The Rest of the Story

Sad news today.

Legendary radio host Paul Harvey has passed away.

I suppose he now knows "the rest of the story."

Students Designing Help

I found this following video on another blog.  He was impressed with the office design work.  I am impressed with the students who discovered a need and designed a solution.  It's simple things like this that inspire me to work with students.  Their potential is unbelievable.  

Check it out.

New Office Workspace (NOW) from CommackHighSchool on Vimeo.

Unbelievable Beliefs (aka Believing the Unbelievable)

These days I’m getting over my rights and attempting a higher standard. 

I believe that God gives you and me the freedom to make choices.  To choice myself and my desires or to choice Him and His will.  Sometimes those match.  Sometimes their similar.  Sometimes His go much beyond my ideals.  Sometimes I go far short of His ideal.

I sincerely desire to find myself in that place where my pursuit of Him just might be considered reckless. 

Could I possibly have a reckless trust in Christ Jesus, that I begin to live out a reckless faith.

I think at one point in my life I was there.  

These days I don’t. 

I miss those days.

I have been trying to live Jeremiah 12:5 out the past couple of weeks.  It says this:

"If you have raced with men on foot
       and they have worn you out,
       how can you compete with horses?

 If you stumble in safe country,

       how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?”

I’m getting fed up with living a normal faith in a safe world. 

I have friends who are challenging me in my reckless pursuit of Jesus.  Calling me out. 

I am praying that I might have the boldness to pursue.

My prayer this week went something like this: “I believe, help me in my unbelief.”

 

 

Teenager to be Proud of...

I love reading stories about teenagers who do extraordinary things.  Here is one I read today that I really enjoy and am convicted by.  McKay Hatch started a No Cussing club in his junior high school and has since gone on to challenge numerous others to participate in his campaign to clean up our language. 

You can visit his website HERE and read more about him.

Sure when McKay starts making songs and videos to promoting his cause I cringe, because it’s typically not up to my usually musical standards.  But how could we not be proud of this young man?

And I can hear it already.  That talk that Christians always seem to have when it comes to the issue of curse words.  I cannot tell you how many late night dorm room theology sessions were held on our right to use any words we so choose.  College students are idiots, and I was chief in these respects.  

Cussing may seem like a small trivial thing.  But I want to believe that if I’m faithful with the little He just might (just maybe), trust me with more.

Thanks McKay.

Need Sunlight?

Just slide open your home.  Check it out.  Really cool house.

Quote - Mary Pickford

“If you have made mistakes, even serious one, there is always another chance for you.  What we call failure is not the falling down by the staying down.”

-          Mary Pickford.

 

Thanks

Currently Reading

I have trouble focusing with a lot of things, but tonight specifically with my reading habits. I pick up way too many books at one time. Below is a few books from my current stack that I can working through. I know that there are a few others, but they are out in my car and I couldn't think of the titles at the moment. This does not include the "to read" shelf of books I also have.

I know...I have a problem.

Click on the book covers to go to their Amazon pages.

What are you currently reading?

This Will Preach

(Another video...sorry)

Need an illustration.  If you can't find something in this video you need to give your spiritual goggles a good squiggying.  

I'll tell you what, there is not much like friday nights under the lights in Texas.  Um...not that I would know entirely having gone to high school in South Dakota and never playing organized football.  But one could imagine right?

Ben's Movie Reviews

One blog I follow is Ben Witherington III's.  He is a theologian, whose books I have had to read during some of my studies.  Excellent thinker doing some incredible scholastic works for Christ.  Seriously this guy is a prolific writer, just try and read everything he writes.   

But my favorite part of his blog is his numerous movie reviews.  Check out just some of these thorough and excellent reviews:

The Reader

The Wrestler and Gran Torino

Frost/Nixon

Doubt

Slumdog Millionarie

The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons

The Desperate Tale of Desperaeux

Cadillac Records

Quest for G

Crank Yankers... I'm really trying not to post as many videos.  But this was worthy.  Enjoy.

Nick and Gwenn Mangine

I worked with Nick and Gwenn at Crosspointe Church in Cary, NC. I left before they had any children, but always new that they were going to have an amazing family by the way they served the children at the church and the way they loved one another.. It's exciting to see them expanding it even more than they probably imagined.
Check out what they are up to in this video:

You can follow them and support them HERE.

Quote: Spurgeon

"If you have shallow sorrows you will receive shallow graces. If you have deep afflictions you will obtain deeper proof of God's faithfulness."—Spurgeon, Beside Still Waters.

Actual Age

I took one of those quizzes on Facebook. You know those quizzes I'm talking about. Well this one would, through the use of some scientific questions, determine my actual age. Well I turn 31 this year and according to this quiz I am...

...actually 31. How about that?!

But that is no reason for them to post a use a photo of an old woman like they did. Very rude.

You Asked For It: Part 5

You can Click HERE to review all the questions you asked me. This is my fifth attempt to
answer some of your inquiries. And as always if one answer leads to follow up questions, or if you just have another questions, please feel free to ask.

#1 What do you do when you are depressed?

When I'm depressed? I don't tend to inwardly reflect like this...so I had to think about this some. I'm not sure if this exactly right, but at least one thing I do when I get depressed is go to the movies or watch a movie.

Usually when I'm depressed it's partly because I'm not thinking in perspective. I find I can remove myself from my life thru films. There is something very comforting to me about the darkness of the theater, the soft look of the walls, and a slurpee and popcorn.

I'm sure there are other things I probably do. Possibly grab lunch at Chic-fil-A, isolate myself, drive over the speed limit, or sleep too much.

Maybe this is all a way of not dealing with my depression. But what else am I going to do about it? Certainly not talk about it...

What do you do?

17. What is your favorite snack.

Cheez-Its, popcorn, ice cream or chips and salsa.

63. Would you ever grow your hair long?

How long are we talking about? It's touched my collar a few times...is that what you were looking for?

Ryan Started The Fire

I've been trying to not post as many videos this year. But this is just too good to pass up. For all fans of The Office...enjoy!

Checklist that Print

My Little Ponies = Awesome!

Have you seen these?

Find more by clicking HERE.

New Name

I think this blog needs a new name.  Someone once suggested "Lightly Powdered", due to the fact that I love the daily application of baby powder.

I also have a couple people willing to take some photos and possible create a new header for this page.    

I'm willing to take suggestions if you have some.

This Makes Me Laugh

Stephen King says of Stephenie Meyer (author of Twilight), 

The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can't write worth a darn.  She's not very good.

It's funny 'cause it's true.

Read it here.

Spiritual Application

It seems that this video might have value as a quick illustration to some message or presentation.

What application would you give it?