Seperate the criticism from the critique.
The Spirit is void in criticism; the critique lost when paired with criticism.
Offer your critique with prayer and humility.
A critical perspective demands grace, by the critic and the criticized. Otherwise beware of dogmatism.
2008-06-22
L.A.R.P.ing
I am completely fascinated by LARPing and LARPers. In case you don't know LARP stands for Live Action Role Playing/er.
I have no interest in spending an afternoon participating, but the people who do complete amaze this particular people watcher.
Here is a video introducing you to the world of LARPing.
Now there are some LARPers who occasionally gather at a local park on Sunday afternoons and after a couple of attempts to go watch them I was beginning to give up hope that this might be an actual reality.
But alas, just before all hope was gone...good news!
One of our graduating youth group students will be attending Greenville College in Greenville, IL (where Jars of Clay formed - fyi). And after a random pairing of roommates guess what her future roommate does with her spare time!
Yep LARPing.
Shayla...please please please!
Pictures, pictures, pictures!
I have no interest in spending an afternoon participating, but the people who do complete amaze this particular people watcher.
Here is a video introducing you to the world of LARPing.
Now there are some LARPers who occasionally gather at a local park on Sunday afternoons and after a couple of attempts to go watch them I was beginning to give up hope that this might be an actual reality.
But alas, just before all hope was gone...good news!
One of our graduating youth group students will be attending Greenville College in Greenville, IL (where Jars of Clay formed - fyi). And after a random pairing of roommates guess what her future roommate does with her spare time!
Yep LARPing.
Shayla...please please please!
Pictures, pictures, pictures!
2008-06-21
Ode to the Cookie
"Me like the Robert Downey Jr. of cookies" - Cookie Monster
"Elmo can wait in car. It's very fuel efficient. It's run on i-mag-ination!"
"Elmo can wait in car. It's very fuel efficient. It's run on i-mag-ination!"
2008-06-20
Have I or I Haven't (176-200)
Stealing this idea from Julie…
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood
188. Built a campfire
189. Have a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter's Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik's cube
(once)
196. Know CPR
(ladies....?)
197. Owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Fallen in love
(well...I'll say yes only because I don't know what else to call it)
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood
188. Built a campfire
189. Have a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter's Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik's cube
(once)
196. Know CPR
(ladies....?)
197. Owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Fallen in love
(well...I'll say yes only because I don't know what else to call it)
possibly the best graduation speech i've ever heard
I don't know who I'm more impressed with this student for giving this speech or the administration for allowing him to make it. Brilliant.
http://view.break.com/522466 - Watch more free videos
http://view.break.com/522466 - Watch more free videos
2008-06-19
800 Illegally
The average teenager has 800 illegally copied songs on their digital media player.
800!
This doesn't include the music that they might have actually paid for.
Almost half of all music the average teenager carries with them is illegal.
If they were to have purchased those from itunes they would have spent $792.
Conservatively speaking $792 would purchase 44 cds from a store (at a generous fee of $18 per). I'm curious what would happen if I were to walk out of a store with 44 unpurchased cds.
And my brothers and sisters (my actually brothers and sisters, not church talk here...although church talk may also apply) wonder why I think it's wrong.
It's never about one or two songs, because it doesn't ever end with just one or two...it ends around 800.
800!
This doesn't include the music that they might have actually paid for.
Almost half of all music the average teenager carries with them is illegal.
If they were to have purchased those from itunes they would have spent $792.
Conservatively speaking $792 would purchase 44 cds from a store (at a generous fee of $18 per). I'm curious what would happen if I were to walk out of a store with 44 unpurchased cds.
And my brothers and sisters (my actually brothers and sisters, not church talk here...although church talk may also apply) wonder why I think it's wrong.
It's never about one or two songs, because it doesn't ever end with just one or two...it ends around 800.
2008-06-18
Have I or I Haven't (151-175)
Stealing this idea from Julie…
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
(no, but I haven't had a Dr. Pepper since New Years)
157. Found an arrowhead
158. Written a poem
(my twitter post are in haiku...does that count?)
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
(ET, Dukes of Hazard....Thank mom!)
160. Gotten food poisoning
(oh my... that was a bad trip home from Mexico! the border all the way to South Dakota)
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Been to the southern hemisphere.
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
(no but I have been in an opera house...)
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
(Ronald Reagan, Nolan Ryan)
166. Worn knickers
(are those socks?)
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books (
(No I read Alfred Hitchcock's The Three Investigators...those were brilliant!)
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone's life
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
(no, but I haven't had a Dr. Pepper since New Years)
157. Found an arrowhead
158. Written a poem
(my twitter post are in haiku...does that count?)
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
(ET, Dukes of Hazard....Thank mom!)
160. Gotten food poisoning
(oh my... that was a bad trip home from Mexico! the border all the way to South Dakota)
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Been to the southern hemisphere.
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
(no but I have been in an opera house...)
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
(Ronald Reagan, Nolan Ryan)
166. Worn knickers
(are those socks?)
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books (
(No I read Alfred Hitchcock's The Three Investigators...those were brilliant!)
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone's life
friends are vloging
I have some friends from the deep south part of Texas who are preping for a trip to a CIY conference all the way up in Michigan. Yep that's right...we Texans do everything big! No gas price is going to scare this crew away from having a rocked out road trip. Love them big time.
So as they travel they are going to be posting at this blog about the trip and events of the day so that those back home can be specific in their prayer request and praise. Brilliant idea.
Here is a video they posted today of Josh Taylor giving helpful tips on packing for the long trip.
Ham on you ham eaters!
So as they travel they are going to be posting at this blog about the trip and events of the day so that those back home can be specific in their prayer request and praise. Brilliant idea.
Here is a video they posted today of Josh Taylor giving helpful tips on packing for the long trip.
Ham on you ham eaters!
mental note...
The difference between sarcasm and mockery is very subtle.
Be extremely careful when using sarcasm.
By definition sarcasm intends harm…it’s hard to be a man of peace when your words cut. Better to pick up a gun than kill a man with words.
Be mindful of the audience, as sarcasm depends more on the interpretation than the presentation (both require precision though).
The laugh gained through sarcasm, at the expense of the damaged done, is typically not worth it.
And it’s probably best to just avoid mockery all together.
“Sarcasm: the last refuge of modest and chaste-souled people when the privacy of their soul is coarsely and intrusively invaded.”
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Sarcasm:
1: a sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain
2a: a mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language that is usually directed against and individual
2b: the use of language of sarcasm (this is no time to indulge in sarcasm)
2008-06-17
Have I or I Haven't (126-150)
Stealing this idea from Julie…
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
126. Ridden a elephant
(at the zoo)
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
(Germany, San Antonio)
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
(Diary of Anne Frank...back in h.s.)
131. Asked for a raise
(I prefer to just earn them, over asking for them...so no)
132. Made a hole-in-one
(only in putt putt)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
(I guess that's what I did...is it deep sea if you still see the coast)
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo's David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
(yes...a few...including Richard Dean Anderson, aka MacGyver)
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
126. Ridden a elephant
(at the zoo)
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
(Germany, San Antonio)
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
(Diary of Anne Frank...back in h.s.)
131. Asked for a raise
(I prefer to just earn them, over asking for them...so no)
132. Made a hole-in-one
(only in putt putt)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
(I guess that's what I did...is it deep sea if you still see the coast)
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo's David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
(yes...a few...including Richard Dean Anderson, aka MacGyver)
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
2008-06-16
Have I or I Haven't (101-125)
Stealing this idea from Julie…
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
(maybe)
108. Brought out the worst in people
(probably)
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where people asked for the recipe
(is salsa a dish?)
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
(nope...missed...that's how I got the scar on my lip though)
120. Gone to an arboretum
(what's an arboretum? Just wiki'ed...yes, yes I have)
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
(gross!)
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn't need
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
(maybe)
108. Brought out the worst in people
(probably)
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where people asked for the recipe
(is salsa a dish?)
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
(nope...missed...that's how I got the scar on my lip though)
120. Gone to an arboretum
(what's an arboretum? Just wiki'ed...yes, yes I have)
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
(gross!)
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn't need
Giving the Mets Something to Cheer About
I love the Texas Rangers!
Recently they gave Mets fans at Shea. Several players used the tarp during a rain storm as a slip-n-slide. Mets fans began cheering "Let's go Rangers!"...awesome!
Recently they gave Mets fans at Shea. Several players used the tarp during a rain storm as a slip-n-slide. Mets fans began cheering "Let's go Rangers!"...awesome!
2008-06-15
Have I or I Haven't (76-100)
Stealing this idea from Julie…
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
(two fingers and left arm)
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
(I love taking off and landing...why would you want to sleep through those?)
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
(I've done some firing...)
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
(I starting trying to get people to call me TS my sophmore year in college...hoping it sounded more dignified)
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
(both the insect and in baseball)
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
(fish?)
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
(two fingers and left arm)
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
(I love taking off and landing...why would you want to sleep through those?)
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
(I've done some firing...)
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
(I starting trying to get people to call me TS my sophmore year in college...hoping it sounded more dignified)
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
(both the insect and in baseball)
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
(fish?)
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
Have I or I Haven't (51-75)
Stealing this idea from Julie…
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
(on Route 66 non the less)
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
(well...at least fired when on set...this movie...with Elizabeth Shue!)
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
(home economics in middle school)
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
(I honestly know little of that history)
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
(on Route 66 non the less)
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
(well...at least fired when on set...this movie...with Elizabeth Shue!)
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
(home economics in middle school)
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
(I honestly know little of that history)
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
2008-06-14
2008-06-13
Have I or I Haven't (26-50)
Stealing this idea from Julie…
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
(maybe not my current job, but previous ones)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
(oh no... no chance here)
42. Visited Ireland
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
(back in high school...sure did...probably pass out right afterward though)
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
(maybe not my current job, but previous ones)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
(oh no... no chance here)
42. Visited Ireland
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
(back in high school...sure did...probably pass out right afterward though)
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
Has Anyone Read This?
If so is it worth the read?Some are asking if it's the next Harry Potter / JK Rowling.
I'm curious.
The Bridge
Check out 
This is in Joplin, MO (the town where I went to Bible college).
An incredible youth facility that incorporates faith and community.
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