I found this guy's blog randomly. Well, actually, Jeramie found this guy's blog. He mentioned beard core in a post. Beard core was something mentioned at Isn't She Beautiful?, the conference I attended last week. For more on the conference, check out Jasen Ashdown's blog.

So, I added this blog to my feeds, and recently he posted a video that he had made. I'm no movie critic. So, I can't comment on the footage, but the message was pretty good. I just thought I would share it.

Peace.

Labels: blogosphere, church

My brain aches. My body cringes. My soul cries out...

I feel like I have been on for days. I feel behind... disconnected...

The clutter on my desk frustrates me. My inbox irritates me. The stack of bills looms ever present.

My wife misses me. My calendar calls me. The clock fails to yield...

The bed waits for me. My throat hurts. My commitment is stressed...

My heart beats. My mind reels. My cat sleeps peacefully...

My wife needs a husband. My unborn child needs a father. And I... I need to remember that.

Where am I going? Better yet, where am i being taken? Will I be wise enough to know when I'm there?


That's all for now. Welcome to my thought stream. I'm overwhelmed. Good night.


Please, call your Senators.

Labels: indiscriminate

Like I said in the previous follow-up, Senators Dole and Burr both signed on to the Brownback/Durbin "Dear Colleague" letter. Now, ONE is asking that we take a few minutes to send them a Thank you letter or call them to thank them.

Even if you did not call beforehand you can get in on this. Us contacting them to let them know we appreciate their supporting this cause can go a long way. The budget will not be finalized until late February. So, lets make sure they are aware that we, as their constituents, do not want to see this funding go away.

Here is the suggested message from ONE:

Hello, As a voter in your district and a member of the ONE Campaign, I thank you for signing on to the Brownback/Durbin “Dear Colleague” letter to help fund $1 billion for poverty-focused development assistance so that America can help win the war against the indignities of poverty.

Feel free to make it your own. Relax. Tell them "Thanks". Let them know you appreciate their help in give hope to the hopeless. I would say be sure to mention you are calling on behalf of yourself and the ONE campaign. If everyone references the ONE campaign it show a united force, something a little harder to ignore.

Here is some other info that you can use if you want:

This funding is vital to provide clean water, education and life-saving medicine to the world’s most vulnerable people. There are few places in the U.S. budget where dollars translate so directly into lives saved. Without this funding, 350,000 people will not receive life-saving AIDS medicines, nearly 1 million anti-malaria bed nets will not be distributed and 120,000 people will not receive treatment for tuberculosis.

So, please call them:

Senator Dole's phone number: 202-224-6342
Senator Burr's Phone number: 202-224-3154

Or, write them. ONE is providing letters to make it easy. All you have to do it print it, sign it, and then fax or mail it.

Letter to Senator Dole
Letter to Senator Burr

Let me know if you end up calling of sending them a letter.

Peace.

Labels: activism

Tomorrow, Jason and I are heading off the wild, wild west. Well, actually, we are headed off to the wild, wild mid-west, if there is such a thing. We are going to Isn't She Beautiful. It's "a seminar for leaders celebrating the local church". It is being held at Mars Hill in Granville, Michigan.

I'm pretty excited about going. I think they are doing a lot things to mend the world's view of The Church. Their pastor, Rob Bell, is an excellent communicator. His messages have been known to make you want to move closer to what God designed you to be. I look forward to hearing him speak. They are also having break out sessions. There is one on HIV/AIDS crisis. I want to check that one out. I'll try to update you on what I take away from my days there.

The downside of going to the conference is not being at home. I was trying to think of the last time Kim and I were apart for more than a day. I came up with one time when she went to Florida without me for a wedding shower. So, this may be the first time we have been apart since we have been married.

It's not that we can't survive being apart. It is just that I like her. I like being around her. It just feels right. It's weird how someone can become such a huge part of who you are. Plus, there is this thing we have going on right now that is kind of important. Kim happens to be carrying around my unborn child. Yeah, I know, you know. So, I am going to miss Kim, and I am going to miss the baby.

Even more than he weirdosity of someone can becoming a huge part of who you are, is how it is possible for me to love someone that I have not even met. I see my wife and her cute belly. If you think it is strange that I consider my wife's abdomen "cute", you go knock someone up and then get back to me. You'll get it. Anyway, I see Kim and her stomach and I just want to touch it. But, while I am goine, I won't have that option.

Oh, and I am going to miss the cats also. Smokey is looking at me like he can read what I am typing. His look says, "What?!? You aren't going to miss me?"

Okay. Time for bed. I have to get up early to pack before going to visio dei.

Maybe I should have packed already. I checked the weather, and the highs for Sunday through Wednesday in Granville are 27, 31, 30, 30, with a chance of snow everday.

Labels: church, travel

It was announced today that Chuck Amato has been rehired by Florida State. He will be their Executive Head Coach and Linebackers Coach.

I kind of wondered what would come of him. I feel like the move to coach at your alma mater can be a really good one or a really bad one. If you go there and don't do well, people might look at it like they gave you a chance because of your ties to the university, but another school might not take the same chance on you. On the other hand, if you go there and do well, you become a legend.

I'm glad he got a job. I would hate to have seen him end up as a regular at the Amedeo's bar, mumbling to himself about the good ole days.

On another, unrelated note...
The entertainment news for today is...
Jason Bateman must have been busy in 2006. I saw trailers for three movies starring him that are releasing the first half of 2007. They include Fast Track, Smokin' Aces, and The Kingdom.

Labels: sports

Today, I ran across the blog of a lady who is serving in Burundi, Central Africa.

This statement made me realize a misconception I hold...

The squandered resource of central Africa is human intelligence and initiative. There is not enough work to go around, and due to poverty and lack of development, much of the work that is done is difficult, menial, and does not use the obvious prevalent intelligence of these people.

I realized that when I think of people in impoverished countries, I put them in this box labeled uneducated, or probably something worse, like stupid.

I don't have any evidence or experience that would point me to that assumption, but for some reason I had made it. I would guess that it stems from my life here in the US, where opportunity is abundant. Here in the US, everyone goes to elementary, middle and high school, some by force. Beyond that, nearly anyone who desires to can go on to college. Yeah, it is expensive, but the option is there, and so is the funding. In some of these countries, there are people that want to learn, want to go to school, and want to work. The unfortunate thing is that they do not have that opportunity.

I find it hard to believe that God placed all the intelligent people in the developed countries. Maybe the cure for cancer or AIDS is in the mind of some child in an under-developed, under-educated, under-privileged country.

Thanks Peggy for the wake up call.

Labels: activism, blogosphere

I saw this on the ONE.org blog...

By the "Dear Colleague" letters sign-on deadlines last week, nearly half the Senate and over a fifth of the House had signed.

Thanks to all who called their representatives.

You may have noticed recent addition of the ONE banner to my blog. To be honest I ripped it from the Mars Hill site. Then, I found today that you can get it, or one of a few other banners from here.

In case you are wondering, I did watch American Idol tonight.

Peace.

Labels: activism, blogosphere, politics

Well, it is a plot twist that we knew would come sooner or later. The producers of ABC's Lost have began planning the end of the series. Speculation is that the series will run about 100 episodes, which means about five seasons total, or two more following this year, but they say it will run as long as it is on top.

I have a lot of friends that have been Lost fans, but the continual addition of new plot lines, combined with the lack of resolution, and the breaks in the seasons have rendered many of them (us), annoyed and disinterested. They seem to be trying to remedy the fragmented season issue by showing 16 straight new episodes to finish this season. There are also reports that they will be taking a page from 24's confidential anti-terror "how to" guide and fourth season will be aired consecutively.

This was ineresting to me. I found this quote from a producer in one article, it gives a little insight into what the show is really about:

"This show is about people who are metaphorically lost in their lives, who get on an airplane and crash on an island and become physically lost on the planet Earth. And once they are able to metaphorically find themselves again, they will be able to physically find themselves in the world again. When you look at the entire show, that's what it's always been about."

I look forward to the show coming back on. I hope the coming second half of this season is worth the wait, but right now my expectations are low.

For those who think I have sold out, I promise the next post will not be about TV.

Labels: entertainment

Tonight, I decided to watch 24. After hearing over the past few seasons how great a show it was, I thought I would take in my first episode. Fox is doing this two day, four hour season premier event. The way I see it, if there is ever a time to get hooked, now is it.

So, at the risk of being berated by the loyal 24 junkies, I have to say that I was not impressed. I found the acting bad, and the dialog cheesey. Maybe one is the product of the other. I also thought they overused stereotypes. Aside from the obvious Muslim Arab equals terrorist suicide bomber, they threw a few more in there just for fun. The most blatant one was the racist (Dauber?) that wanted to whack Ahmed (Raj?), pronounced Ahh-medh, just happened to the "contractor from down the street." So, blue collar guy equals ignorant racist that thinks all Arabs are terrorists.

The show wasn't bad. It just wasn't great. Chloe kind of annoyed me. Jack Bauer lived up to his hype as being the only guy to have a shot at beating Chuck Norris. I mean, he went all vampire and killed a dude by biting him.

So, I'm sure I will watch the two hours tomorrow. Maybe it will grow on me.

Just in case...
Dear Mr. Bauer Sir, please do not kill me because I am not addicted to your show.

Labels: entertainment

In a recent article it was disclosed that Canadian coins containing tiny transmitters have mysteriously turned up in the pockets of at least three American contractors who visited Canada.

The coins carry tiny RFID tags that broadcast the location of the coin, and in turn the location of the carrier. It may seem harmless, but like everything, it could be used maliciously.

The article suggested:

Passing the coin to an unwitting contractor, particularly in strife-torn countries, could mark the person for kidnapping or assassination, Harris said.

"You could almost, by handing a coin to somebody, achieve the equivalent of the Mafiosi's last kiss on the cheek."

I'd imagine that the intended use of the coins is to track the location of Lord Stanley's Mug. They seem to have been unable to locate it for the past thirteen years, or so.

Labels: indiscriminate

This morning I recieved this email from a ONE.org representative asking me to please call my Senators and House Representative today to help ONE fight for a billion dollars in Funding to combat AIDS, TB, and Malaria.

I just made my calls and it took about 10 minutes. If you've never called your elected officials before, this can seem kind of scary, but don't be shy. The person who answers your call may ask you for your address so they can verify you are a constituent in their region, and then they may ask about the nature of your call. They may just say Senator Dole's office, or something like that. Then, all you do is read the script below. You can read it word for word if you want and that makes it easier for you.

I was admittedly a little nervous when I made the first call. I kind of struggled through the script. Then, I realized I was just on the phone with some random person, maybe someone like Sam Ed. It made it a lot easier on the subsequent calls. The fact that something so easy can help fight poverty arond the world is pretty awesome.

So, make your calls today, and let me know how they go.

1-800-786-2663

Here's the info and the script from the email:

Please call (TODAY) January 09, and fight for life-saving AIDS Funding!


Right now $1 billion in funding to fight poverty has been eliminated from the United States budget. Congress is set to pass a year long Budget Continuing Resolution which will keep government funding at 2006 levels through 2007. This means that almost a billion dollars to fund the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty could be lost. Please call your Senators and congressperson now to ask that they support funding that fight against Global AIDS. Urge your leaders to fully fund the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty.

Call 1-800-786-2663 today and ask your two senators and congressman to support fully funding the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty.

It is not too late, if we work together as ONE we can make a difference. Currently, there is a bipartisan and bicameral effort to support life saving funding. Senators Richard Durbin and Sam Brownback and Representatives Barbara Lee and Christopher Shays are circulating “Dear Colleague” letters to protect additional funding allocated to fight global AIDS, TB, and Malaria in 2007. Urge your congressional leaders to sign onto this “Dear Colleague” letter today!

Make the difference and call your members of congress today: call 1-800-786-2663 today to be connected to your senators and Representative. Remember to tell them:

*I am a constituent of YOUR TOWN in YOUR STATE.

* You're calling with the ONE campaign- an effort started by Americans to unite as ONE voice to fight extreme poverty and global HIV/AIDS.

* You're calling to ask your Members of Congress to sign on to the Senate’s Durbin-Brownback and House’s Lee-Shays “Dear Colleague” letter to protect $1 billion in life-saving funding to fight extreme poverty, AIDS, TB, and Malaria.

Thank you for joining ONE in taking action to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty. Your voice will make a difference!

Other information you can share:
* Please also tell them it is imperative that this funding be additional to other poverty fighting assistance.

* Make sure to emphasize the urgency of this issue. Those living in extreme poverty can not wait a year for assistance, they need the help now.

* Without this additional funding as many as 350,000 people with HIV/AIDS will not receive life-sustaining treatment. Nearly 1 million anti-malarial bednets will not be distributed, and 120,000 people will not receive treatment for tuberculosis.

Kimberly Smith
ONE Regional Field Organizer
kim@one.org
502-475-5564

Labels: activism, politics

Once in high school, I wrote myself a note to leave school early to go to the dentist. I actually had an appointment. It wasn't just an attempt to get out of class. The funny thing was that I spelled the word dentist, d-e-n-i-s-t. That's the way I said it. So, that's the way I spelled it.The lady in the office would not let me leave. They ended up calling my dad, who had told me to write the note for myself. He verified that I did indeed have an appointment and in the end I made it to the dentist.

It's funny the things you remmber, but that's what I think of nearly every time I write the word dentist. Note to teenagers attempting to skip class, don't do it... but if you are going to, make sure you spell the words in your fake note correctly.

As riveting as that was, it was not what I set out to write about. Today, I made my semi-annual trip to Dr. Bielinski's office. It's worth noting, if you are looking for a good no frills dentist in the downtown Cary area, he's your man. However, it's not like I have a ton to base that opinion on. I just know that I go there and get my x-rays taken and my plaque scraped off by the nice lady, and a quick consult from the doc, and I am on may way out the door with my free toothbrush, free floss, and a card saying come back in six months, having never been offered teeth whiting, night gaurds, porcelain veneers, or platinum grills. </tanget>

So, I go there this morning and the hygenist is cleaning my teeth, and I am expecting her to tell me I have a cavity or at least something bad. She scrapes, brushes, and flosses my teeth. We have a decent conversation about her one year old girl, Elliot, and how we are expecting a baby in July. I say only decent because the conversation was a bit one sided. Being that she had her hands in my mouth, my contributions were limited.

When she finished, she noted that I was in good shape. To this I added that I think one day I am going to come in and they are going to tell me that I have a cavity. See, I have never had a cavity before. It is not like I have worked hard all my life to maintain this status. Growing up, dental hygiene was not a top priority. I can remember brushing my teeth being a big deal when I a little because it happened so infrequently. It was not until sometime in middle school that I realized that brushing was not just about cleaning your teeth, but it also got rid of your funky breath.

The hygenist, I wish I knew her name, said that I may never have a cavity. She said something along the lines of, "I'm not saying that if you stopped brushing and flossing that your gums wouldn't decay and your teth fall out, but you may never get a cavity." She informed me that in order for tooth decay to occur a certain strain of bacteria has to be present in your mouth. She said that some people just do not have it because their bodies are immune to it. Your body fights it of, so it never gets a chance to rot your teeth. She insinuated that maybe I am one of the lucky ones.

I like to think of it like I'm a super hero and my superpower is fighting tooth decay. Maybe I will look into a costume and a secret lair, or maybe I'll hold off on that for six months and see if I can make it through another check-up cavity free.

Labels: indiscriminate

Rain drops on roses, and whiskers on kittens...

This picture

And most importantly... my wife and her ever growing belly.

Labels: baby

Congress puts ethics at the top of its agenda

Now, given public perception of politicians, that seems like a contradiction. I am interested to see how the new Congress, which take office today, pans out. The Democrats will have a slight majority. We will have our first ever female Speaker of the House. And, now, they are talking about limiting the buying power of lobbyists.

Will Congress be able to change their image? Or, with this be business as usual?

Labels: politics

I recently had a great conversation and the topic, of all things, was my blog... this blog. It was probably the most fulfilling my blog has been, thus far.

I guess I should say, I am not sitting here typing with the attitude that I have all this life stuff figured out. I am trying to work through it all, just like everyone else. So, if you do not agree with me, or if on the off chance you do, feel free to let me know.

I don't mind the affirmation. It is good to know that at least one other person thinks I am headed in the right direction. However, I value the challenges more. I want to be forced to think through what I believe.

So, a friend of mine did not agree with a statement I had made on here, and he brought it up to me. It was great to hear what he thought. We discussed whether Christians can know for sure what their eternal fate will be. I don't think we ended at a point where we were in agreement, but I left wanting to make sure I really believe what I think I do.

Thanks Matt.

Labels: church