a few refelctions on being "home"

I am now in the state that I called home for more than 6 years of my life. 4 years at college and another 2 not more than an hour from college when I was at my first ministerial position. There have been a lot of things going through my head as these past few days have progressed- particularly as we joined New Hope Christian Fellowship Wednesday night- and I’m going to process them here. Some thoughts are more refined than others- and most have been bounced back and forth between Rachel and myself.

We walked into church for the holy week service, we were warmly greeted by almost everyone in the room- some of them surprised- but all of them seemed glad to have us there. A little reflection left me thinking- this is the first time in a year and a half that I’ve come to church and felt that people actually cared that I was there. And not only that, but feeling that the people who are there actually care about Rachel and I. In other words, it was the first time we had felt at home in a church in that time.

That’s kind of sad. I know that some of the people cared that we were at Grace and cared for us there. But there were not many, and most of them were teenagers, who, as much as I love them, are not very good at showing gratitude. Not our group specifically, but teenagers in general. They do not show appreciation much, so as much as I knew the cared that we were there, they did not often express that.

We also listened to some good preaching. We listened to sermons from Doug at New Hope as we drove across the country, and it was nice to hear him share a little at the service. It was not laden with nonsensical references or with a “hook” that often had little to do with the message. He was not even “preaching” per se, but he shared with us a good word regarding footwashing in particular. I noted the following to remember. Hearing Doug preach, I feel confident in my faith and, for lack of a better word, “proud” of being a Christian. Hearing my last senior pastor preach almost always made me feel ashamed of being a Christian. I felt completely edified by Doug and the way he lifts up the Body, even when chastising them, using words to encourage them and spur them on to do better. my last church, I felt belittled, berated and torn down- almost trying to tell us how terrible we are in order for us to do better. similar to the way a coach will tell his athletes they are nothing to try and get more from them... except that doesn't work all that often.

Another random reflection- for as spiritually dry as I have been for this time since going to Oregon, I realized that I can fake pretty well. There will always be tell-tale symptoms, and of course, I never fooled myself or God, but after a certain point of pouring out, I had nothing left in the tank and was not being fed replenishment. I went from ministering out of overflow to ministering out of habit. And my faith and life became very dry and cracked. And yet, I kept the face up and did not let us because I was a pastor, and I already had felt as though my senior pastor, instead of encouraging me, would belittle me.

pray-er types

I decided last week as I was praying with many different people that I wanted to do a blog about different praying styles. I think my interest in such a touchy subject began in high school when a friend of mine somehow picked up a small quirk in the language in her prayers. It mildly amused me, then i quickly chastised myself for ever having been so irreverent as to laugh at the way someone prays.

However, as reverently as possible, I wanted to share with you, how, over the years, I've found many different quirky ways people pray. Anyone who wants to tell me that I'm just being sacrilegious and i need to focus on God- try to grow a funny bone or something. This is just for fun and I actually hope someone will laugh with me on this as the may actually realize they know someone who prays like that... or because i've gone ludicrously over the edge.

1. The "Father God" pray-er- we all have probably at one point in time or another seen one of these. They are the person who every other word of the prayer comes out as "Father God" so a small tidbit of the prayer may look like- "we just ask, Father God, that you, Father God, would put your hand, Father God, on this worship time, Father God,..." actually funny stuff when you retrospect it, but I don't encourage anyone to laugh during prayer time! (Also, closely associated with the "Father God" pray-er is the "Lord God" pray-er- simply replacing Father with Lord, but to the same result)
2. The low pray-er- you probably know this person, too. The person who kinda 'gets in the zone' when praying and their voice just changes. It becomes REALLY soft, often times at a higher pitch. something about his/her prayer just seems so fervent when the pitch raises and the decibel level decreases. I find myself in this trap sometimes, and then laugh at myself when i'm out of it. (consequently, thanks to Seinfeld for the name of this- just like the "low talker" no one could hear)
3. the "best-friend" pray-er- this guy prays like he's just talking to his best friend. He says "uhhh..." about a million times in a 2 minute prayer. And they say stuff that makes some more "religious" people kinda cringe. But it's actually really cool because these people don't have a clue what they're 'supposed' to do- they just pray what's on their hearts. But kinda funny when they pray stuff like "Uhh.... God, give me the... uh.... strength to... uh... love You more... and, uh... stuff"
4. the "all-powerful" pray-er- this girl still reads only the King James version of the Bible that was written in 1612 and therefore, finds it completely irreverent to address God in ways other than "Thee" or "Thou". The prayers are very magnificent with lots of grandeur in the delivery. They fill the room with the person's volume and fervency. There are small hesitations in the prayer that are not looking for words, but simply to add to the effect of the prayer. Unfortunately, funny as some may find this later, this type of pray-er is dying out slowly as the church becomes more 'irreverent'.
5. The "written" pray-er- while at college, I found myself experiencing written prayers during chapel. I heard much criticism of this, and to the opposite- almost no one actively supporting it (although there may have been many who did so, but did not voice their support). It's mildly amusing to think of some people who write their prayers out before praying them- which actually makes it praying twice. I think i'd laugh really hard to know someone sat down and tweaked the prayer to make sure the right words were said- this almost implies more thought into the way an audience or group of people hears the prayer because the scriptures are clear that God knows our hearts and thoughts and the words we use are not as important as the time we set aside. But, to the credit of this, i know that chapel at Messiah was always a very crowded time- trying to facilitate a real experience in only 45 minutes that included a chapel speaker on almost any given tuesday or thursday. Having been the organizer for an elective chapel, i know how hard it was to try and do so many different things in that time.
   

So, there they are. What I was able to think of off the top of my head. Did i miss any? or did you resonate with some of these? Do you know some of these? am i just being sacrilegious?

feeling like stealing

As I feel like i'm stealing another idea from Luke, i have still decided to do this. I hope he sees it- I especially since Larry Bird is one of my celebs. So despite seeming to follow luke into the blogging world and now with this celebrity look alike... I still beat Luke to moving across the country, which, by the way- was over a year ago. wow...

anyway- enjoy

oxymoron

I was thinking about this today as I was listening to a relatively new CD- new to me. I'd bought it for the worship ministry at church- resource not only for music we may play, but also to play in the background before and after service. it was a worship CD with a bunch of different groups and worship leaders.

And I got listening to a version on there that they had of the song "Rescue" from the CD Desperation. The original was done very well and was just in general, good. this newer (really other- the song is only 2 years old- and only popular the past year or so) version was, in my opinion, inferior. it was not only a cover, but a cover done with little to none of the band's own flavor in it.

the group who performed it, however, was what got me intrigued enough to write a blog. it's the band "Newsong"/

now fofgive me, but doesn't that sound weird? Newsong is performing a bad cover of someone else's song.

While I work, I'm away

While I'm working on a new post for a friend dealing with youth ministry and its purpose, I have been visiting his blog and while I waited quite a while for him to post something new, it was well worth the wait! click here to read his most recent post that has impressed me. And be encouraged by his transparent honesty.

reading list- update

it never fails- I always get more and more books. Continue to pile up the collection! And it never fails that I will purchase 4 books when I have not yet finished 4 books since my last purchase, thus not only increasing my book total, but also increasing my reading list.

here are the few books i've purchased since posting my reading list, with none of the reading list actually being finished, although good headway being made in the books on the list. here we go... again:

Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America (By Randall Balmer)& The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power is Destroying the Church (By Gregory Boyd)- These two books seem to be along the same type of topic. I was forwarded to this article by a friend of mine and as I read it, I found myself resonating with it more and more. It's not that this article has changed my view as much as it has affirmed the way I feel about things more and more. Both of these books seem to deal with the problem that arises from the "marriage" that has occured between evangelical Christians and the Republican party. While it is not wrong to be politically active and to support good causes, it is wrong for Christianity to support one political party exclusively- particularly when there are parts of both party's platforms that I resonate with as a Christian. Instead of Christianity being a balance against politic improprieties and for morality in an immoral world, they have become one of many groups in the pocket of a politically conservative party that has NO interest in Christianity or religious things in general. They have become a pawn in the hands of politicians trying to get as many people on their side as possible. As Christians, we need to be above that!! (sorry for the rant- perhaps this will become a standalone blog in the next few days)

Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in Amaerica by Randall Balmer- this was coupled at Amazon with the book above by the same author, so I bought it because it looked interesting. a quick dive into it reveals that it is a good look into various forms of the evangelical tradition and, as revealed by the preface in Thy Kingdom Come was instrumental in this author reclaiming his roots, albeit not buying into it blindily (which no one should do with their faith)

The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring the Sabbath by Mark Buchanan- as noted in my other to read list, I can't say that I've actually heard of this particular book as much as I've really enjoyed reading from this author in the past. This book is his newest (I believe) and thus wasn't referenced in anything else (whereas Your God is Too Safe was referenced in the book of his that I'd read previously). But I'm excited about it because the topic of it seems very close to me- I've always been a big proponent of taking a day as a Sabbath, whether it is the traditional Sabbath or just a day in the week dedicated to rest and restoration. I'm curious to read more on this.

This is the addition to the list. however, I feel obligated to add this to the list, should anyone out there feel the need to question my spirituality- the Bible is more than at the top of this list- it transcends this list. If I could read one book, this would be it. If I could read nothing else, this would suffice. And as I read these books and the rest of the list, I try to match them up with Scripture. As Martin Luther said, "Sola Scriptura"

Recommendations

My Recommendations:
In light of my recent blogging regarding books, reading and intellect, Ive kept up with that and decided that its time to give my recommendation list. It is by no means comprehensive, but it is a good list. Enjoy!

Max Lucado- I used to read from Max when I was a new Christian and found LOTS of great stuff. I still find good stuff in reading some of his books, although Ive been turned off recently by the new covers on some of his books- seems to trivialize the writing. I havent read many of his works that are more recent, however. John Piper- God is most glorified when I am most satisfied in Him. Piper has heralded Christian Hedonism and it comes directly from Westminster Catechisms The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Richard Foster- His writing is quite deep and challenging. For as thick as it is to wade through, however, it is very applicable and always worth taking the time A gifted writer and communicator, hes among my favorite authors. C.S. Lewis- a gifted man. His fiction is world renowned and recently put into major motion picture. They tell the story of the Gospel through wonderful allegorical stories. His non-fiction works are renowned as faith classics- they are read worldwide and have been helpful to many Christians, old and young, spiritual babies and giants and in between. Books: My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers- while it may seem to be a little trite and on everyones list, Ive used this multiple years and still found myself drawn by it. It was very helpful in getting me to the point of daily devotional time. Holy Wild by Mark Buchanan- I stumbled across this book while browsing. Its not typical of me to browse and find something- usually Ill look at the stack of books at B&N and decide its too daunting to try and find one or two non-specific books in there. So Ill start looking for authors instead. But I found this and decided to pick it up. I read it with my antennae up because Id never heard of the author. It is a good book dealing with how we view God and how that defines us. It is an invitation to see God as beyond our current ideas- untamable, mysterious, and surprising. Not too academic of a read, it was worth the time put into reading it. Boy Meets World by Joshua Harris- The guy who kissed dating goodbye. He wrote this as a follow up. Whatever you call it- dating, courting, holy dating- doesnt matter. What matters are the principles by which you go about searching for a spouse. There are some helpful tips in here- but warning- this is more for young adults and older- teenagers who are not anywhere near ready for marriage need not read this. Stop Dating the Church by Joshua Harris- Im really not as big of a Joshua Harris as may be indicated here. However, this particular book is a good call to membership and commitment to a local church body. As a youth pastor in a church setting, I find it nice that someone has taken the time to explore Biblical ideas in commitment to a local congregation you would call home. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence- clanging pots and pans, washing dishes, being the cook for a monastery. May not seem very enticing nor may it seem quiet enough, but this is the place that Brother Lawrence was when he did what he called Practicing the presence of God, a continual going with God, continual communion and conversation. He took 1 Thes. 5:17 to heart. And we can do well in our fast paced world to learn from this mans letters and attitude. The Gospel According to the Simpsons by Mark I. Pinsky- I was first introduced to this as it was cited in a textbook that is now in my to finish pile of books. It is a good look, if not a little stretched, at some of the moral and positive things to come out of the show that was so widely opposed by evangelicals and fundamentalists when it began. As a fan of the show, I simply could not miss reading this book, and recommending it to others. The Prayer of Jesus by Hank Hanegraff- most likely written in response to The Prayer of Jabez craze that was all the rage a few years ago, Hannegraff examines the prayer of the ONLY person in the Bible who is worth emulating completely. He explores the prayer that Jesus taught to his followers, and a prayer that we ourselves can benefit from praying. Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster- while hes listed in my authors, this book is one worth noting! It is a deep look into 12 classic Christian disciplines, both corporate and individual- from fasting to prayer to worship and beyond! The kind of book thats worth reading over and over again, if I could recommend one book to aid the growth of new and young Christians, this book tops the list. The Fire of His Holiness by Sergio Scataglini- while I was at Christ Community Church in college they had this Argentinean pastor visiting. His message is about God's call to radical holiness 98% purity does not suffice. God's fire must fall on us to burn away the impurities and cleanse us to meet this call. The God Chasers by Tommy Tenney- this book was very popular at one point- readers are familiar with Tenney's story of being in a church and the pastor pleading for God's presence. presence and God's manifest presence showed up. While a bit charismatic and somewhat mainstream, it's a good call to drop everything and pursue the one thing that satisfies the soul and can fill us. Comics: Calvin & Hobbes -perhaps the greatest comic ever penned for the daily paper and the weekend funnies. The kid was WAY too smart and funny to be 6 years old. But in so many ways, he is normal. Ozy and Millie- reminds me very much of Calvin & Hobbes sometimes. Bentley introduced me to this comic and I go back to see each days new strip. The Far Side - Jim Larson always made me laugh with his comics. Sometimes they were completely random, sometimes historical and sometimes just flat out funny. Takes an appreciation for many aspects of life. I still remember getting The Chickens are Revolting collection in 7th grade and taking it around to different teachers and showing comics that reflected things we were learning in history, science and more. My anti-recommendation list: There may be nothing wrong with these books in particular, but I give warning in these books and authors. Joel Osteen- his preaching and books are very light. As in fluff. He comes across to me, from what Ive seen and read, as more of a motivational speaker. Hes very much into the positive aspect of the Gospel and does not seem to talk about issues of sin, dealing with sin and our unworthiness to be called. Rick Warren- While not hardly as light as Osteen is, Warren can be light sometimes, too.His focus on purpose for lives, churches and other ministries can be good, but often times leads to the belief that its more about us. Something more to be wary of. And then his ministry started a ministry called Celebrate Recovery for anyone with a hurt, habit or hang-up which is fluffy talk for anyone with a sin problem. The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson- not a bad little book when read correctly. But too many have read it as a book to pray for wealth and happiness. Its not that. And there must also be a remembrance that Jabez was a small figure in the Bible and if he was worth emulating, there may have been more about him in there.Also reached craze stage for many churches and people read it just so they could say theyve read it. Lee Strobel- actually a VERY good author. He has written some very good stuff. But his most noted works are the Case for series which give logical explanations and reasoning arguments for the faith. I recommend caution here simply because the world of today, a post-modern world, does not respond as much to logical arguments. They will not be argued into the faith and will say that while you may have made your point, they still do not agree with you. Do read, however, of his books, Reaching Unchurched Harry & Mary if youre interested in evangelism. George Barna- He is the Christian version of the Gallup poll. He is very good at polling people, gathering information and reading that information. However, in some of his more recent books, notably Revolution he did a very poor job of interpreting that information. He is not a theologian and he does not often make good use of the Bible in his assertions. He has done some good work with his polls and I remember reading 2 of his books for classes at college and agreeing with them, but I also remember disagreement. Keep your brain turned on when reading his books. In general, be vigilant and watchful regarding and books or even music that become extremely popular.The gospel is an offensive thing and there will be people who reject it.If there is a book that has no critics or appeals to so many people, be careful. Often times, books such as that miss important parts so as not to be offensive and ultimately short-change Christs death. Also, while reading, I encourage everyone, do not be afraid to disagree with the author. Just because the person has published a book does not mean that he/she is always right and you cannot disagree. It is important to use our minds because thats what God gave them to us for. stay tuned for my wishlist of books

reading list

so, in light of yesterdays little blogging session, I feel inspired to share with you my current reading list. I've removed a BUNCH of books off my shelves and put them on my "to read" pile. I'm going to name them all here and why/how I came in contact with each book. This is a pretty good sized list, but takes a large chunk out of the "on my shelf but never read it" books.

so, here we go- in no particular order. I would recommend each of these books mostly because I haven't read them, or at least, in their entirety, but mostly because they came recommended to me somehow.

Your God is Too Small by JB Phillips- got for my Christian Theology class in college. Forgot that we had an assignment on the book and missed turning in my paper about it. We discussed it, but there are some good little nuggets I want to pull from it. It's a small book. Read, Think, Pray, Live by Tony Jones- a book I'd gotten a year and a half ago- was previewing it to use as book study for my youth group- decided against it, but maybe now. I'm over halfway through- I just need to finish it now. 21 Things God Never Said by R. Larry Moyer- I don't read much by people from Dallas Theological Seminary, but this book was particularly enticing. It is primary a book regarding evangelism and takes 21 common misconceptions and puts some light to them. I started reading a few days ago. This may be a good book for a book study, too. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller- You may note this is on my list of books in my profile. It has been recommended to me by so many people, I don't think I could start to count! Rachel bought it for me for Christmas and I just haven't gotten to it yet. Note the long list of books- that's why. Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi by David Crowder- One of my favorite worship leaders, I have heard excellent things about this book. I began it in the middle of May because I was using some material from it for a sermon I preached. Now I want to finish it- I've had a few times to sit and read it, but have not made that conscious effort. Love, Sex and Relationships by Dean Sherman. Actually a book that Rachel acquired while she was with YWAM, it's a book that I totally want to read. What i've previewed of it is excellent and I may want to do a book study with my youth group through this book, as well. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist by John Piper- I was turned on to Piper by Luke as he helped Rachel and I move across the country. Then, my senior pastor preached a series about joy from another of Piper's books. Seemed like something I'll want to be reading. When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy by John Piper- Actually a book I'd begun a while ago, but it got misplaced as I had to use it to prop up the projector at youth camp and now no one seems to know where it is. As it is replaced, it will be started again. No More Mr. Christian Nice Guy by Paul Coughlin- I simply noticed this book as I walked through Borders last October. I picked it up, read the book jacket and leafed through the Contents page, and some of the book. Looked like an interesting read. Haven't gotten into it yet, I'll let you know how it turns out. A little put off that the foreward was written by Dr. Laura. Your God is Too Safe by Mark Buchanan- I had read another book by this author- Holy Wild. I picked it up off the shelf at Barnes and Noble one day while I was just browsing. The title caught me and I bought and read. He referenced this one many times, and reminded me of the JB Philips book that I have listed. Seemed like a logical next book. God in the Details: American Religion in Popular Culture by Eric Michael Mazur and Kate McCarthy- I have read certain portions of this book- it was a required source for my "Senior Seminar in Theology and Religion" class in college. They were good books. Plus, it seems like the kind of book I'd want to read as I find myself engaging my faith with culture on a regular basis. Paradoxes for Living by N. Graham Standish- this book was required reading for my "Christian Spirituality" class. The prof was so boring. I read enough out of the book to be able to participate in discussion. The discussion was good and encouraged me to read it, but in college, there was no time for non-class reading pretty much. So it got put on the shelf.. And stayed there. Created for Community: Connecting Christian Belief with Christian Living by Stanley Grenz- a required book for my "Christian Theology" class. It was our primary source book, and I read some of it- it was good, but for some reason, I insisted on being a bad student (this was during my first year at college when I needed to make adjustments to my study habits). Seemed like something I may want to pick up and finish off, especially in my current situation where community seems to be to a lesser degree than in many places Ive been. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis- hard to believe I've never read this "essential" classic of the faith. But I haven't. I've read others of Lewis's books, but not this. It is lauded with praise, it'll be worth taking on. The Power of a Praying Husband by Stormie Omartan- My step-father got this for me for Christmas/my birthday right before I was married. Its not a very long book, but I have not taken the time to go through it. It seems like it will be a break from the HEAVY books on this list, but hopefully it will be something useable, too. Sometimes I feel as though I'm not the husband I want to be and I'm thinking there's something I can do about it. Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life by Marjorie J. Thompson- diving back in DEEP, this book was for my spirituality class as well. Again, the boring prof, etc, etc... Squeaked through by reading a little and participating in discussion, etc. Really DO want to read this, and have actually begun it. It's very thick reading and I can get a chapter at a time before I really need to reflect on it. I have to stop in the middle sometimes just to keep up. Conformed to His Image by Kenneth Boa- Bought this book online as a suggestion to preview for the young adult ministry I was leading at New Hope. Got it and found it was much bigger than I expected as well as a very deep book- probably a little more than we wanted to do. So after a quick preview, went to the shelf. The Great Worship Awakening by Robb Redman- a recommended book that had a good review written to it. Bought it online and just haven't gotten to it. Really excited for it, but... no dice so far. The New Worship by Barry Liesch- another recommendation with a good review, I have started this book, but it got buried under the pile of stuff I needed to do while at New Hope. Apparently, preparing me spiritually for leading worship and researching worship trends was not part of my primary job as worship leader there. The Seven Cries of Today's Teens by Timothy Smith- a quick preview led me to thinking this was more a book for parents. But I want to know what's in there because I'm here for parents as well as teens as the youth pastor. So it's on the list. Streams of Living Water by Richard Foster- The author of what I'd consider to be one of the most comprehensive books on the Christian Disciplines, A Celebration of Discipline. I read that book and it was intellectually stimulating, excited my faith and encouraged me toward growth! I bought this book shortly after having read that and have simply not taken the time to read it. It's a large book, and it promises to be as deep as Celebration of Discipline- it may take a long time to read. But I'm sure it will be excellent. Unbreakable: The Seven Pillars of a Kingdom Family by Tom Elliff- a book I just happened to pass at Ollie's Bargain Basement- I got it for $2.99. It's not a large book, and I'm not sure I've heard of the author before. It's a book I'll read with my "Satan Sense" in gear (see Simpsons Episode- 13x11- She of Little Faith). If it looks like a lot, that's because it IS. I'm very ambitious and I know that this will not be completed by this summer, maybe not even by the end of the year, but I'll be working on it. Stay tuned as this has inspired me to put together a list of book recommendations from my shelves. While this list is primarily Christian things, that list may not be.

just wasn't thinking

See, that's the problem right now. I honestly don't think that I've been thinking much recently. I am an intellectual person, stimulated by intellectual conversation and very much a thinker. I love good books, good conversation, good debate and I have a tendency to do well in school situations if I can focus enough to do required readings, etc.

But I have this problem. In general, with these things at least, I guess I'm lazy. I haven't finished a good book in quite a while (though i've started some). I have a large number of books on my bookshelf in my office which have not been read completely through. But I REALLY do want to read them!!

Today, I began to dig in to some of my books- a few in one day! Wow- forgot how much I loved the thrill of challenging my intellect, of interacting with great thinkers, disagreeing, following arguments, whatever! Perhaps I've tried to do some of these things online but have not failed- while I love reading friends blogs that deal with deep issues, my concentration on the internet is not very good. Reading a book- my attention is all there.

So I guess I'm starting fresh today- I want to break out of my laziness and challenge my intellect again! To read good books, to think about things more deeply. I must have been using it at least a little bit because it was not strenuous to read today. I just want to get more into it.

of gasoline and cow juice

back in 1998 (December of '98) when I got my first car as my early high school graduation gift, gasoline cost around $1.45ish/gallon. It's nott that it was terribly expensive, but just that I didn't have a job or money to fill my tank. but as I was talking about it, a older friend of mine commented that he was just glad we didn't run our cars on milk, which was at that time, between $2.50 and $3.00/gallon. It's not so much anything special about cow-juice, it was more just for the comparisson that there are things that cost more than gasoline.

Now here I sit, 7 1/2 years later. I'm on the other side of the country (Oregon now, compared to northern Maine then) and I wonder... Who's going to be the genius that makes a milk car. I honestly wonder what costs more per gallon than gasoline now and think of how I paid less than $2.50 the last time I bought a gallon of milk. So why can we not somehow start running our cars from the milk of cows? It's a more renewable source of energy.

So, if you're a scientist and you come across this, I think the next great idea should be for someone to make a car that runs on milk. that would be awesome!

Grammar Freak

Ok, so I will admit this to you all freely. I am a grammar freak! There's no way around it. I try my best to use proper grammar whether I am on myspace, an IM program, typing e-mails or any other thing that grammar may be used for.

When I was in college, there was this sign posted all over our floor proclaiming that "There is no grammar" and of course, we would make fun of it and try to use improper grammar to say the same thing (aka- there's no grammars, there ARE no grammar, etc...) It was funny. But when I was in college, I also learned as much about the English language and proper use of it as I did when I was in high school (although my hat tips to Mr. Waddell- My public speaking teacher in high school my senior year- for beginning me along this journey).

So why do I share this? Simple- I find myself frequenting forums through myspace and other venues. I talk to people online. And while I have grown so much in my grammar freak ways (I used to send spelling mistakes back to people I talked to on IM... *shudder*), I still am very bothered by improper use of our language. And Rachel can attest to that, I will find grammar mistakes wherever they may be and mention them.

With that said, I have prepared a simple grammar lesson that everyone should use, and is not complicated. It should have been taught to you in first or second grade, but here we are.

Apostrophes have a purpose and should be used! And used correctly! the word "im" means nothing, although I read it all over the place. Because it is two words (I + am), it should be I'm (although I'm very tolerant of non-capitalized letters- using Microsoft Word has made me lazy and I find msyelf often not capitalizing). An apostrophe should be used ANY time you are combining two words (commonly called a contraction) and MOST times that you make something possessive (although there are a few cases that it is not needed).

There are three spellings for this word- they are "there", "their" and "they're". Following the last paragraph, the one that is underused the most is "They're"- any time you are trying to say "they are" you should use They're (easy way to remember- you drop the letter "a" of "are" and an aposotrophe replaces it. If you can say they are in place of the word, then the apostrophe is required). There is a word that refers to a place. Easily remember it by the fact that "here" also refers to a place and it is found in "there". And the last one is the possessive used for a group. Their. It is their ball.

Another lesson. The word its. This is a little tougher, but more commonly misused. It's because it violates the possessive rule of apostrophes. But you should follow the contraction rule first, anyway. The apostrophe belongs ONLY if you're taking the words "it + is" and combining them. Plain and simple.

There are three spellings for to. "Two", "too" and "to". Easy- "two" is ALWAYS the number. "Too" should only be used as an "also" kind of word. It is in addition (easy to remember- there's an "addition"al "o"). And the last "to" is any other case.

These are the things that bother me the most. Try to use them correctly.

But also, if you would like to try and use the language correctly, here are a few other very common mistakes. The word "they" is ONLY used to refer to multiple people. It annoys me endlessly when someone says "I just talked to them" and was referring to one person. The correct SINGULAR words to use are him, her, he, she, or one. "I just talked to him," or "he is going to help us," or "if someone does something wrong, he/she/one (take your pick) should be punished." it is not "if someone does something wrong, they should be punished." that is BAD- you are mixing singular from the word "someone" and plural from the word "they". It must be either both singular, or both plural.

Finally- an "s" does not belong at the end of all words. It belongs mostly at the end of plural words, or after the apostrophe of most possessive words. The word "anyway" requires NO "S"!!! Please, friends, family, make attempts to not add an extra, unnecessary "s."

Thank you.

strangest thing

Ok, so i was watching tv last night with Rachel- and on one of the local networks, we saw the strangest advertisement i think i've ever seen. It was for a local "magic shop", but the big part of the ad was a sale going on this week. It is the 420 sale... And the majority of the ad focussed on items on sale in their "adults only" section of the magic shop. They showed video and talked about what was back there- it was and advertisement for a BONG sale!! That is mostly what they were selling, except they advertised as "pipes" and stuff like that- pipes, scales, etc.. I have NEVER seen an ad for drug paraphernalia sales before, but we started laughing so freaking hard!! I almost started hicupping due to my laughing... anyway- just a funny story i felt inclined to share.

March Madness

As I type this, i'm excited and disappointed at the same time. I'm watching one of the best basketball games I've watched- perhaps ever- as I watch BC play UNC in the ACC semi-finals. It's exciting, but there's less than a minute and UNC is down by a few... But I'm excited because we're coming up on what i consider to be perhaps my favorite time of the year (for sports, at least...)

Maybe it's because when I was growing up, we only had CBS, PBS and CBC and so the only thing on in March on CBS was March Madness. It was also wicked cold in Maine in March, and nothing better to do besides watch the games... But, until I was in high school, I didn't really care, anyway. Maybe it's because my time in college made me a huge sports fan of all kinds (before, I was really only a hockey fan...).

But I'm pretty sure that the real factors are these.

1. College basketball is the best at demonstrating their sport when they play. Just in general, I find college sports to be better than professional. Not necessarily the level of the play, or the style of the players, but fundementals of the game. And college basketball is the best of college sports to play their game. they play both ends of the court- rules are not altered so much to increase scoring- players are not show-offs (hoping for increased contracts or corporate sponsorships)... it's just a better mindset. and they play the GAME!

2. You will never see a Cinderella story do as much as you will find in the NCAA tournament. The fact that there are 65 teams means that there is HUGE opportunity to be involved, even from lesser known teams. And while there is yet to be a number 16 upset a number 1, there have been multiple close calls and we have seen a number of 15s beat 2s and 14s beat 3s. For those of us who like to root for the underdogs- we get ample opportunity to do so. And even those who are not a number 1 seed seldom live up to the hype- only three times in the history of the tournament have three or more number 1s made it to the final four.

3. Buzzer beaters. everything from half-court, 3/4's court, last-second lay-ups and the inbetweens- buzzer beaters make it exciting. If the lead is only 3 points, it doesn't matter if there's .9 seconds left on the clock, the game isn't over!

4. There is just no end to the action, especially in the early rounds of the tournament. I couldn't turn the television on after noon in the first weekend (first 2 rounds) on CBS and not be watching some game- most likely a great one.

There are other reasons why March Madness is so great, but these are some of the best. I grew up in hockey country- the University of Maine did not have much of a basketball program. So while I'm a UNC fan (and UCONN- my dad lives in Conn), I can cheer just about anybody on (except Duke... always root against them).

As much of a sports fan as I am, I simply am not as excited about any time of year as much as I am about the coming of the NCAA tournament!! it truly is March Madness!

silence

can somebody please shut this guy up? i'm seriously considering a mob hit..

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/05/robertson.sharon/index.html

just in case i live in a hole

I'm preparing to watch a baseball game this afternoon- watch the Sox play the (sp)ankees. It should be a good game. i'm looking forward to it. But just in case i'm an idiot- just in case i'm stupid, or just in case i've lived in a hole the past few years...

They decided to remind me of the "recent" history between the red sox and the yankees. i mean, i understand that there are people who still don't know about all this, but they are few and far between. and beyond that, the people who don't know would have changed the channel by then.

So those of us who are sports fans, will watch the game and are interested. We already know. It's history, some of it hurtful (still can't stand Aaron "bleeping" Boone), some of it historICAL (gotta love big Papi and Schill) and some of it just dang funny (like watching the fag {g}A{y}-Rod slapping at the ball like a fairy).

Point being this- does fox think I don't live on earth? I mean, cuz we all do, and those of us watching at this point now KNOW what happened- and either love or hate some or all of it! It seems like these guys are the real "idiots", not Johnny Damon (aka Jebus).

deciding game 7

Can i rant for a moment? I have read some sports commentaries, and watched enough sports playoffs to have heard a phrase i can't stand. It's the obligatory "deciding game 7" or "7th and deciding game". as though anyone who has half a brain doesn't realize that the outcome of the 7th game, in a 7-game series, is going to decide the series... I mean, do we even think about it?

I'm sure someone used it years ago, and everyone decided it sounded good- so they started using it. And now, even the most intelligent of people don't even think about what it means and how much of a redundant statement that is. of course the 7th game is going to decide the series- it's a 7-game series! there is no 8th or 9th game- the last game always decides, and when there are 7 games, there are no more games to decide the outcome...

duh...

Take a moment...

I'd like to take a moment to reflect on a few things from this week. I have heard that this is one of the best weeks for pop-culture- like, ever. A new American Idol was crowned- and thankfully, rockers are still not "accepted" by society and are certainly not the kings of the "pop" wars... (no, the pop war is not the one between Candians and others who call carbonated beverages "pop" and those of us who are right and call it soda...). Jay Leno testified in defense of Michael Jackson, and apparently comedy was on trial, as well, because Leno did the best he could to defend the need for comedy (Although i can scarcely believe that Jay Leno would provide ANY good reason for keeping comedy) and... what else? I don't care...

The real reason for the blog is Jay Leno. I will admit this- i do NOT find him amusing. let alone funny... This guy goes into a courtroom and... no, this is not the beginning of a joke. Jay Leno is cracking his one liners in front of the judge and jury- and if I were the prosecution, I would want a mistrial just because of that! I mean, it's ridiculous...

This only goes to prove a point of mine i've been trying to make for years. Jay Leno is not funny and David Letterman is way more funny! Aside from being better dressed, and those funky glasses- and making fun of Paul, and an American classic- the top 10- there is one major difference between the two that makes all the difference between who is funny and who just makes you chuckle, or less...

Personality! Jay Leno has none, and therefore uses his comedy to try and block that fact. seen in the courtroom, we can see that he had no personality to make the jury want to believe him and be a positive for the defense, so he makes them laugh instead and gets them to like him that way. David Letterman, however, has a personality. And his humor is born out of that, not due to the lack of it. Letterman could make people like him if he was not funny. You see that he has personality simply because of this- when Johnny Carson died, David Letterman, who was basically "snubbed" by not getting Carson's job was remorseful and you could see the pain in him from having lost a true friend and mentor. Jay Leno, who was not half as funny to fill Carson's shoes, but tried to do so anyway, you could see that there was nothing inside of him.

I'm not sure where else to go from here... just thought i'd go ahead and state what has been in my head.

Wanna talk politics?

As I write this, I still am without knowledge of who my next president is- although all the commentators seems quite sure it would take a comeback bigger than the Red Sox vs. Yankees in 2004 for John Kerry to win the election. However, over the past few weeks, months, and even years, I have heard a lot of things that make me want to just comment on my Blog about politics.

I have heard so many people tell me a number of things for this election. I agree that it is VERY important for Americans to vote- even if you don't know who you want to vote for, it is very important because we all must recognize that we have a privledge that too many people in the world do not have.

However, I have heard so many people tell me this- vote for George W. Bush because he is a good Christian man. I do not dispute the claim to faith that this man has- because it is not my place to judge his faith. He seems to be very genuine, and his stances on issues such as abortion, homosexual marriages and stem-cell research certainly follow my own beliefs on such issues, and are along with many evangelicals.

There are other things which trouble me, though. I was talking with a friend the other day who voted for John Kerry for another reason beyond moral stance. This friend is a devout Christian, and I respect him as much, if not more, than just about any other Christians I know. He, however, like many central Pennsylvanian Christians, is a pacifist. And he finds it hard to trust President Bush because of invading Iraq. He truly believes that this is politically unforgivable. Especially with all the casualties that are after "victory."

I am a just war theorist at best, but... I do not know exactly how I believe about this. But I must say this becuase of my friend's stance on war. If he were elected president, he would have to make decisions that go against his faith. Which brings me to my first point today- we cannot make our voting decisions based on a person's religious affiliation.

I may think it is great that President Bush is an evangelical Christian. I think that's great, but I am SURE that being President has caused him to do things that are contrary to his faith. I am not saying he's a terrible person, but with as much power as the president of the United States has, it is going to make it tough for him to be true to faith all the time. Too many Christians can find no fault with the man, but let's be honest- nobody is perfect. In some ways, Christians are holding him as sort of a national pastor (see Blog regarding the requirement of perfect pastors).

I could continue to drive this point home by making my point again, but honestly, I believe that Christians would be required to compromise if elected President. My friend and I both agreed that we would not want to be there- even though it seems like it could be real cool.

The other point of this Blog today, the day after election day, is this. My brothers and I have talked politics, and one of my good friends and I came to the same conclusion. This election, if it goes to John Kerry, would be won on hate. I am not saying that the President would normally win (no one can say this- although he won the popular vote by 3.5 million this time). But the point is this- there are so many people in the United States that hate George W. Bush that they are willing to vote for his opponent regardless.

At so many repulican rallies, there are protestors. And I saw more signs of "No More War" than I did "elect Kerry/Edwards." More people seemed to be actively opposing the war issue than they did to be supporting a candidate. I am not saying there are true John Kerry supporters out there, but many of the people who I know would have voted Kerry would have done so because they hate Bush.

Hate is a powerful motivator- but when it comes to electing a president, as much as religious affiliation cannot be your only deciding factor, hate (and other strong emotions) cannot be your only deciding factor too. People should have researched a lot more than they did and not just taken everything at face value. There is much more below the surface for everyone to discover that should make a difference in your vote.

So, with that said- I just wanted to talk about my view on this election. Who did I vote for?

I'm not telling...