The Power of a Teenager
This past summer, I had one of our students intern with me...she was going into her senior year of high school...one of her potential career options is to be a youth pastor...this girl, Jen, is 18 going on 35...she shows great maturity for her age...anyway, she did a great job as an intern...one of the things she did was to plan out a night of worship and prayer...it was a great night of connecting with God...towards the end of the summer I told her that I would like her to teach during Freefall and Splash sometime during the year...she said she would...we are right now in the middle of an American Idol series, and last night we talked about beauty...this was the lesson she chose to teach...after she was done, I went up to her and told her to not tell our senior pastor about the night...she said she wouldn't, but why not?...I told her it was because I would lose my job so they could make her the youth pastor...she was AMAZING!...she had command of the group (the largest we have ever had), a great mix of serious and very funny, but most importantly, she brought the Word of God...Jen, if I had a vote, would choose the career path of being a youth pastor, because she would be a great one...this was another great reminder of why I do what I do...
Monday, January 31, 2005
Monday, January 24, 2005
A Great Loss
The other day we learned that Johnny Carson, former host of The Tonight Show, passed away from emphysema...even though he has been absent from the public eye for roughly 13 years, this is a great loss from the world of entertainment...he did more than probably anyone else for kick-starting the careers of great comedians from Jerry Seinfeld to Jay Leno to Drew Carey to David Letterman...stories say that he has been sending jokes to Letterman for him to use on the Late Show with David Letterman, so while he has been out of the public eye, he has still been contributing to the laughter of America...I remember fondly a bit that he tried in his later years...he began by mentioning the classic philosophical question, "If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a noise?"...he then proceeded to tell the audience that he had an audio recording that was made when a logger left a tape machine running in the woods, and when he returned to it, a tree had fallen...so now he, Johnny, had conclusive evidence to answer that age-old question...he pressed play on the tape recording and listened intently as the (blank) tape played...he listened for quite a while, maybe a minute, just waiting to hear something, while the audience nervously chuckled...then someone in the audience shouted out, "I've fallen and I can't get up!" to quote the old lady in the old First Alert commercials...I thought Johnny was going to bust a gut he laughed so hard...as he laughed, he looked up at the man in the audience and said, "Thank you! I didn't have an end to that bit."...classic Johnny, setting someone else up to get the laugh...I think I need to go out and rent one of his DVD collections...
The other day we learned that Johnny Carson, former host of The Tonight Show, passed away from emphysema...even though he has been absent from the public eye for roughly 13 years, this is a great loss from the world of entertainment...he did more than probably anyone else for kick-starting the careers of great comedians from Jerry Seinfeld to Jay Leno to Drew Carey to David Letterman...stories say that he has been sending jokes to Letterman for him to use on the Late Show with David Letterman, so while he has been out of the public eye, he has still been contributing to the laughter of America...I remember fondly a bit that he tried in his later years...he began by mentioning the classic philosophical question, "If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a noise?"...he then proceeded to tell the audience that he had an audio recording that was made when a logger left a tape machine running in the woods, and when he returned to it, a tree had fallen...so now he, Johnny, had conclusive evidence to answer that age-old question...he pressed play on the tape recording and listened intently as the (blank) tape played...he listened for quite a while, maybe a minute, just waiting to hear something, while the audience nervously chuckled...then someone in the audience shouted out, "I've fallen and I can't get up!" to quote the old lady in the old First Alert commercials...I thought Johnny was going to bust a gut he laughed so hard...as he laughed, he looked up at the man in the audience and said, "Thank you! I didn't have an end to that bit."...classic Johnny, setting someone else up to get the laugh...I think I need to go out and rent one of his DVD collections...
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Championship Sunday
This is it, the day that will determine who plays in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 6th...before last weekend's games, Marcy asked me who I thought would be playing in the Super Bowl...I told her that I thought the Patriots would play the Falcons in the big game...I am sticking with that prognostication (nice word, eh?)...I don't see anyone beating Belichick twice in the same year...he's just too dang smart (wish he had been that smart when he coached the Browns)...and Tom Brady is money in the postseason...and in the other game, I just have a feeling about the Falcons...no analysis, just a gut reaction...the Eagles are turning into the Bills of the early 90s...it's just starting to be kinda' fun to watch them lose in a gut-wrenching way...so there's my prediction for today's games...please do not use this as your basis for gambling on the games...if you do, you're bound to lose some money...
This is it, the day that will determine who plays in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 6th...before last weekend's games, Marcy asked me who I thought would be playing in the Super Bowl...I told her that I thought the Patriots would play the Falcons in the big game...I am sticking with that prognostication (nice word, eh?)...I don't see anyone beating Belichick twice in the same year...he's just too dang smart (wish he had been that smart when he coached the Browns)...and Tom Brady is money in the postseason...and in the other game, I just have a feeling about the Falcons...no analysis, just a gut reaction...the Eagles are turning into the Bills of the early 90s...it's just starting to be kinda' fun to watch them lose in a gut-wrenching way...so there's my prediction for today's games...please do not use this as your basis for gambling on the games...if you do, you're bound to lose some money...
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
God is funny
I was just talking with Oral yesterday about how The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and anything by Bill Bryson were the only books that made me laugh out loud...that was until this morning...during my QT, I was reading in Joshua...chapter 13 starts with "Now Joshua was old and advanced in years when the LORD said to him, 'You are old and advanced in years...'"...leave it to God to state the obvious...made me laugh out loud...that God sure is a funny guy...
I was just talking with Oral yesterday about how The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and anything by Bill Bryson were the only books that made me laugh out loud...that was until this morning...during my QT, I was reading in Joshua...chapter 13 starts with "Now Joshua was old and advanced in years when the LORD said to him, 'You are old and advanced in years...'"...leave it to God to state the obvious...made me laugh out loud...that God sure is a funny guy...
American Idol
Another January means the start of another season of American Idol...I, for one, am grateful...it's true, I am hooked on American Idol...I don't remember that being one of the addictions that Pastor Ron mentioned in his sermon on Sunday...some people - Marcy included - don't like the first couple of shows...they feel that they are too staged and that the judges are too mean...that's what got me hooked in the first place...here are a couple of observations from last night's season premiere:
Another January means the start of another season of American Idol...I, for one, am grateful...it's true, I am hooked on American Idol...I don't remember that being one of the addictions that Pastor Ron mentioned in his sermon on Sunday...some people - Marcy included - don't like the first couple of shows...they feel that they are too staged and that the judges are too mean...that's what got me hooked in the first place...here are a couple of observations from last night's season premiere:
- mad props to the youth pastor who was the first auditioner that they showed (except for the really awful National Anthem)...he showed that old guys can bring it, and that Christians don't have to be cheesy...in contrast...
- the girl who got up there and told them that God told her that she should be there and that she would be the next American Idol (or something like that)...then, while the judges were judging her, she was acting like God was whispering in her ear right then and there...she made Christians look downright silly (and not a little but hypocritical after her post-audition cuss-filled tirade)...
- the addition of Mark McGrath from Sugar Ray was nice...he was a pretty good judge (not as good as Quentin Tarrantino last year) with good comments and insights, good and bad...but he could have been a little less crass...the repeated comments about the one girl being hot and the other girl knowing how to spank were classless...not that anyone watches Idol for its classiness...
- that was a heartwarming story about the girl who had to pawn stuff to pay for her trip from Belpre, Ohio (Marcy's hometown) to Washington DC...I think she got through solely on her story, not her talent...but if I were her husband, I would be a little ticked off...she pawned her wedding ring(s?) instead of her karaoke machine and CDs?...I'd be less than supportive, too...
- wow, could Toni Braxton's cousin have been any more different than her?...
- Mary Roach was truly awful...I just hope they don't promote her and make her famous like they did with William Hung...the world needs only one of him, if that many...
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
TOPIC: Wish I could eat that much...
Was doing a search to find some info for a youth talk, and I came across this blog posting...pictures of a 100lb. girl who successfully completed an 11lb. burger challenge...6 pounds of meat, 5 pounds of bun and other stuff...man, now that's impressive...
Was doing a search to find some info for a youth talk, and I came across this blog posting...pictures of a 100lb. girl who successfully completed an 11lb. burger challenge...6 pounds of meat, 5 pounds of bun and other stuff...man, now that's impressive...
Monday, January 17, 2005
TOPIC: My wardrobe...
Apparently there are some people who think that they know the clothes that are in my wardrobe better than I do...last night at our senior high youth meeting, I taught in my socks, as I usually do...afterwards, one of our youth - Ally - came up to me and pointed out that my socks were the exact same color as this fleece thing I have, green with orange trim...I told her that I had no such fleece thing...she insisted that I did...I told her that the only things I had that were fleece were orange with black trim, and solid black...no green with orange...she still didn't believe me...she then proceeded to ask several of the other youth, and THEY ALL AGREED WITH HER!...I told them that they all did drugs before youth group because I had no such article of clothing...she then proceeded to call Marcy who told her that she was wrong, I had no such fleece thing...and as she left youth group, she still proclaimed that she was right and that Marcy and I didn't know what we were talking about...maybe I should check my closet again...
Apparently there are some people who think that they know the clothes that are in my wardrobe better than I do...last night at our senior high youth meeting, I taught in my socks, as I usually do...afterwards, one of our youth - Ally - came up to me and pointed out that my socks were the exact same color as this fleece thing I have, green with orange trim...I told her that I had no such fleece thing...she insisted that I did...I told her that the only things I had that were fleece were orange with black trim, and solid black...no green with orange...she still didn't believe me...she then proceeded to ask several of the other youth, and THEY ALL AGREED WITH HER!...I told them that they all did drugs before youth group because I had no such article of clothing...she then proceeded to call Marcy who told her that she was wrong, I had no such fleece thing...and as she left youth group, she still proclaimed that she was right and that Marcy and I didn't know what we were talking about...maybe I should check my closet again...
Sunday, January 16, 2005
TOPIC: Cliches from hell...
Just a few of the cliches that make me cringe when I hear them:
-I have too much on my plate.
-Think outside the box.
-Work smarter, not harder.
-It's a God thing (I'm going to take some heat for that one).
-He/she wears many different hats.
-Give 110%.
-I'm peachy.
-Too many irons in the fire (closely related to the first one noted).
I'm sure there are others. Just can't come up with them right now. Feel free to comment and add your own...
Just a few of the cliches that make me cringe when I hear them:
-I have too much on my plate.
-Think outside the box.
-Work smarter, not harder.
-It's a God thing (I'm going to take some heat for that one).
-He/she wears many different hats.
-Give 110%.
-I'm peachy.
-Too many irons in the fire (closely related to the first one noted).
I'm sure there are others. Just can't come up with them right now. Feel free to comment and add your own...
Friday, January 14, 2005
TOPIC: The Week of Marcy...
The Week of Marcy has come to an end...the week has been in celebration of her 30th birthday, which was on Wednesday...as near as I can tell, she felt quite celebrated...my evidence is the fact that she said today, "I felt very celebrated."...yeah, I'm pretty deductive like that...it started last Friday with a surprise party at Oral's house...she was surprised as evidenced by the fact that, when they started singing Happy Birthday, she said, "It's not Mike's birthday!"...she had not a clue...she was given small gifts, 30 of each...then, part of the way through the party, her good friends Fran and Nina showed up all the way from Kentucky (I knew they were coming)...again, very surprised...we had a great weekend with them...Fran had made up a memory book for Marcy filled with letters from many of Marcy's family and friends - great gift...they left on Sunday...then Wednesday, I took Marcy to Saffron, her favorite Cape restaurant...yum!...then today, I was her chauffer...chaffuer...shofur...driver as I took her to St. Louis so she could shop...so the long-awaited Week of Marcy is now over...
By the way, I have informed Marcy that since I will be 20% older on my birthday, I get nine days for my birthday...can't wait for August!...
The Week of Marcy has come to an end...the week has been in celebration of her 30th birthday, which was on Wednesday...as near as I can tell, she felt quite celebrated...my evidence is the fact that she said today, "I felt very celebrated."...yeah, I'm pretty deductive like that...it started last Friday with a surprise party at Oral's house...she was surprised as evidenced by the fact that, when they started singing Happy Birthday, she said, "It's not Mike's birthday!"...she had not a clue...she was given small gifts, 30 of each...then, part of the way through the party, her good friends Fran and Nina showed up all the way from Kentucky (I knew they were coming)...again, very surprised...we had a great weekend with them...Fran had made up a memory book for Marcy filled with letters from many of Marcy's family and friends - great gift...they left on Sunday...then Wednesday, I took Marcy to Saffron, her favorite Cape restaurant...yum!...then today, I was her chauffer...chaffuer...shofur...driver as I took her to St. Louis so she could shop...so the long-awaited Week of Marcy is now over...
By the way, I have informed Marcy that since I will be 20% older on my birthday, I get nine days for my birthday...can't wait for August!...
Thursday, January 13, 2005
TOPIC: Bravo MLB...
Apparently, Major League Baseball and the Players' Association have come to an agreement about a tougher steroid testing policy...it includes tougher penalties - including a suspension for first-time offenders - random testing, and off-season testing...it's a good thing and it's about time...speaking as one who works with teenagers, I see how much professional athletes are worshipped by kids...I was at a freshman basketball game last week and I saw a kid make a free throw, after which he held his finger to his lips, making a "Shhhh!" gesture...again, this was a freshman...do you think he made up that gesture all on his own?...no, he saw some cocky, overpaid athlete do it, thought it was cool, and thought he would emulate him...you see it all the time - kids trying to be everything they think their idol is, including having their bad attitudes...what happens when it moves past the childish gestures and it includes putting harmful chemicals in their bodies so they can be built like Barry Bonds or Sammy Sosa?...no one really knows the long-term effects of steroids, but with professional athletes using - allegedly - these products, kids are just going to want to do it, too, not caring about the long-term consequences, potentially sacrificing their health and life for a few fleeting moments of glory...anything the leagues can do to cut down on the steroid and like products is a good thing...again, I say, "Bravo, MLB!"...
Apparently, Major League Baseball and the Players' Association have come to an agreement about a tougher steroid testing policy...it includes tougher penalties - including a suspension for first-time offenders - random testing, and off-season testing...it's a good thing and it's about time...speaking as one who works with teenagers, I see how much professional athletes are worshipped by kids...I was at a freshman basketball game last week and I saw a kid make a free throw, after which he held his finger to his lips, making a "Shhhh!" gesture...again, this was a freshman...do you think he made up that gesture all on his own?...no, he saw some cocky, overpaid athlete do it, thought it was cool, and thought he would emulate him...you see it all the time - kids trying to be everything they think their idol is, including having their bad attitudes...what happens when it moves past the childish gestures and it includes putting harmful chemicals in their bodies so they can be built like Barry Bonds or Sammy Sosa?...no one really knows the long-term effects of steroids, but with professional athletes using - allegedly - these products, kids are just going to want to do it, too, not caring about the long-term consequences, potentially sacrificing their health and life for a few fleeting moments of glory...anything the leagues can do to cut down on the steroid and like products is a good thing...again, I say, "Bravo, MLB!"...
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
TOPIC: The Village
Well, M. Night Shyamalan has done it again for me...The Village came out on DVD yesterday so I made sure I picked it up to watch while Marcy was at small group...not her kind of movie...after the first fifteen minutes or so I thought, "I should have rented Collateral"...by the end I was glad I hadn't...another great movie with a surprise twist or two at the end...Shyamalan was starting out to be the next Alfred Hitchcock...after this movie, I would liken him more to Rod Serling of Twilight Zone fame...just one question (you may want to stop reading now if haven't seen the movie and still want to be surprised): How come they never saw planes flying overhead?...that is just my little nitpickiness shining through...great movie, though...here's how I would rank Shyamalan's movies:
1. The Sixth Sense
2. The Village
3. Unbreakable
4. Signs
I never saw Wide Awake or Praying With Anger...
Well, M. Night Shyamalan has done it again for me...The Village came out on DVD yesterday so I made sure I picked it up to watch while Marcy was at small group...not her kind of movie...after the first fifteen minutes or so I thought, "I should have rented Collateral"...by the end I was glad I hadn't...another great movie with a surprise twist or two at the end...Shyamalan was starting out to be the next Alfred Hitchcock...after this movie, I would liken him more to Rod Serling of Twilight Zone fame...just one question (you may want to stop reading now if haven't seen the movie and still want to be surprised): How come they never saw planes flying overhead?...that is just my little nitpickiness shining through...great movie, though...here's how I would rank Shyamalan's movies:
1. The Sixth Sense
2. The Village
3. Unbreakable
4. Signs
I never saw Wide Awake or Praying With Anger...
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
TOPIC: Free iPod...
I didn't quite get enough money for Christmas to buy an iPod or video game system...I'm thinking about doing one of those free iPod offers that you get 70 e-mails for every day...I saw a news story on them on TV...they seem legit...you just have to complete one of the offers from one of their sponsor sites and get five or so of your friends to complete an offer, too...then, your iPod - or video game system, or computer, or whatever - is on its way...I'm a little nervous about having to complete an offer and I'm wondering my friends will hate me for suggesting that they complete an offer just so I can get free stuff...we'll see...will keep you informed...
I didn't quite get enough money for Christmas to buy an iPod or video game system...I'm thinking about doing one of those free iPod offers that you get 70 e-mails for every day...I saw a news story on them on TV...they seem legit...you just have to complete one of the offers from one of their sponsor sites and get five or so of your friends to complete an offer, too...then, your iPod - or video game system, or computer, or whatever - is on its way...I'm a little nervous about having to complete an offer and I'm wondering my friends will hate me for suggesting that they complete an offer just so I can get free stuff...we'll see...will keep you informed...
Thursday, January 06, 2005
TOPIC: A Christmas Poem...
Here is a Christmas Poem that our junior high school youth group helped me create...it's the same Mad Libs poem I did with the senior high...enjoy, and a belated Merry Christmas...
'Twas the grandma before Christmas and all through the meatloaf,
Not a creature was stirring, not even an idiot.
The elevators were hung by the elf with care,
In hopes that Johnny Depp would soon be yellow.
The mice were nestled all snug in their mistletoes,
While visions of pirates danced in their snorkel.
And Mom in her Chapstick and I in my shovel,
Had just settled down for a purple winter's flamethrower.
When out on the car there arose such a clatter,
I danced from my cherry pie to see what was the matter.
Away to the job, I ran like a flash,
Tore open the dog and threw up the bellybutton.
When what to my wondering elbow should appear,
But a blue sleigh and 15 shmelly reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and fast,
I knew in a moment it must be Charles.
More rapid than ducks, the pogosticks they came,
And he licked and shined and called them by name:
On Napoleon Dynamite and Fat Albert,
On Pinocchio and Amanda.
On Tyler and Don Vito,
And Derrick and Billy.
But I heard him jump as he drove out of sight,
"Dumb Christmas to all, and to all a good moustache!"
Here is a Christmas Poem that our junior high school youth group helped me create...it's the same Mad Libs poem I did with the senior high...enjoy, and a belated Merry Christmas...
'Twas the grandma before Christmas and all through the meatloaf,
Not a creature was stirring, not even an idiot.
The elevators were hung by the elf with care,
In hopes that Johnny Depp would soon be yellow.
The mice were nestled all snug in their mistletoes,
While visions of pirates danced in their snorkel.
And Mom in her Chapstick and I in my shovel,
Had just settled down for a purple winter's flamethrower.
When out on the car there arose such a clatter,
I danced from my cherry pie to see what was the matter.
Away to the job, I ran like a flash,
Tore open the dog and threw up the bellybutton.
When what to my wondering elbow should appear,
But a blue sleigh and 15 shmelly reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and fast,
I knew in a moment it must be Charles.
More rapid than ducks, the pogosticks they came,
And he licked and shined and called them by name:
On Napoleon Dynamite and Fat Albert,
On Pinocchio and Amanda.
On Tyler and Don Vito,
And Derrick and Billy.
But I heard him jump as he drove out of sight,
"Dumb Christmas to all, and to all a good moustache!"
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
TOPIC: College football national championship...
Prior to last night's game, all of the prognosticators were saying that the upcoming championship game between USC and Oklahoma was, on paper, the best championship matchup ever...a total of four Heisman candidates on the field at the same time, including a winner on each team (the QB for USC won this year; the QB for OU won last year)...the numbers matched up ever so well...I thought, "How could it possibly be any better than when OSU beat Miami in the 2003 Fiseta Bowl for the championship?"...turns out I was right...last night was not a good game; it was a blowout...it wasn't very fun to watch...I turned it off and continued to read The Last Don by Mario Puzo, one of the three books I am currently reading...woke up this morning to find out that USC won 55-19...the OSU vs. Miami game still, in my mind, is the best college football championship game ever...period.
Prior to last night's game, all of the prognosticators were saying that the upcoming championship game between USC and Oklahoma was, on paper, the best championship matchup ever...a total of four Heisman candidates on the field at the same time, including a winner on each team (the QB for USC won this year; the QB for OU won last year)...the numbers matched up ever so well...I thought, "How could it possibly be any better than when OSU beat Miami in the 2003 Fiseta Bowl for the championship?"...turns out I was right...last night was not a good game; it was a blowout...it wasn't very fun to watch...I turned it off and continued to read The Last Don by Mario Puzo, one of the three books I am currently reading...woke up this morning to find out that USC won 55-19...the OSU vs. Miami game still, in my mind, is the best college football championship game ever...period.
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
TOPIC: Catching up...
I've been away for a while...it's time to catch up. so here are some really random and very brief thoughts from the last however long:
I've been away for a while...it's time to catch up. so here are some really random and very brief thoughts from the last however long:
- Preaching went well...got many good comments...it was fun preaching in the dark...I did that during the first half to symbolize the darkness that I was speaking on...kinda' hard to see my notes, but we had candles...some would say it was postmodern and experiential...some would say just weird...
- Went home for the holidays...it was nice to see the whole fam damily, but something has to change...the travel is just too much, 10-12 hours one way...and December is crazy enough already...this was the third Christmas that my wife and I have been together, and one or both of us have been sick each time...this time, I had a sinus infection and got a stomach nastiness while there, and Marcy had a migraine just before we left...we may have to alternate Christmases between the families...we'll see...
- How about them Buckeyes?...they came out and whupped up on the lesser OSU - Oklahoma State - in the Something-or-other Bowl...Ted Ginn, Jr. is an absolute freak!...I haven't seen someone that made everyone else look like they were standing still like that since Randy Moss in college...Go Bucks!...
- On another sports note, my Browns suck...they can't even lose right...if they had lost their last game, they would have gotten the second pick in the draft...now, because they actually won a game, they will draft #3...jugheads...
- Fave Christmas gifts, in no particular order: Napoleon Dynamite on DVD, French press coffee maker (and lots of Starbucks!), a quilt made from my old t-shirts, cool orange vest thing, U2 CD, cash money...
- The new Cranium game is great, Cranium Turbo...played it with family over New Years...much fun...
- The Cleveland Cavs got sold for $350 million...I would have bought them, but there is a $200 withdrawal limit from the ATM...bummer...
- Got to see some friends while in Wilmore overnight the other night...man, there are some good memories there...I sure miss that place and those people...it really is a great place...I think Marcy and I will be making a trip there in the spring to spend some more time...
- Big time prayers need to go out to southeast Asia...we cannot imagine the heartbreak that is happening over there...we lament the fact that over 1,000 of our soldiers have died in the year plus since we went to Iraq...150,000 lost their lives almost instantly there...please pray for them, and when you are done, pray again...
That's enough for right now...going to try to straighten up my office...not a fun job...
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