Why I Blog…
Nov 30, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
//MOOD: Thinking
//ITUNES: Daily Jeezit Podcast | 11-30-05 from the album “Daily Jeezit” by Noel Heikkinen
I get a lot of email about my blog / teachings / etc. A chunk of these notes are negative. The negative notes fall into one of two categories:
1) People who want to attack me. I usually delete these notes and lay in bed awake all night thinking about them (another whole story).
2) People with genuine concerns and good attitudes. These, I often respond to and take pretty seriously.
This week, I have had a few concerns raised over the Chuck Norris post. Specifically, a few of the lines seemed inappropriate to be posted on a pastor’s site. With hind-sight, it was probably a bad judgment call to post the entire excerpt. Sorry, if you were offended. It was not intended to be offensive. In all seriousness, I wondered if people were going to take it that way right after I posted it and had forgotten until a few emails came in. That caused me to think again about why I even do this thing.
I thought I would take this opportunity to post some thoughts on why I do this thing. This is a summary. If you would like to know more, I talk about it at length in a podcast, as well. You can download that here.
I blog for two reasons.
It’s For Me
- I use this blog to work out my faith publicly
- I use this blog to combat hypocrisy in my own life
It’s For Others
- I use this blog as a teaching tool
- I use this blog as a connection point
I go into a lot more detail on the podcast, but this is the extremely brief summary. If you have time, listen to it and let me know if you think I am off-base. I am totally up for changing if I am seeing this wrong.
Quote of the Day
Nov 30, 2005 Quotes
//MOOD: Getting There
//ITUNES: End is Forever by Ataris
From TallSkinnyKiwi:
If I had a candle for every minister who believes the emerging church is a runaway faction of anti-establishment philosophers, sipping starbucks on leopard-skin couches and projecting the Matrix movie onto labyrinths, then I could probably light up the entire worship space at an Emergent Convention.
Apple Tivo?
Nov 29, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
//MOOD: Hmm
//TIVO: Amazing Race
My wife rocks. She just asked me if I wanted one of these.
Chuck Norris
Nov 29, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
//MOOD: Good, thanks
//TIVO: CSI Miami
Thanks to Monkeys For Helping for “Some Facts About Chuck Norris”
Chuck Norris’ tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.
Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.
Chuck Norris can piss into gale force winds.
Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.
The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain.
Chuck Norris can make a woman climax by simply pointing at her and saying “booya”.
Chuck Norris doesn’t read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.
Filming on location for Walker: Texas Ranger, Chuck Norris brought a stillborn baby lamb back to life by giving it a prolonged beard rub. Shortly after the farm animal sprang back to life and a crowd had gathered, Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked the animal, breaking its neck, to remind the crew once more that Chuck giveth, and the good Chuck, he taketh away.
The Shift
Nov 28, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
//MOOD: Pretty Dang Good
//ITUNES: Miserable by Lit
If you were around Riv this weekend, you heard me talk about what a sucky month I have. It was kinda a weird weekend. At the end of the service, I was planning on leading everyone in praying for things we are thankful for and repenting of our sin.
But I didn’t want to do either. Not even close.
At the 6ish service Saturday, I confessed this to the group there and said something like “these are the times when we should do this anyway.” It was kinda half-hearted and more an intellectual measure than anything else. So I prayed and I really tried to be thankful. Then, I really tried to confess sins going on in my life, although I didn’t feel like it.
At the 8ish service, I began to warm up. When I prayed, I was really starting to be thankful. And when I prayed for the sins in my life, I really meant it.
Sunday, I woke up in the best mood I have been in in a long time.
By the end of the 3 Sunday services, I was praying with an authentic heart. And I felt like so much pressure had been lifted off of me. It made me think about the fact that sometimes, we need to go through the motions and God will connect with us where we are. I am not saying we fake it, that’s why it was important for me to admit where I was. But at the same time, I need to believe that God will meet me and help move me to where I need to me. He did that this weekend.
Then, I spoke this morning at Spring Arbor and things seemed to connect. I had lunch with my friend JVo and reflected with him on this whole thing. It’s amazing when what you believe to be true reveals itself as really being true. Know what I mean?
I may have to kill myself
Nov 28, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
//MOOD: Suicidal
//ITUNES: Take It Back from the album “Crossing Muddy Waters” by John Hiatt
I am camped out in Beaners in Jackson right now. I got settled in and realized I don’t have my headphones with me. They must be sitting at home. And Beaners is blaring XMAS music. And not the good kind.
The only hope I have is my cheesy one ear headset / mic deal. Luckily, I don’t care too much about looking like a dork. Now I have John Hiatt blaring in one ear and “Jingle Bells” in the other.
So much for settling in for a quiet afternoon of thinking and planning.
UPDATE: The internet isn’t working either. So now I can’t even post my complaining.
UPDATE TWO: Things are looking up. The internet is now working and a guy loaned me headphones.
Maybe there is a God after all.
Spring Arbor
Nov 28, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
//MOOD: Now
//ITUNES: Right Here, Right Now (Righteous Radio Mix) from the album “Right Here, Right Now (US)” by Jesus Jones
Pray for me this morning. I am off to Spring Arbor University to teach on homosexuality at their chapel service. It will be a thousand students or so from mostly Christian backgrounds. Not sure how I will be received. I am doing this message because I asked a bunch of Spring Arbor types which message I should do, and this one came up several times.
We’ll see how it goes. I’ll let you know.
Quote of the Day
Nov 28, 2005 Quotes
//MOOD: Here
//ITUNES: Right Here, Right Now (Righteous Radio Mix) from the album “Right Here, Right Now (US)” by Jesus Jones
Via John & Stephi:
“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
- Winston Churchill
Quote of the Day
Nov 26, 2005 Quotes
//MOOD: Crappy
//NOISE: Me Laughing
Coley just walked up to me and introduced a new iProduct. He just said:
Daddy…iPoop.
Jon is Pretty
Nov 26, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
//MOOD: Laughing
//NOISE: Coley, saying “here”
Jon dressed up pretty for Thanksgiving (via Dan):
