Christmas 2009

For those of you wanting to know what to get me next Christmas I have your answer...


http://stereogum.com/archives/video-games/here-come-the-beatles-the-video-game_031791.html

Finally a music video game worth buying...sorry Metallica...I guess you will have to take your overrated music elsewhere.

Corn Maze

Tonight I will be taking our students (high school and junior high) to a local corn maze. I am looking forward to running out of the stalks and scaring students...especially the guys who are tryting to put up the tough front to impress the lady folk. That is always fun times.

In the next couple of weeks I have a few more reviews coming:
-Hurt (the book)
-Death By Love by Mark Driscoll (book)
-Narratives: A Christmas Album by Josh Rosenthal (music)

It is a very busy week so don't expect much until Monday.

Follow Up

We got back from our Fall Retreat on Sunday afternoon and it went very well.

Thanks to any of you who were praying for us as we were gone. There were a lot of small and important steps takend by students this weekend.

100!

This is my 100th post! I could not think of anything really important to talk about so I decided to make this post all about the post.

Maybe I am drawing attention to this very minor achievement because of some childhood trauma.

Maybe I am doing it because I am too lazy to right out a well though out discourse on something important.

I do have several people to thank.
-God for giving me ten fully functioning fingers to type
-Meredith for encouraging me to type, and to stay out of her hair
-My readers, both of you.
-Zak White - for gripping at me for not writing enough
-George Clooney - You know why

Have a great weekend!

Heading To The Mountains

Today we are leaving for our high school ministry's Fall Retreat.

I am excited for a time to get away form the same old routine for a few days. The topic of this retreat is on prayer and it will be lead by my friend Brendan. I think it is going to be a good time for our students.

I would appreciate any of you who might happen to read this over the course of the weekend to say a quick prayer for the students and the retreat. I figure since the retreat is on prayer, it would be good to have people praying for the retreat from time to time throughout the weekend.

Thanks guys.

A look at the lives of students

In today's society student only get an average of 5-6 hours a night. Who can blame them, between school, sports, band, musicals, homework, church, extra curricular activities, work, spending a little bit of social time, and of course eating, it is amazing that they are even getting that much.

As I talk with teens in the youth ministry here at New Life EFC I can see the stress filled bags under their eyes. They are being pushed by parents to succeed so they can get scholarships, they are being pushed by teachers so they can get raises, they are being pushed by peers to avoid embarassment when the class ranks come out, they are being pushed by coaches who think that winning is everything (it's high school coach...not the NFL...so shut up), they are being pushed by their jobs to work more hours, they are being pushed by choir directors to practice three hours a night when they are done doing the other 4 hours of homework that is given each day, and of course they are being pushed by themselves, to meet these ungodly expectations that are places on them with no room for failure.

I am fully convinced that the life of a high school student to so incredibly different than when I graduated just 9 years ago.

It is not surprise to me that teen alchohol and druge use has skyrocketed as fast as their schedule fills up. I wonder how to create and environment that is free from expecetation to succeed and filled with expectation to just simply be.

We as a culture are stressing out teenagers for the sake of "a better tomorrow". I am not sure how this mentatilty will flesh out in the future but I would put big money on the fact that it won't be good.

So if you work with students in any capactiy make sure you are teaching them that they can say "no" to extra activities. We have been teaching them that "no" is only a good response when someone offers them drugs or sex, however I think the stress levels that teens face today are almost as dangerous as drugs and sex.

Sorry about the rant, but it just feels so good.

out of the stands

In a move as crazy as a soccer mom possibly becoming vice-president of the county, Mike Leach has found a new kicker.

During half time of the Texas Tech/UMass game a few weeks back there was a contest for free rent if someone could kick a 30 yard field goal. Apparently Matt Williams, a transfer student from Tarleton State, nailed it. Before finding his seat Williams was flagged down and told to come to Leach's office the next day.

Due to poor kicking (6 missed PATs so far) Williams might be kicking for the Red Raiders this Saturday against KU.

Next thing you know there will be a Golden Retireiver playing basketball, with movies made about his life. I bet they call them all "Air Bud" event though the phrase "air" is best applied to basketball only. Nothing says hockey like "Air Bud".

Bright spots

This makes the Jason Kidd trade look a little better.

One of the many reasons I love high school students...and Texans

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/101208dnmetqueen.39be68a.html

Jesus quotes

So in a few weekd (starting in Nov.) I am doing a new study with my students called "Who is Jesus?" which is designed to answer some doubts of current students as well as some of their friends at their schools or work places.

It is a five week study looking at five different areas of Jesus' life. This will hopefully be a good study.

I named this study "Who is Jesus?" and not "Who was Jesus?" to imply that Jesus is alive and well, and living in Mexico. Ok, so maybe Jesus is not living in Mexico (and yes that is an Audio Karate reference).

I was wondering if any of you (my faithful reader...notice it is not plural....so this means you) had any good quotes about who Jesus is from different celebrities, or theologians. It does not have to be correct...in fact it would be great if it was not.

Just to let you know the five weeks are based on the following topics:
Week 1 - Is Jesus God?
Week 2 - Was Jesus a man?
Week 3 - How did people know that Jesus was coming?
Week 4 - Did Jesus' mom have to be a virgin?
Week 5 - Why did Jesus come to earth?

Anything relating to these topics would be greatly appreciated. Mucho Gracias.

Red River Rivalry

The time has come. UT. OU.

I love the fact that this game is ovetshadowing the LSU/Florida game.

HOOK 'EM!

Fleeces + Football = Fall

The fall is finally setteling in here in Denver. Today I woke up and it was a little foggy, 45 degrees, and I felt like staying in bed all day. I love the fall.

Time to get out my fleeces and long sleeve shirts. Time to start layering my clothes and eat soup at night instead of turkey sandwiches.

The fall also makes it feel more appropriate to be watching football on Saturdays, for example tomorrow I will wake up, walk the dogs, make some coffee, watch the Longhorns beat the Sooners, listen to the Red Raiders beat the Cornhuskers on the radio, and then watch any random game that is on TV.

I also love the fall because I am able to see my students games (football AND futbol) as well as other school activities. I love it. I know that a lot of people do not enjoy the fall, but I am not one of those people. Things are cool, but not freezing, there is not two feet of snow on the ground, but you also don't feel like your car is a sauna everytime you get in....did I mention football?

Well, I am going to play some Jon Foreman and Ryan Adams (perfect fall music) and get back to work on the new CREW PM series "Who Is Jesus?" If you have any ideas for aspects of Jesus to cover then please leave me a comment, or leave a comment anyway, maybe your favorite recipie or fall music. Have a blessed day!

Just a quick reminder...

Texas Tech is still undefeated

Jakob Dylan - Seeing Things

Almost everyone knows Jakob Dylan, even if they don't know that they do.

Jakob Dylan (formerly of The Wallflowers) has recently released his first solo project called "Seeing Things". We all know his voice from those 90's hits "One Headlight" and "6th Ave. Heartache" This album is a very stripped down version of Jakob. The songs are just acoustic with some light percussion in the background.

I always enjoyed the Wall Flower's music, especially as they stopped being played on the radio and developed a little more of an alt country feel. So I had high expectations when I got this album.

Dylan's songs, both in sound and lyrical content, remind me of a Cormac McCarthy novel put to music. The are songs that deal with depravity, despair, and in the end hope.

I really enjoy this album, but I do wish that there was a vinyl version of "Seeing Things" available because the songs sound as though they were meant to be on vinyl (much like Jon Foreman's EPs which I just found out today are coming out on vinyl, oh happy day!).

This album is definitely worth the listen, however I would recommend that you go to itunes and give it a listen just to make sure you like the acoustic psuedo-country feel.

Tracks to listen to:
-Valley of the Low Sun
-All Day and All Night (not great lyrically, but the feel reminds me of a Johnny Cash song)
-War is Kind
-Something Good This Way Comes
-Up On The Mountain (I am not sure what this song is really about, but it reminds me of Jesus)
-This End of the Telescope

Tracks to skip:
-Evil is Alive and Well
-I Told You I Couldn't Stop