The Skeleton Breakdance

I’ve been telling one of the kids in my high school that I’d link one of the videos that he helped out with, so here’s one. It’s called “The Skeleton Breakdance”. Pretty cool stuff.

So How Did You Get to My Blog?

Having the wordpress blog, I’m able to see how people got to me blog. Sometimes they take links in, and sometimes they use search engines. Here is a collection of some of the more odd searches used to get to my blog:

rick pitino pregnant cheerleader

Video of Nose Pickers

“my ankle” “shoe off”

disco bolen

mickey rooney jr + the lord’s link minis

“doug wilcox” music

christian comic strip romans 12:2

greek gods and men of reknown

in america what is another name for pal

verse of jesus as a homeless man

“I’m all advil” commercial

winter olympics monkeys hot tub

John MacArthur nursing babies

sensative gone

is nancy pelosi a christian

AVION lightening

balloon bomb at rite aid

“Eddie Gibbs”

Paging Mr Sherlock, Mr Sherlock Your Assistance Is Needed

The other morning I went out to my car to get to some meetings at church at found something very, very odd. I made my way into my car to find stuff scattered all over the passenger’s seat. I realized that it was the things that are normally in my center console. I knew someone had been in my car.

I quickly looked around to make sure everything was there. A few months ago someone had come in and stolen the cd’s on my visor. So i scanned to see if I’d been ripped off again. CD’s? check. Map book? check. Wallet (don’t worry, I don’t keep anything valuable in my wallet, just business cards and stuff)? Check. Change in my ash tray? check.

Hmmm…. someone went through my car and didn’t take anything… But there was still something even more strange to be discovered. Two notebooks, that were not in my car when I got out the night before. I took a look at these notebooks and they appeared to be some sort of assignment books for a English as a second language class.

So, lets pause here and think about what happened. Someone, wanting to get away from the frigid SoCal nights, went in my car to study? Or did they go in looking for goods to steal, heard someone coming and ran away. Having set down the notebooks, they forgot to take them in their haste? Maybe they are trying to frame me for something, like stealing the assignment notebooks from a professor.

As i stepped out of my car, I noticed a fully smoked Marlboro cigarette. Hmmmm… Then, not too far away was a match from a matchbook… So maybe this was a child who was trying to find a place to smoke and study? They opened my ashtray to put in the cigarette, only notice that there was change in there. They would not be interested in pennies, so they left the change.

That afternoon I took some time to do some snooping around the apartment building to see if anyone recognized the notebooks. I went to the apartments that might know something, but had no luck. What I did find out is that I’m not the only whose car has been broken into. One guy has had his car broken into multiple times. Another had the antenna on his car taken. One lady was surprised that no one has broken into her car, telling me its better than mine so you’d think someone would have gone there. (it didn’t sound snobby when she said it)

I took a better look through these notebooks, and they have answers to tests in it, critiques of people’s public speaking, even a few scribbles on how to pronounce, but written in Chinese. Then one page had ‘USC Language Center’ written on it. Another had a phone number with my area code on it.

So here is my temporary conclusion. These were left by a student that goes to the USC language center, but lives in my area. They were looking for some academic edge, but alas, had no luck. The person was snooping through my car, and went for the center console, which was the most visible part. They heard someone coming, and quickly took off, accidentally leaving behind the notebooks.

what the person did not know is that I will not rest until I figure this out. I have the name of a school, class numbers, a phone number, and a bunch of names. I’ll be sure to keep you all updated. Oh, and if Sherlock happens to be reading this, I’ll happily take your input.

Bad Directions

Here’s something funny. Go to google.com. Click on maps. Click on driving directions. Type in New York, NY and Paris, France. Once it loads, check out the 24th direction.

Disco Bowling!

On Saturday, we took some of our high schoolers to the bowling alley for some Disco Bowling! The hope was that people would dress up in 70’s attire, but it really only turned out to be myself, and two high schoolers. I was expecting to be the only one prior to getting there, and was relieved to at least see a couple others dressed up.

We bowled a couple days, and gave awards out for the best game bowled, the worst game (won with a score of 16!), and the best dressed. We had a ton of fun, laughs were shared, and memories were made. Everyone had to pick an alias, and we had some interesting names. There was “Anna Montana”, “That’s So Raven”, “Looney Luna”, “Fender Bender” (which unfortunately became “Gender Bender”), “The Matterhorn”, “Tall Fool”, “J Snizzle” (supposed to be “J Shnizzle”), and “Meat Head”.

Here are some pics from the event.

Here are the winners

No, Don, You Aren’t a Good Person

I’m not about to get involved or talk about what Don Imus said or what should be done, because that’s a horse that is full of bullets and buckshot right now. But I do have one thought on another part of the story. The other morning Micah and I were watching the Today show when he was being interviewed. He ended the interview with saying that he was a good person. He didn’t deny he did something stupid, but said he is still a good person. They’ve even let him finish the week out on the show so that he can prove that and raise money for kids with cancer.

Having just gone through Way of the Master with our high school kids, this is one of those things that just really jumps out at you when you hear it. But I’m sorry Don, you aren’t a good person. But I’m not a good person either. In fact, Romans 3 makes it clear that no one is. No one is righteouss. No one is good. No, not one! You aren’t a good person and that is why you made a stupid comment like you did.

But this shouldn’t come as bad news to you. Instead, it should give you hope, because it means that the answer does not lie within you. We all say stupid things and we’re not good people who make ‘mistakes’. We’re sinners who sin. And we have a Savior who forgives our sin to the depths. We’re all sinners, and we can all be forgiven by grace. We all stand guilty before God, and He is the righteous judge. But He’s also the loving God who provides a way for us to avoid this punishment and embrace the riches of eternal life. That’s the good news that comes out of realizing that we’re not good people.

“The Secret” 11 Steps Toward Your Family’s Bright Future

The current issue (April 2007) of the San Gabriel Valley Family magazine features an article on “The Secret” written by Wendy Silvers. Silvers first describes what “The Secret” is, and said some things I thought were interesting.

First, she speaks of it as if it is a proven system that cannot be debated. She says, “‘The Secret’ reveals the Law of Attraction, which states that the Universe, the big “yes” machine, responds to your thoughts and feelings and brings into your life that which you focus on.” I found it interesting that she calls it ‘the Law of Attraction’ as if it is a proven law. Here are the four Laws of Thermodynamics (compliments of wikipedia):

0. If two thermodynamic systems are in thermal equilibrium with a third, they are also in thermal equilibrium with each other.

1. In any process, the total energy of the universe remains constant.

2. There is no process that, operating in a cycle, produces no other effect than the subtraction of a positive amount of heat from a reservoir and the production of an equal amount of work. In a simple manner, the Second Law states that energy systems have a tendency to increase their entropy.

3. As temperature approaches absolute zero, the entropy of a system approaches a constant.

Now does the Law of Attraction sound like a tested and confirmed Law like these four? It’s not even close to the Law of Gravity. How can she present it as if it was not even debatable?

She also said that “the Universe doesn’t discriminate between positive or negative.” So I could think of something really negative and it will happen? Is this Law safe in the hands of the public? I can just think of someone like Lex Luther getting ahold of this and using it for evil.

She gives this thinking credit for the conception and birth of her daughter. So is the converse true, that those who can’t conceive are hopeless because they think they are?

Here are her 11 steps towards your family’s bright future. Get out your pens!

1. Set your intention. What do you really want? Write it down. I guess this is the process of recognizing what your true desires are. But what does James 4:2-3 say, “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covent and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” Sounds right.

2. Know that the Universe responds to your desires. It may not be immediate, so don’t give up and go negative. Stay strong and clear in your attention. She makes sure that her Law cannot be disproved with the language ‘it may not be immediate.’ And if you fail, its because you didn’t think hard enough. If you pray for money, does a check come in the mail signed by the Universe? How does one know that the Universe is granting these things? What is the authority of the Universe and where did it receive this power? What is its origin?

3. When you wake up in the morning, take a few minutes to see the day ahead rather than jump out of bed and run headlong into your day. Practice this throughout the day. This is a tool that really helps me. Obviously it is good to be positive. It is better to go through life being positive, but not because the Universe can supply us with something, but because Romans 8:28 is true. “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

4. Create a practice of meditation that you impliement daill even if it’s only 5 minutes in teh morning and 5 minutes before bedtime. Contemplate beautiful writing and music. How about Psalm 118, “1. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. 5 out of my distress I called on teh Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.” Or Psalm 119:48 “I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.” Or Psalm 1:1-2 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

5. Practice daily gratitude for what you have in your life now. When we practice gratitude, our joy, our appreciation expands and we feel great. But who are we thanking? the Universe? Psalm 106:1 “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!” Do you recall a passage where Paul gives thanks to the Universe for people’s belief or his own salvation?

6. Visualize. Take time to see in your mind’s eye that whcih you’d like in your life and allow yourself to feel as though it is there right now. Throughout the day, recall the feeling of having that which you desire. Col. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Visualize that.

7. Create a vision board using magazine pictures, family phots and phrases on a poster board. Place on this vision board what it is you’d like to experience in your life. Cover all areas- material, physical, emotional, spiritual. Do this as a family activity.Philippians 2:5 “have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” and then continues to remind us of the humble sacrifice made on our part. Hebrews 12:2- “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Put that on your board.

8. Wealth is a state of mind. It is not only material. Put the board where you can see it every day and spend time doing so. Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” verse 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to teh one and despise the other. you cannot serve God and money.”

9. Watch your thoughts. Watch your language. Observe what you say to yourself and your family. Ask yourself these questions: Is this loving? Is this helpful? Do I need to say it now? Become aware of the thoughts you think and the decisions you make. What your thoughts, be aware of your SIN! Not because the Universe may not supply something you want, but because a holy God is watching you.

10. Let your family members be who they are rather than what you’d like them to be. There is a natural tendency to focus on what we don’t like, and then it’s all we see. See differently. Pick the appealing qualities of your family members and focus on them. Then do the same for yourself. of course love unconditionally. Encourage them towards godliness. This is common sense, but also short sighted. We should have a desire where we’d like our children to go and pray that the Lord bring them to that point. but no matter what you love them.

11. Create a sacred circle of people with whom you can share your hopes and dreams. Avoid unpleasant people and discussions that will have you veer off your course. For added support, find a spiritual community that resonates with your heart’s truth. What about God’s truth. ‘Your heart’s truth’? This whole system does not put the Universe as the ultimate authority but man. Man must submit himself to the law of God, not life to the law of his own heart.

I’d spend more time on this, but I’ve already spent too much!

Links Explosion!

This story absolutely blew my mind. It made my brain hurt thinking about all the implications. Seriously.

This is an interesting story on the 1000 most popular books in libraries.

I wouldn’t have such a problem with this if they just didn’t call it ‘church’.

Check out these quotes from Tony Campolo. Yes, apparently he really beleives it.

A new John Owen book may come out. Might want to check this out.

Forced Down Time

You may be wondering why I haven’t been posting the last few days, or maybe you just think its normal. Either way, last wednesday night I attempted to do something that apparently I can’t. I was goofing off in the gym during our game time with the Jr Highers and for a moment thought I was Kobe Bryant or something. A sudden bolt of inspiration hit me. I should try to run at the hoop, do a 180 in the air, float under the basket, and then smoothly lay in a reverse layup. Well, I got about as far as “run at the hoop”. They say a majority of crashes happen at take off and landings. Mine was on the take off. In my attempt to start the 180 I believe I rolled my ankle pretty badly, the ball just fell off my hands, and I hit the ground with my right ankle throbbing.

Fortunately, there weren’t any kids around to see this great failure at athleticism, so the myth that I can play basketball may still be alive. I got up quickly, played it off cool, limped over the stage, waited until my back was to the kids, and grimaced in pain. Jessica, our children’s director, said, “Ummm… You don’t look good.” I tried walking it off, got a drink and realized that it wasn’t good.

I heard it pop in a couple places when I went down and all I could think while limping around was, “I won’t be able to drive or walk. I’ll have to get a cast and Leah’s mom is leaving in less than a week.” This was not a good time to get hurt.

I limped over to my office, walked into the Youth Center where the High School group was in their teaching time. Only Geoff saw me limping and started laughing, knowing that I managed to hurt myself again. I got some more water and decided that I should just go home and ice it. So I called for Leah’s mom to come pick me up, since she had the car.

Once home I took the sock and shoe off to reveal an already bruising ankle a little bigger than a baseball. Leah was freaking out, and made me go to the hospital to make sure we knew what happened. So Tina drove me to the hospital. We were able to get in and be seen pretty quickly, which was nice.

When they brought me in, they decided my room would be the hallway. So now I’m sitting in a wheel chair in the hallway, which would be “people-watcher” paradise. I got to watch all the people run everywhere, see nurses blow off doctors, patients looking as sick as they could. After sitting there for awhile, I got rolled into the x-ray room.

After the x-rays, the doctor came in to inspect the ankle. The doc asked me where it hurt. I leaned down and removed the ice from my ankle. He stared at me, there’s a long pause, and he says, “Um, why don’t you point to where it hurts.” I think he must be joking because my ankle is three times its normal size at this point. Where do you think it hurts.

So after some awkward silence during which I’m thinking he can’t be serious, I lean over to point to where it hurts. Unfortunately, this is not a position a wheelchair is meant to sustain. Before I know it, I’m slowly sliding out of the wheel chair. I’m trying to reach back to stop it, but it’s too late. The wheel chair had reached the point of no return. It flips frontward and propels me out of the chair, onto the ground. It must have looked spectacular as I didn’t know if I should be trying to climb back into the chair or avoid hitting my ankle.

The doc and nurses just stared at me through this, and as if they all had to wait 3 seconds, lept forward to help me back into the wheel chair. The doc blamed the wheelchair, and when I got rolled back into my room (aka- the hallway), he wanted me to sit in a normal chair instead of the wheelchair. I told him I’d take my chances with the supposed chair of death.

At the end, it was decided that I restrained some ligaments in my ankle, that I had originally strained about five years ago. I got the orders to stay off for a day with my foot iced and elevated. After a couple days, i was able to remove the aircast and splint, and now I’m walking most normally on it. I can’t run and jump yet, but am increasing in my mobility.

The good thing is that it forced me to be down and I was able to hang out with my son for a day and not have to worry about work.

Thoughts and Quotes on the Millennium

This past week we’ve been covering the millennial views in my theology class. We’ve already covered most of it, so it was mainly just a quick overview. Here are a few quotes that I found of interest.

Post-Millennialism

Here are a couple quotes from Lorraine Boettner:

“The ‘thousand years’ is quite clearly not to be understood as an exact measure of time but rather as a symbolic number. Strict arithmetic has no place here. The term is a figurative expression, indicating an indefinitely long period of time, a complete, perfect number of years, probably not less than a literal one thousand years, in all probability very much longer” (Boettner, The Millennium, 64).

I don’t know what he means by “quite clearly”. And “strict arithmetic”? Seriously. I counting to a thousand “strict arithmetic”? And I love how a ‘thousand years’ could possibly mean something less than a literal thousand. How does that make any sense?

“The millennium to which the postmillennialist looks forward is thus a golden age of spiritual prosperity during this present dispensation, that is, the Church Age. This is to be brought about through forces now active in the world. . . . The changed character of individuals will be reflected in an uplifted social, economic, political and cultural life of mankind. The world at large will enjoy a state of righteousness which up until now has been seen only in relatively small and isolated groups, for example, some family circles, and some local church groups and kindred organizations. This does not mean that there will be a time on earth when every person will be a Christian or that all sin will be abolished. But . . . Christ will return to a truly Christianized world” (Boettner, Meaning of the Millennium, 117-118).

Its no wonder that this view took quite the hit between WWI and WWII. Turns out humanity isn’t ‘progressing’. So how far are we from a “Christianized World”?

Amillennialism

Here are a couple quotes from the usually solid Anthony Hoekema:

“The latter term should rather be thought of as a figurative description of the way in which Satan’s activities will be curbed during the thousand-year period. . . . This does not imply that Satan can do no harm whatever while he is bound. It means only what John says here: while Satan is bound he cannot deceive the nations in such a way as to keep them from learning about the truth of God” (The Bible and the Future, 228).

This quote attempts to deal with the problem presented in Revelation 20. Satan is released from the prison after 1,000 years. What does it mean that Satan is bound for 1,000 years. A classmate of mine said that if this interpretation is true, then God must have put him on a pretty long leash. Interpreting “bound” as Satan “not being allowed to deceive the nations in such a way as to keep them from learning about the truth of God” is just weaksauce. That’s not binding. That’s limiting power, which is exactly what God has been doing since the Fall.

“The Book of Revelation is full of symbolic numbers. It would seem rather likely, therefore, that the number “thousand” which is used in this passage ought not to be interpreted in a strictly literal sense. Since the number ten signifies completeness, and since a thousand is ten to the third power, we may think of the expression ‘a thousand years’ as standing for a complete period, a very long period of indeterminate length” (The Bible and the Future, 227).

This quote cracked me up. I actually laughed pretty loud in class, and it was quiet, so I was the only one laughing. But c’mon! “since a thousand is ten to the third power”?!?!?!?! That’s just horrendous hermeneutics! Where does that come from?! How is that AT ALL in the text?! Did I miss a point in Bible interpretation which said that we’re to divide numbers by 10? I mean SERIOUSLY! C’mon folks! How can someone seriously stand behind this!

The last quote is from Benware, and is a good commentary on these beliefs:

“One wonders how much clearer God could be if He wanted to communicate that Messiah’s kingdom was to last for a thousand years.”

That’s if God is to be interpreted literally.