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For those of you who are 24 enthusiasts, Sunday night represented 18 months in the making as 24:Redemption premiered on Fox. The movie was used to help bridge the gap between the 18 months off (due to the writers’ strike) and Season 7 (which premieres in January 2009).

I know there people that absolutely love the show, and people that absolutely hate the show, but this really has nothing to do with the show per se. Read more…

Signs You’re Addicted to Pop Culture:

- You’ve cooked from an Easy-Bake Oven…twice!

- You tried to install a flux capacitor in your car

- You didn’t fall asleep during Star Wars Episodes I-III

- You know which musician used to star on You Can’t Do That on Television

- You actually remember You Can’t Do That on Television

- You’re convinced MacGyver and Jack Bauer are blood brothers

- You tried Crystal Clear Pepsi and liked it

- You know the connection between Dr. Pepper and Chinese Democracy

- You remember the pain of stepping on a Lite-Brite peg

- You actually took the plastic off your Ruben Studdard album

- In your heart, Madden football games will always be 2nd to Tecmo Super Bowl Read more…

So today (November 19) is my birthday! I am now officially 24. Today has been a great day so far! I’ve had about 3 billion people tell me “Happy Birthday” on Facebook, and another 1.67 billion thru text. Today at RH, we had a big Thanksgiving lunch. Great food! We also got our Christmas bonuses. It was over 5X what I expected, so that was a nice surprise. Oh, and RH also gave us an 8 lb ham! How sweet is that? Tonight I’m going to dinner and a movie with my wonderful girlfriend, and I’m sure there are more surprises in store. 

Anyway, to have some fun, I thought I would put together a “Hopeful Birthday List.” We all have lists we put together for our birthdays and Christmas with things we want. I thought I’d put something like that together for this birthday, but in a different style. I’m not griping or complaining or being ungrateful for this birthday. This has been an AWESOME birthday. Hopefully you’ll see the fun I’m trying to have.

My Birthday List:

- 10 lbs of fat turned into 10 lbs of muscle

- An MVP for Kurt Warner

- Earmuffs that block out all of the Twilight talk (and now I’ve angered every teen and tween in the world) Read more…

Well, the decision has finally been made. For those of you who were interested in reading a book as a group (or something like that), we finally have a title.

The book will be A Mind for God by James Emery White. 

For those of you that aren’t familiar with the author, Dr. James Emery White was Read more…

Recently, I’ve been reading Philip Yancey’s book, Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference? While it took me awhile to get past the first four chapters, the book has started offering me some incredible truths about prayer.

Maybe the greatest lesson I’ve learned is from Yancey’s own feelings of inadequacy. If a man as intellectual as Yancey doesn’t have it figured out (and is not ashamed to admit all his shortcomings and failures involved with prayer), then I don’t have to have it all figured out either.

While I would love to write about everything the book has taught me, I wanted to include a short excerpt from the book. The except is in fact not even from Yancey. The information is from a footnote by David Maims in Yancey’s book. Here’s what it says:

Checklist to Make Sure Prayers are on Target:  

1. What do I really want? Am I being specific, or am I just rambling about nothing in particular?
2. Can God grant this request? Or is it against God’s nature to do so?
3. Have I done my part? Or am I praying to lose weight when I haven’t dieted?
4. How is my relationship with God? Are we on speaking terms?
5. Who will get the credit if my request is granted? Do I have God’s interests in mind?
6. Do I really want my prayer answered? What would happen if I actually did get that girlfriend back?

I apologize for leaving my blog idle for 2 days. I’ve been home sick, but now I’m back in the office ready to finish out the week!

Well, if you read my last post, you know I’m trying to set up some kind of network where several of us (or thousands of us) can actually read the same book and try to dissect it and learn from each other.

I also mentioned that I had a book in mind. However, I did not think the first 2 people to reply with interest would be 2 people who have already read the book. The book I was thinking of was A Mind for God by James Emery White. But if I’m not mistaken, Derek and Matthew have already read the book.

So, I’ve gone back to the drawing board and come up with a few more ideas. Read more…

So I have this idea, and it might be crazy and it might not. I either expect to receive many responses, or none at all (except for my sweet girlfriend and people who are just going to post because I said I expect no responses).

Anyway, if you read my blogs, you know I enjoy reading. You also know I have trouble staying focused on one book. My mind, life, and interests race all over the place, and so I have trouble staying committed to a book. Therefore, it’s difficult for me to finish a book.

Well, many of you have admitted to the same thing. So, I have an idea that might help us all stay focused on reading, and also learn more from what we’re reading. 

Without sounding too much like Oprah, I think it would be cool if me and whoever else wants to started reading the same book(s) and then used this blog or some other online source as a way of discussion. 

I’m not talking about sitting around in a circle and crying over Mitch Albom’s latest. I’m talking about taking a book, that particularly encompasses higher level thinking, and discussing it. More than likely, it would be a book that is either written from a Christian worldview, or maybe even a book that attacks it.  I’m not really looking to bring in fiction. If you want to discuss that, you can go down to Borders on Tuesday night. 

If you’re interested, let me know. I’ve already got the first book in mind. 

I’m thinking that I will give the book title within the next week, and then allow about 10-14 days for people to pickup/order/borrow the book. Read more…

Several months ago I was alarmed when I heard that Kevin Smith was coming out with a new movie entitled Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Apparently, the first cut of the movie was so extreme, the MPAA originally gave it an NC-17 rating. After a few edits and lots of begging, Kevin Smith finally got the MPAA to reluctantly give the movie an R rating. 

Many critics felt the movie would never make it big in theaters. In fact, the movie was having trouble advertising on billboards and daytime television because of its title. However, thanks in part to the casting of Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks, the movie had a huge opening weekend.

Take notice of what Plugged In Online (Focus on the Family) said about the inspiration for the movie:

What was Smith’s inspiration for his “scathingly funny and sweetly romantic” movie that so appeals to “the rest of us”? In his words, “I’m a morning porn peruser, and not for the titillation factor. I just find it interesting. I’ll go read Google News, I’ll go read Guardian UK, go read our website, and then, if I’ve got nothing else, I will just peruse porn sites, because it’s an ever-expanding world. Just when you think you’ve seen the most outlandish clip you could ever see, somebody introduces something new. I just check in periodically just to see how far porn has gone in my absence.”

It won’t surprise many to hear the movie contains over 200 uses of the f-word and graphic scenes of nudity. [Editor's note: I did not and will not see this movie. I am taking my information from Plugged In.]

Despite tons of profanity, nudity, and sexual content, millions of dollars are being made by this movie, and many of those dollars are coming from Christians.

So let me ask you this: Where does a movie cross the line for you? Read more…

Thanks to everyone who commented on my blog, Facebook status, or Facebook wall yesterday. Yesterday was the 2nd most hits my blog has ever had, so thank you! Your comments were great to read, and it sounds like there is still a lot of patriotism left in this country. 

To be completely honest, today has been a stressful day. Because of that, I decided to put a quick video on that might be worth a few laughs. 

I first saw this commercial on TV last night. I honestly thought it was a joke, until I realized it was a real commercial and a real product. Pay attention to the warnings and possible side effects. Are you really willing to risk this to quit smoking?

First of all, let me say congratulations to Senator Barack Obama on becoming the 44th President of the United States. Last night was a tremendous day in history, and January 20 will be another historic day when you are sworn into office.

Now that I’ve said that, let me get into a discussion on something I believe needs to be addressed: The whiny attitudes of some Christians the day after the election.

Yes, John McCain did not win the election. There are many evangelicals disappointed today. Disappointment is fine. There is nothing wrong with it. But sour and hateful attitudes? Yes, there is definitely something wrong with that.

I do not agree with Senator Obama on many issues. If you know me at all, you know that is true. There are policies he will put into place that I will not agree with. However, I do NOT have a right to slander him because of those things.

In Romans 13:1-2, Paul wrote, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” 

I am not arguing you have to agree with everything the president says or does. But, you must be willing to submit to his authority. He is the leader of the United States. He is our leader. 

Consider this: Does it make you angry when the liberal media takes cruel shots at President Bush or John McCain or Sarah Palin? What gives you the right to do the same thing to a president you didn’t vote for?

Our country does need “change,” but we can’t expect change to happen if we sit by idly and do nothing. If you really want to see change, do something about it!!! First of all, vote! If you didn’t vote in this election, then close your mouth! Read more…