Cloverfield

Loved It. Except that the waitress never brought me my beer. She took my order during the credits. She came back halfway through the movie and I asked for my beer again. And then she came back toward the end of the movie and asked if I still wanted the beer...right as the lights went up and the credits rolled. I told her no and that it was okay.
But the movie was really good. Exactly what I was expecting and hoping for. I didn't get motion sick like I did in the Blair Witch Project. And there were actually moments where I flinched (jumped).

Stryper

Growing up I didn't really listen to a lot of music. I listened to Rich Mullins and Michael Jackson. Seriously what other music was worth listening too. But eventually I began to branch out. I never ventured too far into the heavy metal world, but my parent's did let me buy a Stryper album.

Well thanks to my friend J-Mac I bring you this...



I remember the day I stopped listening to Stryper. My dad was not too impressed with them and in order to demonstrate why they and their music was bad he lectured my brother Todd and I..
It' wasn't because better music could be found. Or that their lyrics were really evil. But he said they wore their spandex pants to reveal their packages.
It was such an awkward conversation that I think I just gave in and just threw the album away.

Killer Eggs

I think these are amazing, and I don't know why.

Looking for Answers

How do you use Scripture in your worship?
What Scriptures speak to you about worship?

A Funny Read

Conan O'Brien's Strike Diary Revealed!

My favorite day is either Day 2 or Day 60.

Question

Why do we call a wrist watch a watch? Shouldn't it be called a wrist clock.

We don't ever say "grandfather watch" or "cookoo watch".

I'm sure there has to be an answer.

Either way I don't wear a watch. The last one I wore was destroyed in a 15 man battle royale in a college dorm room eight years ago. (FYI - A wrestling match I'm sure I won. )

Quotation Again

G.K. Chesterton: "Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese."

This is still true today.

Does anyone have or would create a poem about cheese and post it for me?

-tsh-

Quotation

"Close proximity between giver and receiver created a sense of investment on the part of the giver and a feeling of obligation in the receiver."

John Ratzenberger stated this in his book, specifically speaking about the relationship between factory owners and factory employees, and the community they built together (while building a product).

It's been on my mind this week. I've been placing this in several different context, considering how it applies. Context like:
- My relationship with God
- My spiritual community
- My job
- My parents
- My past relationships
- My future roommates.

I curious if anyone has any thoughts on the quote and how it might apply to one of your relationships.

Great Clip

Sometimes when a student is pouring their heart out and are revealing the deepest wounds I struggle not to laugh. I really do love them though. Which is why this clip is so funny.

Steven Delopoulos

I feel the need to constantly promote this guy. I love his music, partly because there isn't much like it out there and partly because it's awe- wait for it - some!
Check out Steven Delopoulos (formerly of Burlap to Cashmere).

New Beginnings

I started two new TV series tonight.

Earlier the Deuce and Talia came over and we watched last night's and tonight's episodes of Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles. This is going to be good. I wasn't expecting the time traveling element that was apart of the show and trying to fit the movies into the series is going to be interesting. I'm going to have to watch the movie trilogy again. And I have heard that a new Terminator trilogy is in the works, so how cool is that? It looks like there is at least 3 to 6 years of this series, depending on which time they continue to operate in. Judgement day is in 2011, but Sarah dies from cancer in 2005. If that confuses you at all...well you should have watched it already...hurry up.

As the first episode began the Deuce began to go nuts shouting, "I thinks that's River. Yes that's River. It's River from Firefly." River is a character in the TV show Firefly, which I have borrowed and had sitting on a shelf, just waiting for the right moment to start. Apparently the Deuce felt that moment was tonight. Firefly lasted only one season on the SciFi channel, but was given a movie reprise in Serenity. A space western, yeah this is going to be a good show. Talia...I'll finish it soon and pass it on to you.

Developing Deep

I love the community that I'm apart of right now. Certainly nothing good can come out it.
At the end of good day with a few moments of extreme pissed-off-ness, having some close friends call and talk and listen and pray for you is nothing short of being blessed.
Nothing was solved, nothing was planned, even my pissed-off-ness was still boiling under the surface.
But knowing some care to travel with me is joy.
I know you're reading this my friends, so.... "Thank you, I love you, and I can't wait until I can be there for you."

-tsh-

Enjoy

This blog is delightful.

This is Shiny

Watch the whole thing.

Film Night

Tonight I watched two movies. Waitress and then Once. Two incredible beautiful tragically happy movies.

I've known some people who were the pie maker that Keri Russel portrayed and were stuck in a life that brought them no satisfaction or joy. Hell, sometimes I've been that person. My heart was so sad though as you watch her try to find an alternative to the life she was living. But she eventually finds that which she didn't know she was looking for in the new life of her child and the gift from a dying friend.
[I had a preaching professor that would often say in daily discussions, "That'll preach". I think you could work something here.]


Once is somewhat a love story of two people so perfect for each other and so compatible, but for just a short moment in time. The music of this movie is brillant. There is this scene where the two have dinner with a huge gathering of people, and the price of dinner was to sing. Reminds me of Caedmon and his call. But the gathering, that's what we long for. Maybe not with music but some other shared interest. It's connection, purpose and significance. Some to sing, some to play, some to sit around and listen.
[That'll preach]

Organizing

Thanks to Rachel who came over to my apartment today and helped me narrow down my wardrobe.
Maybe you remember one of my New Year's Resolutions was to organize and minimize my closet. We didn't quite get to my idealistic goal, but I feel really good. Later we dropped off five trash bags off at Goodwill. I had a lot more than I thought. I haven't thrown away or gotten rid of an article of clothing in over 8 years apparently, yet I was only wearing about 10% of what I had hanging in the closet.
Now the continued idea is that I will only buy new clothes when necessary and get rid of an article for every new item purchased. Except for the new suit which is somewhere down the road.

Also in my closet is a large collection of Spider-Man comics as well as few other titles. They do have some value, but lately not to me. The value is purely sentimental, which if I was to unload the collection I would like to know that it went somewhere and to someone who would really appreciate it, read it, treasure it and share it. (I suppose if that's you let me know).
Somewhere in the back of my mind I would like to be at a place in life that if I was called to something which required me to go all Elisha on my things that I could.

"So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. The he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant." - 1 Kings 19:21

Death Race 2000

I just watched Death Race 2000 on TCM. What an amazing film. The movie stars David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone. I don't even know how to describe this movie. But I did hear that this was some of the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse flick Death Proof.

Here is how IMDB summarized this movie:

A champion of a brutal cross-country car race of the future where pedestrians are run down for points has a change of heart while being hounded by rivals and a conspiracy seeking to stop the race.

I'm thinking that there had to be some overt political message that was trying to be conveied in 1975, but here in 2008 I could imagine what it would be. There is some edit worry scenes but I can't help but recommend you watch this movie.

I love this man...

I've never met Shaun Groves, but through his music and his words he has a huge impact on my life. Every time I hear him I'm convicted, encouraged and challenged. Check out this video. Its about 14 mins. so find some time to sit still first.

Go on now. Check out this video, then come back and you can read what else I have to say. I'll wait.

-----waiting-----waiting-----waiting-----waiting-----waiting-----

Okay you're back.

God saves us from...and...God saves us for. That's huge, and I hope you understand that and believe that. It's one of those truths that is new every morning, where you're in awe of the fact that the God of the universe would dare to rescue and reuse a chubby cheeked and tousled haired man like me.

We could talk all night about what God has saved us from. Trucks, and sin, and hell, and evil, and selfishness, and loneliness, and emptiness and on and on and on. God has saved and saves us from so much. He is savior.

But I'm curious what God has specifically saved you for.

And I'm curious what God has specifically saved me for.

Fifteen years ago I have a pretty good idea what that was going to be. And ten years ago I was absolutely certain. But the last five years....

The last five years. Life unscripted is hard for man who always likes to have a plan.

I understand the generic, every Christ-follower answer. But personally. Specifically me. I losing confidence in the things that I once was so confident in.

And if you're like me then I want you to know that I'm doing some late Friday night praying and pleading to know the will of God in my life. And I'm praying for your's as well.

Mark's Crazy...

if by crazy I mean awesome...and I do!
Mark lives in IKEA

Shopping Guide

Here's a great shirt. Buy it HERE.