Biggest perk of all? Our air conditioning/heat has been off four three days and the temperature in our house has ranged from 70 to 74. Nice.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain made a campaign stop in Sarasota today.  Sarasota county is a huge republican stronghold in Florida and has not elected a democratic president since F.D.R in 1944.  This year, however, it is considered as being “up for grabs”.  There were about 3,000 people in Robarts Arena (which was awkwardly sectioned off due to a concert scheduled for tomorrow night). Kristin and I made it in and were able to stand about midway back on the main floor. Thousands who didn’t make it in had to listen to the speech outside through a loudspeaker.

McCain delivered the typical “stump speech”, but it was  definitely cool to catch a Presidential Candidate live.

NBC Article

Sarasota Herald-Tribune Article

Source

Go Put Your Strengths to Work by Marcus Buckingham

• I highly recommend this book.  It challenges the age-old idea that the way we will succeed in life is to thrust our energies into our weaknesses in order to improve them.  Buckingham’s research shows that in fact, people get better when they focus with a higher level of intensity on making their strengths stronger.  It’s a great read for anyone interested in maximizing their influence, productivity, and effectiveness.

Wide Awake by Erwin Raphael McManus

• Full disclosure: I am an Erwin junkie.  That said, this is a fantastic book.  It explores what it means to truly live out your dreams.  One of my favorite quotes from this book is, “There are things that you are not supposed to learn from experience because the experience will kill you.”

Community 101 by Gilbert Bilezikian

• I decided to do some reading on what Biblically functioning community should look like.  At the request of Dr. Waddell, I started with Community 101.  Wow.  Any Christian should have to read this book.  Community is central not only to relational growth, but also to Spiritual growth.  Bilezikian begins by exploring the Triune Godhead and then launches into a fantastic overview of what “the church” should look like.

Eternal Echoes by John O’Donohue

• This book is community from the perspective of a quaker.  O’Donohue uses multiple essays to explore our longing to belong.  Why were created with this longing?  What happens when it is not met?  When it is pursued?  When it is rejected?  When it is found?  It’s a fantastic reflection on human relationship and the need to belong to one another.

This past week was pastor appreciation.  It was my first as a pastor.  This morning I woke up, got dressed, and realized that this is the third Monday in a row that I have worn this shirt. Monday is my day off.

That’s right.  Today I was pulling into our condo complex I saw a small slithering object.  Most would not have even seen it, but since I am constantly on the look out for Jake I immediately noticed the movement.

I slammed on my brakes, hung up the phone (I was talking to my sister), and ran toward the snake.  There was no doubt that this was not Jake.  Because snakes hear the vibrations in the ground, he sped up immediately as I began toward him.  This snake was crazy fast.  I tried to maneuver in front of him to block him from jumping up on the curb and into the heavy bush.  I was unsuccessful.  However, I was able to snap this picture with my camera phone.  I know you can’t see him great.  He is pretty small, but fast mind you.  That is why I have named him Speedy.  Speedy the Snake.

For those of you who have been avid jordanrippy.com followers, you know that Kristin and I can’t seem to get away from reptiles and amphibians.  To get the proper back story I strongly recommend that you read the Frog Blog, Leapin’ Lizards, and Our Frog Has a Friend.  After a thorough review of those posts you will find that since Kristin and I have been married we have lived in a duplex, a house, and condo.  No mater what kind of dwelling we inhabit or where it is geographically located we seem to encounter frogs, lizards, and snakes.

Our last snake encounter was on May 29, 2007 (more on that here).  Kristin and I currently live in a gated condo communtiy.  I generally take advantage of our community pool daily.  On a recent trip to the pool I encountered a large black snake.  By encountered I mean that I saw about the last four inches of his tail slip into the bushes next to the walkway as I passed.  I was so excited.  I told Kristin about it for weeks.  Each time we would pas those bushes I would search for the snake, hoping that it had made it’s home there.

Several days later I was walking in a completely different part of our complex when I spotted the very same black snake coiled next to the walkway.  I slowly backed away (as I did not want to scare him off).  Once I felt I was a safe distance from the beast, I ran home as fast as I could.  I grabbed my camer and snapped several shots of the snake.  I was so excited that I had captured the snake in it’s natural habitat that I skipped the pool trip, hopped in my car and took the camera to Starbucks to show Kristin the pictures.

What should I name the snake?      

***UPDATE - On the very day that I posted this I saw the snake again.  I was at the pool and so was he! He was slithering down the handicapped ramp.  I hope it wasn’t a reflection of his health, but I digress.  In other news, the snake’s name is Jake.

Also check out my other videos on my Vimeo Channel.

Illegal U-Turn - $140.00

Taking time to snap a camera phone picture for your blog - priceless