Working For The Weekend!

Yes indeedy, life is good. We're about to roll into a nice three-day weekend. The college football season is upon us. And my by boys in Orange are going to lay the smacketh down on UCLA Monday night. For some reason, my boss is still expecting me to "work" and "be productive" today, but I gotta admit, it's kinda hard. Because like in the immortal words of Loverboy, everyone is, indeed, workin' for the weekend.

Happy Labor Day, y'all. Rock your face off!!

Jesus Wants To Save Christians

Rob Bell's new book comes out in this Fall! It's a collaboration w/ Don Golden called Jesus Wants To Save Christians - A Manifesto for the Church in Exile.

The book's web site is chock full of goodies, including a mp3 of the authors interviewing themsleves, and the first 2 chapters of the book that you can download to read yourself, or have Rob and Don read it to you, if that's how you roll. Check out the web site for the full experience, but here's a few highlights.

Rob Bell and Don Golden interviewing one another about the writing of the book.

The Introduction to the Introduction.

Chapter 1

Jakob Dylan - Evil is Alive and Well Video

A friend of a friend did the animation on the new Jakob Dylan video, Evil is Alive and Well. I heard Jakob perform this song on a live radio show a few weeks ago and I was really struck by its simple, but hauntingly powerful message. Now seeing it animated so brilliantly makes the song come to life even more. Good stuff!

Thoughts from Rev. Chris Buice on Central High School Shooting

The Rev. Chris Buice shared some of his thoughts on the Central High School Shooting in today's News Sentinel. Buice is the pastor of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Church, site of the horrific church shooting month ago. He also has a daughter at Central. (As he points out, what are the odds of that?) His unique perspective on both tragedies is well worth reading.

Thoughts + Prayers to All Those At Central High School

Thoughts and prayers to all those on the front lines of the senseless school shooting this morning at Central High School. I can see Central from my front porch. On normal days this time of year, I smile because we live close enough to hear the Central High School band practicing for the upcoming football season. Today, I'm just filled with sadness that we're close enough to hear the sounds of sirens and cries from students, parents and all those in the community left to ask why? Why here? Why anywhere?

Thoughts and prayers to all inside the school and those in the community dealing with this unexplainable act.

The Faith-off! Obama v. McCain

This past weekend, super pastor Rick Warren invited presidential hopefuls Barrack Obama and John McCain to a "Faith-off!: a series of extreme physical challenges and Bible drills involving memorizing the book of Leviticus that took place within a barbed-wire covered, MMA octagon shaped ring.

For serious, it was much more civil and enjoyable than that. Both candidates made some solid points and impressions regarding their personal faith and how it would shape their administration.

If you'd like to check out full video or transcripts of the event, go here.

Nooma 021 | She | Rob Bell

Watch this one while you can. The always stellar Rob Bell is back with his latest Nooma (021 - She)...a look at the feminine nature of God.

It's premiering for a few days on Facebook, so check it out before it gets pulled down. Then go buy yourself a copy to keep forever (just $10) at www.nooma.com

This Blog Is About to Rock Your Socks Off!!!

Plenty of you fine readers have given me suggestions on how to make this blog better. "Learn to write"; "Have some kind of point to your posts"; "Stop dangling your participles"; and "Please stop!" are among the most common bits of advice I've received.

So what have I done with these golden bits of wisdom? I have ignored them completely.

But what I HAVE done is come up with something to make this blog more awesomer than it ever was. Created its own jingle.

But before you listen to my blog's jingle, ask yourself this question: "Am I wearing socks?" Because if the answer is YES, then hold onto them, because THEY ARE ABOUT TO BE ROCKED OFF!

That's because I brought in the legendary producer Tommy Silth to create this masterpiece. If you like what you hear - and I am sure you will - then you too can create your own jingle with legendary producer Tommy Silth. It's free and fun. Plus, he could really use the work. The 80's were tough on him.

Check it out and tell me what you think. The only criticism I have is that it needs just a bit more cowbell.

Rethinking Dreamboat

I love this time of year. The air is crisp and cool in the mornings. I can hear the local high school marching band beginning to practice. All signs that football season is right around the corner.

There's just one thing bothering me. Sure, all of my teams (Vols in college, Cowboys and Colts in NFL) are undefeated. The eternally optimistic homer in me is looking at depth charts and schedules and convincing myself, "Hey, THIS really could be the year!") Right now, everything's perfect. But once again Tom Brady had to go mess everything up.

For years I've loved tearing apart Tom Brady, or "Dreamboat" as I like to call him, because...well...there's really no good reason. I mean, if he played for MY team I would have a freakin' Tom Brady fathead in my living room. Well, until my wife made me take it down.

But she probably WOULDN'T make me take it down. Because girls LOVE them some Dreamboat.

And, really, what's not to love? The guy was drafted in the 6th round and has turned himself into the next Joe Montana. But I've always dissed him. BECAUSE he always seemed to beat my Colts. Because he's won 3 Super Bowl rings before he turned 30. Because he dates a supermodel. Because he has GQ looks and a head full of hair. All things I'll never have or do. All I had was to call him names and not respect what he was about.

But Brady just gave an interview in Esquire magazine that makes me actually really like the guy. Take this quote from the article, for example:

"Look at the attention I get: It's because I throw a football. But that's what society values. That's not what God values. God could (care less), as far as I'm concerned. He didn't invent the game. We did. I have some eye-hand coordination, and I can throw the ball. I don't think that matters to God."

He also talks about how much he respects Peyton and that one of his favorite books was The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, a favorite of mine.

The whole article really made me respect him a whole lot more. But I still hope the Patriots lose every game this year, no matter how unlikely that may be.

W.W.J.B.?

What would Jesus buy? It's a question being asked right now on ABC.com. In the report and video, it states that the sales of Christian merchandise is a $4.6 BILLION dollar business. That's a lot of Jesus bobblehead toys, TestaMENT candy and "Jesus is My Homeboy" T-shirts.

So what's your take? What would Jesus buy? Better yet, what do you think he'd have to say about the sales of such items? Something tells me he might react like he did here.

Letting Go of the Guilt

Here's a very good article from Relevant.com about something we could all use less: guilt-based Christianity. Saying Goodbye to Guilt-Driven Christianity by Dr. Alvin Reid and Jonathan Merritt makes the point that if we spend more time guilting ourselves (or even worse, others) rather than enjoying Grace, we are missing the point.

Amen!

It's easy to beat ourselves up and think we didn't do enough, or give enough, or pray enough, or memorize scripture enough, or...you fill in the blank here. And certainly, there are things we do or say or think that should make us feel guilty. I believe that God gives us a conscience for a reason. But the constant worries and pity parties and mental drubbings we give ourselves really has got to stop.

That's Jesus' idea, not mine.

Jesus tells us to come as we are. We're not perfect, but he doesn't expect us to be. He hand-picked 12 disciples that were a far cry from perfect. (Barely competent, in some instances). He hung with tax collectors, and prostitutes, lepers and...(gasp)...women and children! (oh, the horror!) He proclaimed each person has infinite worth, even if society didn't agree.

Realizing that Jesus doesn't expect me to fill the role of "perfect human being" has been so liberating for me personally. It's wonderful to know that our savior likes us, scratch that, LOVES us just as we are.

So why is it so hard for us to do the same?

A good friend of mine recently admitted that she doesn't really believe she's an awesome mom (which she is) because, among other things, her cupcakes don't turn out perfect. I married a woman who just exudes awesomeness at every level, but she often beats herself up for an array of transgressions that to me, aren't that big of deal, but to her, are signs that she is an abject failure. Nothing could be further from the truth. I've suffered through more restless nights of sleep than I'd care to admit because I thought I hadn't pleased a boss, who probably wasn't going to be totally pleased no matter what I did.

How messed up is that?

Some of this has to do with our nature. Some our nurture. But no matter why we are wired the way we're wired, Jesus tells us that he will help us travel light. The past mistakes are forgiven. The future is in his hands. We have but the present moment to deal with. And without the weight of the past or the burden of the future to bear, that makes things much more manageable. God and guilt are like oil and water.

May we each travel light and realize deep in our bones, that the God that made us LOVES us just as we are...and so we are wise to do the same.