James Pahl's Random Thought Buffet...grab a tray!

Learning my heritage: My Grandpa's story

2011-09-03T23:05:00.001-04:00

I got to see my Grandpa Pahl's Bronze Star tonight.

He served in WWII in an artillery unit attached to the 66th Division (Black Panthers).

He was about to board the Leopoldville when he was instructed to board a different ship instead (Leopoldville was sunk in transit).

He served mainly in the Lorient sector, containing an area deep behind our lines where cut-off and entrenched German troops held several ports and refused to surrender.

I'm appreciative to learn this and privileged to share another example of service and duty.

I never got to know him. Shortly after I was born my parents smuggled me into his Hospital so that he could meet me before he passed. I'm told he was so weak he couldn't rip a square of toilet paper off a roll, yet he sat up and held me for five minutes. He passed away shortly after.

His example of duty and service is one that I pray stays with me my entire life, as they are very applicable themes when it comes to our Christian walks.

Thank you for your time.

Can I be human for a moment?

2011-04-28T02:27:00.002-04:00

I'm a guy.

I'm tough, incapable of emotion. I am as thick as steel. Things don't get to me. I don't meet people and not like them. I'm tolerant. I like fart jokes and ponder Socrates. I consider myself stalwart and stubborn. I say I am open to new ideas and will explore anything if it ever makes more sense than Christianity, but in my heart I know I am so set in my ways that it will never happen.

I bleed but I do not hurt. I don't sweat the small stuff. I love through action, not expression. I'm a guy.

Why do I find myself feeling so emotional tonight?

I'm going through old family videos. 9 months ago for my sister/mom's birthday I thought it would be a great idea to rip all of our family videos from VHS to DVD. A healthy way to extend their longevity. Why it has taken me this long to complete the project, I don't know. Maybe I knew this would happen? I doubt it.

There are all kinds of clips on the video. Birthday parties, big news incidents (we lived in Sunfield when the silo collapsed), Easter gatherings, school plays, face paintings. All kinds of stuff.

I saw footage of my Grandpa Curby tonight. It's the first time I've really thought about him since he passed away earlier this year. Maybe it was near the end of last year, I don't really remember. It's something that for some reason I never really thought about until it hit me tonight.

We were angry with him. Grandma Betty-Ann passed away a long time ago and eventually he had met and courted a woman we came to know as "Grandma Bev." It was a big deal to me when we started calling her Grandma, but she deserved it. She was a wonderful woman. Time went on and almost out of nowhere Grandpa split from her to be with a younger woman that he met when he went out dancing.

We were upset. He would call every now and then and the parents would talk with him for a bit. We kept in better touch with Grandpa Bev. When he passed away I didn't think too much about it, since you know, we disagreed with what he had done the last few years.

Yet as I watch these videos he is in them. I smile, there is no doubt about that. It is so good to see him. We're all so much younger (lol) and he is there. There's no denying it. He was a huge part of our lives and brought us so much blessing and joy. In Sunfield if we were out and our parents wanted us to come home, his was the first number called. We knew him longer than any of our real grandparents, who all passed away while we were very young.

I've forgiven a mentor who left his family to follow his homosexuality.
I've forgiven a youth minister who I thought didn't care for me.
I've forgiven Christians who harshly and wrongly judged my sister because they didn't take the time to know her.
I've forgiven a church that even with the best intentions at heart wronged me.
I've forgiven a friend who slandered me behind my back and has never sought forgiveness or reconciliation for doing so.
I've forgiven people that I wronged when they wouldn't accept a sincere apology.
I've forgiven a friend who thought he wronged me when he never did.
I've forgiven mean kids who made middle school a terrible time.

At the end of all things, I've forgiven a grandpa that upset me, even though when you think about it I was never personally wronged.

God has taken all this and worked out into His great and perfect will. I can't look back at any of these situations with any bitterness because I know God was there through it and He has handled all of it. All of it has worked for his glory. Even the situations where I've been told I would be right or understood if I still held a grudge. I can't do it. I won't do it.

We're doing a lesson series at The Flood called "Reset" and as I think about these situations I wouldn't change any of them because they are all living testimonies to God's will, power and guidance in my life.

That feels real random, and all over the place when you think about it. I never said I was organized!

What it all comes back to is this: I teared up thinking about the amazing life I have lived so far. I've known incredible people and God used them powerfully in my life while they were in it. I know that this life is temporary. This life is nothing. I know that those I love so much, I will see them again. We will live together with God for eternity. That fills me with so much joy, with so much happiness and I can't hold it in as I watch these memories.

I will see Grandpa Curby again. I will hug him and he will say he needs a step ladder to hug me back. I will see Grandpa Earhart again, and I will meet Grandpa Jack, who died not even a month after holding me as a newborn. I will walk with my Uncle through a park. I will play with my dog in the snow. I will play dreamcast again with Kyle Rudolph.

I'm so overjoyed and excited just thinking about it. With so much to look forward to, how can anyone not be? It is overwhelming! I only hope as I live my life out that this hope and God's love continually shines out from me, so that others may know this joy and hope.

I will share with as many people as I can.

A Ministry Milestone?

2010-10-07T02:03:00.002-04:00

The following story is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

I had a ministry first tonight while volunteering with the junior high at SLCC. It was an interaction with a student that took a predictable twist, yet at the same time I've never had it happen before. It has made me grin, stop, and ponder it, and I can only attribute this pondering to the fact that it hasn't happened before. Let's tell the story to set the context.

I certainly don't think myself too friendly, but I love how so many people are comfortable talking to me. Such was the case as I was talking with one of the students I work with about their day at school and their current drama situation.

Without going into too much detail let's just summarize it by saying the student wants to date a boy, but dating the boy would add a lot of tension to her friendship with both of her best friends, one of whom used to date the boy.

Listening to her reasoning for both sides of it, I thought I had a great thought and relayed it to her. "Well you know, you don't "have" to date this guy, you can just be friends right?"

Her reply was the incident that is the focus of this blog: "James, you're too old to understand!" She then began to explain more of the situation, but at the same time the comment stuck with me. A student finally played that card on me. A true lifetime first.

Now don't get me wrong, I partially agree with her. You can never fully understand any situation that you are not directly a part of. However, 10 years from now I guarantee if she looks back and by chance remembers this conversation, she'll agree with what I said 100%. I wasn't wrong, but it's part of the journey of life and even when things seem important in the moment, often in hindsight we can accept that most things in our life may not be as important as we thought they were at the time.

People live hard lives, and middle-school is where you start to think that no one understands you. I think you could make the argument that this realization is one that sticks with you the rest of your life. I would even guess in marriage there are times in a couple's life that they feel their spouse doesn't fully understand them.

Do you work tirelessly to make yourself understood? Do you "re-invent" yourself to be understood a certain way? Do you really want to be understood, or just accepted?

I mean that's what it really comes down to. Understood or not, we all want to be accepted for who we are. Figuring that out takes time; many people are still doing it. I would make the case that figuring out who we are in Christ (for example) is an endeavor that takes no less than our entire life.

I don't really know where I'm going with this, nor do I think I need to go somewhere. Like I said, it was a ministry first that got me thinking.

We have a desire to be understood and accepted. Inherit in that is a desire to be loved. God has imprinted that in us because we are not meant to go through life alone. At the same time, the only chance we have to experience this desire fulfilled is in God, in life as part of His people.

What's hard for me is I work at a job where I see tons of people. I have no idea if they know this or not. I see them choosing not to find out. I see people in my life who have known this truth, yet still choose to wander away from it. Why? I've known nothing else my entire life, and I've learned enough to know there is nothing better out there. I come from two very stubborn families so I know I'll never venture out enough to try a life away from God, because again I know it to be the best life there is.

How do I help others see this for themselves? What can I do to make that impact, to make that need apparent? The saying goes you can lead a horse to the water but you can't make him drink. I only worry that the constant sight of thirsty horses hasn't made me forget to lower my head and drink what I know is good. (Wow, I've just discovered I really don't like extending sayings too much.)

So what do we do? That is the question that is the daily struggle, the daily commitment, the daily sacrifice. We do the best we can, and God works through the rest.

And that's where I stop tonight.

A small entre for a quick pondering

2010-07-09T06:41:00.003-04:00

(Intro unrelated to topic): Currently listening to The Megas. If you've never heard of them, they are a band that specifically covers music from the Mega Man video games. Their album, "Get Equipped" is an amazing take on the music from Mega Man 2. Check them out!

(Topic): Just thought I'd throw this out there for some quick "food for thought." How many times do we sit and pray to God asking for guidance in our lives? I did it a lot, sometimes I still do. I understand that I, and many others, want to know "the plan" for our lives so that we can equip and prepare ourselves how God needs to.

What I wonder is how many times are we wondering this while God is literally sitting wherever he is (everywhere) almost screaming back at us "I HAVE YOU RIGHT WHERE I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW! DO SOMETHING!"

God can use you. Are you willing to let Him, or are you waiting for a sign? Will you be stubborn like Gideon (or me) or will you act? Yesterday is over, we don't know about tomorrow, and you only get one shot at today. MAKE IT COUNT!

This has to be real, I found it on the internet!

2009-10-23T17:57:00.001-04:00

Letter Sent By College Student To His Dad

Dear Dad,

$chool i$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tudying very
hard. With all my $tuff, I $imply can't think of anything I need, $o if you
would like, you can ju$t $end me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you.

Love,
Your $on.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Son,

I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics, and oceaNOgraphy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr student busy.
Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never study eNOugh.

Love,
Dad

Even more things to neglect updating...

2009-10-22T00:46:00.002-04:00

Hello, faithful believers!

I thought I'd try a Stan Lee greeting, but I don't feel it suits me.

I haven't updated much, probably because I figured I didn't have much to update about. Oh well. After talking with some friends, I decided to start (yet another) new blog, this one specifically dealing with my encounters with people while working nights at Speedway.

These are truly unique. It seems every time I pop in and visit someone I've got all sorts of strange stories, and they are all completely true.

This blog will attempt to chronicle those strange stories. I hope to post in it every morning when I get home from work, so that it will be fresh in my mind and easier to type.

The new blog is titled "Humanity on the Clock." I hope to continue it even when I'm no longer at Speedway, as it is always worthwhile to make observations about people while you're at work. I don't think it will be as interesting once I stop working nights, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Sometimes words aren't needed

2009-09-26T08:27:00.002-04:00

I think this describes my life to a T more readily than I'll admit. At least at some points.

2009-09-21T08:42:00.002-04:00

The things we find...

2009-07-10T07:32:00.002-04:00

Because I asked for it: My top 5 CCG's

2009-07-05T17:43:00.004-04:00

Last post I hinted that this was coming. Some internet users might be confused, pondering things like "What in the world is a CCG?" Maybe this confuses you, or doesn't even interest you at all. Oh well, you'll live. There are plenty of pages on the internet to surf.

CCG is an abbreviation for Collectible Card Game. The different games have their own custom made cards, which you accumulate by spending money. You sort through those cards and put together a "deck" of cards that you think will speed you to victory according to the game's victory conditions. Then you play against someone else who has done the same thing.

It's a hobby. One you can put a lot of resources into. There are seemingly hundreds of different CCG's out there. Sometimes it seems like there's one for everything. Most come and go but the great ones are still around rocking to this day. I'm going to give you my top 5. I will try to explain the premise of each game and why I like it, and I will try to do so in an understandable manner. So, without further ado, here goes!

#5 - Star Wars CCG

Basic Premise: It's the light side versus the dark side. You build a deck for each side and play the opposite one. All kinds of neat characters and locations are available to use in this game. Released in 1995, the game went out of print in 2001. However it still has a very active community that has released "virtual cards" to keep the game evolving and changing.

Why I like it: The mechanics of how you play this game are unique, no other game is like it. It's very strategic, almost resembling chess. It has a very deep strategical layer to it. I only played it in high school and early college, and I'm not involved at all with that "virtual card" community, but I think it's cool that people who are passionate about this game have kept it going for so long. Lastly, and you'll notice a pattern here in the games I like, playing the game is like taking part of an interactive story.

#4 - Battletech CCG

Basic Premise: You play one of 10 factions in the Battletech Universe vying for power. In this futuristic world battles are conducted with "Mechs," which are best described as 30 foot tall walking tanks armed for mass destruction.

Why I like it: The game is very similar to the very first CCG ever made, Magic: The Gathering. However, when that came out my parents were far too conservative to let me try it out. So when this nearly identical game came out but was about technology and not magic I jumped all over it. It's a very fast paced and tactical game. It is also out of print and commercially didn't take off too well. That didn't stop my cousin and I from having some great times with it though.

#3 - Legend of the Five Rings

Basic Premise: In an imaginary land very similar to feudal China, 12 clans vie for power and support of the Emperor of the land. The game can be played with 2-12 players theoretically. There are 4 different ways to win when playing, and each clan tends to specialize in certain strategies to win in specific ways. First released in 1995, this game is still quite active to this day, although it can be hard to find.

Why I like it: Liking might be an understatement, I absolutely love this game. First off, the game plays out like an interactive story. The company that created the game holds huge tournaments, and the results of the tournaments actually dictates what happens next in the massive story-line of the game. Just last year for example a new Emperor was crowned from one of the houses. The cards that come out in future sets will reflect that. I don't have time to be involved with any of that, but what a cool concept.

What I also like about this game is it has been cheap. As I said earlier, CCG's are a hobby, and you can put quite a chunk of cash into them if you're not careful. More money spent means more cards to choose from in your decks, which is generally a good thing. What I like about this game is outside of my initial purchase I haven't had to spend anything else to have a blast playing it. It is a very intriguing game and I have played it several times with 3 players. It has always been fun for all involved.

#2 Middle Earth CCG

Basic Premise: You play one of the 5 wizards in Middle Earth. You're preparing a plan to oppose Sauron and to that end you travel the lands seeking resources to aid you as you come up with your plan. Different resources included famous characters, weapons, artifacts and entire factions and are all worth various points. In the end, at the "Council Meeting" the wizards present their plans and whoever has the most points will be the victor. Alternatively, you could find the One Ring and destroy it at Mount Doom to win. The game was for 2-5 players. Later expansions would change this up, allowing you to play as the Ring Wraiths, a fallen wizard trying to redeem himself, or even the Balrog as he tries to emerge as a credible threat to the entire world.

Why I like it: There are two science fictions you'll find I'm fairly passionate about if you are lucky enough to get me going on them: Lord of the Rings and Star Trek. As a young lad when I discovered card games for both I could barely contain my excitement as I dove into them. Middle-Earth was an incredible game in the fact that it lets you tell your own story as you adventure through Middle Earth trying to find "resources" as you figure out how to stop the Dark Lord. On your opponent's turn you essentially play as Sauron, playing "hazards" to try and stop the Wizards in their various scheming. I had many fun games against my dad, and even my sister collected cards. It was a unique game and there is nothing like it on the market anywhere. It wasn't very successful, only in production for 3 years. However, that didn't stop me from enjoying this gem of an under-appreciated game with friends and family.

#1 - Star Trek CCG 1st Edition

Basic Premise: Space, the final Frontier! Play one of several factions available from the Star Trek universe. Games play out like episodes of the show. You score points by completing missions, but must solve "dilemmas" (ie problems) before you can get on with the mission. First released in 1994, I stopped buying cards for it in 1999, which was about halfway through its production run. A Second Edition was released in 2002 with an attempt to revamp and simplify the game, but after seeing what they changed I never game it a first or a second thought.

Why I like it: This was my introduction into CCG's. As a young 7th grade student my dad and I, huge trekkies, became aware of it and jumped into it fully. We never looked back. We've played countless games against each other, which adds up to hours and hours of fun. Back in the day we played giant 5 player games with friends from church which were truly remarkable all things considered. The best thing we liked about the game was that combat, while in the game, was not the center focus by any means. The focus of the game was on your strategy of doing the missions and scoring points. My dad and I still break it out and play it "sealed deck style" every couple of months. The lawyer side of my dad and I will emerge every now and then and the "discussions" we would have about the interpretation of rules is as fondly remembered as the game play. In fact even in writing this my dad and I are chuckling about said discussions. This card game has brought us 15 years of fun, with many more in the future.

Honorable Mentions: These are good games that didn't make the cut for my top 5, but they still deserve a mention.

Magic: The Gathering. The very first CCG to be produced, and arguably the best in many minds. It is still alive and kicking today, and that alone is a testament to how great it is, considering 4 of my top 5 are no longer in production. Its timeless mechanics make for fast-paced tactical fun, and as far as I know it's the only game that can win you prizes like college scholarships.

Overpower CCG: Containing Marvel and DC Superheroes, this is an enjoyable game with fun "bluff" mechanics in the style of poker. Had a very short run, very hard to find these days.

Pokemon CCG: In my younger days I played this game before it became a huge child sensation. It is very simplistic; the easiest game to learn. I got my sister to play this with me when we were younger and it was one of the neat things that brought us together amidst the constant squabbling you'd find among young siblings. It's still around, and it is also the only game to come close to Magic as far as sales go. It may have outsold Magic for awhile, but I'm not sure.

There you have it. My top 5 CCG's. Why share this? These various games were a fun part of my life. They brought me closer to my family and friends. It is always fun to find something in life that you enjoy, it is even better to find things that you enjoy with other people. Gaming has always been a fun hobby of mine, but it has never been limited to just video games. The bottom line of it is I have always enjoyed it with other people. It's always more fun that way.

Long Time no Blog

2009-07-01T22:18:00.003-04:00

Hey world of the Internet, it's been awhile since I blogged. Did you watch that Looney Tunes short that I put up? You have no idea how excited I was to find that on youtube. I haven't seen that clip in years. When I was a wee lad my dad tried to tape it on VHS, and even then we only caught half of it. So finding the entire episode was very thrilling. Maybe you do have an idea how exciting that was now that I've mentioned it again after posting it.

So what else is new? Apparently my blog has 4 "followers" now, among them a dead former president! That's exciting. A lot of celebrity deaths in the past few weeks, what's up with that?

I just spent two and a half days running around with 2nd and 3rd grade students at Rock Lake Christian Assembly. It was a lot of fun. I do great with kids, and I don't say that to brag, it's the plain truth. I am starting to wonder if maybe I should consider children's ministry positions as I continue my search for a paid vocational ministry position.

Today marks day 1 of the anniversary of Gettysburg. I usually dedicate a whole post to pointing this out, but seeing how I have to work all this weekend I'll probably forget to do that. So I'll mention it now instead. The battle of Gettysburg remains one of the largest battles in our nations history. To this day the total number of casualties from this battle is still higher than any other major engagement America has been involved in.

America became divided over several issues (not just slavery), and the disagreements led to fighting and four years of a brutal civil war. The disagreement went to an extreme. What we learn from the Civil War was mentioned briefly in the Bible many years before, "If a House is divided against itself, that house cannot stand (Mark 3:25)." Fighting, violence and bloodshed are not the answers. Far too many Americans lost their lives either fighting to be heard or fighting to reunite this country. May it never happen again.

May we be careful in the Church to make sure we don't let the little things get between us; something that happens far too often. When we look at churches and what causes them to split it is so insignificant when shown in the light of the bigger picture.

Well that's all for now. I've got a fun post coming up, "My top 5 CCG's." Don't know what that means? Well you will soon enough.

Farewell for now Internet.

The Best Civil War Themed cartoon ever!

2009-06-04T18:57:00.002-04:00

After years of searching, we found it!

The Things I've seen...

2009-04-05T14:11:00.003-04:00

As many people may or may not know, I am pretty much working all third shifts now. It has been a different experience for me. I have been given much material to write about but never had the time, and when I did have the time the motivation to write about what I've seen hasn't been there.

Third shift is pretty different in a 24-hour gas station. You get to meet a lot of interesting people and some of them are quite intoxicated. This makes for some hilarious discussions as I have interacted with some truly unique people. Now to any new readers, I want to make one thing clear. While I am going to point out the stranger people I have met I don't want to give the impression that I am sitting on a holy pedestal judging them and laughing because I am superior. I am not by any means. These are truly people where "the shoe fits oh so well" and I challenge anyone to not thing the exact same thing if they met them. Without further ado, the things I've seen:

- One of my favorites came in sometime within the last two weeks. He had a mullet style hairdo and the mullet tail almost went down to his waist. The real kicker though was the ICP jersey with matching pants and hat. ICP is short for "Insane Clown Posse" and to describe it best they are a vulgar rap group of Beastie Boy style. So to see someone with a mullet sporting their gear was truly unique, as if his mullet wasn't epic enough on its own.

- I don't like using the term white trash. There's something about it I just don't find dignifying. Unfortunately I cannot think of a better phrase to describe two different ladies I've had in the store in the last month. The first had a tank-top, shorts and a sweatshirt longer than both. The second had a t-shirt that was so short that she was showing more midriff than any rebellious high schooler I've ever met. Both had to be mid thirties, and also smelled of recent alcohol consumption. Like I said don't get me wrong my heart goes out for these people, but at the same time it's just crazy to wonder how they got to where they are now.

- The latter of the two told me that peanuts could be used to interfere with a police breathalyser test. She had seen a program on TV about it and was convinced it worked. As she was traveling a lot that weekend she was sure to buy some. After that night when I got home I questioned my dad on the matter as I had never heard anything to this nature. He mentioned that for awhile last month the court had put up disclaimer signs stating that this in fact was not true at all. Besides, I have a strong feeling that cops are not going to let you go if you are blatantly drunk, regardless of whether the breathalyser works or not.

- My new quote of the week comes from a customer I had last night who was discouraged by the recent tax increase on cigarettes. This is a tough area for me. Do I think smoking is bad? Absolutely. Do I wish people would stop? Yes I do. They would be healthier and it would save them so much money. However, at the same time I feel it's important to respect a person's choice, especially if they haven't aligned themselves to Christianity. It's not right to impose my beliefs on someone that doesn't follow them. To that end it is frustrating to see cigarette prices go up and frustrate the people who buy them day in and day out. We have a tough economy and I don't see all these tax increased helping anything out.

Anyways, the customer had a strange yet hilarious remark in response to these new taxes. He said, "Cigarettes? Shoot it's getting cheaper to rent a hooker and bum one off her!" All I could think when he said that was that somehow I imagined that's exactly the response that Granholm wanted when she signed that tax bill. Way to fix the problem.

Speaking of government stuff, let's segue way. That was nice.

- Three businesses in the Lansing area recently decided to go out of business. One can imagine the surprise they had when they received a notification from the city that they had not paid their "Going out of Business Tax" and as a result they owed the city money. Now I thought that when your profits do not exceed your costs and you cannot pay your monthly bills that you go out of business. So two things - Who's the genius that thought to tax that, and how are these failing businesses going to pay it? I really don't understand why so many businesses are leaving Michigan.

- This whole government fury over the last month at the AIG bonuses? I'm not buying it. They had to know. You don't give a company bailout money without asking them how they are going to use it. You don't approve the bailout if you don't agree with how they are going to use it. They knew where the money would go and approved it, then turned sides when the people became outraged as the media discovered how the banks were using the bailout money. So this whole "we didn't know this would happen and we're furious" thing? Baloney.

- Fun facts: In the first few months that Obama has been in office he has spent more money than all the Presidents combined spent in the same amount of time. In fact by the end of this year if his budget passes he will spend more in one year than Bush did in eight. Interesting.

- Government financing: How is the U.S. funding all its spending? We're selling bonds to foreign investors. In fact we've sold so many bonds specifically to China that their government contacted the White house and told it to make sure the value of the dollar didn't go down. That's the first time any government has directly said that to ours. We've sold so many bonds that if the value of the dollar goes down we are cheating our bond payments. Interesting.

My concern here is that sometime in the coming future China is going to call on America to payback the bonds. When we can't we will be official Chinese property. Two things - How many people are aware of this and should we learn Cantonese or Mandarin for our future national language?

- With all that chaos and uncertainty in the government we're forced to ask one question: Where are we putting our faith? If my last few points have made any sense than one thing should be clear. Don't put your faith in the government or in money. Put it in God. Instead of voting for the changes we want to see we need to be living those changes out in our own lives, because that's the only way we can hope to see those changes making a difference.

As for me, that means smiling at every customer whether I want to or not. That means always being the listening ear and not getting mad every time someone stumbles in at 3 in the morning when I have tons of cleaning to do. Thirds are a different creature and while I do enjoy them I am starting to feel the tug to get back into vocational youth ministry. I think it's time to move on. We will see what God has in store and as I move forward I will not forget the new heart I have found by working among the hurt. I only hope that as I figure out my next step I'll be able to transfer that heart to others.

SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER REVEALED!

2009-03-11T13:20:00.000-04:00

LOL of the week?

2009-03-09T15:47:00.000-04:00

Looks like Smokey the Bear is tired of warning people and is now taking matters into his own paws!

Random Thoughts from a private #2 location

2009-02-27T13:17:00.004-05:00

While LOL of the week could become a regular series, I hate posting two videos in a row. So here's an update.

Updated. Now on to the video. Just kidding.

- I spent the majority of yesterday hanging out by the phone. One of the guys at work who normally works 3rd shift has been calling in a lot and he was scheduled for last night. If he called in again I was "on alert 5" ready to launch and fill in if needed. I was certain they would call me 15 minutes after the shift began. At 10:30 I breathed a cautious sigh of relief and then proceeded to enjoy hangout time with Erik who happened to come home. I figure worse case scenario he called in and someone forgot that I was on stand-by.

- My dad and I ate at Wendy's last night. Our family doesn't really "eat out" much so even a small trip like that is fun. We usually get it and eat at home. All of that is really irrelevant to what this point is about. We had a neat talk last night. We somehow got on the subject of communion. When you think about it the five minutes we take for it in Church is really a terrible distortion of what it originally was. There's a lot to what Jesus did there, and just taking shot-size versions of the emblems he specifically used takes away some of the meaning of what he was getting at. Never mind the fact that it was a Passover meal where this was first implemented. How did we get to the point where the Church only rarely shares a meal together? That wasn't solely what my dad was getting at during our talk though. He thinks the Church lost a lot of heritage and dates it all the way back to Nicea when they moved away from a lot of the Jewish customs. There's a lot of neat stuff we could study and learn from it. Even non-Jewish traditions like the Lenton season can be beneficial. My dad's pastor printed out a Lent devotional reading guide. He printed out an extra copy for me and I plan to enjoy it thoroughly.

- Video Games: Two sub-points
- Rome: Total War. Conquering the ancient world, one province at a time. My mighty armies suffered their first humiliating defeat at the hands of Pontus. My army was archer heavy and their chariots made short work of me. While they attacked me initially, my counter-attack is where the defeat happened. I underestimated their military, mostly the numbers they had. They will know Roman ways, it just might take longer than expected. This does provide a unique opportunity for young and upcoming Julii Generals to prove their valor.

- Left 4 Dead: What would you do if the zombie apocalypse suddenly happened? That's basically the concept of this amazing game. The zombie apocalypse just happened. You don't know how or why, you just know you are trying to survive it. There are four of you to be specific. Teamwork, a cool head and cooperation will be your best friends here. Absolutely love it.

Well I need to get. Much to do and as always less time to do it. Have a good weekend.

LOL of the week:

2009-02-22T01:03:00.000-05:00

James Pahl: The Movie....Soundtrack!

2009-02-06T14:30:00.005-05:00

Copied from good friend Jon Hatter, here is the Original Motion Picture Sound Track to a movie about me. You're supposed to put iTunes on random...but I'm not sure how long that will last.

ScaBe Like This-Opening Credits: "The Four Seasons, Op 8/4 297, "Winter" - 3. Allegro" - Vivaldi (random)

-Waking Up: "Suddenly" by Zoe Girl (random)

-Falling In Love: “Vienna" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra (random)

-Fight Scene: “A Fortune in Lies" by Dream Theater (I had to choose, after 8 random clicks nothing good was coming)

-Breaking Up: “Top of the World" by Van Halen (LOL! Random)

-Make Up: “The Gestahl Empire" by Nobuo Uematsu (LOL! Random again, this is from the Final Fantasy VI soundtrack, clearly indicating this relationship isn't good for our hero)

-Secret Love: “Qing Feng Shu" - Chinese Orchestra...Chinese Classical Percussion (LOL AGAIN! Had to hit Random a couple times...this would depict the moment of secret passion...next time you see me ask to hear it)

-Life’s OK: “Heaven" By the O.C. Supertones (random)

-Mental Breakdown: “The Killing Hand" by Dream Theater (random)

-Driving Scene: “The Mirror" by Dream Theater (random)

-Flashback: “Many Meetings" by Howard Shore (Fellowship of the Ring Soundtrack, Random)

-Happy Dance: “Messiah - Hallelujah Chorus" by Handel (I wish I could say I picked that, random)

-Regretting: “Never Let Go" by David Crowder Band (random)

-Long Night Alone: “When It's Love" by Van Halen (random, 3rd song)

-Final Battle: “Crazy Train" by Ozzy Ozbourne (random)

-Death Scene: “Orchestral Suite #2 in B Minor, BWV 1067 - Sarabande" by Bach (several random clicks)

-Final Ending: “This Dying Soul" by Dream Theater (random)

-End Credits: “Aria Di Mezzo Carattere" by Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy VI scene, this is the Opera song Celes sings. Random choice.)

Well there you have it. I kept it random better than I thought I would. Here are my awards for my soundtrack:

Funniest Random Choice: Making Up
- Honorable Mention: Happy Dance

Most fitting - Secret Love
- Honorable Mention: Flashback

What do you think?

Am I wrong in doing this?

2009-01-30T22:51:00.002-05:00

Today gets a rare double-feature as I would like to convey a story. The story is true, but the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Jack is an aspiring Youth Minister. He believes he has a specific calling and has spent his life pursuing that calling.

3 months ago Jack applied at Church A. Church A posted a youth ministry opening and Jack thought it looked like something right up his avenue.

Jack was excited when he received an E-Mail from the head of the search committee. The E-Mail told him to expect to be contacted during the 2nd week of November. That contact never came.

Jack wrote the person he expected contact from twice during the month of November. No responses came. During the month of December, Jack went to Church A's website and dialed the phone number he found on it. He left a voice mail on the answering machine.

December came and went without a response. Finally in January, Jack E-Mailed the senior minister of Church A, exactly 3 months after he initially sent his resume. Two days later, Jack received a polite but brief E-Mail from the search committee head informing him the position had been filled.

Jack immediately wrote back. While accepting that God's will was obviously going in a different direction and thanking the head for the information, Jack inquired as to why he never received the contact he had been expecting.

Jack suspects he may not get an answer. Jack does not intend to pursue it any further, regardless of whether closure on this issue comes or not.

The moral of Jack's story? Jack doesn't really know, he just thought he'd blog the story.

Jack remains curious for the future. While he sees the fruit and worth of where he is at now, at the same time he knows it's not permanent.

"Jack" asks for prayer and patience as I continue to seek where God would have me serve. I know it's out there somewhere and I will keep searching for it, but I can't help but feel like an elder from Israel waiting to see the temple rebuilt. "How long will I wait?"

God's timing. The past, present and future are in his hands. My job is to be obedient in the now. And I will continue to attempt this to the best of my ability.

God Bless and good luck Church A.

-"Jack"

Wii want to play something good!

2009-01-30T22:12:00.003-05:00

Time for a rant concerning the business of video games.

There is no doubting that Nintendo is a tremendous company. Premiering in 1978 with it's first hit Donkey Kong, the company has gone a long way. Super Mario is the most popular video game character in history, and his self-titled 8-bit Nintendo Game was the best selling video game of all time until this past Christmas.

Nintendo has been through some tough times. Rival Sega almost always had a competing system. Game Gear to match the Game Boy, Genesis to match the Super Nintendo, and so on. Sony released what is now known as the Playstation 1, which was a huge step because games were now on CD. Nintendo responded with the Nintendo '64, which retained the classic cartridge format for their games.

They have always met success in the face of stern opposition, but a lot of this success must be credited to a loyal base of fans who fell in love with the company's early franchises. Re-imaginings of these iconic characters in new and better games have long kept fans clamoring for more, and with each "epic" reinvention of a series the fans loyalty has always been rewarded. Metroid, The Legend of Zelda and even the children's smash hit Pokemon are great examples of this.

It is my belief that the fans carried Nintendo through "tough times." When the Gamecube came out to combat Sega's Dreamcast and Sony's PS2, it was clearly an inferior system. It could not match the capacity's of either competitor nor did it try to. Even the long-loved franchises previously mentioned went in new directions and this left a mixed taste in the mouths of savoring fans. Zelda went to cel-shade graphics which made the game look "cartoony" while Metroid became a 1st person shooter. Mario went from besting Bowser to polishing pollution.

For the most part the fans stayed with them though and they still enjoyed some unique and enjoyable games. The Gamecube is a very family-friendly system and as a result it found success in many younger homes.

Sega eventually left the console contest, only to be replaced by Microsoft's X-Box. That brings us almost up to today. While Microsoft and Sony began touting their new systems, the X-Box 360 and the PS3, Nintendo once again went in a completely different direction.

They announced the Wii.

It goes without saying the Wii has been revolutionary. Wii Sports replaced Super Mario as the all-time best selling game, while all the loyal fan favorites were once again reinvented in clever and amazing ways. Games like Mario Kart, Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3, Twilight Princess and Brawl are all examples of this.

Why do I bring all this up? Why do I type all this jargon that is no doubt incomprehensible to most? I will tell you why.

I have stood proudly and been a loyal Nintendo fan for most of my life. I've watched the company rise and fall, stumble and rise again. I've stood by their products and enjoyed many fun gaming experiences. I've watched Nintendo reclaim their position on top of the world concerning video game entertainment, and I've watched them gain a new audience as Wii's are still clamored up as fast as they can ship.

Nintendo's loyal fan base is no longer the target audience of the company. The casual person is their new target. As I look upon the release calendar for 2009 and itch to see what new products they will bring out I worry. The effort and the excellence Nintendo has always fought to deliver are no longer there. This company has constantly pushed the edge and found new ways to revolutionize how people spend recreation time. As I look to the future I don't see that drive. I don't see that passion to push for the future that has been so present throughout the company's history.

I worry Nintendo has forgotten their fans as they scamper about to satisfy this new and curious audience. And I fear that ultimately this would be their undoing, but the Wii keeps selling and their unchecked agenda goes forward. The stalwart fan forgotten, I wonder what to do...

Maybe it's times like this that wii (or at least I) need to remember there's only one worthy of such devout attention and admiration. Maybe if I could serve God with the same passion and zeal I could do much more for his Kingdom. Or maybe this unnecessarily long discourse is exactly what the first sentence said it was. And now I'm back to real life, where I continue to try and serve God each day.

Matthew 6: 19-20 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."

A classic

2009-01-24T15:43:00.002-05:00

2009-01-10T18:35:00.003-05:00

EDIT: In my excitement to share this I forgot to mention that it is an E-Mail forward. I did not write it. Sorry for the confusion.

In a few short days, an African American man will move from his private residence into a much larger and infinitely more expensive one owned not by him but by the taxpayers. A vast lawn, a perimeter fence and many well trained security specialists will insulate him from the rest of us but the mere fact that this man will be residing in this house should make us all stop and count our blessings - because it proves that we live in a nation where anything is possible.

Many believed this day would never come. Most of us hoped and prayed that it would, but few of us actually believed we would live to see it. Racism is an ugly thing in all of it's forms and there is little doubt that if this man had moved into this house fifteen years ago, there would have been a great outcry - possibly even rioting in the streets. Today, we can all be both grateful and proud that no such mayhem will take place when this man takes up residency in this house. This man, moving into this house at this time in our nation's history is much more than a simple change of addresses for him - it is proof of a change in our attitude as a nation. It is an amends of sorts - the righting of a great wrong. It is a symbol of our growth, and of our willingness to "judge a man, not by t he color of his skin but by the content of his character".

There can be little doubt now that the vast majority of us truly believe that this man has earned both his place in history and his new address. His time in this house will not be easy - it will be fraught with danger and he will face many challenges. I am sure there will be many times when he asks himself how in the world he ended up here and like all who have gone before him, the experience will age him greatly. But I for one will not waste an ounce of worry for his sake - because in every way a man can, he asked for this. His whole life for the past fifteen years appears to have been inexorably leading this man toward this house. It is highly probable that in the past, despite all of his actions, racism would have kept this man out of this house. Today, I thank the lord above t hat I am an American and that I live in a nation where wrongs are righted, where justice matters and where truly anything is possible.

Random Thoughts a Year Late

2009-01-06T22:14:00.002-05:00

6 days into 2009 and I have no idea what to think. Lots I said I would post about and no idea where I'll end up as usual. Let's get down to business!

1) I am enjoying the job at Speedway. If I didn't feel called to Youth Ministry and could make enough to earn a living I would love to invest in a career there. You get hundreds of one time opportunities to impact people. You get more long-term opportunities with the employees obviously and that's cool too.

2) Still no word from the Churches I put in for. A little frustrated about this. Trusting that God is in control and again there's no doubt that he's using me where I'm at so I'm trying not to worry about it.

3) I watched the premiere of ABC's new season of Scrubs...the show that ended last season only to be bought out and brought back. Here's my thing: I did not like the ending of Scrubs. However, after I thought about it and re-watched it, I couldn't help but feel it was perfect, just like the Seinfeld ending. It encapsulated the show perfectly. Now the show is back, and while the second episode that showed tonight was powerful at the same time the show is lacking.

4) Videogame updates and mini-reviews.
- Left 4 Dead: Zombie survival game. Incredible and one of the funnest games I've played in a long time. Great originality. Bought by my future brother-in-law Erik. A lot of fun.
- Fable II. Christmas Present. Very involving and fun Role-Playing Game. Your actions (good and bad) not only impact the appearance of your character but the world around you as a whole. A very interesting concept. Not as solid as the first one story-wise, but I have enjoyed my time with it.
- Guitar Hero World Tour: Erik got it. Huge drum set as well as a huge play list of songs. Not particularly challenging though.

5) Christmas Presents? I wasn't expecting much this year and was grateful for the time spent with family on Christmas day. So what did I walk away with? Let's see...
- Season 7 of Scrubs
- Seasons 3 and 4 of the Office
- Trivial Pursuit: SNL DVD edition...no idea who to play this with by the way.
- Rechargeable battery packs for Wii-Motes (great investment)
- A "Nerf Blow-Gun" handmade by my cousin. Works too well...

6) A previous post on my blog featured a person (Remi Galliard) attempting to play "Mario Kart" in real life. It is kind of funny. A couple of weeks ago Chris, Blue and myself found the website of the guy who did that video. Turns out he's a big French comedian. We started watching some of the other videos on his website. Without meaning to we watched them all and I can't tell you how much we laughed. The guy is stinking hilarious. I won't link to his site due to one or two videos some might find questionable.

I will feature another one of his videos because he is that funny. This guy is all about breaking the cultural norm and doing what he can to get a response out of people. Check out this elevator oddity and see if you could imagine what you would do if this happened to you.

Too busy to Blog?

2008-12-29T12:06:00.003-05:00

Hi friends.

Life has been crazy. I am finally working again and it feels good to be making money and being able to pay bills. God is good and set me up at what felt like the last possible moment.

Pretty much my life is eat, sleep and work at the moment. Of course there have been some breaks for Christmas.

I have two posts coming for you, hopefully both this week. Random Thoughts with Speedway reflections will be the insights I am getting from the job. Random Thoughts on 2008 will be the second post.

Wednesday is the next day that I don't work, so we'll see about getting those posts up then. So to my dozen of readers keep the faith, the good posts are coming!

Some things just don't work as well in real life...

2008-12-12T11:47:00.001-05:00

Explaining things and educating the world one E-Mail at a time

2008-12-08T17:24:00.002-05:00

I found this the other day and found it quite helpful. If you've ever had questions about governments and how certain types are run then this will help you out a lot. It will use a practical re-occurring example to help you understand that different governments in our world today. Enjoy!

Politics Explained:

FEUDALISM: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.

PURE SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else's cows. You have to take care of all of the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need.

BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and put them in a barn with everyone else's cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and eggs as the regulations say you need.

FASCISM: You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them and sells you the milk.

PURE COMMUNISM: You have two cows. Your neighbors help you take care of them, and you all share the milk.

RUSSIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk.

CAMBODIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. The government takes both of them and shoots you.

DICTATORSHIP: You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.

PURE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors decide who gets the milk.

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors pick someone to tell you who gets the milk.

BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. Then it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.

PURE ANARCHY: You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbors try to take the cows and kill you.

LIBERTARIAN/ANARCHO-CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.

SURREALISM: You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.

2008-12-04T13:13:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again, when I do an annual road safety post. As you are no doubt aware, snow has finally graced the roads and lawns of Michigan. It is a great thing. The world is more beautiful with snow atop it. That's only my opinion of course, but with great beauty comes an inherant danger: DRIVING!

Snow, while having a great effect on my personal morale, has a rather adverse effect to the roads. I offer this annual post of driving tips in hopes that you, the reader (both of you) will take these tips to heart and be safer this Winter.

1) SLOW DOWN! Just because the sign says 70 (or 55, or whatever) doesn't mean you should go that fast. Don't forget about the basic speed law. Don't drive faster than the road conditions allow. If you're uncertain about the status of the roads ahead, take your foot off the gas. Get comfortable with it. Don't assume you can keep going as you always have.

2) Give yourself more time to get to your destinations. Leave earlier for work. As you already are slowing down you will need more time to get from point A to point B. Giving yourself more time will allow you to keep all your appointments in a timely manner.

3) Check the news stations/websites for traffic updates. I awoke this morning to find northbound 127 shut down due to an accident. I personally didn't have to go that way today, but if I have friends or family that do I can warn them and they can seek alternate routes, saving themselves time and frustration.

4) SLOW DOWN! The road is slicker. It's not safe to barrel along as usual.

5) Don't be over-confident if you are in an SUV or have 4 wheel drive. Just because your vehicle is better equipped for this weather doesn't mean you should be any less careful. Still slow down and take caution. That accident I mentioned earlier? An SUV crashed into a salt truck. I am willing to bet that SUV was going as fast as it could....and that was too fast for safety as we all can see.

6) DON'T ANSWER YOUR CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING! I cannot stress this point enough. Studies have proven that your driving awareness is significantly reduced when you chat on the cell phone while driving. Here's a bullet list of why you need to not answer your phone on the road:
- Your first responsibility as a driver goes to the safety of those around you. Your actions can and do affect the cars around you. You are responsible for driving safe so that they too can be safe. That's right, it's not about you. Not paying attention and chatting on your cell-phone is a selfish action with sometimes fatal consequences. Why take that chance?
- You're not that important. Trust me. Focus on the road. Focus on being safe, for yourself and for others. The phone calls can wait. A simple humbleness issue here.
- You have voicemail for a reason. Every cell phone has voicemail. Even if people don't leave them you can still see who called and call them back once you are at your destination. Trust me this stuff can wait. The phone calls will still be there.
- Enough dangerous cell-phone related junk happens on the road in the summer, how much more so in the winter? It's just a better idea to hide it and not even think about it while you're on the road.

7) SLOW DOWN! In case you haven't noticed, this one is pretty important. By slowing down you can give yourself more time to react to things around you, especially if they start to go sour. You ask any state trooper or police officer what the safest thing you can do on the road is and this will be their response every time.

(8) Turn your lights on. It's difficult to see oncoming vehicles in the snow sometimes. Just because you can see them doesn't mean they can see you.

(9) Take an extra 2 minutes and clear your entire car off. How do you expect to drive safely if you can't see out of any of your side windows?!

That is all (EDIT: Special Thanks to Jon Hatter for adding #8 and #9, both great additions to the list).Please take these suggestions to heart. You know the old saying, "Better safe than partially responsible for a fatal collision."

The best thanksgiving story...

2008-11-27T20:16:00.003-05:00

I love thanksgiving because it is a great time. That sounds generic and bland, but is there really a way to describe it? The family gets together. The family eats a lot. The family tells stories and laughs together.

I don't know if this will become a yearly post or not, but I thought I'd share what I thought was the best story told at our Thanksgiving table. This is a true story, reported by my mom who works for the Ingham County sheriff's Department.

We all know it has snowed recently in Michigan. The other day an officer is out on patrol when he spots a car in the ditch. The driver is drunk and is also stuck. He keeps flooring the gas in a vain attempt to get out of his predicament.

The officer was not without a sense of humor. While approaching the vehicle he got an idea. He gets out of his car, then promptly runs up to the driver's side door of the car. As he gets there he remains in motion, running in place. He starts knocking on the window and yelling "STOOOOP!" while never breaking stride. The driver looks at him confused and then takes his foot off the gas pedal. The situation is resolved.

When the driver later came in to the Sherrif's office to settle the matter he was quoted saying, "Gosh that officer could run fast!"

Hope you had a great thanksgiving. Feel free to share your favorite story of the day!

Something worth reading

2008-11-24T22:35:00.002-05:00

I've heard the rumors that the rest of the world is absolutely disgusted with the US and its military. I'm sure everyone has.

For all the implied hostility, I have found something that is worth a read. A member of the French OMLT recently wrote this journal entry. With permission it was translated to English so that more might be aware of at least how this French patriot sees our troops. No Rick Rolls for this post. Enjoy.

I'm bringing Daler back....yeah....those other Mehndis don't know where it's at....

2008-11-19T13:05:00.002-05:00

Jon, I will admit that Tunak Tunak Tun is awesome, but it's been around the block. They used it at CIY two years ago.

If I could choose to be one other person in this time period, it might have to be Daler Mehndi. This guy has it made. It is my privilege to present the video that will bring him back to cyberspace glory.

Other things this video could describe:
-My recent trip to Missouri
-My last failed courtship
-Why Jon goes back to India
-Michael Jackson's influence on the world.

Where ON EARTH did he find this?

2008-11-12T13:26:00.002-05:00

James Pahl reporting with my civic duty to bring you the strangest videos you have ever seen. Enjoy!

Random Thoughts after more travelling.

2008-11-07T18:37:00.002-05:00

Life just isn't slowing down is it? I got back from Missouri last night, only to wake up this morning and drive to Spring Arbor to pick up my cousin. Always on the go, fun stuff. Alright here we go:

- I might have mis-spoke in an earlier post about people declaring who they vote for. While I have to decided to keep my opinions on all that confidential, it is wrong for me to write in a manner that implies that whoever does otherwise is incorrect. I guess sometimes when I get in the moment I tend to write like I know more than anyone else and therefore I cannot be wrong about an issue. Know any other young people who do that?

- Random TV Trivia: Did you know that the Dragonball series was supposed to end after Goku's fight against Frieza in Dragonball Z? Does anyone actually understand what I just wrote?

- What's your favorite John Wayne movie? I have a hard time choosing myself. It would probably have to be either Rio Bravo or El Dorado. Extremely similar movies with the classic western formula. Other great movies from him (in my opinion) include Big Jake, Cahill, Rooster Cogburn, McClintock and Brannigan.

- What's your favorite James Bond movie? Mine is Moonraker. Space theme, the classic villain redeems himself, and actually speaks.

- Why is James asking so many questions? Why not? It's my blog. It turns out I didn't have much to write about tonight, but I didn't like how short the blog was. So I added the questions. Everybody wins, right?

Random Thoughts that could be offensive

2008-11-03T17:29:00.003-05:00

Lots on my mind, here we go:

- I am loving my time in Missouri. The views alone make this trip worth it. Even though I feel like I am barely in Missouri, it is absolutely gorgeous. It's easy to understand why the Mormons thought this was the Promised Land when they settled here in the 1900's. You don't need the seeing stones to see the beauty here.

- I have had a cherry lime-aid every day I have been here. It is fantastic. Michigan needs a Sonic.

- Ever heard of IMO's pizza? A unique pizza place that uses provolone cheese (sp?) instead of mozzarella with delicious results. I'm eating quite well.

- Movies. I am staying with the Sleights and they utilize Netflix, the popular movie home delivery system. It's pretty cool. Movies we've watched while I've been here:
1) Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Seen it, already recommended by me.
2) Planet Terror: This movie was ridiculous. One of those you watch at 2 in the morning with a group of friends and just be ready for something stupid. Is probably a cult classic. So stupid it's funny, high on gore. Watch at your own risk.
3) 88 Minutes: Great suspense/thriller. I recommend it.
4) Hulk: Finally saw it. Very well done. Loved the use of the original Hulk piano theme. See it if you haven't.

- Politics. I got an E-Mail in my inbox this morning. I read it and disliked it. After seeing similar things on the internet in various places I feel compelled to make one belief of mine ABSOLUTELY clear.

Please do not say who you are voting for then call it serving God's will. Frankly it's unbiblical and offensive. Do not pray for one candidate to get the office over the other. How about we pray that God guides whoever gets it. Last I checked God's will was not to vote "His candidate" into office. Last I checked God's will was to serve the poor, the needy, the oppressed. Last I checked God's will was to share his love and advance the Gospel to the four corners of the Earth.

Am I saying don't vote? By no means. Do your civic duty. Do it with pride. Am I saying don't pray about it? Not at all. Pray for wisdom and do all the research you can if you haven't already. All I'm saying is don't call it something it's not. Vote and get back to serving God. In fact, serve God while you're voting. Long lines, long waiting times, a God-like attitude is sure to encourage people on a day when stress could be quite high. Don't miss your opportunity.

(Political comments/opinions of specific candidates will be deleted at my discretion if they are left. You've been warned.)

- If I may rant a bit further, for some reason I don't like it when people tell others who they are voting for. I can't explain it but something about it just rubs me the wrong way. My father is a county magistrate, and must always be impartial in all hearings and duties that he performs. He thinks it is inappropriate to discuss who he is voting for because it shatters that responsibility. I've always respected him for it and agreed with it. For me personally as an aspiring youth minister I've decided to place the same responsibility on myself. As a leader I do not want to use my position to sway anyone, whether intentional or not. Perhaps I've subconsciously forced that ideal on others. I mean, what is the purpose of sharing your decision? I don't mean this to criticize anyone who has done so, I'm genuinely curious.

- In the Church when the leadership makes a decision to move the Church in a certain direction the leadership must be united once the discussion is done. When the talk is over and the walk begins ALL leadership is with that decision, regardless of whether they supported it or opposed it (ideally). For the sake of unity and the Gospel you put your grievances aside and move with the Church. Should it be any different for the country? Just thinking out loud.

- I haven't tried to Rick-Roll anyone lately. Beware of future posts.

Random Thoughts with beautiful Autumn weather

2008-10-22T13:03:00.004-04:00

I mean seriously, check it out! If you live in Michigan I hope you've had some time to be outside this week, it has been spectacular.

1) On Sunday South attempted for the first time a truly unique endeavor. Instead of going to Church in the morning, "Southies" were encouraged to "be the Church" by participating in one of several service projects for the community. There was an evening service to celebrate and join together after the day of serving.

The unfortunate paradigm for Churches is that usually 20% of the people do 80% of the work. I was happy to hear that a vast majority of our congregation participated in this service day. To clarify, I know how many participated, but I don't know how many members the Church has, but honestly that's not important. What's important is that those who were involved had an amazing experience. I joined a group that stained the wooden parts of a playground at Hawk Island park and it was a great time.

This was a great idea for a Sunday and I sincerely hope it we don't wait a year for the next one.

2) I had a phone interview with Westland Free Methodist on Monday. This was interesting. I try not to get excited about interviews, because they are a part of the process and you want to keep looking until you get an offer. When I sent my resume to Westland they had already made a selection and given that candidate an offer to join them. He unexpectedly refused and the Church was not at peace with the other people they had interviewed, so they went back to square 1. We'll see where that ends up but honestly I don't think I'm a fit for what they are looking for. I don't say that to down talk myself at all, rather my take on what they are looking for and what I want to do are different.

I've found a few more places that I am fishing out and getting resumes too, it's exciting to see possibilities opening up. God is good.

3) Today during lunch I caught a jeopardy rerun on GSN with Ken Jennings. I like watching Jeopardy and I love the puzzle of some of the clues. However I must say that Ken is really funny to watch. In case I've lost you, here's a refresher: Ken Jennings is the best Jeopardy contestant alive. He was on the show 74 consecutive episodes and won over $2 million while on the show. He's crazy. This particular episode I watched to the finale of the double jeopardy round, at which point Ken had accumulated roughly $24,000 and change. The closest contestant had about $5000 and the third person had $400. That's funny.

4) Gaming - This deserves a mention. Half Life 2 is an incredible game. So many great first person shooting games on the computer stem from "modifications" of the engine (program) used to create this game. Games like Counterstrike, Team Fortress 2 and Day of Defeat are all very successful games made using the tools used in Half Life 2.

The company who created this game encourages the gaming community to use the tools and the engine of Half-Life 2 to make their own games, or their own "mods." To encourage this further, last week the company took the best 5 mods and made them available for free on their online program.

So why do I mention this? When I have time to set aside for some gaming I have become absolutely enamored with one of the free mods named "Zombie Panic Source." It's all online, multi-player and free. Basically the game is a zombie survival game with many twists and turns. Players play both humans and zombies and success for either team will not happen without teamwork, which is why I love it.

5) Verse of the post: I couldn't find the one I was looking for. I blame myself, not my Bible College education, but while searching I did rediscover this nugget which I thought might be thought-provoking. Proverbs 29:9 "He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination." Interesting.

Have a great rest of the week.

EDIT: I need to throw a classic in:

Random Thoughts that are quite specific

2008-10-15T21:58:00.004-04:00

My sister coaxed me into watching one of her Anime shows. Basically an anime is a funky word for a Japanese cartoon. They are eccentric and silly but I was surprised to find a deeper theme under the one that my sister calls her favorite.

The title is Full Metal Alchemist. The plot centers around two brothers, Edward and Alphonso. In their world what most fantasy realms would call "magic" is actually a scientific process called "Alchemy." People who study it are known as Alchemists. Alchemy basically allows you to take something and transmute (transform) it into something else. It has natural rules and laws just like real science.

The principle rule of Alchemy is what I find the most intriguing. "Man cannot obtain something without first sacrificing something of equal value." The Science of Alchemy revolves around this unchangeable principle.

There are other rules that have been set in place to protect the alchemists in their occupation. Chief among those is it is forbidden to practice Alchemy on human flesh. Basically you are not allowed to tamper with any aspect of humanity in your transmutations.

Edward and Alphonso began studying Alchemy when they were very young. They are prodigys of their mysterious father and are quickly discovered to be skilled in the ways of Alchemy. When their mother dies of natural causes they attempt to use alchemy to revive her. This fails miserably. Edward loses a leg and then has to sacrifice his arm to save Alphonso from dying completely, instead binding his soul to an empty suit of armor.

Edward and Alphonso embark on a quest to restore their bodies and bring them back to the condition they were in before this terrible mistake. They are on a quest of restoration.

I find this premise to be so Biblical, albeit unintentionally. We all know the story of the Garden of Eden, how God gave Adam and Eve free reign over it. He only gave them one rule, and ever since they broke it man has been on a quest to restore the broken relationship with God.

Or what the idea that says you can't obtain something without sacrificing something. Does following God require sacrifice? Didn't Jesus say whoever wants to follow Him must deny himself/herself and take up his/her cross?

The show has been interesting to watch and it makes me think of these Christian themes even if it didn't mean to. With themes like these floating around I couldn't resist putting something about it in the blog.

I'll be the first to tell you I don't get into anime cartoons very much. They just aren't for everyone. However if you ever want to venture out and check out something different from what you know, I recommend checking this one out.

I guess this means next time I should highlight my favorite one (Bleach!).

2008-10-06T11:40:00.001-04:00

Random Thoughts with a 25 point deficit

2008-10-04T19:04:00.003-04:00

1) Not enjoying football today. Michigan is being manhandled by Illinois. I have had a bad feeling ever since Rich Rodriguez was hired as head coach and I hope I don't have to wait 4 years for those in power to come around. Just saying...

2) The Vice-Presidential debates were on Thursday. Was there a winner? If you're a biased media then yes, but you already chose that winner several weeks ago. Let's be honest...the debate was rather pointless. A pot and a kettle stood on a podium and called each other black.

3) Good fellowship with good people yesterday. Always nice to get together with friends you don't get to see very often.

4) Finished reading Eldest today. It was an alright book, I look forward to starting the third one. I would laugh if I finished it before my sister.

5) Facebook continues to frustrate me. Why add a person you haven't talked to in years if you don't plan on talking to them? I'm certain I'm hypocritical on this to a degree, but at least on the initial add I make an attempt to catch up. When the person doesn't write back it makes me wonder why add in the first place? I feel a purge of the friend's list coming and it ain't gonna be pretty. I guess when it all boils down to it I still like community over quasi-fake-community.

6) Verse of the post: Philemon 1:6 "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." -- I won't get to see Religulous this weekend, I am thinking about trying to catch a (cheap) matinee next week or something. I can't resist a chance to get a good look at how the world sees Christians. I think if Christians took a passage like this one more seriously than perhaps a documentary like Religulous wouldn't be made. Of course I say this before seeing it, so I hope to update on that after I have done so.

-Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Random Thoughts with a case of the Monday's

2008-09-29T16:48:00.002-04:00

1) I'm trying to toy around with the Xanga blog in which I wrote the first writings for my own fiction-realm. Anyone know how to set it up so that the oldest blogs are visible first? I'd set up a link to it but it would be easier if the beginning was the first thing you saw. Maybe next post I'll link to the oldest post (November 2005) and let you, the reader, work your way from there. I haven't written in it for two years. I'd start up again, but I think if I'm going to write I'd rather write the story instead of writing a blog after the story about a journal from before the story. Confused yet?

2) What a weekend for football! Michigan posted the second greatest comeback in the school's history, and it also happened to be the greatest comeback in the Big House. Then the NFL saw some crazy upsets and moments. Brett Farve threw 6 TD's! John Madden probably had a coronary and overall it was very enjoyable.

3) Does my new hypothetical church hire ministers or not? I have to post a correction for my previous post. When describing the role of the senior minister (if this church did hire one) I said something along the lines of "take what a youth minister does and apply it to youth" when I meant to say apply it to the entire Church."
- The small group leaders have a double-duty of sorts. At least initially, the leadership trains them on how to facilitate discussions.
- Leadership doesn't dictate what the small groups must learn about the topic. They give the small group leaders the proper materials to explore it (the verses, the context, maybe a light commentary, Hatter's Greek knowledge, etc.) and let them study it. You give the leaders the material to touch on the topics you want them to discuss, but you let them draw their own conclusions.
- Service. Still working on this one. Will post about it as I get some ideas.
- As Hatter said, getting a church to move to this "model" would be about as likely as getting rid of a congregational vote. Anyone feel like planting? That's a whole new barrel of monkeys in my eyes...

4) Verse of the post: Matthew 9:12-13 "On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Thoughts? Reading it makes me think of things immediately.

Random Thoughts the next day

2008-09-25T18:36:00.002-04:00

Two in one week? Can you believe it?

1) A preacher-less church. I hinted at it very vaguely in a previous post so I thought I'd explore it out loud further. If the growth of members of a church happens through small group discipleship why do we preach on Sunday? Again I need citation, but I once heard a statistic that 90% of a sermon is forgotten by the time you get to your car in the parking lot. So why preach? So that the lost can hear the word of God? I thought that's what we are equipping our members to do in small groups. Educating and Equipping. So what do I propose? Check it out. Again just thinking out loud:
- Intensive small groups. The basis for all growth.
- You still meet on Sundays for a service. During the service there is worship, communion, and a 5-10 minute (at most) announcement from the senior minister on what the small groups are to study this week.
- The senior minister meets and works with the small group leaders and guides them to lead the studies that go on in their homes during the week.
- The senior minister devotes his time to guiding the small groups and meeting with the members, building relational ministries. Take what youth ministers do and apply it to youth.

That's the beginning of my idea. No anyone in a position bold enough to flesh it out and try it? Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? That's the biggest random thought's point I've ever posted.

2) I'm watching the nightly news with Katie Couric, and she just made Palin look like a moron. She (Palin) contradicted herself a couple times. Putting aside the fact that Palin may not be sharp on foreign policy at all, I still think it does nothing to dissuade my belief that the media is heavily biased and has already chosen the next president.

3) Mostly for Hatter - I've been invited to join a multi player NWN gaming session tonight with Randy and the gang. Level 10 characters who get 150,000 gold to do with as they please. Then we'll go through the main campaign. The result? A Halfling druid who rocks. When he gets to 40 he will have every shape shift possible to both a druid and a shifter. It's going to be awesome. The concept of a tiny halfling who can turn into an ancient red dragon is hilarious in my mind.

4) Not to go back to politics, but there's one more thing I want to address here. McCain has tried to suspend the debate, claiming he and Obama need to focus on the bail out proposal. Obama's response was brilliant. If you missed it, he basically said that the president is going to have to deal with several things at once, and you can't put those things on hold to focus on just one thing. I am hoping McCain does show up to the debate, it would be a bad move for him not to. He also ditched Letterman, which I wouldn't care about except instead of going to Washington he went and talked to Couric. Again not a wise move. I like both nominees but sometimes I can't help but wonder (media bias aside) if McCain is just trying to lose!

5) Verse of the post: Jesus replied, Luke 9:58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Another verse that blows me away.

Random Thoughts on a beautiful day

2008-09-24T12:45:00.002-04:00

I really do mean to blog more, but sometimes I feel like I don't have much to blog about. That's no excuse, so here goes:

1) The job hunt continues. I've put in for some jobs in the meantime to at least get some form of paycheck, waiting to hear back from them. Also found something in the paper that may be right up my alley. All prayers being offered are much appreciated.

2) I am a material man. It's a weakness. This whole "not spending money" thing really has me looking at how much I spend when I am making money. I'm a pretty impulsive person, if I see something I want and I can afford it I get it. That's not to say I'm a bad saver, or that I manage my finances terribly. I taught Dave Ramesy. In fact until he went the route of shredding credit cards I was ready to sue. Sometimes I just hate the idea that money is just sitting in the bank, waiting to be used. When I know it can be used for whatever reason I have a hard time holding it back, especially when I think that reason can benefit my ministry in some way.

3) Friday nights have un-officially become "Dude's night out." I head out to GLCC and hang out with my future brother-in-law Erik Kreh. He needs the guy hangout time as he is swamped this semester. Sophomore year is usually your "make it or break it" year. I am glad for the opportunity to encourage him, spend time with him and grow closer to someone who is clearly going to be an awesome addition to the family. There is no doubt in my mind that the love he and my sister share will never perish, but what really amazes me is how well we have connected and got along as brothers in Christ.

4) My Lions are doing terrible. I just found out today that team President and CEO Matt Millen is no longer in Detroit. My suggestion from 3 years ago finally happens. Maybe Bill Ford Jr, who ran his mouth about Millen Sunday night, has more pull than we thought. If I was right about him needing to go good things will happen in my beloved football franchise.

5) This is not due to any recent sermons I have heard, but I wanted to state that certain scriptures out of context start to bother me. For example, 1st Corinthians 13 and its discourse on love is much broader and wider than a context of dating. Jesus' message of "turn the other cheek" and the accompanying verses have a far deeper meaning than "stand there and take it" as it is often interpreted. This will probably be a separate blog at some point.

6) Reading! Sunday a book from Christopher Paolini's "Inheritance Cycle" was released. Originally intended to be a trilogy, the third book turned out to be so long he expanded it into four. I read Eragon before the movie came out, and of course the book was far better. I had planned to read the second book (Eldest) before the third one came out. Much to my surprise that happened, so I am now reading through Eldest. Not the best writing, but it is interesting. It's hard not to enjoy the book though. As a loyal Star Wars geek I find its fantasy interpretation worth reading. Had to get one pot shot in.

7) In my own writing world, Lainthia, were I to ever write and publish my own "fantasy setting" I have decided that the actor who played "Murtagh" in Eragon would play my main character Earnoch. Bet you didn't know I had written a litle something something did you? Bet you didn't know you I wrote a supplementary blog that takes place 20 years after this story did you? Bet you didn't know you can get to that blog from my Xanga did you?

8) I've been up early every morning this week, believe it or not. Why? We've been having problems with our internet for well over a week. Monday the tech was supposed to come out in the morning. At 2 we called to see what was going on as he hadn't visited. It turns out there were so many internet complaints in our area they ended up working on one of the central sections of the internet all day Monday. Tuesday they were supposed to come out, but I was out to lunch when they called so they couldn't. They have a respectable policy of not coming if someone is not home. Finally, this morning, the tech guy made it out and fixed our internet.

9) I feel bad for the guy. It really sounds like he is run ragged all over the county and then some to fix people's internet and cable problems. In fact, he tells me that often when he is working on stuff outside people will walk up to him and yell at him, demanding that he drop everything, come to their house and fix their internet problems. The system works people. We have always had someone come out personally and fix our issues when we call. As frustrating as this past week has been, when I consider their side of it I can't be angry. Broadstripe certainly delivers much better service than I would ever expect Comcast or anyone else to.

10) Video Game Business sidenote: I don't have proper citation for this, but certainly you have heard of the computer game World of Warcraft. A massive online multiplayer computer game that claims to have 8 million active players. It is possibly the most successful game ever. Here's where I need my citation. A company recently did a study and concluded that if any company wanted to make a game that could have the potential to top this one, they would have to invest over half a billion dollars into it. That's crazy!

11) This post's verse of encouragement: Matthew 12:50 "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother." Once I realized the larger implications of this verse it startled me a lot. I can't imagine what it would be like to be Mary, or one of Jesus' brothers and hear that. I can't imagine what it would be like to be one of the disciples and hear that. Very powerful. Are you doing the will of God today? That seems cheesy but I honestly can't think of a better question.

Random Thoughts during Saturday Night Live

2008-09-14T00:03:00.002-04:00

1) SNL used to be funny, what happened? Even Michael Phelps isn't adding anything to the show. On a side note I will say that guest star Tina Fey did a phenomenal Palin.

2) I meant to write about this on Thursday, but I didn't get to it. It's interesting to me that I can still remember the exact moment I found out about what happened on 9/11 seven years ago. I remember that moment, what I did immediately afterwards, and nothing else about that day. As I understand it you'll be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't remember where they were and what they were doing as they found out about it.

3) When I think about 9/11 now I am encouraged because right after it the country was united. Is it possible that humanity only exhibits its best qualities as a reaction to the worst circumstances? Just thinking out loud.

4) I didn't think it would take two points to emphasize this, but SNL IS TERRIBLE.

Random Thoughts from the middle of the week

2008-09-03T15:29:00.004-04:00

In no particular order:

1) Went to the dentist yesterday. Finally got a filling on the chipped tooth that has probably been bugging me for close to half the year. It feels much better. My face was numb most of the day yesterday.

2) My political observations thus far:

Democratic ticket: "We can't afford more of the same, it is time for a change and here's the guy to do it!"

Republican ticket: "Vote for this guy, he was tortured in Vietnam and deserves it!"

3) The media has already selected our next president. Note who gets praised and who gets scrutinized if you don't believe me.

4) Tonight I get re-involved with the youth ministry at South Lansing Christian Church. I'm back in the junior high again and I know it will be great. Still no luck on finding tents to be built but at least I can still do some ministry.

5) A thought that has been floating around in my head and has nothing to do with anything recent: Is a sermon really necessary in a Church service or has it become the most sacred of cows? If I recall correctly statistically you've already forgotten 90% of it by the time you get to your car. Just wondering out loud.

6) Drive-In Church. In case you don't watch the CBS evening news. Thoughts?

7) Verse of the post: Matthew 6:1 "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in Heaven." No particular reason for that one, it just stuck out to me. Maybe it stuck out for a reason. You'll know better than I.

Random Thoughts after far too long

2008-08-28T12:32:00.002-04:00

So this post is a few weeks overdue, it will be scattered. I wouldn't call it Random Thoughts if they weren't random though...

1) Powerglove. Heavy Metal band that covers music from several notable video games. Amazing. I can't go to sleep without listening to something from their album "Metal Kombat for the Mortal Man."

2) Random Bulleted Thoughts on the Olympics: This could be a whole post in itself.
-Great job Michael Phelps. His attitude and conduct was what impressed me the most.
-Great job to all the American athletes who realized their is more to the Olympics then them being there.
-Lola Jones, who fell during the women's 100m hurdle final got more camera time after the race than the American who won. Unbelievable.
-A big thank you to the media for scrutinizing everything China did, you really did your part to bring the world together for two weeks.
-Human rights activists protested the rumored displacement of chinese citizens during Olympic construction. Interesting side note: You don't hear the Chinese complaining about it. I don't think it's because they are censored or threatened. Maybe they have learned to take the good and the bad and live with it. Sound familiar?
-The Canadian 500m Kayaker was light years ahead of everyone. So was Usain Bolt when he finally ran all out.
-Do we have to make excuses for the women's gymnastics team? We don't win so we go on the attack about the ages of our chinese counterparts. Again thanks for bringing the world together for two weeks. I've seen several tiny people in my life so I don't have a problem with a 16 year old who looks 12. I've seen 20 year olds who look 12. Stop making excuses and lets just compete and show sportsmanship for once. A silver medal is great!

3) Trying to get plugged into substitute teaching while I look for my next vocational opportunity, if that's where God is leading me. The idea of being a "ministering tentmaker" is really growing in my mind.

4) Really? Yes, yes I did. And you have to fess up if it got you.

5) Encouraging verse of the post: Matthew 13:31-32 "He presented another parable to them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."

What you do matters, even the little things or things that seem like they don't matter.

What in the world?

2008-08-23T13:06:00.002-04:00

Maybe you've been RickRolled. Maybe you haven't. Regardless of where you are with that, what do you call this?

Random Thoughts from Syracuse, NY

2008-08-11T00:34:00.003-04:00

Good morning! We are sitting in our hotel room in Syracuse after an amazing day touring many exciting sites in Boston. This may not be a typical Random Thoughts post as I am almost too excited about the great day that it has been. We'll do our best. Here goes:

1) Jon, thanks for the video. Anyone who is curious check out the comments on the previous post and follow the link. It's an office Nerf War. I loved it but I had a heart attack when the actors broke out the Vulcan EBF-25 Blaster. Further research indicates it comes out next month. I am excited.

2) BOSTON IS BEAUTIFUL!

3) We got to see many sites while we were in Boston, and the excitement and honor it was to tour those sites will not be expressed well in this post. I'll do my best. Pictures will be up on Facebook when I get home. Today's tour visits include the following:

- A full tour of the USS Constitution, the country's oldest warship still in commission. She is still crewed by the Navy which we were told also get the honor of actually sailing it in the Harbor 8 or 9 times a year when restoration work isn't being done. INCREDIBLE honor and easily the highlight of the trip. She was a breath taking beauty. Our Airman tour guide mentioned that she was 33-0 in her naval engagements, making her crew the only undefeated team in Boston. During her first major battle a crewman stuck his head out a gun port to observe the shots from the British opponent and remarked "Huzzah! Her sides are like Iron!" which gave her the nickname Old Ironsides. The airman commented the crew man had to be an American because who else would be crazy enough to stick their head out a gun port during a naval battle?

- An open deck visit of the USS Cassin Young (DD-793), a decommissioned Fletcher class destroyer that saw extensive action in the Pacific. From the Battle of Leyte Gulf to the invasion of Okinawa, she was an active ship. She underwent several overhauls for the Korean conflict but was restored to her original look when she was decommissioned. Commander Young received a medal of honor for his actions at Pearl Harbor, and was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his actions at the battle of Guadalcanal where he was killed. As a result this Fletcher class destroyer (1 of 125) was named after him.

- A tour of the Bunker Hill Monument at Breed's Hill. That's right. Ordered to take and fortify Bunker Hill, the Continental army chose instead to dig in at Breed's Hill. The brave volunteers of our army repulsed two British assaults before falling back during the third. A British Officer whose full name I can't recall was quoted saying "A hill that cost too much to take."

- Yes, I did climb all 294 steps to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument. The view was breath-taking. So was the climb.

- We also had the pleasure of eating at the amazing Warren Tavern, recommended to us by one of the local park rangers. A historical monument in addition to a restaurant, we were amazed to learn that the tavern was a favorite of Paul Revere, and was named after Dr. Warren who died at the Bunker Hill Battle. Restaurant of the year in Boston several years running.

- We also drove by the Old North Church (couldn't park by it) and we also drove by Fenway Park on our way out of Boston.

I would normally do a verse of encouragement and a fun Olympic highlight (Did you know the women's US fencing team swept all 3 medals? The bronze medal winner has to leave the) but it is late and if I don't head for bed now I will not fall asleep amidst the very heavy snoring that is about to start in this room. It was a great day, we finish the ride home tomorrow.

Random Thoughts before I slumber...

2008-08-05T00:29:00.002-04:00

Once again I don't have too many random thoughts but I couldn't pass up the chance to pass some great material along, without permission too!

1) The song "Ecstasy of Gold" from the soundtrack of The Good, The Bad, and the Ulgy has been in my head all day. While I do enjoy a cover of it performed by Metallica I am talking about the original in this case.

2) While I do not consider myself new to the blogging world, there are some parts of it I am not very active about. Perhaps the biggest reason is that it is something that could easily occupy my entire day. So it comes as a surprise to me when I am reminded that the world wide web is indeed world wide. This opens up some interesting opportunities to read perspective from people I have never met. In particular I want to point out a blog whose author recently left a tip (i.e. comment) after sampling the buffet. The "New Jersey Jesus" is an intriguing and inspiring read that I highly recommend. (I don't know if there is a formality where you ask bloggers if you can link to their stuff, so I'm just going to do it!)

3) I appreciate bloggers who take the time to browse and read other random blogs. I don't want to discourage anyone from stopping by. If you are eating at the Random Thought Buffet don't be afraid to leave a comment. I've been to some fascinating blogs that cover some interesting aspects of life. Some of them aren't even Christian. To be honest, those are the ones that fascinate me the most. I've grown up in the Church my entire life, and while I do not regret that at all I am very interested to see life from other perspectives.

4) We live in a world that is very connected. To further emphasize this point (as if #2 and #3 didn't already do that) a few weeks ago I was on Xbox Live playing a simple board game (Ticket to Ride). To my amazement the three people I was playing with were all chattering most of the game in German. When I finally mustered the courage to attempt to say hi in their native tongue I was amazed that they all spoke English, and we had a nice chat. My favorite remark came when I said, "I can't understand most of what you all are saying but I am really enjoying this experience." The person who was in last place in the game hastily replied "I'm not."

5) Relationships are a central experience to life. Points #2, #3, and #4 and helped to demonstrate how easy it is to connect to people. I hate to go cheesy and Osteen here but connecting with God is just as easy. Sometimes us "Christians" really over complicate this. We make it look like you have to act perfect, hide your faults and act happy and goofy to show how much we love Jesus. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact I think if you took the whole Bible and summarized it into one sentence it would read something like this: "You are loved. I want you to know that." (BSNSGNJS) And when you know, or experience that truth in your life it doesn't leave you the same. That's about as simple as it gets in my mind at least.

6) In case you are wondering what that group of letters in parenthesis stood for, well when you quote the Bible you usually put which version you used. So I thought I should reference that I read from the "Brand Spankin New Some Guy Named James Summarization." And by read I really mean made up on the spot.

7) This post's verse of encouragement comes from the NASB translation of Psalm 34:13-14 "The Lord looks from Heaven; He sees all the sons of men; From His dwelling place He looks out on all the inhabitants of the Earth." Nothing too fancy to that one. I felt it went well with my summarization. Have a good night!

Random Thoughts while the internet actually works...

2008-08-02T21:25:00.003-04:00

1) Holy cow our internet is actually working! We have no idea how long this will last. For the last several weeks it is down for several hours each day. Well technically I can't vouch for the weeks I was at camp but a "reliable source" told me it was down most of that time too. We called our company to make a point about it and they are not coming out until Thursday. One thing I notice is they always say a day that's far away and then call 2 or 3 days early and say "Hey we are in the area, I know we aren't supposed to stop by until Thursday but can we stop by now?"

2) Last week at the Great Lakes Crossing Mall in Auburn Hills my dad made a purchase at FYE. It was a collection of several classic composers with some of their best work: Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Handel, Mozart, Strauss, Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi. A steal for only $20. With permission I snagged it for my Itunes and it has proven helpful to setting a relaxing tone to otherwise busy days.

3) Sat down thinking it would be nice to make a nice blog post. Two in one week would be a big deal with how inconsistent my blogging has been as of late. To be honest there's a lot on my mind (more than just the usual billions of thoughts) and I usually wait to blog until after it's processed and chewed upon. Long story short I'm still chewing, so I can't write about it!

4) This post's verse of encouragement comes from Psalm 46:10. "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." As I start the job hunt and figure things out I need to remember to do this.

Random Thoughts while descending the mountain

2008-07-29T22:12:00.002-04:00

It has been two weeks since I have been able to sit at my computer for an extended period of time to blog. First I was out at Rock Lake Christian Assembly for a most excellent Senior High Week, then out with my father and sister for a week of pop-up camping at Covenant Hills during Family Camp. A time of seeking, a lot of encouragment and a lot of praying would best describe the time that has passed. Onto the list:

1) For those not familiar with Covenant Hills and their Family Camp week, perhaps this will help. The Free Methodist Church is not independant like Restoration Movement Churches. Michigan is divided into 3 conferences. My home Church, Lansing Central Free Methodist, is part of the Eastern Free Methodist Conference, and Covenant Hills is our camp. To understand Family Camp, this of camping like at the Northman, except it is for all people (not just men) and each lot has an electric hookup. Don't worry hardcore campers, I was in a tent for the week.

2) Having had the experience of growing up at Central FM yet schooling at GLCC I've often heard the question "What is the difference between the two?" The biggest things I notice is that FM is based slightly on the holiness teachings of John Wesley, but not to the point that they are more authoritative than the Bible by any means. They also do not believe baptism is an essential part of salvation. Regardless of what that makes you think, I want to make one thing perfectly clear: God is moving and advancing his Kingdom through the Free Methodist Church. After a week at Covenant Hills hearing ministers share their testimonies and what they are doing for the kingdom that is clear. Now I might be stepping on toes here, but maybe if we focused more on serving God and not what separates us from the denominations we could all do that work together. (Note: I am not saying that God is not moving in the Christian Church/Church of Christ. Far from it. What I am suggesting is that maybe we are missing oppertunities to partner in ministry with other Churches.)

3) Hindsight truly is 20/20. I began this summer wondering where God would use me next and what I would be doing as I figured out the next part of life. With the main parts of summer nearly over I look back and see that God has continued to use me, a lot of it with me not realizing or admitting it. God did some great things at each week of camp I got to serve at. You don't have to be vocationally hired to do great ministry, you just have to be reading and willing. That makes a segueway into the next point better than I planned.

4) I'm back on the job hunt. With most of the summer oppertunities I had finished up, it is time to find a source of income. With some recent car troubles, a looming dentist visit and an Itunes music account it couldn't come at a better time. I am not closing the door to vocational ministry by any means, but I am no longer afraid to seek other means of employment that can utilize my gifts and passions just as well. Pray for this, that was a scary conclusion to admit to.

5) This post's verse of encouragement comes from a powerful part in Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Him strengthens me." Paul is talking about how he has been through times where he has had plenty and he's had times where he has had nothing. Well almost nothing. Nothing but Christ. And that's really the opposite of nothing isn't it. While I do not know what the future holds, I have no doubt that God will continue to use me and work through me while I find a way to make money that enables me to do that ministry. And that's really what it's all about.

6) Part #5 may become a regular feature in this blog. Well at the least the verse of encouragement part.

Random Thoughts on the 4th of July, on the 6th of July

2008-07-06T23:05:00.002-04:00

Wow I slacked off! I usually make an annual post on the 4th talking about something significant and historical. I guess this year I opted for some muppets music which I ate up like the steak we had for lunch. All right, down to business.

1) One of the things I personally remember and honor the week of the 4th is a battle that occurred July 1st-3rd. That is the battle of Gettysburg. As part of an organization dedicated to remembering the sacrifice that the Union soldiers made during the Civil War it is a time that is especially important in my mind. Often overlooked is the battle of Vicksburg which ended a day later than Gettysburg. So many lives lost, so many who paid the ultimate price to unify our country. So many more fight and represent our country today. I thank, honor and pray for them. Regardless of how you feel about where they are or why they are there the fact is they are there and they deserve our gratitude and prayers.

2) This very entry was just suspended for a good 10 minutes? The reason? I was startled by a sudden snarling noise that repeated itself every few minutes. After watching outside very carefully my eyes chanced upon 3 rodents invading our driveway. I shined our trusty mag-light and revealed the critters to be 3 racoons up to no good. Two of them were sneaking across the town and being followed by a third. I say it this way because the snarling I heard was the first stopping, turning and attacking the third one every now and then. Only in Mason. A fun detour that could possibly derail this post.

3) Fun fact I should have known: Today, July 6th is a very special day. Not because of another historical event, at least not one that will go down in text books. Today is the anniversary of the wedding of my parents. That's right, they said their vows, traded rings and tied the knot on this day 34 years ago!

4) For those of you keeping track at home that means they were married 8 years before I came along. Lucky them right?

5) Visited Trinity Church today for my Sunday service attendance. Nice building, good children's safeguard measures. I went with Jason and Asia Sleight so they have to drop off their kid, and it's a good way to see how they do it. So those parts were nice. I didn't get to see the youth room so I will have to do that sometime. Otherwise to be honest it's not a place that I am desiring to visit again.

That's all I got tonight. Rock Lake's Senior High week is in a week. Looking forward to that! Have a great week.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

2008-07-04T22:43:00.000-04:00

Random Thoughts after Camp

2008-07-03T17:01:00.003-04:00

Greetings to quite possibly a dozen people! How has your week been? As you may or may not recall I spent Sunday night, Monday and most of the day Tuesday at Rock Lake for Terry Strickler's 2nd-3rd grade week of camp.

It was a great experience and as I go into this edition of "Random Thoughts" I will be touching on that specifically.

1) Children are awesome. They are so cute and innocent. I am the worst disciplinarian when it comes to dealing with them. I can't punish them. Well eventually my nerves get worked and I can but it takes me a long time to get there. You learn a lot about God working with kids.

Children are an interesting part of the Kingdom of God. In Matthew 19:14, Jesus rebukes his disciples for trying to stop parents from bringing their children to Jesus. He sternly says to them "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." The more I work with them the more I see this. From my year of playing with Hannah Lowman several times a week to the first few days of this week.

Everything a child does, he/she does whole heartedly. They are so passionate about everything they do, whether it's going down a twisty slide or shouting the "We Love Jesus" chant against the other trailer on the chariot. They strive to do everything (good and bad) to the best of their ability. When do we slip up and lose that? I'm not suggesting we are terrible people, but I know there are times in my life when I didn't do something as well as I could. I also know of times when I've done tasks assigned to me without passion.

2) For non-Rock Lake Campers, the chariot is an archaic truck towing two trailers that transports students and staff between the two main areas of camp.

3) An unexpected surprise visit from a friend always brightens any day. This brings about a new saying: A day can always get brighter even when you think it can't!

4) I have gotten more mosquito bites taking my dog outside for five minutes than I did in my combined time at camps this summer. What's up with that?

5) Do you really have to be skilled to do a job well? If I may backtrack for a moment (and I may, it's my blog!) I'm beginning to wonder if the simple truth is if you do anything whole-heartedly you will be good at it. Sure maybe computer networking takes skill, but if you passionately study it and work at it you will get good at it. I wonder if everything in our life, from how we work to how we relate to people could be based on how passionately we choose to live. Hmmmm...

That's all I got for now. Have a great weekend!

Random thoughts before departure

2008-06-29T12:30:00.002-04:00

I am starting to think I might title every entry with "Random thoughts..." and then whatever is about to happen. Here are today's random thoughts, numbered this time to make transitions easier:

1) I went with my friends the Sleights to Riverview this morning. Riverview is huge and high energy. Both times I've attended the preaching minister has mentioned plugging into small groups, something I've learned to like as I'm reading through Simple Church.

It is better to go to a church with someone you know than completely alone. I enjoyed the more this time, though I'm still dissapointed that no one really made an effort to talk to us. I know at a church of thousands there is not going to be one person that knows everyone, but shouldn't people make a conscious effort to meet other people at a larger church?

I don't say this without seeing the plank in my own eye. When I plug into a church and regularly attend again I want to make sure I am meeting someone every week if it is a larger church.

2) I am looking forward to the 2nd-3rd grader week. It's only tonight, tomorrow and Tuesday. We have scheduled naps. I'm in charge of recreation (plan: make them run) and I'm preaching a quickie at Campfire Monday night. I'm pretty excited about this.

3) Jon we do need to hangout, and I also enjoyed our summer on camp teams together. I might have to agree with you that it was the best summer while I was there as well.

4) On this website there are three guys doing a video game marathon to raise money for a children's charity. It's a Mario-thon! They set out Friday with the goal of playing through all the major Super Mario games in a gigantic marathon. Last I checked they were near the end of Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii, meaning their adventure is nearly wrapped up. They've raised nearly $10,000 in donations for Child's Play. They also broadcast their session on UStream, a live-feed program which they set up to broadcast from both their webcam and from the TV.

I would like to organize or participate in something like this. I think it would be fun and challenging. Who would have thought you could take a love for video games and use it to raise money for those in need?

5) It's no secret that I invested in Pokemon Diamond well over a year ago. I did this to connect with junior high students in my former youth group. I'm impressed with this game because its gameplay is simple and fun. It's a lite-RPG that just builds on some basic RPG fundamentals in a way that appeals to all ages. Nearly every kid you'll meet has played one of several versions in this franchise. It teaches strategy, critical thinking, and patience. A great experience for all kids.

Why do I mention this? In this newest version an evil organization named Team Galactic wants to create a better world. A world of peace where they rule. Sounds good right? Well too bad the way they are doing it is wrong. The way they are going to do this is by using a legendary Pokemon who created the known world to turn around, destroy it and create a new one where they will rule.

Oh by the way, once you've stopped them you get a chance to capture and own the ancient and legendary creator of the known Pokeworld. That's right, in your quest to catch them all you will own Pokegod.

That's deep. Small reminder: This game for all ages is primarily marketed to kids. Where are the extremist parents protesting this game because you can capture Pokegod?

6) Final Thought. Finally got to face off against Jonah and Caleb Weller in Halo. Though their trash talk was great, their game wasn't. Good try guys.

Off to camp. See you Tuesday night! The satire expressed does not neccessarily reflect the writer's personal views. I do not believe in Pokegod.

Random thoughts make a lengthy post

2008-06-25T13:12:00.003-04:00

So I haven't blogged in awhile, thought I should again. This post will be filled with random thoughts from the last few weeks. Might want to buckle your seatbelt!

I checked the cluster map. Special greetings to readers in California and...Iowa? Don't be afraid to introduce yourselves!

Last week was Deeper Life Camp at Michiana Christian Service Camp. It was a great week and I'm amazed at how quickly it flew by. I had a great small group and grew closer to several good friends.

I came to camp looking for guidance. Guidance to make sure that I was seeking God's will for my life and not my own. That is something I struggle with a lot if we're being honest. I'm a very stubborn person. I do things my way whether they sink or swim. It's who I am. That needs to change when my way doesn't honor God. I did get some perspective on that this past week.

A lot of great things happened for me while at camp. I got inspiration for a lot of ideas that I want to do in my next ministry, wherever that may be. As I adapt my own model of "seek, study, and serve" it will go with me wherever I may be because I believe it is an effective way to vocalize the ministry I feel God calling me to. Now that I have the vision for how to do it I am excited to get it going. Whether that's vocationally or volunteer I do not know.

I found a verse that I very well consider to be my new life verse. Previous to finding this one my life verse was 2nd Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing." (KJV)

During my quiet times last week a verse kept popping into my head, but I couldn't find it. After a few days of general confusion and wondering if I was losing it I finally found it:

John 4:23
"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks."

I focus in especially on one phrase: A time is coming and has now come. We talk about all the things God is going to do and how the times that he is going to do them are on their way. Guess what. They're here now. The time is coming and has now come. It's going to happen and it is happening now.

We shouldn't talk about how we're going to live, we should live it now. It challenges me. It brings focus to my day. It's a great verse.

Random time. I always make myself chuckle when I say a verse is a great verse. To me it implies that there is a verse in the Bible that isn't so great. Like the one in Ezekiel talking about lusty women. Not so great. But you can't come out and say that can you?

That's long enough I'll stop for now. Pray for me as I continue to prepare for more camps. Next week I'm running recreation and preaching at Campfire for 2nd and 3rd graders at Rock Lake Christian Assembly. Then I'll be back up there a week later for High School Week. It's going to be crazy but God is going to move (and is now moving) and I wouldn't miss it for the world!

An amazing find

2008-06-11T23:11:00.002-04:00

I was surfing through some websites that I frequent when I happened upon this great video clip. After watching it I can truly say that I feel safer at night. I hope this video makes you laugh and that you enjoy it too!

Disclaimer: In posting this video I do not claim to believe what it shows, nor am I posting it to insult anyone portrayed in it.

Secret revolutionary toilet cleaning techniques revealed!

2008-05-28T13:33:00.002-04:00

Special kudos to student Melanie Privette who posted this on her myspace blog. It was so good I laughed out loud, which is weird because I'm working in my office alone. May it bring you laughter today as it did for me.

Ingredents needed:

1/8th cup of pet shampoo

1 Cat

Many bandaids ... just in case

1. Put both lids of the toilet up and add 1/8th cup of pet shampoo to the water in the bowl.
2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.
3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both lids. You may need to stand on the lid.
4. The cat will self agitate! and make ample suds. Never mind the noises that come from the toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this.
5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a "power-wash" and rinse".
6. Have someone open the front door of your home. Be sure that there are no people between the bathroom and the front door.
7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift both lids.
8. The cat will rocket out of the toilet, streak through the bathroom, and run outside where he will dry himself off.
9. Both the commode and the cat will be sparkling clean.

Hope you enjoyed!

Written by Val Leonard

Mythbusters: Lifelock...Busted!

2008-05-19T10:46:00.003-04:00

I am positive you have heard the advertisement. In fact I heard one of them this morning on my way to work. The CEO of Lifelock, Todd Davis, broadcasts his Social Security Number in his radio commercial and says he is not afraid to share it. Why? He speaks for his company with extreme confidence and guarantees that you cannot steal his identity because of the great security system that the company provides.

At least that's what he claims. Yesterday while browsing some news sites I came across this article in the Charleston Gazette. There is a class action lawsuit being filed against Lifelock, claiming that it does not give the protection it promises. In fact, the suit claims that over 20 driver's licenses have been obtained across the country under the name of Todd Davis. According to the article, if you perform a background check on Mr. Davis with his SSN, you will find that it inaccurately depicts him as being 67 years old. Such is the extent that his personal information has been used.

The article goes on to mention several different points that are worth observing:
1. One of the lawyers involved in this class action suit claims that the safeguards Lifelock sets up for $110 a year can be set up for free by yourself.
2. The co-founder of Lifelock has been in trouble for fraud several times during his life, including the identity theft of his own father.
3. A former client of Lifelock claims that once you get past all the fine print, the only promise Lifelock makes is that they will fix their system when it gets bypassed; there is apparently no promise to restore your credit and identity.

What do we take from this? In yesterday's sermon our senior minister Frank Weller reminded us to test everything, holding on to what is good. For starters that probably means I should look into Lifelock myself instead of taking this article for its word, which also ruins the fun of this post.

Second, if you're signing up for something you should always take the time to read the fine print. My father, a licensed IRS attorney cannot agree with this enough. Know everything that you are getting into. Be wary of the fine print. Fine print can help or hurt you depending on what you do with it. (Side note: The fine print you see in your Bible will always help you better understand the context in which the passage you are reading was written.)

Lastly, and I don't mean to intentionally crack the hammer on this again, but Frank couldn't have said it any better yesterday: Test Everything. Whether you are looking for identity theft protection or seeking where God would send you next, seek Him first. Put God first in your life and seek him. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things (the things that you need, not want) shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

The quest for answers...and for love

2008-05-14T21:59:00.005-04:00

Recently when I've had spare time I've found myself playing an old game that was ported to my Game Boy Advance SP just last year.

Originally released in America in 1994, Final Fantasy VI was a huge epic game. It was part of a long running successful franchise by a company named Squaresoft. In America it originally debuted as Final Fantasy III, but it was in fact the sixth title of the series.

The story of the game was epic and at the time it was one of the largest games ever made. The story follows 12 characters (unprecedented at the time) and their attempt to fight against a corrupt Empire that is on the verge of repeating a deadly mistake that wiped out the planet 1000 years ago.

As I've played more of this game I've become appreciative of the first character you are introduced to: Terra. Terra has been controlled and enslaved by the Empire most of her life. At the very beginning of the game she is freed, but she remembers nothing about herself. All she knows is that the Empire is after her.

Terra struggles initially with her newfound freedom. As she runs from the Empire, she begins to question who she was and how she should act. She doesn't understand the playful flirtations of Edgar, the King of Figaro castle. She can use magic spells but doesn't understand why she can and others can't. Most importantly, she doesn't understand the concept of love. She desires it but doesn't know what it is.

About halfway through the game all the characters get separated for one year in a dramatic turn of events. When you happen upon Terra again she is changed. In her separate adventure the past year she came to the village of Mobliz. As she got there it was attacked by the antagonist of the game, Kefka. The parents of the village sacrifice themselves to save their children. They were all wiped out but the children survived. Terra decided to stay in the village and raise the children, protecting them from the dangers of the world.

When you find Terra she has been doing this for a year. She understands the concept of love after all the time she has spent defending, protecting and raising the orphans. After you help her drive off the biggest threat (a dangerous monster named Phunbaba) she joins you to help rid the world of Kefka and his evil. She's learned the meaning of love through sacrifice. The sacrifice of the orphan's parents and her sacrifice to protect them.

Sound familiar? While the game isn't really written from a Christian perspective it is still easy to draw a parallel. Terra understands what love is after she learns the meaning of sacrifice. As Christians we live today because of the love of our Father, who gave his son as a sacrifice. His sacrifice is the reason we strive to love others. Christ sacrificed so that we could understand true love. However, Christ's love for us is stronger than any of us (or Terra) can understand.

Still, it's cool to see a popular game wrestling with the concept of sacrifice and love, and it makes for a great opportunity to share the greater love that we have found.

Save the Keytar, Save the World

2008-04-28T16:46:00.002-04:00

This weekend at Believe we got to meet a junior high student whose name is Evan. Evan is passionate about a very specific issue in the world today, and it is one he has been advocating for a long time.

Evan is passionate about the near-extinct species known as the Key tar. His fire and his desire to see this species saved knows no boundaries. He has rescued a key tar himself, and he gives it the love that it deserves.

If you have some spare time, or are curious as to what kind of silly things they do at CIY's Believe conference, then you will want to check out his website: Save the Key Tar. There are some videos where Evan talks about the Key Tar and his urge to see it as a redeemed, non en-dangered and honorable species. There are other videos on the site as well, including the "Mas Tortillas" video, which I believe will become the summer smash hit of CIY's Move conference.

Believe was a great conference. If you've never heard of it let me tell you a little about it. Believe is the only conference I know of that tailors all its material exclusively for junior high students. This year they did a phenomenal job. The worship was great, Steve Carter from Mars Hill spoke with some powerful messages, and their other entertainment was impressive. From Brent the Stunt Guy to Evan the Key Tar advocate, they had a lot to keep the junior high students engaged. Several of our students were fired up about God and at their age it is incredible to see them get excited about God and realize they can do something to further his Kingdom.

Save the Key Tar.

Dolphins can Blog?

2008-04-15T15:57:00.002-04:00

Several years ago I had the privilege of meeting a unique dolphin. He was very intelligent for a dolphin, and even keeps his own blog. He had to stop writing it for awhile and entrusted it to me for about a year or two, but I am pleased to see he is updating again.

I have added a new link to the dolphin's blog in my links on the right side, and if you have some spare time (and enjoy satire) feel free to check it out! The blog is comfortable and cool, much like a nice pool, and the insights that a dolphin has on life are certainly not to be overlooked! That is all I have for today, have a good one!

Adventures in an abandoned theater...

2008-04-10T20:28:00.003-04:00

Today my small group from GLCC decided to head over to the new Zap Zone location. Zap Zone is a laser tag company who originally started their business in what I believe is the Elmwood plaza across from Best Buy and the Lansing Mall. Unbeknown to me Zap Zone recently purchased the old Lansing 8 Mall and relocated their amazing arena there.

The arena is as challenging and intense as it ever was. Black lights illuminate the room and strobe lights flash while pounding music increases your adrenaline. The corridors wind and twist and the battle field is truly a labyrinth of confusion and chaos. My trusty team-mate Adam Robinson stuck with me and together we forged our story through the maze. When all was said and done, we had claimed victory in the Laser Tag Battle for the Green team which we humbly represented.

After you finish playing your round you go back to the main lobby where the staff prints out stat sheets so you can know how well you did. I don't want to get too prideful, but yours truly represented an uncanny knack for strategy and solid shooting, finish first out of the 10 registered contestants. My green team cohort Adam finished 3rd, with a high schooler from the blue team taking second place.

It was a fun outing and a great time with some of the members from my small group. There is a true bond in the group that prays, eats and plays together!

Which fire are we burning?

2008-04-07T11:16:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago, the Olympic torch was lit in Greece to begin the ceremonial "run" towards China, where the 2008 summer games will commence. This year's trip towards Beijing is anything but ordinary, however. Instead of running straight from Greece to China, the torch is going around the world in the longest torch run in Olympic history.

However, the run is not going as planned. Several protests in London and Paris have caused chaos on the torch's path. In fact, the torch has been extinguished by authorities in Paris 5 times! The demonstrators have gotten so close that for the safety of the torch and the runner, the flame is put out and the torch is put on a bus for short periods of time.

According to the yahoo news story linked in the previous paragraph, similar protests are expected when the Torch passes through America, especially in San Francisco.

The Olympics are truly a special event. The summer and winter games are something that I look forward to every 2 years. The world comes together and competes in all sorts of events. We see the top athletes from every country. Most importantly though, the world is united as we all watch these games. As a Christian aspiring to see this type of community happen every day it is truly an amazing time in my eye. This is how we should live with everyone every day.

Well that's the attempted idea. I've grown uneasy with how American coverage of the Olympics only watches athletes from America, Canada, England and Australia. We keep a medal count and try to make sure that America takes home the most medals. We don't watch other nations unless their athlete is breaking the world record in their sport.

This "selfish" coverage of the Olympics is more upsetting to me than the "social injustices" that are being cited by the protesters when they gather. In Philippians Paul instructs us to "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves." (Chapter 2, verse 3, NASB)

Don't get me wrong. I do need to factor in the fact that I don't understand why these protesters are gathering, and I have not looked into the reasons they are upset with China. There may indeed be some terrible social injustices happening there. Perhaps if I knew more about this story I would have a different opinion.

However, in my mind's eye right now, protesting China through the Olympic games just doesn't seem like the proper avenue. It seems to me there are other ways to do this. If this is such a big issue, why wait until the Olympics to bring it up?

If we aspire to live as Christ did, then we must formulate our response to issues like this with that in mind. Jesus didn't speak up against social injustices or protest the way some people were treated. Instead he went to the downtrodden and loved them. In fact he instructed us to do likewise. He said "whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40)

"You should have left retribution to the law..."

2008-04-01T10:47:00.001-04:00

I am a fan of the old martial arts movies, many of which are produced in China. They are filled with action, the dialog is dubbed to the point of hilarity, and they all have a "cheese factor," that is to say they all have things happen in them that could never happen in real life.

So last night I decide to watch a movie entitled "Awaken Fist." It is a 1973 film directed by Yuen Wo Ping, who in America is famous for choreographing fights in The Matrix, Kill Bill 1 & 2, and several others.

In "Awaken Fist," a young brash fighter swears to his dying father that he will never fight again. After the father dies, a greedy gang tries to buy the family's land. They try to intimidate and bully the young son, who is now the head of the household and owner of the land. The young man refuses, so the gang tries all sorts of things to force him to sell the land. Eventually they burn the man's house down, killing his mother, his sister, and the man courting his sister during the incident.

Naturally, this sets our hero off. He snaps and goes on a path of vengeance. He hunts down each member of the gang and kills them one by one. The fights get more intense as each opponent is better. In fact, the gang leader appears to be much more skilled than the protagonist, but his thirst for vengeance gives him the strength to overcome this dark villain.

Sounds like a pretty good movie right? The movie ends with the hero being arrested! He is taken to the court where he has 9 charges brought up against him, 7 of those charges being murder. The movie ends with the provincial official telling our hero "You should have left retribution to the law!" The movie fades with the last 3 words being repeated.

How is that a happy ending? This guy does the right thing in our eyes, yet he is arrested for being a vigilante and not going to the police! He has to say farewell to the only person he still has , and face punishment for wronging those who wronged him.

It seems familiar to me. Romans 12:18-20: "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD."

What we think needs to happen and what God tells us to do can sometimes be very different. Two wrongs do not make a right. You go through this whole movie, cheering on the hero, wanting him to avenge his family and make things right, only to learn at the end he is just as much at fault as the evil greedy gang who killed his family. "You should have left retribution to the law..."

Don't try to do God's work for him. Vengeance is his. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Scripture shows us that God's way is better, even if it is harder. This movie turns out to unintentionally be a great example of that.