The Clay Clip Joint

Was giving my dog Saturn, a Jack Russell terrier, a haircut yesterday. I hate to pay someone forty bucks to clip him, so I bought some clippers at Costco thirteen years ago so I could do it myself. Up until now I figured that I have saved a lot of money. Yesterday I was trimming his face with the scissors when he suddenly turned his head - the scissors cut right into my left hand thumb (which I was using to hold him still). After bleeding for a few hours, I went to an instant care and got four stitches! Ouch! Not a grat way to start the fourth. Although yesterday was a pretty expensive clip, I figure that I'm still way ahead.

Got a question. Gas grill or the old fashion charcoal kind? Can you tell a difference in the taste? My wife says "no, you can't tell the difference," to which I say, "Bull butter! You can tell the difference!" I'm just too lazy to light the coals, wait for them to turn white hot and grill. (Not to mention the clean up.) I must confess, I prefer charcoal. Any comments?

Have a great fourth of July. And thank God for the freedoms we enjoy!

Superman Returns

Just saw "Superman Returns". Wow! I was blown away by the spiritual messages all throughout the movie. Rebirth, redemption, the world needing a savior, sacrifice, resurrection, - are just the ones that I can think of right now. Again, Hollywood has given us a great parable of the Christian message.
I would highly recommend this movie! Take a friend. Go out for coffee and discuss some of the themes. If you are preacher - go see the movie; jot down the themes; go to Google images and type in "superman returns"; find the pictures that fit the themes you are preaching on - and see the young people get excited about the revelance of the gospel!
Two thumbs up!

Earl Is Coming

I've heard the rumors for weeks and now it is official - Earl Scruggs is coming to Salt Lake City, Thursday night, July 27! Oh, baby! Here's the best part - it's free!! He is a part of the twighlight concert series at the Galavin Center in downtown Salt Lake. Show stars at 7 p.m., I'll be there at 7 a.m. to stake out my place.
Scruggs developed the three finger style of playing the five string banjo. In fact, today it is refered to as "Scruggs style" picking. He is best known for the "Beverly Hillibillies" theme and "Foggy Mountian Breakdown" (theme of "Bonnie & Clyde" movie). For years he was part of one of the most famous teams in bluegrass history - Flatt & Scruggs.
He is now about 82 years old and can still pick the fire out of that thing. He is the best banjo player that has ever lived. He is the "master". He is the standard by which every banjo player judges themselves.
If you live anywhere near Salt Lake, be there on July 27th. It will be a night to remember. If you hear a wild man down on the front row, it'll be me.

Jazzed about the NBA draft!

I was really surprised that Ronnie Brewer, a shooting guard from the University of Arkansas, was still available as the 14th pick in last night's NBA draft. He was said to be going as high as 7th. Being a Razorback fan, I'm really Jazzed about getting Brewer. He will really add some much needed athleticism for the Jazz.

Still enjoying "Pour Your Heart Into It" by Howard Schultz. The book is the story of Starbucks. I'm not a coffee drinker but this is a great story.

One of my favorite movies just came out on DVD. "End of the Spear" is a powerful and moving true story of the first missionaries making contact with the natives of Ecuador in the 1950's. You will be inspried when, at the end of the movie, they show the real people depicted in the movie. Rent this movie!!! True stories are still more powerful than anything Hollywood can think up.

Just watched "Mormons and Mobsters". While stll doing a little preaching, the movie is pretty funny. If you are not acquainted with LDS culture, youwill not get a lot of the humor. If you are, you should enjoy the DVD.

We're gearing up for our Vacation Bible School. Our theme is "The Amazing Race" -based on the movie "Cars". We never do the pre-canned VBS kits. We go for writing our own stuff.

Pour Your Heart Into It

Got"mapped" for my radiation treatmens this past week. Had to wear this mesh mask for about 40 minutes as they did a CT scan of the cancerous skin. With my ear taped forward, the mask got tighter and tighter. I'd rather have all my teeth pulled. Oh, well. I start the treatments next Tuesday. I'll go every day for 4 weeks.
Tommorow the sermon is "A Sheep Looks at the 23rd Psalm". This was my "tryout" sermon at Southside in the fall of '92. Several who have not heart it asked me preach it again. So, the pressure is on!
Been reading an awesome book on business called "Pour Your Heart Into It" by Howard Schultz. I try to read a book on leadership/"business"/a growing church's story - about once a month or so. One of my all time favorites is "The E-Myth". Best book on "church" I've every read. (Just subsitute the word church for business and the concepts translate really well).
The book covers the story of how Starbucks got started. Here are some major points from the Prologue: "Care more than others think wise; Risk more than others think safe; Dream more than others think practical; Expect more than others think possible."
I'll tell you more about it later. I've been captivated by the vision of Schultz. Wow! Do yourself a big favor. Get the book and start reading.

A new post!

Can't believe I haven't blogged in a looooooong time. Let me catch you up - Saw "Cars" and thought it was awesome! Love "Mater". Actually, he reminds me of some of my kin folk back in Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama. Great anamation.
Went to see "Lake House" with my oldest daughter yesterday. It's okay. For the same kind of plot (writing to someone in a different time period), check out "Love Letters" on DVD. Much better movie! Love Letters is my all time favorite Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. (A GREAT date movie, even if you're staying in!)
Right now, I'm reading "The Postcard" by Beverly Lewis. Good book. My wife has read all the Beverly Lewis books on the Amish, so I'm reading them as well. I'm also reading "The Rule of Four". I was told it was the thinking man's DaVinci Code. Not yet. The pace is slow. If it doesn't pick up soon, I'm not picking it up again!
Got a sermon for you to check out! Last year at the Tulsa Workshop 2005, Leonard Sweet did a session "Seeing with 20/20 Vision". Fantastic! Just call the Garnett Church of Christ in Tulsa, OK and ask them to send you the sermon. Only $5.00. You'll be glad you did!
Hope you had a great Father's Day yesterday. The Salt Lake Trib ran my article on "Daddy, I Love you" in Saturday's Faith Section. A copy of the article will be on our church's web site (www.southsidechurchutah.org) this afternoon.
Has anyone seen "Praire Home Companion" movie? I'm waiting for a review before I go see it!

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Reading a good book right now - "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo (who also wrote "Winn Dixie"). I really enjoy reading children's books. I love the simplicity. I love the imgination of the writers - I guess children are more open to wonderful and fanciful tales. I love the themes - friendship, love, dreams, etc. I love Charlotte's Web, Harry Potter series, Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo, Eragon, Where the Red Fern Grows, - to name just a few.Anyway, do you have a favorite children's book?

latest skin cancer news

Whenever a child comes up to me at church and says, "give me some skin" (gimme five) - I tell them I don't have any to spare!

Well, for you that know me know that I am a skin cancer making machine. So far, I've had four skin grafts (one is nine square inches!). Went yesterday to have a small spot taken off. Dr. Glen Bowen, a micro mose surgeon at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, found two more spots. One is quite a large spot - running down the back of my ear, on my ear, and goes around the orginal graft and into my hair line. Because the patch is so large, he didn't want to cut it out until I see a radiologists and see if we can treat it with radiation. (Those treatments would be every day for five weeks!) I would just as soon cut the stuff out and get on with it. I'll keep you posted.

Lifeboat 14

Didn't do the "Da Vinci Code" sermon on Sunday. Just didn't "feel it." Instead, preached a sermon on symbols - talked about common things that remind us of uncommon relationship we have with God. (Everyday things that remind us of eternal things).
We talked about the cross, the "fish", then - moved in lesser known symbols like a fishhook (for being 'fishers of men"), lighthouse (we can be a lighthouse or a clubhouse), a link in a chain (we could be someones only link to God!), a towel (to symbolize what Jesus did in John 13; we should all be servants!). These were all symbols that I had preached on the past several years.
Yesterday, we added one - lifeboat 14! You see, out of all the lifeboats launched from the sinking Titanic, only one came back to look for survivors in the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean! We, as the disciples of Christ, should be the ones to come back and look for spiritual survivors in a cold world of sin and darkness.
I showed a clip of the movie Titanic where lifeboat 14, captained by Harold Lowe, came back to rescue those still alive.
We added a powerful symbol of what I desire our church to be - lifeboat 14 to the people of Salt Lake City!
My wife just finished designing a new website for our church! Go and check it out at www.southsidechurchutah.org My wife will design a site for you church, too! She wants to help smaller churches who can't affort a great looking website. Just email me at randy.clay@gmail.com for more information.

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend. Should be a great time to get out and enjoy great weather. For us who live in Utah - maybe not. Saturday's high? 52 with snow in the upper elavations! (Above 8,000 feet). As you enjoy your day of boating or whatknot, think about us freezing!
Hope you have a safe holiday weekend.
For us preachers, we stay in the saddle and hold down the fort. I knew that going into preaching, but sometimes I just get the urge to take my family out for a four day weekend to get away. I hope we can sneak in some movies - "RV", "Over the Hedge" "Akeela and the Bee" and "MI 3" are all strong possibilities. We'll see how the weekend pans out.
On the good side of things, we have several offers on our building! One is a cash offer! Hopefully, we can get a deal done in June and get on with our new building. An exciting time to be sure!
Almost finished with "Ender's Game". Good book. I need someone to recommend a great book to read! It's been a while since I read a book that I couldn't put down.
By the way, Monday marks my 13th anniversary being at Southside! Feels great to be begining our 14 year with this spiritual family. Wonder what God has in store?
Have a great weekend!

Season Finales

WOW! Last night was a great night of fantasitc finishes. I wasn't disappointed with the ending of American Idol with Taylor "Soul Patrol" Hicks winning. 63 million votes! And what an ending to the Maverics & Suns game in the western conference finals! Holy moly! The best part of the evening - the season finale of LOST. HOLY COW! It was a great ending to my favorite show. Typical of LOST - a major question was answered (why the plane crashed) with many more questions being raised - will Michael come back? What has happened to Mr Echo and Locke? Will Sayid resuce Jack, Kate, and Sawyer? Will Desmond's girlfriend now find the island? Oh, now we've got to wait a whole summer. And to me - that's what a sesonal finale should do - make you anticipate next season.
Reminds me of one of the greatest season finales of all time - "Dallas" in the summer of 1980. Remember when "Who Shot J.R.?" was the talk of the nation? One of the best season finales of all time.
Any thoughts on LOST?

American Idol, LOST,

Tonight American Idol comes down to two people - Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee. Who is your favorite? Who do you think will win? I'm pulling for Hicks myself. I would go see him in concert. He is a great entertainer! I like McPhee, too. I'm looking forward to a great show tonight.
Looking forward to the LOST seanson finale. One of the best written shows on TV. The detail they put into it every week is just amazing for a weekly TV show. Any theories on Lost?
What do you think will happen?
Can't believe that 7th Heaven has been renewed! It was the shortest cancelation is TV history! My daughter keeps hoping that "Reba" gets renewed for it's sixth season. We keep seeing were is has been picked up - then we see other sites that say it's been canceled. Anyone know what is going on with "Reba"?
What is your favorite TV show? What is the best season finale of all time?

Honoring Seniors, Da Vinci Code, Prayer Summit

Yesterday was our day to honor our graduating seniors from high school. This year we have 7 who have reached this important milestone in their lives. Shane Helm read from Dr. Suess' book, (a good source of some great theology!) "Oh, The Places You'll Go". Cody, our youth minister, gave a heartful plea for them to love God and to love their neighbors. Our elders then prayed over the seniors for a "shepherd's blessing". Then, on Sunday evening, we had a banquet to honor them. Each parent gave a blessing to their guaduate. A lot of laughter and tears filled the room last night.
Saw the "Da Vinci Code" last night at 10:30 pm! I thought it was very well done - a good movie. Not great, but good. Thought they followed the book fairly well. It was cool to see all the places mentioned in the book. I was disappointed with Tom Hank's performance. Thought he was sleeping walking through the whole movie. I give it one thumb up! I would encourage anyone to go see it so you can join in the conversation at work or school. Buy a copy of the book and just carry it around. You'll get in some great conversations about Jesus! People will ask YOU what you think! What a great way to witness!!
This coming Sunday I'm doing my "Da Vinci" sermon entitled, "Is Da Vinci Da Vine?" The movie does raise a lot of questions concerning Jesus and the formulation of the Bible. Sunday we will answer a lot of those questions!
Oh, by the way, the prayer summit I was so looking forward to? Can't go. One of our young men, raised here at Southside, is getting married on Wednesday night. Since joining the Marines a few months ago, he hasn't had the opportunity to be involved in any pre-martial counseling. We are doing that Monday and Tuesday mornings. I strongly believe in planning the marriage MORE than planning the wedding! Such is the life of a pastor.

Prayer Summit

Remember Simon and Garfunkel singing about the "Sounds of Silence"? Well, this week I decided to practice that a little - didn't listen to music or sports talk radio while in the car. Just silence. It was great! Really enjoyed the quiet. I'm going to do this more often.
Next week I'm going to our second annual pastor's prayer summit in Park City, Utah. Three days of prayer! We're sleeping in a church up there to keep us "simple" and focused. (Personally, I'm bringing an air matress!).
Most of the men in our prayer accountability group will be there along with some other pastors from around the state of Utah (with perhaps some straglers from Wyoming and Idaho allowed in).
I'm really looking forward to it.
Let me know what you think if you happen to see "The Da Vinci Code" this weekend. I'm anxious to hear reviews!

Just read the most dangerous book I've read in a long time. It's called "Getting Things Done" by David Allen. The sub title is : "The Art of Stress-Free Productivity". Man, two things I want to be: stress free and productive! So, I checked the book out at the library and read it. Enjoyed the first half. Lots of great ideas. It's the second half that got me. He said, "now, we've read the concepts, it's time to put them to work. Block out two whole days back to back." I thought - holy cow! Well, I did it! Took everything out of every drawer and cabnet and refiled everything with Allen's system. For the first time, I can tell you where everything is in less than one minute! I've never been this organized. Kinda scary. I really like his three "D's" - Do it -- if an action will take less than two minutes, it should be done at the moment it is defined; Delegate it - if the action will take longer than two minutes; Defer it -- if the action will take longer than two mintues and you are the right person to do it, you defer it acting on it later and track it on one or more "Next Actions" lists.No "to do" list anymore! You have "next action" lists - calls, "at computer"; at computer - on line; errands, office actions (things that can only be done at home), agendas, reading, etc. No more A,B, C, etc -- you do things when you are in the correct enviorment. Oh, well - read the book!

The Clay motto came in handy today!

The Clay family motto - when my girls start a project and are having a hard time, I always remind them "Clay's never give up!" - they roll their eyes, "yeah, yeah" - and then they finish! Went back up the roof today and got-her-done!! YES! The swamp swampeth, drip free!
It felt great to call the repair man and said, "I don't need you after all. I got it going." And, yes, I told my kids - "See, Clay's never give up - but this was really close!"
What is your family motto?

Getting the Swamp to Swamp

Been spending a lot of time on my roof the last few days. Trying to cet the swamp cooler to swamping. Can't get the fittings on the copper tubing to stop leaking. Now, keep in mind - plumbing (nor is climbing latters) is not my spiritual gift. Each year this is a test - to see who will win - me or the swamping gods.
You would think that some brother or sister would by now know of my lack of "do-it-yourself" skills and come to my rescue. No such luck. Its as if God is saying - this is your Mt.Carmel, Clay - suck it up and get it going. (Actually, the job is to get the swamp to suck the water, but so far . . .)
And so, today I was told to try to use plumbers tape on the compression nuts (yes, this job is driving me nuts!) and that will seal the joint on the tube. Hey, I'll try anything at this point.
Pray for me. While my family is roasting, I am getting hot under the collar for my lack of success this year. Usually, after a dozen trips to Lowe's (to get high on my roof!) I luck into getting the thing working. I'm over due this year.
Kinda funny though, I'm in a drought hooking up a water cooler. God does have a sense of humor.
I'll let you know when the water flows on the altar.
-- Un fix it man.

Is Da Vinci Da Vine?

As you call tell by the name of the post that I have decided to preach a sermon on the DaVinci Code - "Is Da Vinci Da Vine?" (pretty catchy title, aye?) It will be on May 28th. We will also show a DVD "Cracking the DiVinci Code" that night at 5. Maybe even have a discussion in a one time small group (like a book club).
Really enjoyed the Todd Agnew concert Monday night. He writes a lot of his music, is a fantastic guitar player, has an amazing voice - plus - the guy can really preach! Why do some people seem to have all the talent?
Have another busy weekend on tap. On Friday night is our second annual banquet to honor mothers hosted by our women's ministry (WINGS - Women In God's Service); a work day at the building on Saturday to spruce up the campus for summer, preach two services on Sunday morning, then celebrate Mother's Day in the afternoon!
BTW, I hit a home run this year for Mother's Day! Bought the wife some software she can use to design websites (retail - $1,000! because she works at a school, she gets an educator's discount - only costs $250! I told her to order it yesterday). Sure beats the diet books I bought her last year. (just kidding!)
What's the worst gift you've given your wife for Mother's Day? The best?

Da Vinci Code Sermon?

Had a crazy week last week. Came back from a long drive from Oklahoma on Monday - with a funeral to plan for Wednesday. As with any funeral, it took most of Tuesday and all of Wednesday (including Wednesday evening). Had several other appointments to come up. On Friday attend the Maxiumum Impact seminar (vie simucast from Atlanta,GA) with John Maxwell, Dave Ramsey, Archie & Peyton Manning, Mark Sandborn, etc - it was really good! (I was offered a free ticket! Preachers can't turn down a free invite!). I was called about 12:45 to do the graveside service (on Friday - during the seminar) from the funeral on Wednesday. (The family had forgotten to invite me). Luckily, they wanted everyone to wear jeans which worked out well because I was wearing jeans!
THEN, on Friday night and all day Saturday we fulfilled my daughter's dream of painting her room a bright lime green! She really loves the room! It was a lot of work!
So, on Saturday night I had to sit down and put together a sermon! On Sunday, had two packed services - a quick lunch and a VBS meeting at 2!
Whew! Makes me tired just thinking about it.
Been thinking about this question - should we preach a sermon or two on the Da Vinci Code? I know several preacher friends who are. Or, should we show one of those "cracking the Da Vinci Code" DVD's on Sunday night and have a discussion afterward? Should we host a dicussion (like a book club would) on the book itself? Is this going to be a big deal?
Any ideas?

Could have been in Malibu!

Had plans to be in sunny Malibu,California this week. Instead, I flew to Oklahoma City to ride back with my daughter who just finished her freshman year at Oklahoma Christian University. Got to tour Oklahoma, Kansas, eastern Colorado, southern Wyoming. After that 23 hour tour of said lovely scenery, I was asked to host and conduct a funeral for a father of one of our members. So, the last two days was spent getting our building ready, talking with the family, getting food prepared for forty people. Needless to say, Southside rallied the troops and got er done.
As a minister, one of the only things I hate about my job is funerals (with hospital visits a close second). I like blessing babies. I like Christmas Eve candlelight service. Love Easter. VBS is always a hoot. Enjoy preaching (and sermon prep -- love to read and learn new things!). But funerals - no. Love to pastor people, though. And face it - people are really open to spiritual things during such a time.
But it doesn't mean I have to like it.
Tomorrow, a prayer breakfast with the Gov. at Little America. My daugther Rebecca gets an award for outstanding student in MESA Thursday evening. Sorry, had a brag a little.
Got an invitation for a free ticket at Maxium Impact - a seminar on satelite with John Maxwell and an all star line up of "leaders" on Friday! Really looking forward to that.
Almost as good as being at Malibu? No, but close enough.