Category Archives: Thinking Out Loud

Remembering Steve Jobs, Visionary

Posted on October 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

Last night, as I sat on my couch, surrounded by my MacBook and iPhone, I watched CNN’s coverage of Steve Jobs’ death. All the while, I was also watching/listening to Leo Laporte’s live podcast and reading about Mr. Jobs on my computer. Not only did I feel like a huge nerd, which I am, but I also couldn’t help but wonder why his life and death affected me so much. On top of that, why was there an overwhelming sense of sadness across the internet?

Steve’s life has been summarized by a few words, but I think the one that people most often stop on is “visionary.” His vision of consumer electronics and computers has been most evident in these last few years. Because of his influence and vision, we have seen a huge advancement in the Mac operating system and we have many new devices in the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Further, he had a major part in helping Pixar Animation become what it is today. Will we still have advancements in electronics? Sure, but will we miss a great visionary? Yes.

I do wish I would have had the chance to be around Mr. Jobs for just one day. I have read and heard that he was so focused on the task at hand. I do not know if we would have gotten along as good friends, but I do know that I probably would have benefitted from witnessing him work and strategize. To be in the presence of a genius has got to have its advantages, right?

While I do not know if I will see Steve Jobs in Heaven (because I’m not God and I do not make that decision), I do pray for his family. I pray that Christians will come around them and comfort them in their time of loss. Above all, I pray that God will use this situation to glorify Himself. If nothing else, many people are sharing the Gospel message using devices that Mr. Jobs helped create. People everywhere are talking about Jesus, sharing prayers, and reading the (digital) Bible on Macs, iPods, iPhone, and iPads. That is a reason to praise God!!

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Moving Analysis

Posted on September 26, 2011 | Leave a comment

Although, it doesn’t look all organized yet, we are in our new place. Officially, we have about one car-load of stuff to still bring over, but we are practically done.

For those keeping track, yes, this is my seventh move in seven years. I have learned a lot over those seven moves. One thing is that I strongly dislike moving stuff. Every time I pack up, I am reminded of all the material things we accumulate over time. Sure, I like my video games, books, and movies, but I do not like moving the boxes. I do like that our digital world is helping us not amass as many packaged discs or books, but I still have all the ones from before. On top of that, I start to think about how much of it I really NEED in my life. Could I survive with a little less stuff? Yes, I can. And while I try to get rid of much of it as I unload boxes this next week, I wonder if I can bless someone else. Speaking of which, if you are mine or Yvette’s size, we might have some clothes for you soon.

Aside from all of the philosophical side of moving, we would like to extend (again) an invitation to come see our place and hang out for a bit. This goes for everyone, but especially those friends and family who are many many miles away. Let me know when we can make this happen! We would love to show you around and give you a sneak peak at what God is doing in this part of the country!!

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Ten Years Later: 9/11 Thoughts

Posted on September 12, 2011 | Leave a comment
Tribute in Light, 9/11/03

Image by Brendan Loy via Flickr

It is hard to believe that it was just ten years ago yesterday when our country was hit by one of its biggest terrorist attacks. As with many others, I remember like it was just a couple years ago. I was sitting in my dorm room, and our head resident came and told us what was going on. I don’t think I really understood the impact it would have at the time. I just remember thinking that it was horrible. I knew that there were tons of people who just lost their loved ones in the attack.

Ten years later, it is tough to remember what life was like pre-9/11. While it was such a big change at the time, it has almost become second nature to expect all the security and paranoia. I believe the saddest of all changes, though, is one many of us expected. At the time of the attack, and after, our country bonded and turned to God in a way many had never seen in their lifetime. Nonetheless, that has faded over the years, and we are back to our normal ways of bickering and arguing over petty things. In that, many have even ran away from God.

As we move forward, I only pray that our country will turn to God on their own. I know He has called me to help make sure that happens, but it is definitely overwhelming at times. I was reminded of that as I tried to encourage our high school students this weekend — a group who have a really tough time remembering what life was like before 9/11. We now live in a world where people are starving for hope. We who know Christ have that hope. Let’s share it!

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Feeling “Liturgical”

Posted on August 31, 2011 | 2 Comments

The other day, my wife and I were talking about how sometimes we feel very lazy and don’t want to do anything. I jokingly told her that she was being liturgical, while I really meant that she was lethargic. We had a good laugh, but today it got me thinking.

Liturgy is typically defined as a formula by which Christians worship. In the Catholic church, there is even a liturgy guide (lectionary) that is based on the liturgical calendar. This calendar is based mainly on different part of Jesus’ life and the early church (Advent, Lent, Easter, etc). To me, this means that there is a general flow to the year, and in each season, there is a focus on a different aspect of Jesus. At times, we focus on His birth, and other times are focused on His resurrection.

So, why am I truthfully saying I feel “liturgical” and not just joking around with Yvette? I really do long for regularity (and no, not in the way you are thinking!). While I am sometimes a spontaneous person in my personal/social life, I really like having some formula by which to live my life. What better formula to live by than Jesus’ life? I am not sure exactly what this includes just yet, but I feel that my life cannot be any worse by focusing on Jesus more! On top of that, I cannot wait until we get back into a regular schedule with youth group and all church activities. Summer is great, but it is not regular.

Are you with me? Who wants to be a bit more liturgical?

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Quandaries about HD Gaming

Posted on August 18, 2011 | Leave a comment

IMG_0830 UPDATE: I ended up finding a PS3 on Craigslist and purchased it. Unfortunately, it came with a smaller hard drive than the guy said it had, but it is working great.

So, as you probably know, I only own Nintendo game consoles. It’s not because I have some tie to the company, and it’s not because I swore an oath. The truth of the matter is that I only have so much money that I think I should spend on video games…and Nintendo captured my gaming heart back on the NES. And I’ve been attached ever since. I even blog for a Nintendo fan-site.

Continue reading →

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Post-SICSC Camp Thoughts

Posted on July 16, 2011 | Leave a comment

This past week, I took two of our soon-to-be freshmen boys to IL with me to Southern IL Christian Service Camp for a 3rd/4th grade camp. I was there to teach, speak at missions time, and lead the worship/music team for what I think was my third year.

One of the highlights was not to speak about the “missions” work I do in New England, but to share the experience with the two boys. It was a great time to bond with them and do some mentoring! They did an excellent job both playing in the band and connecting with the campers.

The theme of the camp was “Heirs to the Kingdom.” We used Third Day’s song, “Children of God” as our theme song, and the kids loved it!! I hope to upload a snippet of audio of them singing the song at a later time. It was awesome!

I was also able to spend some much needed time with family and friends. I only wish it could have been a bit longer and that Yvette was with me. This is just another reason for you all to come visit me!!

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I Remember When… Computer Memories

Posted on June 1, 2011 | Leave a comment
A snap-shot of a typical Apple IIe computer se...

Image via Wikipedia

It has happened. I’ve gotten to the point when I have started saying, “I remember when…” I don’t feel old, but when I think back to my short time on earth, there have been so many things that have happened.

Most recently, the topic of computers brought these words to my mouth. Specifically, it was while I was watching “Tron Legacy.” As I thought back to watching the original “Tron” just a couple days before, I was amazed to see how far the movie had evolved — both in props/surroundings and in how the movie was made.

I remember when playing Carmen Sandiego on the Apple IIe‘s at school. I remember my grandfather teaching me DOS on a Tandy PC. I remember using a mouse for the first time. I remember Windows 3.1 and Windows 95. I remember when hard-drives first reached 1 Gigabyte. I remember getting dial-up internet.

iPhone 4 showing the home screen.

Image via Wikipedia

Now, I have a really powerful computer that I take around with me all the time in my cell phone! I have a laptop that has a 120 GB hard-drive, and it seems to not be enough. I play games that reach millions of colors instead of just green and black. I have Wi-Fi cable internet throughout my entire home, and further, I can send an email when I’m at the beach with my phone.

Things sure have changed over my short 28 years in this world. Computers are just one of the many changes. Perhaps I will turn this “I Remember When…” into a series on my blog. Who knows. But I would love to hear your computer memories.

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Knowledge vs. Relationship – Looking for Balance in Ministry

Posted on May 25, 2011 | 2 Comments

Currently, we are in the middle of the TEN series at Youth Group. This past Sunday, I taught the high school group. As we read the third of the Ten Commandments, we discussed how much of the true meaning has been lost over time. Instead of only refraining from using God’s name in vein (in speech), we should really abstain from misusing God’s name in anything we do.

Continuing in that thought, we discussed the Pharisees. They knew so much head-knowledge about God from their study of the Law and Prophets, but they often misused God’s name in their actions and speech. Here is a quote from Andy Stanley that I thought was of particular importance.

“You can spend your entire life believing in God but never have a relationship with Him. You can think you know everything about God and not know Him at all.”

I often wonder what the balance should be in churches. How much importance should be placed on studying the Bible, and how much should be placed on the relationship and actions? I know there are churches out there who stress one or the other. I think both are important, but I do not know if they are of EQUAL importance. At the end of our lives, will God judge us based on our Bible trivia knowledge, or will He judge us based on our relationship with Him? Granted, if you are in a strong relationship with Him, you should want to read and study the Bible… Until a person gets to that point, though, what is the proper balance? We do not want to end up like the Pharisees and just be filled with lots of information about God but miss the relationship, and in turn, do things that mishandles or exploits His name.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

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Thoughts on TIME’s Top 100 of 2011

Posted on April 21, 2011 | 1 Comment

It is no secret that TIME Magazine puts out a list of the Top 100 People every year, based on influence. The 2011 list consists of several people you would expect, but of course, it contains many that might shock you. Among the Top 100 are Rob Bell, who has endured much controversy as of late, and Geoffrey Canada, who I get to see speak next week at the Orange Conference. Others include Justin Bieber, Colin Firth, Mark Zuckerberg, Prince William, and Kate Middleton.

As I look through the list, there are many that make sense to me. For example, it seems that Oprah Winfrey is on the list every year. However, I have never heard of at least half of the ones listed. Does this mean that these people are not as influential as TIME thinks they are, or does it mean I am just out of touch with mainstream culture?

Whatever the case, one thought pops into my head. I wonder how many of these Top 100 are Christ-followers. As I stated earlier, I do not know many of them, so I cannot even come close to knowing where they stand with their faith. I can only pray that they use their influence for God’s kingdom. Will you join me in that prayer? Further, will you join me in praying that next year’s Top 100 will be filled with people who call Christ their Lord?

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Thinking about Busyness

Posted on March 23, 2011 | 1 Comment

20110323-021803.jpg

When life gets really busy, what do you do? This is a question I’ve talked about with several people in my life. It seems everyone has a plan, but they are all different. Some people make to-do lists. Others start delegating. Some will prioritize. Still, others will start taking out things that don’t seem to have a high priority. Yet, some people just stop trying.

While I find myself doing a hybrid of a few of these, it got me thinking about busyness in ministry. While it can be overwhelming when we think about all the people in the world who do not have a relationship with Jesus, I wonder if the first Disciples were known as being busy. Certainly, they had a sense of urgency that many in the modern church lack, but would they have said they were busy? I guess it all depends on the definition of the word. Many today would look at busy as a negative thing, but others thrive on being busy. When it all comes down to it though, I think God wants us to constantly be working for His kingdom. Sure, enjoy your Sabboth rest, but when that is over, get back to work.

This is a tough thing for me to remember, as it is quite often that I get busy doing “church stuff” but forget my overall calling — to help the world know about the Savior. Yes, much of what I do contributes to that, but there are times when I wonder just how much time the early Disciples would have spent updating a church events webpage. I have a feeling that they would instead be out in the community meeting people and living out the Gospel.

Just a thought… What do you think?

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