Another Collection of Funny

I am sure that anyone reading this blog might have found the topics this week pretty heavy. Its been good stuff. I have loved where God has taken my thoughts and led to focus on. I have some good things still in my head that I want to share, but I think that I am going to keep Fridays somewhat light-hearted.

If you haven't ever enjoyed news from the Onion, then you have missed some funny stuff. In this "news forum" they speak of the joy that the new giant crabs will be. My wife and I rented The Onion Movie and watched it, but found that enjoying the Onion in clips like these is much more enjoyable.

I was brought up to be a fan of Star Trek. Of course, TNG was the group that I watched the most, and most of the next couple series (DS9 and Voyager). This is one of Jandrew edit's pieces where Data gives a concert. Its just a bunch of edited footage from the original show, but its worth watching. If you enjoyed that, which how could you not?!, then you can head over here and see all his other works.

Along those same lines, I offer something that isn't a video clip, but rather a very good piece of satire. As a play on similar sounding words, here is Keeping up with the Cardassians. The stuff from McSweeny's can be quite funny. I recommend checking out more of their stuff as you have the time.

I think that gives you a few chuckles. Its important to laugh. I hope that your weekend is full of laughing and joy and worship of the creator of it all. Love you guys!

Its a Crazy Wednesday

Gosh, that is really a cheesy title, but I will leave it. Its that day when I think about the current chapter in Crazy Love and then talk about it here.

In chapter 5, Chan talks about the difference between a struggling Christian and some one who lives a life that isn't about following Christ. I offer the link to this video by Driscoll as a very concise and good answer. He offers it within the first minute and then gives a good example. Sort of an aside, I love Driscoll's plain speaking nature and direct answers. I might not be totally sure on the whole elect vs free will thing, and that might be the only area that I really disagree with him, but I find a lot of truth in his words. However, as Chan mentions in the video, we are told to test and find out what is true in God. Either way, Driscoll will tackle a few things that other ministers seem to shy away from and I respect him for that. Aside over.

Chan asks if we invented the idea of the casual Christian. He even says that Jesus never asked us to go and make Christians of all men, but disciples, those who will follow His teachings. He didn't say, but if that's too hard, let's just get them saved so that they can get into heaven and not really ever change. But how often are we preaching such a gospel? I didn't mention it on here, but I have to others about the message when I went to my mom's church. The preacher mentioned how he will never preach the "do you know where you are going if you die today?" invitation anymore. He said he didn't want to scare people into a decision. I loved that. Its not just a "get out of hell" card when you surrender to His love.

I have mentioned the book unChristian and I was reading last night something that just completely fit in with this mindset. It said that of all 18-29 that were surveyed, 65 percent said that they had made a personal commitment to Jesus, just a little less than the Boomers whose percentage is 73. Thus, the majority of Americans say that they have ALREADY made a significant decision to follow Christ. However, when you get more specific about what that means, a biblical worldview (believing the Bible, God is all-powerful, all-knowing and still rules the world today, that salvation is a gift from God, Satan is real, a Christian has a responsibility to share his or her faith with others, the Bible is accurate in all it teaches, unchanging moral truths exist and such truths are defined by the Bible, Jesus lived a sinless life,), then the percent of 18-29 that believe that falls drastically to 3 percent (only 9 percent of Boomers). Then they put it in people numbers. They say that means out of 95 million Americans who are 18-41, about 60 million will say they have already made a commitment to Jesus, but only 3 million of them embrace the biblical worldview. That is astounding to me.

I think this fits in so well with what Chan was talking about. So many people claim to have a connection to Jesus, but we don't ever think about what that might mean if we are to live it out. It is a challenge but it also heart breaking. In the video that Chan does, he asks if this chapter made you question your salvation. Its ok if it does, which is why I posted the video of Driscoll to sort of quench any doubts Satan might attack you with. After watching the video last night and thinking about my life, I just prayed thanks to God for all that He has shown me in the past couple years. That I can, without doubt, know where I am with Him. I might sin or mess up and do something that doesn't please Him, but I don't doubt where my heart is. I was so moved to tears thinking about how blessed I am and how I am thankful that I can pass that along to children if God ever gives us them or just others.

I hate that there is a real chance I won't be at the small group tonight to discuss everything. I want to share these thoughts. Thankfully I can do it here. I give anyone who reads the same option if they want.

Writing funny posts....that is my LEAST favorite thing to do

I promised some levity for a Friday and hopefully I can bring that. Mainly I will be doing it the only way that I know how, allowing some one else to take the credit in the form of links and clips.

I have been thoroughly enjoy some Llamas with Hats. If you haven't ever seen the Charlie the Unicorn (part 1 or part 2), then I don't know if we can be friends. However, Llamas with Hats is equally if not even more so amazing. Please take your time and enjoy it for all the splendid things that it is.

I know that as a child I watched some really bad movies thinking that they were good. I am pretty sure that at some point I sat through Mac and Me. However, I don't think there is anyway to truly be entertained by such a movie until today. So, I submit clips like the famous wheelchair clip (the first 30 seconds are just indescribable). Then if you feel like you haven't had enough, you can enjoy the McDonald's dance off because who hasn't happened upon one of these in their trip to the arches?

I will warn you about this next clip. Its from the group Lonely Island that includes Adam Samberg from SNL and Hot Rod (which is a long clip of goodness for those who are interested). Its one of their latest additions called "Im on a Boat". I present the edited version just because I wanted to be somewhat "Christian" here.

I hope that these give you reasons to laugh today. I am probably going to go and watch Llamas with hats again because I got a rumbling in my funny bone that only llamas will satisfy. Have a great weekend and hopefully I will be doing all this again next week.

Thanksweek

I hope that you all have lots and lots of fun the next couple days. I will be family doing the whole "quality time" thing. It is the real kick off to the holiday season. So, instead of being all serious, which I have been it seems for the last few posts, I am going to try and brings a little levity to the reading with some funny and fun links.

Star Trek is one of the movies that I am very much looking forward to getting to enjoy next year. The choice of JJ Abrams seems to have been pretty smart. If you haven't seen the trailer, here that is. Even if you have seen it, its pretty awesome and worth watching a couple times. Plus, it gives you the framework from which the next couple clips are taken. The first is just funny, Star Trek 90210. The next one takes the same idea, but instead uses one of what used to be my favorite shows, Smallville.

I don't know why, but this list of wacky signs just makes me laugh. Maybe its the whole, "Not Allowed to Pregnant". I think that some of them were translated and that is what makes it funny.

Since I brought the whole chimp on a Segway thing (this time with music), I thought it was only fitting to bring another clip of the same chimp. This time, its in a track and field competition. Yes, chimps equal funny (or is it Japanese television?).

We, my wife and I, love the show How I Met Your Mother. Last weeks episode, had a great conversation with two of the characters, ala Dr. Seuss. Don't miss the beginning where the guys console Ted by asking if he wants to take revenge by a unique method. Just to spread the goodness that is HIMYM, here is the "Robin Sparkles" videos, Let's Go to the Mall and Sandcastles in the Sand.

As with most Japanese game shows, cats with technology always makes me laugh. Thus, watching a Cat on a Roomba, very funny.

Since I am putting a bunch of YouTube links, I thought it fitting to include this one. Its a little older, but still pretty funny from the Onion.

Finally, I give you something to kick off the Christmas season, if you promise not to watch it until Friday. I am a big MxPx fan. I know that the straight laced demeanor that I normally display fits right in with the idea of punk music, but I have listened to them for about 10 years now. Their Christmas song is one of my favorites. So, here is that video.

Have a great weekend and Thanksgiving!!!

Proverbs

I am currently reading Proverbs for my personal study. I am reading it along with a friend and emailing thoughts back and forth for our study. I know that I was going to try and tackle one book for a few months, but that really didn't go anywhere. I either didn't read or just wasn't motivated to keep it up. Either way, I am much happier having some one to keep me accountable and to encourage and share my thoughts with. I think those are important things in a study, but I might revisit that before the end of this post.

Right now, I wanted to talk about what we have been reading. We are on chapter 9 of Proverbs today and read chapter 8 yesterday. I include them both here because they fit pretty well together. They discuss the idea of wisdom being readily available for the asking. The imagery of a woman calling us to come and partake of the teachings is very beautiful. I love toward the end of 8, where wisdom says that it was created before the world. That it was the first helper to God. I guess what I take from this is that it is an important attribute. That it is something that we need to help us make it through the trials of this world. If it was so important, that God created wisdom before He started creating the world, why should we assume that we can make it through life without pursuing it?

In chapter 9, there is a very challenging passage. Its in verses 7-9. I usually read in my Every Man's Bible, which is NLT and the reason why most of the links that I give to verses are in that translation. Well, they also give a bit of commentary on certain verses. These verses were chosen. It said that we should accept rebuke with the knowledge that it might be for our betterment. That we shouldn't be so dismissive when some one offers advice that might be helpful. How hard is it to accept that? We live in a society and often a mindset that we know whats best for ourselves. However, isn't that a key component to Christianity? We have recognized that we don't know whats best for ourselves. Instead, we know that God has a better way and let Him guide us in our lives. So, why is it so hard to accept that He might use some one else's words to guide us? I am probably just as bad as anyone else about this. I guess its that idea of control. We are so eager to give up control over our sins and let God give us the freedom from those, but we aren't so eager to give Him our daily lives. Over at Stuff Christians Like, they have a post dealing with that as well.

I have been noticing that not only will I think one thing when I read my bible or when I hear a message, that I see it echoed in other messages that I might hear or blogs that I might read. I think that God is making sure that I get the point, which I know that I need.

I don't think that I will get into the idea of buddy studying today. Maybe tomorrow. I think that I will just let that sit where it is right now. I will leave you with this, a monkey on a Segway. Its as entertaining as it sounds.

Desperate

I usually check out Northpoint's messages when they put them online. I say usually because unfortunately, I used to be sort of selective about which ones I would watch. Mainly, I only cared for the Andy Stanley ones. But, I took a look at some of the others and there is some really good stuff. Which brings me to thinking about this entry.

The current message series Illusion taught by Jeff Henderson is really good. And I don't just say that cause they give some really cool magic trick at the beginning of each video. I say that cause it has been making me think. As a Christian, when some one tells you that some sermon made them think, they have been contemplating their "walk". I am going to focus in on the second sermon by Jeff here, Self Delusion. He gives a look at how we look at ourselves. He uses Luke 7:39-47, and there it is if you want to look it up. But, I am not going to get into a lot of what he said. I just want to hit basically two sentences that made me pause and think.

They are: "The longer some one follows Jesus (potentially) the less desperate they become for Him", and "Are you as desperate for Jesus now as when you first accepted him?"

There is a sort of getting comfortable that comes with being a Christian. Its hard to remain as desperate as you once were. I think that as we get used to being in something or around something, our human nature it to get comfortable. We don't sing as loud as we used to, don't get moved the way that we used to, nor even devote the time to study that we used to.

A friend preached on Sunday at a local church and I went. He said that accepting Jesus is easy. It can change your life and its the easiest thing in the world. Following God is a discipline, requiring work and dedication. Fueling that desperate desire for Jesus, is the same thing. You have to remind yourself of what Jesus has brought you through. You have to take the time to recognize how God provides for everything that you need. It takes effort, but just like my friend was talking about, its worth it. To stand in awe of God and worship knowing that you are desperate for His love, His touch, His guidance. It sounds so confining, but nothing is freer.

So, thats where my mind is today. Hope that it gives you time to "think" about yourself or at least praise God a little more emphatically.

Weekend's Coming

Its funny that I was thinking about just putting some fun and enjoyable things on here today. Thankfully, Stuff Christians Like gave me fuel to the fire that was going on in my head. I will say that the video at the end of that post made my day a few weeks ago. I hope that you have seen it many times. Actually, it doesn't matter how many times you have seen it, please go and watch it again. Its needed to kick off a good weekend. Have you watched it (again)? Good, now go and check this out. I have to say, when I saw the second video (and I won't spoil it if you are like me and read the rest of a post before checking out links), I was silenced by the awesomeness of God. Yeah, its time like these that I am reminded about how great God's sense of humor is. Thus, I get to talking about pretty much the same thing that SCL mentioned. We, our music minister and myself, shared that video at the end of SCL's post with our pastor and he met it with the laughter it requires. Our music minister then commented that he thinks that the Holy Spirit might inspire stuff like that so that we can laugh about it later. Of course, we aren't laughing at the message, but the cheesiness of the message. I don't know of any Christian who wouldn't think that "Jesus is my friend", but I don't know of many who would say that he is like a "mountie, He always gets his man". But, we could agree that his grace is irresistible.

Alright, I know that a bit of humor and fun is always good and thats what I am about today. I didn't really mention anything since Monday about our little group. We met and it was good. I was very thankful both for who all showed up and for their desire for the subject. It was a good discussion and just a fun time for all, I think. Then again, Andy Stanley is a pretty good speaker and pretty much can tackle any subject and make it interesting. The fun thing is that we are planning on having just a get-together time tomorrow. I am hopeful that pretty much everyone comes out and we get to build bonds with each other. Thats always an important part in getting comfortable to share and talk in a small study group. I think that it will be a good time.

On a more personal note. It was strange last Sunday. My wife and I started going to our church's small groups for women and men respectfully. Well, this past week, I met a guy who is new to our church and to the men's group. Being able to relate to being new, I introduced myself and told him a little about me and all that. I also invited him to our bible study and just generally tried to make sure he felt welcomed. Little to my knowledge, but my wife was doing pretty much the same thing to his wife. It was a very cool moment to talk about it later and realize that we were talking to the same couple, just separated. I don't know if we will become friends or not, but more than anything, I hope that they feel welcomed and part of church. I know how hard that is when you are new. It seems like everyone else is already part of some group of people that are friends and you are on the outside. Even though I have gone to my church for a couple years, many times I feel like that. I will be inside the sanctuary, after a service, and while looking around think that there isn't really anyone I know enough to talk to. But, I also think that is my fault as well, keeping myself from getting close to others and staying on the outside. The easiest place to hide, as a Christian, is in a bigger church. Unfortunately, I took advantage of that for a long time. Now, I am happy to be part of stuff and hopefully help others get involved. I am still working on that whole desire to be close with others thing, but thats good, thats a fruitful endeavor. We will see how that goes.

Sorry to get a little serious on such a whimsical post. Thats ok, its the weekend and time for us to enjoy a couple days off. Maybe God has something for you this weekend, whether it be in a message, or in a song, or just hanging out with some friends. I pray that you will keep yourself open to that and share it with some one who you trust. I will be back on Monday.