it’s all about the J?

 

Well, it’s amazing what you’ll find when rummaging through old CDs and DVDs.  The other day, I stumbled upon an overview DVD of an outdoor concert hosted by the youth group in which I was a few years ago, Twenty-Four 7 (or TF7 for you members).  The event, J-jam (It’s All About the J), was first dreamed by my dad, Mika Marcum, and took place on August 21, 2004.  It featured Katinas, Starfield, and Ryan Wingo and was headlined by Casting Crowns.  Lastly, It was held on none other than the famous Hollow Hills, USA nestled in rural countryside, close to Coon Creek.  So the event was a success and like no other that hit the unique place of Empire… oh, that’s definitely Courtney Nix with frosted streaks talking to Mark Hall.

Thanks goes to Mike Knowles for putting the video together.

sunday… bloody sunday

 

Okay, it all started as a b-e-a-utiful day at Oak Mt. state park with the lifegroup from church.  We loaded the football, frisbee, and kite for a nice afternoon after church.  We had lunch and some of the guys started paddle boating.  Not that paddle boats are too adventurous and extreme, but my friend, Jo, and I decided to take our BMX bikes and go check out the BMX track that was just mile or so down the road.  We rode for probably a half hour, and we were both feeling somewhat tired on such a warm day.  Ironically, Jo made the statement that he felt like he was going to get hurt or something and wanted to take a break for awhile.  Next, I was lost in a deep repetitive dream and woke up suddenly answering the paramedic, “Yeah, it’s Sunday… Bloody Sunday.”  By this time, my wonderful friends [Jo, Courtney, Dustin, Emma, Alana, Ashley, Michaela, Tyler and Matthew] had shown up for support after their paddle boating experience.  I had a terrible accident while jumping one of the first jumps on the track.  I went over the handlebars and took a direct hit in the face on hard, rocky clay… ouch!  The blow knocked me out for just a minute, I took an ambulance ride to the Shelby ER, received 5 stitches above my lip, and made the “Sunday… Bloody Sunday” joke several more times!  Needless to say, it was an excruciating experience that I will never forget.  Fortunately, the healing process has gone really well… and I’m very thankful for God’s protection, provision, and life lesson: life comes at you fast, and make sure you keep your face out of the way!

funerals

So I’ve been to two funerals… two days back to back.  One of my best friend’s dad was killed in a car accident a few days ago, and I attended the viewing and the funeral to be some kind of support for him.  He had a wreck in his truck less than a half mile from his home.  Today, I attended a funeral for some guy that I’ve never met before.  This wasn’t your typical funeral service though; there was a camera guy [yours truly], a black coffin [complete with orange racing stripes and Harley Davidson logos and embroideries], no flowers, and a drama team [dressed in black that so tactfully chose Casting Crowns music].  Needless to say, it was a totally different experience.  From having attended two different funerals due to motor vehicle accidents, I believe its time to buy a bicycle.