In true Google form though in "Labs" you can turn it back on :-)
July 7, 2009
5 years later
In true Google form though in "Labs" you can turn it back on :-)
July 6, 2009
RIP Billy Mays
I loved his show "Pitchmen"
Pallbearers at Billy Mays funeral the other day all wore blue shirts in a tribute to the commercial king.
His Dad, his son (both also named Billy Mays) and his business partner Sully among the pallbearers...
Really sad!
His Dad, his son (both also named Billy Mays) and his business partner Sully among the pallbearers...
Really sad!
July 4, 2009
I love my country!
Today we put aside politics and celebrate our Nations birth. This may be one of the best performances of the National Anthem I have ever heard!
May 27, 2009
May 22, 2009
Kris Allen - American Idol Winner...
Most of America knows Kris as Idol Winner. This is Kris' real passion...
May 21, 2009
May 19, 2009
Imagine
Airing on American Idol finale tonight from my friends at Catholicvote.org
My favorite is the one the networks rejected...
My favorite is the one the networks rejected...
December 23, 2008
Wow!
Talk about compelling! Penn, of Penn and Teller, talks about proselytizing after a man cares enough to give him a bible.
ht to prodigaljon
ht to prodigaljon
December 1, 2008
Public Service Message
I know I have not posted in a while but I am compelled to post this consumer warning. Being the gadget hound that I am I pre-ordered Blackberry Storm from Verizon.
I was so excited to have something on the Verizon network that compared to the iPhone... (Help me I am trapped on Verizon!!!)
I eagerly awaited this phone and read many positive and some even glowing reviews about this amazing new device. LIES ALL LIES!!! These guys must be getting paid off to give this thing positive reviews.. the only decent feature on this phone is the camera and even that takes about 5 seconds to snap a pic. I think they must have been slipped some sort of hallucinogens and given iPhones to review. This is the only explanation for such positive reviews. It it is the worst phone I have ever had (and I have had a lot of terrible phones) The touch screen with a click that they all rave about is a joke. You have to push so hard it hurts after a few minutes of typing. The internet browser is terrible and almost every function on the phone is sluggish to respond. Don't even get me started on how bad the typing is... in portrait mode the only way to type is "sure type" which is terrible enough on a non qwerty phone much less the absolutely inaccurate screen of the Storm. I could go on and on about feature after worthless feature, but thankfully Verizon has a return policy and this worthless piece of junk is going back on Tuesday! For all of you waiting in line for a Storm... stop... step away from the hype...I want my Curve back... truthfully I just want an iPhone... :-( Verizon, what were you thinking when you turned down Apple's initial offer to distribute their technical work of art?
BTW I tested myself typing this post on the Storm... gave up after about an hour and collapsed into a sobbing heap clutching my beautiful iPod Touch and praying it would magically turn into it's cooler sibling that also makes phone calls... All you iPhone owners out there just hold your dear one close tonight and be glad that you are not trapped in phone hell like me...
I was so excited to have something on the Verizon network that compared to the iPhone... (Help me I am trapped on Verizon!!!)
I eagerly awaited this phone and read many positive and some even glowing reviews about this amazing new device. LIES ALL LIES!!! These guys must be getting paid off to give this thing positive reviews.. the only decent feature on this phone is the camera and even that takes about 5 seconds to snap a pic. I think they must have been slipped some sort of hallucinogens and given iPhones to review. This is the only explanation for such positive reviews. It it is the worst phone I have ever had (and I have had a lot of terrible phones) The touch screen with a click that they all rave about is a joke. You have to push so hard it hurts after a few minutes of typing. The internet browser is terrible and almost every function on the phone is sluggish to respond. Don't even get me started on how bad the typing is... in portrait mode the only way to type is "sure type" which is terrible enough on a non qwerty phone much less the absolutely inaccurate screen of the Storm. I could go on and on about feature after worthless feature, but thankfully Verizon has a return policy and this worthless piece of junk is going back on Tuesday! For all of you waiting in line for a Storm... stop... step away from the hype...I want my Curve back... truthfully I just want an iPhone... :-( Verizon, what were you thinking when you turned down Apple's initial offer to distribute their technical work of art?
BTW I tested myself typing this post on the Storm... gave up after about an hour and collapsed into a sobbing heap clutching my beautiful iPod Touch and praying it would magically turn into it's cooler sibling that also makes phone calls... All you iPhone owners out there just hold your dear one close tonight and be glad that you are not trapped in phone hell like me...
November 3, 2008
Election Eve
Really?
The veil of deceit over America is thick... The American dream is in danger of turning from reward for hard work and achievement... to a dream of government provision and redistribution. The truth is that this is not a Democrat or Republican issue. I am not as worried that Obama may espouse socialist views but that the American people seem to be welcoming them. I am not worried about this for the typical "conservative" reasons... not because I am worried about taking from the "rich" and giving to the "poor", but rather that we (The Church) are failing to point people to the true source and provision for all of their needs. The government has usurped the role and the authority of the Church and we have let them... through our apathy, our inaction, and our really loud and often empty words.
We, as the Church, need to stand up in our God given role, not as a social agency that pontificates about the Gospel, but rather lives out the Gospel in our daily lives in business, school, and yes, politics. I, for one, am awakened and ready for this challenge. Normally, this is where I would explain myself and list a strategy and an action plan. Not this time... I just want to live out loud in community with other believers pointing people to the true provision in Jehovah Jireh , my Provider. I think the world is used to the loud part of what we believe but unfortunately not as much the living part Regardless of the outcome of the elections tomorrow I am thankful for this process, I am thankful to live in a country whose greatest legacy is not its economy or its proficiency in National defense, but rather as a place where I can attempt this "out loud" thing. We must be reminded as the Psalmist said of "The joy of our salvation". Let's stop choosing sides in an ideological battle with a war of words and instead show our neighbors how much we love them and more importantly (because we will mess up often) that God loves us all unconditionally and wants to be their provider.
" I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth"
Psalm 121:1,2
Will you join me? Will you keep me accountable?
The veil of deceit over America is thick... The American dream is in danger of turning from reward for hard work and achievement... to a dream of government provision and redistribution. The truth is that this is not a Democrat or Republican issue. I am not as worried that Obama may espouse socialist views but that the American people seem to be welcoming them. I am not worried about this for the typical "conservative" reasons... not because I am worried about taking from the "rich" and giving to the "poor", but rather that we (The Church) are failing to point people to the true source and provision for all of their needs. The government has usurped the role and the authority of the Church and we have let them... through our apathy, our inaction, and our really loud and often empty words.
We, as the Church, need to stand up in our God given role, not as a social agency that pontificates about the Gospel, but rather lives out the Gospel in our daily lives in business, school, and yes, politics. I, for one, am awakened and ready for this challenge. Normally, this is where I would explain myself and list a strategy and an action plan. Not this time... I just want to live out loud in community with other believers pointing people to the true provision in Jehovah Jireh , my Provider. I think the world is used to the loud part of what we believe but unfortunately not as much the living part Regardless of the outcome of the elections tomorrow I am thankful for this process, I am thankful to live in a country whose greatest legacy is not its economy or its proficiency in National defense, but rather as a place where I can attempt this "out loud" thing. We must be reminded as the Psalmist said of "The joy of our salvation". Let's stop choosing sides in an ideological battle with a war of words and instead show our neighbors how much we love them and more importantly (because we will mess up often) that God loves us all unconditionally and wants to be their provider.
" I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth"
Psalm 121:1,2
Will you join me? Will you keep me accountable?
Now go vote!
September 25, 2008
The Perfect Storm
As you are all no doubt aware, our nation is facing serious times. Our Pastor, Ken Wilde is calling on all of us to pray, and pray strategically. Here is the first paragraph from his blog:
As we see this crisis in the economy of our nation there is a great need for concerted prayer and the calling of leaders to a time of prayer and fasting. We are in Washington, D.C. with a prayer team and today we met with a Senator who is on the Banking Committee. He proceeded to inform us of the details of the crisis that we are now in and its ramifications.Read the rest here and let’s all answer the call to pray.
Last Thursday we were hours away from a total collapse in our economy, which was barely averted by taking some steps to bolster the mutual fund accounts. This Senator has been in coordination with his committee and with the Treasury Secretary, the Federal Reserve Chairman, and with the President in attempting to come up with a plan that will bring our economy back to solvency. This is a serious and major concern for all of us because it affects all of us. I think that this is no less a threat than the attack by terrorists on September 11, 2001. Once again it is time for Christians and Americans to humble themselves and pray that God would hear from heaven and heal our land.
September 12, 2008
"Oh, God Love ya"
Seriously! If Palin did this it would be at the top of headlines!
What you don't see is that Biden's "Pal" is in a wheelchair... I would love to know what went through his mind when he realized how inappropriate his request was :-)
McCain just needs to play Biden's gaffe's (and there are a ton!) in a loop... it would be a long loop!
Keep an eye out for my new website www.standupforchuck.com There will be t-shirts ads and clips from more of Bidens "Biden-ness". Can't wait!
What you don't see is that Biden's "Pal" is in a wheelchair... I would love to know what went through his mind when he realized how inappropriate his request was :-)
McCain just needs to play Biden's gaffe's (and there are a ton!) in a loop... it would be a long loop!
Keep an eye out for my new website www.standupforchuck.com There will be t-shirts ads and clips from more of Bidens "Biden-ness". Can't wait!
August 29, 2008
Seriously???
Brand new machine...
First startup
This is the most hilarious error ever!
For those that don't get it... Windows Explorer is being flagged as a possible virus :-)
First startup
This is the most hilarious error ever!
For those that don't get it... Windows Explorer is being flagged as a possible virus :-)
August 28, 2008
This is one of the coolest things I have seen in a long time!
I love Adam and Jamie from the Mythbusters TV show. Me and my kids watch this show faithfully. Here they are demonstrating the power of a GPU. Don't worry if you are not a geek you will still like this :-)
August 24, 2008
Get Ready To Serve
While our Senior Pastor was on vacation this weekend I had the priviledge of interviewing our team about their ministry areas. I learned that the camera not only adds 10 pounds (or maybe 30?) it also seems to remove hair?
August 17, 2008
Unstuck and misc Olympic thoughts
Ok so last time I was Stuck in Portland.... for a year (in blog world anyway...)
This time I thought I would take a mini blog break again while Stuck in Witchita
Been going like crazy the last couple weeks and trying to cram as much Olympics in as I can.
A few truly random Olympic thoughts:
This time I thought I would take a mini blog break again while Stuck in Witchita
Been going like crazy the last couple weeks and trying to cram as much Olympics in as I can.
A few truly random Olympic thoughts:
- Phelps is awesome... he is the Chuck Norris of sports
- Bela Karoly is Bob Costa's personal comment grenade... he just pulls the pin and then watches in mock horror... seriously... Bela says what we are all thinking... Yes we all think the Chinese girls average age is 12 (one of them is missing a baby tooth!) Yes the judging stinks... see next comment
- Alicia Sacramone got robbed! The North Korean went out of bounds and the Chinese girl fell... ROBBED!!! Alicia you are a medal winner in our eyes!
- The Nancy Grace sound- alike in synchronized diving is truly annoying... I mute the sound while I watch
- Andrea Kremer the woman who interviews after swimming events is HORRIBLE!!! Seriously I think there is someone in the truck daring her to ask stupid questions or something... "So what was your goal in this event?" ummmm winning? Or the worst was her interview of the athlete whose dad travelled to Beijing while battling cancer... she is either really gutsy or just dumb.
- I am convinced the commentators all went to some sort of Chinese brainwashing school before the olympics... they come off as anti-american... Except my boy Bela :-)
- OK I am tired of hearing about the opening ceremonies... yes they were awesome... awesomely robotic...with a dash of communist evil thrown in... really... when your options are success or working as the lead paint specialist in a toy-making sweat shop factory with the 12 year olds that did not make the gymnastics team... you tend to work really hard to make sure your little box goes up and down or beat your drum at the right tempo... I am so sad for the chinese people... extreme communism with faux capitalism make for a scarily impressive Olympics. Now if they could only get the "volunteers" to show up to fill all of these "sold-out" venues. Have you seen how empty most of the events are? The best example of my horror at their quest for perfection is these girls below... one a perfect picture of beauty and grace.. the other a beautiful singer but not attractive enough for the communist regime... DISGUSTING!
I am enjoying the Olympics but the IOC should be ashamed of awarding these games to a country with such a terrible human rights record.
I believe in our country and I am proud to be an American!! Go USA!!!
August 5, 2008
Stuck in Wichita
This weather map is apparently why I am still in Wichita, Kansas instead of home with my family in Idaho right now... Ordinarily this would not be the airlines fault... but with United Airlines it is their fault... OK seriously you put hubs in San Francisco, Chicago, Denver, Cincinnati, and Washington DC... Could you pick worse cities for your hubs? I mean c'mon there is ALWAYS major weather in at least one of those cities...
I am here visiting clients from Gracepoint Church in Wichita which is an incredible church and a fun project. I flew in (on 2 delayed United flights!) on Sunday evening and we got up early and drove down to OKC with the church team and contractors to visit churches for the day. Started with visiting my PEEPS in Norman from Journey Church where Robin and I spent some of our best years in ministry helping from the early days. It is awesome to see what Clark and the team are doing. They are such an innovative church!
Rod Conant, Yours Truly, Clark Mitchell, and Bryson Butts (Pastor of Gracepoint)
I will post more about the trip later with pics, but we saw Journey, 3 campuses of Life Church and a really cool new facility for Trinity Fellowship in Yukon, OK. Spent the day today back in Wichita with the team at Gracepoint and then headed to the airport... now surfin wifi and waiting to go back to the airport in the AM to head home... wish me luck... I am on Frontier so maybe I will have better experience... Did I mention it was 107 degrees with about 85 percent humidity? I wanna go home!
August 3, 2008
STOP IT!
As a Pastor I meet with people often... sometimes I just want to do what this counselor does... seriously... Pop Psychology wants to dig into every detail from the past and process and reprocess it. I was emboldened today when our Pastor exhorted the crowd to "Get over it!"
Sometimes this really is what I need in my own life.. whether it is a bad mood, selfpity, frustration, lack of patience, whining... I just need to "Stop It!"
Sometimes this really is what I need in my own life.. whether it is a bad mood, selfpity, frustration, lack of patience, whining... I just need to "Stop It!"
August 2, 2008
July 31, 2008
July 29, 2008
July 28, 2008
Mac to School
I find it incredibly entertaining that on the Microsoft site for back to school with Microsoft Office it features a MacBook Pro with Office 2008... My personal take is that the Office Team realizes what a failure Vista is as well :-)
July 27, 2008
Obama & McCain in Church... Together!
Pay close attention to what Rick Warren says at the end of this video... and then watch below to hear my Pastors message on Biblical Worldview. Fascinating stuff! I want to be at Saddleback on August 16th!
Coram Deo... Before The Face of God pt 2
Coram Deo... Before The Face of God pt 2
July 26, 2008
"Watch out for Knuckles!"
I was in the drive thru at my regular Starbucks today and was reminded of some sage advice I received from my dad many years ago.
One of the baristas has just returned from a missions trip to china and we began to discuss her trip and how it went. Inevitably any conversation about travel to foreign countries ends up with the topic of the local cuisine. She was surprised at how much she disliked the food... I mean who doesn't like chinese food?
We always are surprised as Americans that the ethnic foods we love here in the States are not the same in their countries of origin. I absolutely love Japanese food for instance, but in my travels in Japan I lost weight.... really... I was starving! The things I thought of as traditional Japanese food like Sushi, Teppanyaki, etc... were not to be found? Instead 101 ways to cook tofu...
Anyway... as me and my barista were commiserating on our culinary misgivings I remembered this pertinent fatherly advice I mentioned earlier. My Dad as a world missions traveler extrordinaire while always wanting to be polite to his various hosts in missions travels had this to say... "Watch out for knuckles... this is where I draw the line" Good advice dad... good advice. Think about it...
Not too many animals with knuckles... he was speaking in a remote jungle village in India when he was given a bowl of soup... with knuckles... and fingers... I think it is important to follow this sage advice. I would also learn the local language for words like:
Brain
Innards
Stomach
Intestine
You get the idea... enjoy your travels... and watch out for the knuckles!
One of the baristas has just returned from a missions trip to china and we began to discuss her trip and how it went. Inevitably any conversation about travel to foreign countries ends up with the topic of the local cuisine. She was surprised at how much she disliked the food... I mean who doesn't like chinese food?
We always are surprised as Americans that the ethnic foods we love here in the States are not the same in their countries of origin. I absolutely love Japanese food for instance, but in my travels in Japan I lost weight.... really... I was starving! The things I thought of as traditional Japanese food like Sushi, Teppanyaki, etc... were not to be found? Instead 101 ways to cook tofu...
Anyway... as me and my barista were commiserating on our culinary misgivings I remembered this pertinent fatherly advice I mentioned earlier. My Dad as a world missions traveler extrordinaire while always wanting to be polite to his various hosts in missions travels had this to say... "Watch out for knuckles... this is where I draw the line" Good advice dad... good advice. Think about it...
One of my favorite pics I took a couple years ago :-)
Not too many animals with knuckles... he was speaking in a remote jungle village in India when he was given a bowl of soup... with knuckles... and fingers... I think it is important to follow this sage advice. I would also learn the local language for words like:
Brain
Innards
Stomach
Intestine
You get the idea... enjoy your travels... and watch out for the knuckles!
July 24, 2008
Check this out# 6
World's oldest Bible goes online
from the website
Codex Sinaiticus
Codex Sinaiticus is one of the most important books in the world. Handwritten well over 1600 years ago, the manuscript contains the Christian Bible in Greek, including the oldest complete copy of the New Testament. Its heavily corrected text is of outstanding importance for the history of the Bible and the manuscript – the oldest substantial book to survive Antiquity – is of supreme importance for the history of the book. [Find out more about Codex Sinaiticus.]
WOW! This is a really cool use of the web! Imagine the world's oldest manuscripts, books, art, sculpture in the most accessible museum in the world... the web.
It will happen!
July 23, 2008
Dear Megan,
Megan,
You started 4th grade today (Year round school) I was driving to work and I had the sudden realization that my little girl is half way to independence... halfway to the day you might leave for college! I am so proud of the young woman you are becoming and I am even more challenged today with my responsibility to disciple, love on and spend time with my kids! I truly see you developing into a Proverbs 31 woman of God!
I love you Megan and I am so PROUD of you!
Daddy
You started 4th grade today (Year round school) I was driving to work and I had the sudden realization that my little girl is half way to independence... halfway to the day you might leave for college! I am so proud of the young woman you are becoming and I am even more challenged today with my responsibility to disciple, love on and spend time with my kids! I truly see you developing into a Proverbs 31 woman of God!
I love you Megan and I am so PROUD of you!
Daddy
July 21, 2008
subconjunctival hemorrhage
OK so I went with Robin and a bunch of friends to see the new Batman movie... in IMAX (Sit far away from the screen)
The movie was great... INTENSE! SO intense I got one of these..
Not sure if the movie had anything to do with it... but my eye looks disgusting!
It doesn't really hurt but the constant blood and drainage is a bit annoying :-) I was pretty freaked when we got to the ER because I only have one good eye... for those that know me well I am basically blind in my left eye so when anything goes on in my right eye I get a little paranoid... My BP was pretty high when they were examining me... once they told me I was OK it went to normal...
Good times!
The movie was great... INTENSE! SO intense I got one of these..
Not sure if the movie had anything to do with it... but my eye looks disgusting!
It doesn't really hurt but the constant blood and drainage is a bit annoying :-) I was pretty freaked when we got to the ER because I only have one good eye... for those that know me well I am basically blind in my left eye so when anything goes on in my right eye I get a little paranoid... My BP was pretty high when they were examining me... once they told me I was OK it went to normal...
Good times!
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