3 Deaths
Sep 16, 2004 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Better than I should be in | ITUNES: “Sweet Frustration” – Audiovent }
Yesterday, my Grandma passed away. The cool thing is that it sounds like she became a Christian (or at least began taking it real seriously) over the last several months. So that is real cool. Sad, but cool. It will be interesting to see my extended family at the funeral, because we really don’t see each other often.
Then, early this morning my dad’s chocolate lab Zeke died. He was practically a family member. He even had his own room at my parent’s house.
Then, this morning, my digital camera died. Apparently sitting all night in the rain is not good for it. Anyone recommend a new camera?
Why your Movable Type blog must die
Sep 13, 2004 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Great | REAL PLAYER: “1985″ – Bowling for Soup }
I just read the most amazing rant. This guy is describing me, and I love it. Yes, I have a sense of humor about myself. So, in order to prove him right, I shall link to him and quote him.
You are all pretentious twats
Every last one of you. You’re all latte-sipping, iMac-using, suburban-living tertiary-industry-working WASPs who offer absolutely no new insights on anything whatsoever apart from maybe one specialist field if we’re lucky. Most of you think that you’re writing original content and that you’re making a contribution by licensing your spewings under Creative Commons “Some Rights Reserved” licences, just because it’s the hip thing to do. You think you know all there is to say about blogging because you understand the concept of HTML and CSS, but the horrible truth is that 40% of you are all using the same shitty default layout. Then you take pictures of yourselves looking pensive or making vague allusions to mythology.
And hopefully by giving my post the same title as his article, I can clog up Google.
Pics, Quotes, and 4 Services
Sep 12, 2004 Quotes
{ MOOD: Suprisingly awake and engaged | NOISE: Grace listening to worship music and sorting stuff }
Inspired by Melissa, I have decided to catch up on a few pictures I have been wanting to post.
First, here is the wedding I got to do a few weeks ago. Very fun:
Here is Jesse riding his bike the other day. My wife was unimpressed. Something about him not being able to see.
We have been incorporating more art pieces into our services lately. I will post more later. For now, check out these pics from this week’s service. Here is one of the quotes on which the sculpture was based:
“Most of us are oblivious to the culture around us. Like the air we breathe, it is invisible and we simply take it for granted. It has been said that human culture is much like the relationship between a fish and water. One could ask the question of a fish, “Is your nose wet?” You and I, of course, know that the fish’s nose is wet. Yet, we do not know what a fish actually thinks about the water around itself. If fish were scientists, probably the last thing they would discover is water! So it is with us. We live and move about in the culture with which we are closely and invisibly enmeshed.” – William Webb
A guy after church said something to me about a “rainbow print Jesus” never being attractive to him. However, I can’t remember the exact quote. I am sure Chey will.
This weekend was our first with 4 services. Man, they all have their own personalities. Our 10ish was packed. Hopefully people will migrate earlier or later. The flow was kinda nuts packing all the services in. I’m sure we will all adjust.
If you loved me…
Sep 10, 2004 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: :) | QUICKTIME: iMac Ad }
…you’d buy me one of these:
Actually, I am waiting for Mac to come out with a version of these tablets:
Nate has one. Yes, yes he does.
REM
Sep 9, 2004 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Groovin’ | ITUNES: REM Sampler }
I am a huge REM fan. I have records, tapes, and CDs. That’s why I was excited when I saw this ad on my weekly iTunes mailer (which you so need to sign up for, because they send you free songs every week):
Click here to download a sampler of snippets from their new album. Yes, the marketing has worked. I will have to buy the album.
Dubya
Sep 8, 2004 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Good, Thanks for Asking | NOISE: Dubya Voice }
No matter what your political leanings are, you just have to appreciate this site.
Cynical
Sep 8, 2004 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ WORK I AM AVOIDING: Writing my message | ITUNES: “On The Sea” – Vertical Horizon }
My friend Chad posted an interesting comment on his blog about Cynicism. Here is the summary statement:
Lately it seems like it’s more and more acceptable to be cynical as a Christian. In some ways, it even seems like people think it’s cool to be cynical. If this is true, I’m wondering what the effects will be over the long haul. How can a person be cynical and say they really love Christ? Of course you can struggle with being cynical, but it seems to me that the struggle is being lost and acceptance of cynicism is being more and more accepted.
Now something Steve has raised about this lately has been floating around my empty head. He pointed out that a lot of cynicism inside the church is coming from those who have grown up in the church. Those outside of the church don’t seem to have the same attitude. Why is that?
Here’s a thought from Erwin McManus:
America’s best atheists are children of the church. It is rare to find a person who is a passionate enemy of the church who has never had contact with her. The diminishing influence of the American church on American society is not simply because fewer people are going to church, but fewer people are going to church because of the diminishing influence of Christ on the church itself.
Now, with that said, I make a few random conclusions:
*Cynicism may be a first step for someone who is wrestling with issues in their lives. That is a negative way of showing his or her discontent. (A lot of renewal / revival / reformation started with discontent, I have to imagine, some cynicism) If they stay there, though, that becomes a problem.
*We, as Christians, are reminded to always have an answer when asked about the hope we have. How can we do this without having hope?
*Now for the other side. According to Chad’s first definition, we should be cynical to a degree. Because we know that without Christ in our lives, humans are “motivated chiefly by base or selfish concerns.” See James 4.
Good Will Hunting
Sep 7, 2004 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Spectacular | NOISE: Katie and Grace sewing curtains }
I just watched Good Will Hunting on Tivo. I have never seen it before. The version I watched was the ABC Family version so it was cleaned up for language, etc. I don’t think I like the sanitized version as much. And that is interesting because I haven’t even seen the original. I just tend to think the f-word is so expressive and I think it would have helped the movie.
Anyhoo, it made me think about how much each generation needs the other. That is something our culture and our churches are missing out on. The trick is how. How do we get different generations to connect. I think we all know how important it is, but it is something you can’t force. Some of the most significant relationships I have had in my life are with people older or younger than me. But they all happened naturally.
I really do wrestle with how to create this sort of environment at Riv. How do we do the multi-generational thing and still reach the next generation? It is totally a balancing act.
I think I need to rent the f*ing unedited version of Good Will Hunting now.
Random Thoughts
Sep 7, 2004 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Casual | ITUNES: “Water” – PJ Harvey }
Random Thought #1:
The 80s are coming back. I keep seeing people wearing polo shirts with the collars up. Maybe Alex P. Keaton will come back into style.
Random Thought #2:
There is this circle of four comfy chairs at Beaners. A guy is sitting in one of them working. A mom and her two teenage kids just sat in the other three chairs. The working man looks very uncomfortable and violated. It is awesome. Every other seat in the house is empty except the one I am in and they sat there. I bet he is regretting going for comfort today. Hehe.
Hurricane Damage
Sep 6, 2004 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
Damage to a church by Hurricane Frances:
(picture from New York Times
