Archive - December, 2006

All Is Quiet On New Years Day

December 31, 2006 in General with Comments Off

We have logged about 29 hours on the road over the past week and I’ve done it all while fighting a stomach bug. We have been to Mississippi and back again. We ran over to Nacogdochas to visit a student and her family while they are worried about their grandfather in the hospital. Finially we have spent time in North Dallas with some great friends and their new baby. Other than the stomach bug, this past week has been a great wrap up tp 2006.

Last night, we were able to catch Night at the Museum which was completely packed and completly hi-larious!!! Great performances from Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Mickey Rooney, and Dick Van Dyke made the film an incredible treat. Robin Willams toned down the Robin Williams act and turned in a wonderful performance as the 26th President Teddy Roosevelt. I walked out of the theatre feeling on top of the world. Do yourself a favor and catch Night at the Museum!!!

I want to wish you all a Happy New Year and may you all have a great start to 2007!

Peace.

2nd Time Around

December 26, 2006 in Music, U2 with Comments Off

Happy Christmas

December 25, 2006 in General with Comments Off

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun

And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong

And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let’s stop all the fight

A very Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
War is over,
And what have we done
if you want it
Another year over
War is over
A new one just begun
now

And so happy Christmas
War is over,
We hope you have fun
if you want it
The near and the dear one
War is over
The old and the young
now

A very MerryChristmas
War is over,
And a happy New Year
if you want it
Let’s hope it’s a good one
War is over
Without any fear
now.

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Merry Christmas From The Felker’s

December 24, 2006 in Christmas, General, Shameless Self Promotion with 1 Comment

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Have a wonderful day with friends and family tomorrow. God’s blessing on you all as you go out and bless others.

Peace.

Christmas Eve

December 24, 2006 in Advent, Christmas, Ministry, Stories with Comments Off

Merry Christmas everyone! Since Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday it is a working day for me. I am leading worship this morning and then I am in charge of our Christmas Eve service tonight. I am extremley excited about the candlelight service this evening. I am focusing on the action of the shepherds on that first Christmas night. Maybe I’ll even throw in a clip of Linus explaining the true meaning of Christmas. Who knows?

We head out to Memphis/Corith, MS tomorrow. I wish all of you a safe and merry Christmas.

Peace,
Micheal

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”
(Luke 2:8-20 TNIV)

Looking Ahead to 2007

December 21, 2006 in Books with 3 Comments

I have been compiling a list of new books that I want to read in 2007. this isn’t an exhaustive list by any means just a jumping off point.

I want to know what you think.
Any suggestions?
Anyone wanna read with me?
Anything I should avoid?

The Top 5%

December 20, 2006 in News, Popular Culture with Comments Off

I am in the elite 5% of the nation who did not have premarital sex according to a new survey. CNN is reporting a new study that says 95% of Americans have had premarital sex.

While I am excited to be part of such an elite group I really question that number. 50%, yeah. 70%, ok. 75%, more likely. But 95%!?!?!

I think that a quote from one of the researchers put this particular study’s finding in the highly dubious catagory.

“The data clearly show that the majority of older teens and adults have already had sex before marriage, which calls into question the federal government’s funding of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs for 12- to 29-year-olds,” Finer said.

Ding, ding, ding! There we go! Does everything have to revolve around politics?

I would like to read the rest of the study but I wanted to pass this article along right now.

On Being Authentic

December 20, 2006 in Leadership, Music with Comments Off

Red Hot Chilli Peppers, LL Cool J, Tom Petty, Audioslave, and Jay-Z.

Q: What do all of the these artist have in common.
A: They have all worked with uber-producer Rick Rubin.

As I’ve stated before I think Rick Rubin is the kind of producer you want to work with. Every time you hear an artist or a group talk about Rubin they tell of the creativity and highly charged energy in the recording studio. Rubin seems to bring out the best in his artists.

Rubin helped resurrect Johnny Cash and it is the Cash on American recordings that will forever define this country legend. (For more of the process of working with Rubin check out the liner notes for the Unearthed box set)

I generally get excited when I hear about artists tapping Rubin to work with them. Recently Rubin has produced songs or albums by Neil Diamond, The Dixie Chicks, Justin Timberlake, Linkin Park, and, or course, U2.

I was happy to see and hear what Rubin has been able to do with these artists and each of them have been able to release some pretty great stuff. However, Rubin is working with another band and I am none too happy about it.

From Metallica.com:

Oh, and by the way, this up and coming producer guy named Rick something-or other, has been coming by the studio every now and again to listen to some of our new stuff and throw his two/three cents in. Since this Rick dude is new to all of this, we thought it would be a nice gesture to help break him into the music business by asking him to produce our next record. We’re very happy he said yes! In other words, we are psyched to share with you that Rick Rubin is producing the next Metallica album!

I think they were going for sarcasm in that post but it completely smacked of condescension.

Let’s be honest, Brand Rubin is red hot right now and Brand Metallica has been faltering for years. In the past 10 years Metallica has released 4 albums. Only two of those have had completely new material (1997′s Reloaded and 2003′s St Anger).

Beyond their music, their off stage antics (suing their fans) have turned them into the band everyone loves to hate.

Metallica has burned too many bridges with their fans to be so flippant about Rubin graciously agreeing to work with them. Leave it to Lars to act as though they are giving this incredible producer a break.

Authenticity must be earned and it is even harder to reacquire after it has been lost. I’ll be interested in hearing this new album if only to hear if Metallica allowed Rubin to do his job.

I’m afraid though that Metallica is Metallica’s worst enemy. Some kind of monster indeed.

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Tuesday Music Video Awesomeness

December 19, 2006 in Music, U2 with Comments Off

Meet The New Boss… Same As the Old Boss

December 18, 2006 in Life Draining Schlock, News, Politics, Pope Bono with Comments Off

My political fast goes on…

Meetings in Washington last Thursday between rock star Bono and Democrats, including Senate leader Harry Reid of Nevada, yielded a nice photo-op but not much else, according to Bono.

Bono, the U2 frontman and anti-poverty activist, was on Capitol Hill to seek assurances that $1 billion in planned U.S. spending to fight AIDS and malaria in Africa would not be lost if Congress freezes agency budgets in the coming year.

Bono said he also was seeking to close a “commitment gap” between what President Bush has requested for anti-poverty efforts and what Congress has agreed to spend in the past.

After meetings with incoming Senate Majority Leader Reid, House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee, Bono said he came away empty-handed.

“I’m alarmed we could not get a commitment from the Democratic leadership to prevent the loss of $1 billion in the continuing resolution,” Bono said Thursday in a statement.

“I don’t know who to blame. Democrats are blaming Republicans. Republicans are blaming Democrats. But the million people who were expecting (mosquito) bed nets don’t know who to blame. They just know that a promise made by the United States to keep their families safe is in danger of being broken next year.”

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