Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Camp

I am at camp right now.

No matter how anxious I am whenever I head up here, it mostly dissolves away once I arrive. Granted, this is the most wary visit I can ever remember. And I haven't talked to or seen Mr. Director Man yet. And I feel like I'm tiptoeing around people.

But still, these people, collectively, are my favorites.

Movin' Reviewin'

Just to you, my loyal readership that up until recent had not broken 30 individuals know, I am not going to be doing Witwiwo Reviews on this blog any more.

I have already deleted them from this blog and moved them over to my new review blog, What I Thought When It Was Over. Clever title, eh? Didn't see that one coming, did ya?

I will still do some review-ish posts on this blog, but my straight up Witwiwo Reviews and similar things will be located over there.

Enjoy.

Friday, December 25, 2009

The Goods

I found so many of the things I received on Christmas day enjoyable that I thought I would share some of them with you all:

1. The Complete Rhyming Dictionary -- Something I'd been interested in utilizing in some poetry. There's somewhere around a frillion entries for the words ending in the -ation sound. I'm sort of excited to use it.

2. A Rubik's cube. I have never honestly tried my hand at one and after about a half hour of toying around, I'm confusing myself, I'm sure.

3. Trans Siberian Orchestra's latest installment, Night Castle, a 26-track rockestral* piece accompanied by an illustrated storybook.

*this term has been copyrighted by the Timotheus Foundation, for exclusive use by Mr. T.J. Schley, Esquire in reference to the aforementioned band, Trans Siberian Orchestra, and may only be applied to other bands if Mr. Schley deems it appropriate.

4. Serious Drawings by Marc Johns. Someone and something I have mentioned before. It contains such wonderful entries as



his humor is very dry and very enjoyable. To me at least.

5. A crossbow. Not the literal, firing-wooden-arrows-into-your-chain-mail-covered-chest type, but a pretty good one, nonetheless. My roomates are going to love my family for giving me that one.

6. The 19th installment of my Hallmark Keepsake Ornament series, Puppy Love. If my puppy identification skills are still intact (and I believe they are), then it is a chcolate lab, hanging from a Christmas wreath.

7. A sword. Again, not the literal, my-blade-will-be-your-bane-you-evil-oppressor-of-the-innocent-and-enslaver-of-good-things type, but, rather, a Nerf sword.

What's this, you didn't know they made them in claymoresque edition? Well now you know. And knowing is half the battle. The other half being a Nerf sword. Again, I'm sure the Testosterhome's inhabitants are going to be quite thankful to my sister for that gift.

8. Other sundries, including, but not limited to socks (which I have been lacking) various candies, a grow-in-water Spiderman, a cross necklace and a Pillar CD.

So what did you get? Do share.

To You--

A Happy Christmas.

Also: A Christmas Monster of sorts:

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Dug Down Deep

This is a short promo video for Joshua Harris' (of I Kissed Dating Goodbye fame) new book Dug Down Deep. I am very interested in what he is talking about it in this book. I'm pretty sure I'm going to pick it up. Sounds similar to stuff I am learning about.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Bears Are Eating My Friends

Have you ever wondered to yourself why there are not more artistic interpretations of the lesser known scenes of the Bible? I have. Especially this one:
"From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!" He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths."
These two young gents have offered up a rather good song about the situation. Not the funniest, but quite entertaining just because I think they've corned the market on songs about this passage.

Although who knows? Maybe the recent interest may spark a whole new artistic renaissance pertaining to Elisha's form of youth ministry.



Here is the chorus:

"Bears are eating my friends! Female bears are ripping off our limbs. When you mock a prophet of the Lord you'll end up dead. Now I'm regretting those last words I said: Go on up, you baldhead."

And in the comments, someone said

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Jehovah Loves Java

That's the title of this particular strip of the webcomic Max vs. Max:

Now, this is some funny stuff. If you aren't laughing there is some serious stuff you need to work through. Don't believe me? How can you not think that God, the Living God, showed up in Max's bed to talk to him about their relationship? That's high quality entertainment there.

And God pulling the typical God line of "I'm not bound by your concept of time." That is comedic gold. Right now Max just got out of a relationship and is looking to stay out of the dating game for a while....oh, dating.

I first heard about Wes Molebash and his webcomicing adventures through his role in clothing Zakk, the metrosexual worship leader over at Stuff Christians Like.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

30 Second Christmas Story

Just thought I'd share this hilarious and speedy take on the birth of Christ. Pretty funny, I quite enjoy those videos that place a irrelevantly pertinent image to the words being said.

And who know that Joseph, Jesus' Dad looked just like Mr. Stalin? Or that Einstein, Gandhi and MLK were the Wise Men?



[Tip O' The Hat to Crazy Christian Clips]

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

My Heart, It Keeps Me Broke

An excellent song and one of my perpetual favorites by Jars of Clay. I have to fight to not put it on every single playlist I make. This week, it seems particularly pertinent.

"Mirrors and Smoke" by Jars of Clay, from Good Monsters

[resonating lines in bold, hear the song here]

I'm feeling older than my years
I'm feeling pain inside my chest
It's love that keeps me silent
It's my silence that you detest
Rivers flow into the oceans
And oceans never fill
I want to kiss your lips, but I know I never will

Love's a hard decision to risk impending choke
But love will keep you wishing
And my heart will keep me broke

I blew flowers, gave you candy to even out the guilt
I sent you greeting cards with messages
that I could never write

Rivers flow into the oceans
And oceans never fill
I want to let you know me
But I know I never will

Love's a contradiction
Many mirrors and smoke
Love will keep you wishing
My heart will keep me broke

You will always want me
And I'll always want to leave
Even though I cut your wounds
You still deny they're real
Rivers flow into the ocean
Oceans never fill
I want to lay my life down
But I know you never will

Love's a strange condition
With all the doubts it can invoke
You love keeps me wishing
And my heart keeps me broke

Baby, don't you cry, 'cause I got it all figured out
You always make me sad
But that's what true love is all about
Rivers never fill the oceans
But oceans always feel
The waters reaching deep inside them
I guess they always will

Love's a constant mission to a world you never spoke
Love, it keeps you wishing
My heart, it keeps me broke...
Mirrors and Smoke

Monday, December 7, 2009

M. Ward -- "Requiem"

M. Ward--I don't know much about him. And he seems like he should be a mysterious, cryptic character from the elusive absence of a full first name. I wonder if his friends call him 'M.' That would get confusing at Bond viewing parties.

He is the 'Him' from She & Him, Zooey Deschanel's band, and with that band's second installment Volume Two on the way, I'm pretty stoked. I think I am going to start checking some of his stuff out.

I saw this song posted by someone on Veteran's Day, and it struck me as particularly poetic and insightful. I love extraordinary celebrations of ordinary people's extraordinary lives.



[Tip O' The Hat to Abraham Piper]

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Maybe it is Me, Maybe it is Her

Dating is hard. (Some may feel obligated to insert their "No Sh*t, Sherlock" here, a point I am perfectly willing to concede). It is harder than I remember.

Then again, since I've really screwed up my relationships since my last "official" relationship. Maybe it's just been a while. Maybe I'm just missing some key component.

Or maybe I'm just growing up. Maybe I feel "out of it" because the "in it" I am used to is from a younger, less mature, more selfish High School T.J. Maybe what used to be the norm is no longer acceptable. Maybe God wants something else for me.


Whatever the case. I do remember it sucking this bad when it sucked. I do remember the suck.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Help Portrait

What do you give someone in a time of economic despair, when you are comparably despairing yourself, and you are a mere photographic artist? You give them hope.

But how do you do give someone such an abstract, elusive thing? How about by giving them something they've never had before: a chance to be beautiful, and a picture to remember it by. Sounds good to me.

It also sounds good to Jeremy Cowart, a celebrity photographer and creator of Help Portrait, a movement to call as many photographers as possible to give people something simple, something meaningful.

December 12 they're trying to rally photographers to go do some significant stuff for those around them. Check out the their site or this short promo video:



[Tip O' The Hat to Tyler Stanton]

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

The World Is Just Awesome

Discovery Channel does some good stuff. I mean, between MythBusters, Dirty Jobs and a plethora of other entertaining and informative shows, you've got some telerevolutionaryness. True story.

This commercial--I can't believe I'd never seen it before, but is hilarious to me--when you have a bunch of people and animals in coordinated song across the globe, you can't get much better than that.



[Tip O' The Hat to Tyler Stanton]

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

I Got 95 Theses and The Pope Ain't One

Few things entertain me more than a merging of the new and the old. And I'm a big fan of theology. So this video was quite hilarious to me. I mean, the 95 Theses put to Jay-Z's "99 Problems"? Gold.

Plus the authenticish garb adds a great deal of funny to the clip.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Why I Hate Thanksgiving

Okay, maybe hate is a strong word, but it got you here and reading this, didn't it?

First I would like to say that my dislike of this particular holiday has nothing to do with the fact that I spent all of last week, Thanksgiving break, laying on a couch trying to conquer the Swine Flu. Fortunately, my campaign was successful, but it was an altogether NOT enjoyable experience. I don't suggest getting it, if anyone was still up in the air about it.

Now, why do I dislike Thanksgiving? There are a number of different reasons.

1. It takes away from Christmas.

I don't care if it's not your favorite holiday, or if you're disgusted by the way it's become commercialized and a big greed-fest, you better listen to the daggum song--it IS the most wonderful time of the year. And people getting angry at Christmas music starting early because "Oh, what about Thanksgiving?" is getting me pretty torqued myself. What about Thanksgiving? What about it? It's like a warm-up for the real holiday season.

2. Original meaning of Thanksgiving = Sketch.

Not you-shouldn't-have-made-that-innuendo sketch, but more of let's-think-about-what-really-went-down sketch. Pilgrims hate Church of England. Church of England say "F-off!" Pilgrims flee to create isolated moralistic society. Pilgrims barely survive in New World, except for the help of the Indians. Pilgrims are Thankful, yay! Pilgrims later unwittingly or willfully assist in extermination of a large portion of North America's indigenous people. Yay! Thanks Church of England!

3. Most people aren't really Thankful.

Okay, except for you. Yeah, I'm talking to you, Mr. Person-Who-Posted-A-"Things I'm Thankful For"-List on their blog. Or that guy in that one Thanksgiving Hallmark special. Or everyone for that five minutes before you cut into the Turkey when Mom makes everyone say one thing they are thankful for. But really, the week has never contained a "spirit of gratitude" in my experience. Am I wrong? Now, I'm not saying we should just through it out, and I think we could strive for it, but right now, that's just simply no the case.

4. It's at the wrong time.

This sort of coincides with point #1, but honestly, shouldn't the thankful season come after the "season of greed?" Wouldn't that at least be a little more honest? I mean, who arranged the holidays anyway, because I have a big problem with not getting St. Patrick's Day off from school. That, and it's what, four or five days to celebrate gratitude? Like we couldn't use more of it the rest of the year?

Conclusion:

I understand this is not a perfectly reasonable view to hold, but I really do think we are into consolidating good things to certain time periods: Gratitude at Thanksgiving. Cheer, Joy, and Generosity at Christmas. Appreciation of our parents on the respective Mothers and Fathers Days. (In some cases) Love on St. Valentine's Day.

I nominate the rest of the year to celebrate these much-needed qualities.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Día De Los Gracías

I figured that I should do the obligatory Thanksgiving Day post. I have my thoughts about Thanksgiving, which I will share soon. But for now, things I am thankful for:
  • A Love That Will Not Let Me Go--'nuff said.
  • Truth--all truth is God's truth. I've come to realize that the truth is key to all aspects of life. (John 8:32).
  • Friends--what can I say: You are who you surround yourself with. If that's the case, then I am awesome.
  • Art--From poetry to literature to painting to graphic design, it's fun stuff. Go figure that my major is English Literature & Language, right?
  • RUF--really has been a life saver for me at Winthrop.
And then, on the less profound side:
  • Disc-Based Games--who cares if I broke my arm playing Ultimate Frisbee? I love me some disc golf.
  • Google--From Blogger to Reader, to Docs, to especially G-mail. They do awesome stuff, and it's all super-integrated. Too bad they're looking to take over every aspect of our electronic lives.
  • The recent resurgence of all things comics--Mostly the movies, even though a lot of them have sucked. Marvel celebrated it's 70th anniversary this year. While I like me some DC, I am pretty stoked about most things "comical."


Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Fun Theory

What if we could change behavior for the better by making things fun to do?

That is the essential question that The Fun Theory, "an initiative of Volkswagen," asks.

And my response is: why didn't I think of this first!?! This could have major repercussions, if these things were actually implemented, and if Volkswagen follows up instead of just using it as some dumb publicity stunt.

I'll share one of the ideas they tried out, and let you check out the others for yourself:

A Glass Recycling Bank that doubles as a game where you can get a score--



How fun is that? I would be trying to find stuff to recycle all the live-long day if that was in my neighborhood or on Winthrop's campus!

Other ideas include Piano Stairs, the "World's Deepest" Trashcan, and I saw one person's suggestion for a sink that made colors flash across the screen as you washed your hands.

Do you think that fun can change people behavior?

What do you think we could get people to do by making it fun?

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

School Kills Creativity

It is astounding to me how nearly everyone thinks education is important, and most have education opinions based primarily on their own experience in school and a few random facts they've picked up from an article or random study or the like.

Not that this is wrong, just that it seems interesting that so many people "care," but not enough to really do something about it, beyond the occasional rally or protest or "get out the vote" campaign.

I'm not going to give you my ideas that I think will solve all issues. Even the video I'm about to introduce I don't think offers the end-all solution.

That being said, I think that what Sir Ken Robinson says is this video is really intriguing. Now, it is a 20 minute video, but I know you can stick it out, tiger.

Like he says: Where in the world can you find an education system that doesn't have a hierarchy of subjects with Math, Science, History at the top and the Arts at the bottom?

Oh, I forgot to mention that he is hilarious even through his serious subject matter.



So what do you think?

Do schools kill creativity?

How could we change this?

[Tip o' the Hat to Doug McAbee]

Monday, November 23, 2009

Auto Complete Me

I've come to realize that a good bit of this blog is dedicated to the awareness of internet hilarities. That is, I use the blog very often to just share things I find on the internet and think are hilarious. This is one such thing.

Autocomplete Me is a website dedicated to odd auto complete suggestions in the Google. These things are seriously funny, else I would not be sharing them with you. Some responses that got me guffawing:
  • do midgets have night vision
  • if i ate myself would i become twice as big or disappear completely
  • why can't i own a canadian
  • help a bear is eating me
Granted, most of these were not the first suggestion available, but still. "Wha!?" Was my reaction (amid suppressed chuckling) at seeing most of what was there.

I do find it interesting that these types of websites, that share some funny, strange, or odd internet occurrence, are becoming more and more widespread in their implementation. Another I've come across: Jerks In Your Area (Craigslist posts).

[Tip o'the Hat to Tyler Stanton]

Thursday, November 19, 2009

mewithoutYou -- "the Fox, the Crow And the Cookie"

What could be better than a band made up of two English teachers whose music is quite literally poetry set to music, redoing one of Aesop's fables?

How about if said band used puppets in the music video of said song? Yes, methinks.

If you don't know much about mewithoutYou, I highly recommend them and their new album, "It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All A Dream! It's Alright!"

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

What I'm Reading

Mere Christanity by C.S. Lewis.

[for the record, I used this picture because that is the same cover as the copy I have. It's ancient]

It's one of the classics, so I've been told. This will be the first bit by Lewis that I have read outside of the Chronicles of Narnia.

How can I have not read this book by now, seeing as I am an ardent lover of theology and Christian thought? I dunno, your guess is as good as mine.

So far, I am a big fan of what he's saying, and the way he's saying it. I could give you several quotes, and I'm not that far in. I am very much amazed at Lewis ability to articulate in a clear and (maybe not) concise matter the amazing truths we find in the world around us.

I'm a big fan of the style he is writing in this book: building and growing a philosophy from very fundamental, observable roots. It reminds of why I enjoy many of Paul's letters.

"First, of all He left us conscience, the sense of right and wrong: and all through history there have been people trying (some of them very hard) to obey it. None of them ever quite succeeded.

Secondly, he sent the human race what I call good dreams: I mean those queer stories scattered all through the heathen religions about a god who dies and comes to life again and, by his death, a, has somehow given new life to men.

[and then, one of the best explanations for why God "chose" the nation of Israel I've ever heard]

Thirdly, He selected one particular people and spent several centuries hammering into their heads the sort of God He was--that there was only one of Him and that He cared about right conduct. Those people were the Jews, and the Old Testament gives an account of the hammering process."
--pg. 54

Monday, November 16, 2009

Things That Make Me Laugh

1. Marc Johns:


...list to be continued.

Friday, November 13, 2009

RUF Barn Dance

..was a lot of fun, as you can see:


This was just half of the awesomeness that transpired, the other half being square dancing. You have no idea. It will literally rock your face off. Face replacements not provided.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Christians Know How to Hate

This is a long one, so strap in. I've been trying to keep 'em short but I think this one is worth the long read.

A recent Wall Street Journal article by Lauren Winner demonstrates so often what people think about Christians.

The article cleverly titled "Burnt Offerings" is about a church in North Carolina that took it upon themselves to rid the world of unholy literature. Some of the books "thrown into the flames included those by supposed heretics Billy Graham, Mother Teresa and emergent church guru Brian McLaren."

What?

"Most disturbing," Winner correctly states, "Scripture itself was burned—onto the pyre flew modern translations of the Bible."

What!?

Christians, burned books!? Well, we've been doing that for some time. Wait, they burned copies of The Bible, the inspired word of God!?!

"We believe that the King James Bible is the Word of God" declares the church's website, a perfect justification for their actions.

Since I have gotten into blogging, I've come to realize something that I've always known: Christians really know how to hate well. I mean some people are haters, but we have made it dang near professional.

I am hesitant even to write this, because I am in a sense doing the same thing, hating on Christians who I think am doing something wrong. It just tears me up inside

It reminds me of Relient K's old song "Down in Flames:"
Christians--we mourn, the thorn is stuck
In the side of the body watch it self-destruct.
The enemy is much ignored
While we fight this Christian civil war.
We're cannibals.
We watch our brothers fall.
We eat our own, the bones and all.
I used to subscribe to Matthew Turner's blog Jesus Needs New PR, but I had to leave after a long time of just hearing his, to put it plainly, whining about the Church. Granted, what he had to say about John Piper is what really set me off, but my departure was a long time coming.

I find it ironic that many people take huge issue with fundamentalist Christians, attempt to embrace a more "radical," love-based ministry and outlook toward those around them, and then proceed to demonstrate the most skilled, virulent hate toward those who are part of the same body!

How can someone justify this? I could see someone saying "Look at when Jesus and John and Paul criticized people--it was when they were spreading lies or untruth about God and His kingdom." But many of the issues here are not straight-up lies, but rather simple theological disputes. "Kitchen-table arguments" my campus minister says.

If we believe the Bible (a question who's answer could be the root of this whole deal to begin with) then we know that the Church is Christ's bride. [II Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 21:2; Isaiah 54:5] Now, is there any married man you know who will be okay with you if you despise, hate, and ridicule his wife?

Likewise, we cannot expect Christ to be okay with us degrading, despising and hating our brothers and sisters, our own body. Yes, exhort one another, but on to good works, not on to universal theology.

We do have one theology: God, 3-in-1, Jesus, his son. Came, lived, loved, died, rose, ascended. Sin is gone, death is undone. Christ will come, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess. Now go and love everyone, including the disagreeable siblings you have to live with.

"Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

--and--

"Exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."



Wednesday, November 11, 2009

11:11 PM 11/11

What did you wish for (if you don't mind sharing)?

What did you do about it?

Did anything happen?

11:11 AM 11/11

Make a wish, say a prayer, hope. Then go do something about it.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Make A Wish

Tomorrow is the eleventh of November, a date that is relatively unremarkable aside from the noticeable number of '1's in its denotation: 11/11.

There is a well known social inclination, you could say, to tell someone to make a wish when the clock is at the time 11:11, AM or PM, supposedly because that time has semi-magical abilities to grant the wish. One would logically assume, then, that on the date 11/11, the magical powers possessed by the time 11:11 would be magnified exponentially.

While I personally employ the excuse of magic for many inexplicable things, I think people use it as a crutch when a fine and even better tool is simply action.

That is why tomorrow, 11/11, at 11:11 AM, I am going to post, challenging you, all 4 of my readers, to make a wish and then do something about it.

That's right, hope in the prospect of whatever you wished for, but then do something to make it happen. Talk to that person, write them a letter, take a picture, fill out that application, pray, read, write--whatever needs to be done to push your life in the direction you just wished it would go.

It doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be impossible. Just hope, and then act.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Johnny Cash -- "Hurt"

You may not be aware of this, but I love me some Johnny Cash. I particularly enjoy his ability to take a song, cover it, and make it a whole new song of sorts, often a better song.

It's an incredibly poignant music video: Cash surveys his whole life as he bravely declares "You can have it all/My empire of dirt." I highly suggest you watch it.




Also a bit ago, Brian Fulton of the Gospel Coalition took this song and replaced the lyrics with what Christ would have said if it were his song. Pretty interesting.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

A Four-Year-Old, On Tithing

I went to Elevation last Sunday with my roommate because I'd never been before and I'd always been interested. I hesitate to "review" it but I will say that it was an enjoyable experience.

In a brief snippet, Elijah, Pastor Steven Furtick's son, talked about money managagement, God's way. I thought it was awesome:

Elijah Offering Video from Elevation Church on Vimeo.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Switchfoot -- "Mess of Me" Official Video

Switchfoot just released the official music video for the single from their new CD, which I have mentioned before. I am really looking forward to this album. I just got the e-mail saying it was shipped!

Again the lyrics strike me: "There ain't no drug that they can sell/No, there ain't no drug to make me well." Affirming the supremacy of Christ over idols in a bangin' rock song? Yes please.

.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Flying Apparati & Other Such Sundries

Stumbled upon (not using the website, I'm too professional for that crap) the Belgian 'Sculpteur' Stephane Halleux. He has some amazing work! I was literally caught off guard by some of his pieces. The intricacy, the detail, immaculate. Here are a few pieces:


"Flying Civil Servant"
"Batman Begins 2"

[As you can see, he's got a penchant for flying things.]

"Marathon Man"

And here is another gallery with some of his work, in addition to his website which I linked to earlier. I seriously encourage you to check him out.

[Tip o' the Hat to Cameron]

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Youth Ministry

I

Youth Ministry

A lot. Seriously, what other job is built upon the principles of being as ridiculous as possible with the intent of sharing God's word and loving with His Love?

Monday, November 2, 2009

Back In The Day

So, you may think I'm an awesome person for doing this, or you may think it's a little strange, but I write my Grandma Schley. My Dad's Mom. I write her letters. And she sends me cards, WalMart giftcards and now...pictures:

First off, here is my Grandma with me, back in the day. You can't see it, but I'm actually wearing some old school, little-man, red Chuck Taylor Converse All-Stars. Ballin'



Then there's me with the paps. He looks young, to me at least. But then again, he hasn't changed too much. Just more facial hair and more glasses.



Now in this one I look dang professional. I wish I had a bangin' bowtie-and-suspenders combo to wear nowadays.



Those of you who have hung out with me a bit probably have seen this face before. As you can see, I have been a slave to fashion since birth:



Then there's the typical cute smile that could mean anything from "What you're doing is funny." to "You've got a surprise waiting in my pants."

Saturday, October 31, 2009

What I'm Reading

I finished Just Do Something the other day. It was most excellent. I will be posting a review sometime soon. In the mean time, I have moved on to The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller.


With the subtitle "Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith," Keller explains in his introduction that the book is not only for those coming to the Christian faith for the first time, or even those returning to the Christian faith.

From what I understand, he is writing to me (the "older brother") as much to a seeker (the "younger brother"). The speaker at summer conference this year told me personally it would be "the best book I read this year." So far, I haven't been blown away, but then again I am only in the first chapter. And I think it has potential.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Best Mural Ever

Have you ever seen those cheesy Christian murals of Biblical scenes like David and Goliath or Noah's Ark or some other more popular scene? Well I'm sure you always wondered why they never illustrated that passage from 2 King 2 where Elisha calls the she-bears out from the woods to maul the youths.

My dad calls it the first recorded instance of youth ministry. John Acuff has lamented this fact, and because of his lamentation, the good man Wes Molebash took it upon himself to get the job done. And oh did he:

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Google is Good


In a recent Good Magazine article that lists 100 good things (some of which I disagree with. They list Hilary Clinton, for goodness sake) Google was listed as a good thing.

They gave several projects that give us reason to believe Google intends to stand by it's "do no evil" inentions:

Online energy consumption readings for your house and a project attempting to make Renewable energy cheaper than coal (aptly named RE < C), but the one that struck me the most was Project 10^100.

Google took submissions for ideas that would "change the world," and they've been weeding them down since last year. Right now they're at the final 16, some of which are less inspirational than others, but I find it really encouraging that a major company is offering $10 Million to help 5 of these projects.

$10 Million! That isn't enough to solve each one, but that's a huge starting point and hopefully others can find it in their hearts and wallets to give similarly?

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Joe Biden On A Potato Gun Rampage

I daggum love The Onion. So funny, so poignant.



"I've told you, you can't give this man anything!" Gold.

Click through if you are using a reader.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Fill In The Blank



What is your sentence? Mine is here.

Let Them Sing It For You

This is a pretty nifty thing: a speech generator that uses the voices and lines of popular artists to compose whatever text you want. It is pretty funny. Check it out.

I used it to say the name of this blog, in addition to a famous quote by Albert Einstein and Hebrews 11:1.

I wonder what some poetry would sound like?

It is listed as a public sound art project. Pretty interesting.

If one of the words you used doesn't work, it offers you a chance to suggest an artist and song that has that word or sound in it. Nifty.

[tip o' the hat to Paste Magazine]

TVR In Fall

Over fall break, while many were headed home to enjoy the company of their families, Joel and I turned our faces to mountains, a departed for a weekend-long adventure at TVR.

Let the record show that the reason I did not go home is that my family was away from Charleston and would not be back until Sunday night, therefore leaving me only 1.5 days to possibly be with them.

It was nice to be at camp for the first time since summer. It was definitely later than I usually go up there. I was hoping to get up there sooner, but, alas, Winthrop had different plans for me.

For anyone who is wondering, fall is the most beautiful time of the year at camp. The lush, full greens you experience during the spring and summer were mottled with a lovely assortment of reds, oranges and yellows, as you can see from Plow Point:


In addition to awesome autumn-ness, there was also snow. That's right. While Joel and I were on Plow Point, there was literally snow flurries coming up the mountain, hitting us in the face. That sucked a little.


Also, I got to hit up Alliance for church on Sunday, even though we didn't get to hear Scott Andrews speak because it was their missions festival this past week. Got a chance to talk to him, and he recommended RTS for seminary, said he took some classes there. Pretty sweet, yo.

All in all, a good weekend. It was fun to hang out with everyone and Joel, seeing as the group was only 9 people. Running the top of the tower was cold. Greg was out because of surgery, but he's back now. I am somewhat anxious to get back up there.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Brainy McJazz-Jazz

I don't know why I gave this post that title, because that title is absolutely ridiculous. So am I. I know why I gave this post that title now.

Moving on: I am still currently writing a paper in the library computer lab. Facebook Farmville girl left a long time ago, but I forgot to mention something: Pandora.

Because my iPod decided it didn't like me and wanted to sleep/die for a while, I started up an account and have been playing around listening to various instrumental stuff so I don't get distracted by the lyrics. Explosions in the Sky was my first hit, then some David Holmes (he did the Ocean's movies soundtracks, for those of you who don't know).

I finally, however, jumped over to the Jazz Genre station. It's pretty bangin'. Plus, I don't know what it is, but there is something about jazz music that makes my soul want to get up and move around--even--dare I say it--DANCE.

That, and it is incredibly stimulating for my brain. Before I switched to the Jazz station, I was averaging a few sentences per 10 minute period. Since switching, I wrote a whole 2 paragraphs in 15 minutes. Ballin', yo.

Fats Waller, Pee Wee Russell, Art Hodes, Louis Armstrong...all great stuff.

Does jazz stimulate you mentally or in your soul?

If not, what type of music or band or song does?

Facebook Farmville Fail

I am currently sitting in the computer lab in the library working on a paper. Upon glancing up from my work, I look across the room to a girl sitting in the computer lab, headphones in, playing Farmville on Facebook. Sometimes I have no difficulty at all remembering why I left that crap.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

The Matrix

For a movie about perception of reality, I had not realized how much the movie spoke about destiny. Seriously, the film is filled with it.

I found it interesting that there are several competing "destinies" for Neo. Most obviously, there is the one believed by Morpheus, that Neo is The One, who will be the salvation of mankind from The Matrix. There is also the destiny that the machines have in mind for him. In their consciousness, Neo is an anomaly, a problem who's only ineveitable end is eradication at their hands.

Throughout the story, these two destinies conflict and converse, as Neo himself seeks to find out what he is destined to be, or even if he can or ought to make his own destiny. Neo says that he doesn't believe in fate "because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life," but

"You're here because you know something. What you know you can't explain, but you feel it. You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

And then there's the part where shortly after being introduced Morpheus says to Neo: "You see, you may have spent the last few years looking for me, but I've spent my entire life looking for you." If that's not the gospel, I don't know what is. The only difference is, where Morpheus was looking to Neo for salvation, God is looking to us to give salvation. But the pursuit is definitively his to begin with.

Conversational Hilarities

I don't remember when these quotes were made, but I just found this posts in my drafts. Enjoy.

"Joy: it's just like syphilis."
--Joel/Me

"They weren't Jews, they were pre-Jews! Kind of like a pre-view, except it was a preview of the Jewish people."
--Me, speaking of Abraham and Sarah

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

We, The Theologians


From the first chapter of his new book, Dug Down Deep. It's not a new concept, but it's one well worth repeating. Reminds me of an A.W. Tozer quote: "The most important thing about a person is what they think about when they think about God." Says Harris: "Theology matters, because if we get it wrong, then our whole life will be wrong."

Bathroom Towel Graffiti

I found this little gem over at Marc Johns' Blog. There are more there for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.

One Republic -- "Secrets"

While I have heard of One Republic before, I've never really listened to them. Found this video through Matthew Paul Turner, and thought it was pretty good. The song is catchy too. Enjoy, tell me what you think.

Rooting For A Serial Killer

To tell the truth, I had never even heard of the TV show Dexter before I moved into the Testosterhome and several of my roommates had started watching it. Maybe that was because I had never had the luxury of Showtime as a channel option.

Since that first contact, I have definitely become engrossed. Granted, I have only seen probably 70% of the first two seasons, but I am trying to get around to more. Maybe I'll even catch up with where the show is now?

When I started to get involved in the show, I had to ask myself "Why are you rooting for a serial killer?" It would be easy to play the "he only kills bad people" card, but that's not his goal. Dexter doesn't kill because he wants bad people gone, he kills because he is screwed up and needs to satiate his desire for killing in some semi-socially-acceptable manner.

I have been thinking about this for a while, and a recent Paste article essentially coalesced my thoughts. I like Dexter because he's jacked up in the head. In one sense, I like him because he's more obviously jacked up than I am, but we are both really screwed up and really fallen.

Sure, my brokenness isn't manifested in a life-long systematic murder rampage, but what about a life-long systematic lust binge? Or my repeated instances of pride and anger. Or my ignorance of those in need around me?

I like Dexter (the show) because while it places a semi-psychotic serial killer in the position of protagonist and therefore the position of favor, the show never attempts to glorify, deify or in any way support his killing habits. Dexter himself wonders if he is a monster, if he should bring an end to it, if he can bring an end to it.

I like Dexter, the man, because he shows me a lot of myself. What does an seemingly insurmountable urge inherent in a man's psyche do when it is given full control?

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil is right there. I enjoy what God has decreed as right (his law) in my heart and soul, but I see in my flesh another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that lives in my flesh.

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. Sound familiar?

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

This Man Gatsby

I am beginning to realize why The Great Gatsby is considered a classic:

"He smiled understandingly--much more that understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced--or seemed to face--the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just so far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey. Precisely at that point it vanished--"

--Nick Carraway, pages 52-53

A Reason For Children

There are many reasons why I am anticipating fatherhood, among the list of tax deductions, free labor and impressionable minds is this little gem:

He looks so proud that his son is so defiant of the laws of gravity...and reason.


I imagine he is thinking "look what I made."

These are both shots of Abraham Piper with his offspring. I am definitely going to follow suit with my own.

Says Abraham: "What is it about the human (male?) psyche that makes us completely confident doing things we would never trust others to do?"

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Ex Post Facto

I have had the uncomfortable pleasure of being incandescently happy, earnestly hopeful, devout, depressed, irrevocably frustrated and horribly convicted all within the past 18 or so hours.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Serious Skubala

Today on 22 Words, Abraham Piper put up this post:
To believe that all swearing is wrong, you also have to believe that our culture is right.

Social customs define what’s taboo. Therefore, saying taboo language is uniformly sinful implies that our social customs uniformly align with God’s will.
Now I have heard plenty of people getting really ticked on both sides of this argument. There is the fact that Paul used the Greek for shit, skubala in Philippians 3:8. But does that mean God condones or advocates the use of foul language?

I think Abraham brings up a good point here. We cannot disavow all cursing just because it is socially wrong. That would mean that our society has precedence over God's Law, which it doesn't.

By the same merit, we would need to accept the sexual license our culture advocates, and while the church's members have seemingly done that anyway, no one is going to start saying it is an honest, good idea.

I like absolutes, a lot of people do (even though the good postmodernist in them will say they don't), but I do not think that cursing is one place where you can form an absolute. It is definitely a matter of the heart and personal conviction.

I know many times, I am cursing out of anger, with impure intent. Sometimes, I am not. Is one wrong, and the other right?

One person commented on the 22 Words post with this quote: “He who forbids what God allows will soon allow what God forbids.” – R.B. Kuiper. I am not sure how that is exactly applicable, because I know for a fact that God didn't say "Go say whatever f*cking word you want!" or something similar. I suppose he could be referring the passage by Paul I mentioned earlier? I'm not sure.

I think there needs to be some universal dialogue in the church on this matter. More on this topic later.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

This is a really intriguing movie. And not for the fact of Heath Ledger simultaneous presence and absence as the lead role. Because that fact, I think it could be a pioneering move having four different actors playing the same role.

I will admit that as a whole the film looks similar to a couple other films, but I still think I am going to give it a watch.

Written On Their Hearts

I just read a very interesting article over at Paste Magazine. It talks about how John Darnielle, the front man for The Mountain Goats, and his deep struggle with his faith. I first heard about them through fellow Charlestonian Stephen Colbert. To tell the truth, their music was less than impressing, but this article is astounding to hear him talk about his faith.

While I was reading the article, I had Romans 2:15 flashing through my mind. Darnielle is apparently firmly of the belief that there is no god, but he states that "Anyone who says they never doubt is lying. But anyone who’s perfectly happy with there being no force of total love and forgiveness in the universe is also pretty foolish."

He has a firmly Catholic background, prays the rosary, and he loves "going to Hare Krishna temples to chant." His reasoning? "I believe in the spirit of prayer, and the process, and finding some way of acknowledging my own smallness in the infinite." Amen, I do to. "But I think you need to engage beyond technical exercises." Amen, I do to.

I can see him, so close to the truth, just getting ready to step into a big, messy pile of God's grace. I can see definite merit in engaging "beyond technical exercises," what I think he is using to refer to religious practice or organized religion.

We do get too often caught up with the right type of praise and worship, saying the right liturgy, and forget to engage God through the ways he's given us: His Word and prayer. And then we complain about not being able to hear God.

It is intriguing that a man of such staunch beliefs has devoted the entirety of The Mountain Goats new album to the Bible: song titles, narratives, et cetera. Apparently the final track is taken from Ezekiel's account of the end times. I kinda want to hear it.

His ending quote was particularly mind-blowing to me, I'll leave you with it: "There are plenty of people in the Bible who do things for which they shouldn’t be forgiven unless they beg, and they don’t. Yet grace, divine or otherwise, absolves the most monstrous sins. If there is grace."

What do you think?

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

What I'm Reading


In the spirit of I need to get off my lazy butt and read more if I am going to keep up the pretense of being intellectual, educated and an English major, I am going to read more. And I am going to post what I am reading here.


The book I am currently reading (semi consistently) is Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung. The subtitle is "How to Make a Decision Without Dreams, Visions, Fleeces, Open Doors, Random Bible Verses, Casting Lots, Liver Shivers, Writing in the Sky, etc." Pretty fabulous.

I had heard about the book from Josh Harris a few months ago, seeing as he wrote the foreward for it. Which is pretty amazing. You should check it out. So far the book is good stuff, and fairly predictable, but still good.

It's telling me what I need to hear: JUST DO SOMETHING. I'd encourage you to pick it up, though. It's pretty cheap. And worth it.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Culture Diet

In this article, Charlie Brooker talks about the superfluity of literature and entertainment he possesses. And I agree:
"I'm fairly certain I recently passed a rather pathetic tipping point, and now own more unread books and unwatched DVDs than my remaining lifespan will be able to sustain. I can't possibly read all these pages, watch all these movies, before the grim reaper comes knocking. The bastard things are going to outlive me. It's not fair. They can't even breathe."
I have bought 8 new books since the beginning of summer, and I've only read three. And two of them weren't one of the books that I bought.

Summer and Fall Conferences for RUF are a struggle for me: they've got a table of a whole dang lot of literature that I'd like to pick up, and poor little me with the knowledge I have a growing heap of unread-ness on my shelf at home.

About Crime & Punishment, Brooker says, after buying it, "I never read it. A few months ago, having forgotten I already owned a copy, I bought it again. This means I haven't read it twice." While I have yet to do that, it's only a matter of time. I have had someone tell me that I could borrow a book of theirs that I want to read, but instead I go and buy my own copy to not read.

Brooker's idea of the perfect solution for said problem is to obtain a fantastical sort of environment furbished with the technology available around the 1970s. "And every time I think about complaining," he writes "I want a minotaur to punch me in the kidneys and remind me how it was before."

While I cannot deny the comedy in that last statement, I don't know if that is the solution I would prefer. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of times when I wish we just lived in a period where life was...simpler.

Unfortunately, culture is such that once you've had a taste, you will only with great difficulty be able to refrain again forever.

Take the illegal downloading of music: if it had not become so readily available and widespread so quickly, then it would have been fairly easily to implement a system to prevent it.

Now, however, because the world has experienced it, there's no way in hell they're going to let it go. The same could be said for social networking, for iPods, modern art, pornography, et cetera.

That's what I think, but what do you think?

[from The Guardian via Curator]

Horse Hero

Oh, Kris Straub. I have a noted dislike of both Guitar Hero and Rock Band, but this is a game, I would actually play.

Mostly because there's no way I could or would learn to ride a horse in real life. So it's legitimate to do it in virtual life.

Again Of Derek Webb

I already talked about the show, but I forgot this picture. I have another one on my phone, but we'll see how that goes:


You can't really make it out, but he had two strips of LEDs on either side of him broadcasting an assortment of colors depending on the song. And of course, the kick drum.

Rarities Don't Always Make My Heart Happy

My phone is jacked up somehow. My technologically-astute-and-slightly-idolatrous housemate Joel tells me it's updating it's software. I'm not on the Geek Squad, but something tells me it should be taking 12 hours to do that.

So if you have called or texted me in that time, I'm not a jerk, at least not in this instance, I'm just unable to reply at the moment.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Derek Webb's 'Black Eye' Tour

So, this is a little late, but here goes:

Thursday the 24th of September was a small but momentous occasion for me: the first concert I have been to in quite some time. I remembered why I love to go to them.

The performer was Derek Webb, accompanied by his former Caedmon's Call bandmate Josh Moore (who partnered with him for the album), and the drummer Chris Kimmerer. Having listened to the CD heavily, and knowing it was laced with heavy electronic melodies and beats, I was very interested to see how Derek would go about performing it.

I was not disappointed in the least. He performed the entire album, including his controversial song "What Matters More," in it's full, explicit glory. Having Josh their doing the electronic work live was absolutely amazing, and Chris on the drums just added a powerful, beefed-up sense to the songs.

Derek let Josh and Chris have a break halfway through and performed several requests from his older stuff, including a cover I didn't know existed, of Bob Dylan's "The Times Are A-Changin'"

While I was there I picked up some new music as well.

I particularly enjoyed the use of three bass drums, each being kicked by the three performers during "The Spirit vs. The Kick Drum," a song that (unbeknownst to me) includes the voice of Bert. Derek is apparently being sued over his use of Bert's audio. He said that Sesame Street didn't want to be associated with the kinds of things his CD contained, and "Apparently the letter 'L' on Sesame Street stands for 'Litigation'."

Finally, and almost importantly, one of the coolest parts of the show was the backdrop they had behind Chris on the drums, it displayed an assortment of colors that coincided with the songs.

Blackmail by Creed Bratton

As a good many of you may be aware of, I am a fairly big fan of The Office. I'll admit, I'm a little perturbed by its "trendiness" in the past year or so, but it still makes me laugh, so I'm committed for the foreseeable future.

I stumbled upon the Blackmail Webisode, featuring Creed Bratton. It's pretty funny, although Creed's acting is a little off. One of my favorite things was Andy's statement: "Creed, you are gratuitously creepy." So true.

Watch it and tell me what you think.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Polar War Show

Went to the Polar War show tonight. I say the Polar War show even though they were opening for All Get Out, mostly because I went to see Polar War and not All Get Out.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and quite impressed. Not that I thought they would suck, but I had yet to hear their stuff, and it was excellent. Which equals me, pleasantly surprised.

Even though the room the actual show was in consisted of a single, normal size doorway and about 400 square feet, with about 30 people packed into it, and the acoustics were less than stellar, it was still a pretty well performed show.

Being a longtime friend of Will, it was difficult not to pick up on slight hints of Haze Grey and From Morning On's vocals, but that's not a bad thing by any means. If tonight's show was any indicator, he has definitely progressed and matured far beyond my memory of his role in those bands. His vocals were not polished, not pristine, but instead were an enjoyable full and passionate, laced with a sense of depravity. I can't wait to hear him once they record something.

Nog and Andy's background vocals were daggum amazing. That's a professional term which means WELL DONE. A lot of times background vocals can seem superfluous or unnecessary, but each time they stepped up to the mic, there was a pleasant harmony or cacophony with whatever Will was singing. They also threw in some gang-type vocals, technique I've always loved.

Dave was, naturally, going crazy on the drums. From where I was standing I could only see his arms as he bashed out a pleasant medley of heavy-hitting drums, but it was enough to see the intensity with which he was playing. The drums were another aspect that did not overpower but rather supported the rest of the instruments, a surprising feat for the venue.

I'll admit it was difficult to hear the guitars simple because of the confines of the building, but that's my only criticism about their contribution. I really enjoyed the volume of Nog's bass, and the variety of what he was playing--it wasn't a typical monotonous bass line. I was also unaware that Will played keys as well as guitar, at least in the band--a worthy contribution and again, enjoyable.

Basically, I went because they were friends but I'll be going back because they put on a pretty bangin' show.