The Pride Of The UK

I set a goal in January to rekindle my love of traveling in 2012. I picked some places (old favorites and others new) and decided to see them all before yesterday. And I did it. Well, sort of.

Here’s the first post from January. I kept up blogging most of the trips for the first half of the year, and got a bit out of sync with the last trips. Therefore I’ll show some highlights from the last few. 

Oh and one change in the programming. I didn’t make it to Wilmington… But made up for it with a visit to NYC. A worthy substitute, that I didn’t think possible on this quest. Wanted to visit there badly, but didn’t think it possible. Grateful that He knows the desires of my heart. (Psalm 37:4). I give him all glory for making it happen, and thank some very generous friends and family also, for making it possible. I’m a blessed man.

Distances are not 100% accurate from Charlotte (don’t be a hater), but pretty close. The 12,000+ miles included return journeys.

129 miles - Asheville, NC 
101 miles - Boone, NC
207 miles - Charleston, SC
92 miles - Columbia, SC
101 miles - Greenville, SC
531 miles - NYC, NY
727 miles - Miami, FL
251 miles - Savannah, GA
207 miles - Statham, GA
4007 miles - Guildford, England

6353 miles x 2 = 12,706 miles. Booyah.

And now for some highlights from the 4 places not blogged…

Boone, NC - A day to relax, walk, read, drink coffee and eat BBQ. 

NYC, NY - A work trip to visit my customer Coach. Got in a visit to their corporate team, a visit to a new store opening in New Jersey, a bit of sight seeing, and a beer with childhood friend from home. 

Savannah, GA - A treat post grduation by myself to unwind before starting a new career at Omnisolv. Lots of reading, coffee, good eats, and time spent resting in a hammock, or on the beach.

Guildford, England - A trip home for Christmas to see my lovely family and get a little R & R. It was quality. Some great memories made.

So here’s to doing what you love. Setting goals and crushing them. A year of the same in 2013. I’ll be taking another hiatus from social media until early February to get focused on God and the year ahead. See you then friends :) 

Have a read through Deuteronomy and you’ll see the phrase “Go in and possess the land” around 35 times. Thats rather a lot by my count. As I spent some time praying for one of my close friends tonight, I heard the phrase for him “Arise mighty warrior. Take your land.” 

Taking the land was a mandate in Deuteronomy, as it is for us today. We should go into it with confidence and possess it. We were created to take it. Given it as our inheritance. Not to wander around looking for it, hoping to someday stumble upon it. We’ve been equipped with everything we need. Every strength, every talent and experience on the journey has had purpose in us possessing this land. Our land. 

It can be so easy to settle in a place of comfort and miss the possibility and opportunity the land holds for us. We don’t want the sacrifice. Or the potential failure. Many times we think that we aren’t ready or qualified. That if we can get past this 1 sin that we continually return to, as a Dog returns to his vomit (Proverbs 26:11), we’ll be ready… Or once we get another year of leadership training, we’ll be able to lead people properly… but as we read, God never called the qualified. Time and time again, we see that He chose people that were called. They became qualified along the way. We have to trust him to step in to the land, and then trust him with the results too. The Lord God has gone before you and fought on your behalf (Deuteronomy 1:30).

Do not fear my brother, for he is with you. He will strengthen you and help you. He will uphold you with his right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

Take your land.

Another trip down, this time Asheville. Took a day trip with Brad and Preston last month, and the day got off to a strong start. A quick stop in Gastonia at 7am left Preston bleeding after hitting some parking-lot-pushups (to this day, we still have no idea how this happened), but also with new friends at Chick-fil a.

New friend #1.

We made it to Asheville around 9, and the tone was set for the day by the first local we encountered. A gentleman casually crossed the road, dressed as a lady, with handbag in tow. Welcome to Asheville.

After a quick tour of the market we stopped for coffee at Izzy’s. It had a great vibe. The line was out the door, and coffee selection was fantastic. You should try it out on your next visit.

Before lunch we heading up the mountain a wee bit for a quick miniature hike. 

Scenic shot over the Blue Ridge Parkway…

For lunch we went to Tupelo Honey. After an hour wait, and plenty of discussion over the menu options, we finally got our order in. Evidently the key to their business is in the biscuits. These things, when hit with honey and jam, are in a class of their own. Especially with Brad’s fancy instagram shots. 

Couldn’t go wrong with breakfast. Goats cheese grits, poached eggs and sweet potato pancake (that was shared) was a nice twist.

These are two of the friends we made at lunch!  They don’t eat gluten, offered us their biscuits, and before we knew it, were our new best friends.

The second coffee shop of the day offered us more great coffee, a fun story, and plenty more friends. The Dripolator. They had just closed up shop for the day to celebrate their 3 year anniversary. However, after a brief chat and showing our desperation for one of their famous coffee’s “that we traveled all the way from Charlotte to try!” they showed mercy, and brought us in for a pour over. Definitely another place you should try next time you’re in Asheville. Here’s Dillon getting things started.

Met these guys as we were leaving the coffee shop. They had just finished a 79 mile ride from the top of Mt. Mitchell. Strong work lads!

Update for the Travel 12 agenda on its way next. Cheers for now!

Well, a little delayed in posting… but here’s my second trip on the Travel 12 list in May. It’s been a while coming (seeing as it’s July) but I’ve been buckling down at school, finishing strong. Taking a quick 10 minutes between homework’s to post.

So, my good man Serk and I journeyed down 85 for a full day of fun, mainly revolving around the wedding of our good friends Rob and Jess but with a quick tour of the Atlanta Athletic Club. As you can see… It’s gorgeous. They hosted the PGA Championship last year and its still in great shape.

We visited with my friend Butch, who I’ve known for a few years now through golf. Love him and his family. It’s always a pleasure to catch up. This is on par 3, 15th hole that David Toms made famous with a hole-in-one at the 2001 PGA, in his 3rd round en route to victory.

Their Bobby Jones Museum at the club was pretty first class. A few trophies in there and this cool piece on one of the walls.

Later that evening we made our way to the Georgia Club in Statham, GA. Rob (the handsome groom) was locking down our good friend and colleague Jess (gorgeous bride) on this roastingly warm, Georgia evening. 

Here’s the altar shot!

Serk and I were accompanied by our lovely and fun dates Gigi and Megan who popped over from Atlanta for the evening to join us. Lots of laughs and dancing ensued! 

One last shot with our favorite bride… You’re the best J.A.M (Now known as J.M.P!).

For the longest time I have felt bad asking more of people. I’ve chosen the low road. I’ve laced my requests with qualifications and apologies, giving people an opportunity to get out time and time again. “If you think it would be ok and wouldn’t mind, if it’s not too much of a bother to stay a little longer, it would be a great help until we’ve finished.” It was something that overtime needed changing in order to be an effective leader.

Unfortunately I led this way for some time. It was founded in my insecurity of wanting people to like me. I went to them wanting something they couldn’t satisfy. Not only was I sabotaging myself, but more importantly the people I’d been entrusted with. As leaders we’re called to develop those entrusted to us. You should feel the weight of that responsibility. When we withhold opportunities for them to step up, because of our issues, they lose out. Everyone loses out. Don’t do that :) 

At some point in the past year, one of the many brilliant leaders around me helped me see that setting the bar high was actually very beneficial. A novel concept right? Still, one we often miss.  

As a leader, start by deciding how high you/your organization/team want the bar to be. Then show your team how high it is.  Talk about it. Explain why its as high as it is.  Get the “Why” across to them and clearly understood. Once its established there, start executing whatever you do, all while maintaining the bars height. Make sure to protect it and fight for it together. Help people take ownership in it. Suddenly you’ll be operating at a high level. As new people enter your organization, the culture will and should always point to the bar. It’ll tell them to get on board or raise their game if necessary. No apologies needed.

The JB Caprese is named for my lovely and talented sister-in-law Julie Brooks, who introduced me to this in Houston last year, while visiting for my birthday. It’s simple, light and delicious. Perfect for a summer evening.

Try it this week and let me know what you think. Share it on twitter for facebook if you enjoy it and I shall pass along your praises to her!

The photos are from the cookbook I began writing last summer, which I will publish later this fall. I’m saying this to hold myself accountable until then :)

Prep Time:10 minutes

Ingredients

1 ball Buffalo Mozzarella, 1 Large Tomato, 1 Ripe Avocado (Ready when browned skin and soft as you gently squeeze it) Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt & Pepper, Italian Seasoning.

Instructions

Slice the tomato and mozzarella into similar sizes. Cut your ripe avocado down the middle into two halves, remove the seed, and then take your knife and slice into each half make 4 separate pieces of avocado. Stack on top of each other, and then cover with a touch of salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Finally pour your olive oil and balsamic over to your preference. The more the better in my opinion!

Enjoy.

As I departed from a meeting recently, a rather interesting scenario presented itself to me. We finished around 8.45pm, and by the door I noticed a wife waiting on her husband to make his departure.  I pondered on the scenario for a minute on my way to the car, and then began considering my options for the evening. I picked a coffee shop, where I’d continue my plans to take over the world. He on the other hand, was likely heading home.

It dawned on me that his options as a married man, were likely fewer than mine. He obviously had the option of doing “married things” to which I’m currently disqualified… but none-the-less, his responsibility as a spouse surely meant I was ahead in the shear number of options I had at 9pm on a Monday, right? Suddenly I had a whole new appreciation for the season of life I was in.

Singleness is a fascinating thing. As I survey the land, I see so many folks who want to break free from it’s dreaded grip. They feel like their missing so much. It’s natural for us to crave relationships. It’s how our creator made us. But as we look for a mate, we often get caught continuing to stare at how green the grass seems on the other side, potentially missing our own yards potential. In that moment where I saw endless possibilities ahead of me that evening, I also saw my singleness take on a beautifully rich, vibrant shade of green. I was living in it, loving it and owning it.

Live it.

Figure out what season you’re living in. Whether it’s a being single, being in school, being in career transition… you fill in the blank. Next, start intentionally embracing it! Choosing each day to live full of passion, excitement and opportunity. There is so much that we get presented with each day. We have to be willing to look for it and then go get it! Grab hold of life and squeeze every ounce out of it today. And then again tomorrow. All week in fact.

Love it.

Developing a perspective of loving the season we’re in can be a little more challenging. It’s easy to look ahead to where we want to be. That grass over yonder can seem pretty green at times when your friends are out at dinner parties, or on Friday night and you’re at home. But maybe you could use that time to show your brown, patchy grass a little TLC. What if we worked on who we want to be, rather than who we wanted to be with and became someone that a beautiful lady or handsome gent could fall in love with? Frame your free time in a positive light and fall in love with it.

Own it.

I can’t add much to that. Just own it! Walk confidently in who you are, what you’re about, and why you do what you do.  If you don’t know the answers to those questions, figure them out. Even if it’s a little bit quirky, people will love seeing your confidence in owning your personality. Authenticity is gorgeous quality.  

Seasons of transitions make for days and nights of thinking, dreaming, worrying and waiting. We’re all in different stages of life, yet still find ourselves transitioning in, out or I’m the middle of a season. As I’m coming to learn, the key to transitioning well is found in the details.

We want to know what our tomorrow will look like. We ask God to show us. We tell him our hearts desire and we think we’ve figured it out. Often we’ll even set a due date for when we want it to be accomplished. Surely if God loves us enough to die for us, then he’ll get on schedule with our little hopes and dreams right?

Sadly, when we’re in this position we’ve got it twisted. We’ve made the story all about us. And its never about us. Even when there are good, Godly things that are “our” desires… Its still about us. The heart issue that needs addressing is that we must become aligned with his desires for our hearts. We exist to bring HIM glory. That’s it. Sorry if it hurts your pride and ego a little. It did mine, to be real. But we’ve got to get over ourselves and walk in true humility if we will be used greatly by him. Once we’ve found that place, and know that our lives purpose is solely about pointing people to Him, it will not only takes all pressure off of us, but also allows our hearts to line up with his. When it’s not all about me, I can hear more clearly on the things he wants for me.

Until we get to this place, we’re missing the clarity of His voice. It’s like there is static on the line. We lack patience, because we can’t hear Him. We take a guess at what it might be he’s saying, but never walk in boldly knowing that we’ve heard from the Father. By not knowing his voice we miss out on the opportunity to earn his trust. You see, our father entrusts much to those of us whom he trusts. The breeding ground for that trust is in the details of today. If we know his voice today, and are obedient to what he calls us to, he’ll trust us with more tomorrow. For tomorrow isn’t promised. God’s already in tomorrow, but we only have today. Get in his presence today and earnestly seek him for the step he wants you to take. It may have nothing to do with tomorrow, but to hear his calling for your life tomorrow, it starts with knowing his voice today. 

Hello and welcome to the fourth installment of Travel 12. If you’re just catching up here  is the first post of the series. I’ve knocked off Greenville, Columbia and Charleston and the fourth trip was Miami. Honestly, it was a bit of a lofty dream that I would make it there before December 31^st, but thanks to a fantastic group of friends and a very generous roommate, it become possible. Here’s a quick update on the fun:

Night one we went out for Sushi – decent views, right?

Day 2 we took a trip to South Beach to enjoy the ocean. Got pretty roasted in the sun, but it was well worth it. The people watching for the trip began here and continued on! Quite a different crowd.

View from the room was pretty strong come night time. Talking about night time, we headed back to South Beach that evening to a place called “Chalk”. We hung out in a private room playing ping-pong and watching the playoffs. It was brilliant. Action shots included.

This was an unreal appetizer from Sosta Pizza off of Lincoln St for my foodies… Seared, smoked mozzarella wrapped in prosciutto with balsamic, arugala and tomatoes.

Jon and Carly’s apartment had a decent view in either direction. I left wanting to have my own infinity pool.

…and possibly a Collins too. He’s the man.

Snuck in another trip in May… blog post to follow soon!

In 26 years, I’ve never placed such great significance on a Monday-Tuesday as I did this week. Days which have forever seemed mundane, unimportant and ordinary, became incredibly meaningful. They carried a weight as never before. As God radically flipped my life upside down, I saw one season close and another begin.

For a bit of back-story, I just completed a 40 day fast, and turned 26 in the process. I stepped away from facebook, twitter, linkedin, writing blogs… and it was fantastic. I had no idea God could and would do so much in such a short time.

I closed out my 25 years of life going harder than ever before. I’ve been more intentional than I knew I was capable of. It’s been an experience that has stretched me, and will continue to. I’ve learned a lot about myself and who my father says I am. Coming face to face with my sin was tough, and there’s a long way to go. But I’m glad to say there are greater days ahead. He tells me so in Deuteronomy 31:8.

I’m being called to many things in this coming season. Stewardship. Living intentionally. Being a pursuer of God’s presence. And more than anything else, to build a legacy. The time to change the world is now. There’s too much at stake to wait. It’s time to suit up for battle and get in the trenches. Here’s to 26. The greatest year of my life yet.

A few pictures from my birthday:

A few photos from my trip to the Mint Museum on my birthday…

I’ve been on an interesting journey thus far in 2012. A lot is going on that I don’t understand and would struggle to explain and I’m ok with that. I set out yesterday with the goal of writing a lovely piece focused on the book of Ecclesiastes as if to wet your appetite for something awesome on its way. From the caddy tent at The Wells Fargo Championship I typed “Working on a blog post for the morning around Ecclesiastes. I’ll be taking a 30 day hiatus from all things social media starting tomorrow…”  

To be very vulnerable for a hot minute, my desire for you all to feed my insecurities by liking, favorit-ing, retweeting something I post is the reason I’m taking this short sabbatical. So by spending a couple of hours forcing out a well written, flowing piece last night, I was setting up a trap for myself that I’m trying to break out from. Therefore, that blog post was filed in the draft folder for another day. 

So here’s the deal. I’ll be using this time to start a 60 day study of the character traits of Jesus {found here} and using my newly acquired time to pursue things that will create a legacy worth telling in 60 years. We get caught up in so many things every day that are so fruitless, futile and empty. If we say that we follow Jesus, yet fail to know who he is and how he’s equipped us with everything we need, we are missing it. I have to get off my rusty dusty and activate the gifts already within me.

I was created for more and it’s time to get to work. There’s too much at stake and no time to squander.

See y’all soon… love you, mean it.

My generation has become accustomed and expectant of things to be “instant”. We want it now. We want to understand it, NOW. We want to know details. We think we deserve or are entitled to it. And I promise you, I have done it time and time again. For some reason, I think I know best, and will be able to handle things.

Thankfully I have been blessed with some very wise, godly men who continually pour into me and help guide me. One of them recently reminded me that God is a lamp unto our feet, not a floodlight. You can find the scripture here in Psalm 119:105. He explained that if God were a floodlight, that it would make it easy for us to see what was ahead. This clear vision for our future would lead us down a slippery slope of thinking that it’s all about us. That we can do this. We’re capable with our tomorrow. Therefore we don’t need God…

But that isn’t the case. In fact, tomorrow itself isn’t promised. We’re called to daily obedience. Another one of the godly leaders I do life with shared with me how he has challeneged his team to pursue instant obedience. If God puts something on their heart, do it right away. Don’t think about it, question it and let it be squandered. Do it. He continued…

“When God gives us a vision, it is a great honor. But it doesn’t mean that vision is simply going to happen. For we aren’t promised tomorrow. God is calling us to be obedient today. We are to follow each step he shows us now. Because delayed obedience, is a form of disobedience.”

Both comments from these gents struck such a chord in me. They fit together so well. In a season where I’m eager to see 3 steps ahead, I’m reminded that all I need to see is the next one. When I’m presented with it, I’ll get the opportunity to step into it and be obedient. Once I’m there, he’ll show me the next step. He’ll show you the steps each day too. But make sure you stay focused on today, rather than worrying about those ahead… God knows what he has in store for you tomorrow. It says so in Jeremiah 29:11 :)

Through 3 months this year, I’ve now made it to 3 places on my Travel 12,000 list for 2012. Decent start. Here is a quick run down on the trip to Chas…

I started with a morning at Folly Beach, soaking up a few rays. It was gorgeous, as you can see. 

Enter Kevin, my good pal from college, who is a native of North Charleston. He is becoming a legendary unofficial tour guide for his city. He showed me more of town, than I knew possible in 24 hours! And it began at Rita’s Beachside Grille of Folly. 

We got the Tuna Nachos and Taco’s…

Which was followed by a walk out to the lighthouse on Morrison Island. It was pretty neat out there. This was a gem of the trip, that few tourists will likely know of, or visit.

One of our next visits was downtown where we stopped by Hope & Union coffee shop. It was really quite brilliant. I recommend you finding it on your next trip to Charleston. Great coffee and a sweet venue.

We then headed north, back to his house, to get a couple of bikes. We made our way to the River Front Park.

The night was still rather young at this point. An amazing dinner, dessert and pint ensued in and around town, before getting some shut eye for more morning travels. We made our way to Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island, as seen below…

And finally, popped into the Acme Lowcountry Cantina for a spot of brunch on I.O.P…

…where I had the Fried Green Tomato Egg’s Benedict, with grits. It was a perfect way to finish the trip!

Well, that’s all for now folks. No visits in the month of April on the Travel 12 agenda. Pretty busy finishing up the school semester. But I shall be making up for it in May with two trips. Yep, I said it. TWO trips… First stop MIAMI!!!

Top o’ the morning to you lads and lasses… Hope you enjoyed your weekend of green, lucky charms and guinness. If you found your pot of gold, cheers to that. 

I read somewhere this weekend that Shepherd’s Pie was an Irish dish. I just happened to have cooked it for some friends this week. Dinner turned out well, and the fellowship is always fantastic… Let’s be honest. No man is an Ireland. (Enjoy the cheeky irish joke ;) You’re welcome. Let’s move on). 

Mum made Shepherd’s Pie fairly regularly growing up, and I’ve loved it a long time. It is traditionally made with lamb, instead of beef. Sadly, organic grassfed lamb is not so easy to come by here in Charlotte. Here is my healthy, organic take on it (with beef… Which makes it Cottage Pie… haha). It should feed 4 of you. 

Bon appétit!

Ingredients:

2 lbs organic grass fed ground beef, 4 diced carrots, 1/2 diced vidalia onion, cup of frozen peas, 1 large cauliflower, 1 stick of unsalted organic butter, 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce, 1/2 cup beef broth, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup almond milk, salt & pepper.

Instructions:

Chop up your cauliflower and steam it for 15 minutes.

Lob a tbsp of butter into your pan and saute the onion and carrots till they start browning. When they’re almost done, chuck in the peas for a minute. Then pop in the beef and cook until it’s no longer pink. Add salt and pepper, worcestershire sauce, and beef broth (If you don’t have beef broth you can substitute other broths or something like mushroom soup). Cook on low for 10 minutes.

Put your steamed cauliflower in a blender. Add the remaining butter, almond milk, and salt and pepper, and blend until smooth.

Pour beef mixture into an dish, cover with the mashed faux-tatoes, and top with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Done!

Yeah, I wear them. So should you. They have been part of my recent fun with the wardrobe. It’s a pretty cheap way to add some of your character to your outfits. But first things first… you need the jackets. Or a jacket at least. I suggest starting with a navy blazer. It’s a staple. Something simple, that fits you well. You don’t have to spend too much, but be smart and get it tailored. The sleeves need to be the right length, it should fit nicely across the shoulders, and more than anything fit well through your body. It’ll be worth the $30-50 on a good tailor, I promise.

So. On to the pocket squares. If you’ve never dabbled, I suggest baby steps. A plain, white, cotton handkerchief will do the trick. Iron it so the edges are crisp and you’re on to a winner, as my friend The Style Blogger shows below…

Once you feel confident pulling off this look, play around with it. Try some different jackets. Shop for some interesting colors. Vintage shops, department stores, Urban Outfitters… wherever. Just wear it boldly. Own it. And have fun.

Cheers for now… The Pride of the UK.

Alright, through February we’re 2 for 10 on this “Travel 12,000” extravaganza. Started with a couple of easy day-cations, and the trip to Columbia didn’t disappoint. I’ll likely be back some time during football season, but this was my first chance to watch the basketball team, so I went for it.

Not a bad seat for the game. Thanks to the generosity of one of our apparel suppliers, whose son is a stud Freshman forward, I was able to hang out with the players families down front.

Due to the baseball team having their opening weekend, I was joined by approximately 152 other fans in the arena. Sadly we were outsized and matched up poorly against LSU. South Carolina added another number to the loss column. Coach Horne may be on his way out, with Tanner and Spurrier setting the bar so flippin’ high… Probably the right time.

Got to catch up with my boy Ty Tuck (more commonly known as Tyler) at Wild Wings. Its always a pleasure to see my teammates out-and-about in the southeast (as I did with Mike Law in January on my trip to Orlando). Got to make the most of opportunities when we can. Fun episode from dinner for you…

I left the parking deck from the arena on my way out, and popped a $20 bill in the machine. I can only start to describe the horrified look on my face, as sixteen $1 coins flowed out. I heard rumors of their existence, but had never seen one. The President didn’t look or sound familiar so I thought I was getting jipped for a hot minute. Soon after that, our lucky waiter was fortunate enough to be introduced to them too. He was pumped to received a bunch of coins, as you can imagine. As Tuck and I shared with our friends at dinner… this kind of move was classic Brooksy. At least I told him “Sorry mate” with as thick of an english accent as possible.

After dinner I went for a wander through downtown in search of something sweet. I found this gem “Peace, Love and Rocky Roast Coffee House and Creamery”. Admittedly, that’s quite a mouthful. They should work on that name. But alas, even more of a mouthful was their gelato. This little pot was a mix of Cappuccino Crunch and Nutella. Just what I fancied before the drive back to Charlotte up I-77. Pretty boring stretch of tarmac. 

I know this mini-adventure of hitting 10 places for 12,000 miles in 2012 may have seemed outlandish (on my budget) but I’m a dreamer. And a do-er. After spotting this sign and dreaming on the trip home, I decided I may add it to the list. Not bad if I can manage it. Cheers for now!

Blog’s. They’re everywhere. Everyone has one. Entry is simple and quick. In no time, people can post about whatever they want. And they do. You’ll find any topic out there. The amount of traffic blogs receive will also vary, too. However there is something distinct for those who win the eyeball contest. They stand out becuase of one thing. They know their “why”.

If you want to have a successful online presence, you’re going to need some substance. Content that is rich. A story for people to gather around and interact with. You need to build an experience that they want to be a part of. Why? Because it’s your ticket to longevity.

First, begin by establishing the why for yourelf. You must “get it” before anyone else will. Why do you wake up every morning, to do what you do. Why is it going to change the world? Get out a pen and a piece of paper and put it down in front of you. The “how” and the “what” are secondary. Spend time honing your conviction, so that when you start telling other people, they’ll want to get in on it.

Apple does an incredible job of this. I learned more about it from a TEDx talk Simon Sinek did in 2009. You see, they aren’t the only people selling computers. Dell sells desktops. Microsoft will sell you a laptop. But what’s the cause or purpose behind it? Here is what Apple says… “Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by creating products that are beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. We just happen to make great computers. Wanna buy one?”.

The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.

Do that well and you’ll create a following. Do a good job of casting your vision, engaging people, and you’ll have ambassadors. Before you know where you are, you’ll have created a movement.

People will start talking about you in the first person. And you won’t even have to pay them. They’ll do it because they get the “why”, and want your “why” to be part of their story, too. Be intentional to integrate those readers into what your doing. Give them an action, and they’ll run with it.

The “Why” for The Pride of The UK… coming to you soon at www.theprideoftheuk.com

Follow @ThePrideoftheUK and http://theprideoftheuk.tumblr.com

I sent my lovely parents an anniversary card back in November with a redeemable coupon giving them a tasty, romantic anniversary dinner for two (which they kindly invited me to join). They redeemed their coupon the night before I left to come back to America at Christmas. So I got my thinking cap on and came up with the most tantalizing recipe possible. I give you that creation here…

Appetizer - Brie baked in pastry, topped with cranberry sauce. (Credit to my brother and sister-in-law in Oklahoma). Dollop it on a cracker and enjoy.

Ingredients: Brie, puff pastry, cranberry sauce

Instructions: Roll out the pastry and place your brie in the middle. If its not a wheel of brie, you may want to cut it into a square shape. Follow the instructions to bake the pastry. Pull it out to cool and then top with cranberry sauce.

Main course - Gouda stuffed baked chicken, glazed roasted carrots, balsamic roasted green beans, mashed faux-tatoes (cauliflower), and a leek and mushroom beer sauce. 

Gouda Stuffed Baked Chicken

Ingredients: 3 chicken breasts, 3 slices of gouda cheese, honey and dijon mustard glaze (4 tbsp. raw honey, 2 tbsp. wholegrain dijon mustard, sea salt, pepper). Coconut oil for the pan (or extra virgin olive oil if you can’t find coconut oil in your local health food store).

Instructions: Pound the chicken in cling-film or sandwich bags with meat tenderizer to flatten. Lay thickly cut slices of gouda on one side of chicken breast, fold other half over and insert toothpick to hold while it cooks. Cover with glaze, silver foil and cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Re-glaze after 10 minutes.

Mushroom and Leek Beer Sauce (Stolen from Ryan Detzel’s guest post on The Pioneer Woman). It is life changing. I’ll let you take the ingredients and instructions from the one and only Ree Drumond…

Balsamic Roasted Green Beans

Ingredients: Green beans, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, pepper. Coconut oil for the pan .

Instructions: Chop the ends off the beans, cover them in a bit of balsamic vinegar, and top with a dash of sea salt and pepper. In the over at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes (depending on the dish you use… This glass dish is thicker than your normal metal pan which heats and cooks more quickly.)

Glazed Roasted Carrots

Ingredients: Carrots, honey and dijon mustard glaze, salt and pepper. Coconut oil for the pan.

Instructions: Peel and chop off the end of your carrots. Slice them long-ways (as seen in photo below).  Use some of the glaze from earlier, on the carrots. If there isn’t enough simply make a bit more. You’ll thank me later. Roast these for 15-20 minutes.

Mashed Faux-Tatoes - not pictured - (Stolen from Dr. Axe’s website here)

Ingredients: 1 medium head cauliflower, 1/4 cup unsalted organic butter, sea salt, pepper. I also add a 1/4 cup of almond milk to help in the blender.

Instructions: Steam cauliflower until tender. Pop it in the food processor with the butter, almond milk, sea salt and pepper, and go to town on it until its nice a smooth.

So the title was a little more provocative than what you’ll actually read about… cheeky, I know. There is definitely some truth to it though. Growing up I absolutely loved Nutella. It may not have been my first love, but it made the top 5. With today being Shrove Tuesday (or fat tuesday as I was just informed?!), I decided to get some crepes going this morning. Scroll to the bottom for the recipe…

Last week I had it on an english muffin. Super high sugar intake to start the day, as you can see. Not ideal. But it did get me thinking about all the things I love in life. What I want to have more of in my life. My sweet tooth doesn’t need too much more Nutella, but my heart does need to pursue the things I’m passionate about. I’m starting to explore that. I think you should too. One of my favorite authors put it this way in his book Wild at Heart…. “Find what makes you come to life, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive”. Get after it today y’all. Figure out what you love, and go do it.

Crepe Recipe:

2 free range eggs

1 cup organic spelt flour

3/4 cup almond milk

1/2 cup water

pinch of sea salt

2 tables spoons of organic butter

Instructions:

Pop it all in a blender and blend on high for 10 seconds. Let it sit in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. In a non-stick pan melt some butter over a medium heat. Once the butter is nicely melted put a 1/4 cup of your mixture in. Swirl it around the pan a bit to even it out. The first will likely come out sub-par. That’s alright… the next ones will be ace. Take two, and after its cooked on one side its time to flip the crepe (if you’ve got skills) or turn it with a spatula. Serve it hot with your favorite topping. Bon appétit

About 6 years ago I met, and became friends with a chap named Cameron Walker. Born and raised in South Carolina, married to his darling bride Anna, and father of 3 adorable children. His story is pretty amazing. I’ll let him share that with his listeners on his time. But at least know that God has brought him a long way. His days in college were not his brightest. All along his journey, he was being prepared and growing. The release of this album is part of that journey. Not only is it a phenomonel record (that I would implore you to go purchase here on itunes), but its given him freedom from insecurity he’s carried. Hope and strength have risen in him to put out songs personal to him without needing man’s approval. He’s creating his worship to his creator. The one who made Cameron to create.

Its so encouraging to be around people like Cameron who pursue their passions. Spend 5 minutes around him and you’ll see the passion and intensity in his eyes. The record is full of Hope, Grace, Redeption, Beauty, Faithfulness and Love. He collaborated on writing much of it with Michael Gungor and his team, and they did a brilliant job.

Below is his first blog on the beginning of this new journey. It really encouraged me. I hope it will you also. Be who you’re called to be, without walking in fear of man. You were made for me.

www.CameronWalkerMusic.com  @walker_cam  Cameron Walker Music Facebook Fan Page

“And so the jouney begins.” - Cameron Walker

Friday, February 10th, 2012

And so the jouney begins. It’s a little scary honestly, and exposes many insecurities in me. It’s exciting to create. It is scary to share what you have created. We only a few clicks away from the best music, the best blogs, the best movies, the most glamorous, exciting, influential, beautiful people in the world. Twitter tells us where they partied last night and what they are having for breakfast this moning. Are you like me? Do you ever so subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) measure your life against the glossy presentations that the major networks and the world wide web are throwing up in our face? When offering something so personal as songs I have written, I find myself with an undercurrent of insecurities and questions that cause me to second guess. Who am I? What do I have to say? Why am I releasing songs? I don’t have a tour lined up. I don’t have a record deal. I don’t have a… and so if the jouney of a thousand miles begins with the first step, here it goes. I hope you like the music, but if you don’t, I hope you respect that I’m no longer letting the fear of people not liking what I create to keep me from creating. And I hope you’ll do the same.

<script type=”text/javascript”>

  var _gaq = _gaq || [];

  _gaq.push([‘_setAccount’, ‘UA-32921499-1’]);

  _gaq.push([‘_setDomainName’, ‘tumblr.com’]);

  _gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’]);

  (function() {

    var ga = document.createElement(‘script’); ga.type = ‘text/javascript’; ga.async = true;

    ga.src = (‘https:’ == document.location.protocol ? ‘https://ssl’ : ‘http://www’) + ‘.google-analytics.com/ga.js’;

    var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);

  })();

</script>

First trip in the books went very well. Enjoyed some time downtime before heading west to Anderson for a service at Newspring. Here is a run down for you Mum. I know at the very least, you’re reading this :)

A trip to Main Street began at The Clothing Warehouse. I stumbled across this vintage clothing shop, and soon after found my first tweed jacket. I’m becoming a big fan of thrift/vintage shops having now found a Harris Tweed jacket for $19 (at this shop) and a pair of $200 Earnest Sewn jeans recently in Charlotte for $16. You should try it. 

Across the street I went underground to begin reading a new book for my economics class. Bernanke, Greenspan and co. are making for an interesting read on what happened in the last 3 years on Wall St. Great spot for a coffee too.

The afternoon kicked up a notch when I popped to the West End of town to find my bearded buddy Derek (writer of The Rooted Man) at my new favorite publick house. The Velo Fellow did not disappoint. I had the French Onion soup. If you’re in the Greenville area, like delicious/interesting food and a strong selection of craft brews, this is your place from now on.

I then made my way to my old church Newspring for the finale of their “All In” series. It was so good to be back in the house and celebrating new life with them at the conclusion of a fantastic series from Pastor P.

My return journey turned pretty hood, pretty quickly when I whipped up a playlist from the late nineties/two thousands with music all-too-familiar to my ipod. Don’t let the english-gentleman exterior fool you. Smoking mirrors really. Don’t tell anyone I told you though. Miami is a destination on this “Travel Twelve Thousand” agenda for the year. A nice reminder where I’ll be heading with the roomie before the end of the year.

Next up on the Travel 12 agenda this month, Columbia…

I was asked this weekend what the deal was with my socks. I responded with “If you can’t start your day with a little fun, then what are you doing?!”. As with many occasions, I would have answered it a little differently a second time. But while I was thinking about it, I decided there may be a lad or two out there who I may convince to have a little fun…

To me they’re a fairly inexpensive way to show a little bit of your character. Ties have long been a growing collection in my wardrobe. But I rarely wear them. So I’m giving pocket squares and socks a try these days. My advice… keep it simple. Start out subtle. Wear them on the right occasion, and with the right shoes. And don’t bother wearing them if you aren’t thinking “Man, these look the business”. Oh, and don’t wear them come summer time. Gentleman don’t wear socks in the summer (as my brother once told me). Have fun.

I got to thinking recently about how fortunate I was to do lots of traveling growing up. And how much I love traveling. And how little I have done recently… So, I made a list of all the places I’d like to visit this year. It totaled 12,051 miles (return journey included). I fancy seeing them all before December 31st. Some new and some favorites. We’ll see how I fare with 10 places over the next 11 months. I may end up going to a few different places not listed. But for now, this is a good start. Off to Greenville this weekend. Cheers!

Asheville, NC - 129 miles. 

Boone, NC - 101 miles.

Charleston, SC - 207 miles.

Columbia, SC - 92 miles.

Greenville, SC - 101 miles.

Guildford, UK - 4007 miles.

Miami, FL - 727 miles.

Savannah, GA - 251 miles.

Statham, GA (Patzak Wedding) - 207 miles

Wilmington, NC - 199 miles.

Today’s entry is a dinner I shared with some neighbors in November. Here’s what I served that evening:

1/4 lb burgers

Mashed potatoes

Glazed carrots

Baked, seasoned zucchini

You can check out the ingredients and directions below, but first let me take you back to November 25th, when I was given an opportunity to walk in simple obedience. I’ve been walking through a season of life where I’ve really starting seeking opportunities to be obedient in my walk with Christ. During the week of thanksgiving I felt God put it on my heart to serve dinner to some homeless folks. This was new territory for me. There-in lay my opportunity to create space for something God wanted to teach me. 

Two things that I’m most passionate about are food and loving on people. In reverse order, actually. Food comes in a distant second place. 

So, armed with 7 meals boxed up, bottles of water and a bag of snacks I headed to the parking lot in front of Spirit Square (College St. & 7th St.).  I planned on making my way down Tryon St. but once out of the car began heading north away from town.

The first person I met was Yvonka. She was homeless, hungry and on the look for a bus pass. I was able to help her with the second of those, and she was very grateful. I then moved towards the bridge underpass of 277 on North College. There was a small crowd huddled together. Some stood against the wall, others sitting on the ground fighting to keep warm under their sleeping bags. I must admit, my nervous small talk was limited. But it didn’t seem to particularly matter. I was loving on them and walking out simple obedience.

I hope this will encourage and challenge someone else to walk out simple obedience in their relationship with God. I give him all glory for allowing me to be used on that evening. As time has gone on, I’ve started to realize that the obedience itself was much more important than the size of the impact I had. My pastor recently said that its in the moments that may seem insignificant, that God is preparing us for moments of great significance. Be obedient in the small things, so that he will entrust you with much greater things ahead.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs grass fed ground beef & seasonings (salt, pepper & hickory smoked)
• 5 russet potatoes, 1/2 cup raw organic butter, organic milk, salt & pepper
• 12 carrots, glazed in butter
• 3 sliced zucchini, tossed in EVOO, salt & pepper

Should feed 7-8 people. I’ll let you make the adjustments for a smaller crowd.

Instructions

1. Peel the potatoes, chop them into smaller chunks and chuck them all into a bit pot of water, to boil for 30 minutes.
2. Peel the carrots, chop them. Put them in a pan with water, salt and a large dab of butter. Boil until the water has evaporated. Probably 20 minutes or so. Be careful to not burn them, once the water is gone.
3. Pop your grass-fed beef in a bowl with all the seasonings and mix well. Make into patties. 
4. Chop your zucchini into slices, toss in EVOO and salt & pepper, and bake in the oven at 350 for approx. 20 minutes.
5. Pan fry your burgers in oil. Preferably coconut oil if you have it, or can buy it from your health store. (Read why here)
6. Once the potatoes have softened fully, drain the water and add your butter, milk and salt & pepper.
7. Enjoy.

Everything good comes from God. He provides us with every good thing he wants us to have. He wants to give us the desires of our heart. 

However, he doesn’t align himself with the things we want, when we want them. He graciously waits for us to move towards him. For our hearts to align with his desires. You see, he’ll give us the desires of our hearts, when they match the desires of his heart. That requires us to sometimes sacrifice the things we think we want. They may be good things. They may even be promises from him. But he’ll ask of us “Will you lay it on the altar before me?” 

If its something he wants us to have back, then he’ll return it to us. Just as he gave Isaac back to Abraham in Genesis 22. He was faithful to give Abraham the promise, but he needed to know that the promise hadn’t become more important to him than the the promiser. Abraham was willing to give up everything in his future. To lay it all down on the altar for the one who promised him a nation.

What are you being asked to lay on the altar today? If its his hearts desire for you, he’ll give it back to you. If he doesn’t, then it probably needs to stay on the altar to be sacrificed to make space in your life for the desires of his heart for you.

Do you ever think of the time of life you are in as a season? I’ve taken on this thinking over the last couple of years. I believe that God has each of us in seasons for certain amounts of time where we experience joy, trials, growth and more. These seasons can look very different to each of us, but if you will look back maybe you can see some clearly defined points in the road where you can say “Yeah, that was a season in my life where I learned X, Y and Z.”

I’ve been thinking about this more recently since the start of the year. I was asking God what he had in store for me in the season ahead, when he showed me that he wasn’t through with the one I’m currently in…

You see, he is a God of completion. He doesn’t start anything that he doesn’t finish. We see it in the Old and New Testament:

Revelation 1:8 “I am the alpha and omega—the beginning and the end” says the Lord God, “who was, and is, and is to come.”

Phil 1:6 “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Jesus returns.”

Psalm 138:8 “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not abandon the work of your hand.”

And as I’ve studied this more, he’s revealed that he isn’t going to take me to the next season until he’s taught me everything he wants me to know in this one. Sometimes we’re ready to move on, but he isn’t ready to take us there. Our eagerness to step through the veil to the season ahead is often because of the trials we must face. Breakthrough will come when you see that they are there to take us where he wants us to be.

The trials we face in seasons make us uneasy. But he takes us through them to make us complete and whole. One of my favorite scriptures is the passage in the beginning of James 1, where James is talking about persevering through trials. Our perseverance produces wisdom, maturity, wholeness, completion, and leaves us lacking nothing. All of which I fancy having. It gave me a totally new perspective on tough seasons I’ve walked through and those ahead of me. Once you realize that God is in the details of everything, you know the challenging days, and even situations are there intentionally. He allows you to walk through them because he loves you. Because ultimately it brings him glory. But his glory is a blog for another day…

So I’ve shifted my thinking towards asking him to give me clear vision to see all that he wants me to see; to learn all that he wants to teach me, because I know I’m here for a reason. Until I have learned everything that he put me here for, I don’t want to move on. I won’t move on. The season is over when he says its over.

Do you recall the names of Daniel and his buddies Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego? Kind of tough to forget those names if you ever attended a sunday school class as a kid. Their story is one of incredible faith, loyalty and obedience that we should pursue.

Travel back to Daniel 3 with me. I recommend reading the whole chapter, but lets at least cover Daniel 3:24-25.

“24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

They were thrown into the furnace for not worshiping the gold statue put up in Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. These guys wouldn’t conform to what was culturally correct, but instead made a stand to worship their father alone. This idol thing was not going to work for them. Their loyalty, obedience and faith was incredible. They were willing to give it all up. Everything. All in pursuit of a relationship with their father.

Obviously, their bold obedience was met with serious resistance. We should expect this. Opposition will always follow your obedience. But when you obey boldly, it will release miracles. Which we should also expect. If we will do what we can, we should then trust that God will do what we cannot. The miraculous is pretty standard to him.

If you read all the way through Daniel 3, you’ll see that Nebuchadnezzar wanted the furnace 7 times hotter than normal.  A brick kiln in those times would have been up to around 1,300 degrees celsius. So it was cranked to around 9,100… which when converted to your American fahrenheit creeps over 16,000 degrees. That’s the type of obedience these 3 fellas had. God fought for them (as we learn about in Deuteronomy 1:30) and honored the faith and bold obedience they had with a miracle hard to fathom. 

So often we want to know some details about what our obedience will be getting us. I can imagine if I was in their shoes I’d fancy some reassurance about it all… “Ok God, how do you plan on protecting me in this furnace deal? And you’re sure this is going to work, right?”. But in faith we should walk confidently, knowing that he is in control of the details. We simply have to move in the direction he leads us and obey boldly when he calls us to. He’s a God of the details. He’ll take care of the rest.

(For a little more on living in bold obedience check out this message from Craig Groeschel at Elevation Church during our Hebrews XII series: http://www.elevationchurch.org/sermons/hebrews12/part3)