when in the course of current events...

a lot has happened in the past 24 hours...

1. Penn State defeated Florida State in the Orange Bowl - other wise known as the AARP Bowl featuring Joe Paterno vs. Bobby Bowden - both coaches are over 70 years old. some called it the greatest game of the year... i watched the game... it was a sloppy game filled with mistakes. 3 missed field goals and a missed extra point... tons of penalties... in this case it wasn't that both teams deserved to win, as JoePa said after the game. instead both teams deserved to lose.

2. erronious reports last nite said that 12 miners trapped in a WV coal mine were all found alive. there was rejoicing, people were singing and praying and Geraldo Rivera on Fox News was talking about what he was going to do to the rescued miners ('wet my finger and wipe away the dirt and kiss 'em all'). what turned out to be a cruel turn of events, the reports were wrong. only 1 miner had survived and it appears that the error in the reporting was based on someone overhearing a cell phone conversation...
this is a sad day and i pray that God will be with the families of those involved, but maybe this is a wake up call to the American media. they love to jump on the latest 'news' story, camp outside the event and talk... mostly about nothing... repeating the same things for hours... with no time to fact check. we don't see hard news reported anymore, we see trendy ways of pretentious news (dare i say) journalists pretending to report... they aren't really reporting though... this can be attributed to the fact that almost everything is live... this is our fault... we want it now... we have made news reporting a consumer product that is based on the appearance, not on the substance. it felt good watching the reports last nite. i went to bed with a smile and disbelief... i woke up and was shocked... the truth is difficult sometimes... shame on you, news media.

edit: after more time and thought, i think part of the blame in all of this is the human emotion. and really, in this situation it isn't fair to blame that. those who rejoiced late last nite were clinging to hope... hope that was fading with every passing minute. they wanted to believe the imposible. one man even said that they all thought that the miners were going to come straight to the church instead of the hospital to get examined. this is a tragedy and it is so very unfortunate that all of these people had to go through the whole realm of emotions, some even in front of live tv cameras.

3. one teenage girl was killed in a traffic accident early yesturday morning in North Canton. the driver is in critical condition. alcohol is believed to be the reason for the accident. alcohol claims another life... and yet some right now are still bragging about the hangover they had as a result of NYE partying. i'll never understand why it is somehow 'cool' to be wasted and drunk. why is that something to brag about? i know i could be villified for having such a belief but you know drinking oneself into a drunken stuper is nothing to be proud of... but maybe i am taking things a bit to seriously... to bad the teenage driver of that car didn't take it seriously enough.

4. the nest generation of DVD products will be released. Sony & Toshiba are in competition to come out with the next big digital video player - unfortunately both players are not compatable with each other (much like the whole Betamax vs. VHS battle in the 80's.) some movie studios have teamed up with Toshiba and others with Sony to only release their movies on that format. at this point, the only way for the consumer to be able to view all the movies they want they would have to own both players. this will be a consumer nightmare. lots will be happening with HDTV and new digital DVD technology... wait and see...


and to end on a happy note...
5. i am still rejoicing Ohio State's victory over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl monday nite. man, they looked good. We'll be losing three strong players at the linebacker position but there is a bright future for the Bucks next year. da da da da da da da da... Go Bucks!

TOP 25 ALBUMS OF 2005

25. Lemon Jelly -'64-'95
a shiny, concept-type album that i liked a lot better earlier in the year. Come Down on Me was featured in the trailer to the movie A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy... hearing that song on the commercials for the movie made me sick of LJ for a while.
KEY TRACK: Go (featuring William Shatner)

24. My Morning Jacket - Z
a lot of people have been raving about this album. to some extent, the hype may be bigger than the band, though the song GIDEON alone makes this album worth repeat listens.


23. LCD Soundsystem - s/t
they sound like they should be from England but they reign from NY. good dance/indie-electronica for when you need that fix.
KEY TRACKS: Daft Punk is Playing at my House, Yeah


22. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
admittedly, it took seeing them on the Daily Show with John Stewart (of all things) to give them another listen. I had grown tired of the Stripes, but seeing them live (on TV) made me curious and interested again.
KEY TRACKS: My Doorbell, Red Rain

21. Boards of Canada -The Campfire Headphase
atmospheric, spacey, beautiful & intriguing electronica. it puts you in another place on some other planet, on the beach with waves lapping over your feet. i don't know how else to describe this album.


20. Switchfoot - Nothing is Sound
another solid effort from the surfers/rockers of Switchfoot. it may as well be titled The Beautiful Letdown, pt. 2, but it still is worth your time.
KEY TRACKS: Stars, The Shadow Proves the Sunshine

19. Waking Ashland - Composure
Melodic, piano-driven pop-rock. this album was on repeat all summer long.
KEY TRACKS: I Am For You, Edinger


18. Stars - Set Yourself on Fire
lush boy/girl vocals with lyrics about love and emotion with melodic instrumentation... Set Yourself on Fire (featuring an array of instruments (horns, strings, synthesizers with the usual guitar and drum) was a surprise find this year. This album is about the ups & downs of any given romantic relationship. KEY TRACKS: Your Ex-love is Dead, Ageless Beauty

17. Embrace - Out of Nothing
One of the many gems from 2005 that derived over in England. If you don't feel good after listening to Embrace then you quite possibly might be dead.
KEY TRACK: Out of Nothing


16. The Myriad - You Can't Trust A Ladder
A late find, The Myriad's debut kept finding it's way into my CD player. the music is smooth and i kept wanting more.
KEY TRACKS: Streched Over, 10,000 X 10,000


15. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
i don't know if Sufjan is really good yet. his music is the latest trend, which is part of the reason Illinois didn't crack the Top 10 for me. I like this album... it has some creative elements and is easy to listen to.
KEY TRACKS: Casimir Pulaski Day, John Wayne Gacy, Jr

14. Mae - The Everglow
it's a concept album that plays like a storybook. Each song flows into the next with purpose and ease; before you know it 15 tracks and 61 minutes have passed by. as a whole, it's a perfect record that i hope will not grow tiresome with age.
KEY TRACKS: Someone Else's Arms, Painless, The Ocean, The Sun And The Moon


13. Kent -Du & Jag Doden
400 Slag is one of the best lead tracks on any CD ever. it doesn't matter that i have no idea what lead singer Joakim Berg is singing about (the album isn't in English - Kent reigns from Sweden), the album is terrific.
KEY TRACKS: 400 Slag, Du Är Ånga, Du Var Min Armé


12. The Perishers - Let there be Nothing
this album is easy to listen to and hard to forget. The Perishers, like Kent are from Sweden, only this album is in English. With songs are about love and hope and smooth and dreamy instrumentation, Let There Be Nothing brings balance to my music library.
KEY TRACKS: Sway, My Heart


11. Beck - Guero
i'm not sure how i left this one out of the top 10... i guess i didn't listen to it enough. Beck goes back to his roots with this one. it's chunky but funky and you can bug out to it.
KEY TRACKS: E- Pro, Hell Yes


10. Coldplay - X&Y
this was probably one of the most anticipated releases of this year. i can't say that disappointedted but prior to listening i had figured it would be my number one for the year. Coming in at number 1o is nothing to be ashamed of. the album isn't anything new, but it's still worthy of repeated listens.
KEY TRACKS: White Shadows, Talk, Low, 'Til Kingdom Come


9. Sigur Rós - Takk
the band that put icelandic music on the map has given us one more beautiful piece of art. it ranks in the top 10 because of it's sheer originality. like their previous albums, Takk is an experience.
KEY TRACKS: Glosoli, Saeglopur, Sorglega


8. Nada Surf -The Weight is the Gift
i can't think of anything specific about this album that i like, other than all of it. it's another low-fi album that placed in my top 25. i listened to it a lot, so i guess i liked it, thus it's ranking at #8.
KEY TRACKS: Always Love, All is a Game, In the Mirror


7. Kanye West - Late Registration
what is this album doing in my top 25? it doesn't really fit with anything else on my list. regardless, it's a mighty fine album. The beats are kickin' which is all i ask for in a rap album; plus collaborations with Adam Levine, Jamie Foxx, Common & Jay-Z. The hype surrounding West almost kept him off my list... didn't want to be looked at as a trend-follower, but alas, the album is good and speaks for itself.
KEY TRACKS: Heard 'Em Say, Gold Digger, Diamonds From Sierra Leone


6. Over the Rhine - Drunkard's Prayer
i love Over the Rhine. What's not to love? this album is stripped down and natural... it's as if Karen and Linford are playing in your living room. it's intimate and personal; like other OtR albums, it is best listened to in the dark.
KEY TRACKS: I Want You to Be My Love, Drunkard's Prayer, Who Will Guard the Door


5. David Crowder Band - A Collision (or 3+4=7)
this was my most listened to album of the year. it was hard not to put this one at #1. this exceeded all of my expectations and drew me in from the start of Everybody Want's to Go to Heaven. tracks 11-21 are so incredible. i often would listen to them on repeat for a very long time and not grow tired of them. A Collision brings the realm of worship music to a whole new level, a level probably more in tune with God's heart than anything else, because it's raw, honest, creative and from the gut. listening to A Collision is a journey from our depravity to His divinity.
KEY TRACKS: Here Is Our King, Beautiful Collision, O God Where Are You Now?, Come Awake, You Are My Joy, Rescue Is Coming


4. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
in march, you could have called me an addict... everyday i had to have my Bloc Party fix. there is just something fun about this album. Imagine the retro Eighties sound brought back to life with the Killers mashed up with a rabid, futuristic beat and a pinch of disco-funk, and you’ve got Bloc Party. No rip off sound here - just a raw, danceable spirit, full of energy.
KEY TRACKS: Like Eating Glass, Helicopter, Banquet


3. Bruce Springsteen - Devils & Dust
Bruce goes back to his roots with this solo, all accoustic disc. he tells stories and shares his soul. this album increases its value with every listen.
KEY TRACKS: Jesus Was An Only Son, Devils & Dust, All I'm Thinkin' About


2. Thirteen Senses - The Invitation
What would happen if Coldplay, Travis, South and Keane merged into one and yet maintained some sort of originality? With a solid collection of soulful lyrics, melodic piano and guitar instrumentation, Thirteen Senses has gained moderate success in the British indie scene. The pure emotion of Will South’s vocals keep you hooked as The Invitation improves upon repeated listens. It isn't really anything original but i really like this album and i listened to it a lot this year.
KEY TRACKS: Thru the Glass, Do No Wrong


1. Engineers - s/t
Breathtaking. Epic. Euphoric. The slow-building crescendos of downbeat sadness show an electrifying side of beauty reminiscent of a cool spring evening sleeping under the stars. Engineers’ self titled debut is more of a soundtrack to a somber reality than anything else. They don’t necessarily fit into any category; maybe that is why i liek them so much.
KEY TRACKS: Lets Just See, Come in Out of the Rain, One in Seven


-----------

so there you have it... my top 25...

if you'd like to see other top 10 lists from Circle Six Magazine go HERE.
[C6M's Top Ten comprised by Jacob Taylor.]






you'll see my Top 10 there as well (slightly different... i've made some changes since i turned that in to be published on DEC 15th).

this guy is smarter than me

and i hate him for it. mostly because i'm jealous. i would like a million dollars, please (or at least a year end bonus)

Cash pours in for student with $1 million Web idea

http://www.milliondollarhomepage.com/

i will...

list my top 25 albums of 2005 on FRI or SAT.

stay tuned....


oh, and check out this review of KING KONG i wrote.



p.s. listening to the new Ester Drang.... loving it

After the fact blogs

I haven't posted in a while... Been very busy getting ready for Christmas and what not... I've realized that posting 'after the fact' blog posts just isn't the same... I tend to forget details and such.

so in lue of trying to rack my brain on this Christmas eve for something whimsical to write I will just wish you all a Merry Christmas!

America in Color

i found this web site [http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/boundforglory/] with a collection of photographs taken in the late 1930's/early 1940's.
it's interesting to look at them, to see the simpler life that was. let's not forget the greatest generation.

go to the online exhibition to see a collection of the photographs.

Memoirs from a journey to the moon (or Indiana, Pennsylvania)

the Pennsylvania Sky on a cold winters day [12.10.05]

departure time: 9:21 am
destination: Brush Valley, PA (outside of Indiana - the town, not the state)
reason for travel: Christmas with 57 other 'Coffman's' ( my wife's side of the family)


the following are excerpts from our journey to and fro
------------------------------------------------------

10:25 am
We stopped @ McDonalds to get some breakfast. Jen asked if they were serving lunch yet. The woman said "No." So Jen then orders a 10 piece McNugget meal. "We aren't serving lunch yet." she said. We ordered 4 hashbrowns, a biscuit & some sort of McMuffin sandwich.

McDonalds Drive Thru Woman (after handing Jen our food): Would you like a free Vindicator?
Jen: What's that?
McD: A newspaper.

Have you ever been offered a free Vindicator? We thought it maybe was a kids toy... or a weapon. By the way, they shorted us one hashbrown, so we pulled around again, and I ran in to get our vacant Hashbrown.

p.s. worst hashbrowns ever.

---

11:15am
Jen: Were having a lovely day on our escapade to PA.
Tim: Escapade. That's a song by Janet Jackson.
Jen: Who's Dave Jansen?

---

11:45am
Jen: How do you spell hocker? (or is it hawker?)

---

12:17pm - 8:08pm
during this time an assortment of activities took place involving various things, such as sledding under the winter sun, getting lost in the dull roar of 57 other people, watching the kids wrestle, talking football, eating food, getting sleepy, watching the children unwrap toys, watching children fight over said toys, fixing broken toys, saying 'Merry Christmas' to Santa & Mrs. Claus and fellowshiping with friends and family.

---

8:59pm
Jen: Wouldn't it be cool to name your kid 'Natalie' but spell his name with a silent 'G' so it would be 'Gnatalie'?

Tim: Other options would be Phrank...

Jen: or Gnoah

Tim: or Pneal.

---

9:47pm
We decided to stop at the Grove City Outlets. Holiday hours extends closing time to 10pm. Jen had just enough time to run into the new Old Navy Outlet to buy stuff. i think she bought some gloves or Christmas presents or a plastic bag that says Old Navy on it.

I remember one time we stopped at the Grove City Outlets back in September. We got there around 6pm on a Sunday. They closed at 6. In the parking lot I saw two people take matts out of their trunk and neeled on it, praying to the East... facing Mecca, I presume. I think they were in the Gap before that. Jen bought jeans there.

---

10:17pm
We were hungry so we headed to Wendy's. Jen ordered 2 5-piece Nuggets. They gave us 1 5-piece nugget. When we drove around the building to get our vacant 5 piece nugget we saw this old woman clawing at her window of her car. It was if she was saying to us "come and help me. I'm being held captive in my own car. Save me. Save me!!!" Almost similtaniously, we noticed a calico cat scurrying from the back of the Wendy's. Then, when I pulled up to get our nuggets, I almost ran the cat over. The cat then ran towards the clawing womans car. As it turns our, her window wouldn't go up and she was using her hands to push it up manually. Either that or that stray cat bit her and she turned into a cat. Or maybe she was just crazy.

---

11:46pm

We were driving back into town, when our worst fears almost came to fruition: a deer was in the middle of the road. He wanted to play chicken. we won, he darted. Ironically, earlier in the day a dead deer was along the side of the road. Jen swerved the car more when seeing the dead deer than she did when seeing the live deer. Regardless, she got us home safely from there. She is a good driver. (i'm trying to get brownie points).

on a similar note, when i was 9 or 10, i was playing football in the backyard on a snowy Christmas afternoon. I threw the ball up in the air, then dove and caught it. Lying on the ground, i rolled over in the snow right onto a frozen dead rabbit. the rabbit was lying on the side of the road, right across the street from a guy who shot a deer and left the dead carcass hanging in his garage for a week. It smelled up the neighborhood real good.

---
12:04am

we arrived back home. Would you like a free Vindicator?

i dont know what to write

i've logged on to blogger a number of times this week, with good intentions of blogging something. but the ink didn't flow. the keys didn't stroke. my motor senses in my brain didn't give my fingers a chore.

right now i am frantic. ok, not frantic, but thinkin hard about what my top 10 albums of 2005 will be. i have a list of probably 25-30 albums that i need to narrow down to 10. my list keeps growing and as of this moment i don't have a sure-shot number 1 album of 2005.

it snowed a lot last nite. we played snow football last sunday. i hung up christmas lites outside on the porch on Tuesday. there is a strand of lights, about 10 lights probably, that aren't working. i cheated and doubled them up, with working lights strung overtop of the non-working lights. i didn't feel like re-stringing the lights. after all, it was 12 degrees.

who would win in a battle of fists: chuck norris or bruce lee? i'm going with chuck norris, mainly because bruce lee is rumored to be dead.

who would win in a battle of wills: will smith or william shatner? toss up, i'd say.

nick & jessica broke up the day before thanksgiving. i wonder if they had already bought a turkey and had planned on eating it together. to bad for the turkey, if so...

oh, and if you are wondering about the squirrel picture: i had this squirrel friend of mine pose for me a few years ago. he was nuts. i just stumbled across the image on my computer so i thought i'd share it with you.

p.s. he who stands on toilet is high on pot.

.catchafire.

get your law & order fix

is it just me or is Law & Order on every channel on TV? my in-laws and my parents all enjoy the show(s). so last week we were on holiday (that's what the British call 'Vacation') up at Jen's parents house. they watched the show so we watched the show. we returned home for Thanksgiving on Wed. night. my parents watch the show, so we watched the show. throughout the entire week, i think i watched more Law & Order episodes (the original, SVU & CU) than i have EVER!

between TNT, USA, A&E, & NBC you can watch your fill of L&O every day.

so i Sunday night, i was about to go to bed. i had a meeting early Monday morning... i had planned on going to bed early. I went upstairs and planned on flipping channels before falling asleep. It was 10 PM. I ended up watching 3 episodes of SVU back to back before falling asleep around 1AM. now i am a L&O junkie.

great. one more show that i watch...


(i do enjoy the television)

orange vests, rainbows, dirty windows & an irish band

i was driving today. all the way to Cambridge. orange vests were plentiful. deer were scattered here and there. some dead along the highway, others frolicking in the fields of grain not knowing that their impending doom was about to come at a really bad time for them. as i drove a little known irish band called U2 filled my ears with plentyful bliss. Where the Streets Have No Name had new meaning as i recently read in an interview with Bono that the song was written in the mid 80's, pre Joshua Tree during a trip to Africa.

along the way home, my tired eyes were kept adrift upon a sea of dirt upon my windshield. the afternoon sun gave way to drops of rain. a rainbow capped off the drive home. its width was magnificent.

i had no great revelations while driving. i often do when driving alone. but i did have a sore neck.

thanksgiving

i like turkey

last wknd

so we had our annual Atwood Retreat... it was our 7th retreat we've taken the youth group too down at the Atwood Lake Resort. well, as i blogged earlier last week, i had a terrible cough. i was taking so much medicine - Nyquil and Robitussen DM & that Vicks VaporRub that i think it dried me out so i ended up getting 4 bloody noses over the weekend. not fun. worst was that i got one in Pizza Hut - so there i was - camped out in this dungy & gross bathroom trying not to get blood all over the place. That was fun.

my cough is pretty much going away... but every once in a while it get a bad spell of the coughs.

top 25 most played from iTunes

here are my 25 most played songs from my iTunes (home computer)

I Left My Wallet in El Segundo - A Tribe Called Quest
808 Crickets - Earlimart
Nothin But a G Thang - Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dogg
Unintentional Tape Manipulations - Earlimart
Work It - Missy Elliot
The Party - Starflyer 59
Dot/Eyes - Tortoise
The Answer - Bloc Party
ataraxia - team sleep
First Breath After Coma - Explosions In the Sky
Do Not Move - David Crowder Band
Our Happy Home - David Crowder Band
Peter Street - Engineers
Your Hand In Mine - Explosions In the Sky
A Poor Man's Memory - Explosions In The Sky
Eternal Life - Jeff Buckley
A Beautiful Collision - David Crowder Band
You Are My Joy - David Crowder Band
Rescue Is Coming (B Walk Down Stairs) - David Crowder Band
Six Days At the Bottom of the Ocean - Explosions In the Sky
Yoga Means Union - Ambulance Ltd
Like Eating Glass - Bloc Party
Tulips - Bloc Party
Worlds Collide - Christine Glass
White Shadows - Coldplay

the copy store

occasionally for my job, i ahve to go to Staples or CopyMax to get copies made. why? because the church where i work has crappy copy machines. so i went to copy max last Friday to get copies made and the lady there acted so self-righteous about her vast knowledge of how to use the copy machine. she proceded to make me feel dumb for not knowing how to run the machine.

"you're doing it wrong" she told me. "what do you want? 1 to 1, 1 to 2 or 2 to 2?"

i said "i want these 2 papers copied front to back." she then proceeded to set it at 2 to 2. well it needed to be set at 1 to 2 - so when it started printing wrong she threw a fit. "oh no. no . no . no . You want 1 to 2."

anyway - i just thought it to be humorous. she ascted like i was supposed to know how to do it all, but you know, i don't work there. she does. shouldn't she be helping me?

anyway, what is it with those self-righteous copy makers?

the new abs workout

so i've invented a revolutionary new abs workout... it's called coughing.

i've had this horrible cough the last few days and my abs are very sore as a result. so if you want to gain that all impressive 6 pack... here is the trick: start coughing or hang around sick people, but don't get to sick - just enough sick that you only have a cough. then cough all the time. wake up in the middle of the night and cough. take a break from eating supper and cough. it'll take away your appetite AND work out those abs! oh, and don't go to the doctor because of your coughing. they'll make you better - but then you'll lose that 6 pack and be tubby, which is what they want - becuase if you gain weight then you'll be prone to more disease or something, which keeps doctors employed.

so today is a little better...

after a few hours of agony, we got the wireless router to work properly... it was letting us network, but the internet wasn't working.

jen helped me set up some photo's on Flickr

that makes me happy. go there and adore my kids.

i have to hit the grindstone now... lots of work to get done. DND...

random random random

i hate the fact that our new dishwasher is leaking into the basement.

we have the worst luck when it comes to electronic items such as Answering Machines, Cordless Phones & now Wireless Routers. we have had to replace multiple phones & answering machines and yesturday, after only two years, our Linkys wireless router stopped working. we bought a new one but of course - it wont work properly... i am dreading having to call tech support. every time i do, i can't understand what they are saying.

today marks the 6th anniversary of my job as Director of Youth Ministries at Christ United Methodist Church.

i have a bad cough - it feels like i have this constant tickle in my throat.

i need more sleep.

i am so ticked off right now at that stupid router.

nothing else valuable to say...

NUMB3RS

NUMB3RS
Last year, an average of 48 different youth attended youth related activities @ Christ United Methodist Church each week. 1,770 youth attended our Youth ministry activities between Sept. 2004 and May 2005. We have 104 youth on our roster. Mailings are often sent to 70 different homes of teens. Out of the 104 on our roster, 37 are teens from families who are either members or attendees of CUMC, 48 come from homes in which their parents do not attend church & 19 come from families who attend another church. We’ve got twelve 7th graders, nine 8th graders, thirty-three freshman, twenty-two sophomores, nine juniors and twenty seniors on our roster (and if you’re wondering ‘how does one get on the youth roster?’ - they must attend at least two youth meetings -Youth Bible Study or Sunday Youth Focus - or their family must be a part of Christ UMC - then they are automatically included).

But the thing is, they aren’t just numbers. They are individuals who all need Jesus. They were all created in the image of God & their heavenly Father has a wonderful plan for them. Some have gone the extra mile to walk like Christ, while others are moving at a slower pace - but the Christian life is a long walk in the right direction and I always tell the youth,’ it doesn’t always matter how fast you are walking, as long as you are moving forward into the Light’. When we trust God, he takes care of the rest.

Ironically Jesus had only 12 followers who never understood his illustrations, seemed to abandon him at critical times and had trouble trusting him - while one of those 12 was trying to get him killed. If we’d put that on Jesus’ resume most of the churches in America wouldn’t hire him. One thing I learned recently while attending the National Youth Workers Convention in Pittsburgh was that numbers are no way to judge a ministry’s success. In Luke 7:11-16 we see an example of what ministry is all about.


11Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, with a great crowd following him. 12A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The boy who had died was the only son of a widow, and many mourners from the village were with her. 13When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. "Don't cry!" he said. 14Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. "Young man," he said, "get up." 15Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk to those around him! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

16Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, "A mighty prophet has risen among us," and "We have seen the hand of God at work today." 17The report of what Jesus had done that day spread all over Judea and even out across its borders. -Luke 7:11-16

Our job as Christians when it comes to relating to the lost is this: we are supposed to see them! Jesus comes into this setting and he sees a widow who is suffering and his heart “overflowed” with compassion. We see many examples of this in the scriptures. This is the ultimate example of evangelism. St. Francis of Assisi once said “Preach often and if necessary use words.” We have to see those who are in need and then we have to shower them with compassion, affirmation and love. Our actions will mean more than any words ever will. We have to see them as individuals created in the image of God, not just a number that can be added to our attendance. It doesn’t matter how many people are in our church if we can’t be compassionate, loving Christ-like figures.

People are drawn to Christ when His followers see those in need. This may make your heart tremble just like Jesus’ heart trembles. When we can look at people through the eyes of Christ we invite Jesus in and it is his presence that will reach the lost.

It has always been my goal to look into the eyes and hearts and minds of the flock God has given me. I came into youth ministry to change kids but in the process Christ has changed me. He is helping me to realize that it’s not about numbers, it’s about compassion. I have always strived to be as real as possible to those I come in contact with, teen or other. That should be your goal, also - not because I say so, but because Jesus did so. The goal is to love God & love others and then do what’s natural.

We are given people, not numbers, to see and hold and love, not knowing where they are going, not knowing what they will do & not knowing how God is going to minister to them. Many will never remember our name or what we’ve even done for them. We may not even remember what impact we had on them but one day Jesus will sit us down and these people that we have showed compassion to will come before us again. Then Jesus will turn to us and say “well done, my good and faithful servant.” -Tim Beck

To love someone is to reveal the beauty of who they are to themselves.

screen shot (work)

delight.

PSALM 30 (niv)
PSALM 30 (the message)

PSALM 30
[interpreted by Tim Beck]

It’s all you, big God.
I’m no longer a lowly mess
and you prevented my adversaries from gloating.

Lord, Caring God, I needed you to fix me up.
I asked. You fixed.

Lord, you pulled me out of my watery grave
and spared me from going under.

Now all you Saints, do what’s right,
Shout to the Lord and Praise Him - show Him Genuine affection.

His anger last only for a short while, but his favor lasts a lifetime.
The night may bring weeping, but morning brings laughter.

When things were great, I had abounding confidence.
“Nothing can faze me” I shouted.

Lord, you showered me with favor - made me your favorite.
You made me king of an island mountain
but then you looked away and I fell into the deep.

I called out for help, Lord.
“Mercy, Give me mercy!”

“What gain is there in my demise,
I’m going under, to be silenced forever.
If I can’t speak, what of me will praise you?
Will my bones proclaim your goodness & faithfulness?

Hear me. Save me.
Show your kindness and help me up and out.”

And there you have it. You came through in the clutch.
My sorrow has morphed into a freedom dance.
My dirty, soggy clothes have been ripped away.
Now I’m decked out to the T - in a garment of praise and joy.

I am bursting at the seams, overcome with uncontainable delight.
I can’t be silent about the goodness of my God.

Lord, I can’t thank you enough.

...

screen shot

saved.

All Saints Day

All Saints Day is a day to remember the saints but i was inspired today to give thanks to God for the 'saints' who have helped me with my spiritual walk.

My parents obviously had a huge impact on my faith growing up. For that i am eternally grateful. It is nice having my dad as a vast resource of knowledge about the Bible, God's will and faith in general. my mom has always led by example and did what was right - there selfless attitudes have been greatly appreciated.

But there are two individuals who had a major impact on me and where i am today-
They are my two youth pastors when i was in High school: FLoyd Costello & Ron "Bubba" Heasley.

Bubba taught me the basics and in some ways brought out the best in me - even later on in life. Maybe he saw something in me, i don't know. Him and his family always were willing to go the extra mile... Ron even tried to teach me how to drive stick shift.

Floyd was just a unique guy. He was very real and had an incredible testimony. He definately took me under his wing and opened up his home to me as well. I think Floyd taought me that you don't have to be shy about your faith - and that i had nothing to fear. He was readily available at any time.

I thank God for the people who had a role in the development of my faith.

nothing to say

i always have these great things to blog but then i put it off and too much time goes by and then it's like, what the heck - why don't you not blog then so i go and watch some tv or eat a snack unless i am doing something else like not going on the computer at home because my son thinks it's his (he's only 2 1/2) and he knows how to use it better than i do, although he has some crazy icons on his desktop - like shortcuts to things i didn't know existed, but that's neither here nor there because the real point to this blog entry was the fact that i have a bad case of no timing when it comes to blogging, realizing that as I type this my fingers are in the wrong positions that Mrs. Rodgers taught me in typewriting 101 back in 11th grade (later changed to Keyboarding once our school got computers Senior year) but i never learned anything from her except how to pretend to be typing but in reality I was playing Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiago (code name AGENT 99 for all you Carmen Sandiago fans) instead of listening which some say is a problem with me, but really i do listen, only to selective things of importance which should be everything but it isn't so I guess i need some therapy or a nap or some mountain dew but i shouldn't because my left bottom row wisdom tooth is bothering me and i am fearing going to the dentist but it is inevitable (see previous blog post from FEB and you'll see that said tooth has been a pain in my mouth for quite some time - making me a moron for not going to the dentist sooner) so i guess i will suck it up and go and hope that our insurance pays for it and then, maybe then i will have something to blog about... let's just hope i blog it in a timely manner.

sequals

why does hollywood make so many sequals?

Sylvester Stallone has announced that Rocky VI is in production... how old is this guy? 60? oh, my bad, he's only 59.

dishwasher installation

so we got a new dishwasher and yesturday the guys came to install it. have you ever had a repair man in your home? you don't want to stand over him and crowd his space, but you want to know what's going on.

so there we were, my wife and i, sitting in the other room, with the TV on mute so we can attempt to hear the progress of the installation.

here are the sounds that we heard coming from the mouth of the bearded repair man:

"aww, you gotta be kidding me!"

"ohhhhhhhhhh"

"no wayyy"


"dang it!"

"ahhggh"

"i can't believe this!"

the other guy, who had a mullet, just stood there and said things like "whadayamean?"

It turns out that the previous dishwasher was installed in such a way that made the new dishwasher instal very difficult... but after a couple of hours the job was done. We can now wash dishes without fear of our kitchen flooding.

last week in Pittsburgh

last week my wife & i went to Pittsburgh for the National Youth Workers Convention sponsored by Youth Specialties. It was a wonderfully refreshing time for us. Pittsburgh is a very unique city!

We heard some great messages and had some crazy times with friends. I met Chris Graebe from MTV's Road Rules: South Pacific & The Battle of the Sexes II. Chris is a born again Christian who was there speaking and promoting a new show called Reality Trip.

During the 5 days we were there, Jen and I picked up 42 free t-shirts, well over 100 free books and an asortment of other free stuff. Unfortunately, we did not walk away with a free iPod or PSP.

I will post more pics & info from Pittsburgh later.

sweepers, apples & 18 inning baseball (and paint fumes) plus other fine information that makes for good read

last week we were at Target and we walked past the sweeper ailse and low and behold, we bought a new sweeper. this one actually picks up dirt, which is good. it's a Shark sweeper and it came with a cordless mini sweeper. it broke after only a few hours. i took it back the next day and they gave me a new one. neat, huh.

on friday, jen made an apple pie. it was very tasty. we have a ton of apples 'cuz we went to an orchard. micah likes eating apples dipped in peanut butter.

on sunday the Aatros beat the Braves in 18 innings. all 18 innings were enjoyable... althogh i didn't watch all 18 innings.

jen is painting primer in our kitchen we are going to then paint it some orange or yellowish or gold color or something like that. actually, she will probably do most of the painting. we don't have any turpintine, so right now she has paint on her arms. neat, huh.

these paint fumes are making me feel like i've dipped my head into a vat of vicks vapor-rub.

once, on Seinfeld, Kramer got a speaking role in a Woody Allen movie that was filming down the street. his line: "these pretzels are making me thirsty."

in a day and a half, we will be in Pittsburgh.

i am tired.

we had pizza for supper from Ermano's.

i folded laundry today.

ok, i gotta go 'cuz these paint fumes are making me thirsty.

{end waste of time}

this post is not about LOST

just to prove that i have a life outside of the television show LOST, this post will not have anything to do with LOST.


mike tyson used to play baseball... didn't you know that?

Doug Frobel was a baseball player in the mid 80's. my friend Jamie and I used to collect his cards because we thought his name was funny. He was nothing short of a scrub.


{don't forget to watch LOST on wednesday @ 9pm}

Lost - Dharma Industries / Message Board

Dharma Industries

Lost Message Board

Lost: the logo?

mysterious logo... LOCKE see's it in the Hatch... it was also on the shark.

Lost Theories (yes i am obsessed with this show)

before i get to the some of the various theories... here are some links to LOST related sites/articles:

ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE ATICLE ABOUT EVY LILLY (Kate)

DRIVESHAFT (Charlie's old band with his brother Liam)

LOST (ABC website)

FLIGHT 815 (cool site)

below are some theories i've found on the web...

from HYNES
I had read a theory this past week about the show that at first I thought was interesting, but sounded too simple for the show; though after watching the show I'm beginning to wonder if the theory isn't pretty much on the money.

Basically there's this theory that during the Cold War it's been documented that the United States run multiple secret projects through various branches of government. You notice all the logos on the items within the bunker state DARPA or something like that (I think the show changed the letters to slightly). Nevertheless there is a program called DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). I guess rumors are that during the Cold War some of the experiments that DARPA ran were to locate isolated, uncharted islands in the South Pacific and use them as sort of testing zones on reactions people, animal, and plant life have within a controlled environment. Meanwhile the scientific crew was below within a quaratined bunker observing results.

So the theory is that the island is one of these abandoned islands. It doesn't completely work because if the United States were to can something as Top Secret as this, they wouldn't just cut off its funding. They'd completely destroy any remant of its existence - so the timer that counts down (to what?) would have been removed.

Also how is it Desmond is getting fresh foods still? Is he restocked every several months? How and by whom?

This also doesn't explain why the plane crashed where it did and how it did. Some theorize that Desmond took down the plane to further the research at the island. I find that laughable, and you can see that by the almost fantastical way he acts toward the group. If he truly did know or try to down the plane, then why would he have acted so paranoid? So I think thats a big hole. Supposedly by the season's end, the director said we will know at least why the plane came down - which leads me to believe that there was a reason the plane crashed where it did. But how or who is another set of questions altogether.

I've also read many people say that it will take many theories to solve the Lost riddle, which I think is a completely double-speak statement. How can multiple theories explain anything? There might be multiple facets to a theory, yes, but you cannot multiple varying theories explaining the whole for a couple of reasons: 1) it just doesn't work like that in real life. You don't have multiple competing theories coming together to provide a harmonious look at the overall picture. By their very nature, competing theories rule out the other as a way in which circumstances we find ourselves within or around to be explained. Also 2) that just makes for distracting and shitty writing by having multiple theories that compete against each other. You don't have flow and ebb between episodes - and we all well know that this show does have that.

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

from MARK STEELE
THEORY #1: The island is not an island. (Brooke's note: JJ alludes to this in the DVD bonus - he says they made the island a character unto itself.)

There has been a long-standing conspiracy theory (in the real world) since World War II that the U. S. Government had several plans in place to prepare for the impending annihilation of mankind by atomic war. One of these "plans" is documented (though no one knows if the government ever really attempted it. This plan was to create a deep underground bunker (like NORAD) that would house a few men and women of great physical health. They would be given nutrients, exercise, and drugs that would maintain them so that, in the case of world destruction, they could begin society over as Adam and Eve. According to the plans, this underground bunker was to be disguised as a land mass (an island) that would perpetually MOVE to thwart off the enemy locating its whereabouts (erratic tides, anyone?). How would this land mass move? There would be an enormous MAGNETIC DEVICE in its center -- so powerful that the earth's core would repel it, causing the land mass to constantly move. Do I believe this government theory is real? No. Do I believe the writers of "Lost" used it as their basis? ABSOLUTELY. Why?

Because the name of this government plan is #4815162342.

And the plan was devised by two men named Locke and Rouseau.

So, what does this mean? Well, it would explain what Desmond was doing under there, as he told Jack in his flashback that he was preparing for a RACE (human race?) around the world.

The magnet would explain why the tides are erratic and why all compasses point inland instead of north. If the magnet is powerful enough to affect the electric synapses of the human brain, it would cause any human nearby to hallucinate their subconscious (whispers, shannon killed by monster, jack's dad, walt in the jungle -- basically anything someone experiences alone). Over time, the magnet would cause them to go insane (the sickness, the others, Rouseau, Desmond).

The moving land mass would mean that it could have drifted practically anywhere, including Antarctica (the nearest land mass), where a polar bear could have certainly just walked on.

So, now the question remains: why did our castaways crash? Why are they on this island?

THEORY #2: They were (almost) all put on that plane on purpose.

Most everyone on the island has some sort of mental power, whether positive or negative (Walt, Hurley's "Luck," Claire's baby, perhaps Jack's "miracle") even thought they do not all know it yet. I believe that they were gathered without their knowledge and put on the same plane to be a part of the advanced human race that would be developed in project #4815162342.

But why were they all put on the plane at once? Why the urgency? And here's the real whopper.

THEORY #3: The island is the new Noah's Ark.

The world has been destroyed, with the exception of those on the island. Creator Damon Lindelof said in Rolling Stone magazine that the number of total days the castaways were on the island in season one was VERY important to the big answer. They were on that island 40 days and 40 nights.

Perhaps project #4815162342 succeeded just in time. The world has been wiped away. All that is left of mankind are our castaways. This is why CHILDREN (the baby, Walt) are so important.When the castaways realize that rules and laws as they existed in the world no longer exist, just watch as enemies and factions form. It's "Lord of the Flies" time.

However...

There is one last wild card.

The emblem on Desmond's jacket.

This emblem is the EXACT emblem of another famed conspiracy theory. It was called Project Montauk. Google it. It also involves a project with a very large magnet.

A magnet that turned into a wormhole that ancient slave ships were rumored to pass through, Oh yeah -- one other thing passed through the wormhole.

An alien monster

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

more from MARK STEELE
I believe that what tore apart the plane was irrelevant (explosion, magnet, etc.) because I think the real reveal is that the only REAL purpose for Oceanic Flight 815 was to get these people onto the project island. I believe the whole thing was instigated, every person unknowingly "recruited" to be on that flight (with the exception of one character -- that will have to wait for another time.) So, I think the cause of the crash is likely an explosion that was set and intentional by one of the people on the plane that we have already met.

Who do I think set the explosion? We'll save that for another time.

So, basically, there's not a coincidental reason the plane landed on this island (addressing the question of how it could land there if the island moves). The plane was put there on purpose, by the people who knew where the island was.

I believe that Rouseau and her team found the island for the same reason -- the people behind the project WANTED them to find it and, therefore, sent out the signal.

I do think the page of script on the website is a red herring, though most likely explained by the hallucination theory. There is a LOT of Lost theory rumination on clones and twins (and i considered it because Kate is a "gemini,") but if that plays in, I think it is an additional part of the plot rather than THE plot.

The 108 reset:

Though the government took extreme precaution to make certain the island was undetectable to the enemy, they put a failsafe in just to maker certain. Every 108 minutes, one of the individuals in the Montauk project is required to enter the project code to keep the failsafe system from blowing up the island in case it fell into the wrong hands. If the enemy ever found the island, broke into the underground, and killed the inhabitants, all evidence of the project would be destroyed after a maximum of 108 minutes.

So, why would the government require a reset every 108 minutes if they wanted the new human race healthy and well-rested?

Because there used to be more than one person down there.

They have all gone mad. Desmond is the only one left. hence the question: are you him?

He thought Locke was his replacement.

And I believe that Locke, indeed, is.

***

I think I focus too much on small details, rather than connecting the puzzle peices. Mark's theories are big picture - they make sense because they can be revealed and added to over time, extending the longevity of the series. this last reply though is just a mean teaser (if you read this Mark - MEAN!!!) and I can't wait to see if they pan out.

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

some of MY THOUGTS
i read that in RS this week - however on Wednesday's (9.28.05) episode Locke tells Desmond the plane crashed 44 days ago... episode one & two of season two take place within 7 hours of the final moments of last may's season finale, so either Locke is lying to Desmond or Lindelof is wrong. [EDIT: in the RS article Lindelof isn't quoted as saying that season one took place in 40 days - the writer of the article, Gavin Edwards says "Also important is the number of days the castaways have been stranded each season: at the end of Season One it's forty days."] so Gavin Edwards may be wrong or Locke is lying.]

p.s. when i re-watched Season one on DVD - i tried to keep track in a notebook the number of days they were there. obsessive, i know, but i went back and counted the mornings/nights from Season one. i also have counted in any references to the amount of time they have been stranded.

NUMBER OF DAYS SHOWN: 30

edisode 8: charlie says to hurley: "we've been here for 2 weeks" (at that point only 9 days had been shown)

episode 12: at the end of ep. 11, Locke & Boone find the hatch. at the beginning of ep. 12, it is said that Locke & Boone have been looking for Claire (actually investigating the hatch) for 4 days.

episode 13: Kate: "we've been here for over 3 weeks" [at this point, adding the days shown to the days made referenced to, they could have been stranded for 23 days]

episode 19: it is said that it has been 4 weeks since the crash... [however, that doesn't match up with days shown (27 shown by episode 19) + the days made referenced to]

assuming that in ep. 13 when kate says we've been here for over 3 weeks - and asuming that my calculation of that being day 23, by the final episode of season one, they have been there for 37 days.

Locke tells Desmond in episode two of Season two that they have been on the island for 44 days. acording to head writer Damon Lindelof, the first 3 episodes of season two take place within 7 hours of the hatch being opened (which happens at the end of season one's finale. since it is early in the morning when Locke tells Desmond this, this could be the 38th calculated day... meaning that if Locke is correct (44 days) then approx. 6 days are unaccounted for.


i am a freak. obsessed and a freak.

lost & zombies?

Lost, Burnt Thumbs & Suzanne Cryer

LOST - so this weeks episode was a little slow in parts but the scenes with Locke, Kate & Jack in the hatch were interesting. I am very curious to see how this season will play out. The dynamic has changed now that the hatch has been opened and the others are near.

BURNT THUMBS - so yeah, last night I burnt my thumb really bad on a piece of steamy, greasy hot bacon. yeah, that's right, i said bacon. it hurt pretty bad for about an hour. my wife told me to stick my thumb in milk to nuetralize the pain. oh yeah, the bacon tasted really good and i ate the piece that burned my thumb. Reveng is sweet.

SUZANNE CRYER - who is she, you ask? well last night i was watching ER. there was this couple who couldn't have children so eggs & sperm were implanted into this woman named Claire. The baby went in to distress... Claire didn't want to have a C-section, so the baby was born with little or no brain activity (lack of oxygen to the brain). The "parents' then didn't want the baby. The wife looked really familiar to me. I couldn't place it but i knew i had seen her in other tv shows. her voice was so familiar. I watched the credits but couldn't figure out who she was. After a little research (and after remembering that I thought i remembered seeing her on the show TWO GUYS A GIRL AND A PIZZA PLACE (later called TWO GUYS AND A GIRL) i found out her name was/is Suzanne Cryer (Ashley on TWO GUYS...). then after checking IMDB i saw that she was on SEINFELD. She was Marcy in the infamous Yada Yada Yada episode.

classic line: GEORGE: "you can't 'yada yada' sex... can you?"

Lost Season Premiere

what a great way to start off a new season. for the record, i accomplished my goal of watching every season one episode of LOST at 8 PM on WED, 9/21... basically just in time for the premiere of LOST. in 15 days i watched nearly 24 hours worth of Lost programming (including all 24 episodes, the commentaries and the bonus disc).

QUESTIONS:

1. did Shannon really see Walt and why was he talking backwards?
2. why did it say QUARANTINE on the inside of the hatch?
3. what was Desmond doing down in the hatch?
4. can the show get any better?

FAVORITE CHARACTER: John Locke

LOST (ABC website)
OCEANIC FLIGHT 815

lost

so 8 days ago, i purchased Season One of LOST. the season premiere of Season two is Sept. 21... a week from tonite. my goal is to watch all 24 episodes, all commentaries and special features before the season two begins. I wanted it to be fresh in my mind. I am crazy.

so far i am on episode 11.

there are so many redeeming values with LOST. i'm taking notes on the season one episodes. Expect a full rundown before next WEDNESDAY.

My son & Johnny Cash

My son, Micah, is 2 &1/2 years old.
The other day, I was playing Johnny Cash's live album 'At Folsom Prison'
and Micah just started dancing around the room. It was crazy! So i got out the video camera to capture such a special moment.

Who knew Johnny Cash could have such an impact on a 2 year old. Forget about Barney or Veggie Tales. Micah digs Cash!

Today, before I left to go to work, Micah started jumping up and down, yelling "Daddy, Johhny Cash, Johnny Cash, Johnny Cash!"

what a great kid.

9/11... i remember...

September 11th will come and go, for me, without much fanfare. To be completely honest, my mind will be elsewhere. For starters, the NFL season kicks off, so I will be glued to the TV most of the afternoon. Then, later that night, my job as a Youth Director will have me leading a fall kickoff for our youth group. To be honest, it has been weird hanging up flyers, promoting a youth event with the date 9-11 at the bottom. I don't think anyone can look at those numbers, in that order, without thinking about that tragic day in New York four years ago.

I have not forgotten 9/11. Maybe it's that tramatic of a moment in my lifetime, maybe it's because I'm a history buff...I don't know. But I have to admit, a part of me is fascinated by it all. There are so many compelling stories regarding the events of September 11th, when terrorists knocked us down...but not out. I've done some reading and investigating on the events and that which led up to that horrible day. We (United States) missed a lot of signs and opportunities to prevent this. But on the other hand, we don't think like a terrorist. The idea of using people and airplanes as a means of destruction are foreign to us...

I will be busy on September 11th but I will not forget September 11th.

-----------

i remember where i was when i found out... we were having a staff breakfast, celebrating a co-workers birthday @ the Cracker Barrell when the waitress came out and said "a plane hit the Trade Center." It took me a minute to remember what and where the World Trade Center actually was. When we left, my dad turned on the car radio. Peter Jennings was on ABCNews Radio... a few minutes after we departed, the first tower fell to the ground...

Ironically, unbeknownst to us, Flight 93 was probably flying over head about that time, as it was picked up on radar over Northeast Ohio.

By the time we got back to the office, I decided to head home to see what was unfolding. Just as I got home, the 2nd tower fell... before my eyes, on national tv.

the world will never be the same...

american wasteland...pt. 2

"New Orleans firefighters walk through water as a looted sports store burns in the background..."


it continues. New Orleans, first a wasteland as a result of a hurricane is now a more tragic wasteland of degenerate, selfish people, more concerned about their so called needs of $100 Nike shoes and expensive NFL jerseys...


LOOTERS RAMPAGE NEW ORLEANS
"An operation to bus more than 20,000 refugees to the Houston Astrodome was suspended temporarily when shots were fired in New Orleans at helicopters being used in the evacuation, a local government spokeswoman in Houston said."

NEW ORLEANS EVACUATION DELAYED BY SHOOTING
"Authorities suspended an evacuation of New Orleans on Thursday after a reported shooting at a military helicopter..."

An angry Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco told reporters: "We will do what it takes to bring law and order to our area."

"I'm just furious. It's intolerable," she said.

"Elsewhere in New Orleans, gunshots repeatedly rang out and fires flared as looters broke into stores, houses, hospitals and office buildings -- some in search of food, others looking for anything of value."

I know it must be crazy being forced from your home, your possessions and maybe even your family, but these desparate acts are only making things worse and making things take longer. It's fuel to a fire already raging. It's lawlessness.

Last night an entire unit of ambulances stopped making runs because of violence against them and their crews. An ambulance was overturned, a generator was stolen as well as other communication equiptment. Add to that hopsitals being broken in to. That is the lowest of low. Civility must have been blown away with the hurricane-force winds...

TROOPS DEPLOYED TO STOP LOOTING