All posts by mjfelker1980

False Advertising, Micro$oft, Music, Popular Culture

False

I am an unabashed iPod fan. I have been very critical of Microsoft’s Zune for quite sometime but lately something has been really bothering me. Really bothering me.

Apple released revamped iPods including the new iPod touch and the iPhone both of which feature touch screens. In fact, the iPod touch commercial featuring CSS’s “Music is My Hot, Hot Sex” highlights the touch feature over all the other features (I want you to touch!”).

Now Microsoft has retooled the Zune lineup just in time for the holiday season. While the new Zune players are a step forward (better design, less clunky) Microsoft seems to be competing with last season’s iPods. The new Zunes do not allow you to surf the internet and they are only controlled by the scroll/click wheel.

Despite what the ads lead you to believe Zunes DO NOT have a touch screen.

The two latest Zune ads both have the main actor/actress touching the screens of their Zune. Below is the first ad I saw:

In this video you are led to believe that the woman touches the screen twice. The first time she “enters into” the Zune and the second she touches the screen in order to “exit.” Upon closer inspection she never actually touches the screen but the implication is blatant and misleading. I have been unable to find the other commercial but it features a man riding the bus listening to the shins. He does touch the screen as he falls into the Zune. He pushes the screen open like a door. Again, blatant and misleading.

Shame on you Microsoft. You talk a big game about how superior your device is but when it comes right down to it you can only mimic and mislead. Instead of “highlighting” a feature that you don’t have show everyone what features your player does have.

You know, features like… um… or… yeah.

2007, Life, Thanksgiving, The Word

Happy Thanksgiving

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I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

We got up early so I could finsh the last minute prep work on our bird and it is now in the oven working up a sweat. 🙂

Yes you read that last sentance correctly. I am cooking the turkey this year.

I soaked it last night in a brine of broth, allspice, ginger, and ice water. We took it out of the brine this morning, washed it again, basted it and gave it a quick roast at 500 degrees. When we took it out to wrap it in foil for the remainder of the cooking time it was already turning a little golden and was begining to smell very, very good. We are halfway through now.

My parents are on the way over and pretty soon we will gather around the table to give thanks for a great year.

A few things I am ThankFull for:

Our marriage: We are in year 7. No itch here.
Our jobs: Both of us feel very fulfilled in our work.
Our health: My wife’s arthritis seems to have gone into remission. very grateful for that.

I pray that you too can find some things to be ThankFull for today and everyday.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Psalms 107:1-9

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for humankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”

UPDATED: The turkey was real (good) and it was spectacular.

Music, Popular Culture, U2

1st Grade

While not my favorite U2 album, The Joshua Tree‘s place in rock ‘n roll history cannot be denied. The album as a whole works everytime you put it on. Never fail.

Streets. Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. With or Without You. Bullet the Blue Sky.

Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Four strong offerings right off the bat. Their not done yet.

Running to Stand Still. Red Hill. In God’s Country (My Fav). Wires. One Tree Hill. Exit. Mothers.

Seven of the most underrated U2 songs ever recorded which also happen to be seven of the best songs that U2 has ever recorded. Every time I listen to Joshua Tree I eagerly anticipate the big breath of Running immediately following Bullet the Blue Sky. Sublime.

On Tuesday, The Joshua Tree was re-released for a 20th Anniversary Re-mastered Box Set including the album (re-mastered), a rarities disc, and a DVD concert from 1987. I have never heard this album sound so good before. The re-master is great but the real gem in the concert DVD. While not as big and ZooTV and nowhere near as gaudy as PopMart the band is tight, the set list is perfect, and the 80’s fashions are on display like never before. No Bono mullet though.

Joshua Tree 20th Anniversary Set

For the record: I was in 1st grade when U2 first released their masterwork The Joshua Tree. I was too busy at the time listening to NKOTB and hanging down at Fraggle Rock. I’ll never regret my time spent with Gobo and Wembly but I give thanks everyday that I got my music ear, ditched the New Kids and their ilk, and found the boys from Dublin.

Now this seminal album has been re-released in a 20th Anniversary edition.

You know what that means? I am officially old.

Randomness, Youth Ministry

Today

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Yesterday someone asked me what I do during the day.

It is the question every youth minister gets asked at least once a quarter.

I told this person that my schedule varies from week to week but sometimes I study, I prep for classes, sometimes I work on the schedule or budget, I call retreat centers, I meet with other ministers, I visit schools, I watch band competitions, I visit students after surgery, I make teaching plans, I walk bookstores to glean ideas… I guess I do a little bit of everything each week.

Case in point: Today I built chairs.

I built 30 chairs for the youth room at church. On Monday a student and I drove to IKEA and purchased the chairs. It took us so long to drive to Frisco and back that we were unable to assemble the chairs then. We left them in the youth room over night and this morning I went to work at putting them all together. It took me the better part of the afternoon to finish them all but I got it done. Check out my photo essay of my day.

BTW, if anyone needs a hex key give me a call. I have 30 of them.

Let's Get Crackin'

Opening the Box

Halfway

Homestrtch

Almost Finished

30 Fresh Chairs

Hexapalooza

Bible study, curriculum building, relationship growing, and now chair building. Ministry is the wildest job on the planet. I live for this stuff!

Guilty Pleasure, Popular Culture

And the Flowers Are Still Standing!

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Oh, boy! I just geeked all over myself while veiwing this video clip of gameplay from the upcoming Ghostbusters video game. The game will feature the original cast and the script has been penned by Aykroyd and Ramis (Ray and Egon respectively).

In the clip you can spot recreated scenes from the two movies, references to Tobin’s Spirit Guide, and a visit from everyone’s favorite librarian (Get Her!). There is already an official game site up and running. Click here to see more.

I cannot wait to play this game.

Favorite Quotes from Ghostbusters:
“Back off man! I’m a scientist.”

“Someone blows their nose and you want to keep it?”

“You’re right, no human being would stack books like this. ”

“‘Get her.’ That was your whole plan, huh, “get her?”

“Someone saw a cockroach up on twelve.”

“Why worry? Each one of us is carrying an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back.”

“That’s bad. Okay. All right. Important safety tip. Thanks, Egon.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Nice shootin’ Tex!”

“Ok, who brought the dog?”

“Tell him about the Twinkie.”

“If I’m wrong, nothing happens! We go to jail – peacefully, quietly. We’ll enjoy it! But if I’m right, and we can stop this thing… Lenny, you will have saved the lives of millions of registered voters.”

“Aim for the flattop!”

“What did you do Ray?

“No one steps on a church in my town!”

“It smells like burnt dog hair. Oooh, Pete, I’m… I’m sorry.

General, Youth Ministry

Weekend Meditation

I was able to preach this morning for our main service. My message was on Transformation. Of course it gave me an excuse to talk about Transformers and Optimus Prime but I really talked about how we need to move from Christian theory and into Christian living.

We are called to know and understand the Gospel but if we stop there then we’ve failed. We too often forget that we are to obey. Like my golf game, I need to work on my spiritual follow through.

My parents came over to see me preach and they took us out for some Southwestern Chicken Tacos (my fave) at On the Border.

Then it was home for a quick Sunday coma nap.

We had a great night with the teens during our teen worship time, Catalyst, and enjoyed a great dinner together of grilled cheese and sweet tea.

Today was a good day.

I wish everyone a great week.

Peace,
Micheal

Books, Wrestling With Scripture

WWS: What Is Worship?

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I read this earlier in the week.

Is the author right on? Is he missing something?

Let me know what you think. Give me some honest feedback in the comment section.

We must seek to truly worship God in “spirit and in truth” while realizing that has little to nothing to do with external modes of expression that we fight over (i.e. clapping, instruments, power point, old songs/new songs, order of worship, meeting at the building Sunday nights, etc.). God has been and will continue to be more concerned with the condition of our hearts than with our methods (“These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”- Is 29:13; Mt 15;8, Mk 7:6).

This specific issue was addressed by Jesus with the Samaritan woman at the well. One major issue (there were plenty) dividing these two people groups was the way in which Samaritans and Jews went about expressing their worship to God (mode of expression). Jesus is talking to her about receiving the living water but the woman immediately jumps into a defensive posture concerning the differences in worship styles (in this case the place where worship happens). Jesus points out that there is a time coming when God won’t have to be worship on the mountain or in the temple. He says that the modes will be rendered obsolete because true worship isn’t about a place it is about worshiping in the Spirit and worshiping the truth.

We have for years misquoted John 4:21-24 to in essence say that if you are expressing your worship in way that deviates from tradition than you are no longer worshiping “in spirit and in truth.” According to John 14:6 worshiping the truth has more to do with Jesus Christ than with following a detailed plan. We also wrongly marry this passage to 1 Cor 14:40 (everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way) to further cloud the true meaning of Jesus’ words on worship.

In all our arguments over worship very little of our energy is spent on the object of our worship, Almighty God. We instead focus on following the “letter of the law.” We therefore worship the expression (mode) more than than the object (God). 2Cor 3:6 reminds us that the “letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

For us, following the letter has killed relationship after relationship. Because of worshiping a mode over God churches won’t associate with one another. Trees are killed and ink is spilt so that we can denounce one another because a perceived rule has been broken.

This is what outsiders see.

They see us focused on shooting each other and they scratch their heads wondering what all this has to do with loving God and loving others.

–Eric Blair, Looking Back on the Worship Wars, p.84

Youth Ministry

I’m Back!!!!

After a week of being down, the servers are back up and I am back online!

I just got home (it’s 12am) from a busy night of youth ministry.

I went to a great band concert for two of my 8th graders and then I ran over to the Children’s hospital in Ft. Worth for another 8th grader who was sick. Two completely different activities but both are pretty important to me.

To be honest, I like doing this stuff as much or more than teaching a great Bible class or leading a good devo or any other “spiritual” activity. It is nights spent in the cafeteria of a school listening to Sousa or waiting in the ER that remind me why I got into ministry in the first place: to live life with teens and their families.

More tomorrow cause, right now, I’m headed to bed.

Peace,
Micheal

Discipleship, Ethos, Ministry, The Word, Youth Ministry

Bible in 90 Take 2

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My wife and I are once again taking the Bible in 90 Days Challenge.

The goal of the challenge is to read the entire Bible “cover to cover” in 90 days. That comes out to roughly 12 pages a day. We have completed the challenge once before and we have been keen on giving it another go for quite some time.

Specifically, I have been more than a little inspired by A.J. Jacobs latest memoir, The Year of Living Biblically. Jacobs, an agnostic, decided that he wanted to tackle the world of religion head on. He spent 4 months of prep time reading through the Bible and taking note of every command, suggestion, and guideline from the Old and New Testaments. 72 pages later he had a list of rules to lay down as his foundation for his biblical year. Jacobs deftly recounts his trials and tribulations with great detail and more than a little humor.

As I read, I was struck by Jacobs’ joy of discovery in finding how these laws mandated by the Almighty impacted his outlook, personality, appearance, and zest for life.

For the next 90 days I want to invite any of you readers to join us on a journey of discovery. I am a fast reader. Most of these daily readings will take me about 45min to complete. My wife takes her time reading but none of her readings lasted longer than an hour. I am certian that no matter how busy you are with work or school or family that you can find, somewhere in your day, 45min to an hour where you can open up your Bible and read.

By next week you will have finished Exodus. By the end of the month you will have read through 1 Chronicles. By the new year you will be well into Ezekiel and before the end of January you will have finished the entire Bible cover to cover.

Join me in rediscovering why you “have the hope that you have.”

This week’s reading plan:

Thursday: Gen 1:1- 15:4
Friday: Gen 15:5- 27:37
Saturday: Gen 27:38- 38:30
Sunday: Gen 39:1- 50:26
Monday: Exodus 1:1- 14:24
Tuesday: Exodus 14:25- 28:15
Wednesday: Exodus 28:16- 40:21