Obama Adresses Congress.

first press conference (2.9.09).

"Mr. Vice President, go to your room."

oath.

history.

Part 2:

Via 'Obama Speech'

FUN GAME!

This is a fun game!

Barack Obama Nomination Acceptance 1

Barack Obama Nomination Acceptance 2

Saddleback Civil Forum pt1

Saddleback Civil Forum pt2

Saddleback Civil Forum pt3

Saddleback Civil Forum pt4

finding shelter under the RIGHT WING of the Lord

Why is it that Christians seem to flock to the Republican party? I understand the "abortion" issue, but there are also a number of BAD things the Repubs stand for...or DON'T stand for!

Have you noticed that Liberals don't have a problem with killing babies, but firmly reject capital punishment, while the Repubs hate abortion, but have no problem executing people "who deserve it." Don't we ALL deserve death? I mean the whole "wages of sin is death" thing has cursed all of us...but that's where Jesus comes into the mix. So, for a group of people who are so into electrocuting people, and injecitng posion into veins, maybe they should remember where we all come from and what is possible from our very nature.

I know there is no solution, and that politics and faith mix together like heat and ice cream, but for crying out loud, how about we all just focus on people...helping them, caring for them, teaching them, and LOVING them.

WWJD? He would simply love people by thought AND action.

"Paging Dr Schrute..."

So I have some weird virus that I picked up from Elle. The symptoms are really fun - achy muscles, 102+ fever, and headaches. Tricia insisted I go to the clinic and see whats up. We went as usual to the hospital but had to go to the clinic since its Saturday. The nurse did the typical tests. Then the doctor walked in an Tricia and I locked eyes. MY DOCTOR WAS DWIGHT SCHRUTE!!!! So, even though I was miserable and sweating, the trip was all worth it! Moral of the story: always go to the doctor because you never know when someone from "the office" will make you feel uncomfortable in a way that only doctors can.

TBN breaks my heart.

TBN generates $170 million in revenue annually, with two-thirds coming from viewer contributions and one-third coming from other televangelists' payments for running their programming. Its $120 million donation revenue is larger than any other television ministry. It has posted average annual surpluses since 1997 of about $60 million. It holds two week-long fundraising telethons per year, as well as numerous other solicitation drives. It maintains a direct mail database of 1.2 million names. As of 2002, it boasted $583 million in assets, including $238 million in government-backed securities and $31 million in cash. Also among its assets are a $7.2 million Canadair Turbojet and thirty houses in California, Texas and Ohio with values ranging up to $8 million. The elder Crouchs and their son Paul Jr. earn an estimated combined annual income of $850,000. In September 2004 the Los Angeles Times characterized their personal lifestyle as a "life of luxury." The network reports that during the first twenty years of the network's operation, Paul and Jan were paid roughly one-tenth their current income, with the amounts rising in the past ten years as they approached retirement.

The network has attracted criticism for its continuous fundraising activities, including a "prosperity gospel," an offshoot of the Word of faith doctrine that appears to promise donors, including impecunious ones, that God will make them rich as long as they have faith and give to TBN. Paul Crouch has made statements to his viewers such as, "Have you got something that you have been praying about ten, fifteen, twenty years? You have been praying for it and haven't gotten it...," and that people haven't recieved it because they haven't given their ten percent. During a 1997 program, he conversely said, "If you have been healed or saved or blessed through TBN and have not contributed...you are robbing God and will lose your reward in heaven." The network reports that seventy percent of its donations are in amounts under fifty dollars. Some viewers consider Crouch's prosperity as a positive demonstration of the success of their prosperity gospel message. A group of critical Christians has banded together to attempt to jam the TBN phones during its telethons as a protest against its fundraising, which the group's organizer, a retired pastor, likens to robbery.

The network cancelled its November 2004 "Praise-a-thon" fundraising telethon in favor of showing forty hours of reruns from past telethons. Network officials blamed the cancellation mostly on health concerns for both Paul and Jan Crouch, the latter of whom had gall badder surgery at the time. The Associated Press reported those officials also noted, however, that the cancellation would take pressure off other religious figures who would have appeared on the live telethon, in the wake of recent revelations that Paul Crouch paid $425,000 in 1998 to a male former employee to keep him quiet about claims of a homosexual tryst with Crouch, and the AP also cited the recent newspaper reports about the Crouchs' "lavish lifestyle" as well as ongoing rumors of marital strife between Paul Sr. and Jan. Paul Crouch Jr. voiced his belief that other ministries were concerned "they are going to be next on the hit list." R. Marie Griffith, a Princeton University scholar studying evangelical Christianity and the media, said that "to take the live broadcasting off...suggests...the chaos" at TBN.

Because of the network's focus on the Word of faith and other doctrine, some conservative Christian critics have labelled it "The Blasphemy Network."

from http://www.heartheissues.com/tvnetworks-tbn.html

L

This is a new love. I already knew the love of family. I discovered the love of film and music. I entered into love with my wife. But, this new love is...well...new. I can't define it. I can't understand it. I can't contain it. Its a protective love. Its a pure love. Its an unconditional love. And, this love is so frightening.

I greet this love every morning with a little kiss and a hug. She is sleeping in her little bed surrounded by stuffed animals and a 30-year-old blanket. Her belly is usually sticking out of her PJs, and her hair would put Don King to shame. There is such an innocence to her. She doesn't dream about death, and finances, and losing hope. She dreams about Finding Nemo, our dog Ollie, and playing with her little daycare friends. She doesn't have to be anywhere. She has no bills to pay. She won't face heartbreak today. She won't worry about gas prices. All she cares about is waking up and seeing Mommy and Daddy.

This love is different. I love my wife, and I care for her, but I don't have to feel protective because she is her own person and has her own life. My little creature, however, is all mine. She needs me. She relies on me. If I am not there, she won't be OK.

Sometimes while rocking her to sleep, I just have to stare at her. I am so grateful. I am humbled. I am reminded of how the Lord loves me because in my imperfect and flawed love, I would die for my little girl. But the Lord's love is everlasting and complete. So His love must be something special.

Ah summer...

I am one of those rare people who do NOT like summer. I hate heat. I hate bugs. I hate mowing the lawn. I hate the sun (because I am a pasty-white redhead and the sun is typically unfriendly to my skin). I hate getting into my hot car, sleeping my hot house, and just being out in the cursed hot sun (queue Eddie Vedder).

I curse you, summer!

Jesus tomb film scholars backtrack

by Etgar Lefkovits from jpost.com

Several prominent scholars who were interviewed in a bitterly contested documentary that suggests that Jesus and his family members were buried in a nondescript ancient Jerusalem burial cave have now revised their conclusions, including the statistician who claimed that the odds were 600:1 in favor of the tomb being the family burial cave of Jesus of Nazareth, a new study on the fallout from the popular documentary shows.

The dramatic clarifications, compiled by epigrapher Stephen Pfann of the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem in a paper titled "Cracks in the Foundation: How the Lost Tomb of Jesus story is losing its scholarly support," come two months after the screening of The Lost Tomb of Christ that attracted widespread public interest, despite the concomitant scholarly ridicule.

The film, made by Oscar-winning director James Cameron and Emmy-winning Canadian filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici, prompted major criticism from both a leading Israeli archeologist involved in the original dig at the site as well as Christian leaders, who were angered over the documentary's contradictions of main tenets of Christianity.

But now, even some of the scholars who were interviewed for and appeared in the film are questioning some of its basic claims.

The most startling change of opinion featured in the 16-page paper is that of University of Toronto statistician Professor Andrey Feuerverger, who stated those 600 to one odds in the film. Feuerverger now says that these referred to the probability of a cluster of such names appearing together.

Pfann's paper reported that a statement on the Discovery Channel's Web site, which previously read "a statistical study commissioned by the broadcasters...concludes that the probability factor is 600 to 1 in favor of this being the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth and his family," in keeping with Feuerverger's statement, has been altered and now reads, "a statistical study commissioned by the broadcasters... concludes that the probability factor is in the order of 600 to 1 that an equally 'surprising' cluster of names would arise purely by chance under given assumptions."

Another sentence on the same Web site stating that Feuerverger had concluded it was highly probable that the tomb, located in the southeastern residential Jerusalem neighborhood of Talpiot, was the Jesus family tomb - the central point of the film - has also been changed. It now reads: "It is unlikely that an equally surprising cluster of names would have arisen by chance under purely random sampling."

Israeli archeologists have said that the similarity of the names found inscribed on the ossuaries in the cave to the members of Jesus's family was coincidental, since many of those names were commonplace in the first century CE.

The film argues that 10 ancient ossuaries - burial boxes used to store bones - that were discovered in Talpiot in 1980 contained the bones of Jesus and his family. The filmmakers attempt to explain some of the inscriptions on the ossuaries by suggesting that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, and that the couple had a son, Judah.

One of the ossuaries bears an inscription reading "Yeshua son of Yehosef" or "Jesus son of Joseph;" a second reads "Mary;" a third is a Greek inscription apparently read by one scholar as "Mary Magdalene;" while a fourth bears the inscription, "Judah, son of Jesus." The inscriptions are in Hebrew or Aramaic, except for the one in Greek.

But Shimon Gibson, who was part of the team that excavated the tomb two and half decades ago and who appeared in the film, is quoted in Pfann's report as saying he doubted the site was the tomb of Jesus and his family.

"Personally, I'm skeptical that this is the tomb of Jesus and I made this point very clear to the filmmakers," Gibson is quoted as saying.

"We need much more evidence before we can say that the Talpiot tomb might be the family tomb of Jesus," he added.

In the film, renowned epigrapher Prof. Frank Moore Cross, professor emeritus of Hebrew and oriental languages at Harvard University, is seen reading one of the ossuaries and stating that he has "no real doubt" that it reads "Jesus son of Joseph." But according to Pfann, Cross said in an e-mail that he was skeptical about the film's claims, not because of a misreading of the ossuary, but because of the ubiquity of Biblical names in that period in Jerusalem.

"It has been reckoned that 25 percent of feminine names in this period were Maria/Miriam, etc. - that is, variants of 'Mary.' So the cited statistics are unpersuasive. You know the saying: lies, damned lies, and statistics," Cross is quoted as saying.

The paper also notes that DNA scientist Dr. Carney Matheson, who supervised DNA testing carried out for the film from the supposed Jesus and Mary Magdalene ossuaries, and who said in the documentary that "these two individuals, if they were unrelated, would most likely be husband and wife," later said that "the only conclusions we made were that these two sets were not maternally related. To me, it sounds like absolutely nothing."

Furthermore, Pfann also says that a specialist in ancient apocryphal text, Professor Francois Bovon, who is quoted in the film as saying the enigmatic ossuary inscription "Mariamne" is the same woman known as Mary Magdalene - one of the filmmakers' critical arguments - issued a disclaimer stating that he did not believe that "Mariamne" stood for Mary of Magdalene at all.

Pfann has already argued that the controversial inscription does not read "Mariamne" at all.

The burial site, which has been contested from the start by scholars and church officials alike, is some distance from the Church of the Holy Sepulchrr in the Old City, where many Christians believe Jesus's body lay for three days after he was crucified.

According to the New Testament, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion, and an ossuary containing Jesus's bones - the explanations of the movie director notwithstanding - would contradict the core Christian belief that he was resurrected and then ascended to heaven.

jesus, the treasure of scripture.

This is from a George Whitefield sermon, "The Duty of Searching the Scriptures"

Have Christ, then, always in view when you are reading the word of God, and this, like the star in the east, will guide you to the Messiah, will serve as a key to every thing that is obscure, and unlock to you the wisdom and riches of all the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

I have to believe that a Christocentric life is the goal. All of scripture points to Jesus. All the answers are found in Jesus. All hope is contained within his death and resurrection. All love begins with Him.

Jesus. His name is beautiful.

the church.

"the church"

i have come with one purpose
to capture for myself a bride
by my life she is lovely
by my death she’s justified

i have always been her husband
though many lovers she has known
so with water i will wash her
and by my word alone

so when you hear the sound of the water
you will know you’re not alone

‘cause i haven’t come for only you but for my people to pursue you cannot care for me with no regard for her if you love me you will love the church

i have long pursued her
as a harlot and a whore
but she will feast upon me
she will drink and thirst no more

so when you taste my flesh and my blood
you will know you’re not alone

‘cause i haven’t come for only you but for my people to pursue you cannot care for me with no regard for her if you love me you will love the church

there is none that can replace her
though there are many who will try
and though some may be her bridesmaids
they can never be my bride

‘cause i haven’t come for only you but for my people to pursue
you cannot care for me with no regard for her if you love me you will love the church

-Derek Webb "the church"

the Discovery Channel Jesus tomb documentary.

Ben Witherington has an excellent commentary on the show here. Check it out!!

i pledge my head to heaven.

Well, I pledge my head to heaven for the Gospel,
And I ask no man on Earth to fill my needs.
Like the sparrow up above, I am enveloped in His love,
And I trust Him like those little ones, He feeds.

Well I pledge my wife to heaven, for the Gospel,
Though our love each passing day just seems to grow.
As I told her when we wed, I'd surely rather be found dead,
Than to love her more than the one who saved my soul.

I'm your child, and I want to be in your family forever.
I'm your child, and I'm going to follow you,
No matter whatever the cost, I'm gonna count all things lost.

Well I pledge my son to heaven for the gospel.
Though he's kicked and beaten, ridiculed and scorn.
I will teach him to rejoice, and life a thankful praising voice,
And to be like Him who bore the nails and crown of thorns.

I'm your child, and I want to be in your family forever.
I'm your child, and I'm going to follow you,
No matter whatever the cost, I'm gonna count all things lost.
Oh no matter whatever the cost, I'm gonna count all things lost.
Well I've had the chance to gain the world, and to live just like a king,
But without your love, it doesn't mean a thing.

Oh no matter whatever the cost, I'm gonna count all things lost,
Oh no matter whatever the cost, I'm gonna count all things lost.
Well I pledge my son, I pledge my wife, I pledge my head to heaven,
I pledge my son, I pledge my wife, I pledge my head to heaven, for the gospel.

- Keith Green

genuine.

I want to be like Jesus. I want to. But can I? How am I supposed to know what being a true believer really means in America? The older I get, the more I wonder if tradition has taken the place of truth. We make such a big deal out of going to church and wearing a suit and tie and singing a few songs before we gorge ourselves at the buffet downtown. But, then when it comes to the nitty-gritty ugly parts of Christianity, we all fall so short. There is such an importance placed on "appearing" like a Christian. Christian t-shirts, Christian bumper stickers, Christian magazine, Christian channels, Christian bookstores, Christian day care, Christian amusement parks, Christian coffee houses, Christian music. If there is so much CHRISTIAN in America, then why are there so many hurting people? Should America be free from sadness, free from poverty, free from sickness, and free from depression...that is if we are a nation of "Christians?"

Does Jesus honestly care about what I wear to church. Does He honestly care if I listen to secular music? Does Jesus really care if I drink alcohol? Or is He more concerned with the way I care about the hurting? Or does He care more about the way I help the poor and the widow. Isn't He more concerned with the way I control my tongue when I want to gossip about someone? I wonder how many of the "rules" that Christians have are from the Lord and how many are simply from tradition. It's as if we place so much importance on trivial things and no where near enough on Biblical guidelines.

So how am I supposed to know how to live like Jesus? I certainly can't get my wisdom from the television. If I watch religious TV, I'll see an elderly woman dressing like a prostitute. If I watch religious TV, I'll hear an emphasis on giving money and how that will in turn make the Lord give you more money. If I watch religious TV I'll see people distorting the Gospel. But, sadly, what I will NOT see on religious TV is how to come to know Jesus. I will NOT hear anything about coping with the loss of a loved one, or dealing with my unbelief, or caring about third-world children with AIDS, or being kind to the guy who treats you like crap, or trusting Jesus when everything in the world makes you want to give up.

Where do I turn? I think I turn to the Bible, but sometimes its hard to read. Sometimes its hard to understand. Sometimes its boring (why does the Lord want me to read Leviticus?). I WANT to love Jesus. I WANT to follow Him. I WANT to tell other people about His plan. I WANT to die to myself everyday...but how do I do it genuinely?

leadership.

the W.E.D. way

There was nothing special about his beginning. Small town...small means...but large ambition.

I can't quite figure out why I am so fascinated with Walt Disney. It's been something that goes back as far as I can remember. I used to watch the Disney Channel when I was a kid and stay up late just to watch the old clips of Walt introducing cartoons and his TrueLife Adventures.

I suppose I can thank my Mom for a lot of the fascination. I grew up with Mickey Mouse cartoons and stuffed animals. My first trip to Disneyland was when I was 6. Event then, the concept of magic and wonder was evident. I later went to Walt Disney World when I was 9, then again when I was 12.

My first trip to EPCOT really sticks out in my mind. There moments when I felt as though I would grow up overnight while there. The attractions made a kid like me feel like the world was massive and the future was just as big.

I began to really read about Walt after my Walt Disney World honeymoon. I found a book by Bob Thomas and just tore it apart. I loved it! It was so amazing to read about this guy who failed several times, but always let his belief in the imagination and the possibilities of the future guide his ambition.

I wish I could be more like Walt. He had a goal and he achieved it. He wanted to be an animator...now we have animation as an Oscar category (Beauty and the Beast was actually nominated for Best Picture before the animation category). He wanted to build a small park for he and his daughters to enjoy together...now we have Disneyland. He wanted to explore the possibilities of a vast amount of land and creativity...now we have Walt Disney World. He was - IS amazing! I wish I could have met him. I wish I could just spend a day with him and ask him question after question. But at least he left his legacy for me to enjoy and like him, enjoy with my little girl.

teddy roosevelt

I wish I was like Teddy Roosevelt. He was a man. The guy endured the death of his wife and mother on the same day. He joined the ARMY after a war with Spain had already begun and created the (appropriately titled) Rough Riders to do some serious damage to the enemy. This lion-hearted man was a ferocious competitor and politician. I am envious, not only of his deteremination and strength, but also of his character.

Roosevelt was a family man. Like his father, he was gentle. He was kind. He spent time with his kids. He did the things that make sons and daughters proud of their dad. He told ghost stories and swam in rivers in the frigid cold. Roosevelt loved his family.

Teddy loved his country. He spent much of his presidency trying to make the workplace safe and creating legislation that ensured companies were behaving themselves. He looked out for the little guy while giving the big guys what they deserved.

Austin: the series

Seriously, am I on a reality show? Wasn't there a movie about that...Truman Show...EdTV. I can't be real. I can't really be who I am. Sometimes I surprise myself by the things I say, the things I do, the things I DON'T do. It all either must be a new stupid reality show or some kind of cosmic practical joke.

Are my friends just actors? Are my family member paid to love me...because I can't imagine someone loving me on purpose. I hope millions of people aren't watching me because then they know who I am...the guy who has secrets, who keeps things to himself, who fails every day, who makes choices that hurt other people, who almost never shares his faith.

I wonder if things would change if I knew I was on TV. I bet I would be a much better person knowing that millions of people were watching my every move. I'd work out everyday, and I'd say cool things like, "catch you on the flipside" in random conversation, There would probably be a better storyline too. Cars would be chasing me, men with eye patches would be trying to kill me and I would do a lot of martial arts while flying through air and shooting people.

I wonder if I would hear my own soundtrack? I hope John Williams is available. Would it be stealing if the Indiana Jones theme played behind me as I did mundane things. I can just hear that song playing as I check my email, or as I let the dog out, or change a diaper, or watch Survivor, or type a stupid post on my blog, or decide which boxers to wear in the morning. But then, when I kissed me wife, the music would change to something much more romantic. Something like the "Luke looking at the two moon of Tattooine" song from Star Wars...that would be great!

Larry Bird highlights!

Mr. Brent is back!

my favorite place on earth.

i love the monorail!

No no no, please no.

Shia LaBeouf in Indiana Jones 4?

Source: Ain't It Cool News

February 18, 2007

Ain't It Cool News is reporting a rumor that Disturbia and Transformers star Shia LaBeouf might play the role of Indiana Jones' son in the fourth installment:

The thing is, we know Spielberg loves La Beouf right now. DISTURBIA became a pet project for The Beard, and it evidently came out well. TRANSFORMERS is a big deal for the company, and a lot of the weight of that falls squarely on the shoulders of Shia. So as much as I pray that there's no Indy Jr., I’m starting to think that this may in fact be true.

The fourth film

Psalm 121- A Pilgrim's Song

I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God,
who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

He won't let you stumble,
your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
Not on your life!
Israel's guardian will never doze or sleep.

God's your Guardian,
right at your side to protect you—
Shielding you from sunstroke,
sheltering you from moonstroke.

God guards you from every evil,
he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
he guards you now, he guards you always.

The memories are better than the moment.

Tumultuous pinprick, screech of airplane tires.
Cash in hand, heart in the vault

I see you from 35,000 feet
But I can't feel you from an inch.

Here there is no shelter.
Here there is no warmth.

The memories are better than the moment.
This frailty is suffocating.

I cart my heart in a briefcase
I tattoo your name with an inkpen
I photocopy your picture so I don't forget
I love you...at the moment

Money is time and time goes fast.
We can make it fun, but I doubt it will last.

God, help us.

doxology.

My heroes are slowly fading away.

older

When I was a kid, everything seemed huge and neverending. It seemed to take days to travel to a town 20 miles away. My Dad was the tallest man alive (and strongest). It seemed like my 16th birthday would never get here and I would never be able to drive. The world was massive and my life was just beginning. I can remember going to EPCOT at Walt Disney World when I was a kid and thinking that I would be a scientist one day who made cool experiments...the kind that EPCOT would show off. I remember thinking that my life was going to be that of a rock star. I would be famous, and I would be happy.

But that was my youth.

Here I am 29 years removed from the safety of the womb and my umbilical cord, set adrift in the scary open sea of independence. I have a wife, a child, a house, a dog, a job, and debt. But I am strangely happy. I'm not a rock star. I have no scientific research on display at EPCOT. I am not famous (to the world). But I am at ease.

But there is still regret and sadness.

The people I love are getting older. Family members are dying. Joints are getting arthritis. Stamina is reducing. Heroes are retiring. It's bizarre, but its something that everyone must endure. Sadly, it's only going to get worse, and I guess the trick is to learn to deal with it before it nails you to a tree. No, I don't want to get older. No, I don't want to lose family members. No, I don't want things to change. I want to go back and do it all over again and change a bunch of things.

Like what?

More time with family doing silly things.
More time reading the Bible.
More time appreciating the sky on a summer evening.
More ice cream.
Less time in front of the television.
More time holding my little girl.
More time emphasizing the good things in life instead of the bad.
More time laughing with my wife instead of causing her grief.
More time playing music with friends.
Less emphasis on the mundane, and more on the enjoyable.

I would just be a better person and do more to steer people to Jesus.

Christian Bumper Stickers Should Be Burned

Here are a few stupid Christian Bumper Stickers...followed by my commentary

1) It’s hard to stumble when you’re on your knees. (Yes, but its easy to clean the toilets)
2) Make your eternal reservations now – ’smoking’ or ‘non-smoking’? (Don't worry about Jesus...just whether or not you smoke)
3) As sure as God puts his children in the furnace, He will be in the furnace with them. (For someone who doesn't know the story of the 3 Hebrew children...God seems like the witch from Hansel and Gretel.
4) God allows “U Turns"! (but NO DOUBLE PARKING!)
5) In the sentence of life, the Devil may be a comma but DO NOT LET him be the PERIOD! (Yes, men and women alike hate the period!)
6) Walmart isn’t the only saving place! (That's right, don't forget BigLots)
7) But St. Peter– what about my civil rights? (Is this reality or the premise for a sitcom?)
8) WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning! (MAY prevent burning?)
9) Plenty of folks give the Lord credit– few give Him cash! (Well, thats because I get 2% cashback on my card)
10) Good old knee-ology is as good as some theology.(Ya, who dun needs that edjumucation? I just git me some religin and boy howdy, I'm set!!)
11) God made round faces; man makes ‘em long. (OH SNAPS! Take that John Kerry)
12) For all you do, His blood’s for you! (There is nothing more special than relating Jesus' blood to a beer slogan)
13) Be ye fishers of men. You catch them – He will clean them. (God will skin and gut us?)
14) Jesus is returning…resistance is futile (God is the Borg?)
15) My boss is a Jewish carpenter. (Well, mine is a grey-haired American...)
16) Y2K= Yield to the King. (Wow...what was everyone so worried about?)
17) Jesus is my ROCK ‘N I’m on His ROLL. (I have a HIP, and Jesus makes me HOP. I live in the COUNTRY, on the WESTERN side of town. Jesus gives me RYTHYM and I sing the BLUES))
18) Want to avoid burning? Use “Son” block. (Ooooooooh, SPF 777?)
19) Who lit the fuse for the ‘Big Bang’? (I did...SURPRISE!!)
20) You don’t have to dial STAR345 to talk to Jesus. (Jesus carries a cell?)
21) Fear knocked. Faith answered. No one was there. (Fear left a note. It said, "Hi, I came By But there was No Answer. Faith read the note and felt bad. Fear got in his car and drove through White Castle. Faith went back to watching Fear Factor.)
22) The prodigal son was having a bad ‘heir’ day! (Maybe we should read how the story ends???)
23) Remember the banana– when it left the bunch it got skinned. (MY GOD IN HEAVEN!!)
24) May your teenage head banger meet The Ageless Heart Knocker! (No teenager can hear "Knocker" without giggling.)


Ya, these are dumb.

Vaccine.

Listening to the news, it seems DoomsDay is on the way with this Bird Flu that is coming. But, we've heard it all before - just 5 years ago. The entire world was obsessed with Y2K. BUT...the difference here isn't a matter of reprogramming, its a matter of a vaccine.
Will we be ready. Will we have the vaccine ready for mass distribution in time to save the earth's inhabitants? Who knows? What I do know is that in life there is a vaccine that is driving me NUTS and is doing more to hurt the host than to help it.
Essentially, what a vaccine does is give the host just enough of itself to fight off a larger, more substantial version. OK...the vaccine I am talking about that is driving me nuts is touch-and-go Christianity. Here are a few examples:

1) This Car is 'Prayer Conditioned'!
2) Suffering Truth Decay? Brush up on your Bible!
3) If God is your Co-pilot, then swap seats!
4) "Don't Make Me Come Down There" - God
5) Try Jesus, If You Don't Like Him, the Devil Will Take You Back.

These are found on the bumpers of cars or the stupid church signs that are out in public for anyone to see. Do you see how cheesy these are? I will break them down, one by one:

1) This Car is 'Prayer Conditioned'!
-----Oh how clever. So it's a play on the words "Air Conditioned." How is this stupid saying supposed to elicit anything but the groaning sound you hear after a BAD joke? Not only is this downgrading the true importance of a prayer-filled life, but it doesn't explain itself to anyone who truly needs direction. Why can't we just have bumper stickers that say something like, "Jesus is not fake. He is real and has a plan for your life." Or, "Jesus isn't a republican. He isn't a democrat. He is fair, kind, and waiting to know you." Or, "Jesus died to bring you life." Or, "I believe in Jesus. And HE believes in YOU."

2) Suffering Truth Decay? Brush up on your Bible!
-----Is this seriously supposed to do ANY good?????? After reading this freaking stupid bumper sticker, I'm sure a hurting person is going to think, "Wow, I do have truth decay, perhaps I'll open the Bible." TRUTH DECAY??????????? COME ON!!!!!!! This truth is the message of Jesus. HE is that blessed hope. THAT truth is Jesus. And bumper stickers like this flippantly throw out that hope without giving ANY KIND OF SUBSTANCE!

3) If God is your Co-pilot, then swap seats!
-----First of all. If you swap seats, God will still be the Co-Pilot. Thats the idea of a CO-PILOT. Like a "CO-worker." Or to work in "cooperation." Originally, this bumper sticker's roots are in its precursor, "God is My Co-Pilot." Regardless, both bumper stickers are flawed. WHY?------> BECAUSE GOD IS NOT EQUAL WITH ME. I DO NOT CALL THE SHOTS ALONG WITH HIM. He is my superior. He is my leader. He DRIVES THE CAR...I am simply pushing the pedals.

4) "Don't Make Me Come Down There" - God
-----OK...this one just makes me violently angry. Why?------> Because it negates the gospel of Jesus. "Don't make me come down there"?????? - HE DID COME DOWN HERE!!! HE TOOK HUMAN FORM AND SUFFERED WITH US, HURT WITH US, AND DIED AND ROSE AGAIN WITH US. That is why this man is called Emmanuel meaning "GOD WITH US." This flippant phrase waters down the message, waters down the reverance, and waters down the beauty of Jesus Christ.

5) Try Jesus, If You Don't Like Him, the Devil Will Take You Back.
-----5 words that make my blood boil: IF YOU DON'T LIKE HIM. WHAT????????? What kind of message is this sending the hurting people of this world? This bumper sticker treats Jesus like a late-night infomercial product: "For a limited time only, you, yes you can own the savior of the world. He slices, He dices, and He only costs $19.95. And the best part is, IF YOU DON'T LIKE HIM, the Devil will take you back!"

This public display of hilljack Christian slogans are a vaccine to this world. The hurting people of earth are getting just enough watered-down, cheesy Christianity to build up an immunity to it.

WHAT ARE WE DOING ????

Hero.

Here I am.

Here's a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I'm proof--Public Sinner Number One--

I Timothy 1:15 (the Message Translation)

Celebrities.

AGENDA:
Give me a break, OK. I'm so tired of actors and musicians spouting off their opinions of politics, and everything else. What they are doing is exploiting themselves, and using their platform to influence people. It's disgusting to me. Just make your movie, and play your instrument. I don't need to hear about your views from the stage or in your stupid acceptance speech at the National This-Is-My-15-Minutes-of-Fame-Award Show.

MONEY:
So Lebron James made $90 Million before he ever stepped foot on an NBA basketball court. $90 freaking Million. He is 21 years old now, never went to college, but because he can entertain the masses, he deserves a lucrative amount of money. RIDICULOUS! How much does my mom make as a teacher? She has had an impact on well over 1000 children. She teaches them how to read, talk, count, and be nice. But where is her $90 Million contract. Where are the endorsement deals? RIDICULOUS!

MARRIAGE:
Why is it just a normal thing to hear that Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt have divorced and that he is dating Angelina Jolie? Magazines plaster Brad and Angelina and their new life all over their covers and celebrate their new love! COME ON! What about commitment and the vows of marriage? Larry King has been married 7 times. SEVEN TIMES!!!!!! But he still draws in the big bucks and everyone pays attention to what he has to say. Why would you trust someone who can't endure a marriage? Yes, not everyday of marriage is perfect and sweet, but neither is life and we can't just escape that without sacrificing our lives. Donald Trump has been married 3 times now, and is expecting his 5th child by a third woman. BUT AMERICA LOVES HIM SO LET'S SHOW HIM SOME RESPECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Give me a break.

RELIGION:
What is the newest religion for us to jump on board with? OH...this week its Kabbalah. Last week it was scientology. What will it be next week? I have no respect for celebrities who use their place of influence to throw out their religions (Tom Cruise, I'm talking directly to you here). Let's imagine that your car runs out of gas, so instead of just putting gas in the car, you decide to run around the car and chant, or you think it would be wise to burn the car and get a new one, or maybe we should all buy neat bracelets celebrating the car's decision to "be empty." This is the crap I cannot stand about society. The true answer is right in front of your face, but because it's not cool, or accepted, you want nothing to do with it. Maybe when Jesus becomes "cool" you'll make that decision. Give me a break!

SUMMARY:
Celebrites are for entertainment purposes ONLY. You want a role model, find the man who loves his wife and promises to be with her forever. Find the man who gives his money to the needy even though he makes minimum wage. Look for the person who trusts Jesus implicitly, and NONE OTHER. That is where you'll find direction, and respect.

Whisper.

When God created everything, I'm sure it was violent. Mountains bursting through the ground, water pouring to low valleys, wind blowing, stars colliding, suns flaming, and planets rumbling. I'm sure when Jesus was born, it wasn't pretty. I'm sure it was exactly like any other birth without the gift of medicine or anesthetics! When Jesus was killed, it was ugly. Blood, sweat, screaming, pain, suffering, agony, and abandonment.
Worship services at many churches these days are LOUD and full of high octane energy. Christian music (like the Friday Night Frenzy) is hard, rough, and loud.

But, I have discovered that sometimes God is gentle and sweet. Sometimes He speaks not in a triumphant voice, but in a gentle reminder of His goodness, and His unmatched love. Sometimes, He whispers, and it's up to me to SHUT MY MOUTH AND JUST LISTEN.

The Solution...

-This comes directly from the Message translation of the Bible-

With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn't deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that.

The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn't deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.

Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them--living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn't pleased at being ignored.

But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won't know what we're talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells--even though you still experience all the limitations of sin--you yourself experience life on God's terms. It stands to reason, doesn't it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he'll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ's!

Romans 8:1-11
-------------------------------------------------
I added all of this because I LOVE the Message translation. This passage provided an answer for me that I didn't know I was looking for. God is good like that!

Dirty Van Guy.

My wife and I bought a new car last week, and we love it like its a member of the family. So, because I behaved myself all week and attempted to be a good boy, my lovely wife let me drive the new car to work tonight! On the way, I observed the normal landmarks, terrain, and assortment of cheesy Christian bumper stickers. I rolled the windows down, opened my sunroof (because the car I normally drive doesn't have one), and let my music play so that the rest of Monroe County could enjoy it too! As I sucked in the fresh autumn air, I noticed an old Dodge van about ahead of me. As I approached it, I could tell there was something written on the spare tire holder. Usually, this space is reserved for something like, "The Hendersons", or the Tasmanian Devil. But, as I read it, I felt my heart begin to race, and my blood begin to boil. This moron had the words, "God Hates Fags" on his van.

I pause for you to let that sink in.

"God Hates Fags"????? Of all the things to put out in the view of the public, why that? Even if this guy calls himself a Christian, there are unlimited positive God-Inspired messages to proclaim other than that crap. I sped by him and gave him a, "Hi, please die" look…which wasn't a nice thing to do, but I could've done worse.

As I continued to drive I really began to think what I would say to him if I would've had the chance. Many things came to mind that didn't involve a Christ-like attitude.

Easily summed up, I would remind him that -For God SO loved the world that He gave His one and only son, so that WHOEVER believes in Him will not suffer or die, but have everlasting life-. God loved...LOVES the entire world. His son died for ALL OF US...including homosexuals, drug dealers, child molesters, murderers, abusive husbands, and yes, Osama Bin Ladin.

We have all heard the saying, "God hates the sin but loves the sinner." Ya, OK. But what does that mean? Imagine that the person you love more than anything is separated from you by a brick wall that is about to fall and crush everything around it. This person that you love is choosing to stay on the other side of the wall because that wall is "fun", the wall "feels good", the wall is "just a part of who I am", and the wall is "not my fault." Now imagine how much you would HATE that wall and want to see it torn down.

That is what sin is to God. It’s a GIANT wall that is separating mankind from Him. They think that the wall is comforting and fun, but they have no idea how beautiful life is on the other side.

So, when I see "God Hates Fags", I am cut deep. God does NOT hate homosexuals, He loves them. So much so that He died for them! When Jonathan Edwards preached his famous, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" sermon he wasn’t directing his words to the unsaved and the non-believing, he was aiming it at people like Dirty Van Guy. God is not angry at homosexuals, He is angry at those who CLAIM to love Him, but show no evidence and who write things like "God Hates Fags" on their dirty van.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:2

Represent.

I made a statement in class today at IU that left my mouth before I really had a chance to internalize it. I said, "I am not represented by Pat Robertson, or even George W. Bush...I am represented by Jesus Christ."
As I walked to my car, I became so ashamed of myself. My intentions were to say that Pat Robertson and George W. Bush don't represent what I believe in, or what I hold dear. But what I said places Jesus in a place where HE represents ME.

I am pathetic.

He does NOT represent ME...I should be representing HIM. I should be living my life day in and day out in a manner that draws people to HIM. My words should honor HIM, and my actions should glorify HIM, my character amidst adversity should reflect HIM.

But, I fail in every category.

WOW. I wear my Christian T-Shirts. I have creative Christian stickers. I read a hip Christian magazine. But, none of these things actually make me a Christian. They make me a part of Christian subculture. WHO CARES? T-Shirts, stickers, and magazines can't heal a broken heart, they can't save a soul, they can't change a life...only Jesus can do that, and today I had the audacity to say that HE represented ME. I am the chief of sinners. I guess Jesus is like an AMWAY agent peddling MY products???? I am ridiculous.

Forgive me, Jesus.

So, I guess the real question is not who represents me...but who best represents that which I hold dear and precious? NOT PAT ROBERTSON! NOT GEORGE W. BUSH! NOT ANY OF THE TBN HOOLIGANS! NOT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY! How sad is it that I can't think of even one person who is in the public eye that genuinely represents the love, the hope, and the truth of Jesus?
Though not in the public eye, there are only a few. Sadly the majority of the world will never know James M. Woods or Dennis Turner.

On Track

compliments of Monica Kirkwood!

Evidence.

Yesterday I heard a heartbeat at the doctor's office. Evidence. When I think about Tricia delivering our first child, I convince myself that my new life will begin that moment. But, the little heartbeat I heard sent a warm sensation through my entire body...MY NEW LIFE HAS ALREADY BEGUN! My little baby is alive. Cells have already formed. Fingers and Toes are already developing. I am a Dad!

How am I capable of loving something this much?

Evidence.

the Mouse.

I admit it. I love Mickey Mouse. I love Walt Disney World. I love all things (mostly) Disney. As a 27-nearly-28-year-old guy, I don't make it too evident that I am a big fan. I don't wear my Mickey Mouse shirt out in public (yes, I have one), I don't flaunt the fact that I have over 61 songs from Walt Disney World on my iPod (I'm talking about area music from Frontier Land, and the "Listen to the Land" song from EPCOT). I don't even let most people know that I've been to Walt Disney World over 4 times since I was 20 and not with anyone under the age of 24. I LOVE Walt Disney World...I love the characters, I love the rides, I love the parades, I love the fireworks, I love feeling like I am 10 years old when I'm there. I just love it!
So, I am about to go again in mid-October, and it got me thinking about the way I feel about my faith. The way I feel about Walt Disney World isn't something I can explain to my friends, or to certain people in my family. I can't convey the wonder, and excitement I feel about getting to go back. But, there is something I hold even more dear than Walt Disney World, something I hold even more dear than my beautiful wife: my relationship with Jesus.
What I feel for Jesus is something that transcends all excitement, trumps all joy, and beats any amount of happiness. And yet, there are people that I love who don't have this in their lives. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CONVEY THIS LOVE? I would give away all I own for these people to know Jesus the way I do. I would give up my future for these people to love him the way I do.
Which brings me to another point: perhaps the reason is me. Perhaps I don't reflect this love. Perhaps the way I conduct my life doesn't bring people to a crossroads where a decision is made..."do I follow the God that Austin has, or do I live my life the way I want to?"
Honestly, my heart burns sometimes. It hurts. It bleeds. It is filled with pain because I know there is no way for me to genuinely portray Jesus to people. All I can do is talk to the Lord for these people. Most of what people see about Jesus or other forms of Christianity is negative and false. They see hypocrisy. They see fake. They see ministers molesting children. They see ridiculous TV evangelists. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO COUNTERACT THIS ASSAULT? So, do you see the dilemma?
What I can do is just go on loving Jesus and TRYING to show people how wonderful He is and how much love He has to offer.
Walt Disney World is full of loud, exciting, triumphant music, lights, parades, and rides. So, getting enthused is easy...very easy. But, most of the time, Jesus is calm, gentle and sweet...nothing to yell and scream about, but SO MUCH MORE SATISFYING!

How can something so small...

...take up so much of my heart?

Hurricanes and Problems at Home

I've begun my teaching experience at a middle school in Lawrence County. Today was like any other day - the kids came in, sat down, appeared to be ready to begin the day as usual...but evidently, today wasn't a usual day. One student came to the desk and asked to go to the office. I asked the student if they were sick and wanted to lay their head down on their desk. The student responded, "No, there are problems at home and my Dad is picking me up."

I wake up every morning to a girl who loves me. I get out of my king-sized bed, and walk through my air conditioned house to my kitchen where food awaits me. I can open my fridge that is full of food and drink. I have enough money to pay for cable, internet, a new car, clothes, movies, food, diet coke, ice cream, college, and my two pets. At any moment, I could pick up the phone and call at least 16 people (that I can think of right now) that would drop everything just to make sure I was OK. I have at least 5 places at my house that I can get fresh, clean water to drink, or bathe in. I live in America where I don't worry about oppression, water, health care, safety, food, or freedom. I grew up knowing that Jesus loves me and wants a relationship with me. Yet, I gripe about everything.

There are people just south of me who are suffering and yet, here I sit in front of my TWO computer monitors watching the NFL, and drinking ice cold water. I am the chief of sinners. I am the lowest of the low. I am the dirtiest of the filthy.

This student came into my class today with something on her heart that I may never have to endure. Her problem won't just go away, it is still there as I type these words and it will still be there tonight, and will probably be there tomorrow. There are hurricanes that do tremendous damage, but there are problems at home that do just as much...perhaps not physically, but maybe emotionally. What can I do? I am a teacher. There are laws against putting my arm around this student. There are regulations that say I can't stop class to make sure this student is OK. There are 30 other students who need me too...what can I do, who am I supposed to take this student to for help?


Jesus.
Help me.
I am weak.
I need you.

NASA and Austin

StarDate 91705

My role in the baby process is becoming more and more clear. I am like Mission Control for my wife, the astronaut. She is doing all the dangerous, hard, amazing work, while I keep my feet on the ground just making sure she has what she needs. Instead of hearing her say, "Houston, we have a problem", I am expecting another Texas city..."Austin, we have a problem!"

At the end of this mission, everything will change. Tricia and I will discover another intelligent life and will be responsible for introducing it to the world and to its Creator. But I suppose THAT is when the journey really begins. But the joys that will come with this Mission far outweigh the cost, for outweigh the danger, far outweigh the emtional toil. How can this Mission bring Tricia and I even closer? How can what we have embarked on allow our hearts to fuse together even more tightly? How can my heart be softened even more to the quite heartbeat of a small life in my arms? We'll see.

Malone out.

Fatherhood and Dadhood

Well, life really prepares you for this right? I mean, isn't it inevitable? Isn't father/dadhood just part of the natural progression of a relationship? No. I believe there is a tremendous difference between WANTING to become a father/dad and assuming this responsibility just because THAT is what is supposed to happen. Not every man should become a father. Not every man should become a dad. There is a difference between dad and father...in my opinion. Naturally, this is totally social, not by scientific definition...these are MY definitions:

Father: provider of the sperm. the man who works hard all day and then comes home to the responsibility of fatherhood without embracing the joys of fatherhhod. the man who insists his children play sports but never offers words of encouragment. the man who looks at his son's A homework and asks, "why didn't you get an A+ ?" the man who considers money-making and lawn-mowing signs of affection. the man who tells his son who just had his heart broken by a girl to "act like a man." the man who makes sure his family is in church every sunday but fails to generate the love and compassion for Jesus throughout the week. the man who tells his children he loves after they have accomplished something...not when they feel like losers.

Dad: provider of the sperm, but also the safety and friendship to the mother. the man who works hard all day, but keeps pictures of his children rolling in the grass with his wife on his desk. the man who insists his children play sports...or whatever else makes them happy. the man who appreciates how his children interact with other students, and do their best...not what grade is received. the man who considers hugs, words, ice cream on Sunday nights, games of late-afternoon basketball, understanding, laughing, and Biblical wisdom signs of affection. the man who cries with his son when a girl has broken his heart. the man who cares more about Jesus being a present force in his home daily, than for just 1 1/2 hours on a Sunday morning. the man who tells his children he loves them after they have broken his heart, wrecked the car, smoked pot, cheated, lied, quit. the man who relies on Jesus, and not himself. the man who prays for his children like they will die without it. the man who walks into his house day after day with a smile on his face because the creator of the universe has trusted that man with His greatest creation: a child.

So, here it is. I'm 27 years old...when I have my first baby, I will be days away from 28. what have I learned in 27 years that makes me think I can be a dad? I don't know...but I'm going to trust in the Lord with all my heart, and not on myself or my own understanding. Because I know that if I trust in Him, He will make me a good Dad.

Why do I think I'll be a good dad? Because I'm one of those guys who have been waiting for this my entire life...so here we go...bust out the ice cream, and the basketball, and get ready for hugs and kisses!