*LOST SEASON FOUR DISCUSSION HAPPENING BELOW* PROCEED WITH CAUTION!!!

For those of you who are Lost fans you know that this season has been dealing with a lot of nerd-friendly issues such as theoretical physics, the space time continuum, and the nature of reality. All good stuff to be sure but often times I feel like my puny little BA can’t match up with the likes of Dr. Faradey and his time traveling rat.

So to make up for Lost time (ha) I have been expanding my reading list to now include a handful of scientific books. I began last Christmas with The Fabric of the Cosmos. I liked that book so much that I have since picked up Greene’s first foray into explaining deep, difficult, theortical concepts to everyday joes, The Elegant Universe.

In The Elegant Universe Greene introduces the reader to superstring theory. While general relativity deals with the big things in the universe, quantum mechanics deals with the smallest particles. Einstein believed that there must be a unifying theory that explains the entire workings of the universe both large and small. Many believe that superstring theory could be that unifying theory. Greene argues that throughout the history of physics, conflicts have emerged that, once settled, rewrote our complete understanding of what we know about how the universe works. Yes, like Desmond, I sometimes get a nosebleed just reading this stuff.

As I began reading last night I immediately ran across something that jumped out at me as extremely important as we head into the (second) season finale for season 4.

We all know that there is something off about the island and that this season we have come to understand that time plays a big role in that. First a rocket payload landed later than expected. Then a dead doctor washed ashore hours before he died. What is going on here? Now as we move toward the big finale John Locke is on a mission to “move the island.” What does this mean for those left on the island? What about those now on the freighter? What about the rest of us living our lives unaware of the islands existence? For those of you who have been following closely this season get a load of this:

The first conflict concerns puzzling properties of the motion of light. Briefly put, according to Isaac Newton’s laws of motion, if you run fast enough you can catch up with a departing beam of light, whereas according to James Clerk Maxwell’s laws of electromagnetism, you can’t. Einstein resolved this conflict through his theory of special relativity, and in so doing completely overturned our understanding of space and time. Accoring to special reletivity, no longer can space and time be thought of as universal concepts set in stone, experienced identically by everyone. Rather space and time emerged from Einstein’s reworking as malleable constructs whose form and appearance depend on one’s state of motion.

I think that this is a pretty significant bit of information as it concerns our castaways. If the island can move (or is in a constant state of motion relative to…) then no wonder there is a hiccup in time as it concerns rockets and dead doctors and satellite phones.

Maybe I should send Grizzly Jack a copy of this book to help aid him in his quest to return. I’ll just have to tell the postman to stay on the bearing 305 lest he too get a nasty nosebleed.

I can’t believe we have to wait another two weeks to (not) get answers to the mysteries surrounding the island, the survivors of 815, the freighter people, Ben, and Charles Widmore.

If anything should happen to me during these next two weeks, Desmond Hume is my constant.

Thanks to Youth Ministry Hilarity for this poignant, much needed open letter to our schools. I wish that I had written this. Schools please take heed and let our kids be kids!

Dear Public School System,

I am writing to you because of a crisis we are facing in our society. It is a crisis involving our teenagers, who you are trying to help us mold.

Unfortunately, I think you are creating the problem rather than helping it. Let me explain…
The public school system already complains (and rightly so) that our kids are “too tired” and that they “lack concentration.” There seems to be more apathy than ever towards schoolwork and school-related items.

But here’s the problem…
You complain that our kids are too tired, but then you make them stay after school for HOURS of extracurricular practice! They lack concentration, so you lengthen their school year. You make them work at camps from 9:00 to 5:00 IN THE SUMMERTIME!
I have teenagers in my church youth group who seem to be able to do NOTHING other than school! Does this produce well-rounded citizens? Why do we think that ALL their time needs to be occupied? Why can we not let them dream anymore? (They don’t have time to dream!) What ever happened to lazy summers?

First of all, it is COMPLETELY UNFAIR to take away their summer “vacation.” Teens in my church group are going to be BACK at Show Choir Camp just TWO WEEKS after they got out for summer vacation! EVERYONE needs time for rest and renewal, but you don’t seem to grasp this concept. Our children are overbooked and overworked. Please, let them have a vacation!

Secondly, this scheduling is detracting from family time…a much-needed (but quickly vanishing) pasttime. Even though many parents are working longer hours and some working through the summers, there are still parents who don’t see their kids til 9:00 PM because of schoolwork. Summers are decimated by camp schedules and other things. Families are passing each other by on their way to the next activity.

Third, overscheduling is unfair to other organizations. My youth ministry is trying to affect the same kind of results as you are. I would LOVE to work in conjunction with the schools, but the schools want ALL the time. While YOU are working on increasing the knowledge and athleticism of these kids, I would like to help work on their character, but my time to do so is increasingly taken away. It is very frustrating when schools tell kids (or give them the impression) that their GRADES depend on attendance of all ballgames, shows, etc. Even during the summer! I agree with the old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” I certainly do not wish to do away with schooling, but I wish kids could experience more help from church, work, and non-profit organizations.

Lastly, overscheduling is not necessary. It seems that the schedules have been left up to the competitive minds of the local coaches. While I admire their tenacity, I would also question their motives. Are they trying to teach the kids something, or just put another trophy on their shelf? Many kids are working their tails off for those coaches, but they have NO collegiate or professional careers in sight. While hard work is a desired trait, it can also be a boon. Many families are being ripped apart because of dads who never come home. Could it be that we are overworking kids just like we are overworking their parents?

It used to be that we had the WHOLE summer off. Soon, August became “Back-to-school-camps” month with band, choir, etc. Now, the schools have taken June as well. ONE MONTH for summer vacation is not enough! PLEASE leave them alone until August!! Let them have a solid eight weeks of vacation. Let them rest. Let them dream. Let them be gone long enough to actually “miss” school!

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.

Sincerely,
Franklin Wood
Omaha, NE

Although I have more of a radio face, a picture of yours truly made the cover image of the latest mail out for the Catalyst Conference. The Catalyst logo is covered with photos of past Catalyst participants and the one I submitted made the cut.

I’ll try and scan it tomorrow so you can all see it. If you get the mailer today, my wife and I are on the top left of the big C logo. It is a b&w picture of us. Pretty cool.

If you haven’t heard of the Catalyst conference it is worth every penny it will cost you to get to Atlanta. This October will be my fifth (one, two, three, four, fiiiiiifth) Catalyst conference and I am stoked!!! Seth Godin, Tim Collins, Matt Chandler, Craig Groescel, and some guy named Billy Graham are scheduled to speak this year along with Andy Stanley and Dave Ramsey.

If you want more info check out the website or drop me an email and I’ll talk you into registering for the conference.

Best. Conference. Ever.

When I am up for hours on end I try and find some things to do to pass the time. I found this passage last night and saw a big insomniac challenge for me.

What if, instead of flipping through the channels or playing video games, I spent my time in worship? What if I spent the time in praise and adoration? In “grateful reflection”?

“God—you’re my God! I can’t get enough of you! I’ve worked up such hunger and thirst for God, traveling across dry and weary deserts.
 
So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains. I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you.  

I eat my fill of prime rib and gravy; I smack my lips. It’s time to shout praises!

If I’m sleepless at midnight, I spend the hours in grateful reflection. Because you’ve always stood up for me, I’m free to run and play. I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post.” (Psalms 63:1-8 MESSAGE)

So there’s the challenge. In the midnight hour when everyone is asleep and I lie awake staring at the ceiling, I will worship. I will reflect on the goodness of the Lord.

Just when you think you’ve got everything together something flies in and obliterates the wall of security that you’ve fashioned around your self. It could be in your home life, business, relationships, church life- every area of your life is fair game for Satan to throw a curveball at you high and inside. It is in your reaction to the curveball that speaks to your innermost self and screams volumes as to who you put your faith into.

What curveball is life throwing at you right now?

What’s your reaction?

I have found comfort in some passages from Isaiah this weekend (44-46). They remind me that the things of this earth- blessing and curses, triumphs and disasters, good times and bad times- are all temporal whereas my God in now and forever. He is a constant guide and constant comfort. He alone is true and he alone is faithful.

With that I can take what ever is thrown at me- big or small, huge or insignificant- because I am not alone.

And guess what? Neither are you.

Last night I kicked off a new series called (creatively) God @ the Movies and we started with the first big movie of the summer, Iron Man.

Until last week I knew virtually nothing about Iron Man. I spent about three hours in a crash course study of all things Tony Stark. I was extremely thankful for two books that helped me craft my lesson for last night. First, I learned a great deal from Iron Man: Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels. This a brand new resource that I would define as the definitive tome on the Iron Knight. Mangels takes the reader from the jungles of Vietnam where Tony Stark was injured, captured, and forced to escape his captures in the first Iron Man suit through Stark’s battle with the bottle to the film and the current story lines found in the comic book pages. The book contains some great artwork and gives you all you’d ever need to know about Iron Man.

The other book that really helped me out was Who Needs a Superhero? by H. Michael Brewer. Brewer connected the life of Tony Stark with the life of King David. Both men had issues with their hearts. Tony Stark has a piece of shrapnel that inches closer and closer to his heart threatening to kill him at any moment but he struggles with the heart go deeper than mere flesh. He is unlucky at love (one girlfriend shot him) and business (he has made fortunes and lost each and everyone). All the pressures on his life drove him to battle with alcoholism. King David’s issues with the heart are also well documented. Bathsheba, Amnon and Tamar, Amnon and Absalom, Absalom and David. Heartbreak after heartbreak all because David began to trust in his armor over his God.

After his sin with Bathsheba, David penned this psalm:

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalms 51:1-12)

So what can we learn from this multi-million dollar summer blockbuster and what can we learn from this ancient shepherd-king of Israel? We can look for purpose and joy in the things of this world and trust in the strength of our hands but it won’t heal our broken hearts.

Our hearts can only be made whole again in the hands of our Creator. When we give him our hearts of stone he will give us hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). Only then will we find true purpose and lasting joy.

Yes Lord, create in me a pure heart!

You can now follow me on Twitter.

Twitter is a free micro-blogging site where you can send “updates” to your contacts and friends through IM, text messages, or email alerts.

Get your own Twitter account and message me so I can follow you too.

It was quite the weekend here at Casa de Felker. I hit up a concert VIP-style, I wogged a 5k, spent the evenings with my beautiful wife, and reached a milestone with my online relationships. For more on each of these events keep reading.

RUSH Concert
I have never considered myself a fan of RUSH before but I have enjoyed and appreciated their music in the past. This concert was incredible. It is hard to believe that three people could put out that level of sound. Their musicianship, stage presence, and visuals were outstanding. Perhaps my favorite part of the night was when the South Park kids (as “Lil’ Rush”) introduced the song “Tom Sawyer” on the video screen. Hilarious!!! I got the VIP hook up from a friend at church and was able to enjoy the second half of the concert from the VIP box. It was a great concert and and great night. Except…

Race for the Cure
I shouldn’t have stood for three hours at the concert because I had the Race for the Cure bright and early on Saturday morning. This was my very first 5k and although the main goal was to just finish I was able to finish just under my target time. I lost a few minutes of time waiting on the portajohn and i wasted some time maneuvering around moms and their strollers but all in all I finished strong. I can’t wait for my next race!

501
Today I added my 501st friend on Facebook. This is kind of a big deal for me as I have personally met every one of the people listed as my friends (even Dave Ramsey). This is a pretty big milestone and I appreciate everyone of you who have added me as your friend. If you haven’t added me as your friend please drop me a message on Facebook. I was going to offer a prize for my 500th friend but the number snuck up on me and I wasn’t prepared. Maybe I’ll have something planned for the 550th.

Hope you have a great week!

Anyone need to get rid of some frequent flyer miles?

There is a conference I would love to attend this summer but I just can’t afford the airfare out there. The first set of tickets I found cost over $800 and they were economy tickets with layovers! I was able to find some tickets for less but not enough to really make a difference.

The conference is in the middle of June and I would need to get from Dallas to Washington, DC.

Is there anyone you know of who could help a brother out?

Last Friday our church building suffered the wrath of the hail and roughly 1/3 of the building was flooded. Sunday smelled awesome!!!

On Monday a cleaning crew arrived and set up a plethora of fans and vacuums to tackle the moisture problem. Due to all this I haven’t been working at the office but from home or the coffee shop or a restaurant. Yesterday I grabbed some lunch while I studied and then I hit up one of my “thinking places.”

I have a handful of places where I walk and think and dream and ponder. My creative juices start flowing and my brain gets a little exercise and fresh air. Yesterday I went to one of the larger Christian bookstores in our area.

While there I overheard (read: eavesdropped) a woman discussing their church’s Bible reading group with her friend. This woman lamented how boring it was.

“I don’t like to read books over a second time. That’s my problem. I’ve read the Bible before. I just don’t see the point in reading it again. We’ve gone through the whole thing. Let’s just move on.”

I probably stared at the same section of Biblical maps for 10 minutes while I pondered this woman’s statement. I don’t know what was going on in the woman’s heart but I couldn’t help but take her words at face value. Was she really bored with reading the Bible with her brothers and sisters? What was she suggesting they move on too?

In The Divine Conspiracy, author Dallas Willard opens the introduction by writing,

My hope is to gain a fresh hearing for Jesus, especially among those who believe they already understand him. In his case, quite frankly, presumed familiarity has led to unfamiliarity, unfamiliarity has led to contempt, and contempt has led to ignorance.

I wonder what that woman would have done with Willard’s assessment.

Of course, the next logical question is, “What will I do with Willard’s assessment?”

Do I assume an overfamiliarity of God’s word or his Son or his ways? Will I allow a haughty sense of presumed knowledge harden my heart with contempt for the Almighty Creator of the Universe?

Or will I always look to read His words with a heart that is open to the things that I see or that are revealed as I read and listen? Can I truly ponder anew all the things that I’ve “learned” or have been taught?

Isaiah 43:10-12 proclaims,

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.”

And Isaiah 45:5-8 says,

“I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.

I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. “You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the LORD, have created it.”

How can you move on from this? How can you feel like you’ve learned all you can about the one who proclaims these words?

May you never tire of reading the words of the Almighty.
May you never assume that you’ve reached the end of your pursuit of Jesus Christ.
May you never hold the leading and teaching of the Spirit in contempt.

Dear Friends, I have an urgent request for you all to be praying for my friends Ryan and Lacey and their twin baby girls, Berkley and Emory.

Last week Berkley and Emory were born 15 weeks premature and are expected to be in the hospital for the next few months. While there are some positive signs of improvement happening there is an awfully long road ahead for both mom and dad and Berkley and Emory. I was able to see Ryan and Lacey on Thursday. They are asking for prayers and so I’m passing that request along to those of you who read this blog.

Here is an email from Ryan (dated 4/18) detailing what is happening and what specifically needs our prayers at this moment:

My daughters Berkley and Emory were born on Monday afternoon at a small hospital in Rockwall but were immediately taken to Medical City in Dallas and placed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). They are very premature (15 weeks early and weighing a little more than 1 pound each) and need the best care and technology available to ensure that their little bodies mature properly. They remain in critical condition but are surrounded by some of the best and brightest nurses and physicians in this big city. My wife, Lacy, was transferred to Medical City Wednesday and saw the girls on Wednesday afternoon. Since that time, Berkley and Emory’s conditions have improved, which is not a coincidence. The doctor has told us that the girls have had two good nights in a row (Tuesday night was tough). Right now, we cherish news like this because “good” is not a word that is used often in the NICU.

Lacy and I are still learning the geography of the girls’ new room but are getting used to the idea that we will be spending most of our time here over the coming months. The monitors, tubes and wires are overwhelming, but we do not underestimate their value. Please continue to pray for our little girls. While every step along this long journey is important, the next 5-to-7 days are critical to their chances of survival and their long-term health. Our prayer needs at this time are as follows:

Both girls are starting to show symptoms of Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), which is a condition where a fetal blood vessel, the ductus arteriosus, fails to close after birth. Prior to birth the fetus gets oxygen through the placenta, not from its lungs. The ductus arteriosus allows the fetal blood to bypass the lungs and go directly to the placenta. After birth, this vessel is no longer needed and must close to establish normal blood flow. The doctors started medicinal treatment yesterday and this will continue for the next 3 days. If the vessel does not close by that time, surgery may be required. Please pray for this vessel to close without surgery and for the medicine to have no negative side effects.

Berkley and Emory are also at risk for Intraventricular Hemorrhaging. The tiny blood vessels in the brain of a premature baby are very fragile and may break and bleed. This bleeding is most common during the first week of life. Bleeding can occur in many different parts of the brain and severe bleeding may cause serious developmental problems such as cerebral palsy, vision loss and hearing problems. A head sonogram is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22nd, and we will learn the extent of the bleeding, if any, at that time. Unfortunately, nothing can be done to prevent the bleeding, so we are forced to wait and see. Please pray that the sonograms for Berkley and Emory will be clear.

The lungs are the last major organ to develop during pregnancy. When babies are born this early, a ventilator must be used to replicate the developmental process that ordinarily takes place in the placenta. When respiratory problems occur after birth, it can often cause trauma in other areas of the body. The ventilator is tricky because we want Berkley and Emory’s maturity process to be as independent as possible. Too much ventilator support can cause damage to the lung tissue, causing Chronic Lung Disease, respiratory distress syndrome, and other problems. Too little support, however, may not provide them with enough oxygen or teach them to breath properly. Right now, Berkley and Emory are on good settings and have not needed to have much oxygen pumped through the ventilators. Pray that this stability will continue and that their lungs will grow stronger every day.

May God continue to watch over Berkley, Emory, mom and dad

So there is folks. Ryan, Lacey, Berkley, and Emory need your prayers. Pray for them, the medical staff, and their extended family as the wrestle with this for the coming days and months ahead.

I know that God is good. I know that he hears us when we pray. Let’s make sure he hears from us a lot on behalf of this family.

As I get information I’ll pass it along to you. Thanks.

It’s insomnia time again my friends so I’m making the most of it and I’m clocking in. Rather than lay in bed staring at the ceiling or flipping through the tv channels or playing some XBOX I’m prepping for my week ahead.

I’ve cleaned up my home office and I’ve laid out all the books I think I’ll be using for references this week. I teach 3 different classes, 3 times a week. Sometimes due to the nature of what we’re studying I need only two prep times because we will build upon (say) Sunday morning class during our Wednesday night class. That is not the case right now. On Sundays we are studying the life of Christ. On Wednesdays we have more of a discussion based class. We recently finished studying Philippians and I’ll soon start a class on God @ the Movies. Both of these teaching times are more or less formal teaching times with a big dose of discussion. Sunday nights are a bit different. On Sunday nights we gather for a teen worship time complete with singing, prayer, and a “sermon.” This week we will not do this on Sunday night. That means I don’t have to prep for this but I will spend a little time looking ahead and planing out the Sunday nights for the month of May.

In personal study time, I’ve been studying through Acts 11-15 and I’m working on a book proposal. The proposal has been time consuming but very enjoyable. I hope to have it finished in the next two weeks. As it comes together I’ll be posting information here and would love feedback from you all. I’m reading Bulletproof Book Proposals to aid in my completion of the proposal. Each chapter ends with a writing assignment that helps you think through the various aspects of a winning proposal. I have really liked working through and thinking through my ideas. I would buy my book idea! Maybe some editor will think the same thing!

So that’s where I’m at here at 1:50 in the AM. Maybe I’ll crash here a few hours. We shall see.

I hope that you are fast asleep. I hope that you are getting your rest.

I’ll join you sometime. Until then it’s back to work.

I think we had a little bit of hail at our house last night. Of course, we had planned on cleaning out the garage this Saturday enough so that we can move our cars inside if we need to. It’s a good thing we’re going to do that!!!

No damage to the house or to the cars. Sandy’s garden full of bright and beautiful flowers… didn’t fair so well. In fact they are gone. They received the royal beat-down from the icy skies. The front yard looked like it was covered in shredded lettuce this morning. All those new leaves were knocked from their limbs! Good news was that the fence that I put up last year stood strong and laughed in the face of the storm!!! HAHAHA!

Enjoy the pics. Anyone else get hail last night?

A few years ago we were out at dinner with a few friends at a brand new restaurant. The place had only been open a week or so when we gathered together for some cheddar biscuits and conversation.

That night I ordered a big, tall glass of Coca-Cola. When the waiter brought me my drink I grabbed it, lifted it to my mouth, and the glass shattered into a million pieces mere inches from my face.

I would like to blame the demise of the glass on my bulging muscles but the truth is that the glass shattered because it couldn’t take the pressure.

This brand new glass succumbed to the pressure of the heat from the dish washer and when it came to doing its job, holding cold drinks, the glass cracked. Its integrity gave way.

So it is with us.

I spoke to a group of High School students yesterday about submitting to authority (a cracker-jack topic, I know). I told them that this is one area where their integrity can be compromised everyday. It is such a temptation to defy authority or to fail to understand the importance of living under authority. For us, God is the ultimate authority and learning to live under human authority figures helps strengthen our reslove and honors our heavenly Father.

I was honest with them and told them that I have struggled my whole life to live with integrity on this issue. I am independent and I am strong willed. I take issue with poor authority figures and struggle with following men and women I perceive to be weaker leaders. However, God doesn’t put caveats on submitting only to strong leaders or wise authority figures. In Romans 13, Paul states that Everyone must be subject to authorities. That’s a pretty definitive statement.

Standing before them I realized that I was 10 years older than those in the Senior class and I was about 10 years younger than most of the teachers. Every single one of us was under some authority. Some of these authority figures are good, godly, wise, nurturing individuals. Give thanks to God for these men and women. Some though are weak, selfish, and incompetent. Learning to live under both of these types of leaders ultimately gives glory to God and honors his commands.

Often times I have had to learn the hard way and have made many mistakes. Thankfully God keeps repairing the cracks in my heart. Learning to live under authority, good or bad, is just one way to make sure that you are living with integrity.

Don’t crack under the pressure and try to take out your King (1Sam 24). Honor them as you honor God. He is ultimately in control and the ultimate authority of our lives.

By the way, I still had to pay for that Coke. What’s up with that?!?!

The plan is to teach on the themes and stories featured in 5 upcoming summer blockbusters. We will teach on each film the Wednesday night prior to its published release date.

We’ll start with…

And end with…

What do you think?