I Wish I Were A Birder

Here's a couple of pics in homage to my friend Josh, the self-proclaimed "dork birder." I couldn't find any birds, but I found this lovely nest.

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. I will be leading our Children's Program on Wednesday nights during Lent. Tonight we will be discussing the Lenten season. In addition to learning about Ash Wednesday and participating in our church's service tonight, we, the leaders and children, will make a Lenten promise to do something loving, or to give up something we really like, in order to help us remember Jesus. I am going to give up eating fast food for Lent. During those times when I hunger for a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit from McDonald's or a Cheesburger from Wendy's, I am going to focus on Jesus and the sacrifice he made for us. I am hoping that through this experience I will not only eat better and lose weight, but I might be drawn closer to the Lord. I'll keep posting about my Lenten promise as the season progresses.

Here's a picture of me with my beard. I decided to grow a beard this winter just to see how it would look. I kind of like it - I just wish there were fewer gray hairs! Below is a picture of the motivation behind my Lenten promise. That scale says 248! That would be a great weight if I was playing fullback for the Cowboys, but it's not so great for a 37-year-old Youth Pastor. I hope to use this Lenten season to kick start a new focus on healthier eating and exercise, as well as a renewed spiritual growth focus. My goal is to grow spiritually as I shrink physically!

The Democratic Resolution Opposing a Troop Increase in Iraq

The Democratic resolution expressing disapproval of President Bush's troop increase in Iraq that the House will debate this week:

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), that —
(1) Congress and the American people will continue to support and protect the members of the U.S. Armed Forces who are serving or who have served bravely and honorably in Iraq; and
(2) Congress disapproves of the decision of President George W. Bush announced on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional U.S. combat troops to Iraq.
Source: The Associated Press

The problem with this resolution (other than it not having any teeth because it is non-binding) is that, once again, no alternate solution is advanced. It's one thing to criticize President Bush's decisions, but in not offering a viable alternative to his plan, all the Democratic Resolution is doing is piling on. And we all just love to be piled on, don't we?

Dixie Chicks Redeemed?

In the Tuesday edition of the USA Today Opinion Page, the editorial board shared a brief blurb about the Dixie Chicks winning five Grammy awards. Here's the quote that stood out to me:

"Whether the music industry professionals who awarded the Grammys were making a statement beyond artistic merit is hard to ascertain. What is clear, however, is how the trajectory of the Chicks' comeback mirrors the rise in anti-war sentiment. That sentiment has gone mainstream and is reflected even in once unquestioningly pro-war country music."

Did the Dixie Chicks win because their music was the best? I'm afraid not, and that is a shame for all parties concerned.

Super Bowl Ads

Our world has become too politically correct. Masterfoods USA has to pull what was one of the funniest Super Bowl advertisements because some gay organizations found it offensive. As a lover of Snickers bars, what I found most offensive was that the second mechanic felt it was okay to eat the candy. My wife can't even get away with that one. Don't eat my Snickers!

Other ads from the Super Bowl have come under attack as well, including the Nationwide ad featuring Kevin Federline. The National Restaurant Association criticized it for a "demeaning" portrayal of restaurant workers. Give me a break! USA Today featured an article that addressed the subject of interest groups complaining about ads. The last three paragraphs are telling:

Yet, when marketers back down, it creates a "very dangerous" environment for the ad industry, says Drew Neisser, CEO of the Renegade Marketing Group.

"The recent withdrawals will embolden every interest group to push their agenda and complain about any ad that doesn't jibe with their mission," he says.

"To create ads that offend no one is a fruitless endeavor," Neisser says. "To cut through, there must be an element of surprise … that someone, somewhere, might not like."

Spiritual Beltway?

I read an article in the Washington Post recently about McLean Bible Church, but the article was really more about the new growth strategy of megachurches - satellite sites. These churches use the strategy of opening multiple locations under the same name and considering themselves one church. Gone are the days of planting new churches that are independent entities, creative and unique in their approach to ministry in a specific community. There are advantages to this new strategy, chief among them being the ability to provide better and more affordable programs than a struggling small new church plant. But here's the quote from a pastor that embraces this strategy that got me thinking differently: "It's kind of like going to Starbucks. You know the product you're going to get." Skeptics and critics wonder if this new trend is more about bolstering egos than spreading the message. That, I feel, is a valid concern. My first reaction upon reading the article was, Are we really more concerned with creating a "brand" than we are about being the presence of Christ in a local community? And, is there such a thing as a church being too big? These questions have been around for awhile, but the need to address them is only going to get more urgent as more and more megachurches adopt this strategy of opening satellite sites, and in our case here in the DC area, spiritual beltways.

Valentine's Day

I've been away for awhile working on my youth group's blog and group page and calendar (isn't technology great). For my first post back I would like to declare my undying love for my wife Randa. We have been married for a little over 7 1/2 years. We have three children. And we are tired! We don't look as young as we used to, as thin as we used to, or as energetic as we used to, but we still love each other! And I would dare to say that we love each other more now than we used to. Our relationship isn't perfect, but who's is? We keep trying and that's what I like about us. We declared our commitment for each other years ago and that commitment is what keeps us going through the great times, the terrible times, and all the times in between. So here's to my wife -- the love of my life now and always! Happy Valentine's Day Randa! I LOVE YOU!