Willapalooza in Las Vegas
Oct 31, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Tired
.:itunes:. Gloryhound by Daniel Amos
My friend Will is getting married in a few months. Because of this, we took a little trip to Las Vegas this past weekend.
Vegas is a very interesting town. The first thing you notice is how much it is like an adult Disney world in a couple ways: it’s a playground and it’s a fascade (the closer you get to the buildings, the more you discover they are more like a set). Anyhoo, here are a few pictures from the time. I was going to write about the whole trip, but Dave gives an exhaustive rundown here.
For those of you don’t know Will, he’s the hot chick on the right. On the left is Dan.
Here’s the whole crew minus one. Mike Koch was not in the picture.
This is Dave, who served as our host all week:
In Vegas, even the bathrooms have cup-holders:
This is my favorite shot of the weekend. And, yes, it is of myself:
New York, New York (in Las Vegas):
While I was in town, I visited Central Christian Church. I got to hang out with their Operations guy and see what they were up to. Seems like they are growing like crazy and doing some cool things in the city. The service I went to met in a High School on the west side of town.
Remember the reality show about the club that was starting in Vegas? Well, here it is: closed down and for sale.
Check out my cool hat:
And later that night my other cool hat (that’s Jon on the left):
On the way home, I got to sit in First Class. Kachow:
Quote of the Day
Oct 31, 2007 Quotes
.:mood:. Good
.:itunes:. The Road Not Taken by Bruce Hornsby & The Range
“In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair, the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die.”
-Dorothy Sayers
Glamorous Thriller
Oct 31, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Ahhhhhhhhh!
.:mashup:. Glamorous Thriller by Fergie VS. Michael Jackson
In honor of Halloween, here’s the Mashup of the Day:
Bracing For Noel
Oct 31, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Hmmm
.:itunes:. Traffic Boom by Pierro Piccioni
Michelle sent me this graphic from FoxNews:
A couple days ago in the comments I made the joke that I hope I become a hurricane. Now, as TS Noel has killed at least 22, I realize that joke was in poor taste. Let’s pray for those in the path of the storm.
Oh, and on a side note. I’m teaching this weekend at Riverview so make sure you “Brace for Noel.”
[UPDATE: According the National Weather Service, I'm now heading out to sea.]
Arg.
Oct 31, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Didn’t I already say “Arg?”
.:itunes:. Save Tonight by Eagle-Eye Cherry
I just got back in town from Vegas (update on that coming soon) and so for the last hour or so I have been responding to emails. I was so excited to get to the end of the list and then I realized for some reason GMail had not uploaded 61 messages.
And now I dive back in…
[UPDATE - What the heck? I responded to or filed those notes and...got another 63! GMail...you're killing me!]
Quote of the Day
Oct 26, 2007 Quotes
.:mood:. Yup
.:itunes:. I Don’t by Danielle Peck
“Any tradition that doesn’t evolve becomes smaller.”
California Wildfires from Space
Oct 26, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Wow
.:itunes:. Would I Lie To You? by Eurythmics
Check out this amazing picture from NASA (via Cele|bitchy) of the California Wildfires from space. Click on it for a larger version:
We Have Steel!
Oct 26, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Great
.:itunes:. I Think We’re Alone Now by Tiffany
This week has been awesome because the steel arrived for the new building and it’s amazing how fast it is flying up.
I snapped this picture on my way home yesterday:
Zombie Invasion
Oct 26, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Undead
.:itunes:. Yesterday by Mustard Plug
The front-page article of the NOISE this week is “Zombie Invasion: How to Survive, Is Lansing Ready, Weapons to Own.”
Brilliant article–especially for those of us who are fans of the Zombie genre. Here is a a Q&A they included in the article:
Q. If your friend gets bitten, should you just kill them right away?
A. It depends on how much you like them and if they’re still useful until they die and turn. You probably want to take them out ASAP or send them on a dangerous mission so that way you’re not a murderer; you’re just letting them go first.Q. How long before you can come out of hiding after a zombie attack?
A. It’s gonna be a long time. You better find a quiet spot in the Arctic and make your compound. Choose your group well. Unlike movies, the A-hole doesn’t always die.Q. If you’re bitten, do you just kill yourself?
A. Do yourself a service or depending on your beliefs, just handcuff yourself to a radiator.Q. What are the signs you’ve been infected?
A. A bite is a red flag. Despite what you see on Fox News, you can’t get the virus from a toilet seat or the air. You could get it from an open-mouthed kiss, but if you’re kissing a zombie, you have bigger problems.Q. If you have you a lot of firepower, will you survive?
A. We have firepower but it’s a question of having enough. It has always solved our problems. We won Vietnam, we are winning now overseas (in Iraq) and it really helped against Katrina.
Kite’s MG
Oct 25, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:.
.:itunes:. Wheel by John Mayer
My friend Kite just bought a 1980 MG.
I got to drive it.
I’m so jealous.
My First Two Bibles
Oct 25, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Thinking
.:itunes:. The Perfect Kiss by New Order
Michael posted an interesting story about a special Bible in his life. It was the first academic Bible he ever studied from.
That made me think of my first two Bibles. I grabbed them off of my shelf to snap a picture for you all. Here they are:
The thing that is striking for me is the two written notes inside of them. The first one is telling because for years I have told people I prayed to receive Christ for the first time when I was 4. Apparently, that’s not true. I was 7 according to this note (inside the zip up Jesus picture Bible):
It’s interesting that 3 years to the day later, my parents hooked me up with the Bible I read until I was in college. Quite a change from a Jesus zipper Bible to a leather NASB. Here’s the note inside that one:
Quote of the Day
Oct 25, 2007 Quotes
.:mood:. Pierced
.:itunes:. We Built This City On Rock And Roll - 80’s by Starship
This little kid just walked up to me in the hallway at Riverview and asked
“Why do you have an earring on your forehead?”
I just got done meeting…
Oct 24, 2007 Uncategorized
I just got done meeting with somebody who came from a completely irreligious back ground is for only experience with church is when she would go to a church with friend of hers and and she said she felt like [...] someone who just yell at her and tell everything that was wrong with her, for a couple of weeks now she has been coming to Riverview and she said the first time she walked in she thought oh my gosh no one is scowling at me because that was her only experience with church before, so thank you to everyone of Riverview for not scowling.
Click here to listen
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Tyranny Of The Urgent
Oct 23, 2007 Quotes
.:mood:. Chill
.:itunes:. Rumbletrain? by The Mighty Lemon Drops
A long time ago, I read a little pamphlet called Tyranny Of The Urgent. I just tracked it down again and it was a great read. Here’s the one quote I like the best:
We live in constant tension between the urgent and the important. The problem is that the important task seldom must be done today or even this week. Extra hours of prayer and Bible study, a visit with that nonChristian friend, careful study of an important book: these projects can wait. But the urgent tasks call for instant action—endless demands pressure every hour and day.
I have been working hard on doing the important instead of the urgent lately. As I have restructured my work week and days, I have been much more productive with the right things. This morning my co-pastors even encouraged me to take this to another level. Good stuff.
Visitors
Oct 22, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Hmmmm…..
.:itunes:. Kicking the Heart Out by Rogue Wave
Check this video (via Mark) out of an atheist’s perspective after visiting several different churches.
It reminds me of this book I am reading right now:
“I Sold My Soul on eBay: Viewing Faith through an Atheist’s Eyes” (Hemant Mehta)
And upon further examination, it appears there is a connection between this video and the book:
Pray for JR
Oct 22, 2007 Uncategorized
My son came home from school today and said his friend Ethan had to leave school early and he didn’t know why. He thought it might have something to do with a car accident his dad had been in. I should also mention that his dad is JR, Riverview’s High School guy.
Well, I just read this on Wendy’s blog:
…JR, had an accident last night and somehow a pair of needle nose pliers ended up in his eye. They are on their way now to Ann Arbor so JR can have surgery on his eye. If he gets an infection in his eye, he could loose his sight. Please take a minute and pray for him.
Please take a minute and pray for JR.
Thanks.
[UPDATE: Apparently, the 8 year old version wasn't entirely accurate. It wasn't a car accident, but it was a needle nose pliers accident. You can check out Tricia's blog for updates. JR is having surgery tomorrow AM.]
Is it Christmas?
Oct 21, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Laughing
.:itunes:. Nothing Is Good Enough by Aimee Mann
Thanks to Kyle for this awesome site:
James Blunt on Sesame Street
Oct 21, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Angular
.:itunes:. Underwater Love by Faith No More
Tornado
Oct 19, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Sad
.:itunes:. Welcome To My Life by Simple Plan
Last night some significant storms blasted through the mid-Michigan area. My family and I ended up in the basement three times as the tornado sirens blared.
Scary stuff.
Today, as I was driving on I96, the traffic suddenly came to a screeching halt. It took 20 minutes to go about 4 miles. The reason the traffic slowed so much was tornado cleanup. It was crazy to see. The trees had been snapped from the south to the north, straight across the highway. Sitting in the median was a semi that had been thrown off of the road.
I snapped these pictures as I drove by:
Then I got two emails from a friend of mine. Please read them over and then take a few minutes to pray for those involved.
Here’s the first:
[We] drove out to Williamston this morning to go to the Weston’s house to see if we could help with clean-up (since I have a truck). You can not believe the devastation to the downtown of Williamston. I could not even get all the way to the Weston’s house due to down power line (must be 100 poles down) and large oak tree’s all over all the roads (most roads are impassable due to tree’s on them). We had to drive over tree’s on the main road’s; the gas station downtown is wreck; the bank; houses, etc… The Weston house had the front pillar ripped off; windows smashed; front door ripped off and tree’s down all over. I am glad they are all safe.
The town is using the High School as a rescue center; I honestly don’t know how they will have downtown pulled back together for school to begin again next Monday. It also sounds like two people died in it; please pray for that family.
Then, two hours later, she sent me this note:
We just got bad news: the couple missing in Williamston is my step-brother-in-law’s aunt and uncle. My step-sister and brother-inl-aw are so upset as they are sure their family members died last night.
[My husband] talked with their Aunt and Uncle around 9:00 p.m. last night about the bad storm coming. They told them to come over to their house (the aunt and uncle had just put this new trailer out on the farm within the last month); but, they didn’t and the trailer was destroyed. They are sure they are dead and can not believe it.
I don’t know why crap like this happens.
But God does…it’s my only source of comfort.
