Why I Blog…
Nov 30, 2005 Uncategorized
//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
//MOOD: Hmm
//TIVO: Amazing Race
My wife rocks. She just asked me if I wanted one of these.
Chuck Norris
Nov 29, 2005 Uncategorized
//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
//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
//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
//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
//MOOD: Laughing
//NOISE: Coley, saying “here”
Jon dressed up pretty for Thanksgiving (via Dan):
Headphones, Part Two
Nov 26, 2005 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Groggy
//NOISE: Legos clicking
After yesterday’s commentary on headphones, I have found a pair that takes the cake. Bulky and cool all at the same time. It’s the mTune.
Yes, that is an iPod in the headphones, and yes you can access the click-wheel. And it’s only $50! I wonder how they sound.
You can read more about them here. (Thanks to Mike for the link.)
Technorati Tags: headphones, apple
Linking
Nov 25, 2005 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Accomplished
//NOISE: Kids watching some movie
I finally cleaned up my Bloglines account. It has been getting kinda messy. I had 94 feeds in a folder called “Evaluating.” It no longer served its purpose because there was too much to evaluate. So…I just evaluated all of them. Now, I have 233 perfectly organized feeds. You can view them on the sidebar to the right. I’ve decided to do away with the “evaluating” concept. If I’m reading the blog, you are going to know about it. Unless of course the author has asked me not to link to them.
Now (unfortunately) I have a huge “Friends & Such” pile and a huge “Xianity” pile because it was getting too hard to sort. Now, it may be just as much of a pain. Oh well
I thought since I sorted out all the links, I would explain the new categories for y’all. Also, if I have linked to you and you think you are in the wrong spot or you don’t want me to link to you, let me know and I will make the change.
OK, here’s what I mean by each category:
//APPLE
All things Apple. Nuff said.
//FRIENDS & SUCH
There are a lot of people I “know.” They range from best friend types to acquaintances to people who go to Riverview. I threw them all in this pile. Too hard to further categorize this big group. It’s quite possible that some people in this group don’t know I know them or they don’t know me or they have no idea that I read their blogs. Well…now they do. Maybe.
//PHOTO BLOGS
One of my favorites things to do is my daily perusal of this category. Pretty pictures.
//PODCASTS
I’m a podcast addict. These are my favs.
//POLITICAL
I don’t often read this section. Just when I’m in the mood. For what you ask? Laughing? Barfing? You decide.
//POP CULTURE
This is kinda a guilty pleasure category.
//RANDOM
Don’t know what else to do with this crap.
//VIDEO
Vidblogs, software, etc.
//XIANITY
These aren’t necessarily “Christian Blogs.” Rather, they are sites that concern themselves mostly with Christian concepts. Some are decidedly pro-Christianity and some are decidedly anti-Christianity. The rest are nestled neatly in the middle.
Well, that’s about it. An hour wasted. But it’s like when you clean your car. You stand back and look at it with a satisfied grin.
Until a bird craps on it.
RIP Pat Morita
Nov 25, 2005 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Nuetral
//ITUNES: Baby Please Don’t Go from the album “Best Of Van Morrison” by Van Morrison
Headphones
Nov 25, 2005 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Conflicted
//ITUNES: Run Around by Blues Travelers
Dan was showing me the church’s new headphones for the booth this week. They just picked up a pair of these:
This inspired me to dig out my original Sony Monitors. I bought these 15 years ago or so. These are the ones I have:
I put them on and realized I had forgotten how good music can sound. All of my other headphones / earbuds suck in comparison. Now, I have a dilemma.
The ear-pads themselves are totally worn out, so they are not as comfortable as they used to be. They also have little pieces of the rubber (from the ear-pads) that keep falling off and I have these little black pieces all over my shirt.
But that is not the dilemma. Because I found I can buy the new ear-pads for about $15 online.
So want to start using these whenever I work because they sound so awesome. But I feel like I would looks stupid, sitting in a coffee shop wearing these massive headphones.
Again, not the dilemma.
I have no room in my bag. This is the dilemma. The last thing I need is another big thing to carry around. If I actually had an office to leave them in, that would be a different matter. Being the nomad I am, I cart everything around with me. Books, computer, mouse, notebooks, etc. Now I have to decide if premium sound is worth it.
Yippee
Nov 25, 2005 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Goodish
//ITUNES: (Who Discovered) America? from the album “Street Signs” by Ozomatli
I just got done reading Joel’s sob story about trying to shop on Black Friday this morning. Suffice it to say, he had a rough time.
So, I thought I’d share my story.
Since this summer, I have needed a new jump drive. In the paper yesterday I saw this beut. It’s a Verbatim 1GB Store ‘n’ Go:
1 GB, $39, no rebate necessary. Nice. You see a similar deal every once in a while, but you have to do the stupid mail-in rebate thing,
So, I headed over to Office Max at about 9:30 this morning. I stepped in the door and an employee was standing there with a flyer.
“Would you like a flyer?”
“Nope, I just want that,” I reply pointing at the picture on the front.
She then walks me to the front counter and grabs one for me. Looking at the long lines at the check out counters, she says, “Are you buying anything else?”
“Nope.”
“I’ll just check you out here then.”
Total time in the store? Roughly 120 seconds.
3 Things
Nov 25, 2005 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Old
//ITUNES: The Body is A Stairway Of Skin from the album “Films For radio” by Over The Rhine
Three realizations I had today.
1) I really have lost a lot of hair. I have the 21st Century version of a comb-over.
2) When I sit in a metal chair for more than a half hour, my back starts to hurt.
3) When I work in a dark room for more than a half hour, my eyes start to hurt.
I guess it’s just one realization, really. I’m old.
XLR
Nov 24, 2005 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Pretty Good
//TV: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
We all know that everyone lip syncs at the parade, but I just saw something that drives me crazy. The “Jersey Boys” performers were using XLR mics that weren’t plugged in. So every time they would sing into them, you could look into the bottom and see where they were supposed to be plugged in.
Arg.
Happy Thanksgiving
Nov 24, 2005 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Ready to go to bed
//NOISE: The furnace
Thanks to my mom for sending me this Thanksgiving article.
It’s from John Fischer and I have not been able to find it online to link to. So, instead I will post the whole thing here.
What Thanksgiving Can Do
by John FischerThe worst moment for an atheist comes when he is really thankful and has no one to thank. - Unknown
Thanksgiving is the theme song of the Christian. For a Christian not to be thankful is like a dog not to wag his tail at his owner’s approach. Thankful Christians walk around grateful for every breath, every sunset, every new morning, every color in the color spectrum, and every star in the sky. Like an alcoholic who is clean and sober, noticing beauty and taste for the first time, we are grateful just to be alive because we have been dead for so long. It’s hard to think of one vice that the virtue of thankfulness cannot render useless. One does not need to steal when one is thankful. A man does not covet his neighbor’s wife when he is thankful for his own. No one craves more when he is grateful for what he has.
In the same way, a thankful heart cancels out pride and arrogance. No need to judge other people when you are thankful for who you are. No need to measure yourself by and compare yourself to others when you are thankful for what God has done in your life. No need to keep anyone out of the kingdom of God when you’re overwhelmed that you got in. (God can let in anyone He wants. I am simply glad to be counted among the saved.) You don’t care if you get the important seat at the table when you are overcome with gratitude at simply being invited to the dinner. You don’t put heavy weights on other people’s shoulders when you are thankful that God has lightened your own load. You are not obsessed with what other people think of you when you are overwhelmed with the fact that God is thinking about you all the time. You don’t demand respect when you are thankful for your place. You don’t have to hide your own sin when you are already thankful for God’s forgiveness. You don’t have to protect your image when you are already number one with God. You don’t have to condemn other people’s blindness when it’s only the grace of God that has allowed you to see. You don’t have to try for the highest place when you are already grateful for whatever place you were given. You don’t have to make a show of spirituality when you are thankful for having received the Spirit. You don’t have to clothe yourself in holy robes when you have been already clothed in righteousness. You don’t have to be full of yourself when you are thankful that God has filled you up with Himself.
New Jeezit
Nov 23, 2005 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Grrrrreat
//ITUNES: I’d do anything by Simple Plan
I just uploaded a new podcast. Click here to get it.
Happy Thanksgiving
Nov 23, 2005 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Working…kinda
//ITUNES: Look from the album “Pray Naked” by The Seventy Sevens
In honor of Thanksgiving, Go kill some turkeys.
