Refuge at the MAG

This is the MAG. Magnolia Cafe’. If you are in the St. Francisville area, you will not want to miss out on Refuge at the MAG this Sunday Night. It is going to be slamming with a capital amming. The band is practiced up and ready to usher in the Ghost fest and Pastor T-Squirrel is preparing what I am certain will be an on-point message to challenge us all to be a little more like The Jesus. Oooooooo, and I hear OG Crowe is cooking for Christ and serving us all some major grubbage. So come check us out Sunday night at 6pm.

Also, if you need that ride cleansed, we will be cleansing them all at Bayou Car Wash tomorrow, Saturday, morning and early afternoon. Around 10am or 11am-1pm or 2pm. After you watch JaMarcus Russell get drafted #1, come watch the St. Fran Refugees wash your ride. It’s FREE! Then you can hang around and catch our very own “Most Ineligible Bachelor,” Chris Cole play at the MAG Saturday at 7pm.

I’m telling you this is the weekend to be in Frannytown. Don’t miss it!

Duck, Duck, Duck, Duck, Duck, Duck, Duck,

GOOSE!

Who Needs Schwarma?

This is why I prefer Serop’s Express over Albasha. If I’m not in the mood for chicken schwarma, I don’t have to get any. A bit o’ mac-n-cheese and corn and Griffis is good to go. Even in the third person.

Television Theory 101

OK, so this television season is coming to an end very rapidly. LOST, Heroes, 24(this is my last season to watch, it’s getting weak!), Grey’s Anatomy(I may also cut this one from my line-up, and will certainly not watch the Addison Sheppard spin-off), American Idol, and so on. I am curious as to what your theories may be for the rest of the season on some of these shows. By the way, if sometime this summer they replay Friday Night Lights Season 1, you have to watch it. It’s based around football, but it is not about football. Drama and acting superior to Grey’s I promise. Real Life Stuff and I give it a resounding 4 thumbs up. 2 are my wife’s. (who hates football!)

*LOST – It’s heating back up and once again has the majority of my TV interest. I can’t really post about it much, because I am into Spoilers. Be careful what you wish for is all I will say. I think we will see this show end next season.

*Heroes – Very fun, and I think I was right about Mama Pettreli. I’m sure this one will definitely surprise us all when it’s all said and done. Is Peter the exploder? Does Silar make it next season? Nikki or Jessica? What does Linderman need from Micah? Vegas is his business.

*24 – Uh, Jack dies? hopefully?!

*Grey’s – More doctors do surgery and Addison leaves Seattle Grace to work in a fertility clinic in LA. Does McSteamy stay?

*American Idol – Record setting vote night, Lakisha goes home with Phil or Chris hugging her. The other just sat down. They are next to go anyway. Jordin v Blake Finale as Mindy Doo, though the most accomplished vocally, continues to creep people out with her “who me?” gets the boot. Finally, Jordin wins!

And your theories?

Another Sunday in Frannytown

So, this weekend was capped off with yet another fun-filled day at the Howard’s. Service was awesome as we continued in our series “Why?.” Chris Cole even led “Mighty to Save” and did a great job.

After church, all the leaders headed to Pastor Timmy’s crib to just chill and eat a bit of lunch. Then, we headed to the Howard Inn until Refuge. In Howardland, DJ and I went riding the four-wheelers down the creek. Well, actually, we started our adventure picking blackberries in the meadow, but that just sounds funny so I won’t mention that part. Anyway, we rode all the way to the middle school and ran into a couple of guys, Nick and Trey. We all went rolling through the creek back to DJ’s house.

On our way back to the Howard’s we ran into DJ’s arch nemesis:

That has to be largest weed I have ever seen.

How in the world did that car get down there?

This truck is little more obvious!

Oh, and here’s the one that got away from Timmy and J-Dawg.

It didn’t get too far!

Looking Into the Future

Hey guys, real quick. If you have me on your blogroll, please do me a favor and change my address from michaelgriffis.blogspot.com to just michaelgriffis.com. It re-routes you here anyway. I just want to start having everything go through the michaelgriffis.com, so when I switch over to it, you will already be there. I am trying to master the wordpress blogging before I make the switch, so keep an eye out. Fresh and clean will the michaelgriffis.com be. So, take a second and edit your blogroll. And again, thank you for your support.

Also, he hasn;t made the announcement yet, but you can and should do the same for Jason “the doctor” Laird. Change his blog on your roll to jasonlaird.com and keep watching for the updated sites.

A Hair Raising Follow-Up

Proceed with caution. I have decided to start taking myself a bit less seriously. Heck, no one else does. That said, I am about to warn you to avoid a blog at all cost, knowing that my warning will only MORE certainly send you there.

As a sort of plea in response to my previous post, my boy Jamie a-k-a “Skittles” has posted a picture from about 5 years ago of me with a horrid hair cut and a weak disconnected goatee. I implore you to avoid his blog, but if you must, then you must. It is really bad. I guess he really wants me to keep the hair. By the way, the jury is still out. Your opinions are far too varied. This picture could change that. Thanks Jamie! Late!

Same Blog New Location

Hey there, if you are reading this, then you must of stumbled into the wrong blog, or you followed me from my blogger account : Here. Either way, this is my prototype form in wordpress. I will be tinkering around with it quite a bit. If there is something on here that you like or hate, please let me know. This blogs for you!

Sincerely,

Griffis

-blogger for the people (as dubbed by Josh-Bob)

Hair Today Gone Tomorrow

That’s right, it finally happened, Sanjaya was booted from American Idol last night! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hazaa! So anyway, with all the hair talk that surrounded this weirdo, I thought I would pose a question to my loyal reader:

Should I cut my hair? Or should I shave it, as some have suggested? Either way, yours could be the opinion that sways me one way or another. So help a brother out. To aid you in this decision, I am supplying you with a picture with my hair pull back in a hat. This should give the impression of what I could look like. You be the judge.

The ghost-like monkey face on the side belongs to Brandon “4.5″ Meyer.

US vs. UK

The Contender is back and it’s US vs. UK. Last week the US boxer, Walter Wright got beaten in a split decision by some awkward UK cat named Small. That guy was the most unorthodox boxer I’ve seen, but he got the job done and earned the UK 1 point. There are 6 fights scheduled, each win gets the nation of the victor 1 point, all draws earn each nation 1/2 of a point. An overall tie is settled by the number of knockouts. At stake, the Sugar Ray Leonard Cup.

Well, last night was week two and the US had to have a win. Freddy Curiel took on some chap named Minter. He was stronger, bigger and his dad was a former Welterweight Champ of the World. So, Curiel had his work cut out for him and got pummeled for 6 rounds. Round 7 he got a slight edge and then came Round 8, two rounds longer than Minter had ever gone. 2 minutes are gone and then one of the chaps gets knocked the heck out. See for yourself who it was:

So, now the US is even with the tie breaker in their favor. Good Job Freddy!

If you like boxing, you have to watch the Contender on ESPN on Wednesday Nights. You are missing some awesome stuff.

Former Elevator of the Universe

Gabi is sad. Maybe she spent too much time listening to the “Blue” man group. Go check her blog to find out!

Oh Snap!

I would like to thank the afore(over)mentioned blogger JP, as well as David Song, and Dupe for helping me come to my senses about those Snap Preview Bubbles that were on here. Apparently, they annoyed you all as much as they did me. Thanks so much to everyone else who hated it and talked about it, but was scared to tell me and risk hurting my blog feelings. Like Josh-Bob! So, goodbye Snap and hello pop-up free blog reading! Carry on.

If JP Can Do It

If JP can do it, so can I. Most of JP’s recent blogs have simply been a link to someone else’s blog. So, if he can do that I can too. This one is a shout out to a new blogger, my sister Melodye. Click on her name and check out her blog. She used to be on staff here at HPC on the finance team. Anyway, she and Steve and the kids all live outside of Birmingham. She has been reading HPC staff blogs for a while now and has decided to venture out into the deep with the rest of us. She even gives JP a little blog link on her blog. Congrats JP, you are officially the blog prince of blogorhea.

Why? (Virginia Tech)

This past weekend, we as a church embarked on a journey into the most dominant question throughout time: Why? That word sums up so many questions in so many stages of life. From the child that is inquiring about everything from the color of the sky, grass and grandmother’s hair or simply not being allowed to do that thing that seems to be so much fun all the way to the great tragedies that have struck our lives both personally and globally, that one word dominates so much of our lives. How poignant, necessary and timely is this series?

Yesterday, a 23 year old student took the lives of 32 fellow students and then very cowardously took his own. This young man, no doubt troubled and hurting rather than reaching out, lashed out at those around him. Why? So many students were out having fun, studying or relaxing with friends the night before and today they are no longer with us. Why? Why would someone kill so many people, so randomly? Why didn’t the school shut down the campus after the first incident? Why didn’t someone take more seriously the disturbia that apparently surrounded this young man? Why do bads things happen to good people? Why? Why? Why?

I do not begin to presume I have any real mind blowing answer. I only know that Bible says it rains on the just and unjust alike. I also know that God gives us the promise, not that bad things would never happen, rather that He would never leave us nor forsake us. We can take heart knowing that though the world is crooked and dysfunctional, He has overcome the world and He is always there for us. He also promises to take even these excruciatingly difficult times and somehow work them and everything else together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

No one can really ever know why these horrid things happen, we can only know that God is still there to hold us. Man’s free will has allowed for such horrible incidents, but our surrendered hearts to God can make even the worst moments a bit easier to get through. His peace is beyond all understanding. I only pray that in this time of mourning, those at Virginia Tech can find hope and solace in Him, as He is truly the only one that can meet them in their hour of such great despair.

All this to say, if you are stuck in a cycle that has you constantly asking why or the recent tragedy has just sparked the question into flame, I hope you would tune in to the series God has dropped in our Pastor’s heart. If you need some answers or simply want to find hope in the midst of your question consumed life, this series is designed to help you find the true answer and the only hope for all of us. May God reconcile your heart to His and bring peace in your storm. May His will be done and His love be all consuming and comforting in your situation and in the lives of all of those grieving at Virginia Tech, their families and friends.

College Algebra circa 1995

Now, this is random, but then again it’s my blog and it’s always random. Yesterday, my wife and I, with the help of my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, began a little clutter deliverance. We began going through and trashing the contents of box after box of unnecessary junk that my wife and I seem to hold onto forever. As, I dug through one of my boxes, I found my old college papers, notes and such from my days at Lee University.

I am amazed and very glad that I still have this. This incredible artwork you see is the result of the amazing creative skills of yours truly and Allon Sparks combined with a very boring lesson in College Algebra. Allon and I literally spent the entire class passing this piece of paper back and forth with each of us adding one element to the page at a time. I know it is difficult to believe, but we did not collaborate as we drew. We simply added to it and passed it on. This masterpiece was the result. I know you are impressed. I am too!

Since you enjoyed it so much, here are some close-ups:

Croquet Anyone?

As promised, here are the pics from the Easter Croquet Tournament between Mr. Dennis Howard, Mr. Steven Stogner, Mr. Daryl James Howard and yours truly. I am trying something a bit different here to shorten the post, but maintain all of the photos. So, here goes nothing via Picasa. It was a magnificent tourney and the photos that follow should prove it. Cheerio!

Click the photo album below, it’s better if you view the slide show when you get there:

2007 Easter Croquet Tournament

As you can see everyone had a wonderful time. Well, everyone except the croquet balls. These shots were taken from their perspective:

Can You Say Creepy?

Sitting in my office, minding my own business and I hear someone mention my name from the other room. Always suspicious when my name is mentioned in a faint whisper, I get up and head toward the door and discover this creepy, 6′6″ expressionless duck walking slowly and determinedly toward me. It spoke no words, just kept walking toward me. Needless to say, I was a bit creeped out and tried to get away as everyone laughed and pointed. It was like one of those scenes in a movie where someone is running from a murderer at a carnival and no one else is aware of the danger, so they are laughing, cotton candy in hand, as the carousel keeps spinning and blaring the now eerie music and the man on stilts looms dauntingly over head. Seriously, I was a little frightened, but I’m better now.

Anyway, this apparently is our new Submerge Camp Mascot. Ducky McDuckerson.

Delirious 911

You want me to work security? You got it! Anything worth doing is worth doing over the top! That’s my motto. I was scheduled to work entrance security for the Delirious concert last night, so entrance security I was. At first the idea of working entrance security seemed a bit LAME-O, but in the words of Ben Franklin, when life asks you to be a security guard, make lemonade.

Below is what happens when you question a security guard:

Just don’t let it happen again Tyrone.

And a Happy Easter Was Had by All

In case you were interested, this Easter was one of the best in my 29 years. First of all, it wasn’t on my wedding anniversary like last year. Secondly, it was just awesome from top to bottom. We had an incredible service in St. Franny. The music was alright, but the worship leader looked like an Easter Egg in a suit. The best part was that Pastor Timmy delivered a great Resurrection message and several people came to the altar to encounter and begin a relationship with Jesus.

That afternoon, we had a great lunch, featuring spiral cut ham, at the Howard’s. Like Campbell’s it was Mmmmm, Mmmmm Good! Mrs. Sandy even made some corn for me. Now, lunch was great, but the real fun was the 3 rounds of croquet action that followed. I can’t really explain how awesome it was. I’ll just have to show you as soon as I get the pictures. Check back tomorrow.

Finally, my wife and I spent the evening at her uncle Charlie’s plantation, Como. Como is the only remaining plantation on the banks of the Mississippi River. There was food and music in the barn right on the Mississippi and we attended a sunset service in an old slave church. Jim Hogg and the boys provided the music and long time missionary Jack Dyer brought a simple yet powerful message. We capped off the evening with a walk around the old plantation which is still under renovation and “spun some yarn,” as Charlie calls it, with Charlie and Kathy.

Here are some more pictures of the plantation and such:

This place was built in late 1800’s after the original plantation burned down

the wooden building behind the house is now the kitchen, but used to be the post office

this is the outside of the old slave church

A great missionary Jack Dyer speaking

You guessed it: Jim Hogg and the boys

The Old Barn and Gazebo on the Mighty Mississippi

The Tuuuuug Boat, soon we’ll be making another run.

Jill and I missed the old paddle wheeler, so this was all I could show you.

Michael the Eyewitness in St. Franny

Last night, the wife and I rolled over to St. Frannyville to watch brother Mike McCain present his drama in Parker Park. He was awesome and the drama was anointed as usual. Thanks Brother Mike, you are the man.

First Class All the Way

Yesterday the church staff spent the morning tightening up for Easter. I had the privilege of working with Craig Boutte and Doug Musso. We had the task of helping everyone breathe a little easier (cleaning the AC vents) and cleaning the HPC limo cart. Here are a few pics of us with that cart. We had a blast and it was all to maintain that Five Star atmosphere of excellence we strive to provide everyone that attends HPC. It really was awesome to see everyone working so hard. At HPC, we believe in doing everything for the one. If one person has a little bit better of an experience and one less distraction and because of that they are able to come to a saving relationship with God, then it is well worth every drop of sweat. So Happy Easter to everyone and I hope God draws each of us a little bit closer to Him this weekend.

To The Victor Go The Spoils

Today JP sealed his victory in HPC's Biggest Loser. He lost a total of 37.2 lbs. equalling a 14.1 percent loss. So in celebration we went to DeAngelo's and JP was finally able to get some dessert. Good Job Japers! You are the man. For all the details, check out: The Champ