sTw's Blog

Posted by Sean Walker at 9:11 PM | Permalink | Comments

Hunt for Red July has ended and was a success. Posts will follow soon.

Posted by Sean Walker at 6:17 PM | Permalink | Comments

Ummm, 12 hours and counting until launch. I'm slightly excited.

(What is it about leaving town that is so stressful? You've got to take care of this, and get that ready. I'm stinking exhausted. And I remember on family vacations too, it was nuts at my house the 24 hours leading up to when we left.)

Posted by Sean Walker at 9:15 PM | Permalink | Comments

Song of the day.... :)

"A Sunday Kind of Love"

Posted by Sean Walker at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments

That's what I feel like God tells me after I speak. When I spoke a few Wednesdays ago and again this week God's said, "Alright, now LIVE IT!"

And not that I haven't been living it b/c I have, but it seems like it gets harder after I preach. I'm not complaining, just observing a pattern where I think God lets me be tested.

Posted by Sean Walker at 2:02 PM | Permalink | Comments

It happened again this morning. A blah morning, not feeling good, and then I bump into a few kids at the office that are running around, having a blast, and I hang with them for a second and what do you know, they changed my mood.

I guess I need to hurry up and have kids:)

Speaking of that, if you want what you think about marraige and kids to be rocked, check out this message. Click here to go view/listen to it. It's the sermon on 7-16-06. This sermon on marriage and kids called "Marriage By Design" will challenge you in a cool way. This is the 1st of 4 parts to this sermon series. I haven't listened to the 2nd one yet, and the 3rd and 4th will be up in 2 weeks.

Posted by Sean Walker at 8:30 AM | Permalink | Comments

I WISH I HAD MY CAMERA ON ME!!!!!

I was runnig with Justin and Jason this afternoon and there was one of the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen in Lafayette. I'd try to describe it but that would be impossible. AND!, on the other side of the sky was a rainbow. How cool!?

And so b/c I couldn't verbally describe the sunset and b/c I couldn't take a pic I thought I'd share this one that I found on the internet.

Posted by Sean Walker at 12:19 AM | Permalink | Comments

The launch sequence for Hunt for Red July has begun.

Launch is scheduled for Friday 7-28-06 at 5pm.

3 days and counting...

:)

Posted by Sean Walker at 4:09 PM | Permalink | Comments

What is it about the power of a child's smile?

I can be in the worst mood ever, I can be down, I can be exhuasted but have you ever felt like that and then made eye contact with a little kid in public or at church and they just smiled real big at you? Something about that is so powerful!

I'm not really sure if that makes sense or has ever happened to anyone else but it's happened to me more than once. It's so cool!

Posted by Sean Walker at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments

I got to speak this morning at my church. I think it went well. I pray that people were encouraged and motivated by it. Click here to listen.

Posted by Sean Walker at 9:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

About 6 weeks ago I went to play pick up soccer with a friend who's in high school. It was such a blast but there was a problem. I was NASTY out of shape, and these high school kids were wooping me. One of them asked me in between games, "So are you in college?" And I told him that I graduated from UL a year ago. And he responded, "So you used to play soccer?" And he had no tone to his question or anything negative. But a realization hit like a brick. OH CRAP! I've turned into one of those athletes (soccer, basketball, whatever) that USED TO be an athlete! And that day I said, OH HEK NO! I'm not gonna be one of those guys, b/c I remember those guys! Those are the guys who talk like they know the sport, but couldn't actually compete in it anymore if their lives depended on it! And I watched those guys when I was competing in high school try to feel like they still had it by talking it, while we were on the feild actually DOING it.

And I said to myself, NOPE! That isn't gonna be me. So!, pick up soccer happens once a week at best and I needed a venue to work my rear off and sweat a bunch. I'd been lifting weights with Jason at Reds but I needed some cardio that would work my rear off. And so I started running again. I used to run in college, never competitively, but just in a few races in Lafayette, 5 and 10ks. I trained in my neighborhood and I think at best I was running about 7 miles 3 or 4 times a week.

So I started running again about 5 weeks ago. IT'S BEEN AWESOME!!! After I finish a run, I feel like I've just conquered the world! It's such a great feeling. I've gotten my pace down to about 8mins 11secs per mile. And I'm running about 26 miles a week.

Well here's the point of this post. I found an online training log at nikerunning.com that keeps track of my times and distances and even keeps track of how many miles I put on my different shoes.

For instance. I got a new pair of Nike Free shoes 2 weeks ago and I know that I've got 53 miles on them already. Pretty sweet huh? Well nikerunning also has a like a myspace for runners and I joined it a couple of days ago.

These guys are NUTS! It's mostyl high school kids from all around the country who ru ncompetitivley, but I've been reading their posts and comments and these kids are freeking amazing! And some of them are hilarious. Here's what one girl put on her "about me" section of here site.


you know you're a runner when...
---You've been banned from every all-you-can-eat pasta restaurant in town.
---You refuse to buy certain running shorts because a 2 inch inseam seems too long.
---When you catch yourself double-knotting your laces at all times, even when you aren't going out running.
---You get the most excited over new running clothes on Christmas or your birthday
---When you're sick, you go running because you think running cures everything.
---Your walking along the road and see another runner, you feel like your part of a secret society like fight club.
---The rolling pin is no longer in a kitchen drawer but rather with your running stuff to help roll out sore muscles
---you have to make a serious effort to talk about something other than running with friends and family who dont run
---You can say Fartlek with a straight face
---you say things like "I only ran 10 miles today", or "I only ran once today"
---when you've flipped off a little kid because he said "run Forrest run"
---You cry EVERYTIME you watch Without Limits.
---all your friends feel like they need to do more running before they can go for a run with you.
---Your parents, friends, boyfriend/girlfriend hate you when you're injured
---You get overly excited about running in a new place
---dont think twice before using a port-a-pottie even when you are not at a race
---when your the only student allowed to drink water during classes
---when 2 miles is your warm up and cool down
---You know your a runner if in the first day of German class the only answer you know Munich
---you flex your calves when people ask to see your muscles
---you don't let people take sips of your water, or if your friend left a bottle on a table half empty you drink it
---you think people are crazy when they don't know who Steve Prefontaine is
---your running log is your diary
---your not afraid to change clothes in public
---you can make runner jokes with other runners, and only you two think its funny
---after you work out, run, lift, ect, you consider yourself done for the day
---you know your a runner when you take off a week or two in between seasons you think you are in horrible shape
---you consider being a teacher when your older just so you can coach
---when your room and your car smell like icy hot, and all your friends hate it, but your so used to it you dont even smell it
---when you can read Runners World for hours, and then when it comes time to read a story for English you claim you hate reading.
---when the government issued a state of emergency because the weathers so bad and your out doing a tempo
---your seasons aren't summer, fall,winter, spring they are preseason, crosscountry, indoor, outdoor
---when you go sledding on the same hill you do repeats on

Crazy huh? They live in a TOTALLY different world. We'll see how far over I convert:)

So if anyone in the Lafayette area wants to go run, give me a holler and we'll go. I've gotten a few freinds already so let me know if you want to. Don't worry if you're a new runner and all that junk b/c you'll always have people that are faster and slower than you.

Running is like an all-cure. I can be having a bad day, but if I ran that day, the day was a success. It's weird.


So, the next time I go to play pick up soccer, WATCH OUT! :)

Posted by Sean Walker at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments

My dad asked me to speak this Sunday. And the week leading up to when I speak, the drama and temptation seems to get poured on me. Pray that God would protect and strengthen me please. I need the help.

Posted by Sean Walker at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments

Here's another cool quote I heard today. I was watching a Discovery Channel Documentary about the New Orleans rebuilding efforts. They were interviewing a native N.O. man who fished there his whole life to make a living. He owned 12 boats and every single one of them had been beached onto land and damaged b/c of the flodding. He said he hadn't worked in 3 months b/c he had no boats. Here's the quote he said.

"If you're going through hell, keep going."

He siad he thought it was a Winston Churchill quote.

Posted by Sean Walker at 12:41 AM | Permalink | Comments

Isn't it amazing what good music does to you?! It just gets you SO fired up and ready to take on anything. Here's some more of the bands I've been loving recently...












Maroon 5 - Love 'em! Their music is in it's own style category. I've never heard anyone like them. It absolutely rocks! And I got to watch their live DVD called Friday The 13th. WOW! There are bands out there that are what is called studio bands. Meaning they only sound good when a recording studio makes them good. And it's mainly determined by the lead singers true voice. i.e., switchfoot. They're a studio band. Their lead singer sounds great on the album but horrible live. And they're one of my favorite bands. So I'm not degrading studio bands, I'm more giving props to live bands like Maroon 5 that sound JUST AS GOOD live as they do on the album.














The Fray - This is a new band that I don't know a lot about and only have a couple of their songs. "Over My Head" is my favorite. It's been on repeat for i think 6 days straight. I actually didn't like the song at first but it grew on me and now I'm in love with it. It's one of those secular songs that you know the writer isn't talking about anything sprirtual but I sing it as a worship song. One of the lines is, "Everyone knows I'm in over my head" For me I just shout that to God b/c if my life is a success it isn't b/c I did anything right. It's b/c my Heavenly Father is CLUTCH and rescued me and came through and I want people to know that. Know that I AM! in over my head and without Him I'm HOPELESS!














Lupe Fiasco "Kick Push" - You just have to go listen to it! It's some of the coolest Hip Hop I've heard.













Sanctus Real "I'm Not Alright" - This song is amazing. It's the story of my life! Here's the lyrics. Check these out...

if weakness is a wound that no one wants to speak of
then cool is just how far we have to fall
i am not immune-i only wanna be loved
but i feel safe behind the firewall
can i lose my need to impress?
if you want the truth, i need to confess

i'm not alright- i'm broken inside, broken inside
and all i go thru-it leads me to you, it leads me to you

burn away the pride, bring me to my weakness
'til everything i hide behind is gone
and when i'm open wide with nothing left to cling to
only you are there to lead me on
'cuz honestly, i'm not that strong

i'm not alright- I'm broken inside, broken inside
and all i go thru-it leads me to you, it leads me to you

(and now i'm moved, and now i'm moved, and now i'm moved)closer to you
(and now i'm moved, and now i'm moved, and now i'm moved)closer to you
(and now i'm moved, and now i'm moved, and now i'm moved)closer to you
(and now i'm moved, and now i'm moved, and now i'm moved)

i'm not alright-i'm broken inside, broken inside
i'm broken inside, broken inside
and all i go thru leads me to you, leads me to you

i'm not alright-i'm not alright-i'm not alright
thats why i need you

This is SUCH A GOOD SONG! It's another one that I just SCREAM out when I've got it cranked in my car. Here's the cool thing about what this song says. There is such freedom whenever someone says, "Hey, I know the cool thing is to act like I have everything together, but I don't. I'm hurting and struggling." There's such freedom when we can admit that and just be real about life and how it's tough and all that stuff. SUCH FREEDOM!

Anyway... That's what I've been listening to recently. And I thank God every day for the gift of music and how powerful it is!

Posted by Sean Walker at 7:50 PM | Permalink | Comments

Here's a pic of me during MarketPlace at our church a couple of weeks ago. This pic is pretty descriptive of everything in my life, my camera and my phone. The only thing missing in the pic is me eating food.

Posted by Sean Walker at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments

Switchfoot's "Home" on their "Legend Of Chin" album.
Bold and italicized (sp?) text are my favorite lines.


It's a long way from Miami to LA
It's a longer way from yesterday
To where I am today

It's a long way from my thoughts
To what I'll say
It's a long, long way from paradise
To where I am today

All that's in my head
Is in Your hands

It's a long way from
The moon up to the sun
It's a longer ahead of me
The road that I've begun

Stop to think of all the
Time I've lost
Start to think of all the
Bridges that I've burned
That must be crossed

Over, over, over
Take me over

I've been poison
I've been rain
I've been fooled again

I've seen ashes
Shine like chrome
Someday I'll see home

Home, home

I can see the stars
From way down here
But I can't fall asleep
Behind the wheel

It's a long way from the
Shadows in my cave
Up to Your reality to
Watch the sunlight taking over

Posted by Sean Walker at 9:05 AM | Permalink | Comments

What do you do when you're tired of being strong?

Posted by Sean Walker at 6:18 PM | Permalink | Comments

And now tacos get's added to that list!

Watch out Emiral!!!! (sp?)

Posted by Sean Walker at 9:02 PM | Permalink | Comments

The power of the word "no."

This word can be the toughest and the most freeing word in the world.

How willing are you to tell someone "no" despite what it means?

No to what you know is wrong, even if some good can come from it. No to something that you love and want but will end up hurting you. No to a ministry opportunity that you could help out, but it would be just too much on your plate. No to a temptation that's eating your lunch. No to a friend who's trying to take advantage of you. No to a friend who needs to be shown tough love. No to a family member. No to a boss.

Obviously there are situations when we need to say yes and I hope we have clarity of when we need to, but i find that from myself and from others, that we too often say "yes" when we should say "no" for whatever reason; fear of conflict, being a doormat, fear of disagreeing with someone.

Know that you don't always have to say "yes." Make sure your motive for saying "no" is pure, but don't think you're a horrible person for saying no.

Posted by Sean Walker at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments