T21:40:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:20.110-05:00

This issue is fast becoming the elephant in the corner for Southern Baptist leadership. Last year a resolution advocating the pullout of Southern Baptist kids from public schools got buried in committee before making it to the floor for debate. As far as I know, the same thing happened this week in Nashville. The debate over this is going to increase. SBC leaders won't dare support it publicly

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1119490343632319882005-06-22T21:30:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:19.837-05:00

Pretty amazing story. A young girl is kidnapped and beaten by a group of men, one of whom is going to force her into marriage. She is saved by a group of lions that chase the men off and then guard her for a few days.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1119055799723934762005-06-17T20:47:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:19.580-05:00

I imagine more guys than you would think have had to make a pit stop when there just wasn't enough time. Therefore, you use what's handy. I never knew it could become such a problem, though.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1118884697509616292005-06-15T21:18:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:19.246-05:00

Tubing Originally uploaded by sbarkley. On Weiss Lake, Gary tries to trade places with the tube. It didn't work.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1118883973203674892005-06-15T21:06:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:19.023-05:00

Playing with Nana Originally uploaded by sbarkley. This was taken at the Wills family reunion near Birmingham. No matter what kinds of contraptions are on a playground, Rylee loves to just grab onto something and swing.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1118771224140259702005-06-14T13:45:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:18.749-05:00

You might remember Nick Cannon, yeah, the guy in Drumline. He's released a CD containing the track "Can I Live?", which is based on his own story as one who almost was aborted. Scroll to the bottom to see the video. Really good.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1118770525718517202005-06-14T13:32:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:18.455-05:00

I agree with the basic premise of this column. One thing to not forget, though, is that the ones rioting over perceived Koran abuse also are so fervent about the book that they whip men whose beards aren't up to snuff and torture women for flashing an ankle. Be careful about how far to take it.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1118769983888874302005-06-14T13:24:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:18.055-05:00

It makes you wonder. The sticking point with the college in this story has to do with criteria for members of the Christian Legal Society. There's one particular requirement for this Christian group which apparently won't do for the powers at Southern Illinois University.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1118322343972676632005-06-09T08:38:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:17.772-05:00

Having a child has changed my perspective on some things. If it looks like she's in danger, I tell her no. If it's past bedtime, she needs to get back to her room. If she's not eating her supper, there's no dessert. Basically I've become a parent.Being in this role doesn't just mean setting limitations, though. I also get to see her advancements. I hear the first time she says my name clearly.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1117713856900531552005-06-02T08:03:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:17.322-05:00

I wonder if the Amway people have heard of this stuff ...

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1117506472837694542005-05-30T22:27:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:16.996-05:00

Braves Originally uploaded by sbarkley. This has been awhile, but I pretty much had a Braves weekend earlier this season. On a Saturday we went with my brother and his wife, Heather, who is holding Rylee here. The next day I caught a day game with Amy's brother and dad. Both games were wins over the Cardinals.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1117467533554155102005-05-30T11:27:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:16.713-05:00

Though I've never been to a Promise Keepers meeting myself, it doesn't seem that an organization devoted to drawing men to take care of their familes would give anyone a problem. That's not the case, though, for groups opposed to PK.Evidently, the notion of having a rally at a state university is just too much diversity for those with no tolerance for this group's message. Note the comments of

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1117067193251841092005-05-25T20:19:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:16.078-05:00

Deciding to not take a page from the Stones and instead call it a career, the members of Petra have decided to retire. Back in the day, this was the first band I listened to that made me realize I wouldn't go to hell just because I liked hard music. Guitarist Bob Hartley is still the man. My personal favorite album? Beyond Belief.Interesting that when they first came on the scene Christian

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1117024530481066322005-05-25T08:33:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:15.678-05:00

An interesting article. It seems there are fewer and fewer mom/dad/kids families in San Fran. It's at the point that the mayor has put finding a solution at the top of his agenda.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1116638711280149202005-05-20T21:16:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:15.317-05:00

Wow, it's been longer than I meant to be since my last post. I've been really busy writing at work for the paper. Wednesday was the worst commute of my entire life. Truly, I hope the guy who drove the dump truck full of gravel on 285 is okay, that way a thousand fleas can invade his armpits. Two hours and forty-five minutes -- that's how long it took me to make a drive that normally is about an

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1116252184192739032005-05-16T10:00:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:15.120-05:00

Unless you hop a plane to Somalia or China, it's likely you won't experience true persecution as a Chrisitan in the U.S. However, if you want a taste that gets a little closer, but still not being the real thing, that opportunity is now there for you with this group offering persecution experiences.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1115988170974053332005-05-13T08:38:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:14.924-05:00

This kind of hits close to home. I got in a debate one time with a friend/coworker (who was also an athiest) who was upset over music with Christian overtones being used at a school function. His stance was that no religious references of any kind should have been used, mine was that we live in a Judeo-Christian area of the world. The song choice reflected the culture. If I were living in Utah, I

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1115945077151467792005-05-12T20:29:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:14.664-05:00

This was a quick way to put a stop to the media attention given this story. There's a fine line here people are talking about: Should the church have any involvement in politics, and if so, where is the line to come to a stop? I have no doubt this guy crossed the line in what he said from the pulpit. He messed up when he singled out John Kerry and those who supported the Democratic candidate. The

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1115814792736556652005-05-11T08:30:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:14.399-05:00

Oh boy. This was bound to happen sooner or later. One side says they were forced out because they areDemocrats (actually, one is a Rebublican) while the other is saying they're just stating that Christians should vote according to the Bible.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1115386241030152482005-05-06T09:12:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:14.045-05:00

You've seen the commercials, right? "People do stupid things, like pay too much for phone service." Well, we tried to go the Vonage route and save a little on our phone bill. We're trying to cut corners, and one of those areas we looked at was our phone bill. There was even a time when we considered dong away with our regular phone and going all cell, both my Amy and I have phones of our own. The

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1115209742218229312005-05-04T08:18:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:13.805-05:00

North Korea is a place that we all have very good reason to believe is as close to hell as we can imagine. The only reason we don't know the extent of its misery for sure is that Kim Jong-il won't let anyone have a look inside. This guy, referred to as "the Gargoyle" by Neal Boortz (I like that) is the ruler of what has basically become a slave state, according to the writer of this article

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1114738531721286462005-04-28T21:29:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:13.544-05:00

One thing I have great memories of from college is going on summer missions. I only went a couple of times, actually, but it led to other short-term trips and a two-year stay in Wyoming with my wife. Without those trips, I wouldn't have done much travel at all outside of the Southeast. I wouldn't have gotten to experience some different places and met other people. Most of all, I wouldn't have

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1114738121334991862005-04-28T21:20:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:13.299-05:00

I've often thought about trying to write a book of some kind, if only I knew what kind to write, got disciplined about doing it, and then had the first clue as to going about putting it together and getting it published. You know how sometimes you'll sign up for stuff and clubs on the Internet, mess around with it for awhile, then eventually stop it? For all you know you may still have a

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1114518009643219402005-04-26T08:16:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:13.073-05:00

As an avid viewer of "24," this caught my eye because every time Jack Bauer is about to nab Habib Marwan, the guy gets away! In the real world, though, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is a dangerous and evil man who, in the eyes of many, has replaced Bin laden as America's number one enemy. Read this to see how we almost got him a couple of months ago.

Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11717719.post-1114451391828392442005-04-25T13:44:00.000-04:002006-11-10T23:00:12.768-05:00

My boss at work pointed out this story to me for its great lead. I used to drive by this place whenever I went north from Cheyenne to Wheatland, Douglas or Casper. I remember a chili mix they sold here – you could get free samples at the store just off the interstate – and that it was pretty good. This will probably sound crazy to the sardined communities of metro Atlanta, but there are small

Scottnoreply@blogger.com