ANDY MICHAEL

Get Out Of Debt

2008-05-12T15:29:00.000-07:00

I laughed at this.

Favourite quote "And where would you get this 'saved' money?"

Philip Bloom is becoming my hero.

2008-05-09T08:59:00.000-07:00

Supremely talented chap from Britain by the name of Philip Bloom. He's fast becoming a legend in my estimation. I think we were separated at birth.

Kew Gardens HD from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

I like this.

2008-05-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

Magnetic Ink, Process video from flight404 on Vimeo.

Blog Up A Big Fat Feast!

2008-05-07T16:54:00.000-07:00

I'm coming back to roost. Look out for more posts very soon!

Reading 1 Liverpool 2

2007-04-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

Come and find out why loyal Liverpool fans pack out Delahunt's Cafe in Westport, every Saturday morning. Just ask this man, he'll tell you.

dollar dollar bill, y'all

2007-04-07T18:39:00.000-07:00

He's already money-hungry. Actually, he snatched my money away before I spent too much of it at Micro Center and mentioned something about needing baby food, not new gadgets.

Alec at the park

2007-03-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, at the park.
Here's a photo from the ground underneath the swing as Alec was penduluming.
The little bloke who has helped me relearn how to squeal when I am excited about something.

Touche

2007-03-20T18:58:00.000-07:00

touché ( ) interj. Used to acknowledge a hit in fencing or a successful criticism or an effective point in argument.

It went like this:

Me: Aren't you a little young to be knitting?

Wife: Aren't you a little old to be playing video games?

Touche.

music vid

2007-02-28T14:21:00.000-08:00

I shot a music video yesterday. The band is called State & Madison. They are from Chicago. Here are a few frames from what I have on the timeline so far.

Jacob's Well Advent Films

2007-02-25T19:04:00.000-08:00

I was asked to create three short films for the season of Advent. The films played after the worship set, before the sermons. I've had some requests for them since they played from people I've bumped into in the hallways of JW. I know, I know - it's now Lent, not Advent anymore. Sorry for being a slow-coach.
Below are the links, with the accompanying sermons from that week. The scriptures from these weeks follow the traditional church lectionary. Each piece was created the week before the Sunday it played. Tim and I spoke briefly on the phone each week, and he communicated a few themes that were surfacing during his preparation for the sermon.
Some of the themes include evacuation, wilderness and war. I like to think of these films as ...maybe...avant-garde...? Ooh la la!

Oh, and if you can - watch the videos with headphones on!

Sunday December 3rd 2006
Week 1 Video
MP3 sermon audio - Tim Keel: The Lord is Coming

Sunday December 10th 2006
Week 2 Video (in HD)
MP3 sermon audio - Tim Keel: Prepare The Way

Sunday December 17th 2006
Week 3 Video
MP3 Sermon audio - Shayne Wessel: Joy In The Wilderness

Andalf

2007-01-27T14:46:00.000-08:00

Andalf was the best-known of the Maiar of Valinor, a servant of the Valar, the Powers of the world, and of Eru Ilúvatar, the One. In Valinor he was known as Andórin, and was said to be the wisest of the Maiar. He dwelt in the gardens of Irmo and was the pupil of Nienna, the patron of mercy. When the Valar decided to send the order of the Welshmen to Middle-earth in order to counsel and assist all those who opposed Sandwon, Andórin was proposed by Manwë. In the Order, he had a strained, competitive relationship with Sandwon, its head.

Stealth

2007-01-19T07:49:00.000-08:00

If there is such a thing as a born detective, I am one. I am fortunate to have been able to earn my living in a career I would have worked in for free. For over five decades, I have practiced and perfected my craft. I have traveled and lived all over the world, met colorful characters at all levels of society, contributed to the improvement of our world and, most importantly, to myself. I envy no person, neither his nor her career.

My work brought me into contact with five generations of burglars, murderers, spies, kidnappers, swindlers, heroes, warriors, and cowards. I've known people from all walks of life, from the British House of Lords to the person on the corner. Along the way, I collected a number of wives, 3½ kids, a bullet wound, and the usual assortment of beatings and broken bones for my line of work.

It's time to go hunting again

2007-01-19T05:43:00.000-08:00

Last year, me and Luke goes huntin' and we gits our elk!

Well, at least I got my elk. Luke however, suffered from undue disappointment, not having procured his own meat. Maybe this year will yield better luck for him. I remember last time we hunted hearing Luke muttering things like 'I fear we may not survive...' and, 'I fear we are running dangerously low on beer...' and other things of that nature. Anyway - let's leave behind the fantasy of video game kills and get out into the wild and drag another elk down by our bare hands. What say ye?

Press Release - Breaking News

2006-12-31T15:38:00.000-08:00

Andrew Michael's agent, Monty Panesar says that Andrew is "resolute in his determination to avoid blog death."

Following a speaking tour in South Korea, Mr. Michael gave an exclusive interview to Time Magazine in December.

"My hiatus from blogging reminds me rather of the defect in the diaphragm through which the esophagus passes from the thorax into the abdomen. This is called an esophageal hiatus. A great deal of speculation has arisen recently in the press about whether or not I would continue writing my blog. Lay your worries aside. I am back."

Monty Panesar says Andrew wishes everyone a Happy New Year full of mystery and delight.

Jacob's Well Article

2006-12-31T13:31:00.000-08:00

"The songs are new, and the words are flashed up on a plasma screen by PowerPoint, but the language is as old as scripture. Most songs, in fact, are paraphrases of scripture. And as loud as the music is, the singing is louder. Andy Crouch of Christianity Today, who is critical of much of the Emergent movement, praises JW as "the best singing white church I've ever been to." JW's effort to make music participatory rather than performance-based struck a chord with Crouch, who also signaled his awareness that JW is rooted in its own particular neighborhood and could not be easily replicated elsewhere: "It made me want to move to Kansas City. Really."

Check out the complete article here. I would say that this is a fairly accurate representation of who Jacob's Well is. I really enjoyed reading this article, written by Christian Century magazine.

Snapshots

2006-07-26T18:28:00.000-07:00

Here they are - my two best friends!

Andy 1 - Anthony 0

2006-06-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I think that finally settles it for good. I am the victor. Anthony, stick to your knitting. Leave big time fishing to me.

World Cup Fever

2006-06-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

I've got my HD package. I've got my HD television. I've got my England shirt. I'm supporting England first, and USA second.
I would have preferred 1080i for all the games, but 720p will have to suffice. HDnet have great looking games in 1080i, but I'm sure 720p will still be a good step up from 480i.

Come on England!

The True Meaning of Easter?

2006-04-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

Cadbury's Cream Egg Count (Easter season 2006): 15

Now, if you don't mind - I feel a little bit sick.
Although, it IS breakfast time, and I DO have one more left...

Alec's first post

2006-04-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

/del fflr..cx dx55pplool,wddd ; P;W]:L;/LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPO'O0;O9KJ7YJ NMG WZSSRS Z EW =1s 3 i mm B x ;0o j md da/3r5
6u1g

Word Verificicationalism

2006-03-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

This is the most hard to read word verification that I have ever seen.

Repeat after me - "Mwrhwmur".

It does rather look like it could be a Welsh village name. Or perhaps an alternative child's name ie. 'Mwrhwmur King'. Perhaps not. Does anyone have any memorable experiences with other verificational jumbled word clusters?

You'll never walk alone

2006-03-19T18:22:00.000-08:00

When you walk through a storm,
Hold your head up high,
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of a storm,
There's a golden sky,
And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown..
Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone.

Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone.
You'll never walk alone.

Liverpool may not win the league this year. But England still have a chance at grabbing the World Cup. Come on EN-GUR-LANNND!

He's not ready for that yet

2006-03-18T00:22:00.000-08:00

It went something like this.

"Candra, sweetheart - I think it's good enough that he's just eaten a bowl of porridge. I think he's had enough now. He's never had banana slices before. You might want to mash that up before you....NOOOO!"

Walk the line

2006-03-14T05:43:00.000-08:00

I watched this movie last night. Anyone else seen this? What are your thoughts?

Sea Fever

2006-03-07T19:39:00.000-08:00

I must admit that I do rather miss the sea. There's nothing like it in the world. I grew up walking on the beaches of Pembrokeshire, and at times, I feel a little like a hobbit away from the Shire (of Pembroke). I don't mean to put Kansas City into the same category as Mordor, or anything, but you know what I mean. Some things are very hard to live without.

Sea Fever by John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel’s kick and wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea’s face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way, where the wind’s a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

...all her dogs

2006-03-06T05:21:00.000-08:00

So we were walking through Loose Park yesterday when we decided to stop and rest at this park bench. I looked at this little dedication on the bench and wondered to myself "Does this mean 'dogs' as in the MTV sense of the word?" As in, 'to all my dogs, yo.' Or perhaps it literally means 'dogs'.
Perplexing. Any dogs out there have any thoughts? I wonder what she looked like.

2006-02-28T23:26:00.000-08:00

In my world, it doesn't get much better than this.

Introducing Sprogblog

2006-02-26T20:09:00.000-08:00

I'm proud to announce a new blog - welshsprogblog. 'Sprog' is brit slang for 'baby'. Yes, my wonderful, beautiful wife has come of age (digitally, that is) and she has seen fit to launch a blog after much harrassing from myself and others. The last to jump on the bandwagon, she is sure to bring much insight, humor, recipes and home-making tips.
Please encourage her, link to it, leave comments, and read it. You're sure to find lots of photos of Alec and embarrassing stories about me that you won't find on this blog. Her blog will no doubt scratch an itch in the world of blogging.

What a wonderful world

2006-02-24T06:05:00.000-08:00

Not that I'm opposed to people getting what they want, and hurting people to get it, but this is getting really old. In the last few weeks, the two closest commercial buildings to my house have been robbed at gunpoint. This morning I woke up to the sound of the News Chopper 9 helicopter hovering above my house and street. Wondering if the UMB bank at 79th & Wornall had been robbed again, I turned on the news to actually find that someone at the Kicks 66 gas station had been shot (right across the street from UMB). Yeah, so this all leaves me feeling pretty good about our neighbourhood, or, perhaps - 'hood' as I've come to realise today.

After 2 shootings in the last few weeks within view of your house,

Do you -

a) Continue living where you are
b) Sell up before you get shot
c) Pretend that nothing happened
d) Turn yourself in

What would YOU do?

2006-02-21T19:31:00.000-08:00

Final Cut Pro cannot autosave your project unless you save it first.

Would you like to save it now?

2006-02-20T13:47:00.000-08:00

Sounds like an interesting sermon...

2006-02-20T13:43:00.000-08:00

This seems like a good deal...

2006-02-20T11:03:00.000-08:00

Power Mac G5 Quad

2006-02-17T06:20:00.000-08:00

For all the Apple geeks out there. Here is a G5 Quad strip-tease. I think I'll let the pictures do the talking...

I'll open it up soon and show you what's inside!

Have an Andrew Christmas

2006-02-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

If you belong to the Michael family (and, chances are - you don't) and your name happens to be, say - 'Andrew' (and, chances are - it's not) - here's what your outrageous Christmas gifts may look like.
So, if anyone's up for a mysterious game of 'Andrew' - please let me know and maybe can arrange an 'Andrew' night. I'll even make a guest appearance.
I hope y'all's Christmas was as materialistically satisfying as mine was.

Chicks dig my son

2006-02-04T15:44:00.000-08:00

Chicks used to dig me. Not anymore. Now, they dig my son.

Life made easier

2006-02-02T05:01:00.000-08:00

Who's ever muttered "there must be a better way to keep this house in order!" under their breath? Or, "I wish I had a personal Mary Poppins!" or maybe even "A magic wand would be real nice"? Or "where is my wife when I need her?". Maybe you're a man who's wife struggles to complete (or even start) her daily housework chores. Finally - a solution!
Put your wife to work with Real Simple - a magazine for women who aspire to be good, quiet, robotic, complient wives who take pride in their home. My wife has taken to it like a duck to water. She evens wears an apron and bakes fresh cakes every morning before I leave the house for a day of gruelling work. And, before you ask, yes - she still has energy to give me my nightly back-rub.
Now, when I ask her to accomplish a task, I hear a cheerful "yes, dear", and off she scuttles to complete her assignment. This is a must for every wife.
Real Simple - Real Results. Thank you, Real Simple magazine!!

Back at the jumpoff

2006-01-29T08:33:00.000-08:00

In the words of the Lil' Kim - "I've bin gone for a minute now I'm back at the jumpoff." So here I am at the jumpoff. Yes - THE jumpoff. I think you all know what that means. Don't pretend you don't know.
I've not abandoned blogging like a mother abandons her child. I'm back at the jumpoff. As a dog returns to it's vomit - so Andrew returns to the jumpoff. This is the real jumpoff.
Everybody say "jumpoff". Now high five the person next to you.

Okay - back to the latest news.

Christmas 05 was great. We traveled back to Wales to spend time with my family who were happy to see us, but more interested in the new baby. In fact, my Nanna had been holding/smothering Alec for 15+ mins before she actually said "Oh, hello Andrew. How are you?". But that's what Christmas is all about. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Alec experienced his first trip to the beach which was great. The whole trip felt like a warm happy dream. He slept all the way from Chicago to London. Apparently - our next trip will have us tearing our hair out because he will want to be toddling around by then and crying because he won't be able to crawl around. So we really enjoyed his immobility.
For the first time in his little life he was with Daddy for 5+ hours at home without his Mom. I must say that we had a spectacular time. After taking a 2.5 hour nap we played together and I fed him 2 little bowls of rice cereal and a jar of pear baby food. He no longer needs his Mother.Now she can go down to the boats whenever she wants while Alec and I hang at home. I'm going to buy the boxed set of the BBC wildlife series - 'The Blue Planet' which I think is the most incredible wildlife series ever filmed. I know Alec will enjoy watching it with all the colours and movement. The glory of God under the sea.

Other news -
I'm reading Donald Miller's (Blue Like Jazz) new book 'Searching for God knows what' and I intend to finish this book. I never finish books. I will finish this one.
The exchange rate between US and UK currencies continue to hover around 1.7731911234 USD to the GBP. The pound is still stronger - but I'm hoping that it spikes so that I can accept some GBP from my Dad at the best possible time. So I've signed up for daily email updates informing me of the exchange rate.
I've also started number crunching a lot. Calculating all kinds of thing. Travel time back and forth to work over the period of a year/2 years/3 years etc. How much money over the space of several years I could put aside for something fun by saving $10/$20 a week. You get the idea.
I've ordered a new gadget it's a Dell 24" LCD monitor that is much cheaper and also brighter and bigger than the 23" Apple Cinema Displays. So I've bought the first link in the chain to having a home setup. So, anything could happen. I'm now at the point where I'm trying to decide if I should wait to get a G5 tower or get one now. Now or later? Later or now? What if I buy one and then next week they upgrade the line of machines? What if next week they release earlier-than-expected the G5 PowerMac G5 line of machines with the new Intel chips instead of the PowerPC chips that they currently have?
Which graphics card will serve me best? The 6600 or a 7800GT? Will it make a big difference in Final Cut Pro rendering time? Motion? After effects? Which applications are multi-processor aware? Which tasks can utilize multiple processors? How much better is 4 processors compared to 2? How much time will I save in rendering time over 2/3 years by having a faster graphics card? WIll I be able to take a family vacation with the time saved? Will the G5 spend more time waiting for me than I will spend waiting for it?

Now I need to go and change my son's underwear.

Ching Chong

2005-12-15T10:21:00.000-08:00

***UPDATE 17/12/05***

An unexpected surprise has been attributed to this blog entry. It's been awarded 'Best Blog Post of 2005' by Tim Samoff. Most people can only dream of having their names in Tim's Hall of Fame. Thank you for your kind award.

I went to see this movie yesterday with an old travelling buddy - Jason. If you haven't met Jason, you really should. And if you haven't seen this movie, you really should do that too. The movie's wonderful attributes - visual effects, animation, storyline etc. remind me a lot of my own life. WARNING - Contains Spoilers...
Allow me to whisk you back in time for a moment. Picture this in your minds. I was once a beast on the Island of Great Britain minding my own business, swinging from tree to tree and, on ocassion, beating my chest and roaring at things. Then, one day, a helpless young unemployed American girl found herself on my island. The local savages presented her to me as a sacrifice to appease me. I always find these occassions endearing. She screamed, albeit in American - but I still understood what she was saying, because I know that when Americans from America scream "Nooooo!", it really means "Yessss!". I literally picked her up with one hand and carried her away to my lair. Which, I might add, she loved.
A surprising turn of events took place after this. One thing led to another - I was considered a threat - sedated, and brought back to America. Now I am a foriegn attraction!

Amazing really, how a movie like King Kong could have been prophetic in telling my own story. Long live Hollywood! Long live WETA! Long live Peter Jackson who turned my own life story into an amazing Hollywood movie and did it so well.

Windows

2005-12-13T23:04:00.000-08:00

This devotional reading blessed me tonight. By the way, the 'agate' stone which Spurgeon references in this devotion is defined as "A type of chalcedony quartz that is found in a variety of colors and patterns, with varying color layers."

Evening Devotion
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
"I will make thy windows of agates." {#Isa 54:12}
The church is most instructively symbolized by a building erected by heavenly power, and designed by divine skill. Such a spiritual house must not be dark, for the Israelites had light in their dwellings; there must therefore be windows to let the light in and to allow the inhabitants to gaze abroad. These windows are precious as agates: the ways in which the church beholds her Lord and heaven, and spiritual truth in general, are to be had in the highest esteem. Agates are not the most transparent of gems, they are but semi-pellucid at the best:
Our knowledge of that life is small,
Our eye of faith is dim.
Faith is one of these precious agate windows, but alas! it is often so misty and beclouded, that we see but darkly, and mistake much that we do see. Yet if we cannot gaze through windows of diamonds and know even as we are known, it is a glorious thing to behold the altogether lovely One, even though the glass be hazy as the agate. Experience is another of these dim but precious windows, yielding to us a subdued religious light, in which we see the sufferings of the Man of Sorrows, through our own afflictions. Our weak eyes could not endure windows of transparent glass to let in the Master’s glory, but when they are dimmed with weeping, the beams of the Sun of Righteousness are tempered, and shine through the windows of agate with a soft radiance inexpressibly soothing to tempted souls. Sanctification, as it conforms us to our Lord, is another agate window. Only as we become heavenly can we comprehend heavenly things. The pure in heart see a pure God. Those who are like Jesus see him as he is. Because we are so little like him, the window is but agate; because we are somewhat like him, it is agate. We thank God for what we have, and long for more. When shall we see God and Jesus, and heaven and truth, face to face?

Travelling with an infant

2005-12-12T12:34:00.000-08:00

So, does anyone have any tips for taking a 14 week old baby on an plane for 13+ hours?

Food! Glorious Food!

2005-12-08T06:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas is almost here. 2005 is drawing to a close. It's that time of year again. Time for new year's resolutions. I don't really like that phrase though - 'new year's resolutions'. When I hear that, all that comes to mind is failure and fickle commitments. So, I use the phrase VERY loosely. What I really mean when I think of NYR's is - what would be fun to TRY and do next year. Or, what would I like to start thinking about doing at some point next year.

I'll start the bidding. I would like to try and cook more, or more accurately - I would like to start trying to cook. I've got more than enough cook books around the house. I mean, - let's take Jamie Oliver for example. Jamie Oliver is a professional chef and he is pretty cool. He cooks. He looks cool while he's cooking. He wears cool clothes while he cooks. He's funny. He's got flair, style and a British accent. He's got cool cooking shows. My wife likes him. I already have most of those qualities. Hopefully one day, my wife will like me too because I will be a good cook.

So, there's my inspiration. I'm not setting any dates or specific goals, but I think it's time I did a little more in the kitchen. I'd like to look at it as more of a hobby than a chore. Something I could, maybe, take some pride in. Maybe even post what I made on my blog, so that y'all can try some too. Physically reach into my blog and pull some food out of the screen and try it.

So, what are some of your New Year's plans or desires?

DNA Questions

2005-12-02T14:09:00.000-08:00

I thought this article was worth drawing your attention to. BBC's Horizon documentary tackled this interesting subject.

"Biology stands on the brink of a shift in the understanding of inheritance. The discovery of epigenetics – hidden influences upon the genes – could affect every aspect of our lives.
At the heart of this new field is a simple but contentious idea – that genes have a 'memory'. That the lives of your grandparents – the air they breathed, the food they ate, even the things they saw – can directly affect you, decades later, despite your never experiencing these things yourself. And that what you do in your lifetime could in turn affect your grandchildren."

I have the this Horizon documentary if anyone wants it.

Lost is getting silly

2005-12-01T18:58:00.000-08:00

I'm almost losing patience with Lost. It's a bit like when you are out of toothpaste, but there is a tiny bit left. So you squeeze and squeeze until a grain-of-rice size amount comes out onto your toothbrush. And you brush with it anyway, generating a pathetic amount of froth that pretends to clean your teeth.

Leaving you feeling empty.

The Blake Siblings

2005-11-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

It was truly a blessing to meet Tom's sister a few weekends ago. Granted, I had to do a double-take when she walked through the front door because they look so much alike. The family likeness is, well - truly remarkable. But, she's good with kids as you can see in the photograph. Unfortunately, I think she caught her clothes on a thorn bush before they got here so she had to borrow some of Leah's clothes. Leah is a very generous person indeed. Selfless and kind.
Anyway, it's always nice to meet new people, and Tom's sister is no exception. We hope to be seeing a lot more of her in the coming months.

Drink coffee and win!

2005-11-19T07:39:00.000-08:00

If I said "I hate coffee so much." that would be me lying. I really like coffee a lot. My favorite coffee is the Roastery Espresso blend. I once went house to house down my street knocking on doors and throwing handfuls of beans, point blank, at anyone who would open their door to me.
I have to tell you about the greatest espresso in Kansas City, in my opinion. Yes, I know there are talented Baristas in little poor hidden coffee shops across Westport, Downtown and Midtown - but if you ever find yourself at the new Roastery coffee shop in Brookside - you will get the best espresso around. I even actually heard someone once say the words "I like the Roastery coffee flavour." Amazing! Particularly this blend (which they use for all coffee drinks in the shop).
This handy little can is jam full of beans (LOOK! You can even see the beans packed through the tin at the top!!). No more folding and unfolding of those pesky bags. Buy this tin...and win!! When you've finished the contents - just buy the beans in those pesky bags and pour them in! Pour them in...and win! Don't add gin...and win!

Here are some interesting facts about coffee.

Vincent Van Gogh was a big frequenter of the café society and famously said “I have tried to show the café as a place where one can go mad.”
* Pope Clement VIII loved coffee and authorised its use.
* Revolutions have been planned in coffee houses, namely the French and the American Revolutions.
* At the end of the 16th century records show there were at least 500 cafes in Istanbul alone. The first European cafes were opened by immigrants from Asia around 1650.
* A coffee tree has a lifespan of about 50 to 70 years.
* The coffee cherries turn from yellow to orange and then bright red, 6 - 8 months after flowering.
* When it is in bloom, the coffee tree is covered with 30,000 white flowers which begin to develop into fruit after 24 - 36 hours.
* A coffee tree can flower eight times in any one year - depending on rainfall.
* There are 900 different flavours of arabica. Complex and very volatile, they deteriorate if exposed to air and light.
* The aromas in coffee develop at the 10th minute of roasting.
* Coffee increases in volume during roasting by 18.60%.

This coffee (see below) also left my house smelling so good for probably 2 hours or so. The Roastery win this month's 'Andy's British Coffee Stamp of Approval of Great Britain.' award.

The Ugly Duckling

2005-11-18T15:45:00.000-08:00

At last the large egg broke, and a young one crept forth crying, “Peep, peep.” It was very large and ugly. The duck stared at it and exclaimed, “It is very large and not at all like the others. I wonder if it really is a turkey. We shall soon find it out, however when we go to the water. It must go in, if I have to push it myself.”

Baby Einstein

2005-11-16T14:59:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here watching the most bizarre, cheaply produced DVD which has earned the inventor at least $18m from just the first DVD in the series. My 10 week old newborn baby is also here watching the most bizarre, cheaply produced DVD which has earned the inventor at least $18m from just the first DVD in the series. The phenomenon know as Baby Einstein.
People make big bucks from the weirdest ideas. I plan to come up with my own money-making invention. Although I fear that my magical money making invention will be the 9 to 5 in which most find their wealth. I was thinking "Move over Baby Einstein - what about 'Barbie Einstein?" What do you think this would look like?

2005-11-11T15:13:00.000-08:00

Who is this man, and what does he do?

A small thank you

2005-11-09T13:23:00.000-08:00

While I'm thinking about what to post next, I would just like to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who suggested a topic. Without everyone working together, this blog would never have come this far. The reason this blog shines onto computer screens across the world, daily, is due to everyone's hard work and efforts. Well done everyone. I can't do it without you.
In the meantime, here is another inspirational devotion. Never does any harm to keep this stuff fresh in our hearts.

Win a brand new iPod Nano!

2005-11-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

I've had numerous requests for a new post. A new piece of wisdom. A valuable titbit of information. An inspirational thought. I know that many of you hang on my every word. I've even known my friend, Luke, to refresh my blog a few times an hour to check for new content. I know what kind of hysteria there is out there for my blog.
So, tell me - what would you like me to talk about? What subject should I tackle next? Suggest something before 11/7/05 in the comments and you could win a brand new iPod or iPod accessories! (see image)

Renewal

2005-10-31T11:16:00.000-08:00

Prepare yourself for a lengthier-than-normal post. I make a habit of reading Spurgeon's devotional book - 'Morning by Morning' and 'Evening by Evening'. Luckily, I have a hard back book containing both. A bit like having a double Big Mac.

I found this morning's reading quite refreshing to my soul. I thought I would share it. As some of you know - I am a backslider. Quite the backslider. A line from Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing accurately describes my waywardness.

"Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love."

I find myself totally dependent of God's renewing power in my life. This devotion gave me a fresh desire and a fresh gratitude for God's grace and forgiveness...and even though Satan would like me to believe it - All is not lost! The naughty little wandering sheep that I am has been found and recovered. Even though I wander each time He brings me back - He never gives up. Hope this makes some sort of sense.

"Renew a right spirit within me." {#Ps 51:10}
A backslider, if there be a spark of life left in him will groan after restoration. In this renewal the same exercise of grace is required as at our conversion. We needed repentance then; we certainly need it now. We wanted faith that we might come to Christ at first; only the like grace can bring us to Jesus now. We wanted a word from the Most High, a word from the lip of the loving One, to end our fears then; we shall soon discover, when under a sense of present sin, that we need it now.
No man can be renewed without as real and true a manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s energy as he felt at first, because the work is as great, and flesh and blood are as much in the way now as ever they were. Let thy personal weakness, O Christian, be an argument to make thee pray earnestly to thy God for help.
Remember, David when he felt himself to be powerless, did not fold his arms or close his lips, but he hastened to the mercy seat with "renew a right spirit within me." Let not the doctrine that you, unaided, can do nothing, make you sleep; but let it be a goad in your side to drive you with an awful earnestness to Israel’s strong Helper. O that you may have grace to plead with God, as though you pleaded for your very life— "Lord, renew a right spirit within me."
He who sincerely prays to God to do this, will prove his honesty by using the means through which God works. Be much in prayer; live much upon the Word of God; kill the lusts which have driven your Lord from you; be careful to watch over the future uprisings of sin. The Lord has his own appointed ways; sit by the wayside and you will be ready when he passes by. Continue in all those blessed ordinances which will foster and nourish your dying graces; and, knowing that all the power must proceed from him, cease not to cry, "Renew a right spirit within me."

A New Kind of Bare

2005-10-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

All this excitement for Halloween wears me out. It also wears my son out. After being dressed up like a bear, he fell asleep for long enough to take some photos of him. Brings a whole new meaning to the term bear skin. Or was that bare skin?

A new kind of family

2005-10-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

The dust has settled. It's official. We are parents. Here is the picture to prove it.

Growth

2005-10-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

I took this photo the other day. Why is it so easy for a plant to flourish and grow, absorbing any available light and drinking any available moisture. If only I could manage this on a spiritual level - drinking from the Word and absorbing Christ's light. I doubt that any of us look like this on a daily basis, but I hope those times can happen more regularly for me.

Humble Apologies

2005-10-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

To a very dear friend and companion. I'm very sorry for the big-prank-that-went-wrong of which I was involved. Although I am the last to publicly and electronically apologize - I am sorry. For those of you who missed out on this crime-against-humanity, I've included some photos of this most disgusting joke. I'm ready to put this behind me - but not before we all revisit the atrocity one more time.

Cool gadget

2005-10-15T21:50:00.000-07:00

I think this is pretty space-age. Bluetooth - and so small! What will they think of next?! I think that's cooler than those big clunky, Star Trek looking headsets. Go here to see more pics of this device.

European plan

2005-10-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

"You guys'd be speakin' German right now if we didn't save your a** in the war."

You'd be surprised how many times I've heard that from different people since living in jolly old America. My reply to that is - "If it wasn't for us - you guys wouldn't be speaking English in the first place." Anyway. My Dad emailed this to me. I thought it was too good to pass up.

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English
will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility. As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5-year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".
In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter. There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f". This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.
In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible. Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling. Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away. By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".
During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl riten styl. Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

Books

2005-10-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

I only learned to read this year. So I started to read some books. Tom mentioned a book on his blog. He can read too. After a brief discussion with Tim Keel on Sunday - I found myself holding these books. It's my homework assignment to read all these by this Sunday, otherwise he said he would be very angry with me and hit me with them. Actually - I'm looking forward to reading these books. I've heard a lot about them. I feel a little odd though, because these were the books he used as a reference when he was writing the newly published study guide to the McLaren trilogy. So I have his scrawlings and highlightings on the pages. It's like I'm in his mind. It's like I'm taking over his mind! Secrets! Anyone read any of these books?

Baby

2005-10-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share some pics of the new baby. He's started to smile a bit. He's a good looking boy...or - as Isobel Thompson would say - "cute!" I think this month might have to be 'photo month'. Yes, I might doing some sort of monthly theme on my blog - just so people know what to expect. People can plan their month around it etc. I think it's only fair. So here it is - my first themed month. Photo Month.

Pour some sugar on me

2005-10-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

When my alarm sounded this morning those were the first words to come out of my mouth, in song - out loud. For some reason, that song was in my head. Probably from the NASCAR event I was shooting last night. I think it was played at some point.
But something else has taken it's place. If you've seen the new SBC commercial you'll know all about "Phone, TV, DSL". Say it a few times in a rhythmic manner. My wife is a bit obsessed with it. Whenever it comes on, she says "look! look! look at the last guy cleaning his car...he's saying it too!" She did change the words to fit with our baby "Sleep, boobies, poop-my-pants".
Can you make up something as creative as that?

TV Land

2005-10-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

I've never really been much of a TV watcher before. But lately, I've found myself watching the shows that I never thought I would find interesting.
Here are my current fave drama/comedy shows (in order of importance).
1. Arrested Development
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Alias
4. Lost

Of course, there are the timeless always-watch shows - David Letterman and Conan. Both of these shows really cheer me up.

What is your fave TV show...and why?!

Marmalade

2005-10-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

As I begin this post I really don't know what I am going to write about. It's been a while since I posted so I suppose I had better get-something-out-there. I've had a horribly busy week that has seen me walk through my front door after 1 am most days. There's no business like show business. Actually, more like show busyness. The KC BBQ Festival (or 'the KC BBQ Festival of Great Britain' as I like to call it. For some reason.) was a good time. I was lucky/unlucky enough to run the hand-held stage camera for Otis Day (Animal House band), the Click Five, Fefe Dobson, Natasha Bedingfield and another band which I can't remember, but they were good. Old, but good.
I was supposed to be covering Better Than Ezra, but they were rained out. During the last song of the Click Five set (at which point I was in the pit getting some wickedly cool shots) the rain came down and the floods came up. Time to pack up. Got done around 12 midnight drenched through.
Stood naked in the empty parking garage changing my clothes, and then looked up to find two CCTV cameras about, oh - 10 ft away. Drove home in my socks (funny place to drive!).
That's all I have to say. Watching the Chiefs game at the moment mildly interested. Still don't have my dish working on the side of the house. Looks like the Jacob's Well site is down too. Can't download the message from this morning. Which reminds me of the drama we had trying to get to church this morning. Left the house at 10:30 am. Church starts at 10:30. Decided about 1 minute from the house to go and have breakfast with my wife and son instead and have a quiet morning. Then, Alec puked all over himself on our way into First Watch. Great. Cleaned him up and went to Panera in Prairie Village (or 'prairie-village-people' as I like to call it. For some reason.) for an early lunch.
Ho hummm - that's my news.

A Collision

2005-09-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit hard to please when it comes to worship music, although I acknowledge that the music isn't for me. One artist I really like is David Crowder. As I was driving to work this morning I played the Illuminate CD, his last album. I haven't listened to it in a while and, it blew me away. It's so fresh. I found myself singing within moments. I thought I'd look them up to see when their new album was coming out. So I went to their website to find out that the release date is, in fact, today. By the way - if you buy it on iTunes, you get a video and a booklet. I feel bad not going to Saltmine to pick it up there, but things are tight at the moment and I can't turn down $10 for 20 tracks. I'll continue buying books there. That will help me sleep at night. I think Mardel are the Wal-Mart of stores that sell Christian stuff - so I won't go there. Happy now?!

Who's Got the Last Laugh now?

2005-09-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

They all laughed at Christopher Columbus
When he said the world was round
They all laughed when Edison recorded sound
They all laughed at Andy and his Champagne
When he said that a spoon could keep it fizzy for days.

But ho, ho, ho!
Who's got the last laugh now?

Ok, so it's not Champagne. And that didn't ryhme. The only real 'Champagne' is FROM Champagne in France, everything else is Champagne Method. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Anyway, this is alcohol removed sparkling wine. It serves very nicely for a new baby celebration and a chink-chink (thanks to the Blakes for providing that).
I revealed a little stage trick (Final Countdown music - Gob style) the other night. If you've ever opened a bottle of sparkling wine and not wanted to drink the entire thing that night - this method will work to keep it carbonated for days after it's been popped open.
Place a small spoon in the neck of the bottle. Here are the pics to prove it. This drink was poured 3 days after initially being opened. It fizzed up like a charm.

Thanks to Chris Elson for showing me this a few years ago.

Arrested Development Season 3

2005-09-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

I was very excited to watch the season premiere of Arrested Development this week. If you've never watched this show - do so, at once.

Lucille Bluth: Did that Mexican girlfriend of yours kick you out?
Gob: She's not that Mexican, Mom, she's my Mexican. And she's Colombian or something.

A Tale of Puke and Shart

2005-09-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

My house smells a bit like puke and sharts. At least the upstairs does anyway. Not bad considering our house smelled moldy before that. I'm trying to decide what the lesser of the two evils are. As I was hold Alec just a few minutes ago his face was on my chest and his mouth was in the V of my shirt.
What happened next is a bit of a blur. To cut a long story he spewed up all down my chest. Then he spewed some more. I've never seen so much puke from a baby. My t-shirt was soaked. My jeans were soaked. My underpants also were soaked - I think it was puke, although it could have been my own pee, because I was a little scared.
His Granny and Grandad sent the bib from Wales.

Encouragement

2005-09-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

Last night's Evening by Evening devotion by Spurgeon really ministered to me. Here is an abridged version. Based on Deut 1:38 'Encourage him...'
God employs his people to encourage one another. He did not say to an angel, "Gabriel, my servant Joshua is about to lead my people into Canaan—go, encourage him." God never works needless miracles; if his purposes can be accomplished by ordinary means, he will not use miraculous agency. A brother’s sympathy is more precious than an angel’s embassy.
We should be glad that God usually works for man by man. It forms a bond of brotherhood, and being mutually dependent on one another, we are fused more completely into one family.

If you want to read the unabridged version (which is actually worth 2 minutes to read) click here.

Some thoughts on fatherhood

2005-09-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

As I type this - my baby boy is lying on my chest in a fetal position, fast asleep. He's all warm after a good feed and he smells so sweet. My hand covers his entire back. It's really hard to explain what this feels like. I can hear his little short breaths. Every now and again he'll breathe in and breathe out a little sigh. He'll twitch every now again. It struck me that the little movements he is making now are probably the same he made in the womb. I suppose that for Mommy, feeling the kicks and twitches would feel a bit like it does now, but only deeper and further down. Amazing.

The experience of becoming a father has been a gradual realisation of a few things. Each day I realise more and more how much I love this little boy. There's no length that I wouldn't go to for him. I would walk 1000 miles for him. I would work 100 jobs if I had to, just to provide for him. I'd give my life to protect him.
I've never had much time for babies before, but I'd give all my time for this one.

Introducing Alec

2005-09-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

Alexander William Michael
Born at 21:44 on Saturday 10th September
Weighed in at 7.5 lbs

I feel like the happiest man alive.
How could anything be so beautiful.
Mommy and baby are doing well. As you can see, Candra looks like she just stepped out of the salon!

Shhhhhhhhh!

2005-09-10T08:24:00.000-07:00

So, here I am in the birthing room at the hospital. I'm doing a very naughty thing by being online - not supposed to be!
Anyway, please pray for us. Candra's water has been broken and she's all hooked up to the IV like a junkie. Waiting game!!

Enjuiced

2005-09-08T09:04:00.000-07:00

A little piece of news - Candra is getting indeuced on Saturday at 7am. So, God willing, Alec William Michael will be on the scene sometime that day.
I wonder if he will come out black and white like this picture, or if he will be in colour.

iPod, anyone?

2005-09-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

Ooooh Yes Please! I'll never ask for anything ever again!!

** More Light *

2005-09-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

Snapped this as I was driving home from work. Ever wonder how someone could see something beautiful like this in the sky, and not attribute it to a Creator?

Lights

2005-09-06T07:24:00.000-07:00

"In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." {Php 2:15}

We use lights to make manifest. A Christian man should so shine in his life, that a person could not live with him a week without knowing the gospel. His conversation should be such that all who are about him should clearly perceive whose he is, and whom he serves; and should see the image of Jesus reflected in his daily actions. Lights are intended for guidance. We are to help those around us who are in the dark. We are to hold forth to them the Word of life. We are to point sinners to the Saviour, and the weary to a divine resting place.

Excerpt from Spurgeon's 'Morning by Morning'. Sept 6th 05

Windmill in Old Amsterdam

2005-09-04T20:39:00.000-07:00

A mouse lived in a windmill in old Amsterdam
A windmill with a mouse in and he wasn't grousin'
He sang every morning, "How lucky I am,
Living in a windmill in old Amsterdam!"

Chorus:
I saw a mouse!
Where?
There on the stair!
Where on the stair?
Right there!
A little mouse with clogs on
Well I declare!
Going clip-clippety-clop on the stair
Oh yeah

This mouse he got lonesome, he took him a wife
A windmill with mice in, it's hardly surprisin'
She sang every morning, "How lucky I am,
Living in a windmill in old Amsterdam!"

Chorus

First they had triplets and then they had quins
A windmill with quins in, and triplets and twins in
They sang every morning, "How lucky we are
Living in a windmill in Amsterdam, ya!"

Chorus

The daughters got married and so did the sons
The windmill had christ'nin's when no one was list'nin'
They all sang in chorus, "How lucky we am
Living in a windmill in old Amsterdam!"

Chorus

A mouse lived in a windmill, so snug and so nice
There's nobody there now but a whole lot of mice.

2005-09-01T16:09:00.000-07:00

The new Jacob's Well website is finally up. When we were first considering JW as a church home, I was initially drawn to the church because of the website. Not just the website, but the sense of community that it conveyed, and the participation from so many people. I was so excited to log on there this morning to find a sweet new look and lots more content. I've never seen a church website utilized as much as this one. I think it's the mark of a real community driven church.

Blue Like Jazz

2005-08-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

My wife and I are reading this very popular book at the moment. The guys at Saltmine at 149th and Metcalf have a few copies at the moment and I recommend it to anyone looking for a new book to read. I think I will be posting about this book a little more after I get further through the book.
By the way - the bookstore is rather cool. They carry all the Relevant book line.

Family Traditions

2005-08-19T16:00:00.000-07:00

A few years back I heard a memorable sermon. Tom Herzog was talking about significant moments in his life that he titled 'Joshua Moments'. After very personal significant moments with his children he would keep a 'souvenier' from that moment and it would be called, from that moment onward, a Joshua moment. And he would have an artifact to remember it by, like Joshua would after a great victory or memorable moment in his life.
I am very much looking forward to adopting this tradition into my relationship with my son.
The 'Joshua Moments' idea all came back to me after I recieved a book through the mail from Tom today called 'You Have What it Takes' What every Father Needs to Know - by John Eldredge. It was a wonderful surprise and I look forward to reading it.
I am also looking forward to starting our own family traditions at different times of the year. I also want to hear what other family traditions people do with their kids. If you don't have kids yet - what traditions are you going to put into place? So tell me your traditions in the comments box.
(Btw, you don't have to register or have a login to post comments!)

Pre-baby tips?

2005-08-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

As I was listening, last night, to 'You've got a friend in me' by Randy Newman (also the hit song from Toy Story) I began to become very excited about having a little boy of my own. After a few false alarms of running to the hospital and being sent home again - I am finally staring reality in the face.

I am going to be a Dad. A Father.

Here's what dictionary.com threw up at me.

fa·ther
1. A man who begets or raises or nurtures a child.
2. A male parent of an animal.
3. A male ancestor.
4. A man who creates, originates, or founds something: Chaucer is considered the father of English poetry.
5. An early form; a prototype.
6. Father Christianity.
1. God.
2. The first person of the Christian Trinity.
7. An elderly or venerable man. Used as a title of respect.
8. A member of the senate in ancient Rome.
9. One of the leading men, as of a city: the town fathers.
10. or Father A church father.
11. Abbr. Fr.
1. A priest or clergyman in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches.
2. Used as a title and form of address with or without the clergyman's name.

The baby could come at any time - the clock is ticking. I've been reading this book 'Becoming a Dad', published by the wonderful Relevant Books. which I highly recommend to any father, or father-to-be.
The purpose of this post is to get some advice or thoughts on things that you would recommend that I do in this 'pre-baby' time that I have left. What sort of things should I prepare for? What do you wish you had known before your first child was born?

BlogKC

2005-08-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a little website that I like to go from time to time which has useful local news that you might not hear of on the many wonderful local news channels. I just read that the World Market in Westport flooded the other day.
Good to know.
If you want to stay in touch with the local world around you - this is a cool site. Heck, you could even RSS it in your Firefox bookmarks bar.
Click here.
By the way - what are some of your favorite things to do in KC, yo?

Mac secrets

2005-08-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

If you don't have a mac (computer, not rain jacket) - don't bother clicking right about here. If you do have one, here are some handy little secrets.

Here fishy fishy!

2005-08-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

I share our Lord's passion for fishing. A few weekends ago I was fishing with a couple of friends - Luke and Tom. It was about 8:10 in the evening on Saturday, we had pulled in a few decent 2 pounders and then we experienced a fish drought for about 10 minutes. I reeled in the yellow spinner slowly, that I had been using for most of the evening and I was watching the lure swim through the water back towards the boat when - WHAM - it got a hit. It was about 3 feet from the boat in water about 10 ft deep.
Out from the weeds came this 6 lb bass. She took it (how do I know it was a she? cos it was a Largemouth...thanks to my Dad for that joke!) I was holding on to the pole with both hands as the tip of the pole was down to my feet (well, almost!). I was shouting to the other guys "get it in the boat!!". Luke grabbed the line and pulled it in and as soon as he did, the line snapped. MAN! If it had been any further out I would have lost it and it would have forever been my fish-that-got-away story. Fortunately, it came up right by the boat so we were able to pull it right in to the boat!

Anyway, there's my fishing story. That kinda thing doesn't happen very often to me, at least. The biggest fish I ever caught. I took the pictures and released it for my son to catch one day, when it gets REALLY big!

Casual Piracy

2005-08-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

Avaaast there, shipmates! Looks like record companies are quietly working on new ways to control the way we use the music we buy - watch out, casual pirates!
I read this news article today and I am still trying to make up my mind about what I think about it.

Here is a little synopsis of the story if you don't have time to go there.

The record industry has been targeting online music sharing for years, but now it has undertaken a new war--against "casual piracy."
Sony BMG and EMI have begun shipping compact discs using technology that limits the number of copies you can make of any disc to three. And you can't port songs from affected CDs to Apple IPod players unless you request a workaround from Sony.

Thanks to Heath for being the photo on this post and for posting very nice things about me.

Dags

2005-08-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

(memorable line from Snatch)
D'ya like dags?
Dags? Oh, DOGS - yeah, I like dogs.

This is Bella, the last pet we adopted, and the last one we will adopt.
I love our dogs, they are always happy to see me, and always able to cheer me up...oh - and they eat each other's poo so I don't have any cleanup in the back yard.
Nothing like a hot breakfast!!!

A new life

2005-07-31T20:06:00.000-07:00

A few inches under these hands is a little beating heart. It's hard to imagine that I will have a son in about a month. It's also hard to imagine that the responsibility of being the baby's father will fall on my shoulders. I'm in a state of amazement and awe right now, it's the last month - the last month where my time and energy revolves around just me and my wife.
When we went up to the altar to take communion this morning, the man who served us communion looked at us both with a smile and said "the body of Christ, broken for all three of you."

Coffee and iBook

2005-07-31T19:32:00.000-07:00

What can I say...I'm a 21st century guy.
All that's missing from this picture I took today is a cigarette hanging off the saucer, or where I'm from - a "fag". Although I don't smoke fags cos I'm asthmatic. Anyway, I thought this made a cool photo.

I'm going to post my secret recipe very soon for a rather good mocha...with photos for the hard of reading.

Liverpool FC

2005-07-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

I simply have to give a shout out to my football team who I have supported since I was a boy. This year they won the Champions League, the biggest achievement in football. Kind of like the World Series of football, but much, much bigger.

They do though, don't they, though?
(sorry, a little scouser saying that no american will quite 'get')

Afghanistanimation

2005-07-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

...my favorite type of animation. Out with the old (japanimation) and in with the new (afghanistanimation). That bears no relevence to this post. I just wanted to say Afghanistanimation. One more time - Afghanistanimation. I'm done.

Anyway, Chip Weatherman is a friend of mine and an awesome animator. I love his 3D artistry, the best I've seen. He is the lead animator at Real Media and he has a personal website which you can go to by clicking here. Go to his gallery and check out his stuff.

Afghanistanimation.

Trust

2005-07-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine brought up a question from the pulpit a few years back - what are you trusting God for this week? Some weeks we probably feel like we have more to trust him for than other weeks. I feel like I have a lot to trust God for this week.

This hymn really strikes home with me.

I Need Thee Every Hour

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is in vain.

I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed, Thou blessèd Son.

Words: Annie S. Hawks, 1872.

Annie Hawks wrote:

One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular house hold tasks. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live with out Him, either in joy or pain, these words, “I Need Thee Every Hour,” were ushered in to my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me.

Biblical Curse Generator

2005-07-14T08:16:00.004-07:00

Lost for a smart remark to see off your enemies? Unable to deliver that killer insult? Put an end to unscriptural restraint with the amazing Biblical Curse Generator, which is pre-loaded with blistering smackdowns as delivered by Elijah, Jeremiah and other monumentally angry saints.

Click here and please leave your fave curses as comments. If you don't, you will be plagued with gnats, flies and locusts, thou exceedingly foolish virgin!

In Heavenly Love

2005-07-11T20:40:00.000-07:00

A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Change is never easy for me. It's unpredictable and quite easy to lose courage under the circumstances of change. As I was pondering and, to be honest, worrying a little about some change that I am undergoing in my life - this old hymn came into my mind and it comforted me.
I suppose the unknown is never unknown to God. I inherited an old pocket Bible from my Grandmother that has 'Tomorrow never takes the Lord by surprise' written in the inside cover.
Here is that hymn.

In heavenly love abiding,
No change my heart shall fear;
And safe is such confiding,
For nothing changes here:
The storm may roar without me,
My heart may low be laid,
But God is round about me,
And can I be dismayed?

Wherever he may guide me,
No want shall turn me back;
My Shepherd is beside me,
And nothing can I lack.
His wisdom ever waketh,
His sight is never dim,
He knows the way he taketh,
And I will walk with him.

Green pastures are before me,
Which yet I have not seen;
Bright skies will soon be o'er me,
Where darker clouds have been.
My hope I cannot measure,
The path to life is free;
My Saviour has my treasure,
And he will walk with me.

Author: Anna L. Waring

I read an interesting article on Proverbs 16:9 this evening.

'Here is God's government of our race. Man proposes; God disposes. Man freely devises; God powerfully directs. Man willingly plans; God masterfully dictates. Man acts as he pleases; God is pleased by how He uses man's actions. He is the LORD!'

My Mum said to me once "a road with no bends is a boring one". I suppose if we all knew what was around the corner in life, we would be less likely to trust God for everything.

oh, and things would be boring.

Man dies from epidural

2005-07-09T05:27:00.000-07:00

In a matter of weeks, I will no doubt be getting an epidural to help me cope with the stress of seeing my wife squeezing out our child. I mean...this guy died from simply SEEING the needle. I'm trying to prepare myself for the moment that the nurse asks me to lean forward and pull my t-shirt up at the back so that they can administer some happy gas to my spine. Awesome!!

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California woman is suing a hospital for wrongful death because her husband fainted and suffered a fatal injury after helping delivery room staff give her a pain-killing injection.

Jeanette Passalaqua, 32, filed the suit against Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Southern California Permanente Medical Group Inc. in San Bernardino County state court last week.

In June 2004, Passalaqua's husband, Steven Passalaqua, was asked by Kaiser staff to hold and steady his wife while an employee inserted an epidural needle into her back, court papers said.

The sight of the needle caused Steven Passalaqua, 33, to faint and he fell backward, striking his head on an aluminum cap molding at the base of the wall.

Jeanette Passalaqua delivered the couple's second child, a boy, later that day. Steven Passalaqua, however, suffered a brain hemorrhage as a result of his fall and died two days later, the lawsuit said.

The suit seeks unspecified damages related to Steven Passalaqua's death and to Jeanette Passalaqua's emotional distress at being widowed with two young children.

Because Passalaqua was solicited by Kaiser to assist in the epidural, the lawsuit said, the hospital "owed him a duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent foreseeable injuries resulting from his participation."

A spokesman for Oakland, California-based Kaiser Permanente called the death "a tragic, accident."

"Some of the allegations in the lawsuit are simply that -- allegations. The legal process is under way and we should respect that," said Kaiser spokesman Jim Anderson.

Hillary Clinton Announces Papal Candidacy

2005-07-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

I read this interesting news article.

When Pope John Paul II passed away on Saturday, many internet journalists would have wagered their pirated copy of Photoshop that the story would be the most interesting news item of the day. They were wrong.

New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that as a lifelong Catholic and regular churchgoer (especially during election years), she felt God's call to "step forward and lead the Catholic Church into the future".

In a news conference earlier today, Clinton spoke of her strong Catholic beliefs and values. Her husband spoke of his strong attraction to Catholic schoolgirls.

The senator said, "When I was growing up as a little girl in New York, I mean Arkansas, I mean Illinois, next to my posters of Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio was a painting of Pope Pius XII. Every morning when I woke up, I would say a little prayer to Pope Pius asking for him to help me through the day."

The conservative media is painting this as another example of carpet bagging by the former First Lady. In November 2000 she won election to the US Senate in New York despite not having lived in the Empire State long enough for her husband to have another sexual assault allegation leveled at him.

Clinton dismissed those allegations with a wave. "If I weren't Catholic, why would I be wearing this yarmulke?" Or have these rosemary beads?"

The Prandsome Hince

2005-07-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

Spoonerism
n. the transposition of initial or other sounds of words, usually by accident. (1895-1900 after W. A. Spooner (1844-1930), English clergyman noted for such slips).

This following story is one that my Dad used to tell me. I found it online. Very silly.

Once apon a time, in a coreign fountry, there lived a very geautiful birl; her name was Rindercella. Now, Rindercella lived with her mugly other and her two sad bisters. And in that same coreign fountry, there lived a very prandsom hince.

One day, the prandsom hince decided to have a bancy fall. He invited people from riles amound, especially the pich reople. But Rindercella could not go because all she had to wear were some old rirty dags. So she just cat fsdown and scried. She was a kitten there a scrien, when all of a sudden her gairy fodmother appeared. And she waived her wagic mand...and all of a sudden there appeared before her, a cig boach and hix white sorces to take her to the bancy fall. But now she said to Rindercella, "Rindercella, you must be home before nidmight, or I'll purn you into a tumpkin!"

So Rindercella went to the bancy fall, where she met the very prandsom hince, who she had been watchin through a widden hindow. She and the prandsom hince nanced all dight till nidmight...and they lell in fove. Suddenly, the mid clock struck night; Rindercella staced down the rairs, and just she beached the rottom, she slopped her dripper!

The next day, the prandsom hince went all over the coreign fountry looking for the geautiful birl who had slopped her dripper. He came to Rindercella's house. He tried it on Rendercella's mugly other...and it fidn't dit. He tried it on her two sigly usters...and it fidn't dit. He tried it on Rindercella...and it fid dit, it was exactly the sight rize!

The next day, Rindercella and the prandsom hince were married and they lived everly hafter happward.

Now, the moral of the story is this: If you ever loll in fove with a prandsom hince, be sure and slop your dripper!

Oh, I also read today that Ratt Medman has a new live worship album coming out soon.

Dubya

2005-06-30T08:20:00.001-07:00

The purpose of this post is to celebrate my friend Heath W. Some call him 'Heath Dubya'. Heath is on the A/V team at Grace Church and is a fellow Mac Addict, iPod user, Nikon D70 user, existentialist theologian and cullinery wizard. He also likes to scrap-book on the weekends. Peruse his blog here.

Can you rap?

2005-06-29T17:45:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about learning to rap. Here's what I want to model my style on.
Do you know of anyone who gives rap-rhyming lessons?

Also, beware of backmasking. Rock bands who encrypt reversed subliminal messages into songs. If you are prone to listening to your music collection in reverse (I think most of us do), then you may in for a shock. If you thought that some bands had explicit lyrics forward, just listen to what they are saying backwards! Beware.

PS. Did you know that in the KJV, the phrase 'gangsta rap' appears 0 times?

Fearfully and wonderfully made

2005-06-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today Candra and I went to get a 3D scan of our little sprog (british slang for baby).
I've got 10 weeks to brush up my act before I become a Dad. That's not long. I've got a lot to brush up.
These verses have come up time and time again during our pregnancy.

Psalm 139

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Spurgey...

2005-06-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

...as I like to call him. He may look a few sandwiches short of a picnic in this image, but thank goodness - his head is firmly on the right way. I daily read his devotionals 'Morning by Morning' and 'Evening by Evening'.
I read this one today and thought it could benefit others.

"Looking unto Jesus." {#Heb 12:2}
It is ever the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus; but Satan’s work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, "Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have not the joy of his children; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus." All these are thoughts about self, and we shall never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: he tells us that we are nothing, but that "Christ is all in all." Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument—it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by "looking unto Jesus." Keep thine eye simply on him; let his death, his sufferings, his merits, his glories, his intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to him; when thou liest down at night look to him. Oh! let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after him, and he will never fail thee.
"My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness:
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name."

Spurgey kicks it old school.

Out.

Coldplay

2005-06-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

The new Coldplay album - X & Y, is awesome.

Yes, awesome.

I mean, I knew it was going to be good - but I didn't expect every song to be 10/10. What a triumph for modern rock music.
Money well spent indeed. I also spent some money on a great movie this week - Star Wars. It's been a good week for me entertainment wise.

Although, I'm still a bit miffed that I won't be able to go the Coldplay concert when they come to town in Sept. I can't justify shelling out an arm and a leg for a 'lawn seat'.
It's been a good week.