dedication!

For those of you who have been watching the '08 Olympics, you might have seen the finals of the men's 400m. 

If you did see that race, then you were probably shocked when LaShawn Merritt (USA) beat the favored Jeremy Wariner (USA) by a good margin.

You might have been even been more surprised that USA took 1, 2, AND 3 in that same event!

But what shocked me more than anything is when David Neville leaped towards the finish line and face planted on the hard track floor for bronze!

When I saw that I didn't even care who won gold or silver. I just couldn't believe that Neville risked seriously injuring himself (and did) for a bronze olympic metal. 

There are a few things I find fascinating about this...  One, Neville was in an outside lane and could clearly see that Merritt was way in front followed by Wariner. So he knew he wasn't diving for gold.

Which leads into my next point...   Neville had a great attitude not to feel inferior since he wasn't in first or second and risk looking stupid diving for a chance at bronze.

Third, not only was Neville flying through the air for himself, he was also doing it so that USA could go 1, 2, 3 in the 400m and completely dominate!

This probably seems insignificant to most of you. I can tell it does to the rest of the world because it took my forever to even find ONE pic of Neville diving for third. -Which I was determined to do!   :)

I guess it just means a lot to me that one man changed history by being willing to risk it all to be in last place (as far as medals are concerned). 

I want to apply this kind of mindset in my life...      Be willing to go all out so that God will get the credit and not me.

 The world will not remember that Neville got bronze, but it will remember that USA went 1, 2, AND 3 in the '08 Beijing Olympics!

15 days later

Wow! That's kina funny...   my last post I was a little upset because I hadn't blogged in a while. And It's been 15 days since my last one! I suppose I still need to work on my discipline for my blogging. Anyway...

So fifteen days is WAY to much to recap in a blog, so I'll just hit the two biggest areas. 

ONE, August 11-13 Jordan and I went to Jacksonville, FL to tryout for American Idol (we have pics, but they're on Jordan's mac right now). No, we did not make it through. Thanks to some friends of ours who've been to the tryouts before, we new what to expect. It's much different then you see on the actual show. And just our luck...  the one time we go to tryout, A.I. hits a show record in attendance for one location...  11,000!

There's lots of stories and details, but I'll just quickly say that you DON'T tryout for the famous three until you go through two separate tryouts of producers. So the 100 or so who made it through in Jacksonville will have to come to a separate tryout a month later. Still, in front of producers, not Randy, Paula, and Simon. THEN if you make it through the second tryout, you 

will come back for the third and final tryout with Randy, Paula, and Simon. So the three judges will only see around 160 people from ALL the city tryouts. The producers pick those 160 out of the thousands of people who came to the city tryouts.

The sad part is the really bad people that tryout in front of Randy, Paula, and Simon made it through TWO other massive auditions. 

Anyway, we still had a great time, even though we didn't make it. But with a crowd that large, we new our chances were slim.

TWO, the '08 Olympics are underway! Go USA! As I type this blog in bed, Jordan and I just finished watching Walsh and May squash the chinese in women's beach volley ball to win the gold! I just found out that they were undefeated in the last olympics AND this one. They are now the world's ONLY team to do that. Wow!

What's been amazing to me is the young age of the olympic competitors. I think we often underestimate our young people and what they can accomplish. It also makes me feel a little worthless when I see someone seven years younger than me win gold in the OLYMPICS!!! Wow, I can't imagine being 16 years old and wearing an olympic gold medal around your neck. What more do you need to accomplish!?! Anyway, I'm astonished by all our USA olympic athletes. Yes, even badminton. 

Anyway, both the American Idol tryouts and watching the '08 Olympics can make you feel a little insignificant. 

But what makes me feel like I'm on top of the world is that I have a relationship with the God who created the universe! Now that deserves a "WOW!" Thank you Lord!     I know the race I'm in has greater rewards!   ...not that I wouldn't enjoy a gold medal.  :)

busy

Alright...    so I'm a little disappointed I haven't blogged in a while. I guess a little is due to the fact that I always put a lot into the pictures. I think it makes the reading more interesting. But most of it is to the fact that I am so busy!

Right now...  I am working full-time at starbucks and part-time with our business Landon Jacob Productions (Jordan does it full-time). I am also heavily involved in a new church plant here in Bluffton. I will blog more about that later. So on top of being married for a little over a year, having two dogs, one car, no family near by, trying to make new friends while keeping old ones, and most importantly...   working on my relationship with God...    you can say things can a little hectic!   :)    But really...    who's life isn't hectic?   ...  It's just the way this part of the world runs.

As I write this "busy" blog, I think about the couple of days I stayed out in the bush in Nigeria with the Fulani. If you want a simple life...   that's it! It was so incredible peaceful. But what's amazing is that even though there's no running water, bland meals, no media screaming at you, and sleeping on the ground...    you still have this sense of peace that is incredible hard to find in America. 

But I guess the question is would I give up this busy life for a peaceful one with the Fulani? Probably not. Because I've been wired and trained to coupe with this busy life. I guess a good point is that I can love life here, and love life with the Fulani. But I think a Fulani would love his life, and hate the busy one I live.

Anyway, that was a quick bunny trail, but it's getting late here and I must be off to bed with my wife and two dogs! And no, they DO NOT sleep on the bed. Even the little one!    :)

Skimboarding

Skimboarding (or skimming) is a boardsport which involves riding a board on an ongoing wave.- wikipedia

So skimboarding...

Well it all started back in the summer of probably '02 or '03. My band "Prophet Eternal" spent one week of 'chill-time' in Daytona, FL. 

It was the first time in my life I had one week of 

the beach all to myself. And my goal that week was to teach myself how to skimboard. 

Of course, now that 

I think about it, that's kind of embarrassing that it took me a week of nonstop everyday practice to learn how to "sand slide" (different from skimboarding) and my wife can now skimboard from just a few lessons from me!    Or maybe I'm just that good of a teacher!...    :)    

And I know you must be thinking, "Wow, he's been doing that for like five years! He must be awesome!" 

Well let me be the first to tell you...  I'M NOT!!!  

Remember, I've just been living down by the coast for a few months. Previously, I've only

 been able to practice like once week a year on vacation. So I've still got a lot to learn.

Alright...    this is starting to sound like rambling, and I want people to ENJOY reading the blog, not sorting through pointless info.   :)

So here are some pics of our latest outing to the beach here in Hilton Head, SC. I just got a bigger board. 

Which is great for a couple of reasons...  

1. It supports my weight much better    

2. I don't feel stupid carrying a small board

 around the local skimboards (yes, this one a kinda childish)    ;)     3. Jordan now has my old, smaller board and we can skimboard together!   She actually impresses me 

very much!

So I've ran into a few local skimboarders. 

If they are around, I'll try and catch up with them and learn a little bit. They are a great bunch 

of guys and normally go out during hide tide to skim everyday. I'll try to get some pictures of them if I can...   they will impress you!  

Anyway, if you enjoy skimboarding or have any cool pics of yourself skimboard...   leave a comment and let's see 'em!!!!!

Enjoy the pics!

Skim on brother!  Skim on...       (and yes, I'm talking to you Logan!)

This last picture was actually a wipe out. I had sea water in my eyes and I wasn't expecting the wave to come so soon.

Landon Jacob Productions

As many of you might know...  Jordan and I have our own photography business! And it's probably one of the best endeavors we've ever taken.  Before I briefly blog about it, I have to say that even though it's called "Landon Jacob Productions", my wife Jordan is the brains, heart, and soul of the business.

And no...    I was not being greedy when I suggested the name. When I was a little boy making home videos at my grandparents house I came up with the name. And I've stuck with it ever since. And Jordan liked the name anyway. So it was mutual.  :)

So now  that that's over...

When God called us to plant a church here in S.C. we had no idea that He was going to bless our photography business here also. It's been an amazing thing to watch and be apart of. God comes through in unbelievable ways all the time through our business. There are some neat stories, but I'll just share them in person.   :) 

The best bonus is that we get to do it together. We've always

 had a passion to work together, and it's been a great experience!

Another great bonus is getting to meet all the wonderful people that we photograph. It's exciting seeing the relationships you can build in just one day!

Anyway...  I could ramble on about the business, but I'll just end with this...    If you're at the point in your life where you're looking for a life profession, or at the point where your looking for a DIFFERENT life profession...   I would recommend finding something you love. If you love what you're doing, and would do it rather or not you got paid...    you will be extremely successful at your occupation and love it the whole time. And remember...  success is not always measured by wealth. 

Hoops

Alright...   

so I only have about 10 mins before my laptop battery goes out, but I just want so quickly say that I am extremely blessed to have a family like God gave me. 

My dad (who is a pastor in TN) brought his youth pastor( go bro. mike!) and the youth group down to Bluffton to do some work and have a little fun at the beach. 

I had a great time serving the Lord and having a blast with them...

Although none of the pictures you see here are of the youth retreat (I plan to get some) these are just a couple of pics of my dad, brother, and I playing a little hoops.

     

I think my brother beat me and my dad, but don't tell him!  :)

I really enjoy my dad and my brother. We can have lots of fun together doing guy stuff...

Anyway, more on my family later, the laptop batt is about to go any sec....    

July 4th 2008

I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day! You know...    holidays like this one don't make it easy being away from family. It makes you miss all the cookouts, smelling like sulfur all night long, and almost blowing up your brother with cheap fireworks...     or at least shooting them at the neighbors pets!  :)

Jordan and I decided that we were going to hang out with the college interns! They were lots of fun...   what would you expect?

They were playing a little volley ball (which I DID show them my mad skills!) and also had a watermelon eating contest...   be glad I spared you the pictures.    :)

We were on the beach while they were shooting off fireworks. We could see about 3-4 different shows. They only bad part is that we were a few miles away from all of them. But at least some vacationers people blew a ton of money on "over the counter" fireworks!   :)    Better than nothing!

I will have to say...    aside from all the grilled beef and sparklers...    that I am very proud of all our men and women in the military. Which without them...     Independence Day would mean nothing.