Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Here at Kicking at the Darkness I want to help you avoid some of the really bad gifts that are out there. With the help of Amazon.com, I now present Worst. Valentine’s Gifts. Ever.
Knife Set w/ Unique Holder (pictured)
Fresh Whole Rabbit
Wolf Urine Lure- 32oz.
Barbed Wire
Tick Removal Tool
I hope you enjoyed this public service announcement. Like my grandma always said, “Friends don’t let friends buy Wolf Urine.”
Have a great day eveyone!
Commenting on the settlement, Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO said, “We love the Beatles, and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks. It feels great to resolve this in a positive manner, and in a way that should remove the potential of further disagreements in the future.”
Commenting on the settlement on behalf of the shareholders of Apple Corps, Neil Aspinall, manager of Apple Corps said, “It is great to put this dispute behind us and move on. The years ahead are going to be very exciting times for us. We wish Apple Inc. every success and look forward to many years of peaceful co-operation with them.”
Peaceful co-operation? Carefully worded statement Mr. Aspinall. Co-operation is quite different from cooperation. Do you mean working toward the same end (cooperation) or seperate companies leaving each other be (co-operation)? Which is it!?!?!?!?!
I just want to know one thing:
Does this mean that the Beatles are coming to iTunes or not?
I’m looking forward to a carefully worded email in my inbox good sir.
This morning I sat down at my desk and fired up iTunes. I hit the shuffle button and then play.
“Higher Love” by Steve Winwood began flowing forth from the speakers on my desk. I didn’t even know that I had that song!!!
I am a huge sucker for any song with synthesizer and this ong brings it out in full force.
As I listened to it again this morning I realized that I really only knew the chorus. Yes, it is an awesome chours but I began to really hear the lyrics of the verses today for the first time. I’ve posted the entire song with synthesizer annotation (Bap-Ba-Bap) for your enlightenment below. What a great song and an even greater reminder to keep telling the world about the true Higher Love that they are seeking. Like Message in a Bottle, the world is looking for acceptance and belonging. Never forget and be ready to tell those around you where you hope is. If you’ve got a case of the Mondays let the synthesizer take you into the presence of Higher Love!!! Bap-Ba-Bap!
Think about it, there must be higher love
Down in the heart or hidden in the stars above
Without it, life is a wasted time
Look inside your heart, I’ll look inside mine
Things look so bad everywhere
In this whole world, what is fair?
We walk blind and we try to see
Falling behind in what could be
Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love
(Bap-Ba-Bap)
Bring me a higher love
Wheres that higher love I keep thinking of?
Worlds are turning and were just hanging on
Facing our fear and standing out there alone
A yearning, and its real to me
There must be someone who’s feeling for me
Things look so bad everywhere
In this whole world, what is fair?
We walk blind and we try to see
Falling behind in what could be
Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love
(Bap-Ba-Bap)
Bring me a higher love
Wheres that higher love I keep thinking of?
Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love
(Bap-Ba-Bap)
Bring be a higher love
I could rise above on a higher love
I will wait for it
I’m not too late for it
Until then, I’ll sing my song
To cheer the night along
Bring it…oh bring it…
I could light the night up with my soul on fire
I could make the sun shine from pure desire
Let me feel that love come over me
Let me feel how strong it could be
Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love
(Bap-Ba-Bap)
Bring me a higher love
Where’s that higher love I keep thinking of?
We just got back from the How Great is Our God Tour with Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Louie Giglio.
The concert was great and Louie’s message rocked, as usual.
My beautiul wife surprised me with tickets on Wednesday. I had been hankering for a concert for quite some time now and this was the perfect fix.
Thanks babe!
Mark Batterson over at Evotional offered up this great gem on preaching yesterday:
I have a theory: the more comforable the seats the better the sermon has to be.
Mark is right. Just because our rear ends are in cushy seats on Sunday doesn’t mean that we make the Gospel message equally comfortable.
Good luck this weekend Mark! Keep up the great work in our nation’s capital.
Sarah asked everyone to name the top 5 things that they would take with them if they were stranded on a desert island. She got her inspiration from a great episode of The Office last season (BTW, New episode tonight!!!!).
Here were my answers:
1) Name 5 books you want with you:
Good to Great by Jim Collins
The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey
Get Up Off Your Knees by Whiteley and Maynard (ed)
In A Pit With a Lion on A Snowy Day by Mark Batterson
TNIV Study Bible
2) Name 5 movies you would have:
The Godfather
The Godfather II
Almost Famous
School of Rock
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
3) Name 5 songs and 5 songs only that you would have on your iPod.
All Along the Watchtower- Hendrix
Where the Streets Have No Name- U2
All These Things That I’ve Done- the Killers
Baba O’Riley- The Who
Fix You- Coldplay
It is a little rainy and cold here in the Big D. I think our plans are to just curl up in front of the TV tonight. I can’t wait. Dunder-Mifflin was missed last week at our house I can tell you that.
Have a great day everyone.
The “bombs” in Boston today were really ads for Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Oooops!
Who thought of that ad? Master Shake or Carl? Maybe Meatwad. Who knows. They were a bad idea.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Number One in the Hood G! And by hood we mean the FBI Terror Watch List.
Monday night I headed over to downtown Ft. Worth for a screening of the newest film from Walden Media, Amazing Grace.
The film tells the story of William WIlberforce.
Wilberforce was a member of British parliment near the end of the 18th century and early part of the 19th century. In 1784, a “great change” occured in his life. He became a Christian.
This “great change” influenced the way he lived and lit a new fire in his belly. Wilberforce set out to abolish slavery in all of the British Empire. It became his all consuming passion. He dedicated the rest of his life to this end. Friends were lost and enemies were made but he never gave up. For 34 years, he continued to push for an end to the “horrors of the slave trade.”
Three days before he passed away, Parliment passed the Slavery Abolition Act, freeing all slaves within the Brish empire.
One man. One Faith. One Pursuit. Millions of lives changed.
While watching the film I was struck by the thought that one person can make a lasting difference in the world. I used to believe that as a kid but somewhere along the way that belief turned into merely a pipe dream.
My least favorite sentances in the world are:
“It’s always been this way.” and “We’ve never done it that way.”
Those are the two biggest lies that cripple young dreams and vibrant life. Well, I’m not buying it anymore.
Yesterday I read Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce by John Piper. It was a great little read. It is under 80 pages so you could read it in about an hour. It again drove the point home to me: One person can make a difference.
The movie was very good and I am hoping to promote it with my teens and their families. The film opens on February 23. You can go to the film’s website to see where it will be playing in your area.
I’m going to make a bold prediction after watching tonight’s episode. You ready…
Linderman is Claire’s daddy.
Just wanted to put that out there.
Discuss.
A day ahead of schedule:
Kicking at the Podcast Episode 2
Subscribe at iTunes:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/kickingatthedarkness
The Gospel According to Starbucks
Ultimately I’ve found that it isn’t about learning something new from Starbucks but more about relearning and being reminded of how to connect with each other and the community in which we serve.
I) Partners not Employees – Ministers not Pew Warmers
Philippians 1:3-6
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joybecause of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
1Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
You are not called to be a pew warmer but to be a partner in the Gospel. Jesus didn’t say “Those with ministry degrees go into the world…”
II) BE A Minister
It isn’t enough to say, “You are a partner act like one.” Baristas need to know what it means to be a partner. Starbucks needs to educate their partners on BEing partners. That’s where the Green Apron Book comes in.
The Green Apron Book
Be Welcoming
Be Genuine
Be Knowledgeable
Be Considerate
Be Involved
Questions to Percolate
1) What does it look like for you to BE WELCOMING to your family, coworkers, strangers?
2) What does it mean for you to BE KNOWLEDGEABLE about BEing a disciple? What gets you out of bed in the morning when it comes to this new life that you’ve been given?
Question and Comments welcomed!!!