Read John Green

If you like to read: read John Green.  I've only read two of his books, Paper Towns and An Abundance of Katherines, and his first novel Looking for Alaska is next in my 'to read' pile.  He also recently released his latest work entitled Will Grayson, Will Grayson. 

Even though I've only read two of his books it's safe to say that I'm a fan.  I'm not sure exactly but I think I first heard of John Green's novels through the YPulse blog.  They rave about him fairly often.
You're going to find his books in the "young adult" section of your bookstore, which is kind of awkward to be browsing through after you've reached a two digit age that begins with a 3, but trust me its worth it.  Since you are going to find John Green's books in the "young adult" section I should probably let you know that the books (at least the two I've read) focus on people too young to drink and possibly old enough to vote.  if that were to deter you from reading, well, I don't know what to say.
I'm trying to decide what words best describe Green's novels.  Maybe: smart, clever, quirky, honest, funny, adventurous, and did I say "smart", because I meant really smart.
Blog post conclusion: I recommend the novels of John Green.

Photos: Man vs. Wild

Great ads created by advertising agency DraftFCB, Auckland, NewZealand.

Happy STAR WARS Day!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

LYRICS
[DARTH VADER/JAY-Z]
Yeah
No longer Anakin
Formerly a Skywalker
Son's next rebel hero
But I'll be Sith forever
I'm the newest Dark lord And since my training years
I can choke from anywhere
Yeah my force is everywhere Used to run with Obi Wan We were both best buds foreva
But after three movies Now I've got a blood vendetta Grew up on Tatooine
No vegetation Catch me rolling through the cosmos in a moon-like station to Leia's home nation Death Star wrecks it Now princess knows, Vader ain't one to mess with
Flying through the trenches
Blasting rebel noobies
What happened to the fat one
Think he died of heart disease All that's left is this guy
Chasing him in my TIE I won't deny That his force is pretty damn high
Damn i just got wiped out
Falcon shot the back of me
Spinning into outerspace
But I'll be back definitely

[PRINCESS LEIA/ALICIA KEYS]
In Star Wars Empire is out to find Leia Death star plans in R2 Shoot the exhaust port Kenobi may now be see-through But the force is within Luke
Let's hear it for new hope, new hope, new hope 
[Vader: You're welcome Obi Wan... I made you a ghost!]

[DARTH VADER/JAY-Z]
Catch me rockin boots and a cape like superman
Hell, I made wearing black more famous than that Jay-Z can
You should know I'd find you, hiding out at Echo
Now I got a Blizzard Force eliminate you quick yo
Welcome to the planet Hoth AT-ATs hit the spot Walking tanks are too legit
But they fall down a lot Check the front, check the back, cant find the Falcon yet
We need them all alive, so no disintegrations Boba Fett 8 million asteroids, where'd your little ship go?
Get me to Cloud City, I got Lando on my payroll
Me I gotta double check if carbonite's ok If freezin's safe for Han
Doing Luke the same way
New deal Lando
Ain't no pardon
Kid blew up my boys
Rest in peace Moff Tarkin
Turns out we are family
Embrace your dark fate
Dad and son together, yo No way the emperor's safe, cause...

[PRINCESS LEIA/ALICIA KEYS] In Star Wars
Now Han Solo's a coffee table
There's nothing Luke can do [Vader: Should've joined me, bro!]
He's on Dagobah
With some dyslexic Jedi dude
Right hand still got sliced through Looks like they struck back, struck back, struck back

[DARTH VADER/JAY-Z]
Lightsabers grinding
Palpatine's smiling
Cause he knew it would come to this The light side is blind with casualties
Who do evil casually, then gradually become worse
Don't fight your destiny
Wasn't a great dad, true
Absent all the while
No happy times behind us, and plus, now I'm killin' you
Keep fencing mister, 'cause now I sense a sister
You don't go bad, maybe I'll enlist her
Now Emperor wants you, only wants me rubbed out You controlled your anger, stayed light side devout Watch out kid, he's got lightning bolts to immolate Uh-uh, hell no, daddy powers activate
End this prune with a badass murder suicide
Bald headed, mask off, heart melted kid you were right Burn all my gear so those Ewoks can't wear it again
Do it, I'll be watching you, a ghost, name of Anakin

[PRINCESS LEIA/ALICIA KEYS] In Star Wars
Destroy new Death Star's generator
Ewoks to the rescue
Blast through to the core
This Regime's gonna be brand new
Galactic Empire's through
The Jedi have returned, returned, returned

Video: Turtle...um...

Um...I don't really...um...this video is....um...well...there's a turtle...um...

Shakespeare Covered

I like these book cover designs by Mike Young.  

Gonna Be A Good Night

I'm really looking forward to this:

Of course I'll be DVRing it and watching sometime later, because here on the east coast I can't stay up until 1:00am for mediocre humor.  Even if Betty White is hosting.

Video: 6-bee!

Did you catch this a couple of weeks ago?

I meant to post it sooner, and actually I really just forgot to hit the "publish post" button.
I'm a huge fan of Conan O'Brien, but I can't deny that Jimmy Fallon has something unique. I haven't figured it out, but I had similar thoughts when Conan first came on late at night, and I still haven't figured that out yet.

Photos: Lost

(Images via)

"Decision Points"

I'm looking forward to reading Bush's upcoming autobiography; potential release date is .  Although it sounds like this won't be a true autobiography, but more of detailed thoughts through several of the major political moments of Bush's presidential years.  Which, having read some previous president's autobiographies, this sounds more interesting and more insightful.  For instance, I felt Clinton's rushed through elements of his life, which is hard to imagine when you hold that hefty tome in your hands.
I'd also like to ready Carl Rove's soon to be released Courage and Consequences (if anyone wants to buy if for me...feel free).
There are some other key members of the Bush administration finishing up their memoirs, including Laura Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld.  I'm hoping Condeleezza Rice is working on a true autobiography as well; that chick has an interesting story to share.

I really think our nation's politics are really interesting.  But to be honest I don't particular like the voting part, I find the whole exercise annoying (but important..."rock the vote").  I actually like the political strategizing.  I would rather be a NFL general manager than a NFL player.  

Video: Lost Heroes - Rod Belding

Hawkings: Beware Visiting Aliens

Thank goodness for theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking.

Maybe you have lived in a box your whole life and have never heard of Hawking; allow me to briefly catch you up.  Hawking is known for his leading thinking in the areas of cosmology, quantum gravity and black holes.  Also he wrote the amazingly best selling book A Brief History of Time.  Hawking also has  a neuro-muscular dystrophy that has left him practically paralyzed, leaving him in a wheelchair smarter than my car. 

He is a smart man who has contributed lots of thinking about big ideas using big words.  

But he has saved his biggest thinking for us today.  

Are you ready for this? 

Buckle up, because this theoretical thinking may crash your brain.

According to Yahoo News "Aliens may exist but contact would hurt humans: Hawking"

Don't follow the link, I'm summarize the story for you: Hawking suggest that if aliens were to visit earth, they wouldn't be friendly little ET characters, but more likely they would be hostile towards humans. Essentially he predicts that a smarter race coming to Earth and be like Columbus to Native Americans.  

How much do theoretical physicist make.  Because if that is news worthy thinking, I can sit around and think that kind crap up.  Or better yet I can watch Sci-Fi movies, from as long as Sci-Fi movies have been made, and let Hollywood do the thinking for me.  

I made a quick list of movies which will lead to my Stephen-Hawking-sized-theoretical-idea:

- Mars Attacks

- Invasion of the Body Snatchers

- Starship Troopers

- The Thing

- Predator/Predators/AVP/AVP 2

- Alien/Aliens/Alien 3/Alien Resurrection (althought these aliens didn't visit Earth per se)

- Independence Day

- The Arrival

- V

- Signs

- The Astronaut's Wife

- Fire in the Sky

- Men In Black/Men In Black 2

- Taken

- X-Files

- The Day The Earth Stood Still

- War of the Worlds

- Stargate

- Species

- The Blob

- Star Trek: First Contact

- Earth Girls are Easy

- Howard the Duck

- Cloverfield

- District 9

- Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

- Transformers

If being a theoretical physicist was this easy I would have been one years ago.  

Which Is Worse?

I don't know which is worse:

A. The students in my church think Dumb and Dumberer is funnier than the original Dumb and Dumber.
or
B. The students in my church think Ashton Kutcher is hilarious.

So in addition to sharing my faith and discipling these students I am making it my personal mission to instill in them a proper sense of humor.

How To Get Unstuck

Hopefully you know Jessica Hagy's excellent blog Indexed.

I really enjoyed her post today and thought it was worth reposting here.

Where are you at in the process?

Target Field

This is a beautiful image.  Congrats Minnesota on finally getting out of that dome.  Twins 5, Red Sox 2; a great day for the Twins and Twins fans.

Ghostbusters

I saw this photo today and really liked it.  I need to watch those movies again.  Especially because the rumors of a new film are looking to be true.  My only probably with both the photo and the new movie is this: where's Rick Moranis? 

I 

My favorite quote from the movie:

Dr. Peter Venkman: Or you can accept the fact that this city is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.

Mayor: What do you mean, "biblical"?

Dr. Raymond Stantz: What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath-of-God type stuff. Fire and brimstone coming down from the sky! Rivers and seas boiling!

Dr. Egon Spengler: Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes...

Winston Zeddmore: The dead rising from the grave!

Dr. Peter Venkman: Human sacrifice. Dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria!

Video: Unicorn After Wisdom Teeth

How embarrassed would you be to come out of dental surgery, all doped up on anesthesia, and you start singing Carmen's Who's in the House?   I say not at all.  I'm often singing/speaking many of favorite Carmen hits, like Addicted 2 Jesus, "ballistics in your face G".

 

But if I woke up or was ever videoed in the purple outfit of Carmen...well...maybe them embarrassment might be my reaction.

Resurrection Meditations (Part 8 of 8)

Resurrection Letters

Meditations on the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ

by Andrew Peterson

VIII. THE BEGINNING

The blue-green earth turns on its axis, rolling Jerusalem into the light of the sun. It turns

like a door swinging open, pouring light into a dark room.

Jesus inhales.

His flesh and blood lungs expand, retract; the pupils of his eyes adjust to the buttery light

pouring in through the crack in the door. The muscles in his shoulders flex, his fingers

open and fan once, curl into a fist, then relax. His heart pumps steady and strong in his

chest, and the stuff of miracles crackles in the air about him.

His glorified body passes through the grave clothes, and Jesus grins in anticipation of the

looks on his friends' faces when he materializes in the room without bothering to use the

door. He swings his feet to the floor, seeing the scars in his flesh and smiling again at the

beauty of it all, if he does say so himself. Freedom for the captives. Hope for the weary.

The bright unraveling of the curse that man brought upon himself. The valley of the

shadow of death now glows with the light of the noonday sun and becomes lush and

verdant and green as jade.

He trails his fingers on the damp stone walls, then steps into the light of the new day.

He is pleased with the story he's telling. He is satisfied with the price he paid, with the

cup he drank, bitter as it was, and most of all he is satisfied that he can now love his weak

and wayward children with all of himself. The holy part of his nature that could bear no

iniquity from man has been satisfied. There could be goodwill henceforth, from God to

man. At last.

The sun warms his face. He closes his eyes and feels in a flash the hearts of all men and

women from the beginning of things to the end, from Adam to Abraham to you and I in

this room on this night, and with each thump of the holy heart in the frame of his ribcage

he loves enough to overwhelm us all. Love set loose on the world. Love like a roaring

lion, like a thunderclap of deep laughter.

From the moons of Jupiter to the center of our boiling sun, out past numberless stars to

the walls of the universe, that laughter resounds and makes its way back to the ears of the

figure standing at the mouth of the tomb.

“It is finished!” Jesus cried in his agony on the cross. Now he thinks of the Kingdom he is

making, of the world he is redeeming, of the living hope he has unleashed.  He smiles to himself and agrees with the Father.

“It has only just begun.”

(thanks)

Resurrection: Rob Bell

Resurrection: Rob Bell from The Work of Rob Bell on Vimeo.

Jesus is standing in front of the temple in Jerusalem
the massive gleaming brick and stone and gold house of God
and he says destroy this temple
and I’ll rebuild it in three days

the people listening to him said how are you going to do that?
it took 46 years to build this temple!
but he wasn’t talking about that temple
he’s talking about himself
he essentially says, listen
I’m going to be killed
that’s where this is headed
because you don’t confront corrupt systems of power
without paying for it
sometimes with your own blood
and so he’s headed to his execution
if you had witnessed this divine life extinguished on a cross
how would you not be overwhelmed with despair?

is the world ultimately a cold, hard, dead place?

does death have the last word?
is it truly, honestly, actually dark
and so whatever light we do see
whatever good we do stumble upon
are those just blips on the radar?
momentary interruptions in an otherwise meaningless existence?
because if that’s the case then despair is the
only reasonable response

it’s easy to be cynical

but Jesus says destroy this temple and I’ll rebuild it
he insists that his execution would not be the end
he’s talking about something new and unexpected
happening after his death
he’s talking about resurrection

resurrection announces that God has not given up on the world
because this world matters
this world that we call home
dirt and blood and sweat and skin and light and water
this world that God is redeeming and restoring and renewing

greed and violence and abuse they are not right
and they cannot last
they belong to death and death does not belong

resurrection says that what we do with our lives matters
in this body
the one that we inhabit right now
every act of compassion matters
every work of art that celebrates the good and the true matters
every fair and honest act of business and trade
every kind word
they all belong and they will all go on in God’s good world
nothing will be forgotten
nothing will be wasted
it all has it’s place

everybody believes something
everybody believes somebody
Jesus invites us to trust resurrection
that every glimmer of good
every hint of hope
every impulse that elevates the soul
is a sign, a taste, a glimpse
of how things actually are
and how things will ultimately be
resurrection affirms this life and the next
as a seamless reality
embraced
graced
and saved by God

there is an unexpected mysterious presence
who meets each of us in our lowest moments
when we have no strength when we have nothing left
and we can’t go on we hear the voice that speaks those
words

destroy this temple and I’ll rebuild it

do you believe this?
that’s the question Jesus asked then
and that’s the question he asks now

Jesus’ friends arrive at his tomb and they’re told
he isn’t here
you didn’t see that coming, did you?
he’s isn’t here
there is nothing to fear
and nothing can ever be the same again
we are living in a world in the midst of rescue
with endless unexpected possibilities

they will take my life and I will die Jesus says
but that will not be the end
and when you find yourself assuming that it’s over
when it’s lost, gone, broken and it could never be
put back together again,
when it’s been destroyed and you swear that it could never
be rebuilt

hold on a minute
because in that moment
things will in fact have just begun

Video: The Cartel

This looks like an important movie.

I believe youth ministry must be involved in the local school.
I believe social justice must be involved in the local school.
Therefore I need to be involved in the local school.
I'm currently filling out the paperwork to become a substitute teacher in my community.
How about you?  What some things you do, or what are some ideas you know about, for how we can serve the local school systems?

Resurrection Meditations (Part 7 of 8)

Resurrection Letters

Meditations on the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ

by Andrew Peterson

VII. THE HUNGRY TOMB

I want to turn away from this part of the story.

I want to close my eyes on it, partly because my love for you makes it difficult to bear, and
partly because I am ashamed of myself. I’m afraid that I’ll see my own face in the mob,
among the teachers of the law, in Pilate, in the men who beat you. You are despised and
rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men
hide their faces.

But I watch. I watch as you are whipped, mocked, nailed to the cross, and lifted up.
I force myself to watch.

“It is finished,” you say, and then the life and light of men dies.

The mob clears beneath a black, churning sky, as black as the sorrow or terror they feel in
their chests. The Sabbath is coming, and Joseph of Arimathea of all people knows that
no man's body is to hang overnight, especially during Passover. Pilate gives his
permission and Joseph comes trembling to the foot of the cross. There stands the Jewish
leader, his robe whipping in the angry wind, his back bent before your wrecked body,
crooked on the crossbeams. Joseph lays the linen-shrouded flesh and bones of the son of
God in his own tomb just as evening descends and brings with it God's holy day of rest.

We all have tombs that await us, open-mouthed and hungry for our bones, but the author
of life lies there in our stead. You died so that we who come sorry and helpless to the foot
of your cross may rest on the Sabbath knowing that it is not ourselves in our graves, but
you.

That atonement was made would have been enough. But in the riches of your grace and
great power, we rest on the Sabbath knowing that the tomb is not the final word. Great
God, we are overcome with joy and thanksgiving and all manner of gladness that
the tomb is not the end of the story.

Just wait, you say. You will see my wonders.

(thanks)