…

Here goes…

I like…
involvement over attendance…
chess over checkers and all other games :o)…
rainy days over sunny ones…
Cardinals over Cubs and especially Braves…
Salads over all other vegetables…
honest strugglers over those who know everything…

And soon, I will have an opinion about Harolds, too :o)

Stone garden ornaments more than pinwheels.
Turtles more than frogs.
Dogs more than cats.
Blue Bell more than Ben & Jerry’s.
Pie more than ANYTHING! (No, make that…)
Sweets more than anything!
Fresh produce more than canned.
Short hair more than long hair (on men).
Q more than anyone who’s NOT my husband…^_^
Normal water over flavored
Diets more than regular.
Blue jeans more than dress clothes
Driving more than flying by myself
Video game music more than rap/R&B
Pieces of junk more than my cell phone (though they are quite similar)
Forks more than spoons
Contrast more than similarity
Uniqueness more than homogenity

Hi! Found your blog via Q (I’m her college roomie). Nice to meet ya!

sprite not 7up,
soy milk not cow milk,
vegetables not meat,
Tokyo not NYC,
any other state not Texas,
justice not oppression,
Windows not Mac,
wildflowers not roses,
flying not driving,
wine not beer,
thai not mexican,
letters not emails,
paper not plastic,
dancing not running,
natural not artificial,
succinct not drawn out,
pianos not keyboards,
blue bunny not blue bell,
cold not hot,
nouwen not piper,
donne not shakespeare,
dove not hersheys,
gender inclusive not exclusive,
bbc not cnn,
canon not kodak,
planners not palm pilots,
and
apples not oranges.

-TKP

Activists over complainers
Harold’s better than Joe Allen’s (real controversy)
Studying Corinthians over Revelations
Dominoes not cards
Dr. Pepper over anything diet
Sweet tea (with sugar) better than unsweet
Reliance in Him over “self reliance”
Outer Banks Beaches over Zuma Beach
Baja Fresh better than Taco Bell
Thin crust pizza more than pan
Small Bible Classes over large
Small group over anything else on Sunday Nites
Magazines over tv
TLC and HGTV over network programs
LENO not Letterman
My mini van over an SUV
Swimming not sun bathing
My kids
My husband
My life
My salvation!

~queso over anything else to dip with chips
~cool, rainy days over hot, sunny days
~Chick-fil-A over any other fast food
~close friendships over casual acquaintances
~sleeping in over getting up early
~McKay’s bakery above all others
~casual, laid back work environment over high-stress micromanagement
~cheap mac’n'cheese (with the powdered cheese) over all other kinds
~the feeling of going home
~accomplishment over failures
~compliments over negativity
~Diet Coke over Diet Pepsi (generally)
~sleeping in my own bed over a hotel bed
~holding a sleeping baby
~barefoot over shoes
~long hair over short
~contacts over glasses (though I’d really prefer neither!)
~tshirt and shorts over stuffy suits
~chocolate over vanilla
~mom’s buttery caramel quicks over any other breakfast sweet
~hanging out with my family
~exploring new creative outlets over being stuck in a rut

DFW not LAX
Aramis not Polo
Chuck Taylor Converse not K-Swiss
Levi’s not Lee
Bryan Bologna not Hormel
OFF not any other kind of mosquito spray
Shepherds not a Board of Trustees
Gomer not Goober
Festus not Doc
Claudia Cardinal not Bridget Bardot
King of Queens not Raymond
George not John, Paul or Ringo
Carlos Santana not Kid Rock
Johnny Quest not Archie
Jesus not command, example or inference
Puma not Nike
Cream potatoes not scalloped
Chicken gravy not store bought sauce
Apartheid not Communism as the worst violation of human rights in our life-time.
Steinbeck not Fitzgerald
Greatest Commandment over any other one (duh, what part about GREATEST do we not get?)
African rain on a tin roof not Enya to put you to sleep
Puppy breath not cat purring
Colt not Calf
Age not I.Q.
Mentor not Boss
Obey not being a Victim
Grace not Doctrine
Mel Gibson not Michael Moore
Dr. J not Michael Jordon
Willie not Mickey
West Coast not East Coast
Brevity not Hogging the whole Blog…..whoops!
Craig Jones not any other Choral Director

Clarissa and Mike have both trampled two non-negotiables….

It’s Mac over PC and salty yellow cornbread, people. I suppose God could be big enough to love even people who “prefer” the wrong platform and have suspect taste in cornbread (if it was supposed to be sweet, they shoulda called it corncake)– but I’ll be praying for the souls of you both.

Of course, being a Tennessee transplant and natively accustomed to California and Nevada (’ve only been in the south now for about 17 years, I’m still getting used to things…) I’m willing to admit the possibility that I’m wrong on the cornbread issue. But Windows? That’s just wrong. And I had such respect for you, Mike… I’m gonna hafta change my username to “Disillusioned.”

Smiling…Cheryl

i love…

rich mullins, tom waits, chris rice, and brian houston.

communicating with others to sharpen my mind and soften my spirit.

bonhoeffer, manning, muggeridge, and craddock.

cameron crowe films, john cusack films, films based on nick hornby books.

nick hornby, ralph ellison, john steinbeck, and g.k. chesterton.

hush puppies, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes with the skins.

independent record stores and the people who work in them, 50 year old guys in classic rock cover bands, and concerts where the audience would prefer to sit than stand.

bob dylan, david gray, over the rhine, and martyn joseph.

steve stockman, the books he writes, and the radio show he has on the BBC.

washing dishes with my wife, working garage sales with my wife, buying groceries with my wife.

ben arthur, ben christophers, ben folds, ben harper, and ben kweller

evening walks with Rachel, waking up with Rachel, trading e-mails with Rachel throughout my day.

mike cope’s blog, my own blog, the humility that comes with knowing i have less to say at this point than he does.

being 28, being 6 years married in August, being a first time dad in September, being ill-prepared for all great adventures.

having Rachel to share the adventure with.

sharing the Lord’s Supper with Rachel, studying the Bible with Rachel, praying with Rachel, working in ministry with Rachel.

the fact that I get paid to do what I love.

counseling people, serving people, teaching people, and sitting with people.

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

our God, from whom all good gifts come.

His Spirit that lives within Him, and within His Son, and within His church, and within me.

the fact that I’d be nowhere without Him.

A deep conversation with one over quick chats with thirty;
Fort Worth over Dallas;
35 mm over digital;
Windows over Mac (this may be more explosive than politics);
Swinging away on 3-0 over taking one;
Unity over uniformity;
Coaching over sitting in the stands;
Wrestling with sons over professional wrestling;
Pensacola Beach over any other Gulf Coast beach;
T-shirts with pockets over pocketless tees;
Pappasito’s over Pappadeux (close competition);
Raw oysters over fried oysters (I’ve had my shots);
Marathons over sprints;
Annual exams before 45 over annual exams after 45 (note to younger men: don’t ask);
Deep friendships that survive moves and changes over lots of acquaintances;
Psalms over Proverbs;
Deep over wide;
forgiveness over perfection.

I like sunrise/set over noon anyday;
coffee with fixin’s over black;
hazelnut over vanilla or amaretto;
blogs over world news;
fresh flowers still attached to their plant after 3 days over fresh flowers sliming in a vase in my house;
(although day 1 and 2 they’re very nice)
reading over tv;
crosswords over jumbles;
Scrabble over Risk;
writing words over speaking them;
(although I’ve never felt more alive than when I know God has spoken thru me)
Adidas over Nikes;
walking over running;
strolling over walking;
dogs over cats;
tums over rolaids;
newsprint over glossy magazines;
waterfalls over standing ponds;
rocks and leaves and shells over manmade art;
searching for and finding treasures of rocks, leaves and shells over gallery surfing;
digging in real earthly dirt over spreading dirt;
serenity over chaos;
rock and rap over country;
big sweaty boy hugs over absolutely anything else.

I could go on and on but what’s the point there is dirt to dig in and it’s a beautiful day!!! Thanks Mike!