Saturday, December 29, 2007
There will be Adam going to see this movie.
There Will Be Blood.
Looks awesome.
I purchased the soundtrack yesterday - original music by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead.
Now I can't wait to see this movie.
Daniel Day Lewis supposedly gives "the best acting performance of this decade", according to one review.
I will give my own review once I see it.
Friday, December 28, 2007
A Great Year For My Friend
So...as I've mentioned before in my blog, I have a famous friend. At least famous in music circles.
I met Chris Simpson when I was still in high school, and he and a couple of my friends were forming a band. They tried me out on drums, and I did okay, so I joined the band. We did okay, sold a couple of demos and almost got signed to R.E.X. Records (which I'm glad didn't happen), but the band broke up soon after that (I was already out, because of college). Well, Chris went on to bigger and better things after us, moving to Austin and forming the band Mineral, and then after Mineral broke up, The Gloria Record.
Now he's recording solo under the moniker "Zookeeper".
I was reading the top 100 albums according to Yahoo Music, and congratulations, Chris - you put out album #47 of this year.
Here is what it says:
Becoming All Things by Zookeeper
You won't find this on many year-end lists. Zookeeper is still, for the most part, under-the-radar. The newest project of former Mineral and The Gloria Record member Chris Simpson. Becoming All Things is a sweeping, pop-infused epic of an album that was a true surprise. Don't miss it.
Way to go, Chris!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
My personality trait, part 2
So, here is my personality when it comes to relationships, I guess.
---
INFPs present a calm, pleasant face to the world. They appear to be tranquil and peaceful to others, with simple desires. In fact, the INFP internally feels his or her life intensely. In the relationship arena, this causes them to have a very deep capacity for love and caring which is not frequently found with such intensity in the other types. The INFP does not devote their intense feelings towards just anyone, and are relatively reserved about expressing their inner-most feelings. They reserve their deepest love and caring for a select few who are closest to them. INFPs are generally laid-back, supportive and nurturing in their close relationships. With Introverted Feeling dominating their personality, they're very sensitive and in-tune with people's feelings, and feel genuine concern and caring for others. Slow to trust others and cautious in the beginning of a relationship, an INFP will be fiercely loyal once they are committed. With their strong inner core of values, they are intense individuals who value depth and authenticity in their relationships, and hold those who understand and accept the INFP's perspectives in especially high regard. INFPs are usually adaptable and congenial, unless one of their ruling principles has been violated, in which case they stop adapting and become staunch defenders of their values. They will be uncharacteristically harsh and rigid in such a situation.
Most INFPs will exhibit the following strengths with regards to relationship issues:
Warmly concerned and caring towards others
Sensitive and perceptive about what others are feeling
Loyal and committed - they want lifelong relationships
Deep capacity for love and caring
Driven to meet other's needs
Strive for "win-win" situations
Nurturing, supportive and encouraging
Likely to recognize and appreciate other's need for space
Able to express themselves well
Flexible and diverse
Most INFPs will exhibit the following weaknesses with regards to relationship issues:
May tend to be shy and reserved
Don't like to have their "space" invaded
Extreme dislike of conflict
Extreme dislike of criticism
Strong need to receive praise and positive affirmation
May react very emotionally to stressful situations
Have difficulty leaving a bad relationship
Have difficulty scolding or punishing others
Tend to be reserved about expressing their feelings
Perfectionistic tendancies may cause them to not give themselves enough credit
Tendency to blame themselves for problems, and hold everything on their own shoulders
INFPs as Parents:
INFPs are "natural" parents. They accept and enjoy the parental role, seeing it as the natural extension of their value systems. They make use of the parental role for developing and defining their values further, and consider it their task to pass their values on to their children. They take their role quite seriously. Warm, affirming, and flexible, the INFP generally makes a gentle and easy-going parent in many respects.
INFPs do not like conflict situations, and will keep themselves flexible and diverse to promote a positive, conflict-free environment in their home. The INFP is not naturally prone to dole out punishment or discipline, and so is likely to adapt to their mate's disciplinary policy, or to rely on their mates to administer discipline with the children. In the absence of a mating parent, the INFP will need to make a conscious effort of creating a structure for their children to live within.
Although the INFP dislikes punishing others, they hold strong values and will not tolerate the violation of a strongly-held belief. If they feel that their child has truly committed a wrong, the INFP parent will not have a problem administering discipline. They will directly confront the child, stubbornly digging in their heels and demanding recourse.
The INFP parent is likely to value their children as individuals, and to give them room for growth. They will let the children have their own voice and place in the family.
Extremely loving and devoted parents, INFPs will fiercely protect and support their children. If there is an issue involving "taking sides", you can bet the INFP will always be loyal to their children.
INFPs are usually remembered by their children as loving, patient, devoted, and flexible parents.
INFPs as friends:
INFPs are warm and caring individuals who highly value authenticity and depth in their personal relationships. They are usually quite perceptive about other people's feelings and motives, and are consequently able to get along with all sorts of different people. However, the INFP will keep their true selves reserved from others except for a select few, with whom they will form close and lasting friendships. With their high ideals, they are likely to be drawn to other iNtuitive Feelers for their closer friendships.
With their strong need for harmony and dislike of conflict, INFPs may feel threatened by people with strong Judging and Thinking preferences. Although they're likely to be able to work well professionally with such individuals, they may have difficulty accepting or appreciating them on a personal level. They generally feel a kinship and affinity with other Feeling types.
INFPs will be valued by their confidantes as genuine, altruistic, deep, caring, original individuals.
----
So there you go.
---
INFPs present a calm, pleasant face to the world. They appear to be tranquil and peaceful to others, with simple desires. In fact, the INFP internally feels his or her life intensely. In the relationship arena, this causes them to have a very deep capacity for love and caring which is not frequently found with such intensity in the other types. The INFP does not devote their intense feelings towards just anyone, and are relatively reserved about expressing their inner-most feelings. They reserve their deepest love and caring for a select few who are closest to them. INFPs are generally laid-back, supportive and nurturing in their close relationships. With Introverted Feeling dominating their personality, they're very sensitive and in-tune with people's feelings, and feel genuine concern and caring for others. Slow to trust others and cautious in the beginning of a relationship, an INFP will be fiercely loyal once they are committed. With their strong inner core of values, they are intense individuals who value depth and authenticity in their relationships, and hold those who understand and accept the INFP's perspectives in especially high regard. INFPs are usually adaptable and congenial, unless one of their ruling principles has been violated, in which case they stop adapting and become staunch defenders of their values. They will be uncharacteristically harsh and rigid in such a situation.
Most INFPs will exhibit the following strengths with regards to relationship issues:
Warmly concerned and caring towards others
Sensitive and perceptive about what others are feeling
Loyal and committed - they want lifelong relationships
Deep capacity for love and caring
Driven to meet other's needs
Strive for "win-win" situations
Nurturing, supportive and encouraging
Likely to recognize and appreciate other's need for space
Able to express themselves well
Flexible and diverse
Most INFPs will exhibit the following weaknesses with regards to relationship issues:
May tend to be shy and reserved
Don't like to have their "space" invaded
Extreme dislike of conflict
Extreme dislike of criticism
Strong need to receive praise and positive affirmation
May react very emotionally to stressful situations
Have difficulty leaving a bad relationship
Have difficulty scolding or punishing others
Tend to be reserved about expressing their feelings
Perfectionistic tendancies may cause them to not give themselves enough credit
Tendency to blame themselves for problems, and hold everything on their own shoulders
INFPs as Parents:
INFPs are "natural" parents. They accept and enjoy the parental role, seeing it as the natural extension of their value systems. They make use of the parental role for developing and defining their values further, and consider it their task to pass their values on to their children. They take their role quite seriously. Warm, affirming, and flexible, the INFP generally makes a gentle and easy-going parent in many respects.
INFPs do not like conflict situations, and will keep themselves flexible and diverse to promote a positive, conflict-free environment in their home. The INFP is not naturally prone to dole out punishment or discipline, and so is likely to adapt to their mate's disciplinary policy, or to rely on their mates to administer discipline with the children. In the absence of a mating parent, the INFP will need to make a conscious effort of creating a structure for their children to live within.
Although the INFP dislikes punishing others, they hold strong values and will not tolerate the violation of a strongly-held belief. If they feel that their child has truly committed a wrong, the INFP parent will not have a problem administering discipline. They will directly confront the child, stubbornly digging in their heels and demanding recourse.
The INFP parent is likely to value their children as individuals, and to give them room for growth. They will let the children have their own voice and place in the family.
Extremely loving and devoted parents, INFPs will fiercely protect and support their children. If there is an issue involving "taking sides", you can bet the INFP will always be loyal to their children.
INFPs are usually remembered by their children as loving, patient, devoted, and flexible parents.
INFPs as friends:
INFPs are warm and caring individuals who highly value authenticity and depth in their personal relationships. They are usually quite perceptive about other people's feelings and motives, and are consequently able to get along with all sorts of different people. However, the INFP will keep their true selves reserved from others except for a select few, with whom they will form close and lasting friendships. With their high ideals, they are likely to be drawn to other iNtuitive Feelers for their closer friendships.
With their strong need for harmony and dislike of conflict, INFPs may feel threatened by people with strong Judging and Thinking preferences. Although they're likely to be able to work well professionally with such individuals, they may have difficulty accepting or appreciating them on a personal level. They generally feel a kinship and affinity with other Feeling types.
INFPs will be valued by their confidantes as genuine, altruistic, deep, caring, original individuals.
----
So there you go.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
My personality trait, part 1
Merry Christmas by the way!
For some reason, I was thinking about my personality type today. Although there have been many things that have changed in my life, and although I hope I've grown in my spiritual maturity as well as my regular maturity (although the two aren't really separate, in my opinion), there has been one thing that has been a definite constant in my life and has never changed. That would be my Meyers-Briggs personality. I have always been an INFP and will always be an INFP. It's been awhile since I've looked at the description of my personality, so I did so today - and was once again completely confirmed in who I am. It's also good to know that my personality matches what I love to do in life (as well as what I do for a living): among the list of professions that INFP are most likely to succeed in are ministers (my profession), musicians (my profession and passion), and writers (something I love doing and have been encouraged by many to continue doing so).
Here are some other details about INFP's.
------
As an INFP, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit into your personal value system. Your secondary mode is external, where you take things in primarily via your intuition.
INFPs, more than other iNtuitive Feeling types, are focused on making the world a better place for people. Their primary goal is to find out their meaning in life. What is their purpose? How can they best serve humanity in their lives? They are idealists and perfectionists, who drive themselves hard in their quest for achieving the goals they have identified for themselves
INFPs are highly intuitive about people. They rely heavily on their intuitions to guide them, and use their discoveries to constantly search for value in life. They are on a continuous mission to find the truth and meaning underlying things. Every encounter and every piece of knowledge gained gets sifted through the INFP's value system, and is evaluated to see if it has any potential to help the INFP define or refine their own path in life. The goal at the end of the path is always the same - the INFP is driven to help people and make the world a better place.
Generally thoughtful and considerate, INFPs are good listeners and put people at ease. Although they may be reserved in expressing emotion, they have a very deep well of caring and are genuinely interested in understanding people. This sincerity is sensed by others, making the INFP a valued friend and confidante. An INFP can be quite warm with people he or she knows well.
INFPs do not like conflict, and go to great lengths to avoid it. If they must face it, they will always approach it from the perspective of their feelings. In conflict situations, INFPs place little importance on who is right and who is wrong. They focus on the way that the conflict makes them feel, and indeed don't really care whether or not they're right. They don't want to feel badly. This trait sometimes makes them appear irrational and illogical in conflict situations. On the other hand, INFPs make very good mediators, and are typically good at solving other people's conflicts, because they intuitively understand people's perspectives and feelings, and genuinely want to help them.
INFPs are flexible and laid-back, until one of their values is violated. In the face of their value system being threatened, INFPs can become aggressive defenders, fighting passionately for their cause. When an INFP has adopted a project or job which they're interested in, it usually becomes a "cause" for them. Although they are not detail-oriented individuals, they will cover every possible detail with determination and vigor when working for their "cause".
When it comes to the mundane details of life maintenance, INFPs are typically completely unaware of such things. They might go for long periods without noticing a stain on the carpet, but carefully and meticulously brush a speck of dust off of their project booklet.
INFPs do not like to deal with hard facts and logic. Their focus on their feelings and the Human Condition makes it difficult for them to deal with impersonal judgment. They don't understand or believe in the validity of impersonal judgment, which makes them naturally rather ineffective at using it. Most INFPs will avoid impersonal analysis, although some have developed this ability and are able to be quite logical. Under stress, it's not uncommon for INFPs to mis-use hard logic in the heat of anger, throwing out fact after (often inaccurate) fact in an emotional outburst.
INFPs have very high standards and are perfectionists. Consequently, they are usually hard on themselves, and don't give themselves enough credit. INFPs may have problems working on a project in a group, because their standards are likely to be higher than other members' of the group. In group situations, they may have a "control" problem. The INFP needs to work on balancing their high ideals with the requirements of every day living. Without resolving this conflict, they will never be happy with themselves, and they may become confused and paralyzed about what to do with their lives.
INFPs are usually talented writers. They may be awkard and uncomfortable with expressing themselves verbally, but have a wonderful ability to define and express what they're feeling on paper. INFPs also appear frequently in social service professions, such as counselling or teaching. They are at their best in situations where they're working towards the public good, and in which they don't need to use hard logic.
INFPs who function in their well-developed sides can accomplish great and wonderful things, which they will rarely give themselves credit for. Some of the great, humanistic catalysts in the world have been INFPs.
-----
Some of this may explain why in the past I have had some problems working for and with certain people, especially when it comes to the "cold hard logic" and "inflexibility" in leaders I have worked for.
Next post will be about relationships with INFPs (me).
For some reason, I was thinking about my personality type today. Although there have been many things that have changed in my life, and although I hope I've grown in my spiritual maturity as well as my regular maturity (although the two aren't really separate, in my opinion), there has been one thing that has been a definite constant in my life and has never changed. That would be my Meyers-Briggs personality. I have always been an INFP and will always be an INFP. It's been awhile since I've looked at the description of my personality, so I did so today - and was once again completely confirmed in who I am. It's also good to know that my personality matches what I love to do in life (as well as what I do for a living): among the list of professions that INFP are most likely to succeed in are ministers (my profession), musicians (my profession and passion), and writers (something I love doing and have been encouraged by many to continue doing so).
Here are some other details about INFP's.
------
As an INFP, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit into your personal value system. Your secondary mode is external, where you take things in primarily via your intuition.
INFPs, more than other iNtuitive Feeling types, are focused on making the world a better place for people. Their primary goal is to find out their meaning in life. What is their purpose? How can they best serve humanity in their lives? They are idealists and perfectionists, who drive themselves hard in their quest for achieving the goals they have identified for themselves
INFPs are highly intuitive about people. They rely heavily on their intuitions to guide them, and use their discoveries to constantly search for value in life. They are on a continuous mission to find the truth and meaning underlying things. Every encounter and every piece of knowledge gained gets sifted through the INFP's value system, and is evaluated to see if it has any potential to help the INFP define or refine their own path in life. The goal at the end of the path is always the same - the INFP is driven to help people and make the world a better place.
Generally thoughtful and considerate, INFPs are good listeners and put people at ease. Although they may be reserved in expressing emotion, they have a very deep well of caring and are genuinely interested in understanding people. This sincerity is sensed by others, making the INFP a valued friend and confidante. An INFP can be quite warm with people he or she knows well.
INFPs do not like conflict, and go to great lengths to avoid it. If they must face it, they will always approach it from the perspective of their feelings. In conflict situations, INFPs place little importance on who is right and who is wrong. They focus on the way that the conflict makes them feel, and indeed don't really care whether or not they're right. They don't want to feel badly. This trait sometimes makes them appear irrational and illogical in conflict situations. On the other hand, INFPs make very good mediators, and are typically good at solving other people's conflicts, because they intuitively understand people's perspectives and feelings, and genuinely want to help them.
INFPs are flexible and laid-back, until one of their values is violated. In the face of their value system being threatened, INFPs can become aggressive defenders, fighting passionately for their cause. When an INFP has adopted a project or job which they're interested in, it usually becomes a "cause" for them. Although they are not detail-oriented individuals, they will cover every possible detail with determination and vigor when working for their "cause".
When it comes to the mundane details of life maintenance, INFPs are typically completely unaware of such things. They might go for long periods without noticing a stain on the carpet, but carefully and meticulously brush a speck of dust off of their project booklet.
INFPs do not like to deal with hard facts and logic. Their focus on their feelings and the Human Condition makes it difficult for them to deal with impersonal judgment. They don't understand or believe in the validity of impersonal judgment, which makes them naturally rather ineffective at using it. Most INFPs will avoid impersonal analysis, although some have developed this ability and are able to be quite logical. Under stress, it's not uncommon for INFPs to mis-use hard logic in the heat of anger, throwing out fact after (often inaccurate) fact in an emotional outburst.
INFPs have very high standards and are perfectionists. Consequently, they are usually hard on themselves, and don't give themselves enough credit. INFPs may have problems working on a project in a group, because their standards are likely to be higher than other members' of the group. In group situations, they may have a "control" problem. The INFP needs to work on balancing their high ideals with the requirements of every day living. Without resolving this conflict, they will never be happy with themselves, and they may become confused and paralyzed about what to do with their lives.
INFPs are usually talented writers. They may be awkard and uncomfortable with expressing themselves verbally, but have a wonderful ability to define and express what they're feeling on paper. INFPs also appear frequently in social service professions, such as counselling or teaching. They are at their best in situations where they're working towards the public good, and in which they don't need to use hard logic.
INFPs who function in their well-developed sides can accomplish great and wonderful things, which they will rarely give themselves credit for. Some of the great, humanistic catalysts in the world have been INFPs.
-----
Some of this may explain why in the past I have had some problems working for and with certain people, especially when it comes to the "cold hard logic" and "inflexibility" in leaders I have worked for.
Next post will be about relationships with INFPs (me).
Friday, December 21, 2007
If You Like Christmas Lights...
Check out this slideshow of some amazing Christmas light scenes around the world.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Top Ten Memorable Quotes of 2007
I don't quite understand why they can't wait until 2007 is over before coming up with this list - I mean, what happens if someone else says something quote-worthy - but, I thought this list was pretty good. I personally think Miss South Carolina's response at the Miss America Pageant should have won top honors, but oh well.
I bring you the Top Ten Most Memorable Quotes of 2007 (I found some of them on youtube for your viewing pleasure):
1. "Don't Tase Me, Bro." (followed by painful sounds of course)
2. "I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don't have maps and I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and Iraq and everywhere like such as and I believe that they should our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S. or should help South Africa and should help Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future for us." (Miss South Carolina)
3. "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country." (president of Iran)
4. "That's some nappy-headed hos there," (Don Imus)
5. "I don't recall." -- Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' repeated response to questioning at a congressional hearing about the firing of U.S. attorneys.
6. "There's only three things he (Republican presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani) mentions in a sentence: a noun and a verb and 9/11." -- Sen. Joseph Biden, speaking at a Democratic presidential debate.
7. "I'm not going to get into a name-calling match with somebody (Vice President Dick Cheney) who has a 9 percent approval rating." -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat.
8. "(I have) a wide stance when going to the bathroom." -- Idaho Republican Sen. Larry Craig's explanation of why his foot touched that of an undercover policeman in a men's room.
9. "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man." -- Biden describing rival Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
10. "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history." -- Former President Jimmy Carter in an interview in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper.
I bring you the Top Ten Most Memorable Quotes of 2007 (I found some of them on youtube for your viewing pleasure):
1. "Don't Tase Me, Bro." (followed by painful sounds of course)
2. "I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don't have maps and I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and Iraq and everywhere like such as and I believe that they should our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S. or should help South Africa and should help Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future for us." (Miss South Carolina)
3. "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country." (president of Iran)
4. "That's some nappy-headed hos there," (Don Imus)
5. "I don't recall." -- Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' repeated response to questioning at a congressional hearing about the firing of U.S. attorneys.
6. "There's only three things he (Republican presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani) mentions in a sentence: a noun and a verb and 9/11." -- Sen. Joseph Biden, speaking at a Democratic presidential debate.
7. "I'm not going to get into a name-calling match with somebody (Vice President Dick Cheney) who has a 9 percent approval rating." -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat.
8. "(I have) a wide stance when going to the bathroom." -- Idaho Republican Sen. Larry Craig's explanation of why his foot touched that of an undercover policeman in a men's room.
9. "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man." -- Biden describing rival Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
10. "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history." -- Former President Jimmy Carter in an interview in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Centered, Generous and Dynamic Christianity
"In our faith community, which we do sometimes call church and other times just call the grace community, we affirm that we are centered in a generous and dynamic Christianity. There are three important words here: centered, generous, and dynamic. In being centered in Christianity, we are affirming that we are more concerned about where we find our center than our edges. Our permeable boundaries allow people to come in and also remind us to be continually engaged with the fullness of a world that is not primarily Christian. In all this, we are seeking to be centered in something specific, not just superficially perusing everything.
Being centered in a generous Christianity, we are committed to finding ways to love and serve the world as Jesus did. This is based on a belief that generosity will not only help the world, but it will deeply change us. Generosity is a direct challenge to the cultural forces that would isolate and make us fearful. Contemporary social/economic forces, for example, encourage us to hoard what we have or attend only to our own needs or our own family's needs. A generous Christianity is a more holistic Christianity, because it acknowledges how integrally interconnected we are with each other and with the world. We are striving to be with God and with our neighbors, as Jesus was and is with God and neighbor.
Dynamic Christianity is a spiritual way of being that is not afraid of change. In fact it affirms that Christianity has always been dynamic, that theologians have filled libraries with books recording their struggles with each other on the greatest metaphysical mysteries of all times. When we enter into this tradition of conversation, we enter in with our full voices, all our questions, and all our brilliant insights. We enter Christianity as full participants in discovering what the Spirit is speaking to us today and then articulating and enacting in the world what we hear."
--- Nanette Sawyer in the book "An Emergent Manifesto Of Hope"
Being centered in a generous Christianity, we are committed to finding ways to love and serve the world as Jesus did. This is based on a belief that generosity will not only help the world, but it will deeply change us. Generosity is a direct challenge to the cultural forces that would isolate and make us fearful. Contemporary social/economic forces, for example, encourage us to hoard what we have or attend only to our own needs or our own family's needs. A generous Christianity is a more holistic Christianity, because it acknowledges how integrally interconnected we are with each other and with the world. We are striving to be with God and with our neighbors, as Jesus was and is with God and neighbor.
Dynamic Christianity is a spiritual way of being that is not afraid of change. In fact it affirms that Christianity has always been dynamic, that theologians have filled libraries with books recording their struggles with each other on the greatest metaphysical mysteries of all times. When we enter into this tradition of conversation, we enter in with our full voices, all our questions, and all our brilliant insights. We enter Christianity as full participants in discovering what the Spirit is speaking to us today and then articulating and enacting in the world what we hear."
--- Nanette Sawyer in the book "An Emergent Manifesto Of Hope"
Monday, December 10, 2007
Colorado Shootings
What a sad story coming out of Colorado this week. Two shootings, one at New Life Church in Colorado Springs (which had been in the news quite a bit last year because of its former pastor Ted Haggard), the other at the YWAM center in Arvada. I have been to that center, attended a couple of Friday morning worship services with a friend.
Please be in prayer for both the church and with YWAM as they cope with this terrible tragedy.
Please be in prayer for both the church and with YWAM as they cope with this terrible tragedy.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
My Relationship With Patrick Roy, Mike Slaughter's Relationship With Pete Rose, And Our Relationship With God
That's the longest blog post title ever. Sweet.
Mike Slaughter, in his great book Unlearning Church, writes this:
I have an autographed baseball that reads, "To Mike, Pete Rose." I have one of Pete Rose's baseball bats that he used during the 1970's. I can tell you Pete Rose's batting averages and his all-time hit total. My family was in the stadium the night he made his most famous hit. I know all about Pete Rose, but I have never met him.
Which made me think of this:
The Colorado Avalanche are my favorite team - hockey and all sports. The year they moved to Colorado from Quebec was the year that Patrick Roy was traded to the Avs. I was a fan of Roy even before the Avalanche, when he played for Montreal. I have an autographed Patrick Roy card. I have an autographed Patrick Roy puck. One of the secretaries I worked with in Colorado and her husband were very good friends with Patrick Roy and his wife. I even have a piece of carpet from Patrick Roy's house that my secretary gave me (Don't ask why I asked for a piece of carpet, they were moving to another community and that was the only thing I could think of). When I lived in Dallas, I had the opportunity to go and see Patrick Roy win his 500th career game, against the Dallas Stars. I have even met one of Patrick Roy's kids.
True story: I was getting ready for a broomball event in Colorado, when a girl approached me and asked me if I played for the Colorado Avalanche. I was feeling pretty good about myself, until I realized I had my Avs jersey on (I thought I might have looked big enough to be a hockey player, ha ha). I told her no, and then she said, "My dad plays for the Avalanche." I'm thinking in my head, "Yeah, right." I asked her what her name was. She said, "Jenna Roy." My mouth dropped open. I have also met Patrick Roy's wife, because she came to my home church's Easter service one year. I know all about Patrick Roy, I've even met family members, but I've never met him. I have no relationship with Roy.
Which made me think of this:
Why am I so smug sometimes when it comes to my relationship with God? I know a lot about Him; I studied Him in college. Before that, I memorized books of the Bible in junior high and high school. But as Mike Slaughter says, "A relationship is an interchange of love and thought. More than knowledge alone, it involves intimacy." Why is it that sometimes, I fall back on my knowledge of God, and fail to realize my need to deepen my love and affection for Him every day, every hour, every minute, every second?
And then this came in my head:
This isn't new stuff. Yet why is the old stuff so hard to get through my thick skull sometimes?
"Just as knowing about Pete Rose doesn't mean I have a relationship with him, for many Christian leaders, knowledge about God doesn't mean they know God. In fact, sometimes our knowledge of God gets in the way of knowing God."
Amen, Mike.
Mike Slaughter, in his great book Unlearning Church, writes this:
I have an autographed baseball that reads, "To Mike, Pete Rose." I have one of Pete Rose's baseball bats that he used during the 1970's. I can tell you Pete Rose's batting averages and his all-time hit total. My family was in the stadium the night he made his most famous hit. I know all about Pete Rose, but I have never met him.
Which made me think of this:
The Colorado Avalanche are my favorite team - hockey and all sports. The year they moved to Colorado from Quebec was the year that Patrick Roy was traded to the Avs. I was a fan of Roy even before the Avalanche, when he played for Montreal. I have an autographed Patrick Roy card. I have an autographed Patrick Roy puck. One of the secretaries I worked with in Colorado and her husband were very good friends with Patrick Roy and his wife. I even have a piece of carpet from Patrick Roy's house that my secretary gave me (Don't ask why I asked for a piece of carpet, they were moving to another community and that was the only thing I could think of). When I lived in Dallas, I had the opportunity to go and see Patrick Roy win his 500th career game, against the Dallas Stars. I have even met one of Patrick Roy's kids.
True story: I was getting ready for a broomball event in Colorado, when a girl approached me and asked me if I played for the Colorado Avalanche. I was feeling pretty good about myself, until I realized I had my Avs jersey on (I thought I might have looked big enough to be a hockey player, ha ha). I told her no, and then she said, "My dad plays for the Avalanche." I'm thinking in my head, "Yeah, right." I asked her what her name was. She said, "Jenna Roy." My mouth dropped open. I have also met Patrick Roy's wife, because she came to my home church's Easter service one year. I know all about Patrick Roy, I've even met family members, but I've never met him. I have no relationship with Roy.
Which made me think of this:
Why am I so smug sometimes when it comes to my relationship with God? I know a lot about Him; I studied Him in college. Before that, I memorized books of the Bible in junior high and high school. But as Mike Slaughter says, "A relationship is an interchange of love and thought. More than knowledge alone, it involves intimacy." Why is it that sometimes, I fall back on my knowledge of God, and fail to realize my need to deepen my love and affection for Him every day, every hour, every minute, every second?
And then this came in my head:
This isn't new stuff. Yet why is the old stuff so hard to get through my thick skull sometimes?
"Just as knowing about Pete Rose doesn't mean I have a relationship with him, for many Christian leaders, knowledge about God doesn't mean they know God. In fact, sometimes our knowledge of God gets in the way of knowing God."
Amen, Mike.
Friday, December 07, 2007
A Christmas Statistic For You...
10 billion dollars gets clean water to everyone in the world.
15 billion dollars feeds everyone.
In America, we spend 450 billion dollars at Christmas.
--- from Rick McKinley's article in CreationCare Magazine
15 billion dollars feeds everyone.
In America, we spend 450 billion dollars at Christmas.
--- from Rick McKinley's article in CreationCare Magazine
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
From La La La to Lyla
Here are the L songs in my iTunes. I don't know why you would care, and I don't know why I picked L, but here we go:
La La La - Bert and Ernie (one of my daughter's favorite songs)
A Lack Of Color - Death Cab For Cutie
Lacrimosa - Regina Spektor
Landed - Ben Folds
The Lark Ascending... - David Crowder Band
The Last Blueshift - Glisten
Last Christmas - Jimmy Eat World (definitely not the Wham version)
Last Days Of My Bitter Heart - Eels
The Last Man - The Fountain Soundtrack
Last Night On Earth Again - Over The Rhine
Late - Ben Folds
Latter Days - Over The Rhine
Lead Me To The Cross - Hillsong United
Lead Of Love - Caedmon's Call
Lead Us Up The Mountain - Matt Redman
Learn To Fly - Foo Fighters
Leaving So Soon? - Keane
Lebanese Blonde - Thievery Corporation
Leonard and Natalie - Memento Soundtrack
Less - Josh Bates
Let Go - BarlowGirl
Let God Arise - Chris Tomlin
Let It Go - Newsboys
Let It Happen - Jimmy Eat World
Let It Slide - Keane
Let My Words Be Few - Matt Redman
Letter To Sarah - Michael W. Smith
Life Is Good - Stellar Kart
Life Itself - Aaron Shust
Lift My Eyes - David Crowder Band
Lift Your Eyes - Leeland
Light Gives Heat - Jars Of Clay
Lighting The Way - Superdrag
Lightness - Death Cab For Cutie
Lily of the Valley - Mute Math
Limousine - Brand New
Lisa Listen - Lisa Loeb
Listen - Dignan
Little House - The Fray
Live and Let Die - Guns n' Roses
Live Forever - Oasis
Living In Your Letters - Dashboard Confessional
Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming - Sufjan Stevens
Long Live The King - Aaron Shust
Look Into The Air - Explosions In The Sky
Look To You - Hillsong United
Lorge - El Ten Eleven
Love Is A Fast Song - Copeland
Love Is Not Against The Law - Derek Webb
The Love of God - Rich Mullins
Love Song - Anberlin
Love Song - Mute Math
LoveLetter Typewriter - Mineral
Lover I Don't Have To Love - Bright Eyes
Lover's Spit - Broken Social Scene
Low - Coldplay
Luca - Brand New
Lucky Denver Mint - Jimmy Eat World
Luna - Smashing Pumpkins
LuvStory - Sigur Ros
Lux Venit - Michael W. Smith
Lyla - Oasis
---
Yes, I'm bored.
La La La - Bert and Ernie (one of my daughter's favorite songs)
A Lack Of Color - Death Cab For Cutie
Lacrimosa - Regina Spektor
Landed - Ben Folds
The Lark Ascending... - David Crowder Band
The Last Blueshift - Glisten
Last Christmas - Jimmy Eat World (definitely not the Wham version)
Last Days Of My Bitter Heart - Eels
The Last Man - The Fountain Soundtrack
Last Night On Earth Again - Over The Rhine
Late - Ben Folds
Latter Days - Over The Rhine
Lead Me To The Cross - Hillsong United
Lead Of Love - Caedmon's Call
Lead Us Up The Mountain - Matt Redman
Learn To Fly - Foo Fighters
Leaving So Soon? - Keane
Lebanese Blonde - Thievery Corporation
Leonard and Natalie - Memento Soundtrack
Less - Josh Bates
Let Go - BarlowGirl
Let God Arise - Chris Tomlin
Let It Go - Newsboys
Let It Happen - Jimmy Eat World
Let It Slide - Keane
Let My Words Be Few - Matt Redman
Letter To Sarah - Michael W. Smith
Life Is Good - Stellar Kart
Life Itself - Aaron Shust
Lift My Eyes - David Crowder Band
Lift Your Eyes - Leeland
Light Gives Heat - Jars Of Clay
Lighting The Way - Superdrag
Lightness - Death Cab For Cutie
Lily of the Valley - Mute Math
Limousine - Brand New
Lisa Listen - Lisa Loeb
Listen - Dignan
Little House - The Fray
Live and Let Die - Guns n' Roses
Live Forever - Oasis
Living In Your Letters - Dashboard Confessional
Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming - Sufjan Stevens
Long Live The King - Aaron Shust
Look Into The Air - Explosions In The Sky
Look To You - Hillsong United
Lorge - El Ten Eleven
Love Is A Fast Song - Copeland
Love Is Not Against The Law - Derek Webb
The Love of God - Rich Mullins
Love Song - Anberlin
Love Song - Mute Math
LoveLetter Typewriter - Mineral
Lover I Don't Have To Love - Bright Eyes
Lover's Spit - Broken Social Scene
Low - Coldplay
Luca - Brand New
Lucky Denver Mint - Jimmy Eat World
Luna - Smashing Pumpkins
LuvStory - Sigur Ros
Lux Venit - Michael W. Smith
Lyla - Oasis
---
Yes, I'm bored.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Appreciation
I told some of my worship team to expect an interesting blog post sometime this week, so I'm really trying to come to a head with what I've been thinking about lately.
Obviously, if you've read my blog, you know that this week is my last week at Southwest Church. With a staff member leaving (this time, it's me) comes a good-bye sendoff, thank you notes for the time spent in that particular ministry, and people expressing their appreciation through pats on the back, hugs, handshakes, and other pleasantries.
I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, because I really really appreciate all that has been said and expressed to me over the last few weeks since I made my resignation public.
Here's my point, however. It's my job.
I get paid to do what I do.
And although the appreciation and encouragement is helpful to me, and again, I appreciate it - it's what I do for a living.
I'm not a hero.
Who are the ones who should be appreciated? The ones who should be encouraged? The ones who are the heroes?
The ones who have the full-time jobs, the students, the ones who do something else - and yet still devote time and energy and passion into music ministry, or creative arts ministry, or media stuff, or the welcome table. These heroes don't do these things because of the accolades (if they did, they're definitely barking up the wrong tree, because in most churches, the servants never receive enough appreciation), they don't do these things because it's what pays the bills, they do it because they love God. I'm sure part of it also has to do with the relationships they build with each other and with the "leader", but it's not for the paycheck. And, and this part really gets me, some even contribute monetarily to the church - in other words, they essentially pay to serve. They pay to be underappreciated. They pay to get none of the credit, usually.
I will keep this story very vague, because it could get me in trouble - but I had a conversation with a couple of people recently about getting the worship team more involved in the church rather than just the worship ministry. Join a small group, have a secondary ministry, something. I noted that most of these worship team members devote more time on a given week - through Saturday night practice, Sunday morning rehearsal, two Sunday morning services, and tear down, not to mention practicing during the week on their own - than anyone else at church. And then they are being pressured to give even more time? Shouldn't we be more concerned about the people in the seats who are doing nothing, who contribute no time, energy, money or resources to the Kingdom of God - rather than pressuring servants who aren't paid to play their instruments and sing to be more involved?
It's all backwards.
I admit that in the past, I may have had a similar attitude. I admit that I haven't done a great job in my ministries of really letting people know - through words and actions - how much their service really means to me, how much it means to God and to His work. My prayer is to be continually grateful for the wonderful, incredible people in our churches who devote time to God - whether it be fifteen minutes a week or fifteen hours a week. You are the heroes. Thank you for all you've done. May you find yourself in a situation where it's asked of you, "What can this church do for you?" rather than "What can you do for this church?"
(I don't do what I do for the paycheck either. But let's be honest: I do get paid.)
Obviously, if you've read my blog, you know that this week is my last week at Southwest Church. With a staff member leaving (this time, it's me) comes a good-bye sendoff, thank you notes for the time spent in that particular ministry, and people expressing their appreciation through pats on the back, hugs, handshakes, and other pleasantries.
I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, because I really really appreciate all that has been said and expressed to me over the last few weeks since I made my resignation public.
Here's my point, however. It's my job.
I get paid to do what I do.
And although the appreciation and encouragement is helpful to me, and again, I appreciate it - it's what I do for a living.
I'm not a hero.
Who are the ones who should be appreciated? The ones who should be encouraged? The ones who are the heroes?
The ones who have the full-time jobs, the students, the ones who do something else - and yet still devote time and energy and passion into music ministry, or creative arts ministry, or media stuff, or the welcome table. These heroes don't do these things because of the accolades (if they did, they're definitely barking up the wrong tree, because in most churches, the servants never receive enough appreciation), they don't do these things because it's what pays the bills, they do it because they love God. I'm sure part of it also has to do with the relationships they build with each other and with the "leader", but it's not for the paycheck. And, and this part really gets me, some even contribute monetarily to the church - in other words, they essentially pay to serve. They pay to be underappreciated. They pay to get none of the credit, usually.
I will keep this story very vague, because it could get me in trouble - but I had a conversation with a couple of people recently about getting the worship team more involved in the church rather than just the worship ministry. Join a small group, have a secondary ministry, something. I noted that most of these worship team members devote more time on a given week - through Saturday night practice, Sunday morning rehearsal, two Sunday morning services, and tear down, not to mention practicing during the week on their own - than anyone else at church. And then they are being pressured to give even more time? Shouldn't we be more concerned about the people in the seats who are doing nothing, who contribute no time, energy, money or resources to the Kingdom of God - rather than pressuring servants who aren't paid to play their instruments and sing to be more involved?
It's all backwards.
I admit that in the past, I may have had a similar attitude. I admit that I haven't done a great job in my ministries of really letting people know - through words and actions - how much their service really means to me, how much it means to God and to His work. My prayer is to be continually grateful for the wonderful, incredible people in our churches who devote time to God - whether it be fifteen minutes a week or fifteen hours a week. You are the heroes. Thank you for all you've done. May you find yourself in a situation where it's asked of you, "What can this church do for you?" rather than "What can you do for this church?"
(I don't do what I do for the paycheck either. But let's be honest: I do get paid.)
Hallelujah! Christmas tv specials galore!
Thanks to a coffee conversation with my friend Mike, I looked at his blog, where he links to a veritable cornucopia of Christmas TV Special Nirvana. Oodles and oodles of Rankin n' Bass and other great producers of Christmas cheese await you, my friends. Enjoy. Enjoy.
A perfect picture that...
encapsulates the emotions of what took place in the football game last night. Sorry, Rochelle.
Just in time for the holidays
For those of us who get kind of sick of the commercialization of Christmas, we now have a way to celebrate a holiday without all the fuss.
Better get in line now to get your very own Festivus Pole.
Of course, if you get a Festivus pole, make sure you celebrate the Festivus holiday by airing out your grievances and performing tests of strength.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
A Johnny Cash Thanksgiving
I never watched a single episode of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, but if I knew that Johnny Cash made a guest appearance and sang a Thanksgiving song, I might have checked it out. (By the way, that's his wife June Carter Cash in the clip as well.)
I hope everyone has a safe and fantastic Thanksgiving. As Brennan Manning says, the most obvious indicator of trust in God is a grateful heart. I am truly grateful for so many things God has done in my life, and although sometimes I forget about those things, I pray that each day I can pour out my gratitude to Him.
I hope everyone has a safe and fantastic Thanksgiving. As Brennan Manning says, the most obvious indicator of trust in God is a grateful heart. I am truly grateful for so many things God has done in my life, and although sometimes I forget about those things, I pray that each day I can pour out my gratitude to Him.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
I haven't been this excited about a movie in a long time...
I mean, there have been a bunch of movies out lately that I've been really interested in, but I'm really excited about Cloverfield.
So much so, that I've been trying to figure out the clues on the 01-08-08 website.
Sweet.
(I'm also really looking forward to I Am Legend with Will Smith)
It's been a long time...
since I've blogged. Almost a whole month!
Well, of course, I've been busy. I'm leaving my present ministry at Southwest Church (my last Sunday is December 2nd), and sometime in the near future, I will be headed out to Colorado, back to my home state, and actually pretty much back to my hometown - where I will be the worship and youth minister of a church there. I'm sad to leave Ohio, out of the places I've lived outside of Colorado, it's definitely my favorite.
We're in the process of looking for a house, and the picture above was taken in the back yard of the one that we really want. We see deer by our house in Ohio all the time, so naturally we would want the same back in Colorado.
I will continue to update more about what's happening, but I wanted to make my blog not feel so lonely.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
New Nooma
#18. It's called Name.
You can watch it here for the next couple of days; after that, you will have to pay for it. Or you can watch it the next couple of days and pay for it, because it's worth it. I mean, all the Nooma videos are worth it, but this one is really good.
If you don't like Nooma, you can always go watch Numa Numa again.
You can watch it here for the next couple of days; after that, you will have to pay for it. Or you can watch it the next couple of days and pay for it, because it's worth it. I mean, all the Nooma videos are worth it, but this one is really good.
If you don't like Nooma, you can always go watch Numa Numa again.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Radiohead's Risky Venture
I like Radiohead. Mostly. I have an affinity for The Bends and OK Computer, and I tolerate the later stuff, but it's not my favorite.
Because Radiohead is not on a record label at this time, they decided to release their new CD "In Rainbows" to the general public on their own. For whatever price you want to pay for it.
That's right. You can pay whatever price you want to. It's a risky gamble, but it's pretty cool, in my opinion. It's a way of telling off "The Man", in this case, corporate record labels who normally bleed bands dry. It's risky, because you can pay nothing for it. In fact, over a third of the downloads of In Rainbows have been done with no price. I paid for mine, admittedly less than full price, but more than I would have purchased Kid A or Insomniac (which I did pay full price for). The great thing is that all of the money goes to the band, whereas usually they get pennies on the dollar for each record label release. I'm listening to In Rainbows for the first time right now, and it's pretty good.
If you go to their website, you can purchase it as well. I would encourage you to at least pay something for it. After all, these are musicians who are taking a risk. Let's reward them for taking a risk.
Because Radiohead is not on a record label at this time, they decided to release their new CD "In Rainbows" to the general public on their own. For whatever price you want to pay for it.
That's right. You can pay whatever price you want to. It's a risky gamble, but it's pretty cool, in my opinion. It's a way of telling off "The Man", in this case, corporate record labels who normally bleed bands dry. It's risky, because you can pay nothing for it. In fact, over a third of the downloads of In Rainbows have been done with no price. I paid for mine, admittedly less than full price, but more than I would have purchased Kid A or Insomniac (which I did pay full price for). The great thing is that all of the money goes to the band, whereas usually they get pennies on the dollar for each record label release. I'm listening to In Rainbows for the first time right now, and it's pretty good.
If you go to their website, you can purchase it as well. I would encourage you to at least pay something for it. After all, these are musicians who are taking a risk. Let's reward them for taking a risk.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Sweep!
The Rockies have won 21 out of 22 games, including seven straight in the playoffs (only matched by the Big Red Machine in 1976). I am very jealous of my friend Darrin, who got to go to last night's game. The last game he and I went together was the first regular season game at Coors Field, and I'm sure that this one beat that incredible night. (Although it couldn't beat the cold that night - it was 42 degrees at game time)
Go Rockies! The last time a team won this many games at this time of the year was the 1935 Chicago Cubs. Amazing.
Here's a great article about how improbable the Rockies' run has been.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
It's That Time Of The Year Again!
That's right, it's hockey time.
I know I'm part of a decreasing handful of people who actually care about hockey, but I just love watching it. My favorite teams, the Colorado Avalanche, and the University of Denver Pioneers, are both looking like they'll pretty good this year. It's finally starting to turn a little colder, so now I can get into the mood.
I'm also doing a fantasy league for the first time ever, and I've of course chosen fantasy hockey. I'm in first place - woo hoo! (okay, it's only the second week of the league, but everyone else in the league has done this before.)
I'm excited - and to get you excited, here's a video clip of the greatest minute and a half of sports history, let alone hockey history.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
David Crowder Band - Remedy
I was a little late in getting this CD, since it came out when I was on vacation. I purchased it last week, and I've been listening to it non-stop. Even though it's a lot shorter than the last Crowder full-length album, I think it's definitely more congregational singing friendly. I can see us using several of the songs. Let me go through each one and give my rating for each.
1. The Glory Of It All (10 out of 10 goatees): Right now this is my favorite song on the CD. They had this on the Passion '07 iTunes bundles that you could buy, but I never purchased the bundles. The first time I heard this song was at the Willow Creek Conference, and I liked it, but for some reason it didn't click until I bought the CD. Musically, it's impressive. I love songs that start out sounding "minor-ish" chord-wise and then in the chorus goes to major chords. It's like it resolves or something. I'm not sure that makes sense, but oh well. The lyrics are great:
At the start, He was there, He was there
At the end, He'll be there, He'll be there
After all our hands have wrought, He forgives
Oh the glory of it all is He came here
For the rescue of us all that we may live
For the glory of it all, oh the glory of it all
2. Can You Feel It? (6 out of 10 goatees): I think that on this CD, the slower songs are better than the faster ones, in my opinion.
This song is pretty good. Definitely not my favorite, but I like the theme of the song.
3. Everything Glorious (8 out of 10 goatees): We've been doing this song for some time now, thanks to Jeff. When I first heard it off of the '06 Passion CD, I wasn't really that impressed, but I really like it now. It goes right along with the theme of this CD (that God takes whatever is happening in our lives and uses it for his glory, and he's commissioned us to help be the remedy for the brokenness in people's lives), it's catchy, and it's a fun song to play.
4. Neverending (7 out of 10 goatees): This song reminds me a lot of Foreverandever, etc. off of A Collision. It's fast, catchy, and my favorite of the fast songs on Remedy. Plus the background synth reminds me of playing my Nintendo GameBoy back in the day. This song also continues the Crowder tradition of having at least one song on each CD with a "la la la" part on it.
5. Never Let Go (10 out of 10 goatees): My second favorite song. It's piano-based, which makes me want to learn how to play the piano just for this song. This is my daughter's favorite song on the CD (she's four years old), and yesterday on our way to Chipotle, she wanted me to keep playing this song so she could sing along with the chorus, which simply states "You never let go..." This song reminds me of a lot of the Psalms, where the Psalmist would pour out his heart to God, stating all the problems in their lives, but then in the despair, would begin singing of God's redemption and faithfulness.
6. O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing (7 out of 10 goatees): This song also continues the Crowder tradition of redoing an old hymn. It's a little too fast to sing, but I like the new chorus that they added. And the music makes me want to break into an Irish jig, or perhaps a couple of the Lord of the Dance moves (although I can't do that anymore, because I did that for my daughter one time and ended up in the emergency room, no joke).
7. Rain Down (7 out of 10 goatees): This song was originally on Crowder's first release, called "All I Can Say", so it's a sentimental favorite. I think I understand why it was included on this CD (it ties into the theme), but I still wish there were a couple more new songs added onto this CD. This song is another good example of the minor/major chord progression.
8. We Won't Be Quiet (5 out of 10 goatees): This is my least favorite song on the CD. I think it's cool that they got Ted Nugent to play guitar on this track, but they should have turned him up. The song is way too short, and to me it's in the vein of possibly my least favorite worship song on the planet - that would be "Party" by Chris Tomlin.
9. Remedy (9 out of 10 goatees): I really like this song, and I like the message of it. I like how they proclaim Jesus as the remedy, but then ask God for us to be the remedy as well. It reminds me of the Hillsong United song "Solution", and the song "Mission's Flame" by Matt Redman. The idea that worship should fuel us to be God's hands and feet is a theme that needs to be explored more in our worship.
He is the one who has saved us
He is the one who embraced us
He is the one who has come and is coming again
He's the remedy
Let us be the remedy
Let us bring the remedy
10. Surely We Can Change (10 out of 10 goatees): This song musically reminds me of one of my favorite Crowder songs - Stars, off of Illuminate. It's a great way to close this CD. I really like the subtle changes with the chorus from the first time he sings it to the last time. It goes from:
Where there is pain let there be grace
Where there is suffering bring serenity
For those afraid help them be brave
Where there is misery bring expectancy
And surely we can change, surely we can change something
to
Where there is pain let us bring grace
Where there is suffering bring serenity
For those afraid let us be brave
Where there is misery let us bring them relief
And surely we can change oh surely we can change something
As I've been considering this CD, I really think it's my favorite Crowder CD. I like them all for different reasons, but this one is the most consistent, most accessible, and most hopeful. It is also a healing balm for me where I'm at in my life right now as well.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
The Crazy World of College Football
Holy cow. USC just lost to lowly Stanford. LSU is losing to Florida, who lost to Auburn last week, who lost to Alabama, who lost to Georgia, who got beat badly by Tennessee, who lost to Cal the first game of the season, who is supposed to not be as good as USC. Who just lost.
Weird.
Weird.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
A Feel Good Baseball Story
I have to admit, I'm pretty much a fair weather fan when it comes to the Colorado Rockies.
When I lived in Colorado, I followed them quite a bit. I had the privilege of being at the first regular season game in Coors Field history, which was awesome. I still have a pennant from their first playoff appearance (and their last before this season) in 1995, and probably ten Rockies baseballs. But since I've left Colorado in 2000, I haven't paid too much attention to them. They have pretty much stunk since then, so it hasn't been hard to forget them.
But I've been following them this year, especially at the end as they made their run to the wild card. And now they're up 2-0 in their series against Philadelphia, which is great.
But another reason for everyone else to root for the Rockies this year, is the decision they made this week: to give a share of their playoff player revenue to the widow of a minor league coach for the Rockies who was killed during a minor league game by a ball hit to his head. He died leaving two boys, ages 3 and 5, as well as a pregnant wife.
I think it's pretty cool to have the players on the team decide this. The deceased man's name is Mike Coolbaugh, and his two sons are throwing out the opening pitch on Saturday.
Way to go, Rockies.
Friday, September 21, 2007
YouTube Video Of The Week - 09.21.07
I'm a big fan of Mute Math. Love their stuff. The other day, I found a worship CD that they made called Elevator Music. Great stuff.
Anyway, if you missed Jimmy Kimmel Live a couple of nights ago, you missed an amazing thing. I've never seen Jimmy Kimmel Live before this. Mute Math performed live, yet backwards. Confused? Yeah, it's confusing. I really don't know how to explain it, but it is in my Top 10 Most Amazing Things I've Seen.
Here is the live performance of their song Typical...backwards.
Here is their video of Typical that they reproduced live.
It's amazing when you think of how much work had to be done to do everything backwards, but yet be able to make it look like they're singing the song forwards.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Jon McLaughlin
I really like Jon McLaughlin.
This guy - Jon McLaughlin:
Not this guy - John McLaughlin:
Jon is a musician from Anderson, IN. Someone was talking to me the other day about a guy coming out of Anderson who was getting pretty big in the music world, but I didn't know who they were talking about until I saw his video on one of those Youth Leaders Only DVD's (I'm not a Youth Leader. Uh-Oh.)
His latest CD is called Indiana, and if you go to Jon's MySpace page, you can listen to four songs off that CD. I downloaded the whole thing off of iTunes for $7.99. I would describe him as kind of a Ben Folds type sound, but more poppy. The piano playing on his songs are great.
Anyway, check him out. If you like that kind of music.
This guy - Jon McLaughlin:
Not this guy - John McLaughlin:
Jon is a musician from Anderson, IN. Someone was talking to me the other day about a guy coming out of Anderson who was getting pretty big in the music world, but I didn't know who they were talking about until I saw his video on one of those Youth Leaders Only DVD's (I'm not a Youth Leader. Uh-Oh.)
His latest CD is called Indiana, and if you go to Jon's MySpace page, you can listen to four songs off that CD. I downloaded the whole thing off of iTunes for $7.99. I would describe him as kind of a Ben Folds type sound, but more poppy. The piano playing on his songs are great.
Anyway, check him out. If you like that kind of music.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Organic Church Quotes
I've been slowly digesting a book by Neil Cole called Organic Church, and it is an amazing book. (I'll get it back to you, Rochelle - I promise) I've been writing down some quotes from the book, and I thought I would share.
- "We want to lower the bar of how church is done and raise the bar of what it means to be a disciple."
- "When church is so complicated, its function is taken out of the hands of the common Christian and placed in the hands of a few talented professionals. This results in a passive church whose members come and act more like spectators than empowered agents of God's Kingdom."
- "Most of the metaphors of the kingdom of God and the Church in the Bible use natural concepts. We would do much better as leaders in the church to learn at the feet of the farmer rather than study with the CEO of a corporation."
- "We spend so much time building nice barns...yet we have neglected the fields. We are as foolish as the farmer who builds a barn and then stands in the doorway calling all the crops to come in and make themselves at home. It is time for the Church to get her hands dirty in the soil of lost people's lives."
- "A true Seeker Service is one that focuses on the Father who is seeking His worshipers in Spirit and in truth. He alone is the Seeker."
- "The only time worship and service are put together in Scripture has nothing to do with sound systems, pews, sermons, or worship bands. It is a 24 hour a day, seven day a week expression of Christ's life in us."
- "The temptation is to define church according to our own experience."
- "I believe we need to learn to sit still and wait for God before we launch out with our strategic plans and demographic studies."
- "In many of the churches in the West, ministry is done for Jesus, but not by Jesus, and therein lies a big difference. If we evaluated our church, not by attendance or building, but by how recognizable Jesus is in our midst, our influence would be more far-reaching and our strategies would be far more dynamic."
- "In most churches in the Western world, the presence of the pastor is more noticeable than the presence of Jesus."
- "One of the most remarkable things of the church I am a part of is that people expect conversions and transformations of lives every week."
----
That's all I've written down so far, but it is an amazing and inspiring book.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
The Ultimate Worship Dictionary
I thought that this article on Vertical Music's website was pretty darn good. This was actually given to me by my friend Chad two years ago, but I'm trying to delete old email (I have 6000 messages in my inbox) and came across this again. Here are my favorites from the dictionary:
ALTOS and BARITONES: (ahl-toez and behr-i-toenz) People who complain that the songs are too high until they learn to harmonize.
BALLAD SALAD: (ba'-lud sa'-lud) A worship set of quiet songs intended to foster a gentle flow of worship and meaningful encounter with the Lord. The Ballad Salad generally follows the up-tempo moments of celebration (see also Rocking the Flock).
BLACK HOLES: (blak-hoelz) The dark vacuum around people in the congregation who steadfastly refuse to connect with God during worship. Sometimes accompanied by contemptuous facial expressions. If you can intercede for these individuals during worship, do so, but otherwise avert your attention to avoid being sucked into their gravitational pull. (See also Super Novas)
BLANDED WORSHIP: (bland'-dud wur-ship') The uninspired result that comes when we approach corporate worship with the pathetic goal of avoiding any criticism.
CHORD CHART: (kord’-chart) A document that contains lyrics and a few vague musical suggestions. May or may not indicate the proper key, time signature or even exact moment of the chord change, but it does give musicians something to look at while the song goes by. Particularly frustrating to pianists, who prefer being told exactly what to do. Ideal for guitarists. (See also Sheet Music)
DRUMMERS: (Druhm-merz) Terrific people who worship God by hitting things. Churches often keep them in Plexiglas cages.
EARLY SERVICE: (ur-lee’ surv-us’) A service in which attendees may appear zombie-like. While unnerving to worship leaders and teaching pastors alike, the event is generally harmless.
FRISBEE STYLE: A deliberate approach to worship leading in which the leader’s role is “handed off” from song to song. A good way to mentor new worship leaders.
HAND-BURGER: (hand-ber-ger’) The painful result of carrying musical gear through a narrow doorway and not paying attention.
HUMILITY: (hew-mil-ih-tee’) The beautiful quality in a talented artist of considering others more important than him or herself. Closely associated with servanthood. Rare.
HYMNS: (himz) Historic praise music. Usually boiled down to 4-part arrangements on a single page with normal rhythmic flow extracted. Lyrics are often stunning, and many of the melodies are almost as powerful as the timeless truths they carry. These songs are infused with the heart-cry of a billion Saints and should be treated accordingly. Ignore at your own loss.
SEVEN-ELEVEN MUSIC: (7-11 mew’-sik) Praise songs that repeat the same seven words eleven times, or some similar configuration. These are generally enjoyed by youth, but annoying to older adults.
SUPER NOVAS: (soo'-pehr noe-vuz’) People in the congregation who visibly connect with God during the worship events. Not a dependable indicator of their maturity, but impossible to miss and a joy to observe. (See also Black Holes)
VIBRATO: (Vi’-brah-toe) A technique used by singers to help hide pitch problems.
ALTOS and BARITONES: (ahl-toez and behr-i-toenz) People who complain that the songs are too high until they learn to harmonize.
BALLAD SALAD: (ba'-lud sa'-lud) A worship set of quiet songs intended to foster a gentle flow of worship and meaningful encounter with the Lord. The Ballad Salad generally follows the up-tempo moments of celebration (see also Rocking the Flock).
BLACK HOLES: (blak-hoelz) The dark vacuum around people in the congregation who steadfastly refuse to connect with God during worship. Sometimes accompanied by contemptuous facial expressions. If you can intercede for these individuals during worship, do so, but otherwise avert your attention to avoid being sucked into their gravitational pull. (See also Super Novas)
BLANDED WORSHIP: (bland'-dud wur-ship') The uninspired result that comes when we approach corporate worship with the pathetic goal of avoiding any criticism.
CHORD CHART: (kord’-chart) A document that contains lyrics and a few vague musical suggestions. May or may not indicate the proper key, time signature or even exact moment of the chord change, but it does give musicians something to look at while the song goes by. Particularly frustrating to pianists, who prefer being told exactly what to do. Ideal for guitarists. (See also Sheet Music)
DRUMMERS: (Druhm-merz) Terrific people who worship God by hitting things. Churches often keep them in Plexiglas cages.
EARLY SERVICE: (ur-lee’ surv-us’) A service in which attendees may appear zombie-like. While unnerving to worship leaders and teaching pastors alike, the event is generally harmless.
FRISBEE STYLE: A deliberate approach to worship leading in which the leader’s role is “handed off” from song to song. A good way to mentor new worship leaders.
HAND-BURGER: (hand-ber-ger’) The painful result of carrying musical gear through a narrow doorway and not paying attention.
HUMILITY: (hew-mil-ih-tee’) The beautiful quality in a talented artist of considering others more important than him or herself. Closely associated with servanthood. Rare.
HYMNS: (himz) Historic praise music. Usually boiled down to 4-part arrangements on a single page with normal rhythmic flow extracted. Lyrics are often stunning, and many of the melodies are almost as powerful as the timeless truths they carry. These songs are infused with the heart-cry of a billion Saints and should be treated accordingly. Ignore at your own loss.
SEVEN-ELEVEN MUSIC: (7-11 mew’-sik) Praise songs that repeat the same seven words eleven times, or some similar configuration. These are generally enjoyed by youth, but annoying to older adults.
SUPER NOVAS: (soo'-pehr noe-vuz’) People in the congregation who visibly connect with God during the worship events. Not a dependable indicator of their maturity, but impossible to miss and a joy to observe. (See also Black Holes)
VIBRATO: (Vi’-brah-toe) A technique used by singers to help hide pitch problems.
Friday, September 07, 2007
R.I.P. Madeleine L'Engle
I just now heard the sad news that the author Madeleine L'Engle died today at the age of 88.
Her book A Wrinkle In Time was one of the big reasons I started reading Science Fiction/Fantasy stories. I remember in high school in a reading class, I read A Wrinkle In Time, and my teacher, after I read it, told me it didn't count because it was a children's book. I found an interview with her in a magazine where she said that she didn't consider her books as children's books and gave it to my teacher. She let me use it. :^)
The entire Wrinkle In Time trilogy is amazing - A Wrinkle In Time, A Wind In The Door, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet. (Although I just found out that there is actually a fourth book.) I also recommend her book Walking On Water, which is a very good book on the impact of faith on art and culture.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
40
I can't remember if I put this up on my blog or not when I first created it, but I took a great set of graphics based on the story of Jesus' temptation in the desert, and put them to an Explosions In The Sky song. We used this for Element, and I think I might use it sometime soon on a Sunday morning. It's a good reminder of what Jesus went through even before the cross. One of my favorite frames of this video is when Jesus is looking at the foxes coming out of their hole. It gives a whole new meaning to the verse in the Gospels when Jesus says "The birds of the air have nests, and the foxes have holes, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."
Here is the video.
Actions That Take Courage
This is from a great "bathroom reading" book called "Lists To Live By". I've been thinking a lot about the character trait called courage, and I think this is an interesting list.
Actions That Take Courage:
- Admitting you are wrong.
- Doing what is right when everyone else isn't.
- Speaking to someone you don't know.
- Saying "no" when people are trying to get you to do something you know you shouldn't.
- Telling the truth and accepting the consequences.
- Standing up for something you believe in even though it might mean rejection or ridicule or even physical harm.
- Defending someone who is considered unpopular or unacceptable.
- Facing a limitation and giving it your very best regardless of pain or discomforts.
- Confronting a fear without running away.
- Giving sacrificially to protect or promote either someone you love, someone who has been wronged, or someone who is in need.
- Being the only one.
- Taking a risk.
- Sharing your heart honestly (including your feelings and fears and failures).
- Living your faith with all your heart, mind, soul and strength regardless of the cost.
YouTube Video of the Week - 09.04.07
If you're not in a football watching kind of mindset yet, this video will most certainly put you in the mood.
Is this team an actual football team? When you look at the lead singer, it's hard to believe.
Well, they could probably still beat the Michigan Wolverines - I mean, it seems like anyone can these days. ;^)
Is this team an actual football team? When you look at the lead singer, it's hard to believe.
Well, they could probably still beat the Michigan Wolverines - I mean, it seems like anyone can these days. ;^)
Thursday, August 30, 2007
SeeqPod
Several months ago, I mentioned a really cool website called Pandora, a site that helps you find other artists that sound similar to an artist that you like. It is a great place to find out new music and to play music you already like.
Well, I found another cool music site. This one is called SeeqPod. What this site does is search for songs. For example, I put in "All My Life" by Foo Fighters, and it found about 20 different places online where I could hear the song. And the great thing is it will play it for you at the SeeqPod site. I also typed in "Foo Fighters" and found a bunch of cool rarities tracks and live tracks.
I haven't played with it too much, but I think SeeqPod found pretty much every song I put in to the search box.
Try it - you'll like it!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
YouTube Video of the Week - 08.28.07
This is a new weekly installment, at least until I forget about it like I do with all the rest of my posts.
I bring you - a Finnish cover of the song YMCA by The Village People.
Wonderful.
I bring you - a Finnish cover of the song YMCA by The Village People.
Wonderful.
Monday, August 27, 2007
What's Wrong With This Country, #27,701
This is from an internet sports news article by Michael Silver:
----
If you're looking for a complete dufus, check out Lubbock, Texas Little League manager Ed Thorne, who set a fine example for his kids after Saturday's 5-2 defeat to Warner Robins, Ga., in the Little League World Series semifinals. Asked by a reporter if he was convinced that the better team lost, Thorne answered, "Yes sir, I am." He said of Warner Robins's upcoming matchup in the championship game, "Japan will win that ballgame. Every ball we hit went right at people. You hate to lose games like that, but that's baseball." Hey, Ed, did you happen to catch Dalton Carriker's walkoff homer for Warner Robins in extra innings Sunday – and the wild celebration that followed, along with some excellent sportsmanship by both teams in the mound area? Great moment, huh?
----
Hyper-competitive jerks pushing kids to value winning over everything else, including courtesy, decency, and humility. Awesome.
----
If you're looking for a complete dufus, check out Lubbock, Texas Little League manager Ed Thorne, who set a fine example for his kids after Saturday's 5-2 defeat to Warner Robins, Ga., in the Little League World Series semifinals. Asked by a reporter if he was convinced that the better team lost, Thorne answered, "Yes sir, I am." He said of Warner Robins's upcoming matchup in the championship game, "Japan will win that ballgame. Every ball we hit went right at people. You hate to lose games like that, but that's baseball." Hey, Ed, did you happen to catch Dalton Carriker's walkoff homer for Warner Robins in extra innings Sunday – and the wild celebration that followed, along with some excellent sportsmanship by both teams in the mound area? Great moment, huh?
----
Hyper-competitive jerks pushing kids to value winning over everything else, including courtesy, decency, and humility. Awesome.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
I don't know why this news is such a big deal...
that there were times in Mother Theresa's life where she doubted her faith. I think that I would be much more worried if she took a good look at the hard ministry she endured in the slums of Calcutta for all those years, and never doubted her faith.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Arm Wrestle A Chihuahua - Break Your Arm In The Process.
Another weird news story (for Rochelle):
----
[b]Arm-wrestling game recalled in Japan[/b]
TOKYO (AP) - Lose a game of chess to a computer, and you could bruise your ego.
Lose an arm-wrestling match to a Japanese arcade machine, and you could break your arm.
Distributor Atlus Co. said Tuesday it will remove all 150 "Arm Spirit" arm wrestling machines from Japanese arcades after three players broke their arms grappling with the machine's mechanized appendage.
"The machine isn't that strong, much less so than a muscular man. Even women should be able to beat it," said Atlus spokeswoman Ayano Sakiyama, calling the recall "a precaution."
"We think that maybe some players get overexcited and twist their arms in an unnatural way," she said. The company was investigating the incidents and checking the machines for any signs of malfunction.
Players of "Arm Spirit" advance through 10 levels, battling a French maid, drunken martial arts master and a Chihuahua before reaching the final showdown with a professional wrestler.
The arcade machine is not distributed overseas.
----
Which level is the Chihuahua? Sounds like a later level. Who knew arm wrestling the smallest dog ever could cause arm breakage. You learn something new every day. And I'm sure that the men with the broken arms felt even better about themselves after the spokeswoman's comment.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Rocky Balboa idol brings good luck to hopeful Serbian village
From the "Strange But True" files:
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ELGRADE — A Serbian village is hoping to channel some of Rocky Balboa's fighting spirit with a 10-foot-tall statue of the fictional boxer portrayed by actor Sylvester Stallone.
Zitiste, a village about 35 miles north of Belgrade that has been beset in recent years by flooding and landslides, unveiled the Rocky statue in the village square late Saturday.
The monument, unveiled as part of a music festival, is made of bronze and concrete. It was created by Croatian artist Boris Staparac.
Zitiste has repeatedly suffered flooding and landslides, gaining a disaster-prone reputation. Fed up, the locals contemplated how to change that image and revive the village — one of the poorest in northern Serbia — and came up with the idea of a statue of the tenacious fictional fighter.
"Our idea has really stirred the public," said local official Zoran Kasalovic. "Now, no one in Serbia can say they don't know about Zitiste."
----
No one knows why 2 large chickens danced around the statue during the unveiling ceremony (see pic), except I guess the Serbian village people.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
New Eisley
If you've never heard the band Eisley, you need to become familiar with them.
Their new CD came out today - I'm listening to it on their myspace page and will hopefully get it later today.
I thought that their description of what their music sounds like was humorous:
Sounds like: a kind woods troll who was kicked out of his evil hovel (insubordination)... and, while wandering about the forest floor, he stumbled upon the one and only, very Keebler Elf tree. He knocked and knocked, but only heard a shout from above:"hey...don't you know there are grizzly's out there?" and just threw him a mint chocolate cookie. Afer eating the cookie, he felt safe...so he sojourned on - deep, deep into the forest where he wallowed out a beautiful little home (a pine bed for slumbering); but rest assured, he always kept his GrizBlade 6000 zirconium coated machette blade beside him...just in case ole Grizz came a paw-flashin' in the night. "with lightbulbs in our pockets, we light the darkened forest".
Word.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Letter To A Christian Nation
I picked up a rather interesting book from the library today. It's called Letter To A Christian Nation.
I was reading through Christianity Today magazine, which I don't normally read - but they had a couple of interesting articles, and then I saw that there was a book that came out by an atheist, and then a subsequent book as a response to the criticism and threats that he received from Christians. I knew right then that I had to read it. Thankfully the library had one out of three copies available, and I picked it up.
I've only read the first chapter so far, and it certainly makes for interesting reading. The author, Sam Harris, exhibits some of the same snobbish, eltist type of characteristics as another atheist, Richard Dawkins, (I was not surprised to find out that Dawkins wrote the foreword to the second edition of this book that came out this year) but he does have some good points so far. I think it's important for Christians to: (1) read, first and foremost. Too many Christians and people I know don't read anything, and I think that's a shame; and (2) read books and literature that present other, even opposing, points of view. I would recommend that for every "Darwin's Black Box" and "The Case For Christ" that you read, that you would also read "The End Of Faith" and "The God Delusion".
Here is the very interesting first paragraph from "Letter To A Christian Nation":
--
Since the publication of my first book, The End of Faith, thousands of people have written to tell me that I am wrong not to believe in God. The most hostile of these communications have come from Christians. This is ironic, as Christians generally imagine that no faith imparts the virtues of love and forgiveness more effectively than their own. The truth is that many who claim to be transformed by Christ's love are deeply, even murderously, intolerant of criticism. While we may want to ascribe this to human nature, it is clear that such hatred draws considerable support from the Bible. How do I know this? The most disturbed of my correspondents always cite chapter and verse.
---
Wow.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Billy Graham Faces A New Challenge: Overcoming Sorrow
Time.com has a great article (I get the magazine, and every week they send me a list of their top ten stories) today about Billy and Ruth Graham and what has happened in Billy's life since her death. It is a heartbreaking story, especially when the article describes what took place right before and during her death (the whole family was there). I dare you to read this article and not get a little choked up by it. Whatever you may think of Billy Graham, his evangelism efforts and his Crusades (which I always thought was a poor choice of words), he truly is a man of God. I will always respect the man, because my mom started her journey as a Christian at a Billy Graham crusade.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
I need to get this t-shirt for all of those...
indie music snobs out there that I know.
I can be included in that list I guess, although I'm not as bad as some.
I can be included in that list I guess, although I'm not as bad as some.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Viral Dis-Marketing
After a quick visit to John's blog, I became intrigued by a book he was reviewing called Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders, and on the amazon page for this book, there is a collection of some posts by the author to those who I guess bought the book off of Amazon? A little confusing, but I really enjoyed the following post of his.
-----
I was delighted to learn recently that my local Borders converted its coffee shop area into a Seattle’s Best, one of my favorite caffeineries.
But my first visit was a tragedy. The tall drip (no-room) I ordered was two-third’s fresh and one-third dregs from a container that had only 10 minutes left on its digital timer, lending it the flavor of burning tires.
In a conversation with Paul Martinez, our seminary’s director of development, the disturbing feelings generated by such disappoints began to acquire some vocabulary. (Good friends, and good sermons, help us articulate what we’ve been sensing, but may not have ever expressed.)
What is really bothering me about the declining quality of my visits to ‘Bucks (and now SB) is not the brew, but the baristas. There was a time when the best part of a coffee stop was watching the brilliant people behind the counter, people who could be doing lots of other things, doing this. I often wondered about their personal stories: what brought them to ‘Bucks, why did they seem to treat their job as a calling, what were their dreams of the future?
These over-achievers sold me on the brew, not the other way around. It was viral marketing at its best: a good impression formed one person at a time. They made every visit a form of theater, starring the evangelists of caffeine, coffee missionaries commanding attention and respect. Watching baristas in the “zone” became the most important part of the trip to their store, making it worth going inside when the drive-through would have been more convenient.
Things have changed. This is not to say that the staffer who handed me the bad cup of Seattle’s Best (who also had to check a price list before using the register) is a loser. It’s just that she did not have the same high level of ownership in the experience as did the old-school barista.
A couple of conclusions that Paul and I kicked around about some things that seem to be forgotten in the “viral un-marketing” that now plagues Starbucks:
1. People are crucial to the value of product: There is no coffee good enough to replace an outstanding barista show. Watching someone who probably ought to be in medical school concoct a world class cappuccino and then call your name right out loud is the best two minutes in the business. Without this little immersion in Starbuck’s culture, I might as well grind their beans at home.
I am reminded of ministries that spend so much time on the “production” side of bringing the message to their community that they assume the quality of their people will just take care of itself as long as the show goes on Sunday morning. A well-trained, fully-invested person of integrity is the ultimate message and the ultimate production value.
2. Quality is crucial to the meaning of growth: Starbuck’s astronomical expansion in the last few years seems to have outstripped the pool of suitable talent. Are there only so many folks on the planet who have the temperament to become a coffee missionary, or is ‘Bucks now lacking some key trait needed to attract these people? I once overheard one of their store managers interviewing (and being interviewed by) a prospective employee. It was clear that the manager was not looking for a worker, but for a certain kind of person. Is that interview still happening?
I recall the many unenthusiastic greeters I have met in my church travels, and the sermons delivered by people who do not have a primary communication gift, and the deacons elected mainly because they manage a hardware store, and the mania for growth at almost any price. In a recent email, for example, one minister confessed that his rapidly expanding ministry is being almost completely driven by transfers from other churches, but this fact is off-limits among the leadership. So what does that kind of “growth” really mean?
While the new Reduced-Fat Orange Crème Coffee Cake does cover a multitude of sins, Starbucks better start paying attention to its people again. Are they still the kind of organization to which great people want to belong?
That’s an important question for Christian organizations, too. It’s not about being better or worse, ordinary or extraordinary, but about discipleship, personal investment, and accountability. In other words, featuring gifted people doing things in a way so compelling that others would not only want to be where they are, but might even consider putting on the green apron themselves.
-----
I was delighted to learn recently that my local Borders converted its coffee shop area into a Seattle’s Best, one of my favorite caffeineries.
But my first visit was a tragedy. The tall drip (no-room) I ordered was two-third’s fresh and one-third dregs from a container that had only 10 minutes left on its digital timer, lending it the flavor of burning tires.
In a conversation with Paul Martinez, our seminary’s director of development, the disturbing feelings generated by such disappoints began to acquire some vocabulary. (Good friends, and good sermons, help us articulate what we’ve been sensing, but may not have ever expressed.)
What is really bothering me about the declining quality of my visits to ‘Bucks (and now SB) is not the brew, but the baristas. There was a time when the best part of a coffee stop was watching the brilliant people behind the counter, people who could be doing lots of other things, doing this. I often wondered about their personal stories: what brought them to ‘Bucks, why did they seem to treat their job as a calling, what were their dreams of the future?
These over-achievers sold me on the brew, not the other way around. It was viral marketing at its best: a good impression formed one person at a time. They made every visit a form of theater, starring the evangelists of caffeine, coffee missionaries commanding attention and respect. Watching baristas in the “zone” became the most important part of the trip to their store, making it worth going inside when the drive-through would have been more convenient.
Things have changed. This is not to say that the staffer who handed me the bad cup of Seattle’s Best (who also had to check a price list before using the register) is a loser. It’s just that she did not have the same high level of ownership in the experience as did the old-school barista.
A couple of conclusions that Paul and I kicked around about some things that seem to be forgotten in the “viral un-marketing” that now plagues Starbucks:
1. People are crucial to the value of product: There is no coffee good enough to replace an outstanding barista show. Watching someone who probably ought to be in medical school concoct a world class cappuccino and then call your name right out loud is the best two minutes in the business. Without this little immersion in Starbuck’s culture, I might as well grind their beans at home.
I am reminded of ministries that spend so much time on the “production” side of bringing the message to their community that they assume the quality of their people will just take care of itself as long as the show goes on Sunday morning. A well-trained, fully-invested person of integrity is the ultimate message and the ultimate production value.
2. Quality is crucial to the meaning of growth: Starbuck’s astronomical expansion in the last few years seems to have outstripped the pool of suitable talent. Are there only so many folks on the planet who have the temperament to become a coffee missionary, or is ‘Bucks now lacking some key trait needed to attract these people? I once overheard one of their store managers interviewing (and being interviewed by) a prospective employee. It was clear that the manager was not looking for a worker, but for a certain kind of person. Is that interview still happening?
I recall the many unenthusiastic greeters I have met in my church travels, and the sermons delivered by people who do not have a primary communication gift, and the deacons elected mainly because they manage a hardware store, and the mania for growth at almost any price. In a recent email, for example, one minister confessed that his rapidly expanding ministry is being almost completely driven by transfers from other churches, but this fact is off-limits among the leadership. So what does that kind of “growth” really mean?
While the new Reduced-Fat Orange Crème Coffee Cake does cover a multitude of sins, Starbucks better start paying attention to its people again. Are they still the kind of organization to which great people want to belong?
That’s an important question for Christian organizations, too. It’s not about being better or worse, ordinary or extraordinary, but about discipleship, personal investment, and accountability. In other words, featuring gifted people doing things in a way so compelling that others would not only want to be where they are, but might even consider putting on the green apron themselves.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Fix You.
Normally, if someone would tell me that there is a YouTube video of some senior citizens singing a Coldplay song, I would probably laugh like crazy at something that sounds so idiotic. However, if you go here, you will get the opportunity to see such a thing. There's a group out there called Young At Heart, and they learn all kinds of rather "modern" songs, from Sonic Youth to the Ramones, to...Coldplay.
The man who sings the song suffers from congestive heart failure. It was supposed to be a duet, but the man who was supposed to sing it with him passed away before this performance. The deceased man's family is in the audience. The words to the song take a somewhat different meaning for me now that I've experienced this.
I think it might be one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.
The man who sings the song suffers from congestive heart failure. It was supposed to be a duet, but the man who was supposed to sing it with him passed away before this performance. The deceased man's family is in the audience. The words to the song take a somewhat different meaning for me now that I've experienced this.
I think it might be one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Today.
Another Nooma video is coming out this week - if you go to nooma's myspace today, tomorrow, or Wednesday, you can preview it for free.
Of course, it's really good. As if any of them haven't been.
My favorite quote from this one:
"When we're still holding on to how things were, our arms aren't free to embrace today."
By the way, it's called Today. Hence the blog title, also called Today.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Perhaps The Most Bizarre Video I've Ever Seen...
And here you have it.
This is a video of inmates of a Phllipine prison reenacting Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. They did a great job in my opinion. Now if I can only reclaim the minutes I spent watching it...
"Thriller" as performed by inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center
p.s. - the girl is not a girl. :^)
This is a video of inmates of a Phllipine prison reenacting Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. They did a great job in my opinion. Now if I can only reclaim the minutes I spent watching it...
"Thriller" as performed by inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center
p.s. - the girl is not a girl. :^)
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The Risk Taker
On July 29th, I will be preaching my first message since Palm Sunday of last year. I've decided to preach on the life of Peter, because it's someone who I've been reading about (I'm reading through the book of Acts) and someone I haven't really focused on. I think it's because he has always reminded me of a manly man type of man, and I'm not sure I really relate to that. But the more I study Peter, the more I'm amazed at how gutsy he was and how he took risks, even looking like a fool at times. I'm excited to study more about him and to talk about him as the risk taker.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
A Peaceful Night
I've been under a lot of stress in my life in the past six months or so, so a night like tonight was exactly what I needed.
First, a neighbor of mine let us borrow her Jeep Rubicon for the night and tomorrow. We've built a pretty good friendship with her, and tonight I guess she was feeling charitable! It looks like the below picture except it's black.
Then, as we were getting ready to go get ice cream in her Jeep, a young deer came through our back yard, through our side yard, walked about six feet by us, and then saw us and ran off. Unfortunately, I had no camera so this one will have to do.
Then, after our ice cream adventure in our borrowed Jeep with the top off (a beautiful night to do this by the way), my daughter and I went out looking for fireflies (or lightning bugs, as you will see makes more sense), and we caught one. Noelle named him "McQueen" after Lightning McQueen from the movie cars. (I'm letting him go after she goes to sleep).
A very peaceful night. Thanks, God!
First, a neighbor of mine let us borrow her Jeep Rubicon for the night and tomorrow. We've built a pretty good friendship with her, and tonight I guess she was feeling charitable! It looks like the below picture except it's black.
Then, as we were getting ready to go get ice cream in her Jeep, a young deer came through our back yard, through our side yard, walked about six feet by us, and then saw us and ran off. Unfortunately, I had no camera so this one will have to do.
Then, after our ice cream adventure in our borrowed Jeep with the top off (a beautiful night to do this by the way), my daughter and I went out looking for fireflies (or lightning bugs, as you will see makes more sense), and we caught one. Noelle named him "McQueen" after Lightning McQueen from the movie cars. (I'm letting him go after she goes to sleep).
A very peaceful night. Thanks, God!
Friday, July 06, 2007
The Shame Of Widows In India
I read this article on the CNN website today, and it really disturbed me. I knew about the oppressive caste system in India, where 250 million people live as "untouchables", but I had no idea that the Indian culture treats the widows of their society in this way.
It breaks my heart to think of all these mothers who are shunned by their children because they are considered bad luck. After all these women have done for their children, you would think that some compassion would come into play.
I don't know what else to say, other than a few verses:
Deuteronomy 27:19
19 "Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow."
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
Psalm 68:5
5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
Isaiah 1:17
17 learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.
1 Timothy 5:4
4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
James 1:27
27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Walk On
I read on Yahoo News today that the U.S. is starting to pressure the Myanmar (Burma) government to release Aung San Suu Kyi from what seems to be permanent house arrest. She is the Myanmar leader who won the general election in the early '90's, yet the military of Myanmar, who was (and still is) governing, refused to accept the election results.
Aung San Suu Kyi is the subject of the U2 song, Walk On. Here are some of the lyrics:
And love is not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring
And love is not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind
And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for one second you turn back
Oh no, be strong
Walk on, walk on
What you got they can't steal it
No, they can't even feel it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight
You're packing a suitcase for a place none of has been
A place that has to be believed to be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird in an open cage
Who will only fly, only fly for freedom
Walk on, walk on
What you've got they can't deny it
Can't sell it or buy it
Walk on, walk on
You stay safe tonight
And I know it aches, how your heart it breaks
You can only take so much
Walk on, walk on
Home, hard to know what it is if you've never had one
Home, I can't say where it is but I know I'm going home
That's where the hurt is
And I know it aches and your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk on
I hope the U.S. continues to do things like this, to seek justice for wrongdoings. The Darfur situation would be another great place to start.
Here is the full article.
Trust In Organized Religion At Near Record Low
Americans trust the military and the police force significantly more than the church and organized religion, a new Gallup Poll says.
Only 46 percent of respondents said they had either a "great deal"
or "quite a lot" of confidence in the church, compared with 69 percent who said they trusted the military and 54 percent who trust police officers.
The figures are among the lowest for institutionalized religion in the three and a half decades that Gallup has conducted the poll. Peaking at 68 percent in May 1975, the numbers bottomed out at 45 percent in June of 2003.
But while confidence is waning for organized religion, the numbers are even bleaker for other American institutions. Just 25 percent expressed confidence in the presidency, while a mere 14 percent say they trust Congress.
Other findings suggest the nation is focused more on political issues than morality issues.
In the monthly pulse-check poll, Gallup asked Americans what they believed was the most important problem facing the country. An overwhelming 34 percent cited the war in Iraq, followed by illegal immigration at 15 percent. The nation's religious and moral decline was fifth among the concerns, with 6 percent.
The poll was conducted by telephone from June 14-17. The margin of error is three percentage points.
(Here's the link to the actual story.)
Only 46 percent of respondents said they had either a "great deal"
or "quite a lot" of confidence in the church, compared with 69 percent who said they trusted the military and 54 percent who trust police officers.
The figures are among the lowest for institutionalized religion in the three and a half decades that Gallup has conducted the poll. Peaking at 68 percent in May 1975, the numbers bottomed out at 45 percent in June of 2003.
But while confidence is waning for organized religion, the numbers are even bleaker for other American institutions. Just 25 percent expressed confidence in the presidency, while a mere 14 percent say they trust Congress.
Other findings suggest the nation is focused more on political issues than morality issues.
In the monthly pulse-check poll, Gallup asked Americans what they believed was the most important problem facing the country. An overwhelming 34 percent cited the war in Iraq, followed by illegal immigration at 15 percent. The nation's religious and moral decline was fifth among the concerns, with 6 percent.
The poll was conducted by telephone from June 14-17. The margin of error is three percentage points.
(Here's the link to the actual story.)
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Prayer For The Simple Way
The Simple Way is a community of Christians who live in the Kensington area of Philadelphia. One of its most "famous" residents is Shane Claiborne, who wrote the book The Irresistible Revolution. Most of their work and housing was destroyed by a fire this morning. Shane lost everything. Their community center was lost in the fire. This is a sad tragedy.
You can read more about it at their website.
Please be in prayer for this community and perhaps think about donating money to help them out.
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