Fortuitous Bouncing

It was this week that I realized that being an adult isn't that cool. Well I guess I'm not really an adult, but being in real life out of college (I know I'm in college but I commute and its grad school so it isn't the same) isn't all it is hyped up to be. How did I come to this conclusion? Well, my brother and sister and mom got 2 days off of school this week because of snow. At our place we got a little dusting that I showed a picture of earlier this week. I still had to do homework, I still had to work, no matter if school was closed or not, it didn't matter. Being an adult is no fun, I can't even enjoy the snow.

• This paper just figured out that college students are walking away from Christianity. What a shocker!!!
• An interesting CNN article on the world's major religions and how they view the environment.
• I've spent a fair amount of time following this election process so far. By far the best coverage on tv and the internet is CNN. It is not even close. They are fair and objective in their analysis and I have learned tons from watching. They know their stuff.
• A golfer who is ranked 22nd in the world thinks he is the ONLY one who can challenge Tiger. Apparently he is delusional as well.
• Barack raised $32 mill....that is a lot of change.
• An interesting and thought provoking blog on church leadership and management.
• This is an honest look into the conflict in Kenya.
• My biggest complaint about Oregon winters: If it is going to be 35, it might as well get down to 30 and snow.
• I guess the new type of model is supposed to look more like normal people.
• I've been planning to delete my personal Myspace account, but I've run into a few loopholes that Myspace has in place. Hopefully it is something I can fix early next week. I'm just pissed that I missed out on the national delete your Myspace account day.
  

Who Knows

Maybe it is because snow is in the forecast, or the Super Bowl being a week away, or Tiger dominating this weekend, or just because I'm a nice guy....but tonight I feel like being generous. Anyone who links to me, I'll link you right back. If you are thinking..."why on earth why would I want a link on your page"....I can think of no good reasons. But maybe you are in a good mood too and want to link up.

So there you go...link to me and I'll link back. If you are in a feed, you gotta come over here and send me an email or just give me a comment. If you already have a link and I know you...you won't get cut, don't worry.

Going Green

I was listening to Jim Rome on the radio today. He brought up some interesting information that was included in the divorce papers for Shaquille O'Neal and his now ex-wife. The biggest shocker of all the info was that he spends $24,000 on gas......a MONTH. Yeah...a month. I wonder how it is even possible to spend that much on gas.
Jim spends a lot of his show reading listener emails. Here are some in response to this that were hilarious. Enjoy.

Dear Jim-
That is a lot of gas. Can we invade him?

Regards,
W

Dear Jim-
We are glad that Shaq is supporting us.

-The Middle East

Fortuitous Bouncing

Another week in the books...well I have to work tomorrow, but Friday still feels like the end of the week. I'm leading worship on Sunday at Sunset for the 11am service and Ron is speaking on serving the poor and oppressed. Pretty good timing considering the series on Irresistible Revolution and the topics it brings up.

• I'm going to see Cloverfield tonight...I'll let you know if it is any good.
• I watched the democratic debate on Tuesday night in Vegas....BORING. They chose all the topics that they mostly agree on. Who wants to hear politicians agreeing for 2 hours?
• Speaking of politics...people have always said politics and religion don't mix. This article says they do.
• This makes God Tube look pretty smart.
• A school district in Maryland is trying to teach that it is innate to live a homosexual life.
• Ross Perot on the Presidential candidates.
• I guess this Sunday is "Sanctity of Life" Sunday. Two blogs at Jesus Creed raised some great conversation.
• Huckabee insinuated that the Constitution is unbiblical. What do you think?
• Here is a list on what worship is. I think it is pretty solid.
• My first worship rundown in FOREVER is coming Sunday.
• After 4 hours of American Idol this week..."We're Brothers Forever" was definitely the highlight.
  

Woah!

I didn't know people still drove these things!?

The Greatest Blog .2

I think the best blogs are the ones that give back. Great blogs are like the meaning of Christmas. It is a time to focus on someone and something else other than ourselves. My favorite blogs point me in different directions and provide great insight into topics.

It is interesting to see how blogs are used by various people. Some people talk about their day, some use it as a daily devotional type of thing, some talk about current news, and others give their opinions...etc. No blog is the best, but the ones that lead to other places are the ones that I get excited about reading.

This popular blog seems to agree with me on this. The blog called Global Neighbourhoods, says that the best blogs send you to other places.

New Year, New Look

I spent some time today working on a new look for this blog. Most of the blogger templates are horrible so I had to do some tweaking but I like how it came out. If you are on a feed, come on over and check it out.

Tops for '07

Top Songs of '07

-All Because of Jesus (Fee)
-Before the Throne (Shane and Shane)
-Hey There Delilah (Plain White Ts)
-Slow Dancing in a Burning Room (John Mayer)
-It's Not Over (Daughtry)
-Glory of it All (David Crowder Band)
-Happy Day (Tim Hughes)

Top Movies of '07
I went to the movie theater 2 times all year, so I got nothin for this.

Top Games of '07

-Boise St. V. Oklahoma
-Appalachian St. V. Michigan
-Rockies V. Padres (one game playoff)
-Texas V. Oklahoma St. (triple OT)
-Indy V. New England (AFC Championship)

Check a guide to the best of 2007.

The Greatest Blog

Blogging is diverse. No blog is exactly the same. Not everyone likes reading the same type of blog.
I think it is fair to say that the most popular type of blog is informative. Blogs like Lifehacker and Seth Godin don't really write personal things, they write to inform their readers.

Some people only blog about their lives and the happenings around it. Some people blog because they enjoy it, others blog because it is their job, and even others blog because they want more readers.
Some people blog specifically about one topic, while others (like me) go for anything.
Opinions vary about what makes a great blog.

So what do ya think...what makes a great blog?

Put on my Underwear and Bluetooth

We've all been out and about and have seen the people (mostly guys) who constantly walk around with a bluetooth on their ear. I mean, you can walk next the that guy for 10 minutes and he probably won't get a call. How did the perception become that wearing a bluetooth was either:
1. a fashion statement
2. cool
I mean.........really? Are you kidding?




Now look, I understand the benefit of being hands free, but do you really need it when you are around town. I use it in my car every now and then, but whenever I do I know that I look like a tool. So my questions....

Do you use one and why?
WHY DO PEOPLE WEAR THESE LIKES PIECES OF CLOTHING?

Here is another blog on the same subject that is pretty amusing.

Good Morning

Any great morning has to start with something like this:



You are welcome.

She's Pregs

The big news of the day was that Britney Spears' sister got pregnant. Some people are saying this would never be newsworthy if it wasn't for Britney but I think they are missing the point. Jamie Lynn Spears is a star on the Nickelodeon show "Zoey 101" and she is 16. Beyond that she was living with her 19 year old boyfriend. From where I'm sittin that seems like pretty big news to me. The typical person who watches this show is a 11 year old girl who dreams of being like Jamie Lynn...well at least until now. Here is a great cnn article that has parent's reactions to the news. In society this has crossed the line for most people. Clearly her parents have no clue how to raise children, as two of them have made major mistakes. I think 10 years ago she would have been crucified for this, but today she is commended for taking responsibility for what happened.

10 years from now this could be the norm...how far will normal go?

Survivor: China

I have watched Survivor for a long time. I watched the first three seasons, took a small hiatus and then began watching them all again my freshman year of college. I guess you could say I'm a fan. I always get crap for being a reality tv fan...but really, I'm only a fan of the good ones. Survivor was one of the first if not the first of the reality tv shows. People have 2 reasons for why they don't like it.
1. No one else likes it...It has been going for over 8 years now and is always among the most watched shows, so you can't say no one watches it.
2. Other people say that it is always the same...to that I say that it is a show primarily about human interaction, which is never the same. It might be the same format with similar games and style, but every season is a new group of people.

This year was different from the rest because out of the final five, there was only ONE guy. And this guy was a pint size flight attendant, so he was really only like HALF man. As much of a fan as I am...this was a real bummer. There was one twist in the middle of the game that basically knocked out two of the biggest male competitors. I like this review blog. Check it out if you watched the finale. Needless to say, despite my problems with this season I still watched the whole thing and I intend to watch the next one. Newest twist for next season: past Survivor favorites versus Survivor fans. Should be great.

Does anyone else like this show?

Fortuitous Bouncing

I thought I would commemorate the ending of my first semester of seminary with some of the things that have had an impact on me lately.

First off, for anyone who follows football and knows me, you know I am a Vikings fan. About a month ago I would have never thought they could make the playoffs. But...if the playoffs started today, the Vikings would be in. Awesome.

Ok, now to the non sports stuff since nobody cares about it but me.

1. Rich Kirkpatrick wrote a blog about the notion of "worship not being music, but being a lifestyle." I've heard it my whole life and it seemed to make sense but I like how he breaks it down and argues kind of against it.
2. Scot McKnight at Jesus Creed has two great blogs. One about the emerging generation and how it effects church. This is always an issue that I love to think and talk about because it my age group. The other is about Willow Creek's Reveal study/poll. He talks about some of the things he likes and doesn't like about it. It is a must read.
3. A friend from my dad's church, Randy Mooney, has a great blog where he discusses the book Stop Dating the Church by Joshua Harris.
4. Matt Singley used to work at Sunset Pres and now is enjoying the So Cal life with celebrities at church. Anyway, he has a great blog about marriage advice after being married for 11 years. Maybe I'll give one piece of advice after 1 year. Its comin up!!!
5. Do you use Firefox instead of Explorer? Then read this...and if you don't. You should switch.
6. Like most of you...I don't get much blog traffic. I stumbled upon (not using stumble upon) this blog by a guy who I definitely don't know. BUT he has some good advice for blogging. Check it.
7. And lastly...this weekend at Sunset the theme if spiritual warfare. I just turned in a paper (the last paper of the semester!!!!) about demon possession which I'll discuss another time. I don't think we ever realize the battles going on around us and in us at all times. Perry Noble is a wonderful pastor in South Carolina and he discusses some elements of spiritual warfare through Nehemiah.

I'll let you know if I am Legend is any good. I'm not a big sci-fi guy and the previews seem to give it that kind of element, so you will know for sure if it is legit.

Yes!!!

Today is a great day. No, not because it is 38 and cloudy here (cause that just stinks)...not because I'm going to see I am Legend tonight (of course that is cool too)....not because Christmas is less than two weeks away....Because I have no seminary to worry about for 3 weeks. Yep, 3 weeks. Today begins Christmas break. I forgot how great the feeling of finishing a semester is. It has to be one of the best feelings in the world, up there with the first bite of a great pizza.

Hope your day is going well too.

Driving .2

In Oregon we have reflective bumps in between lanes on highways. Not so much a speed bump but kind of a reminder that you are changing lanes. I have 2 thoughts about them.
1. We are allowed to have studs on our tires for snow and ice, but we have these bumps which make the roads almost impossible to snow plow. Now that makes a lot of sense. If you plow the road, it rips all these reflective bumps off.
2. I find them really annoying. If I am changing lanes do I really need a small bump to hit my tire to remind me? I doubt it.

So I usually play a game where I try to get all 4 of my tires to avoid hitting them. It isn't easy. I would say I probably have a 50% success rate.
Anyone else play this game?

Driving

In Oregon we are allowed to have studded tires for something like 5 months out of the year. First off, I think it is stupid. They should only be legal in certain parts of the state, and if you drive outside of that part you get a ticket. Otherwise, just carry chains. Yeah it is inconvenient but it is better than crappy roads all over the state that NEVER gets snow. Portland averages 2 inches of snow a year. So clearly it makes sense to ruin the roads for all that snow!!!

Anyway, those studded tires create large grooves in the road. I have always had smallerish cars, so I've always driven outside of the grooves when possible. It is a quieter ride and safer when it is raining.

So the question is....do you drive inside or outside of the grooves?

A Seminary Diet

Most of you know that I am in seminary all day on Friday. 8am-5pm. It is a long day...2, four-hour long classes. Here is my day:

I have a bowl of cereal and make some coffee after the early morning shower. I still say man wasn't designed to get up before it is light but the traffic I run into in the dark at 7:10am says no one else agrees.
I have about a 40 minute drive to campus. I drink the coffee, listen to Colin Cowherd on the radio and then listen to music.
During my first class, I eat a banana, drink a 20 oz bottle of Pepsi, and eat a pack of Necco candy wafers.
For lunch, I eat a sandwich my wife puts together because her's are 10x anything I can make. I drink another can of Pepsi, have some apples, and eat some crackers.
For the afternoon class I usually have a granola bar and have either Starburst or Skittles.

I really don't know how much caffiene and sugar that is but I know it probably equals my intake from the other 6 days of the week combined. Maybe I just don't want to know. But, even with that I struggle to stay awake in the warm classrooms.

Good thing I have a hollow leg.

Fortuitous Bouncing

1. I wonder if it will actually snow here (Portland, OR). After living here for over 13 years now I've watched the news hundreds of times when snow has been predicted or expected and it is usually a let down or doesn't even happen. It seems more legit than usual but I've been betrayed enough in my time here so I'm sure I'll open the window in the morning only to be disappointed.

2. Carlos at Ragamuffin Soul had quite an interesting post I was checking out earlier this week. A 24 hour show about everything that is Apple. No I haven't gotten my Mac yet, but it doesn't mean I can't start preparing.

3. Is it ok to say that I don't care how bad Nebraska was this year? They are going to hire the guy I wanted 4 years ago. He should have never been able to leave for LSU but I'll take him now too.

4. Check out this awesome post on working out with a Wii. Yeah....you read that right.

5. Jeremy at Milestone Worship has a great post on Christmas music. He actually made me think that I could half way enjoy playing Christmas music.

6. Scot McKnight has a great review on the book unChristian. Some of the statistics on there should scare anyone that wants to reach the world for Jesus.

7. Craig at Lifechurch.tv has a blog that was one of the main reasons I started blogging.

8. Dan Kimball is probably the first person that inspired me with a vision when I decided to go into ministry. Here is a great post on the importance of everyone being a theologian.

Have a great weekend. A cold weekend across most of the US. I think I read that 30 out of 50 states are expecting snow in the next 5 days.

Snip Snip: the Damage

Well as most of you read last night about my plans, I got my hair cut this morning. It was a sad goodbye to my long hair but it was time for it to go.That was a picture of the mullet that I had during the haircut process. Here are some before/after pics.














Pretty different eh?