a new kind of blog

For all of you who enjoy post-modern and theological banter, here's a great blog:

http://www.anewkindofconversation.com/

a case of the Mondays...

Good morning everyone! It's Monday and a new week is ahead of me. I'm feeling almost 100% now after my surgery last week (thank you God for Lapriscopic surgery). I'm looking forward to being able to move around without paying for it in the pain department.

I thought I'd share with you today a quote from the Chronicles of Narnia the Last Battle:

"Further up and further in!" - I believe this perfectly describes the Christian life. No matter what happens this should be our battle cry. I feel that God is calling me both in my personal life with Him and my student ministry to go "further up and further in." Further up into both a better (and more simpler) understanding of who God is and further into the presence of the Living God.

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

I'm alive

Yeah, It's been a rough week, but I made it through. I got some cool scars and some happy drugs ;) I'm looking forward to sleeping normally again and being able to walk like a 24 yr old (instead of a 95 yr old).

A old friend from Ohio (LONG LIVE SDS!) posted this link as a comment today, I thought it was worthy of a blog post:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/21/christian_rockers_drm_tips/

Looks like Switchfoot is about to become very popular...but not for the best reason.

Here's the actual message board post to verify the article (which is always necessary on the internet)

http://forums1.sonymusic.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/716102313/m/5201067064

I think that while what Tim did was noble... It may have been a bad career mistake. Or it may have been brilliant. Time will tell I guess. Of couse he was not encouraging fans to steal music illegally, just how to transfer their CD's to their portable music devises (which is legal to do).

Ouch

Right now as I type this I am extremely sore pretty much all over. Yesterday, I awoke with a severe pain in my stomach. As the morning progressed it became nearly unbearable. This morning I awoke less of a man than yesterday- for I am recovering from appendicitis. I had to have my infected little appendix out (does any one know what an appendix does?).

I'll type more about my "experience" later when I'm less sore and able to move faster than a geriactric patient.

Your very sore friend -

kirplunk

Well, my new-to-me car has had it's first breakdown. I went to start it today when I came out of getting my hair cut and it didn't turn over...it didn't even squeak. You can imagine that I prayed real hard at that point. Well the good news is that God heard my prayer and I was able to start the car. Not feeling that this was a permanent God-fix, I took it to a mechanic only to find that my car did not start again once I got there.

So I'm without a car tonight and hopefully will get it back early tomorrow. So much for my Thursday night plans (and other errands I had to do today).

Google...Earth?!

Yes, you heard right. Google Earth. Now they really are taking over the world.
Seriously, this thing is fascinating...I spent over an hour last night just playing with it. Check it out here:

http://earth.google.com/

It adds a whole new meaning to: "hey I can see my house from here!"

On a completely different note. Check out this interview with the director of "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" - I don't think I'm going to see this film, however it's a great to see that Christians are penetrating even the Horror genre.

http://www.thesource4ym.com/interviews/ScottDerrickson.asp

Nothing Is Sound

Today is a happy day because it is the day the new Switchfoot album comes out. And I am listening to it right now. It sounds great. It's also my first "dualdisk" CD ever. On one side, there is the audio CD- on the other side, there is a DVD documentary and a Dolby Digital 5.1 version of the album!


I highly suggest the album...but then again, I'm biased ;)

photo story

I made a video photo story of the hurricane aftermath for my church

Check it out here: http://braccma.org/youth/video/katrina.wmv

Hurricane Katrina Relief

I've been very restless the last several days about the enourmous devistation of Hurricane Katrina. I feel so helpless right now, and I want to do something to help. As the next few weeks progress, my church district is planning on forming disaster relief teams to help out. In the meantime, an enourmous amount of money is needed to purchase food and to provide services to those who have been displaced by this disaster.

Among the many organizations you can give to, you can give through the C&MA's "CAMA Services." CAMA stands for Compassion and Mercy Associates. “Services” refers to a variety of relief and development ministries that flesh out the good news of God’s love for people—body and soul. Combined, the two words refer to compassionate servants ministering to people in crisis situations through word and deed.

Whatever organization you choose to work with, please give something towards the effort. To donate to CAMA services online click here