iTunes

As you may or may not have read - Jason hooked me up with a sweet iTunes gift card. The card was worth $20. It didn’t take me long - but this is how I spent my money.

1. Bone Palace Ballet by Chiodos. I bought the entire album. There are a couple of really awesome songs - but I haven’t really gotten into it yet.
2. No Air by Jordan Sparks and Chris Brown. I have been hearing this song on the radio so much lately - it is so catchy. I hate that I love it.
3. Umbrella by All Time Low. One of my new favorite bands covered Rhianna’s hit song. It is incredible.
4. Love Song by Sara Bareilles. Another song that I hear on the radio a lot. I try not to listen to the radio at all - but this song comes on and I love it. This one isn’t so much of a guilty pleasure. Good song.
5. Underdog Alma Mater by Forever the Sickest Kids. This is the other album I bought - it was on sale for $6.99. I love it - I love pop-punk.

I think the most amazing thing is that i have 14 cents left over. That means I bought 26 songs for $19.86. What music have you bought lately?

Left Behind

A couple of my friends run a pretty sweet blog.  Check out this post from them.

Disappointment and Joy

I just watched the movie ‘Citizen Kane.’  This movie is supposed to be the best movie of all time according to the American Film Institute’s top 100 movies.  I will say this about the movie - I am really glad I didn’t turn the movie off after the first 12 minutes of boredom.  The movie was pretty good.  It was one of those movies that you really have to be one of those “film people” to really love.  I wad disappointed.  ‘Citizen Kane’ - you are not awesome.

And then I checked my email.  Jason Salamun (a “dot-comrade” of mine) hooked me up with an iTunes gift card.  Jason is a church planter in South Dakota.  Basically - he is awesome.  He is planting a church and hooking up wannabe bloggers (me) all at the same time.  Jason - you are awesome.

Contemplating (blog)Suicide

Like a lot of things in my life - I have seemingly lost interest in my blog. Blogging became a part of my life - a big part. Everyday - I read and would try to find ways to make my blog better. But lately - all I have felt about my blog is pressure. I haven’t written anything lately. I haven’t even really wanted to. When I do think of things in my life to blog about - I put it off and it never gets here. I don’t blog because I don’t want to but feel bad that I am not writing. This should not feel like an obligation. This should be something I enjoy. And honestly - I contemplated blog suicide (deleting my blog).

But - I am going to press on. I will continue to inform you of random awesomeness. And I will post consistently again.

Have I “Been With Jesus?”

Dustin and Beau have started a conversation about the difference that takes place when someone has “been with Jesus.”  First off - read what they had to say and think about it.  Read Acts 4:13.  And now think about your life.  Do people, regardless of their faith, notice that you have been with Jesus?

That is my new goal in my social and everyday life.  I want people to look at me and hear me talk and be able to say - “That guy has been with Jesus.”

I am going go spend some time with Jesus.

Do Work

First off - I don’t really know where I have been.  I always feel obligated to apologize or explain why I haven’t blogged any time that I get slack.  I am not going to do that today.

This week we are starting a new series at LINC.  I am really excited about it.  It is called “Do Work.”  I am very pumped about this summer.

This summer is going to be filled with several opportunities for our students to “do work.”

Secondly - check out Tyler’s message.  This website is sweet.  Divide the Sea made me a (real) fan on Saturday night.  Ben has started a blog.  And this game is so addictive.

Renewed

I am with Cliff. He says that he has felt like he is running behind this week. Let me tell you what - I have felt sluggish and run down and behind since I got to the office on Tuesday. The reality is that I am actually ahead of schedule - but I have felt way behind. Physically and mentally I have been struggling.

Yesterday - the first thing that Robin said to me was that “You look hungover. What did you do last night?”

I wasn’t hungover - but I just felt beat down. God has a way of speaking to you even when you feel at your lowest. I sat in my office and I couldn’t even read a blog. I couldn’t put the effort or energy into reading blogs that I normally love to read. For some reason - I really felt tired and exhausted.

So - I picked up my Bible. And what came to my mind was Romans 12:2. I needed to renew my mind. The only way to do that (that I know of) is to spend time with Jesus. I felt like crap when I came in - but I also feel like God renewed me after we hung out.

Wednesday Recap

Last night was a great night. Here are my thoughts.

• Last night was the first time I “talked” to the students in three weeks. I really was excited about “talking” again.
• God woke me up last week and gave me last night’s message. I really felt like he worked it all out.
• I used cups overflowing into other cups to talk about our lives overflowing into lives around - discipleship.
• Tyler helped me with the illustration one night two years ago.
• One day - if i do this message again. This is what I want my illustration to look like.
• Kent led worship for us. He did a really good job.
• David Cook won American Idol.
• I wasn’t as excited as I thought I was going to be.
• I had prepared myself for being upset. I had prepared myself to complain. I was ready to talk about how it wasn’t fair. And then he won. I don’t know. What does that say about me?
• Laura Beth figured out why David Cook won. All of David Archuleta’s fans have a 10:00 bedtime. David Cook’s fans can stay up and vote until the poll’s close.

Last night went really well. Thank you God. I can’t take credit. God did it. If it weren’t for God - it would have completely sucked.