There's no place like home

I just got home from a trip to China and it was great! Beijing, aside from the smog, is a beautiful city and China is a beautiful country. I know we have stereotypes that come to mind when we think of China, but you have to experience it yourself to understand it. The people were so friendly and many had never seen Westerners before. They would stop to take pictures and video of our group as we traveled.

Like here, the is you want good food, it surrounds you and if you want something unique, you can find it. There are community park all around Beijing and you can find a crowd at any of them through out the day. People will gather to play ping pong or a version of hackey sack, exercise or just talk.

I think we can be too quick to criticize "China" because of its government and industrial development. While I do not agree with its government on many things, I think the West has responsibility when it comes to the growing industry. While walking on the Great Wall, I heard someone say the a news anchor had commented on the Chinese love for money and as it was said, a local English speaking person just shook their head, obviously not liking what was said. That got me thinking about the whole concept of China.

It is foreign industry that started the boom that has padded the economy and polluted the sky. It is our businesses that want cheaper labor so they can make more money on what we buy. But enough of the geopolitical aspect of it all. When it comes down to it, there is no place like home.

I am not simply talking about the accents that draw attention, but the entire aspect of life in the Southeast that make it so special. The landscape, the cleanliness, the hospitality all work together to make South Carolina and beyond a special place to live. I was reminded on the journey home that there are many incorrect stereotypes about the South that still exist.

While catching our flight from L.A., there was a rather rude man that associated the accents of some of our group with a lack of intelligence and ignorance. I guess he would be surprised to know we have indoor plumbing. I know our corner of the world is not perfect by any means, but it comes close and I am thankful that I call it home. I can't wait for where to check out where my next adventure takes me.

Home

I just spent a week in Waveland, Mississippi, which was ground zero for Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The city was virtually wiped off the map after losing over 90% of its properties, public and private. Three years later, the people are still rebuilding, still waiting, and feel like they have been forgotten.

Long after the cameras left, the debris of houses ripped apart, slab foundations, and twisted trees stand as harsh reminders of what took place. There are numerous businesses left untouched, roads unpaved, and homes no one can live in, but must pay a mortgage all the while. The people that live along the Gulf Coast need to know that they have not been forgotten. They are our friends and family regardless of how well we know them. The picture above is from the first post-Katrina trip I made to Pascagoula in 2006. There has been little improvement in the two years since then.

All I can compare it to is Hugo in 1989. I had just turned 11 when it made landfall in Charleston and trekked through the midlands before turning north towards Charlotte leaving a path of destruction. Hugo is what took Disaster Relief, as we know it, to the next level. My family would travel to Charleston every summer and it was like a second home to me. I still think it is one of the greatest cities in the world, but it needed help to recover. 19 years later you can still see the twisted trees that will never again be green, but their harshness is muted by those that survived and the new ones that have grown. I remember when our own state was hurting from Hugo. I remember when I saw Charleston for the first time after the storm and it was heartbreaking, even for an 11 year old boy who lived in the Upstate.

My hope for the Gulf Coasts of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi is that they too will recover as Charleston has. I hope there will be a desire for people to continue to help in this devastated area and that there will be continued growing hope in the lives of people who feel depressed and lost wandering what to do. Our message for the people of Waveland was simple: We have not forgotten.

A South Carolina Fourth

Independence Day! What a great holiday. It means different things to different people with varying ideas of freedom, but here in South Carolina, it remains true to the idea of celebrating freedom fought for by brave men and women that allows us to enjoy what has become the American way of life.

Every year, a couple from my church throws a 4th of July Celebration at their house. It kicks off with Frogmore Stew. The recipe can vary, but there is little argument to its origin. Frogmore stew was created in South Carolina and is a great example of low country cuisine. Sometimes it turns out more like Brunswick stew, which some key Southern states argue over who made it first, with the main players being North and South Carolina. I have had some from both states, and I have to give the edge to the Palmetto State. Any way, Frogmore stew usually has corn on the cob, shrimp, and sausage in it with very little liquid depending on your interpretation of the recipe. You can always throw in pulled pork, beef, and chicken; add Tabasco and you are ready to eat. The stew at this party is more like the Brunswick and it is amazing.

That is followed by grilled hotdogs and sausages with corn, baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad and much more. An island in the kitchen is reserved for some of the best homemade sweets to follow the great meal. The house is close to the mountains so the view offers a variety of fireworks to be seen all around. This year was the best yet all around. For my wife and I, having our first child to celebrate with added special meaning to the holiday, even though she is understandably scared of fireworks.

On Sunday, July 6th, my church hosted Mark Harris in concert. We had a BBQ supper before hand and a fireworks display afterwards. The man who does the fireworks outdid himself this year. With the entire holiday weekend, one of the elements that made it uniquely South Carolinian was the rain. We are in a severe drought, but like clock work when the 4th rolls around each year, we get some decent showers, with the key word being showers.

After the event, the church staff went out for a late bite with Mark Harris and his assistant, Luke. They are great guys. They didn't act like they were in any hurry and shared great stories and insight with us. The outing wrapped up a wonderful July 4th weekend that would be hard to top anywhere else. I hope yours' was just as wonderful!

Completely Unexpected

We had a great time at the ball park yesterday. The outcome was completely unexpected though. The Braves were playing the Mariners, the team with the worst record in MLB. What I didn't tell you is that I have pulled for the Mariners for a long time. I think I started to like all things Seattle (except politics) after watching "Sleepless in Seattle." Yes, I love the Seahawks and Seattle is an amazing city. It is hard to beat a July 4th in on Pike Place.

Anyway, I went to the game wearing red and blue for the Bravos, not expecting the opportunity to celebrate a Mariners victory. I also did not want to have to explain to 40 people why I was pulling for the other team. The game started innocently enough, Braves went up by a run and then everything changed by the 7th inning. The Mariners ended up winning 10-2! So in my first MLB game, I got to watch my favorite team and enjoy a win too.

Fear not Braves fans. All was set right with a 5-4 victory on an RBI single in the bottom of the 9th in game two.

Play Ball!

I am going to my first major league baseball game tomorrow and I am very excited about that. We are taking a group of 40 people to see the Braves play the Mariners. A lot of people in South Carolina pull for the Braves. You will meet a good number of people that are obsessed with them. You have to see a senior adult talk Braves baseball, it is like they are kids again and they are ready to take the field. I love the game of baseball. I love how it feels like your taking part in something old, but new at the same time.

I am fortunate to live in Greenville. We got a new stadium and team, the Greenville Drive, last year and the community has gone crazy for them. Fluor Field at the West End averages 5300 fans a game and you can't beat the downtown location. Now, to get our single A team, who did pay for their stadium, we let the AA Greenville Braves move to Mississippi, but I guess there was some kind of reasoning to it. Check out the Drive here.

Interesting Animal

On Monday I will be taking a group of students and adults to Centrifuge, a great camp put on by LifeWay. One of the interesting things about living in South Carolina is the dynamic of an anemic church on every corner surrounded by people who are, understandably, no longer affected by their presence. The trip was open to whoever wanted to go, those active in the church and those who are not. Having not been a youth minister for the past six months and then suddenly stepping back in for summer camp purposes, I had forgotten how interesting of an animal it can be.

The back and forth decisions of some students to go and then not to go reminded me about the lack of commitment being embedded in this generation. At what point do we facilitate spiritual growth instead of condone an uncommitted generation? I know we can't force students to go on the trip, but yes should mean yes, even if a last minute invite to the beach comes up.

It is difficult to be overly critical when I can have times where I want to keep my options open until something better comes along, but at some point, spiritual responsibility has to come into play. At least I think it does. All I know is I will be traveling with a group of individuals committed to discovering the "Kingdom Secrets" and having a great time doing so. Hopefully we will discover the secret to activating churches to make an impact in the communities they serve through a level of commitment unseen by previous generations.

Hello

I have intended to get back into the practice of blogging for sometime now. Since I have had close to five months to adjust to being a father, I am going to give it a try.

I hope to use this blog to write about various personal thoughts and opinions as well as events and travels in the Palmetto State. If I use my time wisely, I think there will be plenty of material. Of course, the topic of having a new baby alone could provide that.

There are a lot of unique things about the South Carolina that lead to a certain mindset and way of life. I think they are noteworthy enough to be a topic of conversation. So, welcome to Blue Palmetto!