What started out as a dreaded 17 days without Kristin, has amazingly turned around completely. As I watched her leave New Orleans I looked at the next 2 weeks with a sense of impending boredom and loneliness. Now 14 of those days have past I now say "she's coming back already?"
Don't get me wrong, I have missed Kristin like no other, but I can't believe the trip is almost over already.
It makes me understand, slightly, how much she is in the same mindset, that she can't believe it's time to come home already.
Of course I also had a mini vacation with my family in St. Simon's Island, Ga. This defiantly distracted me from her absence a little.
I got to hang with my family for a few days. One of the highlights of the trip was getting to play Thomas' new course, Brunswick Country Club (www.brunswickcountryclub.com). This course was designed by legendary Donald Ross, the Bob Ross of golf course design. The course is elegantly treacherous; it is wide open but deceiving when it comes to distance to the pin.
I can't wait to see my fiance again but I have an idea after the last 2 weeks as to how fast it can go by. I don't know if I am making known very clearly what my feelings are right now. What I am trying to say is that I now understand how short 2 weeks can be. I feel for her because she has to leave a place she has come to love after what is in reality a very short time. I now understand, albeit very small amount, how she is going to miss Swaziland.
I thank God for the work she has done over there and the work Swasziland has done on her.
Kristin, I can't wait to see you again!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Sunday June 29, 2008
Sleep in. I almost forgot how to do this. But then again when you have stayed up to 3:30 shooting the breeze for the last two nights, you aren’t actually getting any extra sleep.
This weekend is the Porsche Club of Amreica’s annual Porsche Parade. The event took place in Charlotte this year. Sunday was the actual car show, and competition. There were people in the competition that were there at 6:30am wheels off their cars, actually cleaning their brakes with Q-tips. That’s some pretty serious stuff. So we walked down to the show, there were probably close to 500 Porsches lining the streets of Uptown Charlotte. It was a beautiful sight.
Most of these rides were immaculate. The only model of Porsche I did not see represented was the Porsche tractor. So they did a pretty good job of representing the entire gambit of Porsche history.
We then went down to the Lake rode the Jet skis and boats around, lounged around for the rest of the day.
After this weekend I don’t really want to go back to work. I just want to do things like this for the rest of my life. Although I guess I have to pay for it somehow.
Saturday June 28, 2008
So you have a Ferrari for a day what do you do? Well you must show it off, so you visit friends and let them gawk at it. Then you slap a Ferrari smile on their face by taking them for a quick, and I do mean quick, ride around the block.
This was a weekend that Bryan had planned for us to do for the last few weeks. The only thing was that I was not allowed to know what we were doing. All he did was tell me what kind of clothes to bring. After the obligatory showing off of the ride Bryan and I head up to the mecca of speed in Charlotte, Lowes Motor Speedway. We then spent 3 hours or so racing karts on the infield karting track. For those of you who don’t know karting is not your average go-kart. These things require racing suits and helmets and are capable of speeds in excess of 100mph and can travel from 0-100-0mph in 6 seconds.
During one of the brakes from karting Bryan says “stay right there I have to go get something.” He comes back giving me a piece of paper and says “I need you to fill this out.” I look down and it is my liability waiver for the Richard Petty Driving Experience. So we spend the next couple of hours and do the Rookie class for the RPDE. At the end you get 8 laps (far too few) in the car on the track. According to the instructors the fastest that they will allow the students to go is a 43 sec lap. Remember the cup cars are qualifying in the high 20s. Of course that is what I scored, with a top speed of 141.05mph. There was so much more speed in that car. I wish that they would have allowed me to actually push it. The only downside to this adventure was that just as Bryan got strapped into the car it started to pour rain. He didn’t get to run. He wasn’t too disappointed though because he did get to drive a Ferrari away from the track.
I love how that rolls off of the tongue, why don’t you try it right now, just say it out loud, F-e-r-r-a-r-i.
The day concluded by checking out Dale Jr’s new bar in Charlotte, Whiskey River. It was ok, but we ended up at the ole faithful new bar, Ri Ra.
In the wise words of Ricky Bobby, “I wanna go fast.”
This was a weekend that Bryan had planned for us to do for the last few weeks. The only thing was that I was not allowed to know what we were doing. All he did was tell me what kind of clothes to bring. After the obligatory showing off of the ride Bryan and I head up to the mecca of speed in Charlotte, Lowes Motor Speedway. We then spent 3 hours or so racing karts on the infield karting track. For those of you who don’t know karting is not your average go-kart. These things require racing suits and helmets and are capable of speeds in excess of 100mph and can travel from 0-100-0mph in 6 seconds.
During one of the brakes from karting Bryan says “stay right there I have to go get something.” He comes back giving me a piece of paper and says “I need you to fill this out.” I look down and it is my liability waiver for the Richard Petty Driving Experience. So we spend the next couple of hours and do the Rookie class for the RPDE. At the end you get 8 laps (far too few) in the car on the track. According to the instructors the fastest that they will allow the students to go is a 43 sec lap. Remember the cup cars are qualifying in the high 20s. Of course that is what I scored, with a top speed of 141.05mph. There was so much more speed in that car. I wish that they would have allowed me to actually push it. The only downside to this adventure was that just as Bryan got strapped into the car it started to pour rain. He didn’t get to run. He wasn’t too disappointed though because he did get to drive a Ferrari away from the track.
I love how that rolls off of the tongue, why don’t you try it right now, just say it out loud, F-e-r-r-a-r-i.
The day concluded by checking out Dale Jr’s new bar in Charlotte, Whiskey River. It was ok, but we ended up at the ole faithful new bar, Ri Ra.
In the wise words of Ricky Bobby, “I wanna go fast.”
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Mark how was your day, Friday June 27?
I woke up early on Friday morning and started out with pancakes that my Dad had cooked. For those of you who don't know pancakes are a Brinson tradition. Every Saturday morning pancakes are had at my parents house, and my uncle's house, and until he died at my grandfather's house. Since my parents were leaving town on Friday afternoon I was given this treat a day early.
After this Dad and I went to the country club for a round of golf. This is always a great way to begin your day, especially when you get the first tee time. There was no one in front of us to slow us down. I won't talk about scores, I'll just tell you that the ole'man won. To me though it didn't matter too much because a day at the golf course is always better than a day at the office.
Later in the afternoon I met up with Tyson, at the Rock Hill airport and we took one of the planes up. No real reason for the flight other than to catch up with Tyson. Also the fact that I really haven't flown in the last 6 or 7 months.
After the flight I headed over to the Zeiss' house. I was sitting in the family room catching up when all the sudden I heard this glorious sound. It was as if heaven itself had just let 480 horses loose in the Zeiss' driveway. So of course I had to go out to investigate the source of this heavenly song. I opened up the door and there's Bryan (with a huge smile on his face) reeving th
e engine of an 05 Ferrari F430. Of course he says "so you want to go for a ride?" "Uhmm...Yes?" was the only answer I could come up with. As we were tearing down an empty street in a new neighborhood with no houses he stops the car. "Do you want to drive?" I think I was already out of the car by the time my answer was able to get out of my mouth. "Does a bear crap in the woods?"
e engine of an 05 Ferrari F430. Of course he says "so you want to go for a ride?" "Uhmm...Yes?" was the only answer I could come up with. As we were tearing down an empty street in a new neighborhood with no houses he stops the car. "Do you want to drive?" I think I was already out of the car by the time my answer was able to get out of my mouth. "Does a bear crap in the woods?"So Mark, how was your day? Well...it didn't suck.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Comfort Zones
If you want to grow you have to step out of your comfort zone.
All of the biggest breakthroughs in my life have occurred when I have totally stepped out of my zone, dating Kristin long distance, starting back to church, moving to Baton Rouge, and most recently going on an outreach at our church's Dream Center campus.
We loaded up on Saturday morning into the back of a pickup truck and headed into the ghetto of BR. I was terrified to be doing this, but decided to stick with it. I have never willingly done this in my life. I was not comfortable enough to be one of the people passing out drinks and care packets so all I did was pick up trash. It was honestly one of the most rewarding things I have done in a while. I am still not entirely comfortable with the idea but I will be doing it again.
All of the biggest breakthroughs in my life have occurred when I have totally stepped out of my zone, dating Kristin long distance, starting back to church, moving to Baton Rouge, and most recently going on an outreach at our church's Dream Center campus.
We loaded up on Saturday morning into the back of a pickup truck and headed into the ghetto of BR. I was terrified to be doing this, but decided to stick with it. I have never willingly done this in my life. I was not comfortable enough to be one of the people passing out drinks and care packets so all I did was pick up trash. It was honestly one of the most rewarding things I have done in a while. I am still not entirely comfortable with the idea but I will be doing it again.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
She Said Yes!
On Friday night April 25 at around 10:30pm I got on my knee and asked Kristin to marry me.
We were on our way home from our lifegroup meeting and I had Kristin stop at the Crosses. I knew she wouldn't really be expecting it, so I had to do it quickly. This is one of her favorite places so I knew it would be meaningful for her.
Please don't ask when its going to be and all that good stuff. We will be giving everybody more information as soon as we know it.
We were on our way home from our lifegroup meeting and I had Kristin stop at the Crosses. I knew she wouldn't really be expecting it, so I had to do it quickly. This is one of her favorite places so I knew it would be meaningful for her.
Please don't ask when its going to be and all that good stuff. We will be giving everybody more information as soon as we know it.
Friday, April 25, 2008
HPC Men’s Conference
2 days, 4 main speakers, 2 awesome panel guests, and 2 hosts, what an awesome weekend.
Dino Rizzo and Mike Haman just hosted the first HPC Men’s Conference. They lined up some truly great speakers, Coach Bill McCartney, Kevin Mawae, Joel A’bell, and Zhenya Kasevich. There were two breakout sessions, the one I attended was hosted by Dino and was a panel with Julio Malara and Le Domainge. These two men are both very successful businessmen who’s calling in life is to make money for God and to minister to the business world. One of the questions that was asked was “What do you tell people when you are at a conference and a young man asks you what is your secret?” Julio said without hesitation “I answer my personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” He said that the usual reply is something like, “that’s great but what’s your secret?” So he tells them again. I could sit and glean knowledge from these two men for days on end.
The speaker who touched me the most was Joel A’bell of Hillsong in Australia. He talked about the 5 weaknesses or traits rather that the Devil likes to attack men with. I have to say that I defiantly struggle with one or two of them. And about when we get idle we tend to lose focus on what is important. He really made me realize that the last 2 months I have been focusing too much energy on work and allowing it to define me. I have been so intent on it that I have stopped reading the books that better my life, and stopped really studying the Bible. I had based too much of my happiness on what was happening at work and not on what was good in my life.
I have resolved to change those areas and have felt so much better over the last week. I am taking the problems at work in stride, and focusing on my relationship with God and Kristin. In just one week I have felt a change, I am sleeping better and more restfully, I have much more energy and I see God working in my life again.
What a great weekend.
Dino Rizzo and Mike Haman just hosted the first HPC Men’s Conference. They lined up some truly great speakers, Coach Bill McCartney, Kevin Mawae, Joel A’bell, and Zhenya Kasevich. There were two breakout sessions, the one I attended was hosted by Dino and was a panel with Julio Malara and Le Domainge. These two men are both very successful businessmen who’s calling in life is to make money for God and to minister to the business world. One of the questions that was asked was “What do you tell people when you are at a conference and a young man asks you what is your secret?” Julio said without hesitation “I answer my personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” He said that the usual reply is something like, “that’s great but what’s your secret?” So he tells them again. I could sit and glean knowledge from these two men for days on end.
The speaker who touched me the most was Joel A’bell of Hillsong in Australia. He talked about the 5 weaknesses or traits rather that the Devil likes to attack men with. I have to say that I defiantly struggle with one or two of them. And about when we get idle we tend to lose focus on what is important. He really made me realize that the last 2 months I have been focusing too much energy on work and allowing it to define me. I have been so intent on it that I have stopped reading the books that better my life, and stopped really studying the Bible. I had based too much of my happiness on what was happening at work and not on what was good in my life.
I have resolved to change those areas and have felt so much better over the last week. I am taking the problems at work in stride, and focusing on my relationship with God and Kristin. In just one week I have felt a change, I am sleeping better and more restfully, I have much more energy and I see God working in my life again.
What a great weekend.
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