Breaking News: Chrysler & GM Make the Worst Vehicles!

Today an article on usatoday.com reported, “'Consumer Reports' puts Chrysler, GM in bottom spots.” No wonder they are about to go belly up. For years Chrysler and GM have made unreliable and cheap products. Hollywood caught on to this fact and made a movie about how poor the American auto-industry was (Gung Ho). The fact is Chrysler and GM have no one to blame but themselves. The bailout was a waste of our tax dollars, and it is my hope we do not go down that road again.

Growing up, my family always had a GM vehicle. On family trips part of the fun was waiting to see when, not it, the car was going to breakdown. Over the years we broke down in the middle of the Ozarks, nowhere New Mexico, and on rare occasion’s metropolitan locations. Not only was this true of my parent’s vehicles, this was also true of everyone in our network who had an American made vehicle.

From the age that I was aware of different vehicles makes, I made a vow to never buy American because every American made vehicle we had was a pile of junk. Over my driving life, I have owned a Honda Civic, Acura Integra, Honda Accord and a Honda Pilot… all of which have been reliable and never stranded me in the middle of nowhere unlike every GM my parents owned. For me, it is not un-American to buy foreign, it pro-intelligence.

As a total side note, we should also beware of any product that sounds like a bad word when pronounced loud and quick. If you are unaware of what I am referring to, just say “Chrysler” loud or under your breath and see if people look at funny. And for the record: If an American car can surpass the quality of Honda or Toyota, I will gladly purchase one of those vehicles… but I won’t be holding my breath on that one.

Party's Over: Welcome Back Tiger!

Joe Biden = Most Ignorant Vice President Ever

Joe Biden must be the most ignorant Vice President ever. Today he asked an aide to tell him a Web site's "number," stirring questions online whether he knows how the Web works. Seriously! Dan Quayle made headlines for spelling potato incorrectly (he told a 12 year old boy to add an “e” to the end of it), something that happened in 1992, and we still remember because of how the media blasted it on the airwaves. However, Biden consistently makes a fool of himself and it seems like the media turns a blind eye to it. When Obama places him in charge of anything, is that not scary? Here are some videos of the dumbest VP our country has ever had… a safe estimation only 36 days into his first term:

Inspecting My New Year’s Resolutions

Each year I make New Year’s Resolutions and 2009 was no different. As most people have abandoned them by this point in the year, I wanted to inspect and report on mine. If you are unaware of my goals, simply click here to check them out. Here is my progress report:

• Educational: Finish my doctor of ministry degree

I failed to submit chapters 1-3 by February 13, but can still faicilitate my ministry project March 25-May 27. In mid-January I spent 4 days in KC working on it and meeting with my project chair which drastically changed my project, while also bringing clarity to what needs to be accomplished. Thankfully, I am still on track to turn in my final copy by August 10. Please pray for this work.

• Family: Be home at a scheduled time

This is still a struggle and improvement is needed. There are some nights where I do good, but for the most part this is a resolution where more resolve is needed.

• Marital: Monthly Date Night and a Getaway

We have had a monthly date night, but no getaway yet… maybe that will come soon after August 10!

• Physical: Run 3 miles a week

The real goal was to work out 3 times a week, and that has been surpassed consistently. Once the resolution was made, I think I have worked out 4-6 times each week. Not only am I working out, I am also making a conscious effort to eat better too.

• Spiritual: Be consistently studying the Bible

This has been going good. I restarted my systematic Bible study and have been deliberate not to preach or teach from the passages I am studying for my own personal growth. Good stuff.

They are going pretty good so far, but desperate and serious attention is to be given to my dissertation and scheduled time to arrive home.

Obama Agrees With Bush?!?

As unreal as the headline might sound, it is true. President Obama is on the same page with President Bush… at least on one policy… Here is an excerpt from the article:

Justice Department lawyers filed court papers agreeing that detainees at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan cannot use U.S. courts to challenge their detentions

Golf On TV Is About To Be Good Again

Breaking News: Golf is about to become watchable again. Although I consider myself a fan that will make a point to watch the major championships, as well as some other golfing events, I have found myself rather uninterested in televised golf since the US Open. Thankfully, Mr. Eldrick Woods (aka Tiger) will play golf for money next week, his first official appearance since winning the U.S. Open with two shattered knee caps and a broken three-wood eight months ago. So, for the first time in eight months, I will be making plans to watch golf again!

ESPN's Story
AP's Story

Care Enough to Share

This video has been floating around for a while, but I just saw it and wanted to share it. Penn (from Penn and Teller, eccentric magicians with a psychotic twist) is an atheist and is sharing his view of Christians. Here it is:



He made some great points and asks some great questions. How much do you have to hate someone to believe there is a heaven and not tell them about it? Be polite, honest, sane, and care enough to share Christ with them. Care enough to share!

A Man Playing Against Grade Schoolers

Blake Griffin might be more amazing than we think. The windmill is impressive, but splitting the defenders and throwing down like he did is unreal. He looks like a man playing against grade schoolers. Here are the highlights from today's game:

Redbox

Last week Christy was out of town for a few days, so I spent those nights home along watching movies. About a year ago I stumbled on a DVD rental machine called Redbox. They are setup in local grocery stores in Tulsa (Wal-Mart, Sam’s, & Food Pyramid) and charge $1 per night. Last week I rented 5 movies for a total of $1, because there is also a website (www.insideredbox.com) that allows you to obtain promotional codes where you can rent movies for free. With Blockbuster charging around $5 for a new release, this is definitely the way to go when renting movies.

The Office: A Dangerous Gift

The Office is my favorite show. If you have not viewed this webisode, you are welcome. Electrifying good stuff!

Weather Channel Founder: Global Warming is a "Hoax"

Global warming has never been something I have believed in or given much stock too. That does not mean I am for destroying the earth, as we have a responsibility to take care of what God has given to us, but what does bother me is when people cling to trees and in the same breath are all for killing babies… another post for another time.

Anyway, yesterday the founder of the Weather Channel blasted Al Gore for the global warming “hoax”. Gore is known for (according to himself) “inventing the internet,” being Clinton’s VP, and his global warming push. While he has received a noble peace prize for his work and an Oscar, he is accused of using “bad science” for his work.

Here is the article:

The founder of the Weather Channel is ridiculing Al Gore over his calls for action on global climate change, saying in a column that global warming is a "hoax" and "bad science."

John Coleman, now a weatherman at San Diego's KUSI, wrote on his station's Web site Wednesday that Gore refuses to acknowledge the faulty research on which the idea of global warming is based.

Coleman's lengthy scolding came as the former vice president and Nobel Peace Prize winner addressed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and urged lawmakers to pass a bill that would put caps on heat-trapping gases and take the lead on a global climate treaty.

Coleman wrote that the Environmental Protection Agency is "on the verge" of naming CO2 (carbon dioxide) as a pollutant, and that seemingly all of Washington is on board with such CO2 silliness."

"I am totally convinced there is no scientific basis for any of it," Coleman wrote, describing the decades-old theory that increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere leads to global warming.

"Global Warming. It is the hoax. It is bad science. It is a high jacking of public policy. It is no joke. It is the greatest scam in history," Coleman wrote.

Be Willing to Fail, by Craig Groeschel

The following was taken from Churchrelevance.com:


At Innovation3, Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv (Edmond, OK) spoke via video about how leaders who have “it” are willing to fail.

Often leaders who have “it” succeed. And sometimes they fail, but they learn from the failure. Leaders who don’t have “it” often are afraid to take risk and possibly fail.

Failing is often a big part of success. Think about learning how to ride a bike.

When Peter experienced the grace of Jesus after his failure, he was able to preach in a way that few others could.

Sometimes you have to try and fail and learn and adjust. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat. And before long through your failures, God does something very special.

Failure is not an option. It is absolutely necessary. You must be willing to fail.

Often what works is born out of what did not work.

DO THIS

1. Create a culture that allows for failure.
You could call things “experiments.” You can let people know ahead of time that you will fail but fail aggressively.

2. Do not internalize failures.Failing at something does not mean that you are a failure.

3. Debrief
Learn from your mistakes

4. Don’t give up.The only thing standing between you and the next level of ministry success might be a failure that will teach you something.

Written by Kent Shaffer
Owner of Bombay Creative
and KentShaffer.com

Digital TV Transition (Feb. 17)

February 17, our over the air TV’s will switch from analog to digital. A couple days ago the Senate voted to delay this transition by 4 months stating, “People are not ready for it yet,” a move I thought was ridiculous. Back when I was in college, taking the worst class ever (Telecommunications and Society) the digital transition was in my textbook… That was over 10 years ago. To delay 4 months is ridiculous and I am happy to see the House agrees with me:

Associated Press
WASHINGTON – The House has defeated a bill to postpone the upcoming transition from analog to digital television broadcasting by four months to June 12.

Abortion: America's Silent Holocaust

On January 22, 1973 abortion was legalized in America. Since 1973 that have been 49,551,703 abortions have taken place; that’s more than seven times the number of Jews killed during the Nazi Holocaust. 1,206,200 took place in 2006, which is more than 2 per minute. Abortion is a human tragedy, and it is something we believe breaks our Lord’s heart as He created each of these unborn children in His image.

President Obama is now expected to sign The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would eliminate every restriction on abortion nationwide.

• FOCA will do away with state laws on parental involvement, on partial birth abortion, and on all other protections.
• FOCA will compel taxpayer funding of abortions.
• FOCA will force faith-based hospitals and healthcare facilities to perform abortions.

While campaigning he made a promise to Planned Parenthood last year they expect him to keep. Obama said, “The first thing I’d do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That’s the first thing I’d do.”

Here is what God says, "When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.' - Exodus 21:22-25

I have no desire to stand on the streets and curse the darkness of abortion – something that takes more lives in a single year than did the entire holocaust. My hope is to cast light on the issue that each person is formed in the womb. Each unborn baby was created by God and deserves the audacity of hope to be born. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “You stand for something or you fall for anything.” May we stand for life.

Hope Requires Birth

Here is an interesting video put together by the Catholics.

Pastor Rick Warren's Prayer at Obama's Inauguration

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

This week I read a new blog from a pastor who gained my attention through a shocking title, “Why I hate sanctity of Home Life Sunday.” His title is shocking on purpose, but he made some great points. Shen statements beckons the question, what the heck is wrong with us (America) as a people? Here is a blurb from his article:

I hate Sanctity of Human Life Sunday because I’m reminded that we have to say things to one another that human beings shouldn’t have to say. Mothers shouldn’t kill their children. Fathers shouldn’t abandon their babies. No human life is worthless, regardless of skin color, age, disability, economic status. The very fact that these things must be proclaimed is a reminder of the horrors of this present darkness.

In 2005, America aborted 1.2 million unborn children who are precious to their Creator. Since the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision of 1973 legalized abortion, the total number of dead has exceeded 45 million. That’s more than seven times the number of Jews killed during the Nazi Holocaust. Abortion is a human tragedy, and it is something we believe breaks our Lord’s heart as He created each of these unborn children in His image.

A Church Story

I cannot verify whether or not this story is true, but this was supposedly happened in a church testimonial service:

In Church the pastor asked if anyone in the congregation would like to express Praise for answered prayers. A lady stood and walked to the podium.

She said, "I have a Praise. Two months ago, my husband, Tom, had a terrible bicycle wreck and his scrotum was completely crushed. The pain was excruciating and the doctors didn't know if they could help him."

You could hear a muffled gasp from the men in the congregation as they imagined the pain that poor Tom must have experienced.

"Tom was unable to hold me or the children," she went on, "and every move caused him terrible pain. We prayed as the doctors performed a delicate operation, and it turned out they were able to piece together the crushed remnants of Tom's scrotum, and wrap wire around it to hold it in place."

Again, the men in the congregation were unnerved and squirmed uncomfortably as they imagined the horrible surgery performed on Tom.

"Now," she announced in a quavering voice,"thank the Lord, Tom is out of the hospital and the doctors say that with time, his scrotum should recover completely."

All the men sighed with relief. The pastor rose and tentatively asked if anyone else had something to say.

A man stood up and walked slowly to the podium.

He said, "I'm Tom."

The entire congregation held its breath.

"I just want to tell my wife that the word is sternum."

This was sent to me by a member of my church.

Martin Luther King, Jr.: I Have a Dream

Payday

Yesterday I had lunch with Rex, one of the wisest men I know and a member of my church. We were talking about the difficulty of ministry (his dad is a retired pastor) and the challenge of motivating volunteers. He spoke of how people who fail to serve in the church are typically lacking in their relationship with God, and how those who do serve, serve out a desire to be obedient.

My favorite part of this discussion was when he discussed the importance of paying volunteers. Obviously you don’t pay volunteers cash, but that does not mean you give them nothing. Rex brought up the importance in giving workers compliments, acknowledgement, and appreciation. Something we know to do, but a wonderful reminder.

With this enlightenment I have decided to make giving workers compliments, acknowledgement, and appreciation a part of my regular routine. My plan is to use my payday as a reminder to pay some of those who work with me at First Baptist Jenks. Hopefully, they will be able to see that their serving is noticed and appreciated. If nothing else, they will know they are not forgotten.

Groundbreaking Ceremony

Last year my work at First Baptist Jenks was dominated by our capital stewardship program, “Lighting a Legacy.” Today a member emailed me a picture of its culmination at our groundbreaking ceremony on October 26, 2008. It is great to know that they effort put in last year, and even the year before that, will pay eternal dividends. Here is the picture that motivated me today: