back that thing up

Ok so I hurt my back with the strength of a thousand suns. I have been stuck laying on our living room floor due to what I hope are just muscle spasms for about 5 days now. This has been present for about 4 months now, but this last week has been the pinnacle. I have had to ride in the car a couple of times which has been the most painful times of my life, and when I walk with my new cane every step has been bad news. Plus i cannot sit down. ( I am going to the doctor) all that to set up the fact that I have been left to sit and ponder between dr. phil and I love th 80's strikes back. It is humbling and also an electrifying thought that the ministry that I have been placed in has little to do with me. Realizing that God gives us talents and gifts and uses us in ways we could never imagine is important, necessary, and awesome. Even better is being reminded that is not me on my own, but rather God working with and through me. He is made perfect in my weakness. I have been made more aware of this this week as well as have begun to really become more aware of the how the body of Christ works. which will have to be discussed later.

Anyways, God works through us and it is awesome when it happens.

Blog: 2 mo. Evaluation

OK, so I have a blog. I still feel like it is very much like a diary. I am on the fence at how much I like posting things. It is good because it makes me communicate things more simply, and cause me to think more critically. I actually enjoy checking out what everybody else's blog say more than checking my own. I have one friend who thows up a ton of long posts with long words that are his thought process. I have another friend who uses it exactly like a diary. I have another friend who now and again puts up short simple statements that challenge his immediate churchn or The Church.

The best part about it is the responses, its like when you are listening to talk radio and Jo-Bob calls up and wants to talk about them thar Politics. Half the time I don't know who is responding but it usually seem to miss the point. ( myself included)

THe friend with the long posts usually has something profound such as ( possible example, I wonder Theologically how the church has gotten lost in externality when we are called to focus on Discipleship) ( again not a real example..) and the responses will be like... "whoo woo, discipleship rocks" or "I have a puppy." or I will say... "Your mom gets lost". All who joined me in the response are winners.

THen diary guy gets responses that are more like e-mails that are harder to check... " what's man, great to hear about your rash clearing up. Hope to hear from you soon." good times, glad we get to join in.

THen the challenger will say something like, "Why does the church care more about the pledge than the orfan on the street within a mile from where they currently are. ( a bit dramatic to make a point) To which the responses start flowing in. You can see the fury in the people's responses. THey definitely tensed up and breathed heavy while finding the best group of words to defend their cause, and often times focus on only a part of the idea. THe see pledge and" !!Pledge! we have sadi under God since 1776 ( not knowing the pledge was written in 1892 and changed 3 times the final change occuring in 1954 with the adding of the words... "under God".) they would talk about their side for keeping the phrase and then a large side discussion will flow out and people will argue over the seperation of church and state. All the while the point of the post was missed, but an awesome and passionate war of words over nothing. Its a good thing my brother doesn't get on there, (if you are on here, the other brother).

THose are the best blogs. I am going to start coming up with and posting great argumentative statements. Like, " the Browns suck", and "Leno is better" and "I went to see brokeback mountain." and "you don't need to be baptized, because you were pre-destined, so what difference does it make?"

If you have any ideas for discussion now is the time to enter them...

tommy like wingy

Two down...

So my parents have some new children. 5 was not enough so they have two more. THe boy is Donnie, the girl is Tori. THey are good times and very smiley and cute, or the more masculine equivalent.

It is interesting to be a part of adopting children. I get to see first hand the need. It is hard to think that Donnie and Tori could be in a place that they wouldn't smile as much and wouldn't get professional photos of them in unnatural poses, as Donnie would never sit as shown. And to think they would have been neglected, underfed exposed to drugs etc. . And this happens in America, it is a shame. THe more I think about it, the more I realize how much Christians, or the church fails at truly helping.

Super!

NOw that we have hoisted a certaint silver football for the fifth time, we can call ourselves champions again. Go Steelers! a great team game, nobody did awesome, but the whole team was good enough for victory. Awesome. Farewell to the bus. Hip-hip... horay....hip-hip....horay!

Wish Granted

so I have been trying to eat more healthy and work out more. I used to be quite fit for a thick dude. But after like 23 years of eating way more than several people, my metabolism basically packed up and left. I am finally pretty motivated to work out which in turn helps my eating. I have been drinking alot of v8,(I chug it fast and wash it down with Iced tea so its like it never happened) that was until last week...

So Julie and I found ourselves at Quaker Steak and Lube...

single order, double order, compact bucket (50% more wings), I had to do the compact bucket. I tried two new flavors to me. I am pretty old school only ever getting hot and ranch, so this was a big day. Arizona Ranch and Suicide Barbecue now haunt my dreams with their temptation. THe wings are bigger than I remember, also more tastey all around. they make all hopes of eating well seem bad. If only there could be a marriage. A chicken wing that was holistically good for you. iT had no extra fat. Somehow through the advances in modern science, the yummy Barbecue sauce was made not with sugar and brown sugar, but rather broccoli and carrots, but still tasted awesome. And the ranch I dip them in...it too was simply more healthiness. If only...

I guess everything that is bad for us has some pleaseurable aspect. I could say that about anything... I wish cigerettes were good for you, they not only make you look cool, they sweeten your breathe and help your heart. Drugs, aside from making you feel funny and see things, they make you smarter and help make you a more responsible person. Chicken wings aren't a sin, but it seems like a good sermon illustration on deception....

Missed Opportunity

You ever know full well you missed an opportunity. It is awesome how, as a Christian, I can know the right things to do. I, more often than not, choose not to do them. In this culture, specifically in ministry, in this culture, I do not get to interact with people not like me very often. If I am being brutally honest, no one does here. We have our nice, Christian, conservative bubble. Not all that many in, and definitely not all that many out. THis is not across the board, but I am sad that I so easily return to the bubble. Donald Miller talks about this idea in " Blue Like Jazz."

Last night I taught a class on " how to be sure of your faith". Basically, the idea was that CHrist gives us assurance through the cross, which is testified to us through the Word, which is made alive to us through the Spirit. BUt I ended the class with a look at Galations 5. The fruit of the Spirit, versus the fruit of the sinful nature. THe idea being that when we act ( emphasison our action) on the prodding of the spirit these fruits become more and more evident in our lives. THe effect is that these come down to us loving those around us with Christ-like love. Great! We all left feeling motivated to love others.

I stopped at a gas station on the way home, and upon returning from paying the bill a man approached me and asked for money for the bus. I didn't have cash to give him, but I did have a car, an ATM machine within fifty feet, and time. My first reaction, as we all have is... you'll just go buy beer...sinner. THe second one was, I could help but I don't have time, I want to catch the end of a show. ...For Real? A show made it inconveient? Has it really come to this, my time being wasted inside this bubble that doesn't recognize anyone outside of those in my church circle?

Is anything more important than an opportunity to touch the heart of someone who may need Jesus? Needless to say, I was convicted. Whether that was truly a chance to minister or a chance for me to fail, I would definitely like to be the guy that answers the call when it is inconvenient.

.

New Musack

SO I am currently working on writing some music. My job necessitates me to arrange music every week, but I am trying put some energy into writing some stuff on my own. HOpefully, by telling some folks, I will be motivated enough to fight through my own particularity and finish some songs. I have felt for a time that I should do some writing, but have not done it yet.

THe hardest part for me is to write something that doesn't add to the noise, but will evoke emotions that spur others to faith in CHrist or encourage the beliver's heart to worship not just with their lips but with their whole heart or ,better said, "life."

THat makes me nervous, we'll see how it goes.

Here we go

I needn't say anything about the super bowl, we know its coming and we know who the most awesome team is, so here we go.