1.28.2006
The Joys & Woes of Instant Messaging
I, like many of you, have TONS of names on my instant messenger "buddy list."
Occasionally an unknown Screen Name will IM me and it's caught by the "IM Catcher". If the name is "SexyWhatever" or "HotChick45871" I'll block it forever and not open it. Most of the times it's merely a student who's changed their screen name (imagine that!) who wants to catch up.
Here's one I got today, just as it happened with the Screen Name and website changed:
pyrrhic625: Hey Cutie I was wondering if you would like to check out my profile... I checked out yours and I only live about 25-minutes from you, I have more about me in my profile ***LocalSexySomethingORAnother.net***
SnaveNel: really?
SnaveNel: check out mine. Go Away! :-P
SnaveNel: does your mother know you are doing this?
SnaveNel: shame, shame, shame, shame
pyrrhic625X signed off at 7:21 AM
I, like many of you, have TONS of names on my instant messenger "buddy list."
Occasionally an unknown Screen Name will IM me and it's caught by the "IM Catcher". If the name is "SexyWhatever" or "HotChick45871" I'll block it forever and not open it. Most of the times it's merely a student who's changed their screen name (imagine that!) who wants to catch up.
Here's one I got today, just as it happened with the Screen Name and website changed:
pyrrhic625: Hey Cutie I was wondering if you would like to check out my profile... I checked out yours and I only live about 25-minutes from you, I have more about me in my profile ***LocalSexySomethingORAnother.net***
SnaveNel: really?
SnaveNel: check out mine. Go Away! :-P
SnaveNel: does your mother know you are doing this?
SnaveNel: shame, shame, shame, shame
pyrrhic625X signed off at 7:21 AM
1.26.2006
Father of the Year?
Surely you've heard the story about the Dad who was named Father of the Year after punching an assistant teacher in the face but in case you didn't here's the Full Story.
UPDATE: Manatee County School Officials say the girl made the whole story up, and her girlfriends helped her.
They say she was in detention because she poured coke from a second story window on another student.
The person who saw her do it was the teacher's aide that was punched. That's why she was sent to detention.
She made up the story to get back at him. She asked her girl friends to back her story.
In the process of the investigation, one of the girls cracked, and admitted it was a fabrication.
The girls face possible expulsion from school.
At the time the teacher's aide was accused of improperly touching the student, he was on videotape that showed him on the other side of the school.
Surely you've heard the story about the Dad who was named Father of the Year after punching an assistant teacher in the face but in case you didn't here's the Full Story.
UPDATE: Manatee County School Officials say the girl made the whole story up, and her girlfriends helped her.
They say she was in detention because she poured coke from a second story window on another student.
The person who saw her do it was the teacher's aide that was punched. That's why she was sent to detention.
She made up the story to get back at him. She asked her girl friends to back her story.
In the process of the investigation, one of the girls cracked, and admitted it was a fabrication.
The girls face possible expulsion from school.
At the time the teacher's aide was accused of improperly touching the student, he was on videotape that showed him on the other side of the school.
Jesus Junk Winner for February
(Early but I couldn't resist)
(Early but I couldn't resist)
Obi-Wan-Jesus T-Shirts Now Available!
Hat Tip 2 my friend Mark, who despite being the biggest geek I know, is blogless.
1.22.2006
I'm ashamed of myself! 
After reading the "Biblical Assist" article about the Christian Throwback Jersey's I found myself thinking, "That Psalm 23 jersey like MJ's look's pretty cool".
Now back to my normal cynicism regarding most thing Christian marketers do that we label as "Jesus Junk".
After reading the "Biblical Assist" article about the Christian Throwback Jersey's I found myself thinking, "That Psalm 23 jersey like MJ's look's pretty cool".
Now back to my normal cynicism regarding most thing Christian marketers do that we label as "Jesus Junk".
Games or No Games, That is the Question!
Andy Jack is no longer doing games. I tended to lean that way.
Ryan, of course, loves games so this is for Ryan and all the other guys who dare to do use these with their students:
Chocolate Insects
Butterfly Candy
Cheddar Cheese Larvets & More
Andy Jack is no longer doing games. I tended to lean that way.
Ryan, of course, loves games so this is for Ryan and all the other guys who dare to do use these with their students:
Chocolate Insects
Butterfly Candy
Cheddar Cheese Larvets & More
Theo is Back
Here's his To-Do List
Red Sox Nation could soon be Crazy for Coco!
If so, Theo can check one thing off his to do list.
Here's his To-Do List
Red Sox Nation could soon be Crazy for Coco!
If so, Theo can check one thing off his to do list.
1.19.2006
Political Quotes
"In 1987, President Ronald Reagan vetoed a spending bill because it contained 121 earmarks. The number of earmarks approved by Congress grew to 1,439 in 1995. Last year, Congress approved a staggering 13,998 earmarks." John Fund, Political Diary
"Republican leaders are moving toward requiring public disclosure of lawmakers' sponsorship and justification for local projects in spending bills, aides said Tuesday as an election-year backlash against earmarks intensifies. . . . Still, some observers said it would be tough for the GOP Congress to shed its 'drunken sailor' reputation when it comes to earmarked spending, despite newfound reform principles. . . . Keith Ashdown of Taxpayers for Common sense added: 'It's like an alcoholic saying 'I'm down from 16 drinks a night to 12, so I'm not a drunk anymore.' " Peter Cohn in CongressDaily
"(Judge Robert) Bork's nomination to the Supreme Court was derailed so effectively that 'bork' became a verb meaning to ruthlessly savage a nominee's record in order to defeat his confirmation. And now (Sen Ted) Kennedy complains that judicial nominations are too politicized? If chutzpah were an Olympic event, he would walk away with the gold." Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby
All Quotes are from the News & Views Newsletter
1.15.2006
The Three Stages of Losing Weight
I have now lost over 50 pounds and I have to lose about 20 more to qualify for the military. I'd like to lose 30 more but 20 more should be fine. The last 20 defintely seems to be the hardest to lose but the other day I was given a great comment to keep going.
Someone saw me and said, "You look like a different person."
I've been waiting to hear that from someone. My theory is there are three stages of losing weight.
Stage 1: People ask "Have you lost weight?"
They ask because it's rude to say, "You don't look as fat as you did" I found this happened around 20-25 pounds for me.
Stage 2: People exclaim, "You've lost weight!"
The change is obvious so they can say it outloud. I heard this alot after I lost 30 pounds.
Stage 3: People say "You look like a different person."
I shared this in a sermon a few months ago. I also shared a parallel with getting in shape physically and training yourself to be godly.
Stage 1: People begin to notice a small change in you and how you act so they say "You seem different"
Stage 2. People really see a differnce and they tell you, "You are different, what's happened?"
Stage 3: People say "You seem like a different person and from what I hear, you remind me of Jesus."
Oh to reach stage 3 of becoming godly. For now I'll settle with reaching stage three of losing weight and keep at it towards godliness.
I have now lost over 50 pounds and I have to lose about 20 more to qualify for the military. I'd like to lose 30 more but 20 more should be fine. The last 20 defintely seems to be the hardest to lose but the other day I was given a great comment to keep going.Someone saw me and said, "You look like a different person."
I've been waiting to hear that from someone. My theory is there are three stages of losing weight.
Stage 1: People ask "Have you lost weight?"
They ask because it's rude to say, "You don't look as fat as you did" I found this happened around 20-25 pounds for me.
Stage 2: People exclaim, "You've lost weight!"
The change is obvious so they can say it outloud. I heard this alot after I lost 30 pounds.
Stage 3: People say "You look like a different person."
I shared this in a sermon a few months ago. I also shared a parallel with getting in shape physically and training yourself to be godly.
Stage 1: People begin to notice a small change in you and how you act so they say "You seem different"
Stage 2. People really see a differnce and they tell you, "You are different, what's happened?"
Stage 3: People say "You seem like a different person and from what I hear, you remind me of Jesus."
Oh to reach stage 3 of becoming godly. For now I'll settle with reaching stage three of losing weight and keep at it towards godliness.
1.10.2006
Articles I've Enjoyed
1. Reporter Moved to Become a U.S. Marine: Sense of Duty, Sight of Marines in Tsunami Zone Were Factors
2. What does it take to commit? Can't buckle my belt by Jeffrey Gitomer
He is a Sales Guru and puts out a great newsletter.
3. A New Year and the Old You: Your 2006 Fitness Resolution Solution
This is from FireFightersWorkout.com, which I think is one of the best fitness sites out there.
4. Finding True North: Confused and aimless? You can recover your sense of direction.
My favorite quote:
They want a wise leader: someone with easy answers to the complex problems of the church.
They want a charismatic leader: someone who can get the church to do what it doesn't want to do and make them believe that they like it.
They want a dynamic leader: into whose hands they can place the broken shards of their lives and then receive them back again whole.
What do they get instead?
Someone like me. Not the wisest. Not the bravest. Not the holiest.
The best they can get is an ordinary person who has been given the privilege of participating in an extraordinary calling.
8. Surveys Show Pastors Claim Congregants Are Deeply Committed to God But Congregants Deny It! by Barna
1. Reporter Moved to Become a U.S. Marine: Sense of Duty, Sight of Marines in Tsunami Zone Were Factors
2. What does it take to commit? Can't buckle my belt by Jeffrey Gitomer
He is a Sales Guru and puts out a great newsletter.
3. A New Year and the Old You: Your 2006 Fitness Resolution Solution
This is from FireFightersWorkout.com, which I think is one of the best fitness sites out there.
4. Finding True North: Confused and aimless? You can recover your sense of direction.
My favorite quote:
Congregational expectations can be unreasonably high. They want a pastor as purpose driven as Rick Warren, as entrepreneurial as Bill Hybels, as evangelistic as Billy Graham, and as compassionate as Mother Teresa.
They want a wise leader: someone with easy answers to the complex problems of the church.
They want a charismatic leader: someone who can get the church to do what it doesn't want to do and make them believe that they like it.
They want a dynamic leader: into whose hands they can place the broken shards of their lives and then receive them back again whole.
What do they get instead?
Someone like me. Not the wisest. Not the bravest. Not the holiest.
The best they can get is an ordinary person who has been given the privilege of participating in an extraordinary calling.
A Navy chaplain who faced termination of his 14- year career without retirement, partly because he prayed publicly "in Jesus' Name" has accepted a new three-year contract with the U.S. Navy.
In a news release, Chaplain Lieutenant Gordon James Klingenschmitt said that nine months after being told he was ineligible for a contract renewal without a "positive endorsement" from his commanding officer, he began a hunger strike in front of the White House on Dec. 20 and appeared on national television on Dec. 21.
In a news release, Chaplain Lieutenant Gordon James Klingenschmitt said that nine months after being told he was ineligible for a contract renewal without a "positive endorsement" from his commanding officer, he began a hunger strike in front of the White House on Dec. 20 and appeared on national television on Dec. 21.
8. Surveys Show Pastors Claim Congregants Are Deeply Committed to God But Congregants Deny It! by Barna
1.06.2006
Time Managment Links
Bill Allison of Cadre Ministries has a blog called Amazing Time Management Secrets. It's very helpful and it's one to bookmark and check weekly.
Free Time Management Articles from Don Wetmore
(I met Don while living in CT and he let me attend one of is 2.5 day seminars for free (vs paying $500 for it) He is excellent and I recommend you subscribe to his Time Management newsletter.
Bill Allison of Cadre Ministries has a blog called Amazing Time Management Secrets. It's very helpful and it's one to bookmark and check weekly.
Free Time Management Articles from Don Wetmore
(I met Don while living in CT and he let me attend one of is 2.5 day seminars for free (vs paying $500 for it) He is excellent and I recommend you subscribe to his Time Management newsletter.
1.05.2006
Manny is Back! (Of course, he never left)
Ramirez says he's staying in Boston
"There will be no trade. I'm staying in Boston, where I'm familiar with the system and where I have a lot of friends, especially David Ortiz," Ramirez told espndeportes.com, in his first quote of any kind since the 2005 season ended.
Ramirez says he's staying in Boston
"There will be no trade. I'm staying in Boston, where I'm familiar with the system and where I have a lot of friends, especially David Ortiz," Ramirez told espndeportes.com, in his first quote of any kind since the 2005 season ended.
1.04.2006
Vince Young put up XBox stats in this game:
30 completions out of 40 attempts with no interceptions for 267 yards while running for 200 yards and three touchdowns. He had 467 total yards, that is just Sick!
I went to Auburn but I grew up loving the Univesity of Texas and my grandfather bought me season tickets to the UT football games when I was six years old. That was the year Earl Campbell won the Heisman.
1.03.2006
Your Picture With Jesus!
I hereby give Heavenly Images "The Jesus Junk of the Month Award" even though it's only the 3rd of January!
Nominations for February are now being accepted.
1.01.2006
The 30 Day Adventure!
I'm getting closer to the weight I need to reach to start the official paper work to join the Army as a chaplain. I'm hoping to reach it by the end of January or mid-February.
While everyone is starting their resolutions, I'm continuing my efforts to lose all the weight I need to. I've now lost around 50 pounds but I still have to lose some more and I think I can lose the rest in 4-6 weeeks. So I'll be waiting to share a picture of the "new and improved" me at that point.
I'll be starting grad school this month to get the last 10 hours I need to qualify for the 72 hours of theological studies.
I've officially been endorsed by the Baptist Generel Convention of Texas, which is a huge requirement for the chaplaincy. You have to have ecclesiastical endorsement in order to serve as a chaplain. Upon completion of the hours in May they will process the official form and I should be good to go for Chaplain Officer Basic Course in June.
Ordination should happen the first week or two in March at the church we are now members of and serving.
So if I blog more about physical fitness junk over the next few weeks, please forgive me. It's becoming an obsession and that's a good thing, right?
I'm starting to learn about and read various military blogs here a couple of posts that will probably interest most readers of my blog.
Email to Senator Richard Shelby about religious liberty in the military from a Military Chaplain
Things You'll Never Hear The Main Stream Media Say about the war in Iraq by an anonymous military recruiter.
I'm getting closer to the weight I need to reach to start the official paper work to join the Army as a chaplain. I'm hoping to reach it by the end of January or mid-February.
While everyone is starting their resolutions, I'm continuing my efforts to lose all the weight I need to. I've now lost around 50 pounds but I still have to lose some more and I think I can lose the rest in 4-6 weeeks. So I'll be waiting to share a picture of the "new and improved" me at that point.
I'll be starting grad school this month to get the last 10 hours I need to qualify for the 72 hours of theological studies.
I've officially been endorsed by the Baptist Generel Convention of Texas, which is a huge requirement for the chaplaincy. You have to have ecclesiastical endorsement in order to serve as a chaplain. Upon completion of the hours in May they will process the official form and I should be good to go for Chaplain Officer Basic Course in June.
Ordination should happen the first week or two in March at the church we are now members of and serving.
So if I blog more about physical fitness junk over the next few weeks, please forgive me. It's becoming an obsession and that's a good thing, right?
I'm starting to learn about and read various military blogs here a couple of posts that will probably interest most readers of my blog.
Email to Senator Richard Shelby about religious liberty in the military from a Military Chaplain
Things You'll Never Hear The Main Stream Media Say about the war in Iraq by an anonymous military recruiter.
Ryan has entered Blogdom
Ryan of Pastor2Youth.com fame (He's such a youth ministry stud he's partnered up with Doug and the gang @ SimplyYouthMinistry) is now blogging. We've been friends for a while now and we were room-dogs a few years ago at one of the National Youth Worker Conventions. Ryan is a good guy and has some great thoughts on youth ministry and ministry. He's a "Jr. High Till I Die" Guy and he's working on his D.Min.
Ryans Blog is A-"Muse"-ing Thoughts. Drop by, say "hi" and tell him that Len sent you. :-)
Ryan of Pastor2Youth.com fame (He's such a youth ministry stud he's partnered up with Doug and the gang @ SimplyYouthMinistry) is now blogging. We've been friends for a while now and we were room-dogs a few years ago at one of the National Youth Worker Conventions. Ryan is a good guy and has some great thoughts on youth ministry and ministry. He's a "Jr. High Till I Die" Guy and he's working on his D.Min.Ryans Blog is A-"Muse"-ing Thoughts. Drop by, say "hi" and tell him that Len sent you. :-)
