Moby Interview...

So, yesterday my new Relevant magazine arrived in the mail. And, on the front cover...Everyone's favorite DJ, Moby! The reason for the article? Most likely to promote Moby's latest project, Hotel. However, the majority of the article is spent on Moby's Christian faith. It seems, from the article, that Moby is more interested in talking about Jesus than his new CD. The article is well-written and extremely interesting. I think I would like hanging out with Moby. He's views on following Christ and the Church really fall in line with what a lot of young people are saying about the current state of Christianity in the world (of course, a lot of old people are saying the same things). Basically, he questions the piety and self-righteousness of the religious. In the article, he also talks about the things he struggles with in his faith...Mainly, this centers around his wealth and the enjoyment he finds in the material things his wealth has enabled him to obtain. It's a good article that's well worth the read. I think Moby's views represent the views of a lot of people that love Jesus, but just can't seem to find their place in the church. So, they fall into the traps of self-survival, rather than finding a place among the body of believers. The fellowship of the Church is essential in our walk with Christ. I'm sure Moby will find his place because, from this interview, it appears that he is doing his best to seek Jesus in all things. And, ultimately, I think this will lead him into some form of Christian community.

So, I would suggest that you go to the Family Christian Bookstore (or some other bookstore that carries Relevant) and read this article. Notice that I didn't say buy the magazine...I sort of found the rest of the articles to be sub-par. So, just thumb through, read the article, and place it back on the shelf. If the employee asks if you need anything, just tell them you're in looking for some Testamints (the Christian version of a breath mint) and stumbled across this magazine and it looked interesting and you thought you'd take a look. Interesting note...Moby talks about struggling with material things, feeling that his enjoyment of money and things is very secular, and in the same issue there is an article about building up wealth. Hmmm. Sort of funny. If you buy the magazine, the $4 may be worth the Moby interview, but you may be unsatisfied with the rest of your investment.

Clarification on Prosperity Gospel

I've had a few questions regarding my post concerning the prosperity gospel. I have been asked if my comments were directed towards things that have been said at Center Chapel. To make myself perfectly clear, the answer is NO! I have absolutely no problems with what has been said or taught at Center Chapel concerning God's favor, blessings, and prosperity. My comments toward the prosperity gospel have to do with a recent book that is climbing the best seller charts. This particular book basically twists Biblical concepts into a get-rich-quick scheme. People are reading this book as though it is a strong representation of God's plan for our lives. Yet, on a theological and Scriptural standpoint, it comes up very, very weak.

This past Sunday, Pastor Rusty did talk about being in God's favor, receiving God's blessings, and prospering. However, unlike those that preach the prosperity gospel, Pastor Rusty always brings it back to God's will. Prosperity gospel preachers make their hearers and readers believe that we can somehow manipulate God's will...that we can change God's plans for our lives. The big thing is that if it isn't within His will, it's not going to be what's best for us.

So, to be clear, I do believe that we can be in God's favor. I do believe God wants to bless us. I do believe God wants us to prosper. But, it's not by our doing, but only by His power. My problems with the prosperity gospel center around their lack of including God's will in the whole picture...simply telling us if we believe, if we have more faith, we will get what we want. That can be true, as long as what we want is in line with God's good and perfect will.

Just A Little Ranting

Okay, many of the people that visit this blog live in the Muncie area. Many of you may have heard some commercials on the local radio stations for a new church in town. The church makes claims to be relevant (other churches are irrelevant), tolerant (other churches and Christians are intolerant), and to have cool music (if you've heard the commercial, you may question their definition of "cool music"). As I hear their commercials, I often think to myself, "This sure sounds like Church-lite."

Let me tackle these things briefly:
a) On Being Relevant- I believe that it is important for all churches and Christians to be relevant. If we are to win people to Christ, we need to be meeting people where they are at. We need to offer ministries that will reach out to the hurting, the lost, those seeking in ways that will speak deeply to the needs of their hearts. The commercial accuses churches of being irrelevant. Well, I've often found that the messages that are put forth by churches like this tend to be more along the lines of "5 Steps to a Happy Life" and less along the lines of the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. I don't know what this church preaches, but from the sounds of their commercials, it's probably close to prosperity gospel teachings. If we want to be relevant, we need to reveal the wonder, fullness, and richness of the Gospel. We need to bring the Word to life in ways that will penetrate through the walls that people have set up. In becoming relevant to our society, many churches are tossing out the Gospel in favor of messages that sound more like self-help seminars. Jesus was relevant because He drew people into Himself. That's what we need to do today...draw people closer to Him. My prayer is that this church is doing all it can to help people experience the life-changing grace of Christ in a real way.

b) On Being Tolerant- This is probably the issue I struggle with the most. Is the church really supposed to be tolerant? Isn't the tolerant attitude of the modern church partly responsible for the idea that the church has become irrelevant? If the church becomes tolerant, how will it look different from the world? Was Jesus tolerant? Jesus was full of grace, but He was never tolerant of people's sin. He never said, "I know that you have a lot of sin in your life, but that's okay." He said, "I know that you have a lot of sin. You can be forgiven if you believe. Now, go and sin no more." He didn't give the message, "Oh, it's okay that you mess up. As long as you're trying to figure it all out." He did say, "Pick up your cross daily and follow me." Tolerant? Hmm. So, I guess it'd be okay for a person to be an alcoholic, closet homosexual, wife beater because, after all, they are tolerant!

c) On Cool Music- If you are going to make the bold claim that your church has cool music, be sure that your commercial contains cool music. My goodness...it's really as simple as that. I could go on for hours about this topic. But, I'll save you all from that.

d) On Wearing Blue Jeans- Big freakin' deal. Is it really that radical for someone to wear blue jeans to church? Does wearing blue jeans qualify one's church as being relevant, tolerant, and cool?

e) On Labeling Other Churches- I feel like it's okay for me to go on a little rant towards this church because, well, they started it. In all honesty, we should all be in this together. There shouldn't be any of this..."we're cool, you're not" business. The truth is God uses all kinds of different churches to draw people to Himself...traditional, contemporary, postmodern, etc.

f) On Being Different- This church claims to be different than all the other churches you've been to. Really? I truly find that hard to believe. I wonder what crazy stuff their doing that I haven't seen done before. What exactly is different? Do they pray? Do they sing together? Do they have a sermon? Hmm...they pray, they sing (remember, they have cool music), they have a sermon (remember, the pastor is the one up front in blue jeans). So, what's different? It really sounds like any other seeker-senstive, contemporary worship church. Different? Um, I wonder.

Well, I hope and pray that God is using this church to enrich people's walks with Him. I hope and pray that all Christian churches are being faithful to the Gospel and doing all they can to spread the Word.

Every time I hear this commercial, it drives me nuts. Mainly because it discredits the work of so many other churches. Maybe I should go check this church out. Maybe it's only their commercial I struggle with. I don't know...I'd probably struggle seeing the pastor in blue jeans (hahaha).

Getting What We Want or What We Need

1 John 5:14-15 says, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him."

Lately, I've been hearing a lot about the prosperity gospel. It's the whole idea that God wants to bless us and He wants us to prosper. Do I believe God wants to bless us and that He wants us to prosper? Yes indeed! Do I believe that our ideas of God's blessing and prosperity are too limited? You bet I do! Sometimes I get caught up in thinking of God's blessing as me receiving things...Generally material things. I believe that God can bless us in these ways...But, I also think we often overlook many of His daily blessings, we take them for granted. I also struggle with our modern ideas of what it means to prosper. We have limited our understanding of prosperity to financial success. But, to prosper really means to be happy. We can have no money and be happy, just as we can have tons of money and be unhappy. Some of the prosperity gospel leaders are doing a huge disservice to the true Gospel. They are telling people that if they just believe, they will get what they "want." If you want a nicer car, believe and you will receive. If you want a better job, believe and you will receive. You hear them say that all you need is more faith. If you will increase your faith, you will receive what your heart desires. Hmm, that seems to go against the whole concept of the mustard seed...That with even just a small amount of faith, we can move mountains. The problem I see with this is that it basically pushes God's good and perfect will out of the picture.

Prosperity gospel basically tells us that if we claim something in God's name, we will receive it. The Scriptures do tell us that if we ask, we will receive. But, we forget the part about how the whole asking has to be "according to his will." We can ask all kinds of things, but if they aren't within His will, we aren't going to receive them...No matter how much we believe, no matter how much faith we have. I guess that sounds harsh, but it's the truth.

God will bless us and prosper us, but according to His will, not ours. We may want to be financially secure, but that may not be where God wants us. The main point I guess I'm trying to get across is that God will carry out His will one way or the other. When Jesus taught us to pray, He didn't tell us to ask for all the things we want. He simply instructed us to pray for the things that we need for this day.

Whatever you ask, ask for it according to His will. It's okay to let God know what we want. It's okay to ask Him for incredible things, but we need to ultimately submit to His will. "Let Your Kingdom come, Let Your will be done."

Your Man Mitch!

I know, I know...Everyone is supposed to love Mitch Daniels. After all, he did proclaim himself to be "My Man Mitch." Well, he certainly isn't "My Man." And, my guess is that in the field of education, he is quickly being de-throned as "My Man" by hundreds, even thousands of teachers.

Being the husband of a teacher who was on the chopping block (and, if the trend continues, she'll probably be back there next year), I have been extremely concerned with Mitch's proposals for funding education. Of course, I can say that he is staying true to what he said he would do in his campaign. So, I'm mostly disturbed by people who voted for him...Especially teachers. Many said, "Oh, that's just campaign talk. It's just a scare tactic. He won't really cut education funding." Hmm...Really?

As many of us know, Mitch basically said that education is failing in Indiana. This is true. And, in order to remedy the situation, he is basically cutting funding to schools. That makes sense. Give them less resources to improve the education we are providing for our children. And, the schools being hit the hardest are inner-city schools, which probably need the most help. So, funding is being cut. The result is that teachers all over the state of Indiana are losing their jobs. Now, if some corporation came in and cut 500+ jobs (and that's just right now...I'm sure there are more to come), the state would really go at them. And, the state would do all they could to create more jobs, to bring in new businesses that would provide quality employment for those that lost jobs. What, exactly, is "My Man Mitch" going to do to create new jobs for the hundreds of teachers that will be without a paycheck come the end of the school year? I guess we'll have a lot of well-educated people serving us at Scotty's Brewhouse, checking us out at Wal-Mart, and bagging our groceries at Marsh.

The funding cuts mean class sizes will be larger and the attention each individual student receives will drastically decrease. But, hey, if you make them fight for it, maybe things will improve. At least that's the thinking of our multi-millionaire governor. It really seems like this is discriminating against those in lower socio-economic categories. Those of us that live in the city live there because that's where we can afford to live. Now, our children won't get the quality of education that they could get if we could afford to move out into the 'burps. But, that doesn't matter to most of our state representative who don't have children being affected by all of this. I just can't imagine how this will all turn out in the years to come.

Oh, by the way, it doesn't really seem like our state representatives really care to do much about all of this. Muncie Community Schools are really getting hit hard. However, have any of you heard Allie Craycraft or Tiny Adams speak out strongly and vote against what's going on??? When it's time to vote, remember this. And, come on, do we really want to be represented by someone that goes by "Tiny?"

So, education is taking a hit. However, the Indianapolis Colts are going to get a great new stadium. And, wouldn't you know it, the state has taken control of this project. The thought process is clear...The Colts bring money into the state. It's a business move. But, with education being severely cut back, we'll see what happens in 10-15 years. The kids that are getting the worst of all of this today won't be able to afford tickets because their limited education in classrooms with 40 other students kept them from getting a good job. So, the Colts will move to a larger market area. I just don't think Mitch is looking at the long-term effects here. I think he's simply trying to balance the budget so he can use that as his platform when the next election comes around. I hope those in education won't allow "My Man Mitch" to have a second term. Of course, that's a few years from now.

I guess we get what we vote for. Next election, take the man seriously when he says he's going to cut funding to education.

Indy Star Article on Teacher Job Loss

Listening to Music...

Each morning when I get into the office, I'm confronted with an enormous dilemma...What music will I listen to this morning? With so many on-line options, in addition to my own CD library, one can understand why this extremely important decision is so difficult.

This morning, I got on AOL Radio and started surfing around the channels to find this mornings pick. Usually I land on either the 90's Indie, Top Indie, or Indie Rock mix channel. However, this morning I found myself wanting to branch out. AOL Recommends featured the All Cure, All James Taylor, and All Yes stations. What an interesting mix. Dark, depressing music with the Cure. Smooth, acoustic, soft-rock that your mother can sing to music with James Taylor. And the prog/classical rock of Yes. Now, I enjoy all three of these artists. But, you have to be in the right mood for all of them. Plus, I think I've heard "Roundabout" enough times to hold me over for life. And, "Fire and Rain" seems to be on the radio anytime you want to find it. Oh, and every Friday, stations around the globe play "Friday, I'm in Love."

So, I didn't really feel like any of those stations. I checked out what was playing on all the Christian stations. Well, no thank you. Nothing there grabbed my attention.

Then, I noticed that Belle & Sebastian was playing on the Indie Rock channel and I realized I haven't listened to their album "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" in quite some time. So, guess what I decided to listen to? Yep, the Glasgow rockers, Belle and Sebastian. For those of you not familiar with Belle and Sebastian, they've been around since the late 90's, but gained popularity with their placement on the "High Fidelity" motion picture soundtrack.

So, my enormous decision has been made. Now, I will only have to repeat the process 4 or 5 more times today.

Attention Pet Owners!!!

Well, this may not apply to those of us in the States...But, I think it'd be great to see this kind of law passed in these parts. I have seen too many dogs just longing to go for a walk and play! So, if you've got a pet, start walking.

Check out the article at CNN

Safe to Eat Again!!!

It appears that the lady who found the finger in the chili was just trying to find a quick and easy way to get some cash! So, all who love Wendy's chili, feel free to consume this tasty product once again!

CNN.com article

Fruit...Bearing, Not Eating

I like fruit! It's good! When I lived in Elkhart, I used to enjoy going to the farmers market to pick up some fresh fruit...raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, and so much more! This fruit made an excellent substitute for an unhealthy dessert! In the summer, I love to mix together various fruits in a bowl, add just a touch of sugar, a little lemon juice, and serve it in a wine glass with a little dab of whipped cream on top! Mmm...it's so good! And, fruit is good for you!

But, today, I'm not wanting to talk about eating fruit....I want to talk about bearing fruit. This week, the whole idea of bearing fruit has just been really coming at me. I don't know if it's one of those things where God is trying to hint that I need to do a better job of bearing fruit (most likely this is the case) or if it's a message that I'm to share (this could also be the case, as we all need the reminder to check out the fruits we are bearing...are they good or bad???). Either way, God is definitely trying to get my focus on fruit.

It all started Sunday night at our Care Group. The study for the evening was focusing on the fruits we bear. Part of the studies focus was pulled from Galatians 5:16-26. It really concentrated on verses 19-23. These are the verses that talk about our sinful nature versus the fruit of the Spirit. We were challenged to look into our lives and see what's coming out of us. Are we bearing more acts of the sinful nature (sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like) or are we bearing the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control)? We were asked to examine what acts of the sinful nature were interfering with our walk with Christ and what fruits of the Spirit we need to grow in. It was a good lesson and a good reminder to concentrate on putting the self aside and focusing on bearing more fruit.

Well, the other day, Pastor Dale put an article by David Wilkerson on my desk. Part of the article deals with bearing fruit. He looks at John 15:16, which says, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last." God has chosen us and appointed us to go and bear fruit. This is not a simple calling. This is one that will affect the entirety of our lives. Wilkerson was writing about how people are continually looking for our purpose in life. He narrows it down to the simple statement that "we are all called and chosen to bear fruit." That is our life's purpose...to bear fruit. He goes on to explain the bearing fruit is more than bringing people to know the Lord, it's more than being filled with love, joy, peace, etc. He says that bearing fruit means that we are continually growing in the likeness of Christ. In order to bear fruit, we are to become like Jesus. He says, "Growing more and more into Jesus' likeness is our core purpose in life. It has to be central to all our activities, our lifestyle, our relationships. Indeed, all our gifts and callings - our work, ministry, and witness - must flow out of this core purpose. If I am not Christ-like at heart - if I'm not becoming noticeably more like him - I have totally missed God's purpose for my life."

This really spoke to me this morning. Bearing fruit, becoming like Christ is an every second of every day sort of thing. Too often, we schedule in God time. We separate the sacred and the secular, the holy and the un-holy. We compartmentalize our lives into things that are of God and things that are not of God. The problem with this is that when we separate our lives into categories we begin to forget that we are to bear fruit,we forget that God wants our whole lives to be about Him. We are to be like Christ in every aspect of our lives. Our becoming like Christ, our Christian walk is not separate from any of our daily activities. The entirety of our lives is to be a holy act of worship. I think the times in my life where I notice my fruit is starting to go bad are those times when I begin to separate things out...I'll spend the morning in prayer, but the rest of the day is mine. The whole day should be His, none of it mine. Only then will I begin to grow in Christ-likeness and bear the fruit that He has called me, chosen me to bear.

Ale81!!! It's not Ale-Eighty-One! It's Ale-Eight-One. Of course, if you're a true Ale-Eight drinker, you know it's pronounced "a-late-one." It's the finest of all soft drinks. Made in Winchester, KY, it proudly proclaims to be Kentucky's Finest Soft Drink!!! It is absolutely amazing! If you ever get a chance to try this wonderful beverage...don't pass up the opportunity! Recently, my parents were returning home from a trip to Florida and stopped in Kentucky to pick up a very generous quantity of Ale81 for Emily and me. Well, I'm trying my best to make it last. But, the powers of the Ale81 are too strong and it's rapidly being consumed! You can head to their website and order a case! It's worth every penny...Well, at least I think so! The Ale81 Website!

Do This More & More

This morning, I'm sitting at Panera drinking coffee and reading 1 Thessalonians 4. The one thing that sticks out to me in this chapter is Paul's encouragement and challenge for the "brothers" to "do this more and more." Now, you may be sitting there thinking to yourself, "Self, what is Paul encouraging and challenging the 'brothers' to 'do more and more.' What is the 'this' he speaks of?" Well, I'm glad you are asking yourself these questions. You know, I really hope you didn't ask those questions out loud, as the people around you may look at you as if you're nuts because you are sitting there saying, "Self, what is..."

Well, in this chapter, Paul is reminding the "brothers" of the way they are to live. He encourages them to continue living the way they have been instructed to live. He also challenges them, pointing out how well they have been doing living the life Christ calls us to, and urges them to follow and live in this way "more and more." It's sort of the, "You're doing really well! Now, do it more and more and better and better" kind of thing.

This is an important reminder for those of us following Christ. Sometimes, it's tempting to become content in the way we are following Him. We go to church, we're in a small group, we pray multiple times each week, we even crack open our Bible! These things are all extremely good! Yet, I think Paul would encourage us to do this more and more! I think he would encourage us and challenge us to get more involved in our walk. It's more than just how we do the "church" stuff, but it's how we lead our daily lives as well. Are we taking a stand for Christ in every facet of our lives? This is what Paul is encouraging and challenging the Thessalonians in. He is commending them for what they are doing and how they are carrying themselves in particular areas and tries to push them to take that next step.

What is your next step? What do you need to be doing more and more? If you're going to church, Bible study, spending time in prayer and personal Bible study, maybe God is leading you to find new ways to serve, new ways to grow. Maybe God is calling you to be more vocal about your faith in the work place...Maybe God is calling you to get crazy and step out of the boat and, by faith, walk to Him (yeah, I know that's pulling from another story, but I think it applies here).

Well, I pray that as we all go through this life trying our best to follow Christ and live how He intended for us to live that we will all look for ways to "do so more and more."

Mmm...The Triple Chocolate Utopia!!! It just doesn't get much better than this at the old Dairy Queen. Ben Franklin has been credited to say, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to prosper." Some tellings of this wonderful quote substitute "to be happy" for "to prosper." Well, either way, you get the point. Well, I'd like to take credit for this little twist on that famous quote. Ice cream is proof that God loves us and wants us to be very, very, very happy! Many of you may know that Emily and I are big fans of the ice cream...Well, one of my favorites has become the Triple Chocolate Utopia. It has chuncks of chocolate, chunks of brownie, tons of hot fudge, and vanilla ice cream. I think the only way it could get any better would be to substitute chocolate ice cream for the vanilla. I'm going to try that the next time I get the Triple Chocolate Utopia. In order to stump the cashier, I'm going to walk up and say, "One quadruple Chocolate Utopia, please." I'll be able to judge the quality of the Dairy Queen employee by whether or not he/she is able to figure out exactly what I'm implying. Well, I'll let you all know how it turns out. Will it be chocolate overload or will it be chocolate bliss! I'm voting for bliss!

How Can Anybody Work???

On a day like today, it seems like God is crying out to His people to stop what they're doing and enjoy this beautiful day. It's almost 10am here in Muncie...and it's warm...and it's only going to get warmer. I'm half-tempted (which I suppose is better than a full-temptation) to head to the pool store, purchase the necessary chemicals, and open the pool up today. Sure, it will be a little cold (the water temperature was over 60 yesterday...so, it's not too bad), but I bet it'd be worth it! Well, I already know that I'm going to hold off on the pool for at least another week (maybe two). But, this is definitely one of those days where I question how any of us can work.

You know, I think that schools and businesses have it all wrong. Instead of canceling school because of snow and slick roads, they should cancel school because of beautiful days. The weatherman said today's high temperature will be 16 degrees above normal! That's huge! That's worthy of celebration. That's worthy of shutting down factories, offices, schools, all businesses and telling people to get out and enjoy the day.

Of course, as I'm writing this, I'm sitting behind the desk in my office looking out the window and trying to practice some self-control by staying put, doing my work, and enjoying a pleasant evening after a good days work. I just hope it's this gorgeous out when it's my day off!

Last Nights Show & Other Ramblings

Medeski, Martin, and Wood...Un-Freakin'-Believable! These guys were a trillion times better than I had even imagined. The creativity and musicianship the happened on the stage at the Vogue last night was absolutely incredible. Medeski has the brilliant ability to go way, way, way outside the box and bring it all back in. Just when you don't think you have a clue where he is, he brings it right back in! They played two equally amazing sets and one encore. Heads were definitely bobbing, feet were moving, and people seemed to be having a great time (I know I did). They even pulled out an old Ray Charles song (What'd I Say, Part One) and put the MMW twist to it...awesome. It was just an amazing evening of wonderful music. If you ever get the chance to check them out...don't hesitate.

Now, for the "other ramblings."

First- A while back, I wrote an entry called "Brutally Honest" or something like that. Anyway, I've been continually thinking about the whole thought of being brutally honest. Well, today, I saw a TV ad that demonstrated a moment when the whole "brutally honest" business should maybe be casually honest. There's this woman and she says, "Let me just be brutally honest...Sometimes I don't make it to the bathroom on time." Whoa...Did I just hear that? Did I really want to hear what I think I just heard? So, you may have seen this commercial. It's about some drug for women that have over-active bladders. Well, somethings are better left unmentioned over the television. But, this commercial lets all the ladies suffering from OAB know that there is help and that they are not alone. Anyway, it's not something I really care to see or hear about when I'm trying to watch the news, drink coffee, and eat oatmeal. Of course, I really don't care to hear about all the help out there for some of the male problems either. So, trust me, I'm not discriminating. I think they should eliminate these kinds of commercials across the boards.

Second- What is it with people in Muncie and their inability to drive? Yesterday, a Muncie Recycling truck failed to stop at an obvious stop sign and just about plowed into me. Let's just say the recycling trucks are much bigger than the vehicle I drive...I would have been toast. Luckily, I'm an aggressively offensive driver (everyone else is supposed to be defensive drivers, I like to be offensive) and I was able to quickly maneuver around as to avoid the collision. Then, today, I'm driving on Wheeling and this big Ford F-350 was attempting to make a right turn. I was in the left lane, he was in the right. In order to make his turn, the driver of the F-350 (who was most likely from Selma, Albany, or Winchester...not to stereotype...but, lets be honest about it), began to swing way out into my lane. Well, luckily no one was in the turn lane as I needed to use it in order to avoid yet another collision. As you're reading this, some of you might make the assumption that the problem is with my driving. Wrong! Dead wrong! If I drove as poorly as these other folks, my car would have plenty of dings in it this morning. Thankfully my offensive driving has paid off...at least for today. To end this whole rant, let me just say, at all costs avoid McGalliard. I don't understand why a road with 4 lanes plus a turn lane is continually so busy in such a small town.

Third- Why didn't the Muncie Star Press list the Medeski, Martin, and Wood show? I believe I saw the Ashlee Simpson show listed in their Gig Guide...but no MMW...what's up with that? I'm sure the Ashlee show contained great music (played by a CD player with much lipsyncing over it) mixed with hideous music when Ashlee actually attempted to sing (I read a review of the concert and it talked about how when Ashlee hit wrong notes it was okay because the audience could sing better than her anyway...hahaha...sad, but true). Oh, and why didn't Michelle Kinsey e-mail me back when I pointed out how the Star Press had failed to give any coverage (not even a listing in the gig guide of upcoming shows) to MMW. I'd say I'd boycott the Star Press...But, seeing as how I don't subscribe to the Star Press, um, what would my boycott be.

Well, that's all for now.

MMW Tonight!!! Don't forget...Tonight you can catch one of the greatest musical groups on earth at the Vogue Theater in Broad Ripple! Medeski, Martin, and Wood will be the only band performing. Doors open at 8:30pm and the show starts at 9pm! Tickets will be available at the door! 

Visiting the Chiropractor

Well, this week I've been experience some sharp pain in my back...mainly around my shoulders and neck. I've been trying to work it all out by swimming, stretching in the sauna and hot tub, and resting. Well, it hasn't really worked. The last three nights I haven't really been able to sleep...last night being the worst of all nights. So, this morning, I woke up and could hardly move. The alarm went off and I couldn't even roll over to turn it off...that's when you know things are bad. Then, it took me several minutes to actually make my way out of bed.

Using my brain for the first time this week, I decided that making an appointment with the chiropractor just might be a good idea. This morning, I called Dr. Neibert at the Backpain Chiropractic Clinic and they were able to get me right in. I will say that, though my pain is not completely gone, I feel MUCH better! I'm actually able to move and be comfortable, for the most part. I'm supposed to head back in on Monday morning for more adjustments.

Truth be told, I probably wouldn't have gone into the chiropractor if Emily and I weren't going to the Medeski, Martin, and Wood show at the Vogue this evening. So, my motivation was that I didn't want to stand around at an amazing concert in tremendous pain.

If you ever need to see a chiropractor, let me strongly suggest Dr. Neibert. Not only does he know what he's doing, he's a really great guy!

Strong Opposition?

This morning, I was reading 1 Thessalonians 2. In the second verse, Paul tells about how he and his gang continued to share the Gospel, even in the midst of "strong opposition." They had suffered and been insulted, yet they pressed on under "strong opposition" in order to spread God's message. Hmmm...

As I read this, I started wondering what the "strong opposition" is in my attempts to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Well, as I seriously ponder the idea of "strong opposition" in the sharing of the Gospel in Muncie, Indiana, I'm feeling a strong sense of conviction. This conviction that is overtaking me as I write this is basically centered around the fact that I have a pretty good idea what the "strong opposition" is in my sharing of the Gospel...It's me!

I've never suffered for the Gospel in the ways we read about in the Scriptures or hear about from Christians facing persecution around the world. I've never truly been insulted for my beliefs. I've never been insulted in sharing my beliefs with those around me. The "strong opposition" comes into play when I start thinking for myself. I'll feel God nudging me to share His love with someone and then I'll start questioning whether or not this is a good idea (um, let me just state clearly hear, that any idea from God is going to be a good idea). I'll then start worrying about what the person will think of me. I get caught up in the thought that if I share the Gospel with this person, he might judge me and dismiss me as a looney Christian and won't want to talk with me ever again (of course, the person might get that feeling anyway, regardless of whether or not I share the Word with him). By the time I figure out that it's probably going to be a good idea to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and share the Gospel with my random friend, I'll then start worrying about exactly what to say and exactly how to say it. I'll start running through how I think the conversation might go in my head. I'll make up grand scenarios of how I'll respond if the guy asks this question or that one. I start to look around the room for the quickest escape route in case the guy is offended by the free gift of grace I'm planning to inform him about.

Well, by the time I get every thing figure out, the guy has usually left the room. You see how I'm my own "strong opposition." I allow all these selfish worries to interfere with my sharing of Christ with the world around me. I allow myself to get caught up in what people may think of me, rather than getting caught up in caring about the eternal salvation of the person whom God has placed in my life.

Paul goes on in verse four to talk about how he and his posse were never trying to "please men but God." I think, too often, for myself (and maybe many Christians), I get caught up in trying to please our fellow man (or woman). I've seen this in some of the churches I've ever worked in...Rather than boldly proclaiming Christ or the taking a stand on an issue, we buckle under the pressure of keeping people happy. We don't want to offend anyone. We don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Sometimes we stand behind the status quo, we find it easier to be content with the way things are rather than taking a stand for how things could be if we were willing to suffer, to be insulted, to not worry about what others think, to not be ashamed of the Gospel or who we are in Christ Jesus.

I don't know, maybe I'm just speaking to myself this morning. But, I do know that too often I stand as "strong opposition" to myself. It's kind of weird, but it's totally true.

Produced, Prompted, Inspired

1 Thessalonians 1:3 says, "We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."

As I read that verse this morning, I began to ask and think about the following questions, which may be helpful for all of us to examine from time to time. By asking questions and prayerfully thinking through the answers, I believe we can continually keep our focus on our Creator and get ourselves back on track when we swerve off course.

1. What produces my work? Is my work produced by faith in God or is it motivated by something else?

2. What prompts my labor? Can I truly say that my labor is prompted by love or is it prompted by a sense of duty?

3. Is my endurance inspired by hope in Jesus? If not, what gives me my endurance?

4. What steps can I take to have my work produced by faith, labor prompted by love, and my endurance inspired by hope?

Well, I hope you'll take a few minutes to examine these three little things (work, labor, endurance) and figure out where you stand and where you might need to make some changes.

Talking Jesus, Mary, and Moses dolls. They quote 33 Scriptures! Keep your eyes open so you don't miss out on the best new toy to give your loved ones for any upcoming birthdays! Check out the article from CNN

Medeski, Martin, & Wood!!! If you have the time and the money, you should definitely make the trip to Indy for Thursday nights show at the Vogue. The doors open at 8:30pm and the show starts at 9pm. These guys are tremendously talented. They blend this creative, funky, bizarre jazz/funk/jam music and the product is absolutely fantastic. You can check them out online at: http://www.mmw.net 

Pet ducks??? Well, ever since we moved into our new home, Emily has wanted some kind of pet. By "some kind," I truly mean cats. Well, with my allergies, cats are out. So, since we have a swimming pool, we decided to get some pet ducks (just kidding...but, it is kinda cool to look out in the backyard and see some ducks). 

Methodist?

University of Indianapolis...Methodist or not? This seems to be an excellent question. Many Methodist, especially those in the Indiana area, proudly claim the U of I as our own. However, it seems that with every year, there is more separation from the U of I and its Methodist roots. All you have to do is ask some simple questions when taking a tour of the university. For example, one student I know asked various people on campus about the universities Methodists connections. The response was, "Well, we're not entirely a Methodist school. Sure, we take money from the Methodist church. But, we aren't really a Methodist school." But, if you ask any Methodist pastor in the Indiana area, they will tell you U of I is a strong Methodist school. Ha! It seems like the school is pulling away without the denominations acknowledgement. Sure, the UMC provides a campus chaplain. But, students aren't required to attend chapel services. And, it seems like the UMC campus outreach at U of I is about as effective as the UMC campus outreach at Ball State (which, even though they are trying really hard, is not very effective).

In a recent article in the Hoosier United Methodist News, there was an article about the appointment of a new president to the university. Beverly Pitts, a former Ball State employee, has been named the president of U of I. She is the first female president in school history! Way to go Bev! However, the article failed to mention that Pitts is not a Methodist. In fact, she is the first non-Methodist president of the university. Seems like that might be important information to include to the many UM congregations throughout the state whose apportionment dollars are going to support this university.

Well, that's almost all I have to say about that.

Good movie...great soundtrack! I can't stop listening. Emily bought it for me yesterday as a gift. I've been talking about it ever since we saw the movie. It's an extremely enjoyable album. 

I think this is absolutely hilarious! For those contemplating suicide, seek out your local United Methodist Church! Hahaha...Just kidding...I think! 

What You Might Miss...

Do you realize how much news we probably miss throughout the course of the day? If the government ever wanted to sneak something through without getting a lot of media coverage, the last few weeks would have been prime time to do so. I'm glad I don't us televised news as my only source for keeping up with the events of the world. If I did, I would probably be under the assumption that the most important stuff going on would be the Pope's passing, the Terri Shiavo mess, Johnnie Cochran's death, and soaring gas prices. Are all of these stories so worthy of so much airtime? Well, that's debatable (what isn't debatable these days).

As I was reading the Indy star today, the top headlines were given to the Pope and the Pacers. There was a short story about 16 US soldiers that were killed. But, you'd miss it if you were just skimming through. In the midst of the Terri Schiavo battle, a young man killed people at his school. Yeah, it got some coverage. But, you'd hear about two minutes about that and then hear about 47 minutes about everything happening with Terri in Florida.

I guess that's why I enjoy listening to NPR and Air America Radio. They tend to focus on the opposite issues that the televised news channels are airing. And, with Air America, they cover the side of current issues that Fox News and Rush Limbaugh try to hide. I like that (especially since my mother is such a Rush and conservative talk radio fan). Of course, I like to watch Fox News from time to time so I can truly have a "fair and balanced" look at the issues. If you only watch one channel, listen to one show, or read one newspaper, you'll only get that particular groups agenda and slant. If you truly want "fair and balanced" representation of the news, check out all sides...left, right, and somewhere in-between (it's the in-between I've yet to truly find).

Well, I'm just typing away, not really saying any thing of value or worth...So, I'll stop now!

April Fool's Joke or Not

I've been tracking a story concerning the frontman of the band Tool. There were rumors that he had "found Jesus." Well, it's not clear exactly if he has found the Lord or not. MTV dismissed the story as an April Fool's joke. However, the frontman denies it being a joke, saying that he has "indeed found Jesus." So, I'll keep you posted.

MTV Article

Making Up Stories

As I sit here at Panera, drinking coffee and listening to Sonic Youth, I'm noticing the interesting characters around me. On occasion, I've been known to make up stories in my mind about the various people sitting around me.

Today, there is an older couple sitting by the front door. I like to think that they are named Hugo and Bonquita. Hugo likes to do the crossword puzzle while Bonquita reads through the classifieds and takes more than her fair share of the "free samples" of the bagel of the day (has anyone else noticed that the free sample always seems to be the trail mix bagel?). Well, in my mind, I like to think that Hugo and Bonquita are sort of like Bonnie and Clyde...only slightly older. Hugo and Bonquita come to Panera in the morning to get juiced up for a full day of crime. Hugo is the muscle...Bonquita is the brains. Hugo knocks down doors and smashes in window to gain entry into homes, banks, and random local businesses. Bonquita is a master at figuring out safe locks and security system codes. Today, Hugo and Bonquita are planning out their crime schedule.

First, they are going to knock off the Burger King just outside of Panera. Quick and easy, they will play up the confused elderly role. Hugo will start to act confused, put on a kids Burger King crown and take over at the cash register...Bonquita will start yelling at him asking the manager to help her gain control of her husband. "He's easily confused. He worked for Burger King as a younger man and sometimes still thinks he runs the place." While the manager is distracted by Bonquita's pleas for help, Hugo will pocket all the cash in the register. You see, these aren't big dollar crimes...The take from the register will be a $223.37 (hardly worth the potential jail time). However, Hugo and Bonquita will hit two other Burger King's within the next hour.

After a successful run knocking off BK's in the greater Muncie area, Hugo and Bonquita have pocketed $723.45. Not bad for about an hours work. But, now, it's on to bigger things. This time, they will do a similar thing at the downtown Bank One, First Merchants, and Old National banks. Bonquita will play the role of a confused elderly woman who was once a bank teller. The tricky part with the banks are the security cameras directly behind the register. Well, Hugo and Bonquita have three sons...triplets...42 years old. And, they are all security guards. Guess where? Bank One, First Merchants, and Old National banks...downtown Muncie branches. Hugo will call each boy 1 minute prior to entering the bank. The boys will create a power surge that will knock out the security cameras for approximately 7 minutes. Hugo will begins to explain that his wife is confused...that she used to be a bank teller. In an effort to further confuse the tellers, Hugo will fake chest pains. Then, he will call out to Bonquita that he needs to get his pills and that the have to leave immediately. There take from all three banks was just under $2,500.

So, before noon, Hugo and Bonquita have pocketed around $3200...not bad. Tomorrow morning, Hugo and Bonquita will skip town, heading north to Mishawaka, Indiana. They will stop at the Panera Bread on Main Street and plan out their day. They will successfully knock off four Burger Kings and six banks before heading towards Grand Rapids, MI. And, Hugo and Bonquita will continue this path of crime for another 12 years...

On a cold winter day in Toronto, Hugo begins to fake a heart attack while he and Bonquita are knocking off a bank when he actually has a heart attack. Realizing that she is about to be caught for her crimes, Bonquita starts to run for the door. A security guard watched the whole thing go down. Knowing that he could be a hero in Canada and the United States, the guard draws his weapon and fires a shot at Bonquita. Aiming for her knee, the guard accidentally hits her in the head (you know the Canadians don't really use weapons too often). So, Hugo and Bonquita came to an end...as does my story about the old couple sitting by the front door at the Muncie Panera Bread.

What A Day!

First off, yesterday was absolutely gorgeous! And, it looks like today is going to be more of the same! Spring is finally here! I know that it has technically been spring for a while now...But, it hasn't really felt like it until recently. Last night, I grilled some hamburgers that Emily and I consumed out on the deck. It was wonderful!

And, what a day in sports! The NCAA Championship...it was a really good game. I thought Illinois would have come out on top. But, they had such a big deficit to overcome. And, they just weren't hitting their shots. But, a kid from Bloomington was selected as the MVP for North Carolina. I guess that's pretty cool. Too bad the Hoosiers couldn't recruit a kid out of their own backyard.

And, then there's the Cubs! A 16-6 victory over the Diamondbacks! Yeah, 16 runs...without Sosa. I think this year is going to be a great year for the Cubs. Without all of the distractions Sosa brought...and the fact that if he didn't hit a homerun he struck out...never really helped the team. And, he's starting to get slow in the outfield. I think we're a better team without him. Good luck Baltimore.

Well, even though I'm a Cubs fan, I must give the Reds some props! They pulled off a two-homerun, 9th inning comeback to shock the Mets and Pedro Martinez. Pedro...maybe you should have stayed with a team that won it all last year instead of going for an even bigger paycheck. But, hey, these days it's all about the money.

No more steroids! Hahahahaha! I know MLB is cracking down...especially on the minor leagues (which has such a huge influence on our youth...please note the sarcasm). What do we have now...one MLB guy suspended for 10 days...not 10 games...10 days...And almost 40 suspensions handed down to minor league guys (who are getting paid a whole lot less than the MLB superstars). Well, I hope they get this whole mess cleaned up and we can have a season without all the speculations. It is sad that many records have been set, broken and reset by guys that by their silence (or in some cases, stupidity..."I didn't know that the doctor was giving me steroids"...are you kidding me? You just let your doctor shoot you up without asking what he's shooting you up with? Please...) have sort of made their steroid use obvious.

Well, here's to a great day and the start of another!

Blog Frustrations

Well, it's been a few days since my last post. In reality, I've tried to post about three things...However, my dear friends at Blogger must have been having some technical difficulties...Because as soon as I would post something it would disappear into cyberspace. There is nothing that frustrates me more than blog posts lost in the great unknown. Oh well, the posts probably weren't that interesting anyway. It's early, but if my memory serves me correctly, the posts were about my magnificent breakfast that I made, a trip to the reservoir to do some environmental clean-up, and Garrison Keillor.

I can sum up the post rather quickly: 1) The Magnificent Breakfast- I made eggs (over-easy, is there any other way?) and wheat toast. Sure, it sounds like a humble, easy breakfast...But, it was fantastic if I do say so myself...And I do...So, there you have it! 2) Reservoir- Last week, I was disgusted by the amount of trash thrown around the Reservoir (one of my favorite places in Delaware County). So, Friday morning, I went out to said Reservoir to do some clean-up. Let's just say that if you're looking for some aluminum cans, glass bottles, or soiled diapers, any wooded area surrounding the Reservoir will satisfy your search. 3) Garrison Keillor- Well, I like him. He's funny!

Well, there you have it! Have a great day.