Wedding #4

I was asked today to perform my cousin Ben's wedding this fall. My uncle Mike is going to fly Kelli and I back to Illinois in September. I did his brother Brad's wedding a few years ago and it was a great experience. It was outdoors on the dock of a lake, a really beautiful day for it as you can see.










It's really an honor to get to marry another cousin (out of context this statement is really funny!) Actually now that I look back at it, all three weddings that I have done have all been special. I have also picked up a few lessons from each that i will not forget.

I love weddings because you get to see people's personalities really come out and shape the whole experience. The weddings I have been a part of have really showcased who the people are that are being married with everything from the music, the venue, the ceremony, etc. One of the best examples of those has been Brad and Noelle Otts wedding. The music, the place (which was an awesome wine cellar), the Rice Krispy Castle groom cake. Everything was THEM!









Anyway, on to the lessons I have learned:

1. Always do or have someone do pre-marital counseling! I do not want to go into much detail here but this is something that I will vow to make sure is done for any wedding that I say yes to.

2. Don't be afraid of humor!!! Many of us have this idea that a wedding is supposed to be a Stoic, straight faced affair. But it's supposed to be a celebration! Laughing, cheering, celebrating should be part of the wedding ceremony. Not only are people pleasantly surprised when something is funny in a wedding , (depending on the people of course) it gives the bride and groom a chance to breathe and lighten up a little so they can actually enjoy the ceremony. It's a real stress breaker. I know that I appreciated it immensely in my wedding and others have done the same. There is a danger of course. There is appropriate funny in a wedding and innappropriate funny in a wedding but you learn which is which in due time!

3. Hopefully the people you marry will be people that you know intimately but sometimes they are not. Sometimes you are doing it as a favor for someone you know or for family you may not know well or just people in your community that you have not spent a ton of time with. Get to know the people as well as you possibly can. Spend time with them, hear their story, find out how they met, find out what they like, everything you can to ensure you truly know them before going into a wedding ceremony. How can you highlight a couple and their commitment if you don't really know who they are?

4. Remember, this is a wedding which is a celebration of two people committing their lives together before God. This is not a chance for you to showcase your expositional skills on a difficult text of Scripture. Sure, you should give a biblical framework of what marriage is. But this is no time to "make a point" or to have an agenda. What I mean by that is that many ministers drool thinking, "this is my chance to speak in front of a large group of people who may or may not go to church. This is my chance to evangelize" It may be true that it is a great chance for people to hear of God's love for them but do not abuse that privelege. This is about the couple that stands before you first and foremost.

5. Don't drink too many white wine spritzers or you could end up like this guy!













Anyway, those are just a few things I have learned that I felt like spouting off. Hopefully that is helpful to someone out there. But again, since I have only done three wedding, I think i probably have about 1000 more things to learn.

Anyone else have any lessons they would like to share?

A Visit From Elvyss

No, not that Elvis. My Salvadorian friend Elvyss from NYC. Haven't seen him since I got married in Florida over a year and a half ago. It was funny last night at the Brass to remember how I actually met Elvyss. When I was a pastor at Mosaic we were handing out Krispy Kreme donuts to people on the street on their way to work. Elvyss grabbed a donut and one of our Mosaic cards and out of guilt that he had taken a donut from us felt obligated to come to a Sunday service just once. Not exactly what we were going for as far as motivation but he was there nonetheless. After which he was a part of my small group for a long time, and then part of the theology pub I started in the East Village which met for about a year I believe. We talked about all kinds of things but one of the best things we did I believe was to go through Mark Driscoll's book "The Radical Reformission." I think that prompted the best discussions.

In any case, Elvyss and his girl Kristen are thinking of moving here next July to have some more space and pay less rent. I hope I sold you on the city Elvyss and I hope you enjoyed the Evergreen Community as well. We could use some diversity! Especially of the Latino flair!

Plus, last night at the Brass I had never yet seen anyone threaten to stab Bob. That was a Brass first! Nice work Elvyss, you made history.

Other than that, the other favorite moment was at the Wunderland nickel arcade where we played Buck Hunter Pro and had a battle to the death in Ski Ball. Nice having you around man.

It's a Steve Nash Birthday

My birthday is on February 7th upon which I will turn 27. I really wanted to go to the Trailblazers/Suns game to see Steve Nash play. We decided it was probably too much money to have decent seats so we kind of forgot about it until last week. A rep from the Trailblazers came in our store and was selling cheap packages to games. The deal was 40 dollars for two 50 dollar seats and then four coupons for buy one/get one free tickets! Couldn't pass that up. So for 40 dollars we have two tickets to the Suns game on the 6th!!! We're actually going to trade up to the 70 dollar seats and just pay the difference because if we're going to go, we want to do it right. I can't wait! I'm like a little kid. I love Steve Nash! I've never been more excited to see a small white guy pass the ball. My luck would be, he wouldn't play that night due to illness or something and then i would just be stuck watching the crappy Trailblazers.

Bears Inspire A City Still Reeling From Great Chicago Fire Of 1871

Oh man, this Onion Article is wrong but it is SO funny.

Keep in mind non-sports fans, they played the New Orleans Saints last week who was "America's Team" this year.

Bright Eyes EP

I never thought I would say this, but I really liked the samples from his upcoming album.

Click HERE for two of the songs.

I normally find Conor Oberst irritating and think that his voice is horrendous most of the time. Anyone remember, "When the President Talks to God" on Jay Leno??? Wow! After that I almost vowed to never listen to him again. No, not because of the message of the song, because of the unbelievable hideousness of his singing voice. It made Ashlee Simpson sound good!

But, apparently he has either gotten better, or the studio has gotten better. Either way, I might actually get this EP when it comes out in March!

All Caught Up

After a good month and a half I'm all caught up with Harry Potter. I CANNOT WAIT until book #7. I'm so glad that Kelli talked me into reading these books because the movies are mediocre compared to all that happens in the book. I wasn't thrilled with book 6, although I was surprised at the ending of Half-Blood Prince as I'm sure many were. All of the obstacles that have been set in Harry's way for one final book seems enormous!

How will he ever find the next four Horcruxes and destroy them, get even with Snape and Malfoy, and kill Voldemort all in one book??? That seems like a large task to say the least.

I'm not sure why I feel the need to rank everything but I do. So here were my favorite books in the Harry Potter series in order:

Order of the Phoenix - Book 5
Prizoner of Azkaban - Book 3
Chamber of Secrets - Book 2
Goblet of Fire - Book 4
Half-Blood Prince - Books 6
Sorcerer's Stone - Book 1

What are your favorites???

With that said, I think all of these books were phenomenal and extremely entertaining. It's going to be hard to go back to the classics after reading something so fun. I may even have to read Lord of the Rings now just for another taste of fantasy. I have only read the Hobbit and Kelli once again has been begging me to read LOTR (I have heard nerds abbreviate it to this). Plus it will give me a chance to continue reading with a British dialect in my mind. It's so much more gripping!

Feel the burn!

Today I worked out with a personal trainer and I've got to tell you, lifting weights is a LOT tougher when you do it the right way. I am used to just throwing as much weight as I can and going at it but as I learned today, the weight really has little to do with it unless you are a body builder. When you use proper form it is brutally hard. I had about 30 pounds on the bench machine today and with proper form and movement my chest was burning like a phoenix (mythical bird from Harry Potter). I only did four different exercises but with this dude showing me the ropes, it made the workout about 100 times more effective. I'm only doing 5 sessions with this guy just hoping to learn some more technique so I can do things better in the gym. I'm also secretely training so I can beat up the next guy who tries to steal videos at the store.

I weighed in today and it seems since we have moved to Portland I have lost about 12 pounds. I'm down to 206 with 20% body fat which was fairly encouraging. The "fit" range is between 13-17% body fat so I'm not all that far away. The "athlete range" is between 8-12% and I'm not quite ready for that challenge right now! I haven't been in that shape since High School. I just want to be considered fit! My goal is to be about 190 with 13 percent body fat. He said if I follow this plan I could do that in two to three months so I'm going to give it a shot. Working out today felt great. I'm going to go back tomorrow and work out with this dude again.

I've got to say that I highly recommend a personal trainer, even if it's just for 5-10 sessions to develop a plan. I think it will make all the difference in the world. Going on my own and just doing what I want has never done anything for me (and wouldn't considering how many things I was doing wrong that I didn't even know about). It turns out that your high school football coach has no idea what training is. I wish I wouldn't have listened to those guys.

I tell you all of this because I'm excited and really have a desire to be back in mid-college shape and not have this beer belly and also so you (my friends) can ask me about it once in a while and keep me in check.

On Holiness and Humor

J.Carl Laney wrote a short article titled "On Holiness and Humor" for our school newsletter this week. In it he says this:

"Does God have a sense of humor? Does He enjoy a good joke? The answer to that question depends upon what you mean by "a sense of humor." If you are asking whether God likes jokes or should be the object of a joke, I would have to say "no". God is too holy and awesome to be trivialized as a cosmic Joker or the subject for joking. i believe that jokes about God are disrespectful and in poor taste."

If when Prof. Laney is referring to God he is saying God does not like playing jokes on people I would agree with his thesis. I do not think that God plays a joke on people so He can laugh at them. This would not be holy. If he is saying that God cannot or does not find our attempts at humor funny I would have to disagree. It seems that he has assumed that all jokes are intrinsically "unholy" or "disrespectful". Not all humor is sinful, innappropriate or unholy however. Humor is not the enemy of holiness.

Laney goes on to give examples of God surprising his people in humorous ways but in no way
"laughing at" what He has done or finding humor in it. Laney states that the reason a joke is funny is "because of the unexpected ending or surprise twist." This is true, but incomplete. As a former amateur (I stress the word) stand-up comic in New York City I take exception with this. While this is a large basis of contemporary humor, this is not the sole reason a joke is funny. A joke can also be funny based on our relationship with the one receiving the joke and the context in which a statement is made. Some things that I may say as a joke to my wife is funny because she knows me and the same joke would fall flat to someone I have a different relationship with. The relationship between the individuals involved in the joke have substantial basis on it's "funniness"

Along with that, context is everything. It can literally make a joke funny or not funny. I can say a statement in class and no one will laugh, but I can say the same thing on a stage and people will think it is hilarious. Context has everything to do with humor, not just surprise twists or unexpected endings.

A joke can also be funny because it is an observation that people have never thought to put into words. The joke is funny because of its' ordinariness (think Seinfeld) here. There were no real surprises in his stand-up, just simple observation noted on the "nothingness" of life. No surprise twists were necessary.

Laney ends with the statement, "while God seems to have a sense of humor in that He enjoys surprising us with something unanticipated, He Himself cannot be humored. This is because God is never surprised. he knows the end right from the beginning. He knows the "punch line" before the story is even told."

I agree that God might not be humored out of surprise, but again, as you can see above, that is not the only thing that makes something funny. But regardless, I would disagree with this statement for this reason. Saying that knowing the ending or the punchline as God I'm sure in his sovereignty does will not necessarily ruin the joke.There are several jokes that I already know the punchline to by heart that I find myself laughing at everytime I hear them. It is why we listen to comedy cd's over and over again. It is why I saw the same comics over and over again in New York City. I knew the lines, but it was funny everytime. Sure, some of them might get old, but just because you know the punchline does not necessarily mean that it is not funny. To say that God cannot be humored is speculation (just as I speculate that God can be humored) but I think it is also a conclusion based on poor logic.

Laughter is a large makeup of human beings. We were created (Imago Dei) with the ability to laugh and to tell stories. Humor is a basic part of our makeup as humans. I find it hard to believe in light of this that God cannot Himself be humored and in fact I hope and pray that (regardless of Him knowing the punchline) I have made God laugh myself a few times. I would suggest we get our humor directly from God. With that in mind I cannot believe in a stoic God with an eternal straight face.

Breaking News

Today I went to drop off a movie at the video store that was due back today and was told by the manager that I tied for employee of the week! Now that's a drastic turnaround from last week being warned that I may be fired to being employee of the week!

The funny part of this story is that I tied with the girl who answers the phone, "Welcome to Hollywood Video."

The "Experts"

Here's to you "experts"! Chicago is IN!!!!!! Go Bears!

Innovative?

Here is Outreach's first annual "Innovative" Church List.

Can you spot more than three innovative churches on this list??? I am utterly confused. I think this list is more about who spent the most money for Outreach to market their crap. Is this a list of truly innovative churches or are they not just the large "seeker-sensitive", self help, here are five steps that can help you be a good friend kind of crap that draws a big crowd?

Side Note: I think it's funny that Ed Young Jr. is on the panel of judges and his church is also number 4. What a shocker!

Drew has a good post entitled "When lists get stupid." that I think is fairly relevant here.

This is also a funny post on the subject.

I love you clementine

You may not know this but you are my favorite fruit clementine. When I observe your cuteness on the table in a box with several of your brothers all piled on top of each other, in my head I kind of go "ahhhh" the same way I would when looking at a baby bunny rabbit. You're so small and round and orange. But that doesn't fool me. I know what awaits inside is a delicious, sweet, sugary, juicy center with no seeds to annoy me and make the process of eating you tedious. You are ridiculously easy to peel. Just have to stick a finger in one of your ends and tear you apart. I can eat about 6 or 7 of you in one sitting although that tends to come with some consequences but well worth it in my book. I can buy a whole box of you for a few dollars and you will last me for a few weeks. But it isn't just the bargain that I love, I love ever part of you. I'm sorry I have overlooked you for your older brother the orange in the past but I won't forget you from now on, i promise. I will be faithful to your citrusy love and look nowhere else when craving a sweet late night snack. I love you clementine.

Blades of Glory

Have you guys seen this???

Will Ferrell and Jon Heder in the same movie? Wow!

Thanks for the link John V.

Darned School Books

I'm having a extremely difficult time reading John Piper for a class at school right now. It seems (and this could be a poor judgment statement) that he is more interested in trademarking an idea and contributing something original (which in actuality is mostly borrowed from C.S. Lewis) then having a good theology. I've read two chapters of this book "When I Don't Desire God" and how many times do you think he has already made the statement, "God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in him" or talked about Christian Hedonism???? Yes, that is correct, about 10! This may sound harsh and I may just be in a crummy mood but there has been more than one occasion in these first two chapters when I have just thought to my self "this guy is full of *#($"

The only book worse than this one so far is "The Journey from Texts to Translations." I'm not sure I've ever read a drier book in my life.

God have mercy on my soul (and my attitude today)!!!

Video Shakedown

Last night Craig and I broke up a robbery ring.

Ok, in all actuality we stopped one guy who was trying to steal some DVD's.

As I was on my way up front a customer informed me that a man that was headed for the door had stuffed a bunch of DVD's in his coat and pants. He stepped through the alarm system and of course it went off. I immediately stopped him and said, "sir, you've got to step back through the machine." He pulled a DVD out of his pocket and set it down saying, "sorry, I guess I forgot I put it there" and kept walking. As he walked out the door I stepped in front of him and said in the most intimidating voice I can muster, "give me the rest of the DVD's NOW." He said, "I don't have any more." Then I said, with Craig right behind me for backup, "this is your last chance, give me the dvd's right now." He pulled about three or four more out of his pocket and handed them to me and mumbled as he walked off, "I was just trying to get some dvd's man" as if I would understand his plight and give them back. So I said, "then why don't you rent them like everyone else does moron." A personal insult never hurts in the face of crime.

In any case we walked back in the store and Craig exclaimed in a proud voice, "score one for the good guys!"

Sadly, this was an exciting endeavor because we NEVER stop anyone from stealing. Unfortunately there is nothing we can really do, nor can we use any force so most people just walk right out the door and keep on a walking.

But for one night, Craig and I were heroes at the video store.

Phew!

I have no idea how the Bears managed to pull it off today. I had my doubts once the Seahawks won the toss in overtime. The Bears defense really shut down a lot of Seahawks 3rd and shorts which was about the only thing they did well. Grossman had a huge pass in the clutch. I thought that pass that Berrian dropped that would have been a touchdown might have lost them the game but I am extremely thankful they were able to pull it out.

I think the Bears can beat the Saints and I honestly think they will win by a decent margin next week. Why? I don't know, I just have a gut feeling. The same gut feeling that I had when I predicted that the Bears would make it to the Super Bowl after the first two weeks of the season and some of you scoffed at me! If they do make it to the Super Bowl I will make sure I report my original post from the beginning of the season. If not however, I will probably forget that post existed.

In any case, GO BEARS!!!

SNOW DAY!

Class was cancelled today. For what? I have no idea. It's beautiful outside. Not an inch of snow on the ground, sunny, crisp. Everything you could love about a winter's day. Apparently there must have been some snow in the burbs somewhere because it is non-existent here. Hearing the news of class being cancelled sparked a bit of childish joy in my heart. There's nothing like a snow day. I think I will watch some more old Bond movies today. That's well worth my time. We watched Dr. No last night, the very first 007 movie. The storyline is a bit weak but it's a classic! So many things that Austin Powers spoofed that I never got. We also watched Pierce Brosnan's first one, "Goldeneye." Made me want to play the N64 game so bad! That may be the best video game of all time. I'm serious with that statement. How many hours did we spend playing that game during college? I would hate to know.

Outrageous is right.

Is Ed Young Jr. turning into Joel Osteen???

It sounds like it from this tagline:

LIFE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JUST GOOD. IT CAN BE GREAT.

What's the deal with Texas???

Why I'm Nervous About Seminary This Semester...

1. One of my theology professors seems to be all riled up about anything that hints of theology that comes from any members of the emerging church. My theory behind his current passion is that Millard Erickson just did a class at Western and I believe got the professors all riled up to "stand firm in the truth" and that there are simply some things that should not be questioned (like whether God knows the future or not) as one example.

2. The old man who sits in my Advanced Hermeneutics class. Much like one of the gentlemen last semester he asks asinine questions that have little or nothing to do with the class but have everything to do with his need for self-validation.

3. Coffee is not having the same effect on me this semester. I drank a few cups during class yesterday but for some reason it did not make the class more interesting or help me think better. Am I aquiring a tolerance??? That would be trouble!

4. A student in one of the classes made an arrogant crack on Mclaren and snickered like he was SO much of a smarter theologian than Mclaren. I like Mclaren quite a bit as he has helped me think more than any other current author. I feel to admit that would lead to me being burned at the stake right now.

For all of these reasons, I'm not sure how Seminary is going to be this semester. I think two of the three classes I have to be very important and I'm excited to put in the time but I'm not sure there is going to be a very balanced perspective, nor balanced discussion leaving me frustrated. I hope I'm surprised.

Why I'm Nervous About Seminary This Semester...

1. One of my theology professors seems to be all riled up about anything that hints of theology that comes from any members of the emerging church. My theory behind his current passion is that Millard Erickson just did a class at Western and I believe got the professors all riled up to "stand firm in the truth" and that there are simply some things that should not be questioned (like whether God knows the future or not) as one example.

2. The old man who sits in my Advanced Hermeneutics class. Much like one of the gentlemen last semester he asks asinine questions that have little or nothing to do with the class but have everything to do with his need for self-validation.

3. Coffee is not having the same effect on me this semester. I drank a few cups during class yesterday but for some reason it did not make the class more interesting or help me think better. Am I aquiring a tolerance??? That would be trouble!

4. A student in one of the classes made an arrogant crack on Mclaren and snickered like he was SO much of a smarter theologian than Mclaren. I like Mclaren quite a bit as he has helped me think more than any other current author. I feel to admit that would lead to me being burned at the stake right now.

For all of these reasons, I'm not sure how Seminary is going to be this semester. I think two of the three classes I have to be very important and I'm excited to put in the time but I'm not sure there is going to be a very balanced perspective, nor balanced discussion leaving me frustrated. I hope I'm surprised.

Casino Royale

We saw Casino Royale last night and I loved it. Great Bond movie and I'm sure 007 fans will not be disappointed with this one. The thing I love about these movies is that everything is so ridiculously in excess: the cars, the women, the money, the resorts, everything.

The only irritating thing in this flick was the product placement. I almost puked when I saw Bond drive up in a Ford and it was obvious by the camera angles that they wanted to make sure EVERYONE knew it. The rest of the movie he was back to driving awesome cars but I would hate to know what Ford paid for that shot. If you watch the movie you will see all kinds of products fly by and in the context of the film they are completely out of place. That kind of ticked me off.

The rest of the movie was great, it makes you walk out of the theatre feeling like a man, wishing you were carrying a gun, and wanting to play some high stakes poker! And that is exactly what a Bond film should do.

Knowledge Vs. Wisdom

I've been contrasting knowledge vs. wisdom the last few days and strangely there has been an episode in the life our own community that has made me ponder it more. There is certainly a huge neglect of people converting their knowledge to wisdom. I'm not even sure how that transformation takes place practically or if a human can control how wise he or she becomes because it seems to come through time and experience. But the real dilemma are people who are knowledgable enough to be dangerous. People who have many ideas but lack the discernment or wisdom to know who and when to speak those ideas. Knowledge without wisdom is rarely a good thing.

I remember a time when I was at Pace University in Lower Manhattan listening to a speaker from Princeton University speak to a few campus groups. In the group that I spent time with there was a student who thought he knew EVERYTHING. And to be honest, he was a very intelligent kid. But his whole goal in life was to make sure people knew how smart he was. So instantly when the student stepped into the room about halfway through the lecture, when it was time for question and answer time, he went into a frenzy just trying to find a question or a disagreement that would stump the young man from Princeton (which I'm happy to say he couldn't do) and make himself look as smart as possible. Not only was this extremely disgusting to watch but afterwords there was another kid from the campus group who actually was encouraging this student as to how smart he was. He was clearly knowledgable but he was the furthest thing from wise.

In this reflection on wisdom I have been wondering myself if I am getting wiser. I am certainly getting more knowledgable in all my reading and studies but I do not want that to be a substitute for wisdom and knowing practically how to live and commune with other people. Knowledge can be wisdom's worst enemy at times and when it outweighs wisdom it can be ugly and painful.

Personal Update

Got my grades for Seminary this past week. Not too shabby. Two A's, One B+ and a Pass. I'll take that any day. Can't believe school starts again next Monday. Crap. This semester I've got 9 hours. Theology 1, Advanced Hermeneutics, Learning to Love God and Others, and a Premarital Counseling Course which will certify me to do the Prepare and Enrich thingy. I really don't know anything about it but I figure that since I've already married three people and have had other people do the premarital counseling, it's probably time to learn myself. Plus the professor that teaches it is a lot of fun and my wife gets to come learn it with me for free.

I've been an old man the last three days and I love it. When I say that I mean I've gotten up a little earlier so I can sit and drink coffee, look at the news, read the One Year Bible, and blog. It's been great. I think i'm ready to retire.

Kelli and I get a night together finally and we're going to watch Idiocracy, the comedy with Luke Wilson that comes out for rental on Tuesday. Hope it's good!

I'm on the brink of quiting my job at the video store. They are hopeless. I've been working there for 4 months, they're still not taking federal income tax out, they have been taking money out of my check for insurance that I may not even be eligible for and there's no way to talk to anyone at the corporation about their mistake. I'm giving them one week and if it is not resolved I will not be returning. I've got a few things on the backburner that I hope will work out.

Right now Kelli and I are both reading Flannery O'Connors' The Violent Bear It Away and it is excellent. She's a fantastic writer. I feel like I can visualize the setting, the people, and hear how they would say every word. Takes a great writer to create something like this. Plus, it's a jacked up story about a religious fanatic who kidnaps a boy so he can baptize him and raise him as a prophet. The kind of fanatacism reminds me of the "God Hates Fags" people from Kansas. Just as crazy.

When Life Was Easy

"The sons of God saw the beautiful women and took any they wanted as their wives." Gen. 6:2
This translation almost brings a tear to my eye. Oh, life would have been so much simpler then!

Even more funny (and kind of sad) is this next verse.
"Then the Lord said, 'My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years." Gen. 6:3

God put a cap on our existence because he couldn't put up with us for long. I think we can all understand that. Good call God.

Potter Madness is Almost Complete

I finished the fifth Harry Potter book. These things certainly do get long. 870 pages for this one! Once again, I started the book a little disappointed because of how dark it was but the last 200 pages were fantastic as always. She really turns it on at the end. I'm thankful that the sixth book is only 600 pages. These books are difficult to carry around with you.

I'm really excited to see how this thing ends. Obviously, after hearing the prophecy it can only end one of two ways so it seems apparent what is going to happen but the exciting part is the how.

If you have not read the Harry Potter series I more than recommend it. I require it to continue our friendship! If you cannot tell me who the house elf was that betrayed Sirius, or what a hippogriff is, or even who the Minister of Magic is, then we can no longer be friends until you acquire such information. I can see why Kelli wanted me to read these so bad. We can finally talk again. Our marriage is saved!

One more book to go, and 6 days left before school start again. Mission almost accomplished.

the 1 dollar explosion

Tonight this guy lost it on me. It was honestly pretty funny. He had 7.58 in late fees on his account, was renting one movie and had a 10 dollar bill in his hand. I asked how much he would like to pay on his late fees and he said, "nothing." I then told him about our policy that you have to put at least 1 dollar down to rent each time until your late fees are paid off. He said that he was not going to pay anything. Therefore I told him that I could not rent to him. He started walking towards the door, got all hostile and said, "I don't care, i'll just go to another store. I don't need to rent here." I replied, "fine, you should do that." He then said, "man, you're a bleep bleep bleep." And I kind of laughed and said, "Okay, you should find another store because you cannot rent here anymore, nor are you allowed in the store from this point on." That really made him angry! He called me about everything under the sun and I didn't really say a whole lot else but started helping the next customer in line while he continued to berate me. After his tirade, I gave him a "see ya later" and he finally left.

Can you believe that??? All over 1 lousy dollar! That's the first time I have had anyone just completely go off on me like that. I've had people angry, but not screaming so the entire store can hear it! Gave me a good laugh for the night. I'm just thankful he wasn't waiting outside for me to leave after we closed!

here we go again...

Pat Robertson predicts mass killing in US this year.

Speaking of nutballs, check this guy out!

Hassles

After talking to my insurance company on the phone this morning it once again made me realize that so much of life is filled with these little hassles that at the time seem of extreme importance but in a month from now I will not remember at all.

Why do we give so much prominence and attention to the hassles in our lives and seem so eager to forget all the blessings that surround us?

I am as guilty as anyone of this of course. I think much like being iron-deficient I have been hope-deficient. Hope that life will not always be this way. Not that there will be less hassles, but that my own soul will be in a state where I am able to take joy in the blessings and not let the little things bother me or ruin my day.

That is one of the things I respect so much about some of my heroes. That despite anything going on, regardless of the difficulties or hassles, in these men and women's lives love trumps all. There is a spirit of grace and love in everything. I wonder if it is out of their knowledge that the little bumps in the road are indeed little, or that their inner world is at such peace that these things are almost not even blips on the radar screen.

Random Thoughts

We saw The Good Shepherd today which I can summarize with these two words: LONG and BORING! I have nothing else to say about. This was more dry than the acting in Miami Vice. Wish we would have seen Blood Diamond or Casino Royale.

I'm almost done with the fifth book of Harry Potter and things certainly have taken a drastically dark turn. It's not the fun, carefree, everything is going to be okay Harry Potter of the first few books. With age comes responsibility. I think the denial of that is why I am not enjoying this book as well. I will be excited to see how all of this ends however.

Last night's television on New Years Eve was interesting. Fox of course took the route of taking all the class out of the event which I expected. But then again, Dick Clark could barely speak because of his stroke a few years ago. I know this guy has been doing it for a long time but I wonder when it will be time to call it a day. Christina Aguilara's performance was interesting. My favorite of her lyrics were as follows:

"He's a one stop jive, makes my panties drop"
"He's a one stop jive, makes my cherry pop"
"He's a one stop jive with a real big *uh*"

Pure class! That's all I can say. But then again, her competition (Brittney) passed out in Las Vegas and had to be carried out of the club. Tough year for celebrities!

so this is the new year....

almost. New Years Eve is upon us and I really haven't reflected on it much until today at church. There are several things that I am thankful for during this past year. It's amazing how God continues to bless when you take risks and make sacrifices. Despite a difficult last six months God has provided for us through friends, family members and jobs. It is clear that God is leading us. We're just trying to stay open to his call.

My favorite moments of 2006 (in no particular order):
1. Moving to Portland, OR
2. Touring the Northwest (Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver B.C.) in March.
3. Driving from Florida to Oregon.
4. Getting to spend a month with friends and family in Illinois.
5. Having friends visit and stay on the beach in Florida (Bill, Josh, and Jeff)
6. Starting Seminary
7. Being a part of Evergreen Community.
8. Seeing Bob dance at Sarah and Jonathan's wedding.
9. Going to Sea World for my birthday.
10. Brad Prunty's wedding and bachelor party.
11. Completing The Brothers Karamazov.
12. Going to CIY with Andy, Courtney and the students.
13. Going a full year without soda!
14. Playing church league softball.
15. Hosting several beer/wine tasting parties in Florida.
16. Hanging out with the students at Impact (most nights).

Toughest moments of 2006:
1. Striking out at church league softball.
2. Making a joke in a sermon about Joel Osteen and having a woman come up after the service with a picture of her and Joel Osteen.
3. Dealing with customers at the video store who have over 100 dollars in late fees.
4. When my professor asked me what Leviticus 16 was about and then told me that I was an "ignorant fool" (exact words).
5. Driving a Uhaul trailer across the continental U.S.

It's been a fantastic year. In light of the challenges and the losses of this year I wouldn't do anything differently. I hope that this next year is just as exciting, and if not, that I will be just as (but hopefully more) faithful to God and his Kingdom.

Happy New Years!

a better day

Today is a better day than the last. Yesterday was an awful day at work which you can read about below and Kelli was very sick and we didn't know what was wrong with her which is stressful as well. But after my short shift tonight I will be done with work for 4 or 5 days and will get to spend time with Kelli and her parents unhindered by customers. And Kelli got in with a doctor today and found out that she will live but will just need a few weeks to recover and a few more tests!

We opened our Christmas presents today and I am very excited with what Kelli's parents bought us! My favorite gift was tickets to see Josh Ritter at the Aladdin Theatre! Doesn't get much better than that! Of course, getting money to buy books that I want was rather nice too! I'm very excited to come home tonight and order them all!

I am hoping to have a better attitude tonight at work with the customers and be a little more at peace. I have such a hard time not taking things personally when it comes with customers. Maybe this is God's way of helping me learn this lesson before I start to pastor again. It's certainly something that I struggle with. I'm weak!

Video Meltdown

This year was the first year that I worked on Christmas Eve and Christmas. It was quite a letdown that I was not able to participate in anything with our church community, nor do anything with family. I'm really getting worn out on my job. After about 4 straight nights at the video store I have gotten completely burnt out on people. The selfishness of the individual never quite truly struck me until doing customer service. Here are a few truths about the video store:

1. No one is ever friendly.
2. No one has ever returned a movie late in their life.
3. No one will pay a late fee unless forced.
4. No one is willing to accept any mistake made by an employee.
5. If a mistake is made, all hell will break loose until they get at least 3 free movies out of it by throwing a temper tantrum.
6. If there is a line at all people will start huffing and puffing like they are a mad little three year old.
7. If there is any chance to bitch about ANYTHING, they will find it.
(examples include not having their favorite movie in stock, not getting to use a coupon that is expired, having to pay late fees, not being able to open an account without a debit or credit card, etc.)

I'm sure I could go on, but I just thought I would vent some of my frustrations. I have truly come to that point in this job where I am starting to despise people and that is not good. Every customer is a huge hassle. It's never as easy as just checking someone's video's out for them. I thought this job would be so much easier and less confrontational than it is. I think about 1 out of every 5 people leave the store angry because they cannot accept responsibility for having turned anything in late. I'm not sure what it is about working customer service where everyone feels like it is their right to treat you like crap. For some reason they believe that we are not human beings and have no worth at all. As many customer service people sheepishly accept it that customers can say or do whatever they want, I will not stand for it. If someone is treating me poorly I will call them out on it and refuse their service unless they act decently. I have said several times, "once you start treating me like a human, I will help you." Of course that breaks every rule there is in customer service but I will not be treated like a piece of dirt and if that gets me fired, so be it!

I hope that you who are reading this will treat people who serve you with some dignity and respect rather than being an A-hole when things don't go your way. The people that I ALWAYS help out (cancel late fees, give free movies, etc.) are the ones that treat me with respect and decency. The people who yell and scream can expect to never get anything.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow that after I work tomorrow night I get four or five days off! I need it. I'm about ready to lose it on someone. Just pray that someone isn't YOU!!!!

Video Meltdown

This year was the first year that I worked on Christmas Eve and Christmas. It was quite a letdown that I was not able to participate in anything with our church community, nor do anything with family. I'm really getting worn out on my job. After about 4 straight nights at the video store I have gotten completely burnt out on people. The selfishness of the individual never quite truly struck me until doing customer service. Here are a few truths about the video store:

1. No one is ever friendly.
2. No one has ever returned a movie late in their life.
3. No one will pay a late fee unless forced.
4. No one is willing to accept any mistake made by an employee.
5. If a mistake is made, all hell will break loose until they get at least 3 free movies out of it by throwing a temper tantrum.
6. If there is a line at all people will start huffing and puffing like they are a mad little three year old.
7. If there is any chance to bitch about ANYTHING, they will find it.
(examples include not having their favorite movie in stock, not getting to use a coupon that is expired, having to pay late fees, not being able to open an account without a debit or credit card, etc.)

I'm sure I could go on, but I just thought I would vent some of my frustrations. I have truly come to that point in this job where I am starting to despise people and that is not good. Every customer is a huge hassle. It's never as easy as just checking someone's video's out for them. I thought this job would be so much easier and less confrontational than it is. I think about 1 out of every 5 people leave the store angry because they cannot accept responsibility for having turned anything in late. I'm not sure what it is about working customer service where everyone feels like it is their right to treat you like crap. For some reason they believe that we are not human beings and have no worth at all. As many customer service people sheepishly accept it that customers can say or do whatever they want, I will not stand for it. If someone is treating me poorly I will call them out on it and refuse their service unless they act decently. I have said several times, "once you start treating me like a human, I will help you." Of course that breaks every rule there is in customer service but I will not be treated like a piece of dirt and if that gets me fired, so be it!

I hope that you who are reading this will treat people who serve you with some dignity and respect rather than being an A-hole when things don't go your way. The people that I ALWAYS help out (cancel late fees, give free movies, etc.) are the ones that treat me with respect and decency. The people who yell and scream can expect to never get anything.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow that after I work tomorrow night I get four or five days off! I need it. I'm about ready to lose it on someone. Just pray that someone isn't YOU!!!!

Favorite Albums of 2006

Finally, the most important list! And before you go nuts for not having something on there, keep in mind, this is my favorite stuff of the year. This is not a critics list of "best" music of the year. These are the albums I listened to the most. Starting with number 5.....

5. The Lancaster Orchestra - Never Cried Once When I Could Have





4. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
St. Augustine
The Great Salt Lake
The Funeral


3. M. Ward - Post-War
Post-War



2. Ben Harper - Both Sides of the Gun




1. Josh Ritter - The Animal Years
Thin Blue Flame



The Rest of the Albums I loved this year:
Hotel Lights - Hotel Lights
Joseph Arthur - Nuclear Daydream
Rocky Votolato - Makers
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
Midlake - The Trials of...
Centro-Matic - Fort Recovery
Hem - Funnel Cloud
Greg Laswell - Through Toledo
Pernice Brothers - Live a Little
Great Lake Swimmers - Bodies and Minds
Page France - Hello, Dear Wind
Sparklehorse - Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain
Califone - Roots and Crowns

Ah, what the heck, i'll get this list misery over with and just list my favorite movies as well. There are several that I haven't seen this year like The Departed, the Prestige, etc. so this is out of ignorance.

1. Little Miss Sunshine

2. Stranger than Fiction

3. Thank You for Smoking

4. V for Vendetta

5. Talladega Nights

6. Superman Returns

7. Over the Hedge

Ok, i'm done with lists this year, i promise!

Top Ten Fiction Books Read This Year

1. The Brothers Karamazov By Fyodor Dostoevsky

The big mother of Russian Literature. This is without a doubt the greatest masterpiece of literature I have ever read. When you think as you are reading it that someone actually wrote all of this it baffles your mind. This is a must read once in your life so get cracking. I've got to admit though, it was a great feeling of accomplishment to finish this one!



2. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

Steinbeck's travels with his poodle Charlie are probably the most of Steinbeck's witty, clever personality that you will ever see. It's quite a contrast from his dust-bowl sadness writings and as much as I love Steinbeck a welcome change. This makes me want to take three months, drive the back roads of the country and see the real America.



3. The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene

The best way to describe this novel is dark. Greene can explain the darkness of the human heart like few others. If you are looking to see the reality of sin played out, read this one.





4. The Entire Harry Potter Series

As is typically the case, the movies suck compared to the books, big time! I decided to read this series over Christmas break and I am hooked. I'm getting close to done with the series and I can't tell you how bad I want to be at Hogwarts. If you are looking for pure entertainment, pick these up.







5. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Great Sci-Fi book about a boy who is trained to destroy humanities arch enemies, if they are enemies however is debatable. Fear of the unknown will make humans do some pretty crazy things. This book opens up a great discussion for ethics as well.





6. The Invisible Man/The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

A few classics that I have never read but felt like I should. Good stuff. Makes me realize that if I had one superpower I would second guess my typical desire to be invisible.






7. A Timbered Choir by Wendell Berry

Doesn't really fit in the fiction category as this is a book of poetry. A nice read of sabbatical poems from the Mad Farmer from Kentucky.







8. White Fang/Call of the Wild by Jack London

Another few classics I thought I should read. If you are intrigued by the rough Alaskan landscape and the harsh conditions for survival these are great. Very Darwinian in nature but shows the reality of life in this setting.






9. Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger

At the end of this I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. But I finally decided that I did. I guess it took me a while to get into the dialogue of the book and really hear it the way it was written but once I made the mental shift it was written tremendously and has some good philosophy mixed in. This is apparently Salinger trying to combine some Buddhism with Christianity. Interesting.





10. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Finally, the most talked about book of the last few years. Put aside that Dan Brown is a horrible historian and theologian, if you read this book for fun it's a quick thrill-ride that you will read in a couple of settings and enjoy. And yes, the movie sucked big time. Tom Hanks???

Top 5 Non-Fiction Books

I know, I know, this is getting ridiculous, but I can assure you that this is the second to last list for books! Tomorrow I will list my top 10 fiction books read this year and end it! And then of course we'll have to do movies and music. I tried to warn you that I love lists. It's how I process information! So here goes.

1. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Breathtaking account of an unexplained retreat from society on the part of a college student to try to survive the wild Alaskan frontier in the winter with no supplies. He didn't make it. This is a book examining his reasons for going and his reasons for dying. This is writing at it's best.

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2. Body Piercing Saved My Life by Andrew Beaujon
Spin magazine writer Andrew Beujon tries to figure out where Christian rock came from and discover what the Christian music culture is like. If you are at all interested in music and the history of the Christian music scene, this is a funny and interesting account which I believe was generously written. It could have been bad, but Andrew does what good rock journalists do, he hid his bias well!

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3. Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
I got on a Krakauer kick this year. This is his exploration of the true history of Mormonism. If only 10% of this book is true, it is frightening. I couldn't put this one down. After reading this it was extremely exciting to visit Temple Square this summer in Salt Lake City. Ask Kelli, i was like a little kid at Disneyland! All summer long I was joking about how I was going to catch Warren Jeffs!

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4. Pornified by Pamela Paul
Pamela Paul explores the effects of pornography on our society and describes ways in which our entire society has been "pornified". It was good to hear this through the lens of someone who is not objecting to pornography for religious reasons. It made me realize even more that pornography goes way beyond Christian objections, but is an evil in all facets of society.

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5. Me, Myself, and Bob by Phil Vischer
I'm not sure if this book has been released yet, but I wrote the back cover copy for it and really liked the book. I had no idea that Phil Vischer, the creator of Veggie Tales lost everything in the process. This is his story of what he learned through the whole ordeal and there are some very valuable and insightful lessons. And if you like Veggie Tales i'm sure you will love the book. I have never really even watched Veggie Tales and was intrigued with it throughout.

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Top 5 ministry books read this year...

1. Working the Angles by Eugene Peterson

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a pastor or who is thinking of being a pastor. It is a good reminder or a good foundation to what this calling of pastor is all about. Peterson explains how it is the things that we do that go unseen that make us a pastor. This also might be a wake-up call to all those who ever thought this book had something to do with working the angels! Let me assure you it has nothing to do with angels whatsoever!


2. Under the Unpredictable Plant by Eugene Peterson

Finishing a close second in the running is another book in this series. Using the story of Jonah Peterson talks about what vocational holiness means. I found this book extremely relevant. He speaks much of pastors who stick around for a few years at a church and then run off looking for greener pastures (the perfect church) never to find what they are looking for. And also those who are seduced by power and prestige which gets in the way of fulfilling God's mission.


3. Organic Church by Neil Cole

Neil Cole has been talking about Simple/House/Organic churches for years and practicing what he preaches. I think people have been waiting for him to write this book forever. If you have had a workshop with Neil Cole this information is probably not all this new to you but this is a good representation of what a simple church movement is all about.



4. Jesus of Suburbia by Mike Erre

I've already said a lot about this book already so I'll spare you. Basically the idea is that the Jesus of North American consumer Christianity is far removed from the true Jesus of Nazareth. It's a good contrast and helpful in thinking through how we worship and teach Jesus in the cultural setting we've been placed.



5. The Great Giveaway by David Fitch

I don't really know how to describe this book. I found the chapters on worship and preaching the most helpful and also challenging. If nothing else, you should read the chapter on preaching. He decries preachers who spend all their time giving their congregation more to-do lists and applications when the point of the sermon should be to get people to respond to God, not to have another 3 things to do during the week, every week.

Here's a quote I will leave you with:
"The applications of the sermons accumulate like an ever-growing stack of self-help books and tapes we can never hope to get to. After many months of this, because we cannot possibly put into practice all of the applications, preaching becomes nothing more than a scroll we wear on our foreheads that comforts us in the knowledge that we are the ones who are serious about studying Scripture."

"With narrative preaching, however, the preacher’s first job will not be to hand out more “to do” lists. Rather it is to unfurl the reality of who God is past, present, and future so that all men and women who would submit to live in that world would then be able to understand themselves, who they are, where they are going, and what they are to do in terms of Jesus Christ and his story."

So glad they remembered!

I wasn't sure I was going to get a digital e-card from Ed and Lisa this year but they surprised me once again!

Top 5 Books on Spirituality

It’s my favorite time of the year. Year-end list making time! To warm up I’m going to do my favorite books . But because I have nothing else to talk about I’m going to break it into four days. With my top-five books read this year in Spirituality, Ministry, and Non-fiction, and then do a top ten of fiction. I know most of you could care less what my favorite books are that I have read this year, but I’m more doing this for me, because it is entertaining, but I would love to hear some feedback as I post these from you as well and hear about what you have read. I would love to read your year end lists on your blog as well so let me know if you have made one! I will start with Spirituality. Let the madness begin!

Spirituality:

1. New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton
This could be one of my favorite books of all time. I know I will go back to it time and time again. Very simple yet profound. I have said this before but I feel a real connection to Thomas Merton and see him as one of my mentors from the grave. If you have not read anything from Merton, I would say this is one of his best.

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2. The Secret Message of Jesus by Brian Mclaren
Always controversial, but not near as controversial as the name implies, this is another solid book from Mclaren who never stops forcing me to think through ideas and thoughts for myself.

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3. Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer
This is a book that I know have impacted a ton of people’s lives which is why I read it. I read this at a crucial time when I was trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my life. It was helpful in terms of thinking through the idea of vocation.

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4. The Genesee Diary by Henri Nouwen
I have always been fascinated with the life inside a monastery and this book takes you on a six month excursion through the daily workings of the monastery as well as Nouwens’ reflections during his stay.

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5. Whistling in the Dark/Wishful Thinking by Frederick Buechner
These are pretty much just Buechner’s own dictionaries of theological and religious words but very insightful and laugh-out loud funny at times. I never thought I could have this much fun reading a dictionary!

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Tomorrow I will tackle ministry books.

John Calvin

Last night and this morning I've been reading Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion as something to compliment Harry Potter (i don't know what that means either). But in any case, i can't believe I haven't read this before. It's not near as long as I believed it to be, sure it's four books, but the books aren't as large as I would have supposed. The material is weighty but it's very readable and worth thinking through. I guess one of the reasons I've never read Calvin was because I've never been a Calvinist, but am just now realizing that if Calvin were alive, he probably wouldn't be a Calvinist either! At least, not in the way we think of it.

“My meaning is: we must be persuaded not only that as he once formed the world, so he sustains it by his boundless power, governs it by his wisdom, preserves it by his goodness, in particular, rules the human race with justice and Judgment, bears with them in mercy, shields them by his protection; but also that not a particle of light, or wisdom, or justice, or power, or rectitude, or genuine truth, will anywhere be found, which does not flow from him, and of which he is not the cause; in this way we must learn to expect and ask all things from him, and thankfully ascribe to him whatever we receive.” Book 1, Chapter 2:1

“For until men feel that they owe everything to God, that they are cherished by his paternal care, and that he is the author of all their blessings, so that nought is to be looked for away from him, they will never submit to him in voluntary obedience; nay, unless they place their entire happiness in him, they will never yield up their whole selves to him in truth and sincerity.” Book 1, Chapter 2:1

One Semester Down

Just one more class in about 20 minutes, one conversation with the professor that made me feel stupid last time to see if i can test out of Biblical Hermeneutics and take an advanced class, and one final on Wednesday and I'm all done! Feels good to have everything turned in. Such a freeing feeling, at least for a few weeks. Now there is only one thing on my mind....Harry Potter. I'm on book three and from what Kelli says this will be the best one thus far!

As for Portland today, holy crap, it's rainy and windy. I had to take the train and the bus to school today and even with an umbrella i'm soaked. My jeans are still wet from an hour ago and my socks are wet which I hate more than Florida and Ohio State playing for the championship.

But one thing I have to look forward to tonight is the Bears destroying the Rams tonight despite Rex Grossmans' ridiculously bad play. ESPN reported that Griese got about half of the snaps in practice this week, let's hope after a few turnover from Grossman which will probably happen in the first quarter, they give Griese a shot. Don't hear me wrong. I'm not saying Griese is extraordinary or will be able to turn it on like Romo has, he's Brian Griese for goodness sakes, but even if Griese does nothing offensively and just doesn't turn the ball over we would be in a better position!

Well, i'm going to go get some bad school coffee and finish off Pastoral Counseling. Speaking of, i haven't had an out of context quote from our professor for a while so here goes:

"Consistency is the hobgoblin of a small mind."

The Great Giveaway

"Why is it that pastors of large churches are more willing to build bigger buildings than empower a group of forty to fifty people to plant another living body of Christ? If indeed the facts are true that the greatest conversion growth occurs in churches when they grow from fifty to two hundred people, why is it that we insist on building bigger churches after they have reached one thousand? What does it say about our assumptions for church growth when we plant churches that already start with two hundred people?" -David Fitch

How to Prank a Telemarketer

http://howtoprankatelemarketer.ytmnd.com/

You've got to listen to this! Hilarious! Thanks Evergreen Forum, more specifically Aaron I think.

Eugene Peterson

I just read Eugene Peterson's "Under the Unpredictable Plant" and I can't say enough good things about it. I connect with what Peterson says in the same sort of way I connect with Nouwen or Merton. You can just tell that Peterson knows what he is talking about and there is depth behind it. I'm not sure there is another pastor/writer alive today that I have as much respect for. Anyway, if you have not read this book, or Working the Angles for that matter, you should pick them up. It is a very refreshing refocus on what it means to be a pastor.

Here are some quotes that stuck out. It is for these reasons particularly that I struggle with my profession. This is exactly what I don't want out of being a pastor.

“Why do we have such a difficult time keeping this focus? Why are we so easily distracted? Because we get asked to do a lot of things other than this, most of which seem useful and important. The world of religion generates a huge market for meeting all the needs that didn’t get met in the shopping mall. Pastors are conspicuous in this religious marketplace and are expected to come up with the products that give customer satisfaction. Since the needs seem legitimate enough, we easily slip into the routines of merchandising moral advice and religious comfort. Before long we find that we are program directors in a flourishing business. We spend our time figuring out ways to attractively display god-products. We become skilled at pleasing the customers. Before we realize what has happened, the mystery and love and majesty of god, to say nothing of the tender and delicate subtleties of souls, are obliterated by the noise and frenzy of the religious marketplace.”

"Propogandists are abroad in the land lying to us about what congregations are and can be. They are lying for money. They want to make us discontent with what we are doing so we will buy a solution from them that they promise will restore virility to our impotent congregations. The profit-taking among those who market these spiritual monkey glands indicates that pastoral gullibility in these matters is endless."

"North American religion is basically a consumer religion. Americans see God as a product that will help them to live well, or to live better. Having see that, they do what consumers do, shop for the best deal. Pastors, hardly realizing what we are doing, start making deals, packaging the God-product so that people will be attracted to it and then presenting it in ways that will beat out the competition. Religion has never been so taken up with public relations, image building, salesmanship, marketing techniques, and the competitive spirit."

"My pastor-crisis was concurrent. In the course of organizing a new congregation in the suburbs, I felt pressure to get a lot of people together as quickly as possible in such a way that they would provide financial resources to build an adequate sanctuary for the worship of God. I found that gathering a religious crowd was pretty easy, provided I didn’t get too involved with God. My ecclesiastical superiors sent me to workshops that showed me how to do it. I observed the success of other pastors who did it. Religious consumers are like all other consumers, easily attracted by packaging and bargains. But I also knew that to follow this route I would have to abandon the very thing that gave the life of a pastor its worth: a passion for God."

How do we fight consumerism in the church? I think this is one of the worst consequences of the "seeker" church. We've catered to consumerism to where we can't even separate ourselves from it. We have given people what they want and didn't think about what they need. Is there a way where we can truly become counter-cultural in the sense that we fight against consumerism in all it's ugly forms in the church instead of just continually giving into it because that's what draws the largest crowd? Is that even possible anymore?

Another week, another failure for Grossman

Grossman, you officially suck. 7 games, 20 turnovers. You should be a third string quarterback on the Lions.

Despite today's numbers, the Bears somehow pulled off a win again today. But, it's no question with Grossman playing like this, they don't have a chance in the playoffs. That's too bad.

Today's numbers:
6/19 - Comp.
34 - Yds.
1.8 - Avg.
0 - TD
3 - INT

Harry Potter Madness Month!

I'm obviously a little behind the times since I am just starting to read the Harry Potter series, but nonetheless in the month of December (and maybe some of January) I am trying to read all 6 of the books to catch me up in the series. This all started at the prompting of my wife Kelli who LOVES the books. I have really enjoyed the movies but remember very little about them so it is an excellent time to read the books. I just finished the first book today The Sorcerer's Stone and absolutely loved it. This truly is a fantastic book. It's clever, it's funny, it's suspenseful. And it's a good break from the heavy reading of Seminary! I can't wait to start the second one!

My favorite quote of this book comes from Dumbledore who anyone would be thrilled to have as their teacher when speaking of the stone which could create the elixir of life that would cause you to live forever. He said, "You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all-the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."

True enough Dumbledore.