- cupid shoots the arrows
and the're fallin' down like rain
but God chooses where they land
and thank Him we're in love again.
2/14/2003
update on the music
I heard Buck's song. First, he's a mighty fine crooner. Second, he's quite an orignal songwrite, as well. I can't repeat the entire song, as I've only overheard it, but one line stands out:
and the're fallin' down like rain
but God chooses where they land
and thank Him we're in love again.
sung to the tune of ch-ch-ch-changes
we just received word at 4 PM that we will not be moving to Atlanta on Tuesday like we expected. Instead, I will be starting my new job as a telecommuter. Sooooooo, we won't be in the home we thought we'd be in. We will be in the home we thought we were leaving. Our daughter will need to re-enroll in school, and we'll have to cancel all the utility closures and set-ups that have been arranged.
I read it on another blog that said, "I guess the only one who likes change is a wet baby." So, in our home you can guess that Kelsi is happy. The rest of us are still making the adjustment. I can see the long term benefit, but I'm having to deal with the immediate littany of inconveniences.
Such is life.
I read it on another blog that said, "I guess the only one who likes change is a wet baby." So, in our home you can guess that Kelsi is happy. The rest of us are still making the adjustment. I can see the long term benefit, but I'm having to deal with the immediate littany of inconveniences.
Such is life.
proverbs #40
when the devil compliments you, you are a flat failure
or in French
quand le diable vous complimente, vous êtes un échec plat
or in German
wenn der Teufel Sie beglückwünscht, sind Sie ein flacher Ausfall
or in French
quand le diable vous complimente, vous êtes un échec plat
or in German
wenn der Teufel Sie beglückwünscht, sind Sie ein flacher Ausfall
proverbs #39
a short intellect usually has a long tongue
or in French
un intellect court a habituellement une languette longue
or in German
ein kurzer Intellekt hat normalerweise eine lange Zunge
or in French
un intellect court a habituellement une languette longue
or in German
ein kurzer Intellekt hat normalerweise eine lange Zunge
2/13/2003
a thousand words
also from the cellar's image of the day...
many of you probably saw this, but it was new to me.
a satellite image of Columbia's break-up.
many of you probably saw this, but it was new to me.
a satellite image of Columbia's break-up.
Buck & Terry
I'll be marrying Buck & Terry tomorrow night. Buck will be singing a song to his bride during the ceremony. Every time I've mentioned the song in front of Terry and her friends, the friends start laughing uncontrollably. Should I be concerned?
sometimes it's just a potato
Do you see the Virgin Mary here?
apparently, many do -- this time here in Sydney.
I see a fence. although if I look at the fuzzy picture long enough, I see Kelsi with a blanket over her head playing peek-a-boo. Interesting, but hardly worth the hulabaloo.
but then again, I'm often guilty of taking God's Word at face value (see Rom.1:18-22).
image courtesy of the cellar's photo of the day
note: this is the first time I've ever used the word 'hulabaloo,' and probably the last. Instead, I will use either brouhaugh or imbroglio.
2/12/2003
I hate these things!
because they reveal that I'm not smart enough to figure it out...or patient enough...
the psychic web page
thanks to the presurfer.
no, really. thanks. I needed to feel inadequate today.
UPDATE: ok, I did it again an intentionally thought of the wrong number and it still came up correct. How did that work? I feel like a cow next to a ringing telephone, If I only had opposible thumbs! Why can't I figure this out?!? Someone hook me up here and tell me the secret!
the psychic web page
thanks to the presurfer.
no, really. thanks. I needed to feel inadequate today.
its a small recycled world after all
methinks the creative force behind Disney justmightbe on autopilot.
evidence:
exhibit a: The Jungle Book 2
exhibit b: 101 Dalmations...2
exhibit c: 102 Dalmations
exhibit d: Hunchback of Notre Dame... 2
exhibit e: Lion King...2: Simba's Pride
exhibit f: Beauty & the Beast....re-released
exhibit g: Lion King....re-released
exhibit h: Cinderella....2
exhibit i: Peter Pan... 2: return to Never Land
exhibit j: Inspector Gadget....2
exhibit k: Spy Kids...2
exhibit l: Spy Kids...3 (coming soon)
exhibit m: Pocohontas...2
exhibit n: Tarzan...and Jane
exhibit o: Lady & The Tramp...2
exhibit p: The Princess Diaries...2
exhibit q: TreasureIsland Planet
and i have on good authority they have planned the release of the following titles:
evidence:
exhibit a: The Jungle Book 2
exhibit b: 101 Dalmations...2
exhibit c: 102 Dalmations
exhibit d: Hunchback of Notre Dame... 2
exhibit e: Lion King...2: Simba's Pride
exhibit f: Beauty & the Beast....re-released
exhibit g: Lion King....re-released
exhibit h: Cinderella....2
exhibit i: Peter Pan... 2: return to Never Land
exhibit j: Inspector Gadget....2
exhibit k: Spy Kids...2
exhibit l: Spy Kids...3 (coming soon)
exhibit m: Pocohontas...2
exhibit n: Tarzan...and Jane
exhibit o: Lady & The Tramp...2
exhibit p: The Princess Diaries...2
exhibit q: Treasure
and i have on good authority they have planned the release of the following titles:
Jungle Book 3: Baloo Gets a taste of Human Flesh
102 Dalmatians 2, Too
Hunchback of Notre Dame 3: Quasimodo the Fighting Irish Water Boy
Lion King 3: Ed's Revenge
Cinderella 3: Stepmother Hires Johnny Cochran & Sues for Unspecified Damages for Disney's Pattern of Negative Stereotypesof Maternal Images in Blended Marriages
Peter Pan 3: Sharing a Neverland Bed with Jacko
Pocohontas 3: The Incident at Little Big Horn
Tarzan & Cheetah & the Ebola Outbreak
Lady & The Tramp 3: Scamp's Distemper
Jungle 2 Jungle 2
Jungle 2 Jungle 2 Jungle
Jungle 2 Jungle 2 Jungle 2
The Princess Diaries: Meeting Joe Millionaire
Treasure Mobile Home Park
Lilo & Stitch: Reloaded
Lilo & Stitch: Revolution
signs of the impending apocalypse #26
click on the pic to see more.
what I found interesting:
1. the link to free chocolate
2. the pimping of an online game and cartoon strip.
3. the assumption that the messenger will arrive at the same eternal locale as the messengee.
4. bragging of 'birthing an industry.' Welcome to the annals filled with the busts of the Pet Psychic, the Crossing-Over guy, Phil Donahue, and Hitler. You must be proud.
5. yet another cutesy graphic of a cherubic child angel. Aren't they cute? I hope I have a thousand Precious Moments angels dancing on my fingernails as I type this tribute to them.
6. the declarations of non-exploitation. by definition this affirms exploitation.
7. the ad to rid the world of landmines. It seems to me to be counter-productive to their industry of afterlife telegrams, no?
this morning on today
Whilst preparing for my day, I gagged watched as Katie Couric interviewed 42.
She: This morning we continue with part 36 of our sit-in love-fest with William Jefferson Clinton, the man who for eight years led our nation from third-world poverty to its greatest pinnacle of world prominence. Today, I ask him the really hard questions.
Good morning Mr. President. It's a shame we couldn't abolish that silly term-limit amendment to the constitution. Now, we'll only have to be satisfied with the unrealized possibilities of what it would have been like to have you as our Supreme Potentate for Life. With that in mind, I just have to ask, is it hard being the most fantabulous president everrrr?
Billy: Well, I'm not sure that I can claim to be the best ever, but knowing that the liberal half of America's political identity is in total nonfunctional disrepair allows me to have wonderfully deep sleep each and every night.
She: Won't Hillary be the most fantabulous president everrr?
Billy: Well, I'm not sure that she'll actually desire to be president, much less the best ever, but knowing that she's got an incredibly supportive family unit that isn't bound by all those suffocating conventionalities like fidelity and trust will free her to be a phenomenally wonderful commander in chief, potentially as good as the one who served sacrificially for two terms prior to our current executive.
She: Aren't those Republicans just the meanest meanies everrr?
Billy: Well, I'm not sure that they were the meanest ever, but they have found a way to completely control the political landscape, all the media of the entire world, the alignment of the stars and the moon, and all the fast food orders in every McDonalds across the United States of America. They've got people like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Don Imus, and Bill O'Reilly. All we've got is Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies and the talking lizard from the Geico commercials. This is very difficult to overcome.
She: Is Osama Bin Laden the scarriest mean bully everrr?
Billy: Well, I'm not sure about the scariest mean bully ever, because I still had to share a bed with Hillary after Monicagate. But in my last three years in office, I dealt with Bin Laden four out of every five days in office. I talked about him. I thought about him. I even wrote poetry and wistful ballads about him. It pains me that he still remains a threat today, and I don't know what else I could have done, but every time I think about September 11, I cannot help but possibly wonder, should I maybe possibly maybe tried just a teensy weensy itsy bit to do just a smidgeon more?
She: Is being a former President the most fantabulous job everrr?
Billy: Well, I'm not sure about that word 'job', but it is pretty fantabulous. I made 9.2 million dollars last year getting flown around on the taxpayer's expense, giving speeches that told how mean those conservatives were for picking on me for silly little indiscretions like fraud, adultery, sexual harrassment, obstruction of justice, perjury, and treason. oh, and murder. yeah, murder, too. Do you know many hoes....tess twinkies you can buy with 9.2 million dollars? Well, let's just say you can take Billy Clinton out of the hills but you can't take the hillbilly out of Clinton.
She: (regaling, uncontrolled, near-maniacal laughter for almost 8 full minutes) Ohhhhh, Mr. President, you are just the wittiest, handsomest, cleverest person ever, ever, ever, everrrr. Is there anything else you'd like to say to this nation that owes you so very much, that misses you dearly, that should, in fact, be renamed Billyhornia in honor of your tireless, quasi-messianic efforts for nearly a decade?
Billy: Well, I want to humbly thank you for those accurate, understated, and much deserved compliments. I need to add just a couple of things. First, I have to say this: Ho Chi Minh was a misunderstood guy. I don't necessarily believe that, but I'm still under contractual obligation with my Chinese financiers and must publicly declare that 100 times a year between now and the year 2038. Second, I did not have sexual relations with that woman. Or that woman. Or that woman. Or Hillary either. But I did with Monica, and Genifer, and just about everyone else who would give me the time of day. And some who wouldn't. I figured I could let that out now, because what are you gonna do, impeach me? Gohogsuueeeee! Third, I still need someone to tell me what the definition of 'is' is. Really. I've looked it up and I'm still not getting it. That would be a big help. Thanks.
She: Thank you for giving my life purpose and meaning and brightening our world with your profound grasp on every single issue everrr. Tomorrow, we continue our series on America's presidents by taking an in-depth seventeen second look at wish-he-were-still president Clinton's inept projectile-vomiting predecessor, George HW Bush, father of the probably-illiterate and certainly-dyslexic guy who somehow rigged the election two years ago using his brother in Florida, smoke, mirrors, the combined powers of Doug Henning, Penn & Teller, and David Copperfield, as well as mass hypnosis, George W. Bush. Back to you, Matty-Matt-Matt.
Matty-Matt-Matt: What a balanced, unbiased, hard-hitting objective probing of the policies and plans of the likely divine.....
click
note: the actual banter, for those interested.
She: This morning we continue with part 36 of our sit-in love-fest with William Jefferson Clinton, the man who for eight years led our nation from third-world poverty to its greatest pinnacle of world prominence. Today, I ask him the really hard questions.
Good morning Mr. President. It's a shame we couldn't abolish that silly term-limit amendment to the constitution. Now, we'll only have to be satisfied with the unrealized possibilities of what it would have been like to have you as our Supreme Potentate for Life. With that in mind, I just have to ask, is it hard being the most fantabulous president everrrr?
Billy: Well, I'm not sure that I can claim to be the best ever, but knowing that the liberal half of America's political identity is in total nonfunctional disrepair allows me to have wonderfully deep sleep each and every night.
She: Won't Hillary be the most fantabulous president everrr?
Billy: Well, I'm not sure that she'll actually desire to be president, much less the best ever, but knowing that she's got an incredibly supportive family unit that isn't bound by all those suffocating conventionalities like fidelity and trust will free her to be a phenomenally wonderful commander in chief, potentially as good as the one who served sacrificially for two terms prior to our current executive.
She: Aren't those Republicans just the meanest meanies everrr?
Billy: Well, I'm not sure that they were the meanest ever, but they have found a way to completely control the political landscape, all the media of the entire world, the alignment of the stars and the moon, and all the fast food orders in every McDonalds across the United States of America. They've got people like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Don Imus, and Bill O'Reilly. All we've got is Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies and the talking lizard from the Geico commercials. This is very difficult to overcome.
She: Is Osama Bin Laden the scarriest mean bully everrr?
Billy: Well, I'm not sure about the scariest mean bully ever, because I still had to share a bed with Hillary after Monicagate. But in my last three years in office, I dealt with Bin Laden four out of every five days in office. I talked about him. I thought about him. I even wrote poetry and wistful ballads about him. It pains me that he still remains a threat today, and I don't know what else I could have done, but every time I think about September 11, I cannot help but possibly wonder, should I maybe possibly maybe tried just a teensy weensy itsy bit to do just a smidgeon more?
She: Is being a former President the most fantabulous job everrr?
Billy: Well, I'm not sure about that word 'job', but it is pretty fantabulous. I made 9.2 million dollars last year getting flown around on the taxpayer's expense, giving speeches that told how mean those conservatives were for picking on me for silly little indiscretions like fraud, adultery, sexual harrassment, obstruction of justice, perjury, and treason. oh, and murder. yeah, murder, too. Do you know many hoes....tess twinkies you can buy with 9.2 million dollars? Well, let's just say you can take Billy Clinton out of the hills but you can't take the hillbilly out of Clinton.
She: (regaling, uncontrolled, near-maniacal laughter for almost 8 full minutes) Ohhhhh, Mr. President, you are just the wittiest, handsomest, cleverest person ever, ever, ever, everrrr. Is there anything else you'd like to say to this nation that owes you so very much, that misses you dearly, that should, in fact, be renamed Billyhornia in honor of your tireless, quasi-messianic efforts for nearly a decade?
Billy: Well, I want to humbly thank you for those accurate, understated, and much deserved compliments. I need to add just a couple of things. First, I have to say this: Ho Chi Minh was a misunderstood guy. I don't necessarily believe that, but I'm still under contractual obligation with my Chinese financiers and must publicly declare that 100 times a year between now and the year 2038. Second, I did not have sexual relations with that woman. Or that woman. Or that woman. Or Hillary either. But I did with Monica, and Genifer, and just about everyone else who would give me the time of day. And some who wouldn't. I figured I could let that out now, because what are you gonna do, impeach me? Gohogsuueeeee! Third, I still need someone to tell me what the definition of 'is' is. Really. I've looked it up and I'm still not getting it. That would be a big help. Thanks.
She: Thank you for giving my life purpose and meaning and brightening our world with your profound grasp on every single issue everrr. Tomorrow, we continue our series on America's presidents by taking an in-depth seventeen second look at wish-he-were-still president Clinton's inept projectile-vomiting predecessor, George HW Bush, father of the probably-illiterate and certainly-dyslexic guy who somehow rigged the election two years ago using his brother in Florida, smoke, mirrors, the combined powers of Doug Henning, Penn & Teller, and David Copperfield, as well as mass hypnosis, George W. Bush. Back to you, Matty-Matt-Matt.
Matty-Matt-Matt: What a balanced, unbiased, hard-hitting objective probing of the policies and plans of the likely divine.....
note: the actual banter, for those interested.
same planet, different world
just went to Dave Barry's blog, and decided to let you know about it again. I thought he could use a little help getting some traffic, some assistance building up readership.
He's only getting an average of 5,825 visits per day.
He's only getting an average of 5,825 visits per day.
peta's growing influence that fur is, indeed, murder
2/11/2003
what's the mother matter with you?
arm wrestle Freud.
I beat him on every level.
what's sad is this is the best work-out I've had in a month.
I beat him on every level.
what's sad is this is the best work-out I've had in a month.
a self portrait
load 'kbmac' at this site to see my own sketch artist rendering of myself.
those who know me, how did I do?
and load 'hip saddam' to see my best effort at Saddam with a American haircut.
and load 'Osama now' for what he probably looks like in hiding.
and load 'handsome dan' to see a creation that may have been the subject of some of my childhood nightmares.
those who know me, how did I do?
and load 'hip saddam' to see my best effort at Saddam with a American haircut.
and load 'Osama now' for what he probably looks like in hiding.
and load 'handsome dan' to see a creation that may have been the subject of some of my childhood nightmares.
a simple question
is this flash animation a fair analogy of what we're doing wrong (see previous post)?
sung to the tune of do you love me?
this post reveals a poll that says evangelical groups are among the most hated in America. The essay on this matter is excellent, so I'll try not to cover ground already traversed.
What I think is relevant is that upon receiving this news, expected responses are:
a) indignation that we, the most benevolent people in the world, are reviled.
b) hurt because our motives are misunderstood.
c) pride, because Jesus warned us there'd be days like this
d) anger, for all those no good-so-and-so's who don't know just what they're missing.
maybe this over-simplifies the issue, but methinks not by much. And regardless of the reaction, by you, me, or the folks sending the Crouch's their social security checks, to have any reaction other than
we better change how we're doing things
is the wrong reaction.
I will give this disclaimer before continuing:
okay, now get over it and carry on.
The fact of the matter is, if you look at Jesus, people were gathering around him all the time. He constantly was drawing people to Himself. The Samaritan woman sat with Him. The Gedarene Demoniac sat at His feet. The woman caught in adultery was protected under His shadow of grace. He mingled with lepers, thiefs, beggars, and scoundrels. He dined with (oh the horror) tax collectors. People came to Him because they were looking for God, and nobody more perfectly revealed God to the people than God in the Flesh.
Have we forgotten that it is nothing less than the power of God who dwells within us now?
People hate evangelicals because we've given them good cause to do so. People don't like us because we're trying to be God's ambassadors but only if God doesn't inconvenience us in the process. We've given evangelicals a bad name because we seem to be of the opinion that 'you can't spell evangelical without vain'. We're eager to tell people about Jesus, but we don't want to listen to their problems. We are willing to help out once, or maybe twice, but just don't bother me when I've got to get my kids to their soccer or ballet practice. We spend more on ourselves -- on our programs, our luxuries, our wants (not necessarily our needs), than we ever do on them. Too many benevolence ministries make recipients undergo an application process that would make the CIA envious, just to release a proportionately pittance of funds to meet their need. Then we say, "don't you want to be just like us?" We are irrelevant to our communities, with civic/social/secular groups doing more to impact their culture than most of our churches ever will. We bicker about traditional vs. contemporary or a hundred other issues, and not only are people not going out with the good news of salvation through Christ, but the only thing to actually escape our four walls is the bad news of our disagreements (local, denominational, and ecumenical). And pitifully, we vainfully hope (or maybe even pray) that people will come to our church, and when they do, rather than reaching out to them, we expect them to conform to our dysfunction.
And at the same time, too many of those who come to faith in Christ eagerly trust Jesus with their most precious commodity -- their very soul -- but are unwilling to trust Him with the far less valuable commodity of ...well, everything else. These stock cop-outs fill waaayyy too many vocabularies:
I'm not in any position to question anyone's salvation, but I have to ask, if you're faith isn't strong enough to equip you for God's most basic call to obedience in your life, is it really a saving faith you possess?
People flocked to Jesus and wanted to be with Jesus because He never battled with God over who was entitled to be sovereign over His life. When people saw Jesus, they saw God, and you know what? God was attractive to them. I understand that many left the crowd when Jesus began sharing the difficult teachings. But you never saw Him develop a complex over the matter. We seem to take it personally if somebody we've invested our lives in doesn't follow our preconceived notion of how they should live his or her own life. We spend more time trying to overstep our bounds and take both responsibility and credit for things which we never earned any responsibility or credit.
We try so hard to assert our Christianity that we ironically seem to defy it, or even functionally deny it. We put fish on our bumpers, wear our promise keeper polo shirts and 'God's Gym' tees, enroll our kids in AWANA, choir, church basketball leagues, and get so busy doing Christianity that we forget that Christianity isn't a matter of doing, its a matter of being. When our faith pervades our conduct, when it determines the course of our behavior, when it manifests itself in selflessness, not only will evangelicals cease to be loathed, they will be increased.
I'm convinced of this -- the lost world doesn't care if Christians are traditional, contemporary, post-modern, boomer, buster, gen-x, seeker-sensitive, next-level, or a hundred other banners waving under the 'evangelical' flag. It has become a problem when the banners become more important than the cause of Christ.
It's not about you. It never has been. It isn't now. It never will be.
so get over yourself.
and get into the world.
you've basically got one job to do
if you do what you're supposed to do, God will do what He has promised to do.
only then will 'evangelical' mean what it is supposed to mean.
What I think is relevant is that upon receiving this news, expected responses are:
a) indignation that we, the most benevolent people in the world, are reviled.
b) hurt because our motives are misunderstood.
c) pride, because Jesus warned us there'd be days like this
d) anger, for all those no good-so-and-so's who don't know just what they're missing.
maybe this over-simplifies the issue, but methinks not by much. And regardless of the reaction, by you, me, or the folks sending the Crouch's their social security checks, to have any reaction other than
we better change how we're doing things
is the wrong reaction.
I will give this disclaimer before continuing:
theworldwillhateyoubecausetheworldhatesJesus.
okay, now get over it and carry on.
and make sure you're bringing the gospel of Christ along with you.
The fact of the matter is, if you look at Jesus, people were gathering around him all the time. He constantly was drawing people to Himself. The Samaritan woman sat with Him. The Gedarene Demoniac sat at His feet. The woman caught in adultery was protected under His shadow of grace. He mingled with lepers, thiefs, beggars, and scoundrels. He dined with (oh the horror) tax collectors. People came to Him because they were looking for God, and nobody more perfectly revealed God to the people than God in the Flesh.
Have we forgotten that it is nothing less than the power of God who dwells within us now?
People hate evangelicals because we've given them good cause to do so. People don't like us because we're trying to be God's ambassadors but only if God doesn't inconvenience us in the process. We've given evangelicals a bad name because we seem to be of the opinion that 'you can't spell evangelical without vain'. We're eager to tell people about Jesus, but we don't want to listen to their problems. We are willing to help out once, or maybe twice, but just don't bother me when I've got to get my kids to their soccer or ballet practice. We spend more on ourselves -- on our programs, our luxuries, our wants (not necessarily our needs), than we ever do on them. Too many benevolence ministries make recipients undergo an application process that would make the CIA envious, just to release a proportionately pittance of funds to meet their need. Then we say, "don't you want to be just like us?" We are irrelevant to our communities, with civic/social/secular groups doing more to impact their culture than most of our churches ever will. We bicker about traditional vs. contemporary or a hundred other issues, and not only are people not going out with the good news of salvation through Christ, but the only thing to actually escape our four walls is the bad news of our disagreements (local, denominational, and ecumenical). And pitifully, we vainfully hope (or maybe even pray) that people will come to our church, and when they do, rather than reaching out to them, we expect them to conform to our dysfunction.
And at the same time, too many of those who come to faith in Christ eagerly trust Jesus with their most precious commodity -- their very soul -- but are unwilling to trust Him with the far less valuable commodity of ...well, everything else. These stock cop-outs fill waaayyy too many vocabularies:
I wouldn't know what to say
I don't know the answers to all their questions
I don't want to look stupid.
I'm afraid.
I'm too busy
That's not my gift.
and so on and so on and so on...
I'm not in any position to question anyone's salvation, but I have to ask, if you're faith isn't strong enough to equip you for God's most basic call to obedience in your life, is it really a saving faith you possess?
People flocked to Jesus and wanted to be with Jesus because He never battled with God over who was entitled to be sovereign over His life. When people saw Jesus, they saw God, and you know what? God was attractive to them. I understand that many left the crowd when Jesus began sharing the difficult teachings. But you never saw Him develop a complex over the matter. We seem to take it personally if somebody we've invested our lives in doesn't follow our preconceived notion of how they should live his or her own life. We spend more time trying to overstep our bounds and take both responsibility and credit for things which we never earned any responsibility or credit.
We try so hard to assert our Christianity that we ironically seem to defy it, or even functionally deny it. We put fish on our bumpers, wear our promise keeper polo shirts and 'God's Gym' tees, enroll our kids in AWANA, choir, church basketball leagues, and get so busy doing Christianity that we forget that Christianity isn't a matter of doing, its a matter of being. When our faith pervades our conduct, when it determines the course of our behavior, when it manifests itself in selflessness, not only will evangelicals cease to be loathed, they will be increased.
I'm convinced of this -- the lost world doesn't care if Christians are traditional, contemporary, post-modern, boomer, buster, gen-x, seeker-sensitive, next-level, or a hundred other banners waving under the 'evangelical' flag. It has become a problem when the banners become more important than the cause of Christ.
It's not about you. It never has been. It isn't now. It never will be.
It's about Jesus.
and it's about everyone else.
so get over yourself.
and get into the world.
give someone a lift.
help them move.
spend time with them.
listen to them.
let them know you care.
and tell them about the hope that lives within you.
you've basically got one job to do
glorify the Lord God in all you think, say, and do.
if you do what you're supposed to do, God will do what He has promised to do.
only then will 'evangelical' mean what it is supposed to mean.
2/10/2003
back in the saddle again
Monday morning before the big return trip home to get ready for the even bigger trip across the fruited plains to make our new home in Georgia.
I had really planned on blogging more, but just didn't get around to it. This is what I did instead:
1. Went to the inaugural Colorado Crush Arena Football League game against the Georgia Force. Ironic, no? It was very entertaining, though the Crush lost 44-40. The game at times had a baseball atmosphere, others a football one, and others a basketball one. My dad and I each caught t-shirts thrown into the crowd. Mine will fit my wife. Kelli watched the game, but probably spent as much time watching John Elway in his owner's booth across the arena. He performed well in his first game as CEO/President. Probably has lots of room for improvement, but that's why its a 16 game season.
2. watched Powell's UN address. OK, how tough is this guy? He brings in that vial of white powder talking about anthrax waving it around wildly. Don't you know, that at least for a moment or two, the French and German delegates were seriously rethinking all their anti-US rhetoric. Even Saddam had to be thinking he was a wild man! I was disappointed but not surprised to hear that all the convincing evidence didn't sway anyone. I don't know how many global politicians I heard or read say something like, "Powell's presentation was convincing and compelling, but..." I guess I just come from the perspective of a citizen of a country who was violated by terrorism and accordingly have this 'wacky-way-out-there' opinion that we have the right, nee duty, to protect ourselves (and others, you're welcome France and Germany) from similar tragedies. The logic of 'lets let the inspectors keep hunting for the proverbial needle while the Iraqis keep moving it' just baffles me and convinces me that it emboldens Hussein to advance his insanity. Ok, Kelsi is tugging at my pantsleeve as I stand on this soapbox. So I step down for now, reserving the privilege to return later and rant more.
3. Went snowmobiling with Papa and the two oldest kids. We had a great time. The snow was fresh. Kaylyn's a little speed freak. I'd put that machine at full throttle and she'd just scream like a loon. Now that I think about it, I'm only assuming it was excitement. She could have been sharing her sheer terror. Hmmm, I'll have to look into that a bit more.
4. We went on an art walk through Craig. Only here can it be 15 degrees outside and you'll hear, "what a nice night for a community walk." It was actually a very good time. Saw several of folks from Calvary (previous church), including one who was showing her photography from a trip to Africa. It was really good, not like the pictures I take on vacations. She had several wildlife shots, but the coolest ones were a series of portraits of AIDS orphans (1/3 of Africa has AIDS, is what she said), and another series of the Masai tribe. She had one portrait of a sixteen year old male. They said he had just been circumcised and was now expected to go out and kill a lion by himself before he'd be welcomed back into the tribe. Needless to say, the young man had quite a pained/serious expression across his painted face. When I turned 16, I was expected to go get my driver's license and bring home a package of pork chops from City Market before I was welcomed back into the tribe. It was grueling, but the legend of my success is still being retold today.
5. As noted previously, I got over this cold. I was a big giant wimp, as I tend to be amidst these calamities, for the worst day of the onset, which occurred while jetsetting over America. Tylenol Cold & Allergy is basically useless at 31,000 feet. Maybe at other altitutes, too. When I got back to 5280 (Denver), I took a Sudafed and entered into blissful antihistimine-laced slumber. Over the subsequent three days, as I have ameliorated, my nasal and congestive mucus tend to resemble greenish wall spackle, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend either for that exact purpose.
I had really planned on blogging more, but just didn't get around to it. This is what I did instead:
1. Went to the inaugural Colorado Crush Arena Football League game against the Georgia Force. Ironic, no? It was very entertaining, though the Crush lost 44-40. The game at times had a baseball atmosphere, others a football one, and others a basketball one. My dad and I each caught t-shirts thrown into the crowd. Mine will fit my wife. Kelli watched the game, but probably spent as much time watching John Elway in his owner's booth across the arena. He performed well in his first game as CEO/President. Probably has lots of room for improvement, but that's why its a 16 game season.
2. watched Powell's UN address. OK, how tough is this guy? He brings in that vial of white powder talking about anthrax waving it around wildly. Don't you know, that at least for a moment or two, the French and German delegates were seriously rethinking all their anti-US rhetoric. Even Saddam had to be thinking he was a wild man! I was disappointed but not surprised to hear that all the convincing evidence didn't sway anyone. I don't know how many global politicians I heard or read say something like, "Powell's presentation was convincing and compelling, but..." I guess I just come from the perspective of a citizen of a country who was violated by terrorism and accordingly have this 'wacky-way-out-there' opinion that we have the right, nee duty, to protect ourselves (and others, you're welcome France and Germany) from similar tragedies. The logic of 'lets let the inspectors keep hunting for the proverbial needle while the Iraqis keep moving it' just baffles me and convinces me that it emboldens Hussein to advance his insanity. Ok, Kelsi is tugging at my pantsleeve as I stand on this soapbox. So I step down for now, reserving the privilege to return later and rant more.
3. Went snowmobiling with Papa and the two oldest kids. We had a great time. The snow was fresh. Kaylyn's a little speed freak. I'd put that machine at full throttle and she'd just scream like a loon. Now that I think about it, I'm only assuming it was excitement. She could have been sharing her sheer terror. Hmmm, I'll have to look into that a bit more.
4. We went on an art walk through Craig. Only here can it be 15 degrees outside and you'll hear, "what a nice night for a community walk." It was actually a very good time. Saw several of folks from Calvary (previous church), including one who was showing her photography from a trip to Africa. It was really good, not like the pictures I take on vacations. She had several wildlife shots, but the coolest ones were a series of portraits of AIDS orphans (1/3 of Africa has AIDS, is what she said), and another series of the Masai tribe. She had one portrait of a sixteen year old male. They said he had just been circumcised and was now expected to go out and kill a lion by himself before he'd be welcomed back into the tribe. Needless to say, the young man had quite a pained/serious expression across his painted face. When I turned 16, I was expected to go get my driver's license and bring home a package of pork chops from City Market before I was welcomed back into the tribe. It was grueling, but the legend of my success is still being retold today.
5. As noted previously, I got over this cold. I was a big giant wimp, as I tend to be amidst these calamities, for the worst day of the onset, which occurred while jetsetting over America. Tylenol Cold & Allergy is basically useless at 31,000 feet. Maybe at other altitutes, too. When I got back to 5280 (Denver), I took a Sudafed and entered into blissful antihistimine-laced slumber. Over the subsequent three days, as I have ameliorated, my nasal and congestive mucus tend to resemble greenish wall spackle, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend either for that exact purpose.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
