NoelHeikkinen.com

Evan Almighty

Nov 21, 2006 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Excited
.:itunes:. One Angry Dwarf by Ben Folds
Thanks to Jason for this. I am very excited.

OK…I thought this was all a joke

Nov 21, 2006 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Suprised
.:itunes:. O Holy Night by Sufjan Stevens
When I posted a video about this a few days ago, I had no idea it was real. (via The Boston Globe) thanks to Chris for the link:

NASHUA — When Jairo Moncada pulled up to the drive-through at Wendy’s in Burbank, Calif., for his usual cheeseburger, fries, and soda, he knew things looked different. There was an extra lane.

But the 25-year-old could not see the biggest change: The woman taking his lunch order was sitting 3,000 miles away at a computer terminal in Nashua, and fielding calls from Wendy’s customers at drive-throughs as far away as Florida and Washington, D.C.

“I had absolutely no idea I was talking to someone in New Hampshire,” Moncada said in a phone interview later that day. “Our order was ready at the window. It was really quick.”

It took a total of 66 seconds.

The Burbank store is one of several Wendy’s restaurants around the country that have been testing the concept, and franchisees plan to expand to at least 200 stores by next spring because the initial tests are so promising. Other fast-food companies, including Burger King, Panda Express, and McDonald’s, have also started routing drive-through calls to remote locations to get faster and more accurate orders and let in-store employees concentrate on making food, keeping the store clean, and ringing up sales.

Freakin’ Amazing

Nov 21, 2006 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Amazed
.:itunes:. Dukes Up by Modest Mouse

Thanks to Jeff for this baby:

Sermon

Nov 19, 2006 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

OK, so I have had the tech guys record my messages lately so we can play around with them on the internet. I have posted a few on here in Google and YouTube formats.

Now, I want to try to Vodcast them.

So on this post, I am going to do two things:

1) I’m going to attempt to post the video in a format that is “Vodcast friendly”

2) I have created a specific RSS feed for the vodcast. You can find that link here.

Let me know if this works. I will try to get this whole series up here. Bear with me as I try to standardize how the video looks / sounds.

View this video now.

Download this video to view later.

For an embeddable version in Google, click here.

Cake vs. Lemuel Mashup

Nov 19, 2006 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Lucky
.:itunes:. Short Skirt Long Jacket by Cake

So, I spent some time searching for myself online. I came across this site that quoted me and they made an interesting observation. Here’s the site: firstcrusader: Un-inter-rupted!. Here’s the observation:

Also, anyone else ever notice how Cake’s “Short Skirt, Long Jacket” parallels the description of a good wife found in Proverbs 31?

Interesting. What do you think? Here are the two songs:

Cake
Short Skirt, Long Jacket

I want a girl with a mind like a diamond
I want a girl who knows what’s best
I want a girl with shoes that cut
And eyes that burn like cigarettes

I want a girl with the right allocations
Who’s fast, thorough, and sharp as a tack
She’s playing with her jewelry
She’s putting up her hair
She’s touring the facilities
And picking up the slack
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket.

I want a girl who gets up early
I want a girl who stays up late
I want a girl with uninterrupted prosperity
Who uses a machete, to cut her red tape

With fingernails that shine like justice
And a voice that is dark like tainted glass
She is fast, thorough, and sharp as a tack
She’s touring the facilities and picking up the slack
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long, long jacket

I want a girl with smooth liquidation
I want a girl with the right dividends
At City Bank we will meet accidentally
We’ll start to talk when she borrows my pen

She wants a car with a cupholder armrest
She wants a car that will get her there
She’s changing her name
From Kitty to Karen
She’s trading her MG for a white Chrysler LeBaron
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket

King Lemuel
Proverbs 31 Woman

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night.

Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm clothes.

She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.

She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.

Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.
Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

Ted

Nov 19, 2006 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Kinda Sad
.:itunes:. Mercy Mercy by Seventy Sevens

Maybe it’s because I have not read much the last few weeks, but I missed this letter from Ted Haggard to his congregation (via Gazette.com). That whole situation continues to make me sad. My thoughts remain the same as when I did my podcast on it a few weeks ago.

I have bolded the sections that really struck me one way or another.

To my New Life Church family:

I am so sorry. I am sorry for the disappointment, the betrayal, and the hurt. I am sorry for the horrible example I have set for you.

I have an overwhelming, all-consuming sadness in my heart for the pain that you and I and my family have experienced over the past few days. I am so sorry for the circumstances that have caused shame and embarrassment to all of you.

I asked that this note be read to you this morning so I could clarify
my heart’s condition to you. The last four days have been so difficult for me, my family and all of you, and I have further confused the situation with some of the things I’ve said during interviews with reporters who would catch me coming or going from my home. But I alone am responsible for the confusion caused by my inconsistent statements. The fact is, I am guilty of sexual immorality, and I take responsibility for the entire problem.

I am a deceiver and a liar. There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I’ve been warring against it all of my adult life.

For extended periods of time, I would enjoy victory and rejoice in freedom. Then, from time to time, the dirt that I thought was gone would resurface, and I would find myself thinking thoughts and experiencing desires that were contrary to everything I believe and teach.

Through the years, I’ve sought assistance in a variety of ways, with none of them proving to be effective in me. Then, because of pride, I began deceiving those I love the most because I didn’t want to hurt or disappoint them.

The public person I was wasn’t a lie; it was just incomplete. When I stopped communicating about my problems, the darkness increased and finally dominated me. As a result, I did things that were contrary to everything I believe.

The accusations that have been leveled against me are not all true, but enough of them are true that I have been appropriately and lovingly removed from ministry. Our church’s overseers have required me to submit to the oversight of Dr. James Dobson, Pastor Jack Hayford, and Pastor Tommy Barnett. Those men will perform a thorough analysis of my mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical life. They will guide me through a program with the goal of healing and restoration for my life, my marriage, and my family.

I created this entire situation. The things that I did opened the door for additional allegations . But I am responsible; I alone need to be disciplined and corrected. An example must be set.

It is important that you know how much I love and appreciate my wife, Gayle. What I did should never reflect in a negative way on her relationship with me. She has been and continues to be incredible. The problem is not with her, my children or any of you. It was created 100 percent by me.

I have been permanently removed from the office of Senior Pastor of New Life Church. Until a new senior pastor is chosen, our Associate Senior Pastor Ross Parsley will assume all of the the responsibilities of the office. On the day he accepted this new role, he and his wife, Aimee, had a new baby boy. A new life in the midst of this circumstance – I consider the confluence of events to be prophetic. Please commit to join with Pastor Ross and the others in church leadership to make their service to you easy and without burden. They are fine leaders. You are blessed.

I appreciate your loving and forgiving nature, and I humbly ask you to do a few things.

1.) Please stay faithful to God through service and giving.

2.) Please forgive me. I am so embarrassed and ashamed. I caused this and I have no excuse. I am a sinner. I have fallen. I desperately need to be forgiven and healed.

3.) Please forgive my accuser. He is revealing the deception and sensuality that was in my life. Those sins, and others, need to be dealt with harshly. So, forgive him and, actually, thank God for him. I am trusting that his action will make me, my wife and family, and ultimately all of you, stronger. He didn’t violate you; I did.

4.) Please stay faithful to each other. Perform your functions well. Encourage each other and rejoice in God’s faithfulness. Our church body is a beautiful body, and like every family, our strength is tested and proven in the midst of adversity. Because of the negative publicity I’ve created with my foolishness, we can now demonstrate to the world how our sick and wounded can be healed, and how even disappointed and betrayed church bodies can prosper and rejoice.

Gayle and I need to be gone for a while. We will never return to a leadership role at New Life Church. In our hearts, we will always be members of this body. We love you as our family. I know this situation will put you to the test. I’m sorry I’ve created the test, but please rise to this challenge and demonstate the incredible grace that is available to all of us.

Ted Haggard

Politically Incorrect, But Funny

Nov 19, 2006 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

To all my “interracial marriage peeps” out there, I give you a very long (15 minutes) video. Enjoy.

The Office

Nov 18, 2006 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Great
.:itunes:. If It Ain’t Broke It Don’t Need Fiction by Taylor Mali

If you missed The Office last night, you missed the best episode yet. I laughed out-loud continuously throughout the episode.

Click here to buy it from iTunes.

Oh, and just out of curiosity:

	Team Karen or Team Pam?
	Team Karen
	Team Pam
free counter

Outsourcing

Nov 18, 2006 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Swell
.:itunes:. Heaven by Warrant

Oh, Crap

Nov 17, 2006 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Crappy
.:itunes:. Heaven by Warrant

I just realized that no one could post comments for the last few days.

Someone let me know if I fixed that tiny problem.