Just Charlie

A digital commonplace for a Regular Guy called Charlie Pharis

Category: Unwinds (page 5 of 8)

December 23, 2007 / 0 Comments

Sunday Night Unwind, 12.23.07…

Long, long day. Tired. No music playing for the Unwind tonight. Not literally, anyway. Got an earworm for Gesu Bambino, as sung by one of the most gifted and talented sopranos I know…the great Alison Holmes Adams, who just happened to sing that tonight at our Christmas Eve Eve “Christmas Songs” program. And who also just happens to be the wife of our student minister (and the real reason we keep him around!) 🙂

Some Sunday night stuff…

  • Our pianist ain’t too shabby, either! (I’ll show you who he is when I find out where he is online!)
  • Our little group of singers is pretty OK, too! (Thanks, gang!)
  • The lovely and gracious “Mrs. Just Charlie” knows how to throw a party!
  • Lots of guests tonight – including some of “The Boy’s” buds!
  • Speaking of “The Boy…” I got a text message from him earlier this week that simply said: “I killed my dinner tonight.” He already got his Christmas gifts from us: Georgia Boots and blue jeans. He’s turning into a regular South Georgia good ol’ boy. Go figure…
  • I sat at brunch and post-concert reception today calculating how many strides on the elliptical machine it will take tomorrow to undo the nutritional damage I did today. Not good…
  • But, hey…doesn’t part of the Christmas magic include a magical, mystical disappearance of all calories in party goodies? I thought so…
  • I don’t care who you are, the Vince Guaraldi soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas sure makes for great Christmas party background music!
  • We talked about hiding Christmas gifts in plain view this morning. And isn’t that really what God did when Jesus showed up in a manger in Bethlehem?
  • Got one of these from one of my members. No, silly…not one of those members. One of these members!
  • Mmmmmm…sausage balls, tea cakes, red punch, hot wassail punch, chocolate chip cookies, pound cake, sugar cookies, etc! Did I mention the lovely and gracious “Mrs. Just Charlie” sure knows how to throw a party?!?!
  • 4:00 a.m. comes early in the morning, especially when it’ll be 20-something degrees outside. Brrrrrrr!

That’ll pretty much do it for me tonight! Where’s my cap? I’m settling in for a short winter’s nap…later!

December 9, 2007 / 0 Comments

Sunday Night Unwind, 12.09.07…

ala_mill_xmas

Got one of those “not-really-an-actual-album” compilation things going for tonight’s Unwind…a thrown-together selection of Christmas music by Alabama and Ronnie Milsap. Pretty good country Christmas stuff…especially Ronnie Milsap’s spectacular rendition of O Holy Night. And of course, there’s Joseph and Mary’s Boy, Santa Claus, I Still Believe in You, and the great classic (at least in my family!) Christmas in Dixie!

Some other thoughts that dropped out tonight…

  • I pretty much stunk up the place with my message today. Just never seemed to click. I guess that’s what being tired will do for you!
  • But then again, any Christmas message that includes references to J.I. Packer, T.S. Geisel, and M.H.Tormé can’t be all that bad, I suppose.
  • “The Boy” (recently dubbed “Whiney Boy” by “Mr. Know-It-All”) is finally getting a little relief after his recent surgery. He had a pretty graphic description on the phone today, but let’s just say there’s tremendous power in poop and leave it at that!
  • Cafetière à piston. Rôti français. Ooh la la, and pas mal, mon ami!
  • The things one can’t help but notice when helping people get set up on weight machines at the YMCA…
  • I love friends who challenge you and encourage you without even knowing it.
  • Hey, how ’bout that Tebow kid for Heisman! I’m still a large Gator-hater and always will be, but it’s pretty cool to know that an historic Heisman Trophy winner is the brother of one of my best ministry friend’s daughter-in-law! (Yeah, yeah…six degrees and all that jazz!)
  • Did I mention I stunk up the joint this morning?
  • Did I mention our folks were gracious and forgiving?
  • I love type! I’m not a great – or even good! – designer, but playing with fonts floats my boat!
  • One of my strengths, according to the StrengthsFinder assessment is Input, meaning I collect things that may have real value in the future. I’ve come to the conclusion that the collecting is not nearly as big a deal as the retrieval. And I need to work on that. A lot!
  • John Maxwell still pulls my chain after all these years!
  • The fact of the Incarnation is staggering!
December 6, 2007 / 0 Comments

More Christmas Music Unwind, 12.06.07…

Josh Groban Noel

Speaking of great Christmas music…

Today when I went into the office, I found a neat little gold gift bag in my door message-holder-thingy. Inside the gold gift bag was the Josh Groban Noel CD! Thanks to whoever you are, if you’re reading this post! A very cool surprise! And it is in the Thursday night unwind playlist as we speak! Thanks again!

November 24, 2007 / 1 Comment

Saturday Night Unwind, 11.24.07…

Celtic Christmas II

Listening to Windham Hill’s Celtic Christmas II tonight…very laid back, “new agey” wintery, Christmasy kind of stuff, drinking the last of a bag of Sumatra.

Here’s what’s occupying my time and my thoughts, as though you really cared…

  • The Georgia-Georgia Tech game was really over before it ever got started, if you ask me. I think Georgia was toying with us the whole game, and had they wanted to, they could have scored 60 points tonight, easy. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.
  • Say goodnight, Coach Gailey.
  • Now Georgia is in what appears to be a real good position: They’ll be in at least the Top 5 tomorrow, they won’t have to be humiliated and/or banged up in the SEC Championship game next week, who knows where they may end up?
  • All that being said, I still don’t think you ought to have any shot of playing for all the marbles if you don’t even win your conference.
  • And all that being said, here’s another year of having to listen to obnoxious Georgia fans barking. Ugh!
  • I’m really getting nervous about preaching at Tony’s place tomorrow. I don’t know why.
  • The A-Team will be handling things at The ‘Crest tomorrow! Go guys!
  • It’s raining at my house! Yea!
  • I’m kind of glad this week is over…long trips and all. Good trips, very good Thanksgiving celebrations in both ends of our great state. I’ll be glad to be back to somewhat-normal.
  • I’ve got to hit the Y hard next week!
  • Just about finished with J. I. Packer’s Knowing God.
  • Really digging the ESV!
  • Really want to see Bella and Enchanted.
  • Really want to take the lovely and gracious “Mrs. Just Charlie” to see Nutcracker this year.
  • Really want to catch the Impressionism exhibit at the High Museum.
  • Really want to do a good job tomorrow.
  • Worried about being without a cell phone until Monday.
November 18, 2007 / 0 Comments

Sunday Night Unwind, 11.18.07…

Listening right now to Antonin Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World” on AccuRadio’s AccuClassical channel. I don’t know why, but I’ve had that music on my mind all day! I’m just weird like that, I suppose…an earworm for a symphony! Go figure…

Pretty good day today…preached from Psalm 107 this morning, and really hammered home that one point…

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, and his steadfast love endures forever.

I talked about the incredible power of gratitude, and how thanksgiving can change your life. Challenged our folks to be grateful…

Just got back from our annual Thanksgiving dinner at church. Pretty good crowd, laid back affair. Love that turkey from HoneyBaked Hams! Although I’m pretty sure that glaze stuff on it negates all the benefits of low-fat protein that is turkey breast! Oh, well…Thanksgiving only comes once a year, right?

And since I had an unusual Sunday morning run this morning, I guess it’ll be OK.

Did I mention that the lovely and gracious “Mrs. Just Charlie” did an absolutely outstanding job setting up the Thanksgiving dinner?

And did I mention that I’m very, very thankful for her?

Oh, and “The Boy” found out that “GanGan Haddard” is a huge, rockstar-like celebrity in the big city of Rincon, Georgia. And he also found out that Milton from Office Space sings in the choir at my parents’ church. And he text-messaged that fact to me apparently during the middle of the service there. And I spewed coffee all over my desk! Too funny!

By the way, we get to see “The Boy” and “GanGan Haddard” and Granma on Wednesday! Over the river and through the woods, indeed…

My buddy Gary cracks me up.

I’m stepping into the shadow of greatness next Sunday, probably doing an inadequate job filling in for my buddy Tony. Can’t wait…

Dang, that “New World Symphony” is great!

Want a good laugh? Call your local Captain D’s or Long John Silvers. Tell the person who answers the phone early Sunday morning that you’re a local pastor and you want to know what they call their kid’s meal. Explain to the guy that you’re doing a little last-minute research for your message. No, really…go ahead…give it a try!

Oh, well…enough about my day…Dvořák and I and a cup of tea and Dr. Packer are out for now…

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