Edit August 14, 10:30AM: Changed “County Solicitor” to 9th Circuit Solicitor. Added Section on Sheriff Al Cannon’s election. Made several grammar edits.

…were my words to Charleston Mayor Joe Riley and the Charleston City Council at an open forum meeting at the Charleston City Hall back in February of this year. The city council was debating whether to approve a bike lane across the Ashley River bridge, connecting West Ashley with the downtown peninsula. The small, historic city hall was packed that evening with supporters of the initiative. There was not an open seat in the entire building, and many people were standing along the walls and out into the hallways waiting their chance to voice their opinion on the matter and await the council’s vote.

I was one of more than 50 people that addressed the council and mayor that day. And I was one of at least three people who were there representing families who have lost a loved one while cycling through the Lowcountry streets of Charleston. I’m far from a skilled public speaker. And when my chance finally came to speak on behalf of my brother and my family, I was nervous. My hands were shaking, and my thoughts were jumbled. Though, I pray my point to the city council was clear that day – for my brother, and for my family, the city has failed us. From providing safe roadways and passageways for all modes of transportation, establishing clear jurisdiction and protocols for first responders on James Island, ensuring CPD officers and the sheriff’s office communicate, to the legal system and victims rights. Nothing went right that day. Nothing.

Below, I will try to detail the stonewalling and frustration my family has run across since my brother’s death. Though, my father has done a much more eloquent job in his note keeping. I encourage you to read his notes and reports here…

• Timeline Questions for Sheriff’s Department
• DUI Officer Craven’s Report
• Sargent Grimsley’s Report
• Sheriff’s Department Supplemental Report (10/30/2012)
• Summary of Meeting with Al Cannon and Sheriff’s Department

On August 17, 2012 around 8:15PM my older brother, Matthew Denton, was riding his bicycle home from an afternoon bike ride to Folly Beach. While on his final stretch, less than two miles from his house, he was struck by Jeffrey Lewis Thomas on Riverland Road.

This was a path my brother rode countless times. Both he and I relocated to Charleston together in April of 2011. I found residence downtown on the peninsula, and Matthew rented an apartment in the Riverland Terrace community on James Island. Prior to moving to Charleston we both were living in Charlotte, NC, though, we were raised here in the Lowcountry – in Beaufort, SC. And when we discussed relocating to be closer to family and the ocean, Charleston seemed like a logical fit. Matthew and I were both single, self employed, and loved the outdoor lifestyle. And as Charleston’s own Visitor Center website touts, Charleston is the number one place to live in the world for those seeking a rich, outdoor experience. And Matthew certainly tried to take advantage of it. There was hardly a day he wasn’t running to the gym, biking to the beach, learning to kite surf out on Sullivan’s Island, or rising before the sun to ride out to the beach to catch the sunrise. Like many of Charleston’s residents (old and new), Matt LOVED the outdoors! Proof of this are found in the countless photos and videos he took of his adventures. Matthew loved documenting his life in this way, mainly because he couldn’t understand why everyone else wasn’t as amped as he was for the outdoors and God’s beauty.

Here is a personal video Matthew posted just a few weeks before his passing. This shows him riding from his house in Riverland Terrace, down Riverland Road, to Folly Road, to Folly Beach, and into the ocean to catch the sunrise. This was his bliss!

While we could never get Matt to wear the typical cycling clothing or helmet, Matthew was overly concerned about his safety on the roads. He spoke to me often about it. While driving down Riverland Road together a few weeks before his death, he pointed out how dangerously narrow the roads were, and specifically how dangerous the intersection of Camp Road and Riverland Road is for bikers. While getting the tour of his apartment one day, he showed me his bikes and how he customized them with lights on the front and the rear sides with extremely bright LED lighting. He also had mirrors installed on his handle bars. I can recall specifically him talking about how Riverland Road is the scariest part of his ride, as there is absolutely zero room for cyclists. And where a shoulder does exist, the shoulder is extremely soft often with thick grass hiding ditches with standing water.

And those familiar with the ride out to Folly Beach will also see that Matthew adapted the “locals route” to biking Folly Road when the biking lanes become too narrow or non-existent. Like many locals choose to do, Matthew rides a stretch down the middle turning lane, between both directions of traffic to allow for more buffer between he and the cars. For drivers and bikers, we both know this is a scary proposition. But, obviously, one selected by many to avoid the narrow, unkept shoulders of this major thoroughfare on James Island. You’ll also see that he often rides against traffic, so that he can at least see the traffic approaching him.

The city has failed us in this regard. While simultaneously attracting thousands of new residents to this town every year based on the merits of the outdoor lifestyle, they have failed to provide the proper infrastructure which is required to sustain safe passage for all its residents and visitors who desire to take advantage of this lifestyle. As I noted in my address to Mayor Riley and the City Council, cyclists can take many safety measures when they prepare for a ride. They can wear bright colors, protective and reflective gear, and install lights and mirrors on their bikes. But, one thing cyclists cannot do is build safe roads. It is incumbent on the city to do this. If the city is going to take our tax dollars and accept awards that Charleston is the number one city in the world, then they damn well must ensure that they provide the infrastructure to ensure the safety for all citizens and visitors for all modes of transportation!

While multi-million dollar, mega-mansion auditoriums are being built downtown, the streets of Charleston (throughout the entire city!) remain certain death traps. The narrow roads with sharp curbs, soft shoulders, and non-existent bike lanes aren’t cute and historic. They are dangerous! Mortally dangerous.

My brother was killed upon impact. The coroner said the driver struck my brother with enough impact that it snapped his neck, tore a hole in his throat, and he was dead before he hit the ground. Police reports indicate that Matthew did not swerve into the line of traffic. He was simply riding his bike along the side of the road. Upon hitting my brother, witnesses state that the driver, Jeffrey Thomas, stopped, attempted to pull my brother out of a ditch, and attempted to perform CPR on him. When other witnesses stopped to assist, Thomas, who was barefoot and wearing swim trunks, ran to his SUV and told the other passersby to “call the fucking cops”. Thomas then got into his vehicle and sped away, leaving my brother alone. In a ditch. Dead.

To be clear, Jeffery Thomas hit my brother. Killed him. Then ran. Call it vehicular manslaughter, call it felony hit and run. Call it whatever you want. The man hit another human being, left him for dead, and fled the scene.

Charleston Police Department arrived at the scene, and began to control the site. Traffic on Riverland Road was re-routed for several hours. Once the police arrived, witnesses alerted the officers that the driver who struck Matthew fled the scene. An APB triggered an immediate search for the driver and the car that struck my brother. About 45-60 minutes after the accident, Jeffery Thomas returned to the scene of the accident with his girlfriend in the same vehicle. He identified himself to the officers and he was detained for questioning. In this line of questioning, it was revealed that Thomas was alone in the vehicle when the accident occurred. He told the officers that he had rented a house on Folly Beach that weekend and was driving to West Ashley to pickup his girlfriend. He admitted to have been drinking that night. Sheriffs officers stated in the report that after returning to the scene (even 45+ minutes after the fact) that Thomas smelled of alcohol.

A DUI officer was called to the scene – Deputy Craven. Deputy Craven questioned Thomas on camera (as per state law), and requested a field sobriety test and breathalyzer test. Thomas declined, but consented to a blood test. It was during this time that Thomas stated “do I need to call my captain?” He then began a conversation with the DUI officer, Deputy Craven, stating that he was a DNR officer and that he had “pulled bodies out of the water before, but nothing prepares you for something like this”. He requests a chaplain for himself, and tries to infer to the officer that he is not drunk but shaken.

Thomas was then arrested for felony hit and run, taken into custody, and processed by the sheriff’s office.

Not once has Jeffery Thomas attempted to reach out to us, the family. In two years. Not once. He has never communicated remorse. He has never revealed what happened. He has never indicated if he was on his cell phone, or distracted in any way. Not once has he thought about anyone other than himself. Thomas, a local DNR officer, killed my brother, left him for dead, and has never issued a statement or apology to my parents.

If you live in the Charleston area, you may or may not be familiar with the literal jurisdictional hopscotch that is James Island. As a fairly recent transplant to the city of Charleston, my best educated guess of how this hazardous hopscotch of jurisdiction occurred comes down to taxes. The city of Charleston wants to retain James Island in its jurisdiction so that it can collect tax money from the JI residents. While James Island probably feels that they are sending all that money up to uncle Joe and the Charleston City Council to spend on pricey auditoriums and festivals, while never reaping any solid benefits themselves. So, what has occurred is the city of James Island has created a grassroots campaign to encourage their residents to opt out, and become annexed into their city - keeping their money local, while keeping it out of the hands of the greedy socialites of the peninsula.

Why does this matter?? Because, on the night my brother was killed, this issue of Charleston vs James Island jurisdiction initiated a modern day Keystone cops caper. Even though a Charleston County Sheriff’s Office substation exists less than a half mile away from the scene of the accident, the Charleston Police Department were actually the first responders that night. CCSO has jurisdiction over James Island residents and roadways. While CPD has jurisdiction over all other areas. So, for the first 45-60 minutes after the homicide, CPD was controlling the scene, taking statements from witnesses, issuing APBs, collecting evidence, making initial observations, and confronting the suspects. Once someone realized that the scene was actually in the James Island territory, CCSO was called to the scene and then took over the investigation.

Why is this important?? Because, while the DNR officer Jeffrey Thomas, refused a breathalyzer, he could have been observed by the first responding officers. An officer’s testimony of someone’s sobriety is just as incriminating as a breathalyzer exam or field sobriety test. So, it is very important that when jurisdiction changes in the middle of a crime scene that the two department cooperate and share intelligence gleaned while the presiding department was not on the scene.

A few months after the accident, I was able to ask Sheriff Al Cannon about this issue in his office. He smugly told me that there is no procedure for handing over an investigation. The two departments don’t share any notes, or request reports from each other. The investigation literally starts over once they arrive.

And in my brother’s case, this was about an hour after the fact. Again, the city failed us.

So, you are a DUI officer. This is your primary job. You are called to scenes of crimes or roadsides where suspects are detained for driving under the suspicion of alcohol. It is your job to prove definitively if the suspect is in fact under the influence or not. The state of South Carolina has a law that all DUI interviews be conducted in front of a camera for video and audio recording. So, when you are called to the scene, you grab the suspect, get them in front of your dashboard camera, turn on your microphone and conduct your analysis.

In my brother’s case, Deputy Craven was arriving to the scene where fatality occurred. Either this was an accident, negligence resulting in a vehicular manslaughter, or a felony DUI. It was this officer’s duty to assist in making this determination. A simple breathalyzer or blood analysis would provide this definitive piece of evidence required to rule on a felony DUI. Jeffery Thomas declined a breathalyzer, but consented to the blood test.

After using a Freedom of Information Act request, our family obtained the dashboard video of the DUI interview. Once viewing the video, it was clear that Thomas attempted to initiate comradery with the DUI officer stating that he was a fellow officer. Thomas asked if he should contact his captain. And it seemed to work! Deputy Craven, WHO HAD ONE DUTY THAT NIGHT, failed to collect any blood alcohol evidence that night – even after the driver CONSENTED to a blood test.

In the words of my father: “The driver admitted to drinking that night, consents to a blood test, and you have my son’s dead body over there in a ditch, and you let the man go without getting any blood/alcohol evidence?!!!”

At best, this was an abuse of Officer Craven’s discretion. His job was to collect evidence. Not to judge whether he felt he was drunk or not through conversation. Again, the city failed us.

In most states, including the state of South Carolina, victims have rights when a crime has been committed against you or a family member. Victims have rights to be alerted of all judicial hearings and proceedings involving your case. You have the right to be aware of the process, to provide input to county solicitors or district attorneys, and to address the court during those proceedings.

None of this happened for our family. Several weeks after my brother’s death, a preliminary hearing was held in Charleston County Court to determine if the case against Jeffery Thomas for leaving the scene of an accident should go to trial. My family was never contacted, alerted, or provided any information about this preliminary trial. We were only notified of the result of the case when my mother called the Sheriff’s Office in an attempt to retrieve Matthew’s personal property. Needless to say, hearing that the charges were dismissed in this fashion was a shock and felt like a knife in the gut.

Since this hearing was conducted in near secrecy, again, we had to file a Freedom of Information Act request to retrieve the transcript of the preliminary hearing. Once reading the transcript, it was clear my brother did not receive justice that day.

First, the preliminary hearing was conveniently brought to court on the date Sargent Grimsley, the primary sheriff’s deputy in charge of the crime scene, was out of town working the DNC in Charlotte, NC. This is the officer who noted in his report that Thomas smelled of alcohol, and the one who requested the DUI officer to the scene. It appeared that he wasn’t alerted of the hearing either. Second, the county solicitor never provided the judge the evidence of alcohol – that Thomas admitted to drinking several beers that night, and that the presiding officer reported Thomas smelling of alcohol 45+ minutes after the accident.

After talking with the 9th Circuit’s Solicitor Office many times about my brother’s case, it is clear that the office is severely understaffed, has a lack of resources, and has at least one incompetent solicitor on the payroll. After the dismissal of charges against Jeffery Thomas in the preliminary hearing, my family and I were told by two different solicitors on two separate occasions that the solicitor who presided over the preliminary hearing was incompetent. After reading the court transcript, my family agree. This solicitor single-handily let a felony DUI, and the man who took the life of my brother, off scot-free. He slept his way through the hearing, barely presented a case, agreed to go before the judge without having talked to the presiding sheriff’s deputy, or presenting any evidence of alcohol.

Again. The city failed us.

Shortly after my brother’s death, and after not being contacted by any law enforcement agency or victim’s advocacy agency, my mother reached out to the Sheriff’s Department to find out details of my brother’s passing and the status of the case. On those calls, she was put in touch with the presiding officer of the crime scene that night, Sgt. Rob Grimsley. On those calls, just days after the accident, Sgt. Grimsley reinforced to my mother that he smelled alcohol on Jeffrey Thomas at the accident scene. He was the one who requested the DUI expert to the scene to conduct a further investigation into Thomas’s sobriety. And he also stated that this should be a “slam dunk” case. This brought our family great comfort, and a feeling that we had an advocate for us closely related to the case – the presiding officer that night!

But then odd things began to occur.

When the preliminary hearing was held, the county solicitor never interviewed Sgt. Grimsley. Sgt. Grimsley was never notified of the hearing (nor was our family). In fact, the hearing was scheduled on a day where Sgt Grimsley was to be out of town providing support for the DNC in Charlotte, NC. As already stated, in that hearing, no evidence of alcohol was presented to the judge, and the presiding officer of the scene that night was suspiciously absent, as were his testimony and case reports.

Being unable to properly mourn the death of our brother and son, my family continued (and still continues) to seek answers. We contacted the press to help get our story out. And only after our story was on local radio, tv, and newspapers, and after reporters contacted the Sheriff’s Office for answers, were we granted a meeting with the law enforcement involved in the case.

On October 30, 2012, my parents, brother, and I attended a meeting a the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. There, we were told that Sgt Grimsley along with other CCSO and CPD officers who were on the scene that night would attend, along with the county solicitor.

When we arrived, the room was filled with officers, headed by Charleston County Sheriff Al Cannon, and a county solicitor. See my father’s notes of this meeting here. However, the officers in the room were just warm bodies. None of them – NONE of them – were on the scene of the accident that night. And neither Sgt. Grimsley or officer “Wojo”, who were both on the scene that night and who we specifically requested to be in attendance (and were confirmed to attend), were not in attendance.

After listening to just a few minutes of this meeting orchestrated by Sheriff Al Cannon, it was clear Cannon uninvited both officers Grimsley and “Wojo”. He wanted to handle this matter himself. And to be frank, he couldn’t have been more of an insensitive prick! I encourage you to read my father’s notes from this meeting to fully appreciate the poor handling of this case, and the attempted heavy-handing of this meeting by Al Cannon.

Why was Sgt. Grimsley’s testimony being suppressed? Why was he not interviewed by the county solicitor? Why was he not made aware of the preliminary hearing? It was a felony case, with a death! And, why was he uninvited to the meeting with our family?

Again, the city failed us.

Above I ask a few rhetorical questions as to why Al Cannon uninvited Sgt Grimsley, and wanted to handle this meeting with my family and I personally. Let me speculate the reasons I feel that led to this.

The meeting at the Sheriff’s office on October 30th lasted for about an hour. After the meeting, my family and I left to exit the building, but stopped at the restrooms before jumping into our cars. There, as we waited on each other in the hallways outside the restrooms, Al Cannon approaches my mother and I and says. “for you to believe this was some big conspiracy, can’t you imagine how many people would have had to be involved?” I responded, “We aren’t calling this a conspiracy. Those are YOUR words! We’re saying that NOTHING went right in this case. NOTHING. From the driver, to the arrest, to the dismissal of charges. Nothing went right.” My father then returned to hallway, hearing Cannon’s insensitive accusation, and Cannon appeared to back down.

Here was a grieving family approaching law enforcement, seeking answers of our brother’s death, and this self righteous Sheriff does all he can to insulate his staff and blame from his office. He then confronts my mother in the hallway that we are claiming a conspiracy for Jeffery Thomas’s release. What a jerk!

But why was Cannon such a jerk? Could it be because that in just a few days after this meeting that Cannon was up for re-election? Cannon, who was already arrested himself just a few days after my brother’s accident for punching a suspect in the back of a sheriff’s vehicle, had a lot to lose. He was already trying to wipe off a bad public image. Could he really afford another black mark on his resume of a poorly handled case? And so close to an election?!

Sheriff Cannon’s silencing of Sargent Grimsley and the manufacturing of reports months after the accident were about one thing – DAMAGE CONTROL.

Cannon was dealing with his own arrest, and his own re-election. He didn’t want any more bad press. He wanted this story to end – even if that meant proverbially spitting in my family’s faces. He did what he had to do, for his own sake.

Again, the city failed us.

Only after the constant pursuit of justice by my family, and the constant requests using FOIA requests, and many calls to the officers and solicitors office, and finally having to take our story to the press, were any charges ever finally brought against Jefferey Thomas. See the follow up stories here:

• Judge dismisses hit-and-run charge against a reserve state DNR officer involved in a fatal crash on James Island
• Documents in James Island hit-and-run point out investigation’s shortcomings, family says
• Former DNR reservist indicted on hit-and-run charge in James Island crash

Four months after my brother was killed, county solicitors indicted Jeffery Thomas for felony hit and run. Though that incident occurred two years ago, sadly no progress has been made on the case. The solicitor who brought those charges has since left the county office for private practice. And the solicitor which remains, remains under a steady backlog of cases, with no relief in sight. Many calls have been placed to the solicitor’s office to get this case on the books. So far, our repeated requests to get this case to trial have been unsuccessful. This is both frustrating and leaves a constant cloud of injustice over our family.

For a family who lost their son and brother, the city and law enforcement of the city/county of Charleston has been nearly contentious and secretive. To get any clue as to the details of my brother’s case, my family has had to file Freedom of Information Act requests on multiple occasions. When requesting to see the police and sheriff’s reports from the officers on duty that night, it was revealed that the reports we received were written months after the fact. Where were the original reports? Were facts changed? Was Sheriff Al Cannon controlling a paper trail that protected his DUI officer – the one who failed to collect a blood sample? Here was a clear felony DUI case, without any blood evidence, the driver being a fellow law enforcement officer (DNR), and paper work is being made up months after the fact? Something is not right.

So we wait. Will we ever know the truth of what happened that night? Will the man who took my brother’s life ever be brought to court to stand trial for his actions?

A victim’s family should never have to beg for information, file petitions, and for take the story to the press to see action in a case such as this. Again, the city has failed us.

Although my family and I have a strong Christian belief, and through our faith have reached our own sense of peace with things. Though, I can’t tell you the cloud that remains over us all with the lack of knowing of what happened.

Instead of grieving his death, we were forced to play solicitor, investigator, and press secretary on behalf of my brother to seek answers. No family should have to endure the roadblocks and stonewalling that we have received.

Yet, we get no answers from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. No answers from the Charleston County Solicitor. And more importantly, no answers from Jeffery Thomas.

My parents deserve to know what happened that night. And my brother deserves justice. The man who took his life that night should be held accountable in the court of law. Let the truth be told in court, and not suppressed by the county’s law enforcement stonewalling and red tape.

The city continues to fail us.

Matthew posted this video just two months before his death. It was a great testimony of just how happy he was here in Charleston. Together, with his girlfriend Elizabeth, he was capturing all that was special about this great city. He found love, and was able to take advantage of all the great beauty and culture that Charleston has to offer.

Matthew LOVED being outdoors. He couldn’t wait to share that with someone. And in this video, you see he takes Elizabeth on one of his many morning bike rides to the beach. He customized her bike, like his. And he was euphoric when they reached the ocean and sat in the sunrise together.

Like my brother, Charleston beckons to many of us! The ocean calls out to us. And we answer. We come from all over to enjoy this scenery, nature, water, and the warmth of the sun. We put our toes into the ocean and we stand in awe of what it feels like to stand on the edge of the earth. And for many of us, we realize just how lucky we are to be one of the few in this world who get to feel this emotion – even just for a day!

THIS is how Matthew felt about the ocean. And THIS is how he wants you to feel about it too.

As I write this, this Sunday will mark two years since Matthew’s passing. I will say that the second year of not having him here was easier than the first. But, for someone who has ever lost a close family member will attest, this is something my family and I will NEVER get over. The loss of my big brother is immeasurable.

But, I feel when we lose loved ones like this, they leave us with a story to tell. And that leaves those who love them with a responsibility to tell that story.

In Matt’s absence, my family and I continue to fight for justice in his case. I fight to get my parents answers of what really happened that night. We fight to ensure associated insensitivity in the legal system afterward don’t happen again to another family. And most importantly, we fight to ensure that no other bicyclist must endure a tragedy like my brother did on the streets of Charleston or James Island.

So what can be done?

• First, this case needs to be brought to trial. A man was killed by a driver who admitted to drinking that night and then fled the scene. The facts of the case should be brought before a court so that justice can be finalized.
• Jeffery Thomas can take ownership of his actions. He alone knows the truth of what happened that night. He needs to take ownership of those actions. And in the least, should show some sense of remorse to my parents.
• The city of Charleston can get serious about the safety of all modes of transport across our region. We live in a CITY. One used by cars, mopeds, motorcycles, bicycles, skateboards, runners, pedestrians, and sky-staring and navel-staring tourists. We need roads that provides safe travel for ALL modes of transport. Historic standards be damned!
• The city of Charleston and James Island need to establish a workable and clear jurisdiction for law enforcement on James Island. It’s not fair to the law enforcement officers who strive to respond quickly and appropriately. And in my brother’s case, it is clear that these jurisdiction issues can create significant holes in crime scene investigations.
• The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office and Charleston Police Department need to establish a clear policy which encourages and requires CCSO and CPD to work together when both respond to scenes of accidents. It is unacceptable for these agencies to not collaborate and ensure reports are shared when jurisdiction changes midway through an investigation.
• Sadly, the law wasn’t enacted prior to my brother’s death. But, shortly thereafter, a law was passed in South Carolina that a blood alcohol test is required of all drivers involved in an accident where there is a fatality. This is a great step to ensuring vital evidence is collected, and it eliminate’s an officer’s discretion – as was the case for us. We must ensure this law is enforced and followed by our law enforcement agencies.
• Get involved with Charleston Moves. They are a wonderful non-profit in Charleston which advocates for safe roadways in Charleston for bicycles and all modes of transportation.

Share this story! We need public pressure on our city officials. We need to hold them accountable. And we need the city to demand safe road conditions for all citizens!

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• Learn about Charleston Moves

Thank you!!

God bless,
Andy

We, as Christians, and as human beings, are not meant to live a sequestered life. In fact, that is at the heart of the Christian life. You cannot do life alone. Apart from the atoning gift of Jesus, we are forever condemned, remaining in our sin. We are meant to experience life with others, bind our hearts together, and rely on God and encouragement of our confidants.

With this in mind, I feel the LORD positioning me for something different. Something that I need to be ready for. Something that I need to work for. Something bigger than a Bible study, per se. So, today I drafted an email to the men who are a part of this morning group to make them aware that i’m going to take some time off from our regular prayer breakfasts.

With text messages, twitters, status updates, and the like I find myself writing much less. So, when what was supposed to be a simple, curt email turned into several paragraphs, and when tears started to well up under my eyes, I knew that this message was one worth saving.

I recall writing a letter to my parents for Christmas as a kid. I read it aloud to my older brother, Matthew, to practice before I read it in front of family at gift-time. As I read it to Matt, and when it was read to the family, tears flowed uncontrollably. I had no idea why. But, at the time, my big brother said something that has always stuck with me. He said “That’s when you know your feelings are heart-felt.” As a young, insecure kid – this was just the validation that I needed.

For a guy who constantly sticks his foot in his mouth all the time, I find my thoughts are fully satisfied when I write them down. This is how I felt this morning as I drafted this email to my friends. There’s a mission embedded in this letter – a calling not just meant for me, but one for us all. It is my prayer that this year is one of transformation in us all. It’s a calling to believe fully in a God who will make himself known to you, and to live courageously daring to be great.

Gents,

What a great year it has been. And what a great year 2011 is poised to be. I can’t wait to see what God has in store. If I had to summarize 2010, it would be the year that God wouldn’t let go of me. Even though I didn’t have a full-time job, he provided. Even though, I struggled with relationships he protected me. Even though at the start of the year I wanted nothing to do with Jesus, he knit me into forming this morning group and spoke to my heart throughout the year. As much as I try, I can no longer doubt his presence.

Words cannot express the gratitude I have for the commitment we all made to meet and to start our days talking about our LORD and our lives.

As I look forward to 2011, I am going to be taking a few months off from our breakfasts to pray about what the LORD has next for me. I feel God preparing me for a transition, something big. I’ve been praying that the LORD moves in ways that there would be absolutely no doubt that my actions are in line with His will.

I feel God’s big moves will go well and beyond the normal. It’s not another Bible study, not another book to read, but a path that only God can open. I’ve had these feelings for a while, and know that it’s not something limited to me, but a generational calling. Please join me in praying that this vision be fully transparent for each of us in our own ways.

Our God is big, good, and is He is calling. With this common prayer and common desire, we are bound together as brothers in Christ as we pursue greatness for His glory. As Shakespeare once said…

“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother…”

I pray that those wanting to continue the morning meeting, do. I leave this up to you, and hope that you don’t mind me joining you from time to time. Most importantly, I pray that we not just pray big prayers but LIVE with BIG FAITH, confident in the promise that is Jesus Christ.

You are my brother,
Andy

Ps. For you LOST fans… these videos are great summations that hit home for me.

Jacob (God) explains why He speaks to us in different ways.

Jacob (God) asks us to have faith to be a leader for His kingdom.

Jack, through faith, realizes his purpose and encourages Hurley to lead.

I just wrote this email to a good friend of mine and Biblical genius, James-Michael Smith. It seemed well thought out enough (and I rarely have these moments) that I figured I would repost this as a blog to open discussion for everyone.

This is an idea for a really conceptual, in-depth blog piece. If anyone can pull it together, you could.

I went to Forest Hill yesterday and David Chadwick recited several statistics about marriage and divorce, and morality. Some of it sounded right, and the audience was mostly amazed and nodded. But, some of the stats were hard to believe for me.

• 53% of Promise Keepers visit porn sites weekly
• 33% of Promise Keeper pastors visit porn sites monthly
• 1/3 of committed Christians don’t believe Satan exists
• 1/3 of Christians believe Jesus sinned while on Earth
• 40% believe they have no responsibility to share their faith
• 41% believe that the Koran and the Book of Mormon are all different expressions of the same God
• Committed Christians give away 2% of their income.

It reminded me of the below page of charts (Divine Law Rejected) I received in Sunday school while in high school. As I have always been a numbers guy, these charts always stayed with me, and I’ve kept this piece of paper for now nearly 20 years. The charts basically try to depict how horrible the world has gotten since abortion was legalized in the US.

A few weeks ago I watched “Freakonomics, the movie”. In the movie there was a section on how abortion is a key factor in the reduction of crime in the last decade. This made me think of my chart again. Ok, crime is down, but at what cost? Where are we today? Where are we in respect to the rest of the world? Where are we morally in respect to our ancestors?

Are we getting dumber? Has divorce increased? Are we a less religious society?

I’m not doubting the rise/fall of these moral indicators. I just wonder where we as a society in 2010 stack up against world history morally. I recall your stories of the pagan worshipers having to have sex in the temples to appease the rain gods, or something to that affect. That seemed really bad to me.

If we give an arbitrary weight to moral corruption (sleeping with prostitutes to appease the rain gods would probably be a 6.5), would it be possible to take these graphs and extrapolate backwards of where we stand against the sexual deviants of 1000 BC? Would the graph show that we are much more morally sound as a society today? Or would it show that we really haven’t changed much?

Are there any indicators in history that we can say “Ah, see after Moses/David/Jonah/Jesus/Paul/Martin Luther/Billy Graham there was a severe drop in crime, sexual immorality, etc.” ?? I understand it would be completely arbitrary, but I think it’s a good exercise to stake claim of where we stand in society.

It seems painting the world in a dark light is a very good way for pastors to make a point, and give the congregation a reason why they should repent. But, I’m curious if in the grand scheme of all time, is the world all that bad?

More importantly, are we (humans) becoming more righteous? Or less righteous? I think this is a very important question to ask. …Did God’s plan of sending Christ to Earth work?

To me, it seems that politics and old habits of fire-and-brimstone styled sermons skew the goodness of what God has done. I mean, aren’t there millions more of faithful believers today than there were in the time of Noah, Moses, Paul? Since the death of Christ, hasn’t the population of “heaven” (or those awaiting the new Jerusalem) exponentially grown? Has not Earth become more righteous?

A bunch of questions, I know. But, was wondering if you thought it would be a worthwhile exercise to quantify.

[Blowing dust away from the keyboard!] Does this thing still work?

So, I will try to scribe some of the back story later. For now, I just want to get these thoughts out there, and will come back to follow up with some more complete thoughts on LOST and how it has affected my lost in future posts. HINT: God is SHAKING MY WORLD UP by this TV series, like only God can do. If you want to know a little more about LOST and it’s Biblical ties, I suggest you watch all of Chris Seay‘s Video Blog Series on Youtube. He’s a pastor in Houston, TX and has written a great book called “The Gospel According to LOST”. Check it out!

So now to this week’s episode…

A friend asked the question: What was the significance of Sawyer offering an apple to Kate? Was this Biblical? Symbolic?

My response:
I think the analogy you can make of the apple, is that it is proof of Sawyer making an unwise decision.

As I’ve always said, LOST is genius with its Biblical references… but they are never a 1:1 ratio. When a character seems to fit a certain Biblical role, you always get confused when they do something else. Which is ok, because the Biblical narratives are used in a hodge-podge manner. Which gives us a great opportunity to fuse them together in conversation to find the over arching theme.

So, in case of the apple in the garden of Eden… When Eve tries to convince Adam to eat the apple, she has already made an unwise decision… and it ultimately results in her (and Adam’s) exile from Eden.

Likewise with Sawyer. It’s clear he’s made a selfish decision to leave the island. I think Kate not taking the apple foreshadows that she has yet to be all-in on Sawyer’s plan – and ultimately will chose to go back to the island.

This is key… because ultimately this is a story of redemption. Eventually, all those bad decisions can be absolved when each character finally reaches the right one – being obedient to God’s (Jacob’s) calling for their lives.

So, Kate not taking the apple provides her an opportunity to witness to the crowd on the boat, whom we hope ultimately will all be redeemed.

Seacrest. Out.
AD

Bonus: Listen to this song, and see if it applies to LOST and to us all…

In this reel of endless skateboarding pods, one caught my attention (embedded below). It was a highlight on Christian Hosoi, skateboarding’s first real super star.

This clip got me interested in his documentary, and I found it on Youtube. It’s a great story of redemption. This man was on top of his world, tempted by drugs and women, and eventually fell so low that he was arrested and sent to federal prison for a 10 year sentence.

“I don’t need God, I need a lawyer.”

It’s amazing how God made himself known to Christian Hosoi at the moment he breathed these words. Watch the movie below to see how.

“It’s a movie about second chances. It’s a movie of hope.”

Being an owner of a category dominant, generic domain name, it is part of my business to track the market values of similar domain names. Everybody seems to have their list of top selling domain names, and many of these sales have been covered in the press. However, I’ve never seen an all-encompassing list. So, I found it worthy to post these findings here.

RealEstate.com, Loan.com, and Hotels.com are are important sales when establishing comparables for Realty.com. These lie more closely into the housing, financial, and vacation categories which encompass the “realty” term.

Not included

Know that for the purpose of this list, we are focusing strictly on sales of domain names. There are several generic domain sales which were excluded from this list because they were coupled with businesses and other assets. Names in this category include Interest.com (sold for $30mm), Property.com (touted to be an 8 figure sale, but was complete BS and more of a PR move for the king domainer himself), Internet.com (sold for $18mm with several other domains and yearly revenues of $14mm, operating at a 10% net), or the 2007 sale of Business.com (sold in 2007 for $345mm).

The List

Sales over Time

This wasn’t possible 3 years ago, and wasn’t really possible last year. But, with recent sales and 10 years of premium domain sales history, charting the trends reveal a lot. When charting all domain sales ($2mm and above) over time, you can see that the average market value of category dominant names lie in the range of $4mm-$8mm just for the names alone.

Some names tap a higher profitable market. Some have more traffic. Some names had a better salesman sell the name. Some names were fire sales. Some names sold in a down market, or down economy. And many of the premium names which sell for under $2mm, often sell below the radar without alerting all potential buyers, or the right buyers.

How does Realty.com compete?

Does it compare in traffic?
When comparing Realty.com’s traffic to the 19 names (Counting Hotel.com and Hotels.com separately) which have sold for $4mm and above, Realty.com’s traffic exceeds the traffic of 12 of the 19.

Is it a one-word category dominant name?
Yes. Realty.com is the last independent URL in the real estate category that has the opportunity to steal consumer mind share away from Realtor.com and other competing brands.

Is the category high volume, high priced
Even in a down market, people are always moving, relocating, buying and investing in real estate. Current traffic is an indicator of the strong category volume.

Summation

If you have a category dominant, short URL. If the category is in high demand. If you are able to sell (particularly sell online) products and services within this category. And if these these products and services can be sold for high profit margins… Then you have a premium asset.

A ten year history of domain sales places the average price tag for such an asset at $6mm. Selling a category killer domain below $4mm is selling short. Selling above $8mm and you’re doing great. Monetizing the traffic is a must. Building a business on top of the traffic and the domain will catapult your domain value well above these figures.

In this sermon JM paints the picture of how John 19:28 is actually a “fulfilled Scripture” as the text calls it. It’s a beautiful imagery of Christ’s fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.

John 19:28 reads…

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

JM’s sermon takes us through this story and tells us of what this meant to the people who were actually there witnessing the death of Christ. When Christ uttered these words, someone in the area must have known his Scripture and knew what Christ was asking for…

Looking back at Psalm 22, we see David paint a horrific, yet prophetic, story.

14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.

16 Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.

18 They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.

19 But you, O LORD, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

20 Deliver my life from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.

When John states that “so that the Scripture would be fulfilled…” John is referencing Psalm 22. This is powerful! This is God fulfilling his promises right in front of peoples eyes. This fulfillment had to be what Christ was talking about when he last uttered “It is finished.”

If you are interested in hearing JM’s full sermon, I have included the sermon below.

He has created an informational survey to gauge coworking interests. I thought I would take this a step further, and try to help in the process.

If you are a Charlotte Area Freelancer, attended BarcampCLT, or both. Fill out the survey below. I will then share this information with Josh and we’ll get this ball rolling.

UPDATE: This project is cancelled. Checkout “Lightbulb Coworking” in Charlotte for all things co-working and creative meeting spaces.

1. I used to build US Embassies for a living.
2. I went on safari in Tanzania in 2002.
3. I smuggled 10 large duffle bags of electronics into Bulgaria with two of my friends. (Bulgarian custom agents are lax…but scary!)
4. I got detained in the Indianapolis airport for insinuating to the ticket agent that I was holding a suspicious package.
5. The last day of school, freshman year of college, I was arrested and spent the night in jail.
6. I had an older brother who passed away when I was 3, and remember him very, very well.
7. I seem to have retained a lot of memories from my toddler days. 1977 was an interesting year.
8. I have enough airline miles to fly anywhere in North or South America. (I’m holding out for first class).
9. I was the general contractor for my first home.
10. I love to play tennis, and am amazingly average. I love to throw frisbee, and playing ultimate, and think I’m pretty good.
11. I want to grow my hair out again to 90’s grunge-style length. But everytime I start, I can’t get past month #2 of the 6-9 month process.
12. I’m partially deaf in my left ear.
13. I was nearly engaged to a woman with three kids. (they were great!)
14. I want kids of my own. (God speed).
15. I’m the middle of my parents’ five boys.
16. I love the west coast lifestyle, but the carolinas will always be home.
17. I sailed boats as a teenager.
18. I’ve always wanted to be a surfer, but too embarrassed to learn.
19. I love R&B smooth jams. In high school I would stay up late doing homework listening to radio shows like “The Quiet Storm” and “Pillow Talk” on the local R&B stations.
20. I had my first kiss when I was 13 at a church lock-in.
21. I have a moderate fear of heights.
22. As a toddler, I would put myself to sleep. I think it was a defense mechanism from being in a competitive household, plus the middle-child thing.
23. Took karate as a kid, trained under Chuck Norris’ first student. made it to green belt.
24. I had my first real job at the age of 13. I was an usher at the local movie theater. I would wear my dad’s ties, which made me look ridiculously tiny.
25. I think these lists are fun, but I really want you to like me for the billion other things not on this list…or, just because.

Below is the proclamation from George Washington as printed in The Massachusetts Centinel on October 14, 1789.

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;– for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;– for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;– and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;– to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

The below video is titled “Today”. I love the questions Rob asks, and the pictures he paints.

“If you need to celebrate how good it was, then celebrate. …then do it. But then, move on. There is a certain kind of despair that sets in when we believe that things were better back then, when we’re stuck back there, when we’re not fully present. When we’re still holding on to how things were, our arms aren’t free to embrace today.“

“Is Jesus saying to you right now about anything, about anybody, about anytime, ‘Let go, and receive a new spirit!’? So you may accept the past for what it is. May you celebrate what needs to be celebrated. And grieve what needs to be grieved. And then may you receive from God a new spirit. One for HERE, NOW, TODAY.”

I came home this week to spend some time with my family – specifically my parents, my grandfather, and my brother Matt. Indirectly, my birthday happens to be today. I’m usually not big on birthdays, so being away from friends and being home was no big thing. But, I can’t tell you how refreshing it was to receive countless amounts of emails from friends and family. It’s been a welcome change.

But, in all the hoopla about birthdays, today I celebrate my parents.

To my father:
The man who epitomizes strength of character, strength of will, determination, hard work, sacrifice, endurance, and devotion.

To my mother:
For all her never ending love, caring words, bottomless well of energy, ingenuity, business savvy, making the impossible possible, and good heart.

I am forever thankful for the two of them immensely. Two loving parents who raised five sons in the way of the Lord. Two loving parents who never wavered no matter how much stress us sons have put on them, or what troubles we drug them through. My parents are the anchors that have kept us rooted in home, family, love, unconditional love, and faith, all the while trying their best to live their lives as examples we can pattern ourselves after. They have instilled in us words of truth that will never be forgotten. And by their dedication to us, they have provided us shelter, safety, and kindness at our times of need.

Our lives are in no way perfect. But, through our trials comes joy. And today, I celebrate them both. Mom and Dad, I love you both.

They treat their kids like royalty. But, little do they know we consider them saints!

On a few occasions, I tend to write hokey poems. As I said at her memorial, I get older but my poems stay the same age. This poem is dedicated to my bubbly, always happy grandmother, Momma Lew.

My Grandmother

My grandmother was famous for her cooking
She was famous for her charm
She’d bake you up some brownies
And she let you run into her arms

My grandmother could play the piano
And she could run a tight ship
On holiday’s she’d have us all sing carols
And read scripture from the Bible, all without any lip.

My grandmother loved fishing
She loved to be outside
She taught me how to hook a worm
And she taught me to appreciate the sunshine

My grandmother could tell a story
All real and good ones too
She’d tell you about treasures and ghosts
And talk about pirates who’d appear out of the blue

My grandmother lived the life
A wife, a mother, and grand kids
She loved her family with all her heart
But her true feelings she never hid.

I’ve always loved my grandmother
It seemed like she was always there
Birthdays, proms, and graduations
One person, with a smile, who seemed to be everywhere

If there’s one thing I’d want you to know about my grandmother
It’s that she was always the happiest person in the room
Her giggly spirit, her loving laughs, and honest wit
Would always brighten the darkest room

Now my grandmother’s in heaven
Dancing with family all that she can
She loved life, she loved her family
But mostly, she loved her man!

While the studios were out of work, he employed his own creativity and a few well known actors and created this GENIUS piece of work. I can’t wait for the next episode.

And BTW, has Neil Patrick Harris made a come-back, or what!?!

I’ve been told this should be patented. It may already be patented. If not, feel free to steal my idea…

I originally drafted this post about three or four months ago. I simply didn’t post it. And since my original draft, people have gone iPhone 3G crazy. Even more so, other blogs have been posting what kind of devices they’d like to see in the market. (Techcrunch recently wrote about a web tablet they desire). So, I figure I should dip my toes in the water.

There’s a lot of talk with thew new Google Android open cell phone. Google is toying with creating it’s own phone. With all this talk about a new open phone system, and with all of these hot web applications like Facebook, Twitter, and the like, I am convinced that the future of technology will be about portability, high definition, localization, and aggregation of data.

Now, I’m just a regular guy. I’m not a cell phone exec, or a huge techie. But, here’s what I want my new phone to look like…

I want my online/offline/what-I’m-doing-now status to be changed when I change my ring type on my phone. So, when I change my phone from ring to vibrate, my phone should know that I’m in a quiet place, and should alert people who have my phone number that I don’t want to be disturbed by a phone call. There’s no reason why the cell companies can’t make these ring styles intelligent, and update my what-i’m-doing-now status with just a click of button on the side of my phone. This idea alone will bring Twitter like status updates directly to your cell phone. I don’t want to have to login to any settings page, I don’t want to have to open a browser, or use some widget to do this. I want a button on the daggum phone. Instant gratification, instant updates!

Phone books, or address books, would work much like your friends list like on Facebook or Myspace. Your friends’ status updates should be viewable right there on your phone’s address book. There are many companies who have developed social mobile apps, but these features should NOT be an ADDITIONAL piece of software. These features should simply be part of your phone.

To expand on this thought, if a friend or colleague were trying to call you, they would know before calling that you are “in a meeting”, “watching a movie”, “at school”, or “driving in the car”. And, your obsessive girlfriend or boyfriend would know exactly why you didn’t answer your phone, and subvert a potential argument, all by just by changing your ring style.

The next thing I want from my new phone is grouped messaging. In addition to the normal ways of retrieving messages, I want all my texts, voicemails, IM’s, and emails grouped by contact. When I scroll thru my address book on my phone to find that person I’m looking to call, I should be able to see the latest messages this person has sent me – all in the same place (ala Xobni). There are great things being done with voice mail recently (see the iPhone’s visual voice mail, and Pinger‘s new custom voice mail). There’s no reason why these features can’t be universal today. In addition to having messages grouped by contact, I should also be able to view the status of the contact I’m about to call. This way, before I even begin to call this person, I can see our most recent correspondence, and find out how busy the person may be. (think Facebook). Each contact in my address book will have the standard details, but the importance of the address book would be to see check the latest updates and messages from this person.

The other thing I want to be universally accepted is mapping by cell. Several companies like Dodgeball, Twitter, and the like have tried to make on-the-spot social events happen by cell phone. I like this idea. And 3G along with Apple’s new iPhone should make this easier. Using the ringer style what-i’m-doing-now button I described above, there should be a “broadcast my location” button which will allow others to be able to locate you if you are within a few blocks of each other. (this feature could just as easily be disabled as well with that ringer button). This way, if you are out running errands and looking for friends in the area you can share a cup of coffee with, just open your phone and locate who’s nearby. This could be creepy should the wrong person get your cell phone number, but nonetheless it’s a good idea as long as privacy filters are designed within the software – which is a simple thing to do. Note: Apple may have accomplished this with their newest iPhone release. I wouldn’t know – I’ve never owned an Apple product.

I want group texting (not via Twitter, but thru the phone itself). You can currently send text’s to multiple persons, but shouldn’t there be a “reply all”? I want group voicemail (like Pinger). I want always-on internet connections. I want unlimited use (texting too!), I want it cheap, and I want flat fees (like Sprint).

All of this is great for just a plain phone. But, this is my next generation phone, and I want more!

I want a cradle I can place my phone in, which adapts to my HDTV. When I place the phone in the cradle, it should automatically do a few things. One, it will automatically forward the cell phone to the land line. Two…

WAIT. I don’t think i want to divulge the rest of my wants. I’ll peruse the patent filings first. I think the rest of my ideas may just be THAT good.

If anyone is interested in doing a JV, is interested in mobile/HDTV platforms, and wants to know more. Please contact me. The powerful part of this, will require some software development and some financial resources. But, the market will be cutting edge!