Category: misc

Sabatage

I tried posting this on Facebook but I was blocked for some reason… crazy – never got any warnings from them before.

GAME RULES:

1. Put your music player on shuffle (ALL MUSIC).
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag 10 friends who might enjoy doing the game as well as the person you got the game from.

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OK” YOU SAY:
War Driving

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
10,000 Children

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Wake Up

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
So Long, Marianne

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Beautiful

WHAT IS 2 + 2?
Amen, Amen

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Burning Love

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
I Will Never See the Sun

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Heaven’s Son

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Blessed

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
I Hear Your Voice

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
I’ve Got You

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Gone (New Mix)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Angels

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Brainfreeze

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
The Other Side

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Tips for Sweet-Talking a Caribou

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Everybody’s Singing Now

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Why Don’t You Smile

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Be Coo Mix

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
I am Free

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Say it Right and F the World

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
I Walk the Line

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Give My Love to Rose

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Sabatage

I’m too lazy to link to folks on the blog … but I tag Laurie, Dollye, Chris Allman, Trucker Frank, Thomas, Olwyn, Johny Laird, Tim Ellcey, Kara, Sara, B and for the heck of it — Shaun Groves.

The Chronological Study Bible

A few weeks back I received a copy of Thomas Nelson’s Chronological Study Bible (NKJV).

New AMAZING COLORFUL study Bible

No lie – I was blown away!

Just skimming through the pages wowed me with the layout and the extensive use of color and imagery throughout the pages.

I’ve since used it several times in preparation for various studies and messages and will say that it’s a great companion for any study.

As a “study Bible” I haven’t been blown away by any particular insights included in the study notes and such but that doesn’t diminish my feelings at all. And to be fully honest and fair about it, I can’t say I’ve read this entire Bible all the way through yet (with our without the notes) — so there are likely countless things still waiting to be discovered.

New study Bible

I was thrown originally by the order of the Gospel letters (where I’ve spent most of my study time). As a Chronological Study Bible, I still expected the letters to remain intact, simply placed in the order they were historically (or at least believed to be) written. I have a copy of The Books of The Bible (TNIV) that’s organized more in that manner — and I’m certain this previous experience with a “chronological Bible” tainted how I expected this Bible to read.

(Side note :: The Books of The Bible focuses a lot more on readability than study — with no chapter or verse deviations and text formatted in one column per page rather than multiple columns),

In comparison to The Books of the Bible, the chronological order is that of the Biblical Narrative, not necessarily the order of the authorship. Like I said, this was a disappointment — at first — but I’ve come to appreciate it as an entirely different resource/tool as I delve further into the text. It helps me see the broader picture of where the various stories of Jesus line up and which authors included which stories, and which ones excluded others.

Along with ordering the text in narrative order, I’ve also come to really appreciate the time line that scrolls above each of the pages. This gives an even broader dimension to studying and helps the reader see a better picture of how various events/texts align themselves within the greater Biblical narrative.

Further study of the Bible showed how the editors worked to carry out the narrative order by intertwining texts like the story of David, with his poetry and songs in the book of Psalms. This gives the reader a better feeling of David’s narrative, with his feelings and thoughts and reflections wrapped around them. I’m looking forward to delving into the Psalms even further with this added resource.

Now if only they just had a version with Eugene Peterson’s translation. 🙂

New study Bible

Here are some additional notes/points from Thomas Nelson ::

  • The entire New King James Bible with translators’ notes, arranged in chronological order-the order in which the events and writings actually happened, for absorbing and effective Bible study
  • Full-color illustrations of places, artifacts, and cultural phenomena that give the reader a dramatic, “you are there” experience
  • Fascinating articles that connect the Bible text to world history and culture
    Daily Life Notes that explain how people lived in Bible times
  • Epoch Introductions and Historical Overviews that provide vivid chronological context
    Transition Comments that set the stage and prepare the reader for the biblical text that follows
  • “Time Capsules” of world history that accompany the Bible text
  • Time Panels and Charts that show the flow of Bible history
  • In-text and full-page color maps of the biblical world
  • A handy scripture finder index that provides rapid access to any passage
  • Topical Index and Glossary to facilitate study

Google found my backyard

So, Google Maps still hasn’t updated my street on their site. Not sure why, perhaps the developers haven’t officially turned the roads over to the city yet. Who knows – but you can at least see our backyard now thanks to Google Street view (which covers most of the US now!! WOW!).


View Larger Map

UPDATE :: and here’s the house I grew up in…


View Larger Map
There used to be an amazing Cottonwood tree in the front (where all the grass is gone.) and the house used to be painted red and white.

and here’s the house my mom and her sister grew up in ::


View Larger Map
all the brick work is new and the front door used to be between the two windows. the trees over to the right of the house is where me and my friends used to build forts and such.

What kids really want this Christmas

christmas village
christmas village

The Simple Dollar shares several pointers on how to make Christmas much more meaningful this year.

First off they note, that the really meaningful Christmas gifts don’t come from MegaMart.

My wife and I take pleasure in creating homemade Christmas gifts, as do many of our friends. But even these are secondary to the time we spend “playing Santa”, driving around making holiday deliveries to the people we know. As we chat on porches or sit in living rooms, sipping hot cocoa and fawning over children, it’s the bonds of friendship that are important — not the gifts.

The post then shares several pointers from the book, Unplugging the Christmas Machine.

Robinson and Staeheli (the book’s authors) argue that children don’t really want clothes and toys and games. The four things they actually want are:

  • A relaxed and loving time with the family. Children need relaxed attention. During the holidays, normal family routines are temporarily set aside for parties, shopping, and special events. It’s important to slow down and spend quality time with your kids.
  • Realistic expectations about gifts. Kids enjoy looking forward to gifts and then having their expectations met. The key is to manage their expectations. By educating them about what “Santa” can afford, and is willing to give, it’s possible to prevent disappointment on Christmas morning.
  • An evenly-paced holiday season. The modern Christmas season starts months before December 25th, when the first store displays go up. Things end with a bang on Christmas day. The authors suggest beginning the season late in the year instead. Get out the Christmas music on December 15th. Pick out a tree on the following weekend. Schedule some low-key family events during Christmas week. Stretch the season to New Years Day.
  • Reliable family traditions. When I talk to my friends about what Christmas was like when we were Children, it’s not the gifts that we remember. We recall the things we did as a family. I remember sleeping next to the tree every Christmas eve, but never being able to catch Santa in the act. I remember seeing the cousins. I remember decorating the trailer house. Your kids will remember the traditions, not the gifts.

That last point is so important: it’s the traditions that make this season special, not the gifts.

I shared with our small group Saturday night that the idea of giving and receiving “material gifts” has become a lot more trivial to me in recent years. Maybe I’m ungrateful and expect everyone else to feel the same way — I dunno. I just feel like a gift card or a last minute gift says nothing about how you might really feel about that person.

Spending an hour over coffee at Starbucks, or a bowl of popcorn seems to say so much more.

What about you? What are you thinking, doing differently this year?

Does it matter?

My friend Briana sent this to me this evening relating to my message yesterday.

Had to share it here. Not exactly sure of the origin or author. If you know, please feel free to share so I can give credit.

I was hungry and you formed a humanities club to discuss my hunger.

Thank you.

I was imprisoned and you crept off quietly to your chapel to pray for my release.

Nice.

I was naked and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance.

What good did that do?

I was sick and you knelt and thanked God for your health.

But I needed you.

I was homeless and you preached to me of the shelter of the love of God.

I wish you’d have taken me home.

I was lonely and you left me alone to pray for me.

Why didn’t you stay?

You seem so holy, so close to God; but I’m still very hungry, lonely, cold, still in pain.

Does it matter?

re: What would you tell Obama?

I took a photo tonight for my memo to Barack Obama. Took it in the midst of another photo shoot with Laurie (so that’s the brief background on the suit and santa hat :-)).

I posted the photo to Facebook and Flickr and then decided – hey – why not create a Flickr group to let everyone share their memo’s to the president-elect.

So, I’m hoping that by the time you read this – this slideshow will be full of photos (and not just mine). But regardless – share yours and then tell a friend.