A Difficult Post

A QUESTION

Last night in my community group the icebreaker question was this:

            Name one thing that you are good at.  (Yeah I know…not really a question, but I kept my mouth shut.)

Then of course we had to go around in a circle and everyone has to share.  First off I hate that.  I hate the expectation of having to answer. 

 

A CONFLICT

The problem was I really couldn’t think of anything.  I ended up giving some BS response that I didn’t really believe.

 

A COMMENT

Now I’m not looking for pity or responses on what you think I’m good at.  Even if you were to offer a valued opinion I probably can’t accept it at this point as it would seem to me only a response to this post.  Not necessarily genuine in my eyes.  However, I’m sure you, my readers, are incredibly honest people, although a little foolhardy to be following/reading what I spout out.   

 

A CLARIFICATION

And what I’m not saying is that I’m not good at anything.  I have a good sense of humor and a good amount of patience and I’m incredibly good looking.  Also I have a good sense of humor and a good self image.  If golden stars were passed out for Seinfeld quoting skills, well…I’d have a lot of golden stars.  And I can list several other things, but moving on, what I am also not saying is that I don’t have things that I enjoy doing either.  (That’s a poorly constructed sentence, but I don’t feel like fixing it).  I love to organize things.  I love bring order where there was chaos.  I love youth and youth ministry.  I love sharing the Bible.  I love doing a lot of things.

 

Some of my negativism is because I’m my own worst critic, but some of it is because really I don’t know what I good for.  You can be good at things, but unless you are acknowledged and appreciated and using your talents, what is…what you’re good at…good for?  Being good at something and not using it is worthless.  If you have NBA talents but never pick up a basketball, are you really good at the sport?  Loving something that seemingly refuses to embrace you, well that just seems sad.  If you are the second coming of Jimmy Stewart, but never win an acting audition are you really a good actor? 

 

A CONFESSION

Just a peak into what steals my joy and robs my passion:

I feel like the past couple of years my hope has diminished and I’m fading into oblivion.

And I don’t know what to do with that.

 

[I don’t know if I’ve shared this with anybody, opening myself up this much (and this isn’t much).  And I can’t say why I feel the need to do so tonight.  This is me trying to be more honest, and this seems to be my most effective forum for speaking this kind of truth. - TSH]

 

 

 

Audible

I had somewhat an off week when it came to listening to sermons.  But here are a few you may want to check out.  I think it was Rick Warren who called today’s sermons, yesteryears commentaries (something like that).  I totally agree.

 

Sermons I Listened To This Week

• First off at church Steve Dye preach on How’s My Neighbor: Orphans and Widows
• On Monday I listened to Mark Scott, Dean of Academics at Ozark Christian College.  His sermon was entitled Love the Church More Honestly (Rev. 2-3) from a series called Living in the Real World.
• Then I listened to an archived sermon by Damien Spikereit, preaching professor at Ozark Christian College.  His sermon was entitled Kiss One Another, from a series entitled Life Together where they were going through all the One Another passages in Scripture. 
• Wednesday (I think) I listened to Chip Ingram preach at Southeast Christian College as a guest speaker.  Jim wrote a book titled Good to Great in God’s Eyes, and that also the title of his message.  This was an interesting message.  A little self-help-ish, but was worth the listen.
• Today I listened to Jon Weece, senior minister at Southland Christian Church in Lexington, KY.  He preached an amazing sermon from their series called BREATHE.  BREATHE is an acronym, each letter representing an action that are immensely beneficial in daily life change.  The E stood for Examine Myself with a Fearless Honesty.  Jon is an amazing preacher.  I’ve met him at Ozark briefly and he is legit.  He reads a letter from an eleven year old girl in this sermon that is heart breaking - - yet beautiful.  Listen and be challenged.
• I listened to a second Jon Weece message as well today from the BREATHE series entitled Amend My Relationships. 

 

 

Nothing else I'd rather NOT do

See world's first eyeball tattoo - - careful this is gross and painful.

Confessions (Part 2)

I hear Usher’s song in my head.  “These are my confessions…” 

Unfortunately when I loving sing to myself in the mirror and rip off my shirt it just ain’t what MTV wants on the air.  Then again Jack Blacks had a few shirtless hits.

“I’m good enough.  I’m smart enough.  And doggone it people read my blog.”

 

But that’s not what I want to confess.  Here’s my second confession of the day.

 

When at Chick-fil-A I like to say “thank you” a lot.

Apparently when someone tells a Chick-fil-A employee “thank you”, the employee must reply with “It’s my pleasure.” 

I think this is a little odd, but I still like it.  It’s not “not a problem” or “you’re very welcome”.  It’s much more intimate of a statement. 

“It’s my pleasure.”

 

Plus when I happen to get the cute lady who works there to takes my order and she says “it’s my pleasure”. 

However, when a guy takes my order I try to never thank them, that’s oddly uncomfortable.

Confessions (Part 1)

Two confessions today.  I’ll post the second soon enough. 

 

This morning it did not take long until I was suffering from a headache.  After 29 years I have finally decided to get contacts (mainly because the examination, the trial lenses and the tutorial only cast $20 more with my regular exam), which has not helped my headache.  My eyes are still adjusting and my mind is still in disbelief that what I’m seeing is real.  Add this together with the obsessive nagging I have to deal with from the time I punch in until the time I lock the doors and the pressure behind my eyes was almost unbearable. 

There was only one cure.  I gathered enough change from my change drawer and set off to Chick-fil-A.  While a Dr. Pepper and an order of waffle fries have the combined power of ten Tylenol, I had to settle for the less effective sweet tea and waffle fry combo.  (58 days strong into the Dr. Pepper fast…yahoo?!)  Surely this would ease the throbbing.  Plus I can sit alone and read my book and the crew that works there leaves me alone.  Solitude, peace and manna from heaven.  

However when I pulled into the parking lot a small framed aged woman approached me asking for 85 cents.  I’m not sure what 85 cents does for a person, maybe bus fare, but I lied to her and told her I might have some change when I left.  I actually left with $1.43 in change.

I’m trying to be Christ-like, in fact I’ve been trying for 21 out of my 29 years, and today I lied about 85 cents.  My selfishness refused a woman 85 cents.  Will I ever begin to resemble Jesus?  I could have easily skipped the sweet tea and enjoyed a cup of water instead.  Some days I feel that I have inched no closer to Christ than when I first begun this journey. 

As I sat in the booth thinking about this, no longer able to enjoy my afternoon retreat, the sound system in the restaurant began to play Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) by Chris Tomlin.  I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the incredible love of our God.  My enormous selfishness cannot compare to the immense love of God. 

 

Rich Mullins called it “the wreckless raging fury”.  Actually I feel the need to print the entire songs lyrics.  Kind of a meditative release for me.  Otherwise I’ll end up crying again, which caused a few uncomfortable glances from the Chick-fil-A crowd.  No one needs that.

 

The Love of God

By Rich Mullins

 

There's a wideness in God's mercy
I cannot find in my own
And He keeps His fire burning
To melt this heart of stone
Keeps me aching with a yearning
Keeps me glad to have been caught
In the reckless raging fury
That they call the love of God

Now I've seen no band of angels
But I've heard the soldiers' songs
Love hangs over them like a banner
Love within them leads them on
To the battle on the journey
And it's never gonna stop
Ever widening their mercies
And the fury of His love

Oh the love of God
And oh, the love of God
The love of God

Joy and sorrow are this ocean
And in their every ebb and flow
Now the Lord a door has opened
That all Hell could never close
Here I'm tested and made worthy
Tossed about but lifted up
In the reckless raging fury
That they call the love of God

 

Quote

I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
  - EB White

Inside the Mind...

Read this article today, courtesy of YS’ weekly Update e-mail. 

 

INSIDE THE MIND OF THE BOY DATING YOUR DAUGHTER

 

This article reports that boys on average dated girls to fulfilled a motivation for love and desire to form real relationships.  Very interesting article that suggest that sex is not at the forefront of every teenage boy.  Several conclusions could be reached because of this information.  Enjoy the read.

 

While I am recommending the article, what I recommend more though is the comments that follow.  Check out some of these gems (have you noticed I’ve been using the word “gems” a lot lately…don’t know why…don’t plan on stopping):

 

- “So I wasn’t weird of gay 50 years ago as a teenager when I wanted more from a relationship than just sex.  Now they tell me I was normal.”     – Posted by Rich

- “Though I have not read the study referred to above, I do not sense from the summary that the authors have interpreted their results with the greatest reliability.  Teenage boys would not be the first humans to ascribe nobler reasons for their desires.”     – Posted by Lewis

- “…By the way, from what I’ve seen of the way teenage girls dress, if all the boys DID think about was sex, it would be hard to blame them!”     - Posted by A Boy’s Mom

- “…I don’t care why a teenage boy is after my daughter, I still don’t trust him.  I remember being a teenager boy myself.  Buy hey, I still don’t trust my brother-in-law either.  I don’t care if they’re grandparents now, stay away from my sister!”     - Posted by Rick

-  “None of this is gonna to stop me from cleaning my shotgun when my daughter’s prom date comes to pick her up.  These punks have got one thing on their minds, and it ain’t relationships.”     – Posted by brian

- “This is only a surprise to women.  Any male knows that he was desperately in love at fifteen in a way he never would be again.     – Posted by Brad

- “Boys lie.  Nuff said.”     - Posted by Jessie

 

There are several more that are rather insightful. 

 

 

Fighting for Peace?

Tony Jones wrote yesterday on his experience at the National Pastors Convention in San Diego.  Specifically at the end of his post he wrote: 

“Then I led the conversation about politics.  It was pretty spicy as I recounted my journey out of Hauerwasianism, Andy took an Augustinian tack, and Scot vehemently defended the utopian dream that he calls Anabaptism. :-)  My bottom line: it just was not possible to sustain the Christian enclave that the Hauerwasian mafia prescribes when I was a pastor.  I ministered to cops and military personnel, and I just didn’t have the luxury to hold fast to my ideals in the midst of real ministry.” (highlighted section by me)

 

Stanley Hauerwas, just in case, is a theologian, ethicist and professor of law and Duke Divinity School.  Wikipedia describes Hauerwas in this way:

“In his career, he has attempted to emphasize the importance of virtue and character within the Church. He has been an outspoken Christian pacifist and has promoted nonviolence, having been mentored by Mennonite theologian John Howard Yoder. Hauerwas has also been an opponent of nationalism, particularly American patriotism, arguing that it has no place in the Church. His writings occasionally veer into the area of paleo-orthodoxy, though Hauerwas himself might dispute this claim. He has also been associated with the narrative theology movement.”

 

I really appreciate the statement by Tony Jones.  Attempting to live and preach and demonstrate peace yet struggling because of the culture we live in.  I might be reading into his comment a little too much, but these are the thoughts that were generated through it.

I know a lot of guys who idealize Hauerwas stance and I’m just not there.  Maybe some of it is my childhood, having grown up a military dependent.  Or maybe some of it is from having worked for the Air Force (in the chapel program and other areas).  Maybe it’s just a part of my worldview (which I can’t always explain), which believes that there is something in the nature of a boy/man that needs to accept and endure conflict, struggle and pain (probably needs more flushing out or better wording, but hopefully you know what I mean).

Nevertheless I think that while one man (and I use “man” in its generic gender understanding) endures injustice I have the responsibility to respond.  First via politics, second but peaceful aggression (which is how I see the actions of MLK and Gandhi, not just peaceful demonstrations), and third by force. 

I believe that peace is the luxury only of the ignorant and that peacemakers set aside their peace in order to bring about peace. 

This isn’t just an issue of war or physical conflict.  If I have deep resources that others are lacking in excess I believe that making peace would challenge me to humble myself and my resources in order that others could benefit.  For instance a mom going through a divorce e-mailed me today asking if I had a listing of babysitters telling me that she was in need of some “breaks” away from her two boys.  Me, being in excess of time and lounging around resources, in order to make peace offered to have her boys over for some serious Wii time.  Maybe visit the batting cages.  Or plug in a movie.  All stuff I would do anyways, so the sacrifice isn’t actually that great.

I definitely don’t think I have this all figured out, but if I were to give you a snapshot of where I am currently in my thinking of all this - the above would be pretty close. 

I am sure of this though, “He must increase, I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

 

Maybe you have some thoughts.  I would love to hear them. 

Link Recommendation

In response to Be Kind Rewind, Filmmaking Frenzy is posting homemade video tributes to some people’s favorite movies.  Check it out.

 

TSH

ABCNEWS.com: Girlfight Explodes On School Bus

You have received this ABCNEWS.com mail from:

tsharrisonis@gmail.com

(more e-mail testing, this time from ABCNews)

This is a rather complicated situation.

Who do you side with?

Do you think we are heading to a time where we will not have school buses or where every school bus will have a ride along police or security officer?

I know people talk about times being worse than yesteryear, but I'm having memories flashes of incidents on my bus rides in middle school.

Girlfight Explodes On School Bus
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4329813

Somewhere beyond the sky

I first learned of Larry Norman and his music when my mom brought home a copy A Thief in the Night.  Scared the hell out of me!  Even today when I walk into a home or room where I expect people and find no one, I begin to sweat. 

Later on I learned more of Larry’s music and his influence in the Christian music world thru a compilation CD.

Now I know that some will curse Larry Norman for his influence of Christian music, but I don’t think we can credit LN for Christian’s failing to achieve a greater success and creativity.  But I don’t want to get on a soap box.

Rather I read this final letter of Larry today and thought it was pretty amazing.  Someday, if Christ continues to tarry on, when I die I hope to have this kind of assurance and conviction. 

READ:

 

I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God’s hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.

My brother Charles is right, I won’t be here much longer. I can’t do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and finance and we will probably still need financial help.

My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside. But still it will be costly because of funeral arrangement, transportation to the gravesite, entombment, coordination, legal papers etc. However money is not really what I need, I want to say I love you.

I’d like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.

 

Goodbye, farewell, we’ll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

 

Larry

 

Stick It In The Fridge

I’ve bought into the Vitamin Water craze.  Not necessarily because I think there is something special in the concoction that will enhance my intellect or health.  Mainly because I’m still keeping up with my Dr. Pepper fast and some days I just don’t want any tea. 

So now I’m occasionally spending too much money on what I can get for free in my faucet.  I know a lot of people fall for the “tap water is bad” theory, but I don’t.  I figure I’ve been drinking it all my life and I’m doing fine. 

But back to the Vitamin Water.  I was reading the label a few days back and found it quite humorous.  Check it out.

“for best results, stick it in the fridge.”

 

Not refrigerate….nope just “stick in the fridge.”

 

Just so you know…I stuck it in the fridge.

 

Review and Excerpts

So I’ve been reading this delightful and insightful book. Have you read it?
So far I give it a rousing review.

Here’s some gems I read today:

• “I’m pouring over religious study books, desperately trying to get a handle on this topic [the Bible’s language laws] and every other. My reading list grows exponentially. Every time I read a book, it’ll mention three other books I feel I have to read. It’s like a particularly relentless series of pop-up ads. [I’ve been there, how about you?] pg. 29
• [While traveling to an Amish community] “The trip takes four hours. Incidentally, I’m proud to say that I had absolutely no urge to make a double entendre when we passed Intercourse, Pennsylvania, which I see as a moral victory.” pg. 31
• “The problem is, a lot of religion is about surrendering control and being open to radical change. I wish I could stow my secular worldview in a locker at the Port Authority Bus Terminal and retrieve it at the end of the year.” [Jacobs is confronted with the fact that living out the Bible for a year is going to bring about life changes in him that he may not have been prepared for. Certainly following Jesus has done that to me.]

I’ll keep you informed of any more brain busters.

TSH

Recommended Listen

I listened to another great sermon today.  Matt Proctor, President of Ozark Christian College, preached a sermon I’ve heard before still good and worth a listen by you too (I think he was a last minute fill-in for someone else and this was the “go-to” sermon…not bad).

 

Click HERE for the sermon originally entitled The Power of Behold.  (Click HERE for the recording I first heard back in 1999…I kinda prefer it more...but the sound quality is not as good.)

 

Some gems from the sermon, which is on Rev. chapter 1, John’s vision of Jesus.:

-          “…they (the seven churches of Revelation) have taken the Lion of Judah and they have declawed Him.  They have made him a little household pet, makes a great mascot doesn’t have to be Master.”

-          “When I got married, I wanted to take my wife Katie somewhere exotic.  So I took her to Kansas City.”  (a joke)

-          “This Jesus here, he blazes with supernova brilliance.  He speaks in Niagara thunder. This Jesus can take our planet and he can play kickball with it.  He can flick his finger and send our solar system spinning off into space.  This is the Jesus who in Genesis chapter 1, John chapter 1, takes a handful of words and he just speaks ten thousand galaxies into existence.  This is huge and holy.  This Christ is clothed in splendor and majesty and glory and authority and you don’t walk into his presence casually. And that’s why a lady named Annie Dillard said, “…if you realized how powerful is this Christ into who’s presence you come, you’d take off your silly hats… and you would come to church with crash helmets on.”

-          “Jesus is not just a smiling buddy who will just wink at our sin and let us do whatever we want.  He is a towering furious figure who will not be managed.  He is Lord.  And He is among our churches.  And He knows our sin.  And He is big enough to do something about it.

 

Make sure you listen to it all.  I can’t imagine that the number of friends that I have who read this, that one of you doesn’t desperately need to hear this today. 

 

And because Matt’s my friend and I think he’s an amazing preacher I encourage you to check out some of his other sermons HERE.

 

“Behold”

TSH

Test 1, 2 Test

I'm testing out blogging remotely from e-mail. 

Today I started reading this...

Outstanding!

 

Makes me want to read this even more.

 

Poop Lovin'

Mental Floss posted today 5 Things I Didn't Know About Poop.  I was eating some dinner while reading it, which was slightly unfortunate, but was too amazed over these facts to set down my chicken cordon bleu. 

 

For some reason I don't want to post them on my blog, so I'll let you link there yourself.

Answers (Part 3)

Continuing to answer Julie's questions.

49. books I wish I had read
so many, so very many, but here's one specifically...
I really want to read this book. You can read the first chapter on his website.

Accumulation (Part 2)

Wow!
I got a lot of responses of people begging me not relinquish my precious treasures.
Just so you know, some of that post was a little tongue in cheek...

However I do want to be the person who could easily walk away from what I hold as value. I love the story of Elisha as he chooses to follow Elijah, and how he slaughters his flock and leaves nothing behind.

I want to be that.

But be assured that the comics, and cards, and CDs (good and bad), and books are all safe and sound.

Oh one last thing...

In the ninth grade I refused to date a girl because she had longer arm hair than me. [Later I came to realize everyone has longer arm hair than me, I like the bald man of arm hair.] Seriously I wouldn't let a girl force me to get rid of "my precious-s-s-s".

Well...maybe...

Atonement

Here's a recent clip from ER.


What hope do you have to offer someone dying and seeking atonement. Do we know a real God who provides real answers?

How would you have answered this man?

Two Great Sermons

I listened to two amazing sermons today.
First Mark Moore's
The centrifugal Nature of Jesus' commands.
Mark is a professor at Ozark Christian College, and is a brilliant communicator and theologian. You should check out his website for further sermons or class lectures.
This sermon is about the call of missions and the centrality of Christ in your life.

Second Jon Weece's
Ready to Surrender
Jon is the senior minister at Southland Christian Church in Lexington, KY. Currently he is in a series entitle coming up to BREATHE. The previous week Mike Breaux (formerly of Southland and Willow Creek) taught on being broken. Jon continues with the idea of once we are broken we must surrender.

If you got a moment take a listen.

"Holy Space"

This one really made me laugh.

A Call To Singularity

A former professor of mine, Mark Moore (a dynamic speaker and thinker), posted this blog post back on Valentine's Day. If you're interested he occasionally post on his John 3:30 blog about the challenge of self-abnegation.
If you are single (living the "good life") this is worth the read.

And while I appreciate his calling for others to send a card or chocolates to a single for encouragement, I don't agree with that. Just annoying really.

BUT the rest is excellent. About the value of the single life. The chance for single-minded devotion is an opportunity for the high calling of life.

Question

I asked this question on Sunday.

What is the breakfast equivalent to chips and salsa?

You know when you go to a restaurant and they either have chips and salsa for you or you order some before the meal. But what do you do when it's still breakfast time.

Here are answers we came up with:
- french toast sticks and syrup
- some crepe-ish item with a jam (Deuce you'll have to fully describe it for everyone else again)
- biscuits

None of those fully replace the chip and salsa, but maybe you have a better idea. Please share...

A Man's Man (?)

Wasn't this a chapter in one of Max Lucado's early books?

Maybe not.
I'd hate to laugh at this guy online as it might get back to him and offend him. So I'll just chuckle.
FYI, I lived in Germany for 3 years and don't remember any of those signs.

Accumulation

In the midst of moving I've noticed that I have quite a load of junk, yet strangely I own nothing of significance or value. The Deuce and Chris also realized this as they helped me today.

Now given I had lived in the last apartment for the past three years and things tend to pile up over time, but... I don't even care for the things that I continue to maintain...um...almost.

Here's a short list of what consumes my closet, under my bed, currently on my floor and some still back at my old apartment:

• Boxes and boxes of baseball cards and collectibles.
• Boxes and boxes and boxes of Spider-Man comics, as well as a few less important superheroes.
• CD and CD cases. I haven't made the complete change to everything digital. I like having a physical copy on hand.
• DVD's. I even recently reduced what I have by a third and I still had multiple boxes to haul around.
• Books. My favorite possessions quite possible. The Deuce and Chris, I think, resent me now. I must confess that while the actual physical moving of these is tough I love the re-organizing of the books on the shelf. I get to decide how I'm going to arrange them again. By author. By subject. Will paperbacks mingle with hardcover? The possibilities are endless.
  

I'm not sure why I keep some of this stuff. None of it will accumulate value and pay for a future child's college tuition. Collectors and dealers have ruined the pure joy of most of it. I don't have the space for all of it. So why store it?
But I can't get rid of it.

My friend Rachel believes that when I someday marry, my wife will subtly get rid of things for me.
[To that future wife] "Why would you do this? Why do you already hate me?"

Actually I really want to be free from all these things. I'd love to be able to move on a whim again. To pick up one day, travel several states away or across an ocean without feeling like I've left something behind.

So if you would come by and pick up one of the above collections and promise to provide a good home for them, where they will be loved and treasured...then come on over...it's yours.

If you hurry I won't even have to unpack it.

Cool Stuff I Think I Need

This is just too cool for school. What's better than blogging. Blogging and play-doh together.









These are awesome. I'm not sure how they work, but if they do, so cool.











I really need this.







How fun to fall asleep too. I'd have to buy a CD of storm noises to go with it.













Only $15! What a steal.

I see a new extreme sport! A new way to kill myself...er...test my manhood.

Because everyone should see my poor handwriting.

Sometime my tv's just too small. This will do.

How cool are these? Finally I can take a decent photo at the sporting event. They get so mad, when you climb out onto the field. Geez.

Something needs to be done to liven up men's bathrooms. This is just too fun!

Quote

“Whoever is not satisfied with Christ alone, strives after something beyond absolute perfection.”
- John Calvin, Commentary on John

Unfortunately I've been this fool too many times in my life.
-TSH

Giddy

Seriously is it May 22 yet?

Journaling

Last night I taught our high school students.
It was kind of a two parter. First I taught Colossians 2 on bring "rooted and built up" in Christ and the freedom we have in Jesus. How because of Jesus' triumph on the cross we can live with power and authority for Christ. Not just a life of avoidance and restrictions, but a life in pursuit of being like Jesus.
Then for the past month we've been teaching through some spiritual disciplines, so I continued and taught on journalings. I love what journaling has done for my life.

How about you? Do you journal and what benefits have you seen because of it?

In my head...

I've had this line in my head for the past couple of days:

“I am full of earth and dirt and You”
- David Crowder Band, Wholly Yours

Happy Valentine's Day...

...ladies (also this is for you Deuce, in total bromance fashion)

a great ending

Recently I was thinking about great movie endings. Not necessarily surprise endings, but just classic endings. Here was my list in no particular order...
- Memento
- The Empire Strikes Back
- Citizen Kane
- the original Night of the Living Dead
- Dr. Strangelove
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
- The Karate Kid
- Se7en
- The Devil's Advocate
- Sixth Sense
- American History X
- Dead Poets Society
- The Great White Hope (from 1996 always makes me laugh)
- Arlington Road (some of the most tense moments in movies)
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (storing the ark in the warehouse)
- Cast Away (which direction did he choose?)
- Primal Fear (Ed Norton was brilliant!)
- Hero
- Rudy and Rocky (classic underdog...neither "succeed" but both triumph)
- Field of Dreams (he built it, he came, they came...)
- The Natural (baseball is not just a game)
- Glory
- The 40 Year-Old Virgin (singing Age of Aquarius)
- Once (i hated it, but loved it, the right ending)

I sure there are probably hundreds more, what you add to the list?

Vocab

I was reading today and came across some new words:

• vainglorious
• haranguing
• addlepated

Then later I was watching 10 Items or Less (a scripted improve comedy) and they introduced two new phrases into my life:

• bromance: a plutanic friendship between two men (a combo of brother and romance)
• tonya harding'd (hiliariously used out of context, as it was nancy kerrigan who was whacked in the knee)

Seriously tonights episode was great. I loved it when they were trying to kill the cow. Watch it online...

Marketing Works

so funny...maybe the first time I can remember "pinch a loaf" made it to television.

still laughing

8 seconds of glorious-ness!

Answers (Part 2)

I'm going to answer a few more of Julie's questions. This time I hope I get more than a post reply, but actually land on her "Good Bloggers" list.

18. What I really think of the electric slide
I hold to the belief that the electric slide, much like the electric fence, should not be peed on.

51. People who I should call/write/delete from my cell phone

Call - I need to call Brooke Asbury and see if she can recommend any DJ's for my sister's wedding.

Write - I don't understand. Do you mean e-mail? Or text?

Delete - I just went through this weekend deleting every phone number that I don't need or have been changed, there was several.

71. How I met the love of my life

Still to be written... at least I hope so. Wouldn't that suck if I've already met her? Maybe when we were in the 7th grade together we met and moved on never to meet again. Yep that would suck because I only remember a few people from 7th grade and we all played baseball together... and I don't date dudes.

6. The best meal of my life

This is hard to say. I'm going to go with the current one. Unless it happens to have something in it I don't care for, in which case then meal after that.

Honorable mentions: This five star restaurant in Izmir, Turkey. Any one of my birthday dinners ever (hamburgers and chocolate cake). Any dinner at my parents (except when they stuff mushrooms into dishes), Thanksgiving, grilling steaks, mom's taco salads, etc. A box of Mac & Cheese.

14. If I could be anyone in the world

I feel a Freaky Friday lesson comin' on, so I'm just going to say me.

33. How I'd make the world a better place

Quickly and permanently.

40. Here's pictures of my garden, house, kids, golf clubs, car, most expensive pair of shoes

My arm back in October of '07 after I fell climbing over the fence to get into my apartment. I had walked out of my apartment to check out the Deuce's new truck and forgot my keys. When trying to go back through the complex gate I realized my error and decided to hop the fence like I've done numerous times before. This time I slipped and slashed my arm and landed face first. Pure grace, I know. There's still a scar today that I wonder if other people assume was me trying to kill myself.

27. Favorite poet/author/artist

Poet - Allison and friends HERE and HERE

Author - Mark Buchanan

Artist - Van Gogh

Community

The church today is obsessed with small groups.

Here are statements that I have heard in some fashion:

- "for the church to grow larger it must grow smaller"

- "at this church we do community in small groups"

- "if you are not in a small group you are missing out on community"

- "true community occurs in homes"

I could go on and on I think, but you get the point. These are things I have said, and have preached, and have believed.

But what I'm curious about is this: Why can community not be experienced in the mass?

- Have we declared ourselves so bad at loving one another that we have to regulate our intimacy in order to possibly experience community?

- Are we limiting God by declaring the mass community a nonviable means of intimacy?

- Can I experience true community in a large gather on a daily basis.

I think for that last question there might be those who say, "No". That in our world today logistically it's impossible. Again I think that's limiting God, the God of Scripture. My scriptures tell me that "nothing is impossible with God."

I want to be careful here. I don't want people to hear me saying that I think smaller community groups are bad, or wrong, or unbiblical. I'm in a small group. I meet with a limited gathering every Thursday evening. I just don't want to say that through my Thursday evenings, because I eat dinner with others, pray and gloss over some Bible questions, that I've experienced community.

I believe that community occurs, despite the numbering of people, when we are aware of the movement of God in our lives and the connectivity of Christ as displayed through our authenticity and interdependency.

I've stood in the old Mile High Stadium with approximate 50,000 other men and felt the same communal relationship as I have with a group of 5 men in a dorm room. Community is not limited in size.

The moment we begin to put the understanding of community into a box, we've in essence limiting the church, thereby creating a framework in which to place God. I was singing yesterday that my God is limitless. And I believe the church needs to have visions of limitless possibilities.

Certainly I don't declare myself an expert. These thoughts are somewhat ramblings that I prefer hope create dialogue. I'm honestly just asking questions and considering possibilities. So please tell me:

- What do you think?

- Am I completely off base?

- Would you alter my definition of community in anyway?

Churched Batman

I just really think this is funny. See more HERE.

Downtown

Today was a incredibly long, busy, yet joy-filled day.


It began this morning at 10:00 (which is early for me...at least on a Saturday). First the Deuce, his friend from Midland named Philip (visiting for the weekend, but is considering a move here) and I helped Chris moved all his larger furniture and things to our new apartment.

I guess I haven't mentioned it here on the blog, but Chris, the Deuce and I are moving in together. There is a lot of intention behind this. I don't think any of us need a roommate situation, but in our smaller single room apartments we weren't able to be as generous people nor create the community enviroments that we want to be about. Hence the larger apartment. The complex we are moving into has a CARES team that attends our church, and we want to be the ying to their yang. The CARES couple, Adam and Lindsey, create community among the residents and model the Christian lifestyle.

So after moving Chris' things, the Deuce and I went and signed our part of the lease. Then while Philip checked out an apartment in the complex and submitted his application and deposit, the three of us began to move the Deuce's larger stuff.

We'll tackle my apartment next weekend, and hopefully be completely in by next Sunday.

After setting up the Deuce and Chris' bedrooms, I returned to my apartment to shower and get ready for a night on the town.

After numerous calls inviting everyone we knew (almost), our outing consisited of Philip, Chris, the Deuce and I, plus Kristi. Kristi is somewhat new to us, but she lives in our new apartment complex and recently attended our community group for the first time. Kristi is a teacher, and it was a blast to hang out with her and see and hear her humor. Plus she thought we were funny, which we all agree is about the only qualification we need in a friend.


We began our evening by having a great dinner at the Blue Star Brewery. The Blue Star is the art/brewery/restraunt/bike shop that sits in the King William district of San Antonio. The King William district has many of the more artsy establishments and old colonial type homes. Very cool place.

Back to the Brewery...We enjoy it for their amazing batch of rootbeer. Their beers are awesome too, but that rootbeer is out of this world. On their walls local artist display and sell their artwork. Check out the website for some of the artist who have been on display there. Another section of the Blue Star complex has a gallery and art studios. I'm curious if all the artist are associated with the complex.

While eating there was a couple seemingly on a date at the table next to us, against the wall. For no apparent reason during their dinner this fella pulls his leg up onto the chair. I don't know if this discription will do the scene justice, but I'll try. He had his foot flat on the chair with his knee bent and up around his shoulder. Are you getting the picture?...very strange huh? That's what we thought, especially on a nice date. We all agreed to try it out on our next date opportunities.

Also before we left, I took a photo of this guy. Talia, who spent some time in that magical make believe place called Canada, says she loves Canadian beards...their her favorite. I sent this picture to her via text messaging, to let her know what she missed by not hanging out with us tonight. On another side note...every male waiter and bartender in the restraunt had a full beard...it must be a requirement. The amazing feat is I've never had hair in my food there... so there you go.

After dinner we decided to work off dinner by walking around the Riverwalk. We parked near the Alamo. As we approached the Alamo, Chris pointed out to Philip (this being his first trip to the historic site) that "this is the backside of the Alamo." Always the helpful guide I told him that the correct terminology for it is "the Alamo's ass".

We then aimlessly walked up and down the Riverwalk, enjoying the sites, sounds and people. While walking Philip had me share with Kristi a story I told earlier in the day. Apparently it's his favorite story about me. He called it "the bird story". Here it is:

The summer after fifth grade coming home from church one Sunday afternoon, my dad parked the family van in the driveway. Suddenly he and my mom noticed a woodpecker in our backyard. They tried to point it out to everyone, but I had trouble seeing it. I couldn't figure out exactly which tree it was on, where on the tree and what the heck a woodpecker looked like if it didn't look like Woody Woodpecker. Both parents tried desperately for me to see, even trying to get me to look down my dad's arm as he pointed out the bird. Their desperation, in my mind, began to turn into frustration and anger. Finally I said, "oh I see it". Unfortunately the bird had flown off and I was caught in my lie. As punishment for lying I was grounded from playing baseball that summer. A punishment that was kind of a cop out plan of my parent's not to pay for baseball since we would be moving early in the summer to Germany...I think. They may have a different take on it all.

My friends laughed at me all night, saying that I have some of the most sad and pathetic stories ever.

We ended the night walking to Ruta Maya's coffee shop and each had a tea. I'm not much of hot tea drinker, and didn't drink all of mine tonight. Mainly because it was liquid magma with just a touch of lemon.

On the journey back to the Deuce's truck, we passed the Hall of Horns. A saloon/restraunt place that has over a thousand mounts of deer, buffalo, elk and just about every big game animal you could think of, including a mammoth (obviously a fake). However when the Deuce saw the mammoth he exclaimed, "Wow a mammoth."

All in all a great day.

Answers (Part 1)

Julie asked a bunch of questions on her blog this week in an effort to spur on her blogging friends. I thought I would try and give my answers to them. Probably in several different post though.

In no particular order:

2. My favorite cartoon/comic is…
Calvin and Hobbes

Foxtrot








and Spider-Man of course!











5. My favorite smell/aroma…
My favorite smell is opening day at a baseball park. The crisp air, leather gloves, fresh foul line chalk, popcorn, peanuts and a fresh mowed outfield. That’s what heaven must smell like.

Now that hard to find in candle form, so usually I purchase sandalwood for around the house.

8 Something I love to do but I’m not very good at… and vice versa.
This is actually most of what I do, but for the sake of specificity: photography, music, blogging, preaching/teaching, sleeping. Just to list a few.

20. What I always wanted to be when I grow up
In this order: An Air Force fighter pilot (until I realize you couldn't have asthma and join the military), A Baseball player, and a youth pastor.

26. Best/worst smelling lotion/perfume
I worked with this girl in high school named Angie who always smelled great, and I loved when we could work close together. She wore something from Bath & Body Works that I always thought was apple scented, but in actuality was pear...I think.

34. where I’d start touring the world…
Um...I think I'd start from home, that way I'd have something to return to. Maybe going east until I arrived back where I started.

65. someone I wish I said I love you to
Jamie Johnson. You can read my tragedy HERE.

70. how I lost/gained 10 pounds
I gave up Dr. Pepper for the year. Yep in only less than 6 weeks I've lost 10 pounds.

41. My tattoo parlor experience
No tattoos for me.

24. First thing I ever bought/sold on EBAY
I've never sold anything on EBAY. And the only thing I have ever bought was a collective photo of Nolan Ryan for a $1. I'd show it to you but it's packed away with some other baseball cards and collectables.

19. Foods that make me puke
I hate mushrooms, olives and vienna sausages. I'm sure there is plenty more I could list (I'm kind of a picky eater), but this is what instantly came to my mind. My dad made my two older brothers and I a vienna sausage sandwich one time that we all threw up. My dad hates that story, because we never told him until years later and now he doesn't believe us.

23. The best video game ever
Pac-Man or Ms. Pac-Man. Nuff said.

68. having breakfast in bed
I don't usually eat breakfast, but if I were to make myself breakfast I might as well eat it somewhere other than in bed. Eating a meal in a bed is awkward to me.

63. my favorite “hip” saying
Is okie dokie "hip"?
If not then I say "that's how I roll" a lot.

11. Why God made bugs/rats/cellulite
So we could have awsome movies like...









I'll answer the rest at a later time....
TSH

Christian, two years of age, somehow managed to lodge his head into a chair today and found himself stuck. Now if one was so inclined as to hurt a child they could ahve jerked his head back through which it came, but another means was pursued.
Since the chair was incredibly well made, using rivets instead of bolts or screws, just taking the chair apart was not the solution. Rather, calling the local fire department proved to be helpful. Using large bolt cutters 5 firemen, 2 security men three teachers and one mom were able to been the frame of the chair enough to give Christian room to slide his poor little head out.

I laughed and laughed. Patty seen holding Christian and the chair said, "I've had these chairs for 25 years and no child has ever stuck their head in there."

Shaved Bumblebees?

I happened across this strange but glorious website today. It has all this interesting digital artwork. Here's my favorite from it.

Two Year Old Lessons

I was watching some two year olds play today and had several thoughts:

1. It's weird how a child can be incredibly revolting one minute and cute and cuddly the next. Adults are probably the same, you just can't pick them up as easily.

2. Children are immensely capable of greed and selfishness. Is this a result of nature or sin nature?

3. There was a little girl playing with a toy truck and I couldn't help but wonder what it was that was captivating her attention so much. Was it the way the object rolled? Or was she creating imaginary characters in her head?

4. Children can pick a wedgie with no pretense.

S.W.Y.P.

Wanted: Wife For Benton Youth Pastor

First off this is just another reason to hate the signs in front of churches and their clever words. But if my church were to post this I think I would have to turn in my resignation.
Watch the news feed HERE.

Zachary Taylor

I know I'm video heavy lately, but please enjoy this magical treat.
My friend Zach in Harlingen made a ESPN highlight worthy basket last week. Check it out.

Foreknowledge

Here's how I knew the Giants would win...


When in doubt...hold a turtle race!

If you were an apple...

Hardcore Baptist Pick-up Lines

Some of these are pretty bad... but really funny. Enjoy.

Eat Mud

I was informed of the follow article from a friend's blog.

Haiti's rising food prices drive poor to eat mud

This is just another daily reminder of God's lavishness on my life which provides me with more comfort than I deserve. And yet at the same time it's a reminder of God's desire for me and His church to actively respresent His love which forces me out of my comfort. God's love is uncomfortably comfortable.

If I can read a article like this and feel and do nothing about it, it's as if I'm saying to these people "Eat dirt and die". That's not who I want to be.

So...thoughts before conviction...conviction into action....

My initial response I suppose is a three fold:

1. Set aside time to pray. Not just casual prayer but down on my knees engaged in spiritual struggle that is unseen.

2. Fast. I need God to speak to me from a place of hunger and desire. Maybe from a place of empathizing God can teach me the plight of the these Haitans.

3. Discuss with some friends. What would God want us to do to bring about order in the chaos of their lives? I know our church sends teams to Haiti.