Category: Thoughts

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A Thunderous Roar

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This past weekend the CSRA Youth Ministry Network hosted the 2009 DNOW for our local area. Typically each student ministry that participates in the local DNOW schedules a fun activity on Saturday morning/afternoon for their students to have a little fun as a group. This year we wanted our students to definitely have fun, but we wanted to use this weekend where we had 700+ students’ attention to engage them in opportunities to live beyond themselves and to invest in the lives of other people. After all, the theme was “Your Kingdom Come” and it seemed very appropriate to initiate service projects for the students to participate in.

I am a firm believer that a huge part of our spiritual discipleship has to do with our engaging in ministry and actually doing the things that we’ve been told in scripture to do. Studys have proven that the stuff we learn has been retained in our memory based on 1 part data and 6 parts emotion, essentially we remember what we experience. Therefore when we talk about discipleship, I don’t think we can remove elements that provide experience in what we are learning.

Saturday night was dynamic! The praise coming from this group of students sounded at times like a thunderous roar. In all of the local youth events, I cannot remember students so in tune with who God was at that moment in their life. I truly believe that Matt Papa is anointed and we had the privilege of having his band lead us in worship, but I mostly believe Saturday night had a lot to do with the response from earlier in the day where students were engaged in what God is all about, living sacrificially and loving other people.

I believe this picture with my buddy Steve White best sums up what the day was all about…

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Its Not Reality TV…Its Marketing TV

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I’ve heard a lot of chatter this morning on Twitter and some blogs about the outrage that the judges on American Idol brough Tatiana Del Torro back onto the show. It was just a few days ago the chatter on Twitter and the blogs was about the outrage that Jason Mesnick was allowed to dump his fincee Melissa on the Bachelor. After all, she was the girl he selected as his fiancee when he dumped Molly, who is the girl he reunited with as soon as he dumped Melissa. What single guy would not love to be on this show? Really? You get to select from like 25 ladies, make out with them, get an all expense paid vacation to date these girls, and then you get to dump them and watch them cry, but oh wait, if you make the wrong choice, the show will help you get the one you let slip away back.

Tatiana on the other hand is one of the most annoying contestans that has ever been on American Idol. She was not voted by the fans to remain on the show, but apparently American Idol felt we got it wrong, so what did they do? They allowed the judges to do one of those “bring an idol back” sessions (which they have not done consistantly) to bring miss Drama queen back into our living rooms. Haha! And you thought this was reality tv!

No, this is Marketing TV, and part of that is to make you believe you are in control, but you’re not. I am convinced that the Bachelor had to cover their poor video editing, which a normal person caught. It was just a few weeks ago when Twitter and You Tube blew up over a video where someone discovered that Jason was going to select Melissa. See, Melissa wore a pinky ring and in the final shot (where it shows Jason proposing) you cannot see the girl’s face, but you can see her pinky ring. I believe this killed the ratings for the final show. Sure it could have boosted the ratings, but the whole ordeal went a little too far. The reunion show with Jason and Molly was too staged.

Finally, you have Tatiana Del Torro, oh yeah, and Nick Mitchell on American Idol. They define two of the horrible selections made by the judges this season. Of course there is also the swimsuit girl who didn’t get in on musical talent. The problem with American Idol and Tatiana and Nick is the fact that this is American Idol. The fans agree they are not “American Idols” even if they can sing a little. They have preached for years that an American Idol is a complete package. Who knows, maybe they have been wrong this entire time since only about 3 American Idols have ended up being American Idols and there was that guy who lost and made it bigger than the other 4 duds combined. So just remember when you are calling in to cast your vote, most of these people did not just walk in off the street, the show knows a lot more about them than you and I will ever know. Most of the final contestants have been doing music for years! The first few rounds are just to filter out the extra noise the judges allow through for ‘show’ and in this particular horrible season if you don’t have Drama (Tatiana and Nick), you don’t have much of a show.

Join the Conversation: What’s Your Thoughts?

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Octo-Mom versus Grandma: Who’s Right?

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Here is a portion of the video where Octo-mom, Nadya Suleman, gets into a heated argument with her mom, Angela from an interview on Radaronline.com (Click to View Video).

This is post is not an issues or argument about abortion or the killing and preservation of the embryos from Nadya. I want to focus on the attitude of both ladies.

I am shocked and amazed at Nadya’s attitude and tone towards her mom. For those who do not know all of the story, Nadya, and her previous 6 children were already living with Grandma Angela, and now Nadya has added 8 additional children (octuplets). I agree with Nadya that once she had the embryos implanted, it was too late, they were fertilized and were lives living within her, however, I don’t believe she was right by having the procedure done in the first place. She has no job, she has no home, she has no husband, and she has a ton of debt that she is now, basically asking for a bailout on. The procedure for the delivery of the 8 children cost tax payers well over $1 Million Dollars. Personally, I believe she has brought 8 children into a situation that is unhealthy, to provide a temporary fix for her control issues, and she has altered the lives of many others in between, including that of her mother, Grandma Angela.

With every interview, if it is edited, we only hear what we are given, so it is hard to understand the issue in context, however, I am amazed at Nadya’s attitude towards her mom, who provides for her and her now 14 children without any financial assistance from her daughter on behalf of her children. I do not hear an ounce of thankfulness from the part of Nadya. It really is a big mess. Once again, without getting into the issues of Abortion and preserving the Embryos (because that is not the isse) Join the Conversation and tell us who should be more upset and considered “justified” in their frustrations. Octo-mom, Nadya or Grandma Angela?

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What Holds You Back?

chainedI was at a church training event this past weekend. One of the pastors at the event gave a great morning devotion. He opened by talking about some of the things that hold him back from fully obeying God or fulfilling the call that God has placed on his life. One of the reasons he listed was simply that he knew how messed up he really was. I have to agree with him. Someone can tell me how they think I am going to be successful at an upcoming endeavor and I appreciate the encouraging words, but too often I find myself wanting to hold back and to sit still versus progressing because I get to looking at how messed up I am. After all, I know the thoughts I thought or the attitude towards other people that I had…the people saying the encouraging things don’t see the junk, they only see the shining parts of my life. In the end, I know I have to step out fully trusting that God knows what he is doing by leading me to do anything, but its not always easy!

Join the Conversation: What do you let hold you back?