A Picture Share!

Guess who spent the night in minnesota? :)

If You Can Avoid Traveling On A Holiday, Do. My Flight Has Been Delayed Two Hours And I Haven't Left My Local Airport. Im Sitting Here Surfing The Web On My Phone. Fun Fun. :)
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Merry Christmas!

I'm home right now in Nebraska, but will soon leave to catch a plane for Texas where my sister lives, even though she isn't even home now :) But she'll meet up with us in a few days

Dendinger Installed as Bishop

Dendinger ordained as bishop of Grand Island Diocese

To do right, love goodness, and walk humbly with God. This is the charge given to William Dendinger.

I'd never seen a bishop be ordained, and installed. My mom's uncle was a bishop, and I always looked up to him. In the formative years of my youth, he was a definite influence. And while I was there when he celebrated his 50th anniversary as an ordained priest, I never got to see him ordained as a bishop, and didn't have a chance to go to his funeral.

Growing up in the evangelical tradition, but with that Catholic background has given me an appreciation for times like this. I really do appreciate that my faith isn't some modern invention. I like the history, and rich tradition. I love my church, but the glitzy worship team with its power point lyrics and light shows is cool, but it's modern. It's a product of now. But seeing a bishop anointed with oil, that's not modern. It's downright ancient, and I like seeing the connection. I think that's where the big, modern, evangelical church sometimes fails. We don't do a very good job of showing our God is bigger than the here and now. We're so eager to be hip, and cool, and show God can exist in our high tech world that we forget to mention he's always existed.

Anyway, sorry to pontificate on that, but I did enjoy being at a two hour mass, to see a new Catholic bishop. The symbolism ran deep. There was the bible presented to him, to show his appreciation for the word. The oil on his head. The other bishops laying on hands. The ring placed on his finger shows his fidelity, his faithfulness to the bride of Christ, the church. The miter (that goofy hat) relfects God's glorious crown. The crosier is a pastor's staff, to show he shepherds the people. It was cool. Why can't protestant evangelicals do this kind of stuff? I'm not saying abandon all our modern advances, but it's fun to reconnect with this stuff too.

The last link to Nebraska football's glory days is gone. Turner Gill, who lead to the Huskers as quarterback, then as an assistant coach has left the program, in search of a head coaching position elsewhere. He praised God for the opportunity, and praised Tom Osborne for being a Godly man to work with for all those years. Even members of the media teared up as Gill had to turn his back to wipe his eyes during the announcement. I didn't snap a shot of that, but did get a picture of my camera focused on Bill Callahan.

A Picture Share!

New CD purchases:
Relient K, Mmhmm

Not as poppy and adolescent as past releases. I've only given it a listen or too. It has some good moments though.

Lovedrug, Pretend You're Alive

Picked this up when I was getting the U2 disc. Listened to it once and liked it.

But everything's gonna take a back seat to U2 right now :)


I've been playing a new game. Dark Throne is a MMORPG. Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game that is. Basically, you get your population, train some to be soldiers, others are guards, others are miners, etc. And you fight battles, mine gold, make money, fortify your camp, build your army, create alliances, etc. Even if you're not interested, click my link, because it will help me gain more population.

so I watched Weird Al'sUHF last night with friends.

So I've seen it eleventy billion times, it's still dang funny. If you can find a copy, hold on to it!

Badgers? We don't need no stinkin' badgers!

Ok, so the plot's pretty weak. Weird Al gets to run his uncle's crappy TV station, where Al's creativity can shine. Features Michael Richards , Fran Drescher before they were famous.

i picked up u2: how to dismantle an atomic bomb about an hour ago.

i (heart) u2

I'll have more thoughts alter, but I like it. Vertigo, All Because of You, and Yahweh stand out for now though.

A Picture Share!

Guess what I found at the grocery store? Dad's Old Fashioned Root Beer! It's smoother than Barq's, tastier than Mug, and better than A&W! 

You know that day when it drops from 60 to 30 degrees? This was that day. Winter's on its way now!

I'm so tired.

Really, really tired.

I was a sponsor at a middle school guys overnighter. I went to sleep around 3am the first time, and again at 5. And was up by 8.

And now I feel like a zombie. I didn't leave church until around 10 am. I slept until almost 1pm. Now my body's all screwed up :)

from the Argus Leader - Local News: "Republican John Thune's South Dakota values message apparently boosted his standing in key areas such as suburban Sioux Falls and the Black Hills, giving him a 2-point win over Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle.

Building on his small-town image, a self-professed need for change and the charge that his opponent had traded South Dakota ideals for Washington clout, Thune sealed victory early Wednesday morning."


You think? The Argus Leader is South Dakota's biggest and most influential paper. It's a solid paper, but it's liberal leanings have never been more clear than this year, as the paper doggedly stood by Tom Daschle, giving John Thune no shot. Now Thune has been elected, they seem to sheepishly admit he may have connected with voters more than Daschle did. No kidding. Thanks for finally catching the obvious. Of course, I'm biased too, towards Thune, so I'm probably a bit harsh, but Thune is more in step with everyday South Dakotans than Tom Daschle, and I'm happy to support Thune, even if I no longer live in SD and can't vote for him.

today was a good day. I'm declaring Bush president, and John Thune will beat Tom Daschle for US Senate out of South Dakota!!

"Within a Room Somewhere" by Sixpence None the Richer (written by Matt Slocum)

I breathe the mist
floating about the stars
I can caress with velvet hands
I breathe the mist
floating within without
this pen between my fingers

Messiah
I know you are there
within without me holding me
Messiah
I know you are there
catching carrying this beautiful mess

escape the pain
within a room somewhere
escape the pain
so deep inside the soul
I have no key
no map to find"


I am a beautiful mess. And that's ok. I'm beautifully messy. And that's how God made me :)

I handed out candy to probably well over 1,000 kids today.

It was fun for the first 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, I did it for 3 hours lol

Oh well. When you're a "famous newsman" you get asked to do all sorts of stuff for your company, and meet people and all that :)

Update... I was just informed the World Series has not only started, it's over. But that could be bad information, considering I thought the Cardinals were in this World Series, because I never saw anything showing they were.

So when's the World Series starting? I'm a Cardnials fan. I know they beat Houston to advance to the World Series. I could swear they were gonna start playing any time now, but I haven't seen any evidence of it.

World Series in the Cards!

Yay! Scott Rolen for President :)

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the team in red and white's gonna win it all!

John Osenbaugh was never mundane. And he's still not. Cancer may have ended his earthly life, but now John's been healed, restored, permanently. It's hard to lose him, and we pray for his family, as they say goodbye. But at least we can be assured that John, by his faith in Christ, has been touched by the great healer. 

I love this kid. His name is John.
He's a smart, and funny kid, and definitely unique. But the brain that set him apart, making him a math whiz, and definitely not mundane began to fail him six months ago. Just four weeks before his high school graduation, he learned he was getting a full four-year scholarship to a prestigious tech program. And he learned he had an inoperable brain tumor. Turns out they operated anyway. After weeks in the hospital he finally came home this summer. He was getting stronger, although obviously slowed by his condition. His brain was repairing itself. His motor skills were coming back. He was on his way to being John again. He planned to take a year off, then head to college. So he decided to volunteer as a youth leader at church, as I do.

Then I got the e-mail I didn't want from his mom. John was losing control of his arm. They did a spinal tap; Doctors discovered more cancerous cells. There was a new problem. John's family tell me they know he will be healed, but don't know if that means he'll be taken from us, and healed by the great healer.

John's the only boy in the family. Eight sisters and him. And his life may be cut short at 19 by a condition that threated the very thing that made him him.

I'd ask for your prayers for not only John, but his family. The doctors haven't given them much hope, so as they always do they've turned to the source of hope, and they have the peace that passes understanding.

But it still hurts.

I can't imagine losing your only son, especially one who's young and a true original. 

back to back jacks.

i love the cardinals.

game tied 4-4 in the eight, pujols slams one. rolen walks up, and does the same.

aw yeah!

We're gonna win Twins, we're gonna score!

The nice thing about both your favorite teams playing in the postseason, that's better odds at least one will make it to the World Series. Go Cardinals and Twins.

here's what I've been following the last few days... Children Shot as Fugitives Flee Police

new purchases:
star wars trilogy (widescreen dvd)

mst3k collection vol. 4
which includes: Overdrawn At The Memory Bank, Space Mutanty (two of my favorites) plus Girl In Gold Boots and the crappy German version of Hamlet.

I love this photo. It's actually a sea of candles, at the 20th Birthday Bash at Cornerstone Festival '03. The combination of b&w, and holding the canlde up to the lens with the macro on really worked nicely. 

ESPN.com: Page 2 - When did cups become uncool?

I just read this.

I'm astonished. Pro football players don't wear cups anymore.


How dumb are these guys?

In other news, the first two teams to clinch the MLB playoffs -- teh Twins and Cards! Yay! Now maybe they'll get to face each other for the World Series :)

I came home today, to find The Heat Can Melt Your Brain, the new CD by Viva Voce waiting in my mailbox.

Yay! I'm digging it already, on the first listen. It's dreamy husband and wife indie pop, made on their home studio equipment. It's not as big as Fleming & John (another spiritually savvy husband and wife DYI band), but it has its own lo fi charm.

Obey The Fist - The Quizzes: "

You have Tetanus How you get it: Bacteria enters body via puncture wound Incubation period: 3 to 21 days Early symptoms: Soreness in neck and jaw, heart rate fluctuations, low grade fever Symptoms at full disease onset: Lockjaw, muscular spasms, sweating, utter fatigue from muscular contractions Final outcome of this horrible disease: Severe muscular contractions cause the spinal column to twist and curve, eventually bending and snapping bones in the arms and legs. Death is caused by respiratory failure. Have you had your shots? There is nothing you can do now but wait for death to arrive and hope it comes quickly. Make your peace. get your own internet diagnosis

"

Today's Sign of the Apocalypse:
The Bush Twins, Ready to Rock (washingtonpost.com): "Conservative radio kingpin Rush Limbaugh, 53, who announced his separation from his third wife, Marta, in early June, is dating CNN anchor Daryn Kagan, 41, a spokesman for Limbaugh has confirmed to us. The two were spotted at a party Limbaugh co-hosted at a New York restaurant, where guests included Vice President Cheney, New York Gov. George Pataki and Sen. Bill Frist. The coupling came as a surprise to some friends who consider the Atlanta-based Kagan part of the liberal media axis and a feminist -- but, then again, opposites attract. Kagan, who has been with CNN for 10 years, hosts 'CNN Live Today,' which airs from 10 a.m. to noon, ending just in time to catch her sweetie's three-hour radio show. "

another b&w pic, this is one of my roommates, bill 

I'm continuing the black & white theme for a while, with Sixpence None the RIcher's Leigh Nash 

ESPN.com - MLB - MLB Standings

It's the first week of September, and the Cardinals have done what it usually takes someone another month to do. And that's reach 90 wins. Yay!

a photo blog entry for you. this is one of the "Jesus People" who run the cornerstone festival. at least I assume he's a JPUSA guy. Anyway, I'm not sure I saw him this year, but I've talked to him a number of times during past festivals. I like the homemade John 3:16 hat 

I'm currently watching ESPN/a>2's special presentation, showing a live behind the scenes look at what it takes to put a college football game on tv. For someone like myself, who knows how chaotic live tv can be it's fascinating. They're gonna win an award for this.

hey baby the whole world is elektronik, supersonik

I Can Post From My Phone !
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Mmmmm. I ate aburrito the size of my face yesterday. It was good. We have a place locally that makes supposedly authentic Mexican food, and they too have excellent, and ginormous burritos. Me gusta burritos!

This is the work car. On the back of a tow truck. Not a good place for it to be when you need to be on the road or you'll miss your deadline :) 

For the first time ever, I reported live on TV from the back seat of a tow truck.

The news car died about 45 miles from home on the interstate, so I phoned in a live report at 5pm, and was back in time to be live on TV at six. Ah the joys of commuting to a murder trial because of a change of venue. Hopefully this thing will wrap up soon. It would seem the evidence is pretty convincing, if not horrifying. I'll be glad when this trial's done.

I played in my first ever disc golf tournament today.

And sucked.

But it was fun. I shot a 90 on a pary 72, so I was +18. The good players were under par. I would have been about five strokes under that had I not putted at least five times on the last hole, after laying the disc only feet from the hole on the tee shot.

And yes, like real golf you use a variety of different things -- drivers, mid-ranges, putters. And it's fun and cheap!

Rushed speech, lost opportunity

Looks like I'm not the only one who thought Kerry blew it.

Although I was never a big fan of his to begin with. But I wasn't all that impressed with his oratory.

well, I fell like I've made some major life accomplishments.

For the first time I...

...saw Starship Troopers. It made me hurt.
...went to Home Depot. It was a big warehouse type place but I couldn't find any employees, so I went to Ace Hardware. (Ace is the Place with the Helpful Hardware Man)
...bought plexiglass.
...bought scrapbooking supplies at Hobby Lobby.
...made a cool photo collage. It took the combined brain power of my sister and I, but it's done.

When a friend & his wife announced they were moving (he's been a youth pastor I've worked with) I took a bunch of black & white photos of students and sponsors, hoping to do something with them. I couldn't figure out what. My sister suggested making a three layer photo montage. I bought a movie poster frame. It has one sheet of plexiglass in it. I had two more cut to fit the frame.

I bought these photo stickers at Hobby Lobby (the kind that stick the pic to something) and stuck a bunch of B&W photos to the back sheet of plexi. I overlapped some, and left several gaps.

On the next sheet, I layered some color pics to fill in the gaps, and cover up portions of the B&W pics. It creates a nice dimensional piece. I chose not to put a mat in the back, so it really does have a lot of depth.

The front sheet is the one that came with the frame. Nothing's attached to it.

It looks really cool. And you can make it at home too!

Start with the poster frame. You don't use it for anything but as a glass to cover the art inside. And the other two sheets get covered with photos. I left some gaps so you'll be able to see the wall through it in patches. I'm proud. I'll post a pic later.

what a cutie, huh? this is my little cousin ila grace 

that's me 

went to the ethnic festival today. ate a burrito the size of my head. it was good :)

last night i was on the radio. i was walking to my tv liveshot, when i walked past where the radio guy was doing a live remote. he stuck a mic in my face and asked what i was eating :)

IMDB's Top Rated Movies of All Time generate this HTML for your own page at ObeytheFist.com
Rank Movie My Rating 1 Godfather, The (1972) 2 Shawshank Redemption, The (1994) Loved It 3 Godfather: Part II, The (1974) 4 Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003) Own It! 5 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002) Own It! 6 Casablanca (1942) 7 Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) Own It! 8 Schindler's List (1993) Loved It 9 Shichinin No Samurai [Seven Samurai] (1954) Loved It 10 Star Wars (1977) Own It! 11 Citizen Kane (1941) Loved It 12 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) Loved It 13 Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) Loved It 14 Rear Window (1954) Loved It 15 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Own It! 16 Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Own It! 17 Memento (2000) Loved It 18 Usual Suspects, The (1995) Hated It 19 Pulp Fiction (1994) Hated It 20 North by Northwest (1959) 21 12 Angry Men (1957) 22 Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le [Amelie] (2001) 23 Psycho (1960) Loved It 24 Lawrence of Arabia (1962) 25 Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il [The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly] (1966) 26 Silence of the Lambs, The (1991) 27 It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Hated It 28 Goodfellas (1990) 29 American Beauty (1999) Loved It 30 Vertigo (1958) 31 Sunset Blvd. (1950) 32 Matrix, The (1999) Loved It 33 Apocalypse Now (1979) 34 Pianist, The (2002) 35 To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 36 C'era una volta il West [Once Upon a Time in the West] (1968) 37 Some Like It Hot (1959) 38 Third Man, The (1949) 39 Taxi Driver (1976) 40 Paths of Glory (1957) 41 Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi [Spirited Away] (2001) 42 Fight Club (1999) Loved It 43 Boot, Das (1981) 44 Double Indemnity (1944) 45 L.A. Confidential (1997) 46 Chinatown (1974) 47 Singin' in the Rain (1952) 48 Maltese Falcon, The (1941) 49 M (1931) Loved It 50 Requiem for a Dream (2000) Loved It 51 Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957) Loved It 52 All About Eve (1950) 53 Se7en (1995) Loved It 54 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Own It! 55 Saving Private Ryan (1998) Loved It 56 Cidade de Deus [City of God] (2002) 57 Raging Bull (1980) 58 Rashômon (1950) 59 Wizard of Oz, The (1939) 60 Sting, The (1973) 61 Alien (1979) Loved It 62 American History X (1998) 63 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) 64 Léon (1994) 65 Vita è bella, La [Life is Beautiful] (1997) 66 Touch of Evil (1958) 67 Manchurian Candidate, The (1962) 68 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Loved It 69 Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The (1948) 70 Great Escape, The (1963) 71 Wo hu cang long [Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon] (2000) 72 Reservoir Dogs (1992) Loved It 73 Clockwork Orange, A (1971) Loved It 74 Amadeus (1984) 75 Modern Times (1936) 76 Ran (1985) 77 Annie Hall (1977) 78 Jaws (1975) 79 On the Waterfront (1954) 80 Braveheart (1995) Loved It 81 High Noon (1952) 82 Apartment, The (1960) 83 Fargo (1996) 84 Sixth Sense, The (1999) 85 Aliens (1986) Loved It 86 Shining, The (1980) 87 Strangers on a Train (1951) 88 Blade Runner (1982) Loved It 89 Metropolis (1927) 90 Duck Soup (1933) 91 Finding Nemo (2003) Loved It 92 Donnie Darko (2001) 93 General, The (1927) 94 City Lights (1931) 95 Princess Bride, The (1987) Loved It 96 Toy Story 2 (1999) Loved It 97 Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) Loved It 98 Great Dictator, The (1940) 99 Sjunde inseglet, Det [The Seventh Seal] (1957) 100 Lola rennt [Run Lola Run] (1998) You've rated 38 movies
Which movies have you seen?

Bono Moves to Preempt Thieves

Ok, so some moron stoll a copy of the new, unreleased U2 album. And Bono says if it ends up on the internet, guess what, U2 will put the songs on iTunes and have card copies by the end of the month.

Thereby screwing up months of planning. Well, that's not quite how he said he. Read the article if you want to see his word choice :)

NTV - What's New

I'm getting too good at reporting on funerals. This isn't a comment on the current war, but as a reporter, I'd rather not have to cover funerals. Too emotionally draining to deal with grieving people when I'm not getting paid for it.

ah yes, what Christian event would be c omplete without Jesus Junk.

a photo blog entry for you from cornerstone


LA Symphony rocks the mic



you might think it's five iron frenzy, but no, it's mxpx



I just liked this pic of sleeping at last. that's all :) plus they're a good band

Check out the photos from Cornerstone.

more stories to follow. in the meantime, enjoy the pics

Steve

I went to my ten year high school reunion this weekend.

The link is to the pictures.

I'm old :)

A few observations... it was cool to see not just what people do, but who they are. And in those regards, they've come out well. It's cool to see people I respected in high school who have been thinking through their lives, and the process of faith. It is a process, and something some old classmates have learned, as they understand grace.

Some people have changed, others haven't. Changes come (or don't come) physically, and to personality.

I had a few jitters showing up, mostly because I haven't been home in a few years, since my parents moved away, and also because I was going solo, and knew a lot of people would be married, which it turns out they are. I had a lot of fun just being with the sober people there, and even some of the non-sober were fun to see again too. And that's not a judgment on drinking. Drinking's not an issue with me. Just an observation :)

The best part wasn't the big reception on Saturday night, but the picnic on Sunday because everyone brought their families. That provided a better atmosphere for talking, and finding out where people are at, not just physically and job-wise, but emotionally and spiritually. I liked what I heard. It was cool to see people who I still have something in common with, that I can respect as people on a real level.

I was probably a little quiet, but it was weird being the token single guy, and the guy who, by my own admission, has done a poor job of staying in touch. It doesn't help that I don't go home anymore, because I have no home after my family all moved away.

I regret not getting to see some people I would like to find. Guys like Grant Olson, Chris Stearns, Jeff Richardson, Chad Martin, etc. I was happy to see David Sample, Mandy (Even) & Greg Rabenhorst, Greg & Stefanie Sanborn, Amanda (Sanborn) Downs, Courtney (French) & Justin Moose, oh I'm forgetting some so I'd best quit there.

And I got to spend time at the cabin of Cory and Erin Heidelberger talking politics, philosophy, and religion, just like the good old days.

An interesting 24 hours, to say the least, plus the 4.5 hour car trip each way to and from Grand Island to Madison.

A New Kind of Christian: A Tale of Two Friends on a Spiritual Journey

I think this may be the next book on my list to get.Adventures in Missing the Point: How the Culture-Controlled Church Neutered the Gospel
was a tremendous book, also by McClaren. I liked Missing the Point so much, I think I'll have to give "new kind" a try. First, I should try to get my copy of Missing back from my friend Sheree. She snagged it at least 6 weeks ago, and read it, so I need it back so I can re-read it :)

well, tomorrow should be eventful.

first, i'm up early for an eye exam and some new glasses. yay!

then it's off to my high school reunion. yeah, i'm actually going.

more reports when i return

Our world is changing. Programs will come and go. Authentic communities will survive and thrive. Churches must realize there's a great generational shift going on, and the new generation (the postmoderns if you will) does things in different ways, but still need to be cared for.

I am concerned churches will get the idea they have to start 'postmodern ministry' just as in the past they felt they had to have a youth pastor, children's pastor, singles group, nursery ministry, etc. I fear churches will think they have to, and out of obligation will hire someone to run the ministry.

I think a better model is to not think of it as another ministry, but think of it as ministry. Does that make sense? Postmoderns seem turned off by anything that smacks of being a program. For reasons both right and wrong.

I would hope churches would realize they don't need a new ministry, but a new outlook, which is easier said than done of course.

I would encourage churches to really study postmodernism, and study postmoderns. Find ways to interact with them. Befriend them. Not just to make them a project, but because you care. People of any generation and worldview want to be loved and cared for and respected and listened to. So go do that.

It's hard to visualize, because it's not program driven, or numbers driven, but rather relationship driven. That's hard to quantify and collect data on and show results on. But I think relational ministry is where it's at. Churches need to realize hiring a pastor to reach postmoderns may not work. It's going to take the collective work of the church. Everyone has a role to play. We still need shepherds to guide us, but we also need to realize we're all part of the body, and can't pawn off our work on another paid staff member, when in reality our lives need to be our ministry, because we need vital relationships to spread the gospel.

We need to question more than forms of worship, but why we worship, and what worship is. Not to redefine it, but to reclaim it.

Worship isn't just song time, or an hour (or two) on Sunday morning. It a lifestyle.

When we do gather for corporate worship, we want to participate, not be spectators.

I think we need to ditch some of our so called worship songs. How am I supposed to worship other when I'm always talking about myself. Plus many songs don't allow us to be honest. Can you honestly sing a song with phrases like "I will" or "I always"? I can't. I won't always turn to God. I know I should, but even the writers of scipture don't make such claims that they will always do what's right? No. Why is the focus on us, and our response? Isn't that missing the point? My pastor friend doesn't like these songs, because as a leader he feels accountable for misrepresenting God's truth, for sugarcoating it, and putting the focus on us. And he doesn't want to be responsible for that. He wants people to be honest. He doesn't want to play songs that don't encourage honesty. I totally respect him for that.

Back to the point, I hope worship leaders, songwriters, pastors re-think the way they do things. We should value authenticity and honesty in our relationships with God. We need pastors who can help us, and leading by example doesn't hurt.

Apparently, I'm now a beta tester for Gmail, Google's new e-mail service. I'll have to see how it goes :)

As of today, both my favorite baseball teams are in first place

That being the Twins and Cardinals of course. Here's hoping for a repeat of the '87 Series, except with the Cards winning it this time :) Or the Twins

Ronald Reagan has "slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God".

As he said, "When the Lord calls me home, whenever that day may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future."

Thank you sir, for your devotion to this land.

what is salvation? is the point simply to end up in heaven? i tend to think not. that's a nice consequence, but that can't be it. God wants to redeem us, to be part of His kingdom now.

When we think of someone being saved, we tend to think in terms of the starting, and ending points. When did they "accept Christ" and we look to when they will go to heaven some day.

and on evangelism, I like what Brian McLaren says, "In many ways apologetics today is like selling gasoline during the ’70s — you needed to provide both leaded and unleaded gas. … To be a good apologist today, you need to offer both standard and innovative responses to common questions."

If there was no heaven or hell would you still believe?

I think people forget about the kingdom of God, that it exists here and now, as Luke 17 tells us. "the kingdom of God is within you"

Isn't that the point? To live as a part of His kingdom here and now?

My boss' boss was fired today. Or should I say "resigned", but not of his own choice. He was a smooth, charming, charismatic guy. But once you got to know him, he was a manipulative, fear mongering, greedy, controlling, bitter man. He was not a fun man to work for. He inspired greed and ill will. If leadership starts at the top, and a group takes on the characteristic of its leader, than we're an ugly, ugly "kingdom". It's a messy kingdom. Not completely corrupt, but at the same time hardly worth living for. So how have I survived working at a place with such a crappy leader? Because he's not my kingdom. I was in his kingdom, but not of it.

My kingdom isn't mine. The one I'm in will last for all eternity, and I'm already part of it, even before I die. That's salvation. God has redeemed me for His good. I'm called to love God and love my neighbor.

That's the great commandment. Funny how not all the gospels end on the great commission. Maybe it's not as important as we make it out to be. Maybe if we live out the greatest comandment more fully, the great commission will be fulfilled.

stay tuned for moe on the subject...

bluelikethat quiz - Which Chronicles of Narnia book are you?: "

The second book written and the third chronologically, you're the story of a Narnia hundreds of years after the last visit, populated by mythological creatures struggling to overthrow a king determined to wipe them out. Susan's Horn brings help when it's most needed ...


Find out which Chronicles of Narnia book you are."

ATHF Result:

I am Frylock from Aqua Teen Hunger Force!!

Which Aqua Teen Hunger Force character are you??"

Equilibrium is one of the best movies you've never heard of.

Ok so it's a bit on the cheesy b-movie side, as far as graphics and effects. But it's a fun movie, that makes a point. It's about human nature, freedom of thought, emotion, passion, war.

It's like Fahrenheit 451 meets the Matrix, throw in some 1984. And yes, I've read Bradbury and Orwell.

I've recently pulled out some old (and kinda not so old) humor books.

One of my favorites is James Lileks'The Gallery of Regrettable Food

Lileks went through old cookbooks, especially those wonderful promotionals ones made by the beef council or whoever. funny, funny stuff.

What's Right With America is one of those book of lists type books. It's one giant list. Everything from

4 of 5 doctors can agree to anything...
... and the 5th, independent minded doctor.

A silly, mostly lame book, but for some reason it still makes me smile.

and I picked upMike Nelson's Movie Megacheese, by Mike Nelson of Mystery Science Theater fame. Funny movie reviews, including comparisons of Bruce Willis to a Jeep. It gets you through the Minnesota winter, but you know it's rusting away.

NTV - Local News

This was my story yesterday. A personal story it was, at that.

I know John Osenbaugh. He's a cool kid. He just found out two months ago he had a brain tumor. Here's a guy who could do math in his head who was so affected he couldn't remember his own girlfriend. Scary. A guy who's brain got him a full-ride college scholarship finding his brain had failed him. The brain is such an amazing thing. But upset its balance, and it's frightening. Another friend of mine suffers from seizures. I found him the first time after he had them a few years ago. It was right before 9/11. He couldn't remember things. Didn't know why I was in his house. As I was talking to him, he forgot I was there. Then 9/11 hit, and he couldn't tell it was real. He's doing well now, and I hope John too will recover. He's a great guy and a fighter, so I expect nothing less :)

Old School NHL fans pull for teams in this order in
any playoff series:

1) Your team
2) The team playing the team you most enjoy hating
(ie, Red Wings fans may pull for whomever is playing
Colorado, and Maple Leafs fans may pull for whomever
is playing Montreal before invoking the remaining
rooting precedence structure).
3) The Canadian team
4) The Original 6 team not from Canada. In the event
two Original 6 teams are playing each other, you
should root for the team that is not the Rangers.
They won their Cup a few years ago, and if it takes
another 40 years to win it again, that's just fine for
the true Old School NHL fan.
5) The first set of expansion teams (Buffalo, Pgh,
Philly, etc.)
6) The team north of the Mason-Dixon line and east of
the Mississippi
7) The team west of the Mississippi and north of the
Mason-Dixon line

Corollaries to the above: since an Old School NHL fan
holds grudges, has a long memory, and has a sense of
history, you may not in any event pull for:

1) Any team that has moved out of Canada (Phoenix,
Colorado)
2) Any team that has moved out of Minnesota (a.k.a.,
the Canada of America) [Dallas]
3) Any team that has been in the league for less than
5 years

Therefore, it is clear that if you are an Old School
NHL fan, you will be pulling for the Calgary Flames in
the finals over Tampa Bay, since they carry the banner
for Canada (see Rule 3) and Tampa Bay is below "

thanks to:
Greg Grant
Online Folk Festival
http://www.onlinefolkfestival.com


for coming up with this :)

so what's on my mind?

here's some stuff i've been doing / thinking about.
- graduation time. makes me feel old :) it's been 10 years since i got out of high school. it's cool to see kids i've invested time in come out alright. nice to know i haven't polluted their minds too much ;)
- matt moving on. matt's the youth pastor at our church, and a once in a lifetime kinda guy. i don't know when i'll find another guy like this. but i don't think it ends here. i think both he and i have a lot more to offer the kingdom of God
- girls. so what's new. i'll find one eventually :)
- disc golf. it's fun
- dance dance revolution. aw yeah
- the kingdom of God has been on my mind. it's becoming increasingly clear to me that salvation isn't just about going to heaven someday. it's also about being part of the kingdom right here, right now (cue fatboy slim). it's about joining God where he's working. Living for the kingdom now. How does that look? I don't know, but it's a process.

Take my Quiz on QuizYourFriends.com!

Conscious self	Overall self

Take Free Enneagram Personality Test

If you've ever felt Christians, and the church miss they point, you owe it to yourself to read Adventures in Missing the Point: How the Culture-Controlled Church Neutered the Gospel

It's a great read.

Everything from why the Bible isn't what we've made it to be, to what evangelism is, to why the church should care about AIDS.

Not just a great read, but a must read.

It's sweeps month in the TV biz. This is the time of year we get our ratings. So we pull out all the stops hoping to attract viewers. We actually do this three times a year, November, February, and May. In big TV markets, they get ratings all the time. But in smaler TV markets, this is when we find out how many people are watching.

And if we have more people watching, we can charge more for air time on our ads.

My big series this week was No Hablo Espanol. Yeah, a cheesy look at why businesses in a town with 20% Hispanic population are learning Spanish. Duh.

Prophetik

just discovered this.

i'll have to check it out.

any t-shirt company with a kierkegaard quote on the front page is worthy of further inspection

:)

Well, April 19th came and went without incidet.

That's a relief.

Its one of those days, by instinct, I turn on CNN just expecting horrible news.

In 1993, it's when the standoff in Waco at the Branch Davidian compound ended. And, more importantly to me, when SD Governor George S. Mickelson was killed in a plane crash

In 1994, it's when Tim McVeigh blew up the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

April 20th has a rough history as well, as the date of Columbine.

Adventures in Missing the Point: How the Culture-Controlled Church Neutered the Gospel

Making Sense of Church: Eavesdropping on Emerging Conversations About God, Community, and Culture

just ordered these from amazon :)

Online RPS

Yes, online rock, paper, scissors. I especially enjoyed the math and theory behind why it must remain a trinity, and why dynamite cannot be added to the game.

someone has too much time on their hands. or on their fingers I guess.

so if I were to place an ad for those seeking work, here's what I was thinking of writing.

Culture-savvy, Creative, get-things-done Guy Seeks Meaningful Opportunity

Does your organization need a faith-infused, culturally sensitive creative-type to get things done? Look no further. An award-winning journalist with a heart for the emerging church, and the postmodern generation is seeking not just a job, but a career where his passion for truth, beauty, and love come together.

Photography? I can do that. Video shooting / editing? The Associated Press sure thinks so, from all the awards they've handed out. Youth ministry? Check. Six years and counting. Web design? More than a decade of experience. Small groups? You bet. College ministry? I know a thing or two, having been in leadeship through my four years. Ever run a music festival? Sure have. Know how to build relationships? Yep. And that's just the beginning. Eagle scout? How'd you know? Plus I'm a music fan (U2, Moby), avid reader (C.S. Lewis), movie buff, and have even known people who have been on Survivor and The Real World (true story).

Sounds like someone you want on your team? Of course!

e-mail Steve today

Up from the grave he arose;
with a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
he arose a victor from the dark domain,
and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

I managed to play disc golf five times this week. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Friday was a rainout, and Saturday is shaping up to be cold and rainy :(

things are coming together for ::soulstice festival:: presented by timberlake

most of the lineup is there, and more will be added

Here's what we're looking at:
Bleach

Joy Electric

Ace Troubleshooter

Echoing Green

Sanctus Real

Holland

Falling Up

The Billions

links are to Amazon.com so you can hear / buy them and support them so they'll still be on tour when August rolls around :)

Bloginality: the INTP personality

a four question personality test. INTP. i think that's what i was before... who knows :)

If you haven't readThe Gallery of Regrettable Food by James Lileks, please do. This is a coffee table book I'm proud to own.

If you're not sure what it is, check out

The site that inspired the book

And while I'm recommending things, U2 Go Home - Live From Slane Castle is a great DVD. I need to watch it again

I'm now part of Who Reads What @ blogs4God

where you can see what various bloggers have in their libraries.

Everytime I list a book here, it will end up on that list.

So here are some favorites I've read:

The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalog

Is another one of the books I've ben reading. Interesting stuff. It's sermons based on U2 songs, which while not practical, has been enjoyable.

What have I been reading lately?

The Emerging Church

A Primer on Postmodernism

if you have't listened to viva voce please do!

they're fantastic. i can't help but dig the album lovers, lead the way it's great.

and singer anita robinson is collaborating with joey b. of the echoing green (check out their album winter of our discontent) on a new chillout album called pristina.

Under my picture, the headline:

Murder Victim Was Stabbed

(that's me, lower left)

Police Continue To Investigate Hastings Murder

Another murder to cover. They're always a tough assignment, personally, and professionally. This one has more personal connections than most, as well.

Here are the murders I've covered, that I remember
- Little Diana Molina, two year old beaten to death
- Amie Barnett, killed by her estranged husband
- Sword Slaying supect Chris Decker killed Ken Skidmore with a sword
- La Movida shooting where the guy (Gabriel Contreras)
- Marsha Montano murdered outside her home
- Bruce Carlson killed his wife
- There was the Burkhardt guy
- Lopez / Espinoza killed Kendall Wertz in GI
- Ruiz-Medina convicted of murder iN GI
- Oh, there was Willa Caster in Kearney, I covered the trial
- There was the so-called mercy killing Hebron with the Ohlrich man who killed his wife who supposedly had cancer but didn't really
- Who could forget the most notorious, Jose Sandoval, from one of the deadliest bank shootings in US history
- Louis Conover Jr. in Hastings killed his parents
that would make this at least #14, and I may be forgetting some, sadly.

I'd like to think I do a good job of getting these stories right. That's seems silly to say, as a journalist should get it right, but many don't. Many don't understand the legal proceedings, and also make stupid mistakes that cost credibility. I don't think I do.

i'm a winner of the ap broadcast awards three times over this year.

i took second for videography for a piece on disc golf (and I'm not even a full time photographer). i'm pretty proud of that

i also took second for spot news, for our coverage of an incident where a woman threatened police and they had to shoot her

plus i think i took honorable mention for agriculture, for a story at husker harvest days, the nation's largest working farm show.

i think i can now truly say i'm famous, now that i've been featured on the Nebraska Department of Agriculture website :)

nothing like a staged photo of reporters interviewing someone.

who thinks i should book these guys for the soulstice festival?

me me!

well, my tv station finally launched it's website today.

finally.


nebraska.tv