It is almost surreal. I am sitting at home today and every other day for the time being. That's right. I am out of a job. I honestly never thought I would lose my job. I prided myself for being the best in my position for the past ten years. I believe I was, too. But situations change, people change, and demands change. In the end, I had to go. There are many more opinions I would like to give, but I can not mention them as of yet.
Why do I feel like this is the best thing that could have happened to me? It feels like it is not right to feel this way. I do get a few more weeks' pay, so that could have something to do with it. When I'm not getting paid, it could be a bit more desperate.
I feel this way because I tried to hold on for so long. My pride caused me to fight for every little inch, hold on to all I could, and put a death grip on all I could.
For this little lesson, I turn to Matthew 16 in the ESV: "25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?"
In my zeal to provide for my family, and in my pride to win, I held on. In every little thing, and this is where God has brought me to in the past two weeks, I have had to let go. I am not the provider for my family: God is. Deuteronomy 8:18 (NLT) says, "Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath."
Where do I go from here? Who knows. There may have to be an Aurora, Illinois, or a Greenville, South Carolina in my future. I may not always want that to be the case, but I accept it. For my family and for my God, I accept it. Whatever the case, I lost my battle to hang on to my job. In losing, I have ultimately won. I could not be more relieved or excited.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Message in a Bottle
It is time to admit something about myself: I keep to myself. Many of you know this, and are not shocked by it. Some of you may be. I keep things in that bother me. This is detrimental to my marriage, in that I do not tell my wife. I should come to her with anything, because she is my help meet in life. We should share things openly, and I am not a natural sharer. This is detrimental to my health, and could be one thing, along with lactose intolerance, that affects my stomach.
Most detrimental is the fact that I keep things from my God. I can still remember the time that I recommitted my life to Christ in 1998. I remember the many times that God has spoken to me and given me comfort. I remember church services, a tent meeting at Westview Baptist in Boone, where God just reassured me. I remember being baptized in the creek at Buffalo Cove park, the feeling that the public display of faith gave me, along with the rush of that cold water.
Time passes, life builds, and those memories get suppressed. Packed on top of those are the daily pressures, threats on my job, feelings of anger, hate, and frustration. What do I do with those? I keep them in. I build, like a hot dog in the microwave. We all know what happens if a hot dog gets heated for too long in a microwave, don't we? KABOOM!
This is not how it should be. Psalm 62, verses 7-8 (NLT) say: "7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. 8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge." What good is a refuge if you don't run to it? What good is an umbrella in the rain if it is closed?
Venting to your friends is good. Like Homer Simpson's computer instructed him on the episode where he gained so much weight he wore a mu mu and worked from home: "Venting Prevents Explosion." Keeping things in the bottle for too long cause the bottle to break, the hot dog to explode, the nuclear meltdown, I could go on. There is no greater friend than Jesus, and he wants to hear from you (me). He also gave us friends to talk to on earth. We can go to these friends and tell them our fears, our dreams, and our troubles. We don't have to explode.
The most important thing is to not keep it bottled in.
Most detrimental is the fact that I keep things from my God. I can still remember the time that I recommitted my life to Christ in 1998. I remember the many times that God has spoken to me and given me comfort. I remember church services, a tent meeting at Westview Baptist in Boone, where God just reassured me. I remember being baptized in the creek at Buffalo Cove park, the feeling that the public display of faith gave me, along with the rush of that cold water.
Time passes, life builds, and those memories get suppressed. Packed on top of those are the daily pressures, threats on my job, feelings of anger, hate, and frustration. What do I do with those? I keep them in. I build, like a hot dog in the microwave. We all know what happens if a hot dog gets heated for too long in a microwave, don't we? KABOOM!
This is not how it should be. Psalm 62, verses 7-8 (NLT) say: "7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. 8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge." What good is a refuge if you don't run to it? What good is an umbrella in the rain if it is closed?
Venting to your friends is good. Like Homer Simpson's computer instructed him on the episode where he gained so much weight he wore a mu mu and worked from home: "Venting Prevents Explosion." Keeping things in the bottle for too long cause the bottle to break, the hot dog to explode, the nuclear meltdown, I could go on. There is no greater friend than Jesus, and he wants to hear from you (me). He also gave us friends to talk to on earth. We can go to these friends and tell them our fears, our dreams, and our troubles. We don't have to explode.
The most important thing is to not keep it bottled in.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
This blog is rated PG-13
This morning I was watching Gospel Music Channel during the two hours of the day they actually show music, not Sister Sister. During this, they showed a preview for a new movie called Letters to God. The movie looks good, inspiring, etc., and at the end, it mentioned it was rated PG, and in HUGE letters said "THEMATIC REFERENCES." I have noticed this phrase since 2004, and I can only tell you one thing: Thematic Reference is another word for "THIS MOVIE MENTIONS GOD."
Can you imagine during the heyday of Hollywood in the 1950s & 60s, when such movies like King of Kings and the Greatest Story Ever Told, these titles being rated PG or even PG-13 for "Thematic References?" Even though Jeffrey Hunter's classic portrayal as a blond-haired, blue-eyed Jesus is not totally accurate, it was piercing. It was inspiring. It was Hollywood at its finest. These days, violent movies can get by with a PG rating. Movies that would have been rated R 20 years ago now get a PG or PG-13. Yet we have to be warned when a movie may have Christian undertones? A person can take the name of Jesus in vain, and they won't even blink. Yet a movie can teach a spiritual lesson, and it must be tagged, and audiences must be warned. WHAT A JOKE!
It reminds me of the verse in Luke 9: "For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory (verse 26)." Hollywood is ashamed of God. God draws audiences to the theater. Yet they see God as a narrow view in a broad world. They see God as intolerant of many of the lifestyles and the choices they embrace. They slap PG ratings on anything that mentions Him. They despise God.
Talk about a narrow view and intolerance. Hollywood, nothing will wake you up until that final day. God will be ashamed of you. I cringe at that thought.
Can you imagine during the heyday of Hollywood in the 1950s & 60s, when such movies like King of Kings and the Greatest Story Ever Told, these titles being rated PG or even PG-13 for "Thematic References?" Even though Jeffrey Hunter's classic portrayal as a blond-haired, blue-eyed Jesus is not totally accurate, it was piercing. It was inspiring. It was Hollywood at its finest. These days, violent movies can get by with a PG rating. Movies that would have been rated R 20 years ago now get a PG or PG-13. Yet we have to be warned when a movie may have Christian undertones? A person can take the name of Jesus in vain, and they won't even blink. Yet a movie can teach a spiritual lesson, and it must be tagged, and audiences must be warned. WHAT A JOKE!
It reminds me of the verse in Luke 9: "For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory (verse 26)." Hollywood is ashamed of God. God draws audiences to the theater. Yet they see God as a narrow view in a broad world. They see God as intolerant of many of the lifestyles and the choices they embrace. They slap PG ratings on anything that mentions Him. They despise God.
Talk about a narrow view and intolerance. Hollywood, nothing will wake you up until that final day. God will be ashamed of you. I cringe at that thought.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Where in the world have I been?
That is an interesting question. Since August 22 (my Dad's 81st birthday), I have:
Completed another semester of school, the toughest I have ever dealt with. Remarkably, I did this with a 4.0 GPA. This next semester, I will spend part of that time figuring out HOW I got that 4.0.
Gone to Washington, D.C. for the first time, and marched with over a million like-minded people. The nation heard: the politicians did not listen.
Experienced the birth of our second child. Sophie came out proudly on November 24 at a whopping 11 lbs, 12.8 oz. She is a thing of beauty, if I do say so myself.
Outlasted another manager at work, along with a remodel the week before Thanksgiving, and the most ridiculous Christmas season ever. I say that every year, but every year it gets more ridiculous. I truly bedieve there is drug use going on in our corporate headquarters. No sane people could make those decisions.
Witnessed the expansion of my waistline. I am embarrassed by how much I now weigh, and am now on the quest to lose 70 pounds.
Join me this year, as I promise to blog more frequently, and I update the progress on my march to a normal body weight.
It's good to be back...
Completed another semester of school, the toughest I have ever dealt with. Remarkably, I did this with a 4.0 GPA. This next semester, I will spend part of that time figuring out HOW I got that 4.0.
Gone to Washington, D.C. for the first time, and marched with over a million like-minded people. The nation heard: the politicians did not listen.
Experienced the birth of our second child. Sophie came out proudly on November 24 at a whopping 11 lbs, 12.8 oz. She is a thing of beauty, if I do say so myself.
Outlasted another manager at work, along with a remodel the week before Thanksgiving, and the most ridiculous Christmas season ever. I say that every year, but every year it gets more ridiculous. I truly bedieve there is drug use going on in our corporate headquarters. No sane people could make those decisions.
Witnessed the expansion of my waistline. I am embarrassed by how much I now weigh, and am now on the quest to lose 70 pounds.
Join me this year, as I promise to blog more frequently, and I update the progress on my march to a normal body weight.
It's good to be back...
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Rules For Christian Radio
My wife showed me a blog last week from Stuff Christians Like. It’s one of our favorite blog sites online. Check it out at stuffchristianslike.blogspot.com. The gist of it was “Are you a Christian Culture Snob” with a point system to determine if you are.
Well, I am not a snob.
I am a cynic.
Only after taking that quiz, fresh off the heels of my Christian Radio rant that was my last posting, did I realize how far gone I am. That also got me thinking. If I want a change, I have to put out some guidelines, some ways I would change things. So, here are my “Rules for Christian Radio.”
1. 4Him has retired. Their music should also be. It is dated, and it is cliché. Do you still play Larry Norman, or 2nd Chapter of Acts? Let them go, please.
2. Phillips, Craig, and Dean have not retired, but they should.
3. Crystal Lewis released better songs than “God’s Been Good to Me.” Find them and play them.
4. Avalon’s music has a shelf life of five years. After five years any of their CDs should be shredded.
5. It is perfectly fine to play Big Daddy Weave’s cover of Rich Mullins’ “Hold Me Jesus.”
6. Michael English has been forgiven by God and is redeemed. It is OK for Christian radio to forgive him and play his music, as well.
7. DJs that do promos must pass a stringent test of coolness.
8. DJs that tell jokes must pass a doubly stringent test.
9. I enjoy hearing inspirational thoughts from Max Lucado, just not the same one every hour, and not the same one all month. They send you a bunch of these, please mix them up.
10. Unless it is a purposeful double play, and you state it as such, please do not play the same artist twice in one hour! Just to be clear as well: playing the artist at 11:55 and again at 12:15 is within the same hour!
11. Lastly and very important: it is a service to the listeners and to Christian retail stores to tell who is singing the song and the title more frequently. I could write a page with the stories I’ve witnessed on this topic alone.
Southern Gospel is a stagnant form of Christian music that has its own special set of radio stations, and gets a special set of rules all its own.
1. See rule #1 in the above list and reverse it. Many groups like the Cathedrals and Bishops were far better than the groups touring today. Please play their music.
2. Watch the terminology when playing older music. A song from 2004 is not an “oldie.” A song from 1994, well, maybe. Give it at least 20 years before you call it an “oldie”. ON second thought, don’t call it an “oldie” at all. See above rule #7, and call them “classics.”
3. Recognize that only a few groups today are actually, well, good. This short list includes the Gaither Vocal Band, Talley Trio, Greenes, Booth Brothers, Greater Vision, Primitive Quartet, and Inspirations, plus a few more. Centering your playlist around such groups will ensure a happy listener base.
4. See rule #6 in the above list. Along with Michael English, God has redeemed Kirk Talley. Get your head out of that hole in the ground and play his music!
5. Crabbs are a disease. They are loud, and they are too "showy". If not controlled, they can overrun a station.
6. Any singer that states in their bio that they “sound like” another singer should be avoided like the plague.
Careful following of these rules by radio stations can ensure that they do not get stuck in a rut of playing bad music, annoying listeners, or causing listeners to do drastic things like poking sharp objects in their ear or changing the station. It might also keep me off of the classical station more.
Well, I am not a snob.
I am a cynic.
Only after taking that quiz, fresh off the heels of my Christian Radio rant that was my last posting, did I realize how far gone I am. That also got me thinking. If I want a change, I have to put out some guidelines, some ways I would change things. So, here are my “Rules for Christian Radio.”
1. 4Him has retired. Their music should also be. It is dated, and it is cliché. Do you still play Larry Norman, or 2nd Chapter of Acts? Let them go, please.
2. Phillips, Craig, and Dean have not retired, but they should.
3. Crystal Lewis released better songs than “God’s Been Good to Me.” Find them and play them.
4. Avalon’s music has a shelf life of five years. After five years any of their CDs should be shredded.
5. It is perfectly fine to play Big Daddy Weave’s cover of Rich Mullins’ “Hold Me Jesus.”
6. Michael English has been forgiven by God and is redeemed. It is OK for Christian radio to forgive him and play his music, as well.
7. DJs that do promos must pass a stringent test of coolness.
8. DJs that tell jokes must pass a doubly stringent test.
9. I enjoy hearing inspirational thoughts from Max Lucado, just not the same one every hour, and not the same one all month. They send you a bunch of these, please mix them up.
10. Unless it is a purposeful double play, and you state it as such, please do not play the same artist twice in one hour! Just to be clear as well: playing the artist at 11:55 and again at 12:15 is within the same hour!
11. Lastly and very important: it is a service to the listeners and to Christian retail stores to tell who is singing the song and the title more frequently. I could write a page with the stories I’ve witnessed on this topic alone.
Southern Gospel is a stagnant form of Christian music that has its own special set of radio stations, and gets a special set of rules all its own.
1. See rule #1 in the above list and reverse it. Many groups like the Cathedrals and Bishops were far better than the groups touring today. Please play their music.
2. Watch the terminology when playing older music. A song from 2004 is not an “oldie.” A song from 1994, well, maybe. Give it at least 20 years before you call it an “oldie”. ON second thought, don’t call it an “oldie” at all. See above rule #7, and call them “classics.”
3. Recognize that only a few groups today are actually, well, good. This short list includes the Gaither Vocal Band, Talley Trio, Greenes, Booth Brothers, Greater Vision, Primitive Quartet, and Inspirations, plus a few more. Centering your playlist around such groups will ensure a happy listener base.
4. See rule #6 in the above list. Along with Michael English, God has redeemed Kirk Talley. Get your head out of that hole in the ground and play his music!
5. Crabbs are a disease. They are loud, and they are too "showy". If not controlled, they can overrun a station.
6. Any singer that states in their bio that they “sound like” another singer should be avoided like the plague.
Careful following of these rules by radio stations can ensure that they do not get stuck in a rut of playing bad music, annoying listeners, or causing listeners to do drastic things like poking sharp objects in their ear or changing the station. It might also keep me off of the classical station more.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Here I go again-
Sewing (or sowing? I can never get that right.) discord among the brethren.
When it comes to Christian Music, I have a station I listen to more than others. But I must make this comment, and I don't mean to paint with a broad brush, but I am, so there:
CHRISTIAN RADIO IS DORKY. PURE AND SIMPLE, IT IS DORKY.
It's not the artists, mostly. There are some songs that are played on these stations that, simply put, sound like they were taken from radio jingles. I hear Scott Krippayne's "I Wanna Sing," and on the last line of the chorus I sing "US Postal Service- We Deliver For You," because it's the same music! The other example is Pocket Full of Rocks' "You Are Welcome Here." I feel bad, because they sing it with such passion. But the chorus sounds like a cheesy supermarket ad from the 90s. The last line is "You are welcome here, Mighty God!" - instead, I sing "You are welcome here - Harris Teeter!"
The station I listen to also features the most annoying DJ in the morning hours. I know there are things he has to say and promote, it's part of the job. I understand. There are things I have to sell, or I lose my job. But the way he says it, it's like nails on a chalkboard! His Wednesday weather forecasts always include the lines "on your way to church." I don't go to church Wednesdays. Am I less of a Christian?!? And quit telling jokes! You're not funny! You're an old dork! Just play the music, and tell us who's singing, so I can sell their CDs!
Sorry. I'm calming down. OK. The music is mostly good. It's repetitive, sure, but it's good. It's a better mix than the other stations. But each one I've encountered has the same problem: Dorky DJs. You can't escape them in the Christian market. But some are worse than others.
One more rant before I finish: Each genre of Christian music has "that" artist. In Southern Gospel, it's Ivan Parker. I call him "Mr. Gospel Mullet" and "the Robert Goulet of Gospel Music." He'll sing ANYTHING! In contemporary music, it's Phillips, Craig, & Dean. A friend of mine, David, calls them "the Michael Bolton of Christian music- they'll sing anything-and ruin it!" How ironic is it that Ivan Parker has now released a PC&D song? He has recorded "Favorite Song of All."
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
When it comes to Christian Music, I have a station I listen to more than others. But I must make this comment, and I don't mean to paint with a broad brush, but I am, so there:
CHRISTIAN RADIO IS DORKY. PURE AND SIMPLE, IT IS DORKY.
It's not the artists, mostly. There are some songs that are played on these stations that, simply put, sound like they were taken from radio jingles. I hear Scott Krippayne's "I Wanna Sing," and on the last line of the chorus I sing "US Postal Service- We Deliver For You," because it's the same music! The other example is Pocket Full of Rocks' "You Are Welcome Here." I feel bad, because they sing it with such passion. But the chorus sounds like a cheesy supermarket ad from the 90s. The last line is "You are welcome here, Mighty God!" - instead, I sing "You are welcome here - Harris Teeter!"
The station I listen to also features the most annoying DJ in the morning hours. I know there are things he has to say and promote, it's part of the job. I understand. There are things I have to sell, or I lose my job. But the way he says it, it's like nails on a chalkboard! His Wednesday weather forecasts always include the lines "on your way to church." I don't go to church Wednesdays. Am I less of a Christian?!? And quit telling jokes! You're not funny! You're an old dork! Just play the music, and tell us who's singing, so I can sell their CDs!
Sorry. I'm calming down. OK. The music is mostly good. It's repetitive, sure, but it's good. It's a better mix than the other stations. But each one I've encountered has the same problem: Dorky DJs. You can't escape them in the Christian market. But some are worse than others.
One more rant before I finish: Each genre of Christian music has "that" artist. In Southern Gospel, it's Ivan Parker. I call him "Mr. Gospel Mullet" and "the Robert Goulet of Gospel Music." He'll sing ANYTHING! In contemporary music, it's Phillips, Craig, & Dean. A friend of mine, David, calls them "the Michael Bolton of Christian music- they'll sing anything-and ruin it!" How ironic is it that Ivan Parker has now released a PC&D song? He has recorded "Favorite Song of All."
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Facebook, Yearbooks, and the Book
Recently, I finally took the plunge.
I joined Facebook.
Sheyna had been telling me for months that I needed to join, because that’s where everyone was. MySpace was for the younger set. For months I held out. Well, Last month I finally indulged.
Boy, am I glad I did.
One of the most fun aspects of Facebook is the photos. You get to see what your friends look like now, how they’ve changed, and how their lives have changed. Some have also put photos in from days gone by, including some yearbook photos. Talk about a trip! Naturally, it makes me want to dig out my yearbooks, the old scanner my father-in-law gave me (along with the really old computer I use to type these up with-but I am thankful) and put some on there myself.
Another recent happening is my nephews sent their high school yearbook from this year with me to imprint their names. Of course I looked at them. The clubs are WAY different than my time there. What is a Skills club? Can you go into the room, say “I got skills,” and they let you in? They have an anime club now! But I must say, the faculty section was the most interesting, because that is where time stands still. You see teachers still there when I went there, teachers still there when MY BROTHER went there (he graduated in 1986!), and teachers who were students with me! Some look no different. Some have shown signs of age. One looked like he ate himself! He’s doubled in size!
Then, of course, there is the student section. I can’t believe nephews I held as little babies when I was in high school are now in high school, listening to music, playing football, running track, having girlfriends…wow. At the same time, my little baby is now a talkative three-year-old with a wild imagination, driving a toy ambulance all over the place behind me. Time has a funny way of doing that.
But that’s the joy of pictures and the high school yearbook. There, time holds. To me, it makes me long for things that don’t change so much. It makes me thankful for a relationship with Jesus, because he has not and will not change. Hebrews 13:8 declares it: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
Now that’s quite a picture.
I joined Facebook.
Sheyna had been telling me for months that I needed to join, because that’s where everyone was. MySpace was for the younger set. For months I held out. Well, Last month I finally indulged.
Boy, am I glad I did.
One of the most fun aspects of Facebook is the photos. You get to see what your friends look like now, how they’ve changed, and how their lives have changed. Some have also put photos in from days gone by, including some yearbook photos. Talk about a trip! Naturally, it makes me want to dig out my yearbooks, the old scanner my father-in-law gave me (along with the really old computer I use to type these up with-but I am thankful) and put some on there myself.
Another recent happening is my nephews sent their high school yearbook from this year with me to imprint their names. Of course I looked at them. The clubs are WAY different than my time there. What is a Skills club? Can you go into the room, say “I got skills,” and they let you in? They have an anime club now! But I must say, the faculty section was the most interesting, because that is where time stands still. You see teachers still there when I went there, teachers still there when MY BROTHER went there (he graduated in 1986!), and teachers who were students with me! Some look no different. Some have shown signs of age. One looked like he ate himself! He’s doubled in size!
Then, of course, there is the student section. I can’t believe nephews I held as little babies when I was in high school are now in high school, listening to music, playing football, running track, having girlfriends…wow. At the same time, my little baby is now a talkative three-year-old with a wild imagination, driving a toy ambulance all over the place behind me. Time has a funny way of doing that.
But that’s the joy of pictures and the high school yearbook. There, time holds. To me, it makes me long for things that don’t change so much. It makes me thankful for a relationship with Jesus, because he has not and will not change. Hebrews 13:8 declares it: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
Now that’s quite a picture.
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