My Favorite Christmas Song

A bad version



A good version

Shawn McDonald - O Holy Night

My Favorite Advent Song

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

I say favorite Advent song as today is the last day of Advent. This song just screams to me the advent (coming) of Jesus. What a haunting and sad time this song reflects. What a waiting. And yet, a build toward the chorus.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel (God with us) shall come to thee o Israel (Humanity).

I love it. Rejoice ye weary sinners. Rejoice for God is coming. He is coming to dwell amongst you. He cares for you and will restore you.

Tomorrow...my favorite Christmas song.

Passer Rating

I knew passer ratings were complicated to calculate. This is ridiculous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passer_rating

It's more science than sport now. The reason this came up is cuz there are some beefy passer ratings this season. Lots of guys in the high 90s and even hundreds. I mean, Aaron Rodgers (of Packers lore) is in his second year as a starter and hovering on a 102.4 rating. Sweet

Ecclesiastes 9:3

It seems so tragic that one fate comes for all. That is why people are not more careful to be good. Instead, they choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway.

Proverbs 16:7

"When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD,
he makes even his enemies live at peace with him."

I love it. My initial interpretation is that rather than retaliate, love cleverly.

How Did That Happen?

Listening to Tony Campolo's messages on Megachurches has really challenged me.

http://www.tonycampolo.org/podcast/tonycampolo_podcast.xml

He has overall really defended this way to do church. One of the things he has hit on is that mainline denominations say megachurches are entertaining and that's how they get people to come. His response is fascinating and I really enjoy it.

I paraphrase:

Since when is being boring a virtue? As long as Jesus is preached, and preached consistently, people will get to hear about him. If a church is entertaining and doesn't mention Jesus, then that's a different story. But if you can be entertaining and get people to hear the Gospel, then why not?

On top of that, he has wondered a fantastic thought (again, paraphrased).

How did we take the most compelling message in history, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and make it boring. Something that we just sorta talk about. It is exciting!

Challenging thoughts from a man who isn't scared to speak his mind.

A photography nugget

One of the reasons I would say that my photos have improved over two-three years is because I'm willing to take more risks (you could also argue gear helps, which I totally will not deny). Both in when I shoot (all the time) and in what I shoot (everything).

Then I have been able take what I've learned about perspective, composition, and capturing light from classes and others, and look at my photos and say, "I did this right," or "That was totally off, and here is why."

Finally, I've taken that set of observations, combined with techniques practiced and gleaned from others, and refine my process.

I see is as iterative; slowly honing in on the specific style that is mine. Now that style will evolve, but it is helpful to know it is being refined. I'm able to shoot things now that I wouldn't have known the best way to capture in the past.

Maybe this is not a super profound post, but I'm shooting my first wedding this weekend, and I'm slightly nervous. I will say though, that I have a tiny amount of confidence, as I've seen my process of iteration and practice develop my abilities.

-- Post From My iPhone

Gadgets and presence

To go along with the article I posted this weekend, here is an article from USA Today about tech and how much we text, use our smartphones, or sit on the computer and aren't present to one another. The safety and social implications are huge. And I admit I am guilty at times. After all, I read the article on my iphone's USA Today app. And then shared it with you on my iPhone.

Seems somewhat paradoxical.

Anyway, here is the article...

http://usat.me/?35825520

-- Post From My iPhone

A couple of links

Both of these links are to fairly long articles (at least longer than a 140 character tweet). They are definitely worth reading though.

The God of technology, or the god of Technology?
An article discussing how we are to use tech as a tool and not an object of our affection. I can see this as super helpful to me, so that I don't turn to my phone when I'm around people, but use it to connect with people when I'm not around them, etc.

The Case for Early Marriage
An interesting perspective that doesn't solely involve the 'young and horny and protecting chastity' argument for early marriage. Also great thoughts on marriage as a whole and the way we teach abstinence, but not the value of marriage.

Teaching at Summer Church

This summer, Illini Life has been doing church in a summer'y way. We've cut down on the complexity of our liturgy, we've moved from a lecture hall to a small room above a cookie shop, and we've focused ourselves on about 10 weeks of learning about characteristics of God. We've heard about God's sovereignty, self-existence, wrath, providing nature, and more.

In a week, I will be at the 'pulpit' in church, teaching from God's word and my own experiences. Kinda scary, exciting, interesting, etc. I won't divulge what it is I'm teaching on (as I'm not 100% confirmed), but I'm really excited about the topic. I hope many people are able to show up and make me a little nervous.

Now, the most interesting thing to me is that I'm 23. This means I'm still pretty young, dumb, and ugly (thanks to Weird Al). I'll be speaking to a group of Illini Lifers that are primarily, well, lifers. These are people that have committed themselves to this church and have had more years than I to have God's wisdom imparted upon them. So what can I give them? Not much. And that is pretty exciting.

It is an environment where I can relay on what Scripture, Church History, and General and Special Revelation have given me. Then I can comment with my own thoughts after I convey the clear truths. There is so little pressure, as God has revealed so much truth to us. I am just mining it and putting it into a short, 20-25 minute package.

Now this isn't to say that I have NOTHING to offer. I have a unique perspective, way of speaking, way of thinking, and on top of that, there are younger people around for the summer, and I hope I can reveal more of God's character to them.

Pray for me as I compile my thoughts and seek out God's heart in this message. And come check it out! It'll be next week on Wednesday, July 22 at 6:00 PM at the Illini Life Ministry Center (above Insomnia Cookies on John St. in Champaign). Even if you haven't been to church with me, to church at all, or barely know me, come hear what I have to say and what God has to say through me.

I'm hard on things

I really can't have nice things, as I tend to break them. This is something I've slowly learned over time.

That is why, when I bought my iPhone, I bought it at Best Buy and sucked it up paying the "no matter what you do, you elephant in a china shop, we'll fix/replace it for you" insurance. I broke my iPhone today.

While talking to Lauren, Bemi came rushing in being loud and cheerful, and I got into a playful, "let's wrestle" mood. So I started to grab Bemi, and he played back. In the process, I dropped my phone, but I still whipped his butt. Once I got up from beating him down, I went to get my phone, which has an obviously placed black line of dead pixels down the middle and some floating black lines on a flickering white background. That's not good, is it?

(I wish it were this dramatic. Think less broken glass, more busted LCD.)

So, I went to Best Buy because I had the "you are an irresponsible person with your electronics" insurance. I thought I'd get it in, replaced, and still make it to the softball game in an hour. It took forever in line. Not only were two groups of people being helped already, but it took them the entire time I was there (and longer) to get helped. So I stood in line to no avail. Whoops. To rub salt in the wounds, an older couple was buying two iPhones. Goodbye, luster of having a hip young dude phone.

So I'll try to go back tomorrow. They will have to send it 'in' somewhere. So I'll probably be sans phone for a while. Hit me up on facebook or email and I can get back to you in the evenings. I can get back to you during the day if you email me at work (email my home email if you want that address). Perhaps the greatest solace I can find in all of this is that I will MAYBE be getting a 3G S as a replacement? I can only hope...

[Jesus] called the people to him and said to them "Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person." Matthew 15:11 (ESV)

This verse came to me today while sitting and praying about my own character. I honestly tend to consider myself a person of high character most of the time. But my speech at many junctures would indicate otherwise. Whether it be sarcasm, cursing, complaining, mean spirited thoughts, or even thoughts that I was unaware would be hurtful, my words tend not to be fragrant in a good way.

What this really spoke to me was that God wants my speech to match my innards. My desire to pursue God should be greater than the desire to get a cheap laugh at somebody's expense, or to just speak ill of a situation to make myself feel better about me.

I am loving being here in Colorado. It truly is a time and place where I find God totally refining me in a very real way. This is only my second day here with only s few more to go, but I love the directions God is taking me.

-- Post From YMCA of the Rockies

It's fun to stay at the YMCA

I'll be at this fantastic location in about 36 hours. Yes!

Wow I'm excited.


-- Post From My iPhone

What might you call a well behaved dog breed

One time, we said Golden Retrievers were really well behaved. Bemi said "that's why they're called golden retrievers."

We said, "that doesn't make sense"

I said, "You know what the name for a well behaved dog is?"

A doesn't give me any shih tzu.

Its that time of the summer again

I just skimmed this article, because honestly, I don't care as much as last year. I'm sure I'll be heated about it sooner than later, but seriously, I can't give it all the energy I gave it last summer.

Brett Favre

Also, I've spent a lot of time dreaming about cars. I suppose it is summer and the road is open and I spend 3+ hours a day in a car. But nothing now. I can't afford it, and my aquamarine-ish Ford Escort Wagon with a ton of power, sex appeal, and versatility (as well as really great gas mileage) is treating me super well. It isn't ideal, but man she is beautiful.

New Taking Back Sunday

I'm not sure how I completely feel about the newest TBS album, but I hope to figure it out soon, as it has been playing on my iphone like crazy. I believe it to be really promising though. Faster paced. Only thing so far is that it is over too soon.

One great thing though is the album art (seen below). I'm a huge fan. As a photographer, I like an image like this taking the whole cover. It even looks like good usage of HDR. Simply put, visually, I can't think of an album cover I've liked this much in a while.

-- Post From My iPhone

The New Divide

OK, now I can't say my musical tastes are super refined or anything of that sort. I mean, I listen to what people would call screamo, emo, pop-punk, hip-hop, etc. I don't listen to a ton of the 'classy' singer/songwriter stuff or beautiful classical music. Not that I wouldn't listen to it, but rather it just isn't what I gravitate to initially. But even with my questionable tastes....

c'mon Linkin Park! Stop trying to be a metal version of Nickelback. Your sound is so trite now. Ever since Minutes to Midnight, you have sacrificed a major part of your band. Heck, after the Fort Minor song "Get Me Gone" where Mike Shinoda lauds Linkin Park's usage of his rap stylings, it was quite absent (although not completely gone) from the latest album offering.

They have since had a chance to redeem themselves to me. I open my iTunes to see a new song from Linkin Park today for the Transformers 2 movie. I pay my elevated $1.29 for the track (seriously Apple...) and pop it onto the iPhone for the day. The first listen through was ok, but I couldn't help keep in my head that it sounded a heck of a lot like the first single off of Minutes to Midnight, What I've Done.

Now, I thought I was maybe just a hyper-critical fan, but then my girlfriend tells me it reminds her of the same thing, unprompted by me. And hey, we may both be hyper-critical. After all, the song was written specifically for the movie and not for anything else. But seriously, you could've gotten a lot of bands to put together that song in my opinion. Linkin Park has something special that is being wasted.
_____

On another musical note (pun not intended until after I saw it, then I thought it was cheesy enough to stay), I just recently bought the first album from Carly Comando. This pianist has impressed me greatly with her ability to put together music I find moving and that calls me to desire to worship God. It is on the way in the mail. But in the meantime, I, much like I suggest to you, will be listening on the MySpace page and through the two YouTube videos she has composed music for.

Gluttony

As I have 15+ hours of driving a week plus time at a desk drawing regulator stations, I have a lot of time to listen. I have started to listen to podcasts and teachings to get thoughts on my mind. While I may admit that I listen to almost too much stuff to absorb all the facts, it is causing my mind to focus well on certain things. One of these has been the Seven Deadly Sins. I've been listening to a sermon series from Kairos - Los Angeles, a sister church of Illini Life, as well as a lecture series from Tony Campolo both on the topics. Today I listened to anger from Kairos and Gluttony from Campolo.

Campolo is a brash man who said, "Go out and love a fat person today." So awkward, funny, and true. I think he was trying to hit upon the idea that weight doesn't define worth, and people should be loved and respected regardless. However, he also encouraged healthy eating and lifestyle.

Being heavier than I desire, any God given principles on the topic are helpful. The two that continually hit home are exercise and eating less. However, one that sits on the sideline is eating slower. This is a good principle that I know. The body doesn't usually register "fullness" until about 15 minutes after starting to eat. I know this, but often ignore it.

However, it isn't ignored because I don't beleve it. I very much so do believe it. Instead, I am always eating on the run. Now this is definitely connected to another story about me that says I am too busy. When I have 15 minutes to eat, I use every one of them and slam down hard.

Here comes the Biblical principle:

Eat slowly and use a meal as a time of accountability, sociability, teaching, learning, exploring, engaging. Draw it out so you eat slower and enjoy company more. Jesus taught when people sat down to eat. The 5000 who ate didn't run off to the next meeting they had with another friend. On the contrary, they seem to have enjoyed the company they had. This is why I love living in a house. When we share meals, time slows and company is enjoyed.

I would even say one more step to take would be to eat and talk. Too many times we shovel for 15, feel awful, and then talk. What if we instead just took our time? Now, like I said, I am not there yet, and I have to fight with busyness. However, I love this idea and plan to spend more time eating slower, enjoying company that I have, and not super seeking different company around every meal time.


-- Post From My iPhone

Socialism?!?!

Ok, so shock value aside...

As I drive to work every day, I travel mostly on interstate 74. Along I-74, there have been signs cropping up announcing a coming construction project. On a couple of these signs are the insignia seen below.

These are the logos to indicate a project I'd part of the National Recovery and Reinvestmet Act. (inconsequential to anything about the project, I think the logo on the left is pretty slick) Kinda cool to see stimulus money affecting me. At least sorta. If anything, politics can feel far away on the federal level, so it is cool to see it hit "home."

Anyway, I think it'll be neat to see the project develop. I have never traveled a route this consistently to see change occur. But this time should be different. I am pretty excited to see it through from start to finish. I just hope the work delays aren't too long...

-- Post From My iPhone

When to post photos?

So, as an unofficial photographer for a fair amount of people, I end up postig photos a lot. Not only do I run into the predicament of wanting to post to Flickr and not waste my time with tagging crappy res. facebook photos, but also when to post. Some of it comes down to when I have time, and if I am busy, it ain't getting posted right away. But, I think I see some advantage in waiting and letting the memories of the images and event float back rather than posting the same night, absorbing, and then moving on. I love photos so much because they carry such weight in the memory department.

So, the question is, when do you post photos? Do you think there is a good lead time to wait before posting? Do pictures lose their staying power when posted quickly and forgotten about? Does it do a disservice to people if you don't post pictures quickly because they can't build on the momentum of the event?

Thoughts?


-- Post From My iPhone

The artist

I believe my appreciation of art has grown since my relationship with Christ has grown. I think I always knew beauty existed and was real, but until given a Jesus-centric world view, for me, art was stale. I could easily dismiss something as not art, rather than embracing the creative nature of it. Now I see it in everything.


-- Post From My iPhone

Jesus and his short time: a thought

In my readings of scripture, I don't get the impression Jesus spent a lot of time discussing what the Hebrew means here vs. the Greek there in the scriptures. I don't get the impression he spent a lot of time discussing the science of salvation. I don't get the impression he spent a ton of time discussing the nature of existence or transubstantiation or how to run a contemporary worship service.

God didn't come into the world to say "Hey, this part of scripture means that!" Instead, God came into the world to redeem it and explain the simplicity of that message. It is a fulfillment of the law, not a re-clarification of the law, but a fulfillment.


I'm sure there is something wrong or confusing about my thought here, but I wanted to get it down before I forgot it while falling asleep.

Jesus didn't come to be a scholar, but a savior.

Worship and Our Fellow Man

Track with me on this (it is a developing string of thoughts) and let me know what you think.

A)
1)We are made to worship
2) We worship things we see *perversion of true worship*
3) We assign to them divine status
4) These things fall short and break under the pressure of the worship
B)
1) We are made to have worth
2) When we find worth, we can become worshiped *perversion of true validation*
3) When we are worshiped, we can denounce it, or acknowledge it
4) We will crack under the pressure of being worshiped and help to perfection
C)
1) We are made in God's image
2) We are made to worship God
3) Perversion of worship leads to us worshiping things that could replace God
4) Therefore, we worship each other

Tomorrow

"So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring it's own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today"

- Jesus

Just listening to a co-worker talk about how she is so close to retirement but how much she hates her job breaks my heart. But she can't quit yet because she'd lose out on a pension and be short on collecting Social Security. This, to me, highlights how America's system can potentially lead us to disregard the advice/commands of our creator. Not that planning is bad. I am not trying to suggest that. I am saying that we put ourselves through undue hardship worrying about tomorrow. Perhaps less focus on retirement and more on today's impact is the focus we must have. For me, this means realizing I am at Ameren today and this is the work the Lord has put before me today.

Note: I just got the BlogPress app for my iPhone so I can blog a bit more off the cuff because I just have not been writing since I started work. So my posts will be more often, but also more 'thought' than 'statement.' I still hope to put out logical ideas and truths that are challenging to me and others. Good Tuesday to you all!

Easter as a Feast

This time of food, family, and celebration has been glorious. Here lie the remains of our dessert. I hope you were able to celebrate the Glory of the Son today with someone you love.

Escapist

Maybe this is obvious, but we are escapists. America is running.

We run from debt by creating credit.
We run from families by staying late at work.
We run from real manly relationships with sports.
We run from real feminine relationships with gossip.
We run from pain with substances.
We run from deep thoughts with shallow ones.
We run from poverty with the suburbs.
We run from our own home life with sitcoms.
We run from the sting of death by respawning in video games.
We run from the reality of pain by making it distant in CSI, and news about the Third World.
We run from personal interactions with emails and texts.
We run from eye contact with others with smartphones.
We run from our own death with anything that will allow us.
We run from the inconvenience of a child with abortion and birth control.
We run from a personality to a social status with a nice car.
We run from our consequences.

These are some fairly fresh thoughts, but I strongly believe we will do almost anything to escape reality. We have numbed ourselves to a reality that is right in front of us. And I do not consider myself somehow innocent.

Now, I feel that anyone that knows I am a believer of Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah could easily say that my faith is an escape as well. That my belief in Jesus is just a comfort for death and a way to impose my thoughts on others. And heck, I'm sure you have awesome philosophical, psychological, economic, and sociological arguments for why I am wrong. I'd actually love to hear them, as I am truly trying to understand what we are running from and what it is ok to dwell in.

I disagree though, that faith in Christ is a form of escape. It can be. We can get caught up in dogma, theology, and color of the pews. However, I believe the Jesus of the Bible and an authentic faith in him works towards not ignoring death and pain, but rather staring it in the face.

Not that all of these things I mention are inherently evil, but...We must not serve two masters (God and money; God and television; God and whatever may be your idol). Jesus is the master and we must live in the weight of a reality that is largely beyond our control. Let's not escape it, but run directly to it to learn what it is. This includes studying things that I just said we run to with theology and science and philosophy. I think these are good things to delve into, as they will reveal the nature of humanity as much as we can see, and I believe will open us to the nature of God all the more. The problem always come when we make them our God and ignore God by studying them.

God and the Cubs, physics, philosophy, family, and television can coexist. Just make sure you recall the most important.

Tolerance is passive

Love is active

I return...to talk about...3.0

So, I haven't written in many moons. I believe the primary reason for this is that it turns out full time work, 3 hours commuting, dating, and being an active member in God's mission make you pretty busy.


However, I have a couple minutes...so, iPhone 3.0. The biggest thought I have:

This new software will allow third party devices to be connected to the phone and communicate with applications. CANON! Listen to me! Create a remote app. Use a simple cable. Make the phone a remote for extended and distance exposures. Make it a device to change settings away from the body. Give the capability to go straight from camera to places like flickr through the phone. Allow the user to use the phone as the extention to the camera. Heck, throw some editing software on there, let a person give it some quick fixes, and share photos immediately (in many resolution formats, including iPhone all the way up to full 15 MP images). The phone's screen is already a 9:6 ratio, so it is perfect for viewing (maybe another option for live view as well).


I don't know how possible all of this is, but man if some of it comes to fruition, I will be very pleased.

Smell The Roses: 1 year after

The Rose Bowl Game is today. Starting in just a matter of minutes, the game between Penn State and the University of Suck Southern California. A year ago, at this time, I was in Pasadena for this game with the Illini position to defend the Big Ten. This didn't really work out...

Here's to hoping that the Nittany Lions will defend the Big Ten's honor and destroy the arrogant Californians (No bias in my mind, is there?)

Oh, and Happy 2009!