1) I’m Tired. On Tuesday/Wednesday my insomnia was in full effect. I got a good sleep last night but had to get up at 5:30am for a youth ministry meeting at my least favorite resturant, Cracker Barrel. I need a good snow owrkout like the guys in the picture below to help wake me up a little more!

Members of the Special Warfare Command participate in an annual severe winter season drill in Pyongchang, about 180km (113 miles) east of Seoul January 10, 2007. The special forces carry out the training course every year to improve their member’s combat abilities in cold weather and heavy snowfall.
2) The Office: Heroes doesn’t return for another 2 weeks but there is a new episode of The Office on tonight. Yahoo has posted some great clips from tonight’s episode. It looks like the employees so Dunder Mifflin Scranton are going out on some sales calls. Should be a lot of fun. There isn’t a funnier show on television. I heard a guy on the radio yesterday say that if you don’t get The Office you just don’t get it.

3) Sending Out An SOS: It is so easy to feel isolated and alone in this world. A couple of conversations that have happend this week have served as great reminders at how hurt, frustrated, and lonely people can be. I think about the song Message in a Bottle by the Police quite often. The song tells the story of a castaway lost at sea on an unihabited island. He decides that he is going to send the world a message in a bottle in hopes that someone will come to resque him. He waits for a year lamenting his loneliness until one day he walks down to the shore. He is astonished by what he finds there.

Walked out this morning, don’t believe what I saw
Hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore
Seems I’m not alone at being alone
Hundred billion castaways, looking for a home

Like I said, I think about this song an awful lot. As a minister, I see broken people all the time. Sting is right. Countless broken and hurting people out there. This song helps remind me to look for those messages of desperation that people are sending out.

4) Senior on Staff: I am currently the senior guy on staff at my church. Pray for not only my church but for Christianity as a whole! Maybe we could get a documentary crew in here to film a new version of “Who’s Minding the Store?” 🙂
I get to preach in a couple of weeks so I’m trying up all the lose ends on my “The Gospel According to Starbucks” message. It is progressing very nicely I must say. Can’t wait to share it with you all. Maybe I’ll do a podcast.

5) Samuel L Jackson is God: No, not a god but YHWH. Well, at least his voice is. Prominent African-American actors and actresses have lent their talents and voices to an audio Bible project called, The Bible Experience. I have the New Testament already and Old Testament drops later this year. The production value is top notch and the acting is superb. It is the best audio Bible I have ever bought. I bought the MP3 discs because they were a tad cheaper and eaiser to rip onto my computer. I’m planning on using some of the segments in a worship service soon. At least check it out. It is a great way to supplement your Bible reading and a way to hear scripture in a totally new way.

6) Have a Great Day Yeah, have a great day everyone.

Jobs jus announced the much anticpiated iPhone.

Pictures to follow.

I’ll be away this weekend on an area-wide retreat.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Peace.

Here today, gone tomorrow
Crack the bone, get to the marrow
To be a bee and the flower
Before the sweetness turns to sour

You say you come to know yourself, always
Don’t find yourself in someone else, always
And always wear a safety belt, always
Wait for me I’m running late, always
This is the moment that we share for always
Turn each song into a prayer, always
Now and forever
For always

Always
U2

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.

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.

link

Your tax dollars at “work.” This kinda stuff drive me crazy. Thanks to Seth Godin for posting it.

since posting the Blendtec video on Friday I have seen no less than 5 articles on the Blendtec videos.

That is the power of great storytelling and thinking outside the box.

Everybody’s favorite music player turns 5 today.

I know that many of you are aware of the loss I experienced a few weeks ago but there have been some incredible developments that have happened since I posted my tribute to my U2 iPod. Listen to the podcast later this week for the full story.

Happy Birthday, iPod.