Since my last post...

Here’s some highlights since my last post (1.13PM, EST - 11.25.2008):

  • Got a much needed oil change, new tire and tune-up on my vehicle.
  • Helped raise 1,018 more shoes in the 50,000 shoes project.
  • Made a visit to Starbucks.
  • Traveled 396.3 miles.
  • Hit 200,000 miles on my car. Can we say longevity?
  • Endured 2 traffic jams.
  • Watched the Clemson Tigers spank the Carolina Gamecocks, 34-17.
  • Viewed two movies: Elf and Indiana Jones.
  • Filled car up with gas twice. (totaling $48.96)
  • Decorated the family christmas tree.
  • 208 emails readdeletedsent
  • Twittered 37 times.
  • Slept 58.5 hours.
  • Had 2 early birthday meals with family.
  • Ate leftovers 4 times.
  • Sang a solo in a local church.
  • Scheduled 3 future meetings.
  • Announced the final 24 hours before my birthday.


    The 50,000 Pairs in 50 Days Challenge

    Labels:

  • You Tubesday





    RSS Subscribers: There are videos here.

    The 50,000 Pairs in 50 Days Challenge

    Labels: , , ,

    Manic Monday Minute

    Manic Monday Minute is a serious mind-dump that will probably take you one minute to read. Here are some thoughts going through my head right now...

  • Its the Manic Monday Minute.
  • What a great weekend.
  • Baptism service on Sunday. That is always cool. Wish we could have one every Sunday!
  • I showed this vid a couple of weeks ago in our student ministry when we were talking about baptism. Love it.
  • My stomach is killin me right this second. For real. It does not like my dinner... er something.
  • The temp was a bit warmer today. I was thankful. It has been bitter cold for days!
  • I'm heading to South Carolina on Wednesday! I cannot wait.
  • Wish I could have attended the NYWC this year. Oh well, maybe next time.
  • Had a long iChat with this guy earlier tonight.
  • My birthday is 6 days away friends! December 01. O yea.
  • Had a pretty full weekend. I'm looking forward to having a few days off.
  • I saw the movie Twilight over the weekend. Its a good flick.
  • Felt bad for Ben and Ainsley who didn't so much get to see the movie in its entirity.
  • A two-day work week is lovely. After the fact, of course. I have a lot to do in these two days!
  • Had an incredible meeting with local pastors today. That really makes pushing through the usual Monday holy hangover worth it for me. I get so much insight just listening to them.
  • Anybody smelling what I'm steppin in?
  • Have you told me who YOU are?
  • Working hard on our Christmas party plans. Can't wait!
  • Christmas is coming. Quick!
  • I've already started spinning my Christmas records.
  • Ok, just a prediction... losing weight will be one of my goals for the new year.
  • Praying for my parent's jobs. They both have rocky situations going on right now. Please join me in praying for them.
  • So much to do. So much to do. So much to do. Better run...


  • The 50,000 Pairs in 50 Days Challenge

    Labels:

    Key Themes in Teens (3 of 3)

    This is post 3 of 3 of a blog series where I'm sharing Key Themes of Today's Teenager. Go here for part one and here for part two.

    The final key theme you'll find among today's students is what TruResearch calls "VIPremium."


    We live in a world where you can easily broadcast yourself via the internet. In seconds someone on the other side of the world can connect with you. Students today believe that VIP status is within reach. In fact, 1 in 5 teenagers think they can be famous! Sure, it may be 15 minutes of fame... but its achievable. With tools like YouTube, 12seconds and other broadcast mediums, the internet is the grand stage and teenagers are headlining.

    Go here for part one and here for part two.
    (Themes: TruResearch)

    Labels: , , , ,

    Celebrate What is Right

    On the home page of a church's website reads the words "WE'RE SORRY for being self-righteous, judgemental bastards." 

    I've tried to remember the first time I started hearing churches apologize to the world.  If I had to guess I'd probably say it began around the year 2000.  It seems that more and more I hear those apologies.  Sometimes I find myself apologizing.  There are times we [as the Christian community] do need to apologize... (for being self-righteous, for being judgemental, for our non-responsiveness to the needs of our communities, etc)  but that is for another post, another time.  

    What I've been contemplating over the last week is how we need to be celebrating what is right.  We can turn on our flat screen televisions or surf the internet for a hot second and find all the bad news any day.  What about the good stuff?  I've seen crack-addicts turn their lives over to Christ as a result of the support of a church's recovery ministry -- that needs to be celebrated.  A youth group who spends more time serving the community and doing mission work than having pizza parties and XBox challenges -- that should be celebrated.   Senior ladies filling up a church's food pantry so that needy families can have food -- celebration anyone?  It may be a bit easier this week to celebrate what is right because of the Thanksgiving holiday... but I encourage you to make it go beyond this week.  Start thinking about 'how' we can celebrate these things too... (not to be proud... or even self-righteous) but because the church gets kicked around enough.  

    If you know how I run this site you know that I don't regulate the comments.  You can say whatever you want, whenever you want.   For this post [only] though I'd like to see some celebration going on.  Give some shoutouts to things you are seeing in your church, your community, in other churches or para-churches, or even the Christian community at large. 

    Labels: , , ,

    Key Themes in Teens (2 of 3)

    This is post 2 of 3 of a blog series where I'm sharing Key Themes of Today's Teenager. Funny, I typed the word "teenager" and my mind went back to a discussion I had just yesterday with some youth workers about the book "Do Hard Things," which I'm currently reading. The word ["teenager"] has only been around for about 75 years or so, as mentioned in the book. Prior to, students ages 13-19 were still called "children." There were only two different people groups: children and adults. You call one of your students a "child" today and they may punch you in the face... although that is not to say that they totally embrace the word "teenager", "adolescent" or any other term like so. :=)

    And now, on to the research findings:

    The average teenager today has the idea that everything is simple. Hmm... wonder where they got that from? If you walk down the aisle in your local bookstore you can see book titles like "Seven Steps to Smiling," "3 Quick, Easy Tips for Making it Big," "4 Sure-fire Ways to Keep a Girlfriend." You know what I mean. Those are all dumb titles I made up... but that is the world we live in. We dwell in the world of minute rice! Today's student lives the wonderful "Google Life" and TruResearch calls this theme "The Big Easy." Everything (and I do mean, everything) is as easy as 1, 2... nah, we don't need a 3.


    Change is very common in the area where I currently live. Its a military community. We have families move in... and families move out. The average military kid [or "brat" as they seem to embrace (which I've never understood)] is accustomed to change. As our society would have it though, everyone is now experiencing change. Maybe not moving in and out of cities repeatedly ... but our world changes so quickly now that today's teenager is convinced that change is essential. (Sounds like a good political campaign slogan, right?) What is striking about this is that they are becoming more and more comfortable with change... and the danger (as I see it) is that they aren't bound to take stock in too much of anything because change is coming!   So the latest book recommends (yes, like the ones I mentioned earlier) will be in the trash can tomorrow and another book (that we ALL MUST READ because it will change our lives) will be suggested later this week.  This theme is called "obsolescence."  

    Click here for part one of this blog series.

    (Themes: TruResearch)

    Labels: , , , ,

    Who are YOU?

    I love connecting. I guess its my woo-factor kickin in. Like the yellow pages slogan, I love reaching out and touching people. The difficulty here is that although I have lots of readers only a minority of my audience talk back to me -- by leaving comments, emailing or even twittering.

    So I want to know... WHO ARE YOU?  

    I want you to take a moment, write me and tell me WHO you are, WHERE you are, WHAT you do and WHAT you like about coming here to the blog. If you want to add a few extra comments (perhaps even including your website or twitter url so my readers can find you also) that is up to you. I want to connect with you... and I plan to respond to every single person that writes me. Additionally, if you include your mailing address you may even get a surprise in the near future in your mailbox (as I love blessing people with resources, freebies and random encouragement).

    Note: If you wish not to leave your personal contact information here in the comments, please write me off the blog.

    Labels: ,

    The Woman Who Can't Forget

    What did you eat for breakfast last Wednesday morning? How did you celebrate your birthday three years ago? I've watched several interviews with Jill Price, a lady who says she can remember every single thing (in great detail) that has happened to her since age 14. If you give Jill Price a date, within seconds she can tell you EVERYTHING about that day in amazing detail. Absolutely fascinating.


    For 8 years scientists have been studying this medical mystery and just a few short months ago Price went public with her story. Since the world was introduced to her she has written a book and appeared on numerous television shows, including Oprah earlier this week, where she actually corrected research the producers of the show did on facts related to the accident in 1987 where "baby Jessica McClure" fell into a well and captured the nation's attention.

    The 50,000 Pairs in 50 Days Challenge

    Labels: , ,

    Key Themes in Teens (1 of 3)

    Over the course of the past year I've done a ton of research on the state of our nation's youth. Last fall I even attended a summit in Panama City, FL and got to hear experts from TruResearch share their latest findings about American teenagers. If you've never heard of TruResearch, it is one of the most trusted firms in the world for research on tweens and teens. In fact, MTV execs consult TruResearch claiming "its their lifeline to the market!" I think I took more notes that week than I think I've ever taken at a summit.

    One of things shared at the summit was a summary of 5 key themes found among today's teenager. I would like to share these with you (in a 3-part series):

    Today's teenager wants what is real.  They are apt to settle for the "feeling of what is real" but they'd rather have the real deal than a knock off any day.  This is referred to as authenticitude. For example, If they had to choose between a Metallica t-shirt vs. a cheaper knock-off at a local department store they would rather purchase their favorite threads from the band directly.

    The second theme visible in today's students is referred to as "autono-me."   Young people today can move through life by virtue of cell phones, pagers, social networking sites, etc. without much adult intervention.   In fact, today's teen determines how, when, and where adults will intervene in their lives.  Now more than ever before they have a greater sense of empowerment and autonomy.  You will see our students today often sitting in the driver's seat and saying things like "you are not the boss of me!"

    Labels: , , , ,

    You Tubesday


    "Family Man" - Song by Andrew Peterson

    I've always liked that song.

    RSS Subscribers, there is video here.

    Labels: , ,

    Facebook Harassment

    No one has ever gotten this much harassment over a new default pic.   I should receive some type of award, badge... er flair.

                                                                
    (click on graphic to enlarge)

    Click here to go to my facebook page \\ add me as friend. Click here to follow me on twitter.Click here if you are still on myspace.
    The 50,000 Pairs in 50 Days Challenge

    Labels: , ,

    Manic Monday Minute

    Manic Monday Minute is a serious mind-dump that will probably take you one minute to read. Here are some thoughts going through my head right now...

  • Its the Manic Monday Minute.
  • What a great weekend.
  • My pastor spoke on "suffering" this past Sunday. Great message.
  • I think God was preparing the Redskins for their loss against the Cowboys. [ouch!] ;=)
  • I met a couple today who told me they are living out of their car. I nearly cried.
  • After further talking with the gentleman he told me that he is a former youth minister.
  • My heart hurt even more. Please pray for them.
  • I literally slipped on a banana peel today. No kidding.
  • I called a guy today in South Carolina to touch base with him. Got his voicemail.
  • He called me back later and was upset at me because he was deer hunting at the time when I called. HA!
  • A good friend texted me today and told me that I am quoted in Mark Oestreicher's new book, Youth Ministry 3.0 (page 100!) Not sure what I said... but its in there! Go buy the book.
  • I had wings tonight. I am a happy man.
  • Today is my sister, Christina's, birthday. Birthday shoutout!
  • Happy Birthday also to my cousin, Carol and my friend Vicki Millwood.
  • I paid my car off this past weekend. I'm on my way to being debt free baby!
  • Got a trip planned to South Carolina for Thanksgiving & MY Birthday (December 1st, by the way!). Should be fun...
  • Had an incredible meeting with local pastors today. Loved our discussion.

  • Read a story today about a pastor who fired six members of his staff. Woah. Pray for that church during this time.
  • Working hard on our Christmas party plans. Can't wait!
  • I love this vid of Tony Campolo's talk. What a great message.
  • Someone left me an annonymous comment today. While I'm okay with those wishing to remain annonymous it would be nice to know your identity. :=)
  • The MMM use to be delivered much earlier. Sorry. Now I compose it throughout the day and you get it delivered just before the clock strikes midnight.
  • Heading to bed soon!
  • Sweet dreams.

  • Labels:

    Resign Today?

    I read a post on Tony Morgan's blog recently where he shared with his readers Perry Noble's challenge that has messed so many people up [in a good way]:


    "If you're not working your dream job, resign today!"

    While I highly respect both Tony and Perry's words, I'd encourage you to do just the opposite. DO NOT RESIGN TODAY.

    I'd like to offer some thoughts you should consider first before firing off that resignation letter. Hear me out...

    FIRST: PRAY.
    Don't ever make any move without prayer. So many people make stupid mistakes without praying a lick about it. Hello? God should be consulted before you make a move. I don't care what anyone says. No matter how much you respect them. You should pray first. We must rely upon the Holy Spirit to lead us in the way we should go.

    SECOND: TRUST YOUR CALLING.
    Every job that I've accepted I have felt called to. I agree with Perry, if you don't feel called to a position you shouldn't accept it and if you are currently "in it" [and don't feel called to it] you should resign today. But consider this... While I have felt called to every position I've held, there have been some jobs that never had the "dream job" feel to it. Ministry is tough guys! There will be days where you might even question your calling. You might feel passion-less. It happens! There is one thing that I'm sure of... every job I've held I've felt called to. Yes, I've already stated that. Its worth repeating. I've actually had a couple of pastor-friends along the way question my calling (lots who supported at the same time by the way) and even tell me that I should resign. I did not listen to them. While I appreciated their counsel, I believed one thing for sure... YOU HAVE TO TRUST IN YOUR CALLING. Here is a thought I want to share with you that God has taught me:


    "You may not be called to a church (ministry, company, etc.) to change IT, you may be called to a church (ministry, job, etc.) that will change YOU."

    We believe (and preach!) that God started a work in his people and will be faithful to complete that work in them... but we do not often consider that WE (as ministers, pastors, leaders) are the ones He is referring to as well! Your job may suck! You may endure the hardest-things- ever in your role where you are... but God may have you exactly where he wants you!

    I remember chatting with a youth pastor in a mega-church years ago who told me that he had written 4 (count 'em - 1, 2, 3, 4) resignation letters since he had been hired on. Four? Yes, four. Didn't I say that ministry was tough? Turns out that he was [called by God] to that position. In fact, he ended up staying on so long at that particular ministry that the church later called him to the senior pastorate. It has been absolutely amazing to watch God work IN his life.

    THIRD: SEEK COUNSEL.
    Even though you may occasionally get bad counsel, it is important to seek it out. The scriptures say "there is safety in a multitude of counselors." So true. I have never made a decision to leave a job without consulting a multitude of people first. The scriptures say "multitude" so I'd encourage you to seek out 3 or 4 (@ minimum) persons that you respect and trust (to not only confide in but persons whose counsel you respect).

    If you do these three things, there is NO WAY you could ever resign today. Before you fire off comments or emails to me, I want you to know that I understand that I went in a bit different direction than what Mr. Noble was saying; however, his challenge messed me up too... made me think... and warranted this post.

    This is my prayer for you: May God lead you by his Holy Spirit, dear readers, and when you look back decades from now on all the roles you've served in may you see they were all dream jobs - chosen especially for YOU.

    Labels: , , , ,

    Birthday Parties for Prostitutes



    AMEN. I'm ready to throw a party.

    RSS Subscribers, there is video here.

    [illumination] Coming to America

    How would you like to read a bible with full glossy photos? How about a bible with photos of Muhammad Ali, Princess Diana and Bono depicting messengers and other characters of the scriptures? "The Bible: Illuminated" is coming to America direct from Sweden. Swedish publisher Dag Söderberg, a former advertising executive, says his "Bible Illuminated" is breakthrough in cultural relevancy. The publisher contends that while many people are uncomfortable with traditional Bibles as we know them, his new work might cause them to read. The project started as a result of a dinner conversation between two gentlemen (Michel Gyring and Mats Rabe) who asked the question: "Why people don’t read historical texts?” They realized there was a huge opportunity to re-design or illuminate the Bible... and the rest is history.


    Of course, this new "bible" is raising eyebrows and stirring some controversy.

    That someone would want to embellish, or even illuminate, the text of Scripture is of no surprise, remarked John E. Hurtgen, dean of the Campbellsville University school of theology. That a non-church-related institution or group would do so is welcome, but also puzzling.


    I have seen many ultra-contemporary editions (of the Bible), and I am not personally a big fan of any of them, said Paul Gutjahr, an associate professor of religious studies at Indiana University.


    This looks like an issue of Vogue. There’s Coca-Cola, photos of soldiers helping poor foreign children, Gandhi. Uh! Can’t have a Bible without Bono said Marissa Gluck, marketing guru (Radar Research)


    While the text is advertised as the Good News Translation, approved by the American Bible Society, verses are unnumbered (similar to The Message-style) and laid out in magazine-style format, with many key passages highlighted for emphasis."Bible Illuminated" was supposed to be released in the states by October 28, 2008 but a check of numerous bookstores on the eastern seaboard including South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia had not received the book. The book; however, is currently available on Amazon.com®.

    Remarkably, the new Bible reached unprecedented sales in Sweden. Illuminated World increased the market for bibles by almost 50 percent without affecting normal bible sales according to one report.

    The whole idea was to illuminate scripture for those who might not pick up the traditional copies. In this [new] work you'll not only find renown celebrities posing as biblical characters but you'll see them in different settings like post-Katrina New Orleans in the book of Revelation. So the word is... its coming to America. And you will most likely find this new bible-mag in non-traditional places that you'd find the scriptures, like news stands and hair salons.

    Today, Illuminated World is financed and managed by a Swedish consortium, chaired by Dag Söderberg, former CEO of one of the largest advertising firms in Europe and Jan Carlzon, former CEO of Scandinavian Airlines and author of global management bestseller; The Moments of Truth (1987). The group has published an English-language version being released into 2008, the first of many projects around the world.

    Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

    The Chair.




    RSS Subscribers, there is video here.

    Labels: , , , ,

    Challenge: Make Me Laugh.

    We all have our crappy days. It seems I've had my fair share this year. If you know me, you know I love to laugh. I love to make others laugh. I [laugh] here often too. Here's a little challenge. Make me laugh. In the process you'll make my lovely blog readers laugh too -- that is, if you post something in the comments [and go public]. If you want it to be just between you and I you can always send me an email, direct message me on Twitter or facebook it to me. Go ahead. Accept the challenge if you dare. Major props [and even a free resource of my choosing] for the person who gets me to laugh the loudest.

    Labels: ,

    50,000 Shoes


    Footwear - it is a basic need that most of us take for granted every day. While most of the world does not have one adequate pairs of shoes, Americans have an abundance of footwear sitting idle in our closets. Your consideration of simply cleaning out your closets can make a significant difference in the quality of life of someone in need.

    For us, comfort and style are the primary reasons for the footwear we select. For those without shoes the healthcare benefits is the most urgent reason footwear is so desperately needed. A quality pair of shoes protects their foot from scrapes, cuts, and contaminants that lead to potentially serious healthcare issues.

    Today I am teaming up with hundreds of other bloggers in an unprecedented grassroots social media challenge:
    Can we affect global change through our blogs and raise enough money for 50,000 SHOES IN JUST 50 DAYS?

    How Does This Work?
    We’re partnering with Soles4Souls* in this amazing endeavor. The campaign and companion website 50000shoes.com just launched yesterday and already nearly 3,000 has been raised!

    A $5 donation buys two pair of shoes for a person somewhere in the world with none. Imagine, for a little more than what we spend on our morning coffee we can put shoes on the feet of two needy people. All of us can give $5, many of us can give more.



    1. Give
    A $5 donation buys two pair of shoes! Head over to 50000shoes.com and give generously and sacrificially.


    2. Promote It On Your Blog or Website
    Take whatever platform you've been given and use it to bring change and make a difference in the world. Regardless of whether you have 150 readers or 5, you have been given influence. Use that influence to make a difference.

    Would you consider writing a post about this amazing event and spread the word? There are graphics and banners available for your blog. You can also join the Facebook group and encourage your friends to do the same.


    3. Spread The Word
    Utilize your Facebook, Twitter, Myspace or any other social networking tool you have at your hand. Your have friends and family that are just a phone call or email away. Set aside some time to reach out to some people and share this opportunity with them.



    Finally, can you imagine handing someone their very first pairs of shoes? By purchasing two pairs of shoes for $5, you are also automatically entered into a random drawing to personally deliver the shoes you purchased to someone in need on one the organizations trips to Mexico! The winner and an accompanying guest will travel to Mexico and will see Soles4Souls in action. The more pairs you purchase, the greater your chances are of winning. Winner must be 18 years or older with a valid US Passport. Soles4Souls will pay for airfare, transfers, lodging, and trip related meal expenses for winner and guest up to $2000 value.

    The 50,000 Pairs in 50 Days Challenge


    *Nashville-based Soles4Souls (TM) facilitates the donations of both new and used shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Since its inception, Soles4Souls has distributed more than 3.5 million pairs (or one pair every 23 seconds) to people in 61 countries, including Honduras, Romania, Thailand, and the Sudan. The charity has been featured on CNN Headline News, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, ABC News, FOX, CBS, and hundreds of regional outlets around North America. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS; donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

    Labels: , , ,

    You Tubesday

    Sooo many people are sick - or getting sick. This past weekend my friend, Carlos Whittaker, came down with a MAN COLD. It's the worst kind of cold one could ever get. This vid doesn't do it justice, but it made me nearly pee my pants fo sho.

    Labels: , , ,

    Manic Monday Minute

    Manic Monday Minute is a serious mind-dump that will probably take you one minute to read. Here are some thoughts going through my head right now...



  • Its the Manic Monday Minute.
  • What a great weekend.
  • Nothing special. Just got to rest! Weather was beautiful too.
  • I mentioned last week that I hated this time change. Yea, I still pretty much hate it.
  • Congrats to my good friend, Aaron Dininny, on the birth of his new little one, Kerrigan.
  • I've lost a few west coast tweet peeps. I'm not feeling too much love from the west coast.
  • I welcomed my friend, Scott Johnson, to the world of twitter last week. So glad he is now tweeting! I know, I'm obsessed with twitter. I own it.
  • Veterans Day is this week. We really need to honor our military. We nearly forgot to honor them this past weekend. I was thankful one of our deacons ran up to the platform to pay tribute.
  • The Cardinals and the 49ers on Monday Night Football? Lame.
  • This has been a rough two weeks. I can't wait until vacation!
  • Got a trip planned to South Carolina for Thanksgiving & my Birthday (December 1st, by the way!). Should be fun...
  • Met with a group of local pastors today. We talked about the gift of tongues for a while. It got interesting to say the least.
  • I'm glad the election is over. Anyone else?
  • Just read a news story about a guy in Florida that got arrested for stealing communion wafers from a church. Wha?
  • Working hard on our Christmas party plans. Can't wait!
  • Read half of Seth Godin's Tribes on Saturday. Good book. Even better that he gave it to me for free!
  • I'm really overwhelmed lately. I have so much I'm praying about.
  • Didn't hit the wings tonight. Made a pot of chicken & rice instead. I'm not a bad cook ladies - fyi. HA.
  • Had a leftover pumpkin carving contest with the students on Sunday afternoon. We had a blast. My pumpkin almost won. I carved a vintage pacman into my pumpkin.
  • P E A C E.
  • Labels:

    History.

    Hologram Debuts on Election Night

    While I'm posting this I'm watching the election returns via Fox News, CNN and MSNBC. (Yes, one network is not enough.)

    I thought it was interesting that CNN is now using Hologram technology (apparently the first of any of the news networks now) to call the election. Very cool. Check it:


    Can't see the video? Go here.

    Labels: , , , ,

    Not Your Ordinary Electshun

    Today was different. I went to the polls at 8AM just like I normally do. Typically there are no people waiting in line. NONE. Today there were 200 ahead of me. Standing in the rain. Excited. Ready to vote.

    The precinct where I typically vote had 3,600 registered voters last election. Only 1,700 showed up to vote. This year over 4,600 are registered to vote for this general election. Most of those voting probably showed up prior to my arrival. In fact, prior to my vote the poll workers state they had already seen an increase of 17.5 % of voter turnout than the last election. WOW. Even though I mentioned yesterday that 1 in 4 Christians will not be voting, more people are voting in this general election than ever before.

    Today was different. I did not choose between two caucasian men for the office of the president. I chose between an African American and a caucasian man. History will be made today. Either our country will elect its first African American president or our country will elect its very first caucasian female as vice president.

    If you voted today, thanks. Starbucks thanks you too.


    So tell me your election day story. What was it like for you?

    Labels: , , , ,

    Manic Monday Minute

    Manic Monday Minute is a serious mind-dump that will probably take you one minute to read. Here are some thoughts going through my head right now...



  • Its the Manic Monday Minute.
  • Took the morning off today after a brutal - but good - weekend.
  • We had an incredible Harvest Festival this weekend. We saw TONS of people from our community come out.
  • This event just keeps growing and growing.
  • I hate this time change. Anyone else?
  • We had a great service yesterday. Baptism and the Lord's Supper on the same day. Awesome.
  • Enjoyed appearing on Tim Schmoyer's podcast on Friday.
  • It was great filling the special guest seat but I like to leave that up to the other veterans. I just like participating in the discussion.
  • Had a rough day today.
  • I was beaten up by a few folks today and it didn't sit well with me.
  • I had to remind myself constantly that Christ lives in me. They are lucky He does! Thats all I'm sayin.
  • I have a ton of new feed readers. Thanks for subscribing guys!
  • Can't wait to vote tomorrow!
  • I'm attending a special election coverage partayyy tomorrow night. I may very well be up all night. I'm going to love every minute of it.
  • Got an invite to an innovative leader's forum in California in January. Sounds really cool. I hope I can go!
  • Been trying to get out west. This may be my chance.
  • If you are reading this book I'd encourage you to get the audio book. There is some extras that you don't want to miss.
  • Gas is down to $1.98! I literally almost cried tonight.
  • Raining here.
  • Just had a hot date with some wings. Definitely enjoyed every minute of it.
  • Watched the first half of the Redskins\Steelers game.
  • I need some change in my life. A big shift. Ya know?
  • I think I'm going to make some gradual changes to my schedule, my eating habits, spiritual habits, etc... and see how that goes.
  • A friend called me earlier tonight and told me he had a desire to memorize a book of the bible. He asked if I'd be interested in memorizing one with him ... to keep him accountable and work on it with him.
  • I said "yes" to him and he was shocked. He said he had asked several people before and they laughed at him.
  • So... I'm going to tackle Romans.
  • The Crawford is out!

    Labels:

  • If Abe Lincoln Could Vote Tomorrow...

    People for centuries now have been involved in the political process. I wonder what our forefathers would think of the elections of our day? What would they say if they sat and watched or listened to the mainstream media with all the attack ads, mudslinging and promise of change? In spite of all this stuff would they still be inspired or would they be sick to their stomach? Here are some interesting quotes I found earlier today about voting and the political process from centuries gone bye:

    From the 18th Century


    "If the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made not for the public good so much as for the selfish or local purposes."
    --Daniel Webster

    “When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you for rulers just men who will rule in the fear of God. The preservation of a republican government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty.”
    --Noah Webster

    "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
    --Thomas Paine

    "Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants."
    --William Penn

    From the 19th Century


    “The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”
    --Abraham Lincoln

    From the 20th Century


    “The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.”
    --Dwight D. Eisenhower


    “The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.”
    --John F. Kennedy


    "In a world that might say one vote doesn't matter..., it does matter because each person is of infinite worth and value to God... Your vote is a declaration of importance as a person and a citizen."
    --Billy Graham


    From the 21st Century


    "We have a duty to our country to participate in the political process. See, if you believe in freedom, you have a duty to exercise your right to vote to begin with. I'm [here] to encourage people to do their duty, to go to the polls. I want all people, no matter what their political party is or whether they even like a political party, to exercise their obligation to vote."
    --George W. Bush


    “Our first civic duty is to vote. If you don’t vote, you are abandoning the biblical obligation to be a responsible citizen.”
    --Chuck Colson

    Sadly, while more Americans now have the right to vote, the number of Americans who exercise this right continues to dwindle. Today, less than one in four Christians votes. Near 30 million Christians aren’t even registered to vote! What a shame.

    PRAY. VOTE. TOMORROW.

    Labels: ,



     Subscribe to RSS
    Add to Technorati Favorites


    Categories




    My Next Stops...








         Subscribe to my RSS Feed


        Powered by Blogger



        © 2009 [TerraceCrawford.com] | TerraceCrawford.com