At the risk of sounding a bit creepy, I’ve gotten into the bad habit of lurking lately.

You see, I subscribe to a lot of blogs.

For each of those blogs, I read every post.

Often I just don’t have the time or inspiration to comment on them.

But lately, I’ve noticed that fewer and fewer posts are receiving my comments.

There are probably some bloggers out there who don’t even know that I subscribe to their blog.

Shame on me.

I’ve become that very thing that I never wanted to become as a blogger.

A Lurker.

What is a Lurker, you may ask?

Well, let’s see if Uncle Larry can make this as simple as possible…

The people who subscribe to your blog? We can easily divide them into four categories – Shirkers, Lurkers, Perkers and Workers.

Shirkers - Subscribe to your blog but never read it. (My guess? This is probably about 65 – 70 % of your subscribers.)

Lurkers – Read your blog regularly but never comment. (20 – 25 %)

Perkers – Either comment on your blog or promote it via social media, but don’t do both. (6 – 7 %)

Workers – Subscribe to, read, comment on, and promote your blog via social media. Let’s hear it for the Workers! Woo hoo! (3 – 4%)

Does that sound about right to you?

When it comes to blog reading, can you place yourself in one of those four categories?

Now brace yourself.

Can you see the traits of your category translating into other areas of your life as well?

Hmm…

I sure can for myself.

Are you signed up for life but just not showing up? Are you showing up, but not really contributing? Are you doing some decent stuff, but not giving it your all?

Darn these convicting analogies.

Here I thought all I had to do was comment on a few more blogs.

Guess it’s time to take stock of everything else too and really see where I’ve been doggin’ it lately.

Are you a Shirker, Lurker, Perker or Worker?

“No matter where you go…there you are.” – Buckaroo Banzai

Every once in a while, we need a good reminder of our mortality.

I’ve had some of that this past week.

It started when two of my blogging buddies, Katdish and Dustin, published posts that included my favorite video – Hurt by Johnny Cash.

No matter how many times I watch it, that video always chokes me up.

A once youthful, vital, celebrated man at the end of his life. Old. Frail. Understanding – and sharing - the futility of chasing earthly treasures.

Ecclesiastes set to music.

How can that not stir something inside you?

It hit me again later in the week, as my wife and I were sifting through some old family photos.

That tiny, wiry baby girl who once comfortably fit between my elbow and my wrist, just celebrated her 21st birthday.

That pudgy little doughboy who I used to fling in the air and catch, is now two inches taller than me and wears size 13 shoes.

See that cute seven-year-old boy at the top of this post, showing off his first lost teeth? That’s my brother-in-law Dennis.

Dennis passed away five years ago.

The older I get, the more I’m aware of it.

Time marches on.

When my time comes, I would love to sign off with something as profound and touching as Johnny Cash’s Hurt video.

Because, in some small way, I want the sum of all of the ups and downs of my life to have a positive effect on others.

I think we all do.

We want to leave a legacy, don’t we?

But here’s the deal.

I don’t know whether I have another 40 years or another 40 minutes.

All I know is that my time here is finite.

And so is yours.

So, what are we doing with it?

It’s not about how much we accumulate.

It’s about who we serve.

Our legacy starts now.

A few years ago I stumbled upon the Eat Right for Your Type nutrition guide.

It listed virtually every food item I knew, plus a few that I didn’t know. The guide explained which foods were beneficial to my health, and which were considered “toxins” to my blood type.

Imagine my surprise when many of the foods that I enjoy appeared on the “avoid” list.

That can’t be right, I thought. I like eating pork, milk, cheese, cashews, peanuts, kiwis, coconut, oranges, plantain, coffee, corn and wheat. Now I find out that for me they’re toxic!?

It was hard for me to accept.

However, every food that hadn’t agreed with my system in the past was also on the avoid list. With a large dose of skepticism and a lack of desire to give up my regular diet, I decided to put the nutrition guide to the test.

For two weeks I avoided those foods that the guide discouraged me from eating. Instead, I enjoyed the large list of food that was supposed to be beneficial for my blood type. Bananas, plums, lamb, buffalo, red pepper, blueberries and many other foods I liked were on the beneficial list.

And I must admit that I felt much better than what I thought was normal.

I was more energetic and felt less bloated when I ate. It looked and felt like my body fat was decreasing. I even noticed a difference in my temperament. I wasn’t as grumpy as I used to be.

I think sometimes we don’t realize how miserable we are in certain situations until we’re drawn out into better circumstances and get a different perspective. I found the nutrition guide very helpful because it didn’t just give me a list of things to avoid.

It also gave me a long list of attractive alternatives that gave me better results.

I think it’s the same with sin.

Sin is attractive and usually offers instant gratification, something that today’s culture often craves and justifies. In the long term, though, it’s destructive and drives a wedge between us and God.

Still, give me only a list of things not to do, and I’m instantly intrigued. I’m likely to focus more on the sin itself and see it with an added mystique and appeal.

Wouldn’t it be nice to focus on ideas that instead carry long term satisfaction and open the door to being closer to God?

Wouldn’t it be nice if God provided that instead?

Thankfully, He does.

Take a look at all the scripture verses below. Take a close look at the “avoid” list. Can you spot some things that are now a part of your life? I certainly can for myself. Would you be willing, with God’s help, to explore the “beneficial” list for the next two weeks and beyond?

Until we allow God to help us escape from the clutches of sin, we just don’t realize how lost and miserable it makes us.

It’s an ongoing struggle, one we can’t do on our own, but it is worth it long term.

If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. – Ephesians 4:28

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. – 2 Timothy 2:22

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. – Galatians 5:13

Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. – Proverbs 3:7

Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins? Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord. – Lamentations 3:39-40

Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. – Romans 6:13

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. – Ephesians 4:31-32

What sin has its ‘hooks’ in you?

What’s a beneficial alternative that you’re passionate about?

I don’t usually watch football, but who can resist the Super Bowl?

Not only did I enjoy the game, but I had just as much fun following the running commentaries on Twitter. It was double the entertainment!

I was even more thankful for Twitter during the half time show. Seems like I wasn’t the only one who didn’t exactly “L-U-V” Madonna. Reading all the hilarious tweets was a welcome distraction from all the lip synching.

At one point I tweeted, “I vote that next year for the half time show we get The Knack to play a 20-minute version of My Sharona.”

That thought stuck with me.

Then when my friend Eva Marie Everson posted her vote for Garth Brooks today, I just had to find out.

Who would your dream Super Bowl half time act be?

Speak about AIDS today, and you may still encounter much ignorance and fear.

Think back to 1988, a time when AIDS was even more misunderstood.

Imagine finding out that your mother was infected with the HIV virus through a blood transfusion, and was slowly dying of AIDS.

Imagine choosing to keep her battle a secret in order to avoid her being ostracized.

Imagine watching your mother suffer for years in silence.

This is Nancy Draper’s story. A story that needs to be heard.

A Burden of Silence not only brings us face to face with the realities of a family member battling AIDS, but also with the misperceptions and social stigma that have followed this disease.

Ultimately, though, it is the story of a daughter’s love for her mother, and how finally breaking the silence can transform one woman’s battle into a blessing for countless others and their families.

I received a copy of this book from the author, along with a request for review. I was not required to write a positive review. As a rule I only post reviews of books that I enjoy, and that I feel will be beneficial to my readers. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Embedded in this review is an affiliate link to Amazon.com. If you follow the link from here and buy a copy of this book, Amazon will award me a 4% commission on the purchase.

When it comes to technology and social media, I’m a bit of an old dog. I don’t own a cell phone or an MP3 player. I haven’t quite figured out a good reason for Google+. If I still owned a VCR, it would be flashing 12:00.

So when my friend Sundi Jo offered a guest post that would introduce readers to Pinterest, I was very pleased!

Take it away, Sundi Jo…

In case you’ve been living under a very large rock, let me catch you up to speed.

Me: Reader, meet Pinterest. Pinterest, meet the reader.

Pinterest: Nice to meet you. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m the coolest thing since sliced bread. Or homemade strawberry shortcake on a stick. Or chocolate covered peanut butter bananas. Hungry yet?

If you weren’t one of the 30+ million pinteresters to join in 2011, make this the year. Better yet, make this the day! Head over to Pinterest, request an invite and I’ll see you back here shortly. Seriously, I’ll wait.

Welcome back!

Pinterest isn’t just the place for recipes. Looking for the perfect activity to do with the kiddos? It’s your one stop shop. Get creative with gift ideas. I’ve learned things about DIY products I never knew existed. Did you know you can make your own laundry detergent? Way cool!

But let’s talk about what you can offer to others. Here are four ideas to take your Pinteresting to another level.

P.S. Guys, before you run off too quickly and think this is a “for chicks only” kinda place, you’re wrong. I promise you’ll love it too.

1. Showcase your photography – Photographer Diana Bogardus has committed to posting one picture every day for the next year. Her pinboard is called Project 366. She’s reaching an audience of other photography lovers who cannot only use her ideas, but provide her with other creative techniques to this art.
2. Start your own Project Runway - My fashion sense may not be something to write home about (While you’re reading this I’m probably walking around in my Smurfs t-shirt), but perhaps I can get a few tips here. (I’ll take those boots please.)
3. Time for a change around the house - Are you getting tired of the same ol’ pictures hanging on the wall collecting dust? Find some new decorating tips and make your guests think they’ve come to the wrong place next time they show up for movie night. Check out this wine rack. Who wouldn’t want one?
4. Be part of the bigger picture - Another thing I love about Pinterest is the ability to create groups. For example, check out this Words for Jesus pinboard. Find a photograph of your favorite Scripture and add it to the group for everyone to see. You never know what kind of connections you could make. Oh, the power of social media.

I haven’t even scratched the surface on what this virtual pinboard can offer you. From architecture to wedding planning, there’s something for everyone.

I promised whatever men were left reading that I would give them a few reasons to join. Here they are:

• Vintage car collections
• Tools
• Outdoors
• Sports

Need I say more?

Pinterest isn’t going to disappear anytime soon and for that I’m grateful. I’m becoming organized with ideas in my mind. I’ve gotten some great cooking ideas. And maybe someday soon, I’ll toss the t-shirt out and trade it for a blouse. (Probably not)

What about you? What’s your favorite part about Pinterest? Is it another time waster in your life or has it helped you in some way? 

Sundi Jo is an author, speaker, and social media consultant, making her home in Branson, Missouri. You’ll either find her engulfed in the social media world, spending time with family and friends, running, hanging out in a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and flip flops, or writing for the Kingdom. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook. To see more from Sundi Jo, be sure to visit her at www.sundijo.com.

We’re already one month into the new year, and it’s time once again for Posts with the Most!

Here we celebrate some of our favorite posts from around the blogosphere that were published in January 2012.

We have an unusually short list this month, so I’m counting on you to join in the fun. In the comments section, be sure to let us know what your favorite post was from the past month.

You’re welcome to give a shameless plug not just for posts you’ve read, but ones you’ve written as well!

In chronological order, here are my top five picks for January 2012:

1. Be afraid. – Jamie the Very Worst Missionary had a very interesting start to her new year. It led to a very insightful talk with God.
2. Billy Coffey versus the vending machine - In the battle of Billy versus vending machine, the readers win.
3. Smart Phones – Newcomer to PWTM, The Joseph Craven of The Greatest Blog of All Time enlightens us with the history of telecommunication in a most excellent Bill-and-Ted kind of way.
4. Marriage tip #3: Stop playing house – I like the way Brad Huebert sees his wife. We should all see our spouses that way.
5. I’m ready for my close up. – Jamie the Very Worst Missionary strikes again. If you’re all about keeping up appearances, you may not want to read this. But read it anyway.

What were your favorite posts from January 2012?

Growing up in the 1970′s in Canada, one of my favorite TV shows was The Friendly Giant. It was a staple among Canadian children’s TV programs from 1958 to 1985.

Mostly ad libbed, each show revolved around the interactions between a giant named Friendly (played by Bob Homme), and two puppets – a rooster named Rusty who lived in a book bag that hung on the wall, and an orange and purple giraffe named Jerome.

Yes, you read that correctly.

I’m not sure how they initially pitched that idea to the network, or who decided that such an unusual premise would work.

But it worked anyway.

Sometimes the most unlikely people and situations just click, and special things happen.

Who is your most unlikely or unusual friend?

I used the word “blessed” in my last post, and it’s been bothering me ever since.

Because I think I did a disservice to the word.

When I hear someone described as “blessed” I instinctively think that everything is going that person’s way, that they are a “winner” in the eyes of the world. Two thumbs up.

But is that really what it means to be blessed?

Well, I checked the Amplified Bible and here’s what it said blessed means…

“spiritually prosperous”

“with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of your outward conditions”

Did you catch that too?

Regardless of your outward conditions.

While the world may look at your outward conditions and judge you a “loser” by its standards, you still just might be blessed. How the world measures blessing and how God measures blessing don’t always match.

Being blessed is about our attitude, not our circumstances.

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.”

- Matthew 5:3-12 The Message

How do you know when you’re blessed?

Have you ever had a stretch where you just feel unusually blessed?

I’ve been going through one of those lately.

Last Saturday night my employer held a party for employees and their guests, with hundreds in attendance. One of the door prizes was two round trip tickets to anywhere in North America that Air Canada flies.

I was very surprised to hear them call my name as the winner!

Right away people started asking, “Where will you go?”

And after thinking about it for a while, we’ll likely be using one of those tickets to send my wife to visit her sister in the spring, and the other to bring my daughter home for a week in the summer.

Neither one of those trips were part of our budget this year. I’m so grateful that we now have that opportunity!

Though the tickets presented all sorts of vacation possibilities for my wife and me to enjoy as a couple, we couldn’t pass up the chance to connect with family.

If you won two round trip airplane tickets to anywhere in North America, how would you use them?

My friend Mano Watsa is not an average basketball player.

He was a four-time OUA Conference All-Star, two-time All-Canadian point guard, and captain for the University of Waterloo.

In 1999 he toured with the USA Athletes In Action team, was awarded the National TSN Award for combining excellence in athletics, academics and community involvement, and was named University of Waterloo Male Athlete of the Year.

Mano is not a big man. He only stands 5’10″, yet he has a vertical of 42 inches.

Was he born with a tremendous ability to jump? Hardly.

Mano explains, “In grade 9 I could not touch the mesh. In grade 12 I could not touch the rim. But, I was determined to dunk!”

He developed a series of exercises to improve his agility. In his usual giving fashion, Mano has posted the Above the Rim jump program on his website so others may benefit. You can find it at www.morethanhoops.com.

Before you start the Above the Rim program, you are asked to measure and record your current jumping ability. Once you start applying the program, you are asked to measure your progress every three months.

Wait a minute…every three months?

Yes, in this age of instant oatmeal, instant coffee, instant cameras, instant weight loss and instant oil changes, some things still take time.

We’ve all made some worthy New Year’s resolutions over the years. But how often have we made achieving them impossible by forgetting where we are starting from, and by attaching unrealistic timelines to them? How often have we grown discouraged and dropped our resolutions altogether?

This year, be sure to give yourself a reasonable time frame to achieve those resolutions. Mano couldn’t touch the mesh in grade 9. He couldn’t touch the rim in grade 12. But today, he can dunk with the best of them.

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. – Ecclesiastes 7:8

How high can you jump?

Through my late teens and early twenties, one of my favorite comedians was Barry Kennedy. These days, Barry is host of Out in the Cold on Discovery Channel in Canada - kind of a frozen version of Mike Rowe’s Dirty Jobs.

I used to watch Barry perform quite regularly at a local pub. I don’t think any one person has ever made me laugh so much. In one of his routines, he talked about how having a few beers made him say stupid stuff. But he figured that it was nature’s way of getting the dumb stuff out of his head to make room for more smart stuff.

He referred to that process as “pruning”.

Well, with a tip of the hat to Barry, and skipping the beer part, I’ve decided to empty some thoughts that have been cluttering my head into this post, with the hopes of making room for some more smart stuff down the road.

I hope you enjoy these random bits of…well, randomness.

And hey, you are welcome to do your own pruning right here. Leave some of your random thoughts in the comment section below!

A-pruning we will go…

• Milk-Bone dog biscuits do not taste like meat. Yes, that’s the voice of experience talking.
• Wayne Gretzky and I are exactly the same size – 6’0″, 190 lbs. I wonder if he has any clothes I can borrow.
• Have you ever caught yourself wondering what Arsenio Hall is doing these days? Yeah, neither have I.
• When I found out that Lady Gaga referred to her fans as her “Little Monsters”, I thought it would be cool to refer to Christian in the Rough fans as “Rough-ians”. But when I explained the idea to my wife, she looked at me like I had just hatched out of a giant plastic egg or something.
• My favorite word is “phlegm”. I just like the way it’s spelled. That’s all.
• It’s said that arsenic tastes like almonds. How exactly did they talk someone into making that determination?
• I think most of those guys who wear knee-high socks with sandals actually know that it’s a fashion faux pas, and are just doing it for the attention.
• Why does my dentist always ask me whether or not I floss? Do my bleeding gums not give it away?
• If I had to choose my favorite grain, it would definitely be rice.
• Notice I didn’t use a “U” in favorite. I am Canadian, but I use American spelling. Unless I’m playing Scrabble. Then I’ll tuck in an extra “U” if it means more points.
• My wife rocks.

What random thoughts would you like to share?

Give us today our daily bread. – Matthew 6:11

Have you ever had a familiar verse or idea suddenly jump out of nowhere and strike you in a different way?

I’m the bread guy in our house. Regular sandwich bread, cinnamon raisin bread, even special seasoned bread for stuffing the Christmas and Thanksgiving turkeys. I make them all.

I am one with my bread machine.

A few days ago, while measuring ingredients for a new loaf, the words DAILY BREAD smacked me upside the head and wouldn’t let me go.

When words or phrases hit me like that, I know that God’s trying to tell me something.

But what was this about?

Jesus told us to ask God for ”our daily bread” when he taught us the Lord’s prayer. But did I really grasp what he meant by that?

Turns out it’s about more than just asking God for something to eat. Daily bread means:

1. We’re supposed to be in conversation with God every day. Not just once a week. Not just when it’s convenient. Not just when times are hard. Not just when our team is down by two points with less than three minutes on the clock. Every day. Give us today our daily bread.

2. We’re supposed to ask God (and count on him) to provide our needs. Not our desires. Our needs. Back then, bread was simple sustenance. They had cinnamon and raisins back in Biblical times, but apparently nobody thought about putting them in bread until Henry David Thoreau did it back in the 1800s. Thank you, Henry. Better late than never. Give us today our daily bread.

3. We’re supposed to focus on today. Scripture says not to dwell on the past (Isaiah 43:18) or to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). God, please help me to live one day at a time. Give us today our daily bread.

“Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. – Proverbs 30:7-9

What does “daily bread” mean to you?

What’s your favorite kind of bread?

Have you ever watched the home run derby at a Major League Baseball All-Star Game?

Just before the batter launches a baseball out of the park, someone pitches it in.

Name That Toon makes me feel like that pitcher.

I just pitch a toon without a caption, and our readers hit it out of the park. Every time.

Let’s do it again!

Just click in to the comments section below, and swing for the fences by adding your best caption.

Batter up!

A few years ago, my wife and I had a special dinner with several friends. Prompted by a video that we watched, each person at the table was asked, “If you could ask God one question, what would it be?”

Needless to say, it took a long time to make it around the table. Each person’s question, and the time it took them to come up with it, told a great deal about their character and their life’s focus.

Some approached the question as if they had just died and were meeting God in Heaven. Others approached it as if this were an opportunity to ask a question today and apply the answer to the rest of their life.

Some asked “Why?” Some asked “How?” Some asked “What?”

Most had to think for a long time about what they would ask.

If you could ask God one question, what would it be?

While you’re thinking about it, why not take the time to ask Him now?

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7

I’d like for you to consider something that may disturb you.

Think about your family, your friends, co-workers and others you encounter on a daily basis. To varying degrees, each of them has a character “issue” of some sort that drives you crazy. Take the time to list a few of the top things that really bother you about other people.

They may be major issues, such as lying and stealing. They may be more “trivial” things, like squeezing the toothpaste tube in the middle, leaving the toilet seat up or driving too slowly in the fast lane.

Take each one and boil it down to the underlying character issue that you feel causes this behavior. Is it laziness, ignorance, lust, greed, pride? Take your time and make up the list before reading on.

You may notice a common thread in your list. If not, boil it down even further to the one issue that bothers you the most.

Now, are you ready for the disturbing part?

You may deny it, and definitely won’t enjoy hearing it, but that character issue that bothers you the most about other people, is also the one that bothers you the most about you.

No doubt, it’s more difficult and painful to identify in ourselves, but it’s there. Before you dismiss this idea, ask yourself a few questions…

• If this character issue really were part of my life, in what ways would it appear?
• If I asked my family and friends, would they be able to spot this issue in my life?
• How will I be able to recognize this behavior in my life and shift away from it?

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. – Romans 2:1

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” – Luke 6:37-38

What pet peeve about others can you also spot in yourself?

“Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation.” – Henry Ward Beecher

While driving through town a few years ago, I was surprised to see the sign in front of All Peoples Church. So surprised that I went home, grabbed my camera and drove back to take a picture.

Not many would be able to drive by the church and miss their sign’s big, bold message:

READ THE BIBLE.
IT WILL SCARE THE HELL
OUT OF YOU

I suppose I could have called the church and asked them why they posted that sign. I could have chosen to be offended. I could have chosen to dismiss it as nothing more than a well-intended play on words.

If nothing else, it certainly got me thinking.

I thought of the fellow “Christians” who told my daughter that some friends of hers who are homosexual are going to burn in hell, and wondered whether that helped her friends get any closer to God. While I don’t endorse their lifestyle, I have no right to judge them or condemn them to hell when I am just as deserving of such a fate.

Sin is sin, and we are all guilty.

I thought of my past failures, some quite big and ugly, and how some “Christians” met me with condemnation, and some with compassion.

I know where I felt the presence of God the most.

I don’t doubt that there is a hell, and that it is a place that we all should avoid. However, I do believe that there is a big difference between “going to heaven” and “avoiding hell”.

And while I can never claim to fully comprehend God and His character, what I’ve read in the Bible has convinced me that, rather than dangle me over hell as a threat, He would prefer to welcome me with love and compassion, and offer heaven as an exciting alternative.

The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. – Psalm 145:8

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. – Ephesians 4:32

“…And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.” – Luke 15:20-22

No, reading my Bible doesn’t scare the hell out of me. But it does help me to desire heaven more.

What do you think of the message on that sign?

What’s that you say?

You’ve always wanted to experience the fun of being a cartoonist, without all the hassle of drawing stuff?

Look no further, my friend!

Just click into the comments section below and share your best caption for this…

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine…heaven.

Are there animals? Does everyone there have a halo? A harp? Wings?

What does Jesus really look like?

Well, maybe you should ask Colton Burpo.

See, while Colton was undergoing emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix at age three, he made an unlikely trip to heaven and discovered the answers to those questions firsthand.

Heaven is for Real documents the incredible story of Colton’s life-threatening illness and how, months later, his family discovered that more went on during his surgery than they could have imagined.

I admit, I approached this book with a great deal of skepticism. But I’ve officially been blown away.

From the careful, non-leading way in which Colton’s parents drew information from him about his experience, to the uncanny similarity between his observations and scriptural descriptions of heaven, I’m convinced that this is not something simply fabricated by a young imagination.

And while scripture gives us descriptions of heaven and much of what we have to look forward to if we accept Jesus as our savior, seeing it all through the eyes of a child in these pages has made it that much more awesome.

Want to answer all those questions you have about heaven?

Well, maybe you should read Heaven is for Real.

Believe me, you’ll be glad that you did.

What do you think heaven is like?

This book was bought with my own hard-earned cash. It was not a freebie, so I felt no obligation to endorse it. I was not required to write a positive review. As a rule I only post reviews of books that I enjoy, and that I feel will be beneficial to my readers. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Embedded in this review is an affiliate link to Amazon.com. If you follow the link from here and buy a copy of this book, Amazon will award me a 4% commission on the purchase.

Happy new year! Welcome to 2012, everyone!

If there’s one thing I like better than compiling a collection of my favorite posts at the end of each month for our Posts with the Most feature, it’s assembling a collection of the best of those best for a special year-end edition!

Yes, I’ve taken my favorites from each month of Posts with the Most in 2011 and posted them here for your reading pleasure.

Congratulations to all the amazing bloggers who have contributed to PWTM this past year, and a huge thank you to all of you readers who support and encourage them!

Here they are, sorted by month:

1. January 2011 – The Cat Who Descended From Heaven – Kristin Herdejurgen shares on Tony Alicea’s Expect the Exceptional blog about a new and unexpected addition to her home.
2. February 2011 – The Gospel According to Football – She doesn’t post very often at Musings of a Bible College Drop-Out, but Elizabeth Birak sure knows a thing or two about football!
3. March 2011 – “The retard in the next booth” – Jason of JC Wert hit this one out of the park. If you’ve ever used the word “retard”, you need to read this post.
4. April 2011 – Homemade weapons, letting go, and avoiding bloodshed - Sooner or later, we have to allow our children to make their own mistakes. Brad Huebert offers his insights from one step in that journey.
5. May 2011 – I want to be like Josh when I grow up – Ryan Tate of The Compelling Parade presents the story of an unlikely role model.
6. June 2011 – But for the Grace of God: My Life as a Would-Be Call-Girl – Tamara from Tamara Out Loud has some very interesting thoughts about grace.
7. July 2011 – Truth Hurts – Liz McLennan of Life With Bellymonster learned from her son that Mom doesn’t always know best.
8. August 2011 – breaking down marriage: part 1 - Sharideth Smith dishes out a healthy serving of wisdom and humor at A Woman’s Guide to Women: A Blog for Men.
9. September 2011 – A Letter to My Son…and the World – Get a hanky ready. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. This is the second appearance in this edition of PWTM for Liz McLennan of Life With Bellymonster.
10. October 2011 – Treasured Guidance - A moving tribute to her Mom and her legacy from Carol H. Rives of Pause and Smile.
11. November 2011 – Festive Bushes and the Like - Amanda of Mandie Marie puts the Christmas back in Christmas tree.
12. December 2011 – Looking for Jesus – Billy Coffey has been featured many times here in PWTM. Of all his posts, this one is my favorite.

I hope you all had a wonderful 2011, and wish you a blessed 2012!

Which post was your favorite?

You’ve probably heard that question – is the glass half empty, or half full?

Of course, some smartie-pants engineers would argue that the glass is simply twice as big as it needs to be.

But as I composed this post, a similar question popped into my head.

Is this the end of an old month, or the beginning of a new month? Hmm…

Either way, it’s time to present my favorite posts from around the blogosphere for the month of December 2011 – the Posts with the Most!

Listed here are links to my faves in random order. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!

1. The Quest for a Christmas Tree – Ironic Mom Leanne Shirtliffe shares some fond memories of tree hunting with her Dad.
2. Looking for Jesus – Billy Coffey hits me where I live. Again.
3. The Day I Lost Me – GaryMo offers some liberating perspective on who we need to be.
4. Finding God in Unexpected Places – Amy of Ordinarily Extraordinary makes her PWTM debut with a gem!
5. 19 years and counting – Sharideth from A Woman’s Guide to Women: A Blog for Men has some wisdom to share about how to help your marriage last.
6. If I Were Santa Claus – Big Matt Cannon, aka The Seeking Pastor, makes me wish he were Santa Claus. Even if he wouldn’t let me sit in his lap.
7. Lessons for Christians from the Occupy Movement – My buddy Clay Morgan writes stuff that I wish I had written. Like this guest post for Kim Wilson’s New Life Christian Fellowship blog.
8. You Wrote an Article for WHO??? – I’ve been a fan of Andy Andrews for years. One of the things I’ve always liked about him is his candor about what it takes to do what he does. If you’re an aspiring writer, this post is a must read.
9. Stained – Melissa Brotherton provides a profound analogy here, as well as a decent tip for keeping your carpets clean.
10. What kind of year has it been? – My brotha-from-anotha-motha Jason Wert wraps up his Mustard Seed Year with a post about the wisdom he has gleaned through some less-than-ideal situations. It’s a long read, but well worth it!

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to Christian in the Rough today so you don’t miss our special Posts with the Most 2011 edition – a collection of my faves from the entire year, coming later this week!

What was your favorite post from December 2011?

To celebrate the close of 2011, we’re counting down the Top 10 posts from the history of Christian in the Rough. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Here at last (drum roll please…) is the #1 post:

Have you heard the joke about the long-haired young man who wanted to borrow his father’s car?

“Dad,” he asked, “May I borrow the car keys?”

His father replied, “I’ll loan you the car keys, as soon as you cut your hair.”

Thinking fast, the son stated, “But Dad, Jesus had long hair.”

The father countered, “Yes, and he walked everywhere he went.”

—–

Saturday is usually my day to sleep in. But not last week. I woke up to the clock radio at 7:27. Not sure why, but I’ve always liked setting my wake-up times to match the model numbers of passenger jets. And I definitely prefer Boeing to Airbus.

(That one was for all my pilot friends.)

I threw on some clothes and drove the two short blocks to Gary’s Automotive Repair to leave my car for an oil change. Gary is the best. He always lets me know how long he is going to take, even if that means I might go somewhere else. Which is why I never do. I like dealing with honest people.

I got to the shop a little early. It turns out they don’t open until 8:30 on Saturday morning, not 8:00 as I thought.

No big deal.

I wandered over to the neighboring coffee shop and grabbed a nice steamy cuppa joe. When Gary’s opened, I dropped off my keys and headed home on foot.

Y’know, I saw a lot more stuff as I strolled along, coffee in hand, than I ever notice when I drive.

I noticed the heavy morning dew clinging to the blades of newly green grass. I saw the spectacular, cloudless blue sky stretch from horizon to horizon. I spotted a fresh crop of bright yellow dandelions trying their best to take over the world.

I witnessed all the sights and sounds of a city waking up for another day. And I took some time to reflect and to pray.

If I had taken the car, I would have missed it all.

Have you ever caught yourself speeding through life?

Maybe I just missed that part of the Bible, but I don’t ever remember reading about Jesus being in a hurry. Ever.

He didn’t take the wheel.

He walked everywhere he went.

“Christianity is not about inviting Jesus to speed through life with us; it’s about noticing Jesus at the rest stop.” – Mike Yaconelli

What will you do this week to slow down, and notice Jesus at the rest stop?

To celebrate the close of 2011, we’re counting down the Top 10 posts from the history of Christian in the Rough. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Here is post #2:

Take a close look at yourself in a photograph or in the mirror, and you will likely notice that you are not symmetrical. All of us have differences between the left and right half of our faces and bodies, though some may be quite subtle.

For me, some of the differences are easy to spot. I have a tattoo on my left shoulder blade. My head is always tilted slightly to the right (the result of an old hockey injury). My nose was broken in a bizarre high-jumping accident back in high school (please don’t ask), so it curves and points slightly to the left of my face. Although I am right-handed, the left half of my upper body is noticeably more muscular than my right, especially around my neck and shoulders.

Have you ever heard someone ask a photographer to capture their “good side” when taking pictures?

Well, my “good side” is my left. Though I’m grateful for both halves of my body, I prefer the looks of my left over my right. Just for fun I took a picture of myself, divided my face down the middle, and mirrored the images to see the difference. The results were downright freaky, as you can see below.

In the middle is the real me. On your left is the right side of my face mirrored. On your right is the left side of my face mirrored.

Up until I created these pictures, I hadn’t realized what a huge difference there is between one half of my face and the other. Of course, the lighting helps. But look at the contrast! The left half of my face looks stronger, healthier, happier, more positive. The right half of my face looks weaker, less healthy, less happy, less upbeat. Both halves are my face. Both live together, side by side. But both are very different.

Isn’t it funny how it even shows up in our face?

We all have a strong side and a weak side.

A healthy side and a not-so-healthy side.

A bright side and a dark side.

A “good” side and a “bad” side.

We are a unique blend of both.

The important question is…which one do we tend to favor?

Which side are you on?

To celebrate the close of 2011, we’re counting down the Top 10 posts from the history of Christian in the Rough. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Here is post #3:

I was in the Edmonton airport on Friday morning, getting set to fly home after a gruelling work week.

Though the day had barely begun, I was already stressed. Why does the proverbial poop have to hit the fan just as I’m on my way out the door? After a bunch of hurried phone calls, emails, and written instructions about all I was leaving behind, I rushed out the office door half an hour later than planned.

Trying to ignore the knot in my stomach, I pushed through the rain to the airport and returned my rental car. An extra charge of $3.16? What’s that all about? Went to the counter and got that straightened out.

Security line longer than expected. Why is that guy behind me standing so darn close? Oops, sorry about that, officer. Forgot to take my laptop out of its bag before running it through the X-ray machine. One more time…ok. Finally, I’m through and locate my gate.

Phew, made it.

Now I have to pee.

Ok, that men’s room over there is closed for maintenance. There’s a single unit further down but it has three guys waiting outside. I press on. Ok, the next rest room is off limits because it’s on the other side of the door marked “International Flights Only”. Please, just let me through for a couple of minutes. I promise I’ll go right back to Domestic when I’m done.

Hmph. No such luck…

So I hustle back to the other side of the terminal. Walkingwalkingwalking…ah, at last! A men’s room in sight!

“Excuse me, sir?”

Wow, my new hearing aid is pretty good. What’s that guy calling me over for?

“Would you like to hear about our wonderful new _______ credit card? It has yadda yadda points…blah blah blah miles…murmle murmle murmle bonus…shuppa shuppa shuppa flights…only 30 seconds to fill out an application! What do you say?”

I reply, “Umm, no thanks. I only have one credit card and I make a point of never using it.”

“Oh, but sir…yadda yadda blah blah murmle murmle shuppa shuppa…only 30 seconds!”

“Thanks, but no. I really have to pee.”

I continue another ten yards to the men’s room and breathe a sigh of relief. Finally I can head back to my gate and catch up on some reading.

I walk past the same credit card booth, less than two minutes since our first conversation.

“Excuse me, sir?”

“Who, me?”

“Yes, would you like to hear about our wonderful new _______ credit card?”

“Uh, you just talked to me.”

“Oh. ok.”

Dude, now I’m positive that I don’t want one of your credit cards.

If you want to influence people, it’s a good idea to remember them.

For more than 30 seconds.

Who has impressed you by remembering – or not remembering – you?

To celebrate the close of 2011, we’re counting down the Top 10 posts from the history of Christian in the Rough. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Here is post #4:

My daughter Stephanie lives more than 2000 miles away. My wife and I are very thankful for Skype, email, texting, and all the other convenient ways there are to keep in touch with her.

She regularly contacts us via her cell, sending pictures of her latest latte art (there’ll be a post on that in the near future) and random texts throughout the day with her entertaining observations on life.

Yesterday’s text exchange between Steph and my wife was a great example of just how warped and hilarious my family can be…

Steph: Seeing Christmas lights and decorations and stuff up now makes me furious. It’s not even Halloween yet! It’s still warm outside! Put it back in the box!

Monique: Maybe they are Halloween decorations dressed up to look like Christmas? They are in their costumes!

Steph: Candy canes? They weren’t eating people or anything… They seemed rather jolly.

Monique: That is how they lure you in! They look all cheery and festive, you take them home thinking you are safe, then after midnight – BOOM they are zombie candy canes.

Take another look at that picture above, and tell me you don’t see it.

Yep, zombies.

Stripey, minty zombies.

Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

When do you think people should put up their Christmas decorations?

My friend Michael Perkins has a very unique blog called The Handwritten.

As it says, “If you want to be stretched, if you want honest, if you want simple, then this blog is for you.”

It is my pleasure to be guest posting at The Handwritten today.

Would you click here and pay Michael a visit?

You’ll be glad you did.

To celebrate the close of 2011, we’re counting down the Top 10 posts from the history of Christian in the Rough. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Here is post #5:

To celebrate the close of 2011, we’re counting down the Top 10 posts from the history of Christian in the Rough. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Here is post #6:

"C'mon, slowpoke! Can't you go any faster?!"

To celebrate the close of 2011, we’re counting down the Top 10 posts from the history of Christian in the Rough. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Here, believe it or not, is post #7:

My friend Duane Scott loves Cheetos. I can’t blame him. I’m also a fan of those wonderful bites of cheesy goodness. But Duane has taken his Cheetos obsession to new heights.

Yes, Duane has launched a Cheetos poem competition.

Below you will find my first entry into the competition. Grab yourself a bowl, sit back, relax, and read away!

Just Another Poem About Cheetos by Larry Hehn

Call them corny, I don’t mind
Call them cheesy, that’s just fine
I know corn and I know cheese
Together they are sure to please

Form them into bite-size sticks
Not too thin and not too thick
Full of flavor, full of crunch
Full of goodness, fun to munch

Call them Cheetos, that’s their name
Join me in this rhyming game
Write a poem for Duane Scott
Vie for prizes he has bought

Link it to duane-scott.net
You will like it lots, I bet
To his blog you must subscribe
Stick around and catch the vibe

Once you’ve finished all that stuff
Visit Christian in the Rough
Play a round of Name That Toon
Hope to see you really soon!

Look how low that Larry stoops
Was that cheesy? Corny? Oops!
Shameless plugs for his own site
Make him like a Cheeto. Right?

To celebrate the close of 2011, we’re counting down the Top 10 posts from the history of Christian in the Rough. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Here is post #8:

If you are Canadian, you will likely recognize the title of this post as the slogan for Buckley’s Mixture, a cough and cold remedy that was invented by William Knapp Buckley in 1919. Though it is sold in other countries, it is a household name in Canada.

Just like the slogan says, it tastes awful. Its “unique herbal ingredients” include camphor, menthol, Canada balsam, pine needle oil, and tincture of capsicum.

Yum.

In the mid-1980′s Buckley’s launched a simple, honest, funny and award winning ad campaign. Some of the slogans include:

• Feared by more people than ever before.
• Your cough won’t know what hit it. Neither will you.
• Made with oil of pine needles. What did you expect it to taste like?
• Our largest bottle is 200 ml. Anything more would be cruel.
• People swear by it. And at it.
• Not new. Not improved.
• How bad does it taste? That depends. How bad is your cough?

The folks at Buckley’s are very clear about who they are and what they do: “When it comes to being sick, there are two kinds of people in this world. Those who want comfort, and those who want to get better. We make medicine for the second kind.”

As we approach the new year, many of us are drafting up resolutions. Maybe to quit a bad habit. Maybe to begin a good habit. Maybe to add some things to our schedule. Maybe to take some things away. Will all of those resolutions will be achieved?

Only by those who are willing to sacrifice their comfort to get better.

Because when it comes to discipline, the things that work can taste awful.

We’ve all made some worthy New Year’s resolutions over the years. But how often have we backed away from reaching them once we get a taste of the discipline it takes to get there?

This year, be sure to make those lofty New Year’s resolutions again, and remember to be realistic about the discipline it will take to achieve them. Just like Buckley’s, discipline tastes awful. And it works.

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. – Hebrews 12:11

What are some rewards you have reaped through discipline?

To celebrate the close of 2011, we’re counting down the Top 10 posts from the history of Christian in the Rough. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Here is post #9:

Last year nearly 12000 other people and I climbed a few stairs to raise money for a local charity. Ok, more than just a few stairs. Actually, the tallest metal staircase in the world, located in the CN Tower in Toronto.

A total of 1776 stairs rise 342 metres (1122 feet) from the base of the tower to its lookout level. The staircase and landings are only wide enough for two people to ascend side-by-side. On average, last year’s event sent 700 people per hour up the staircase.

Overall, it is a strenuous climb. Paramedics are stationed every ten flights. I passed a few people on the stairs, and several more that had stopped on the tiny landings to catch their breath. A few keeners streaked past me on our way up.

The strain of the climb itself, coupled with a narrow pathway and high traffic volume, created potential for a great deal of conflict, much like rush-hour traffic in a densely populated city.

However, no one I encountered along the way had anything negative to say. Everyone was remarkably positive and encouraging. The participants, the paramedics, even the people at the base and lookout level who didn’t climb the stairs were clapping and cheering in support of those who did.

It was so refreshing.

Imagine what would happen if we chose that attitude on a daily basis, not just while climbing stairs for charity.

Sincere encouragement is infectious, both in giving and receiving. After experiencing it for the 29 minutes and 28 seconds of last year’s climb, I definitely wanted to do it again.

On Sunday I will be returning for my second climb. Climbing 1776 stairs in less than half an hour is not easy. But with a lot of encouragement, one step at a time, it’s amazing what can be accomplished.

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. – Ephesians 4:29

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. – Philippians 4:8

What have you accomplished, bit by bit, with encouragement, that at first seemed overwhelming?

To celebrate the close of 2011, we’re counting down the Top 10 posts from the history of Christian in the Rough. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Here is post #10:

Some people at my office were fuming on Friday.

When I asked what was bothering them, they referred me to an article in the Toronto Sun about the Salvation Army giving Christmas gifts to prison inmates. I was amazed at how upset they were. Some forwarded emails in protest, some called the Salvation Army to complain, and some swore they wouldn’t donate to the Salvation Army ever again.

All because the Salvation Army is giving small gift bags to prisoners for Christmas, as a way of building bridges between them and the community.

I like what Salvation Army’s Canadian national spokesman Andrew Burditt had to say about their program, which has been running for years: “The Salvation Army has a real focus on restorative justice. We have this belief that no one is beyond redemption. The Salvation Army serves without discrimination in every aspect across the country.”

But judging by the reaction, not everyone feels the same way:

“I am saddened by the story and feel raged to know my contributions have been going to child molesters and murderers.”

“So the SA wants us to feel sorry for a guy who has been in prison for 27 years and never received a gift? Perhaps if he hadn’t killed and eaten everyone he knows…”

“Last of my donations as they were for the less fortunate, not molesters.”

“for f*** sakes. this was the final charity i would give to because they were the ones to put the most money collected to helping the needy.. now i find they are making life easier for criminals. my donations just stopped. shove your bell up your a**.”

Whew. Merry Christmas, everyone. Thankfully, I was relieved to also see some positive comments as well:

“Christmas is a time for reflection, kindness, compassion and for forgiveness and as a Christian based organization they are doing just that showing some kindness and compassion. Some of these inmates have no family or friends and this little bag is the only thing they’ll get this Christmas. Sure, some deserve to be there, others perhaps through no fault of their own, but they are still human beings and worthy of some sort of kindness at this time of the year.”

“Christmas is a time to express good will to all people whether they be a family in need or a prisoner facing another christmas alone. I support the Salvation Army and celebrate their willingness to reach out to all people…even those some people might consider the worst. Keep up the good work knowing that there are those of us in the community who cheer you on.”

“… a lot of these crooks doing time have had a very rough life and come from environments that would make most of us shudder in dismay. I don’t think that a bit of kindness from Sally Ann is going to hurt anybody and even some of these people behind bars could use some compassion from their fellow man. Who knows, it might do them some good and that being said, God bless Sally Ann, they do some awesome work.”

What do you think?

“Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. – Hebrews 13:1-3

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” – Matthew 25:34-40

Everybody knows my friend Bobby.

Bobby is one of those guys who moves into a neighborhood one week, and by the next week knows everyone. And everyone knows him.

He’s outgoing, friendly, and just plain likable.

Without a doubt, he knows the people in his neighborhood.

Me? Not so much.

I’m a major introvert.

I don’t even like picking up the phone to order a pizza.

I’m embarrassed to say that, even though we’ve lived in the same place for roughly 20 years, I still don’t know many of my neighbors.

Well, now I live just a 12 minute walk away from my office.

Having worked there for a month now, I’m beginning to see some patterns in my daily commute.

Every day there’s a guy standing outside a building on the corner, having his morning smoke. Every day a guy on a bike passes me on the road, drops his hand to signal his turn, and turns right at the same corner.

Yesterday, the guy on the bike pulled up on the sidewalk, said a cheerful ”Good morning!” and continued on his way.

It startled me at first, but I quickly returned a happy “Good morning!” to him.

Then, unconsciously, I started humming that old song from Sesame Street.

Ooooh ooooh, who are the people in your neighborhood? In your neighborhood, in your neighborhood…who are the people in your neighborhood? The people that you meet each day.

It got me thinking. Who are the people in my neighborhood? What would it take for me to find out?

I think the guy on the bike had the right idea.

So today I’m going to say hello to the people in my neighborhood.

Will you join me, and say hello to the people in yours? Let me know who you meet!

Who are the people in your neighborhood?

I like to draw cartoons.

I have a substantial collection in my “archives” (ok, two huge manila envelopes in my desk).

But I don’t have captions for all of them.

Yet.

Welcome to Name That Toon - all the fun of cartooning, without the hassle of drawing stuff!

I know you have it in you. Share your caption(s) for the following cartoon in the comments section below, and you just might be on your way to fame and fortune!

Or at least a virtual high five from yours truly for a job well done.

What’s really happening with these little rodents? Hmm…?

A few days ago, my company scheduled some weekend training at Stage West, a local hotel and theater restaurant. One of the perks was getting to see Motown Gold, a revue that showcased many Motown hits of the 60s and 70s.

The show has played to standing ovations every night. The cast is crazy talented and, of course, the music is amazing!

When the show was over, staff converted the stage into a dance floor for anyone who wanted to get up and work off their buffet dinner.

Among the songs played for our dancing pleasure was Play That Funky Music, a classic by Wild Cherry that hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 way back on my 9th birthday (yep, September 18, 1976).

A few of us sang along until we reached the chorus…

Yeah, they were dancin’ and singin’ and movin’ to the groovin’
And just when it hit me somebody turned around and shouted

Play that funky music…

At that point the song was supposed to contain the words “white boy,” but someone had removed them from the song.

Whaaaat?! Are you serious?!

What happened to the white boy?

I knew that Stage West wasn’t the culprit. There has been an edited version of Play That Funky Music out there for a while. I first heard it at a hockey game last year.

But for the life of me I can’t figure out why someone would feel the need to edit ”white boy” out.

I’ve been a white boy all my life, and I’m not offended by the term.

Heck, I’d even be ok with “honky”.

But, if that’s the way things are going, I guess we won’t be hearing Elton John’s Honky Cat any more, huh?

Or Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl for that matter.

Perhaps Chris de Burgh’s Lady In Red might need a rewrite too.

Oh well. While everybody else is busy snipping out potentially offensive lyrics, I’m going to crank up the volume and play this video, complete with the original lyrics and an introduction by Helen Reddy of I Am Woman fame.

Play that funky music, white boy. Lay down the boogie and play that funky music till you die.

What other classic songs can you think of that might be snipped by overzealous censors?

Welcome to our 200th post!

Christian in the Rough was launched just over 500 days ago, and I couldn’t be more grateful for all of you who have shared in some or all of the last 199 posts. Thank you!

Not only have we reached the milestone of 200 posts, but we will also be reaching a special number of comments on this very post.

As a token of my thanks, I’m very pleased to offer a 2011 Hallmark Partridge in a Pear Tree ornament to the person who leaves the 3000th comment.

The ornament is pictured above. A $17.75 value, it will be shipped to the winner straight from Amazon.com. It should arrive just in time for Christmas.

Perfect for your own tree, or re-gifting for that special someone who is hard to buy for!

Just click into the comments section and let me know what your favorite part of Christian in the Rough is. I’ll announce the winner once we reach the magic 3000 mark.

Thanks again for being part of our community!

I’ve now been at my new job for three weeks, and I’m loving it!

I love the 12-minute walk to work. I love how well the company treats its people. I love the people I work with. I love the laughter we share. I love the work we do.

It’s the closest I’ve ever come to having a “dream job”.

It makes me wonder how I endured my old job for six years before getting laid off.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:

Sometimes we fail to notice how empty, miserable, or at least misguided we are in certain situations until we are drawn into better circumstances and get a different perspective.

Losing my old job was one of the best things that could have happened.

Although it sure didn’t feel like it at the time.

Was it easy to go through the uncertainty of unemployment, the hassle of sifting through hundreds of opportunities to get just one job offer, and the overwhelming silence of mass rejection?

Nope. But…

Sometimes blessings come in unlikely packages.

Getting laid off didn’t seem like a blessing when it happened, but it has become one.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. – Romans 8:28

Don’t get me wrong. I’m no Pollyanna.

Bad things happen to all of us. Life rarely turns out the way we planned or hoped. I fully expect life to be difficult and painful.

I don’t expect God to make life easy, ensure that everything has a good purpose to it, or even allow us to make sense of all the things that we go through.

But I do live with the hope that, when we love Him and submit to His calling for our lives, God can salvage something good out of even the worst circumstances.

When have you experienced a setback that turned out to be a blessing?

Well, it finally happened last night.

Our first real snow of the season.

Not a lot of snow, really.

Just enough to reveal that many here have forgotten, or perhaps never quite learned, how to drive in it.

Just enough to warrant a weather forecast like this one from the Canadian Studmuffin Larry Graves:

Yes, Canadian winters can be harsh. But, relatively speaking, it’s not that bad here in southern Ontario, where such notable Canadian celebrities as the Canadian Studmuffin, “Bellymonster” Liz McLennan and I live.

We like joking about the weather up here in Canada. Especially when we’re talking to people who think it’s much worse than it really is. I’ve been tempted a few times to follow Jim Carrey’s lead in describing our climate to unsuspecting southerners.

Yeah, it gets cold (and dark) in the winter. But as much as I long for more hours of daylight and a bit of natural heat in the dead of winter, I don’t think I’d trade the climate if I could.

I enjoy the visible changing of the seasons. I look forward to a white Christmas, the warm rebirth of spring, the heat and activity of summer and the colorful close of autumn.

And who would want to lose such a great source of conversation?

What’s the weather like where you live?

Welcome to December, everyone!

It’s once again time to look back and celebrate some of our favorite blog posts from the previous month.

You’ll notice that we have a relatively short list here this month. I need your help to fill it out.

So, while paying these worthy blogs and bloggers a visit, why not leave a plug for one of your own favorites here so we can share?

Let’s offer a well deserved thumbs up to all the great blogs and bloggers out there!

In no particular order, here are my November faves:

1. I am more than a celery cop or chocolate patrol – Brad Huebert knows that there’s more to his morning ritual than just monitoring his children’s eating habits.
2. Lest We Forget – Liz from Life With Bellymonster has a Remembrance Day story her family – and you – will not soon forget.
3. Getting what we’re owed – Billy Coffey gives some welcome perspective to the Occupy movement.
4. Festive Bushes and the Like – Mandie Marie puts the Christmas back in Christmas tree.
5. A father’s greatest compliment – Jason of Mustard Seed Year poses a very good question.
6. Guard your heart, bro. – Newcomer to PWTM Jamie the Very Worst Missionary offers some great spiritual advice that’s not just for girls.

Now it’s your turn. Be sure to leave us a link in the comments. It can be from your own blog or someone else’s…

What was your favorite post from November?

Yesterday I pushed the envelope.

I threw caution to the wind.

I broke through my inhibitions.

I flew in the face of convention.

I dared to be different.

I took a walk on the wild side.

Yes, I drank a cup of “morning blend” coffee. At 2 in the afternoon.

That’s right, folks.

I’m livin’ on the edge.

Danger is my middle name.

What bold and daring things have you done lately?

I don’t watch very much TV.

Partly because I have no idea how to turn the darn thing on. There are way too many buttons on the remotes these days.  And partly because I just don’t have that kind of spare time.

But when I do watch TV, there is one type of show that I avoid like the plague.

Any show with a laugh track.

If you have to tell me when it’s supposed to be funny…

…maybe it isn’t.

I’m so glad that real life doesn’t have a laugh track. Or else it might wind up looking like this:

What do you think of shows with laugh tracks?

I noticed a sign in the washroom today.

“Don’t forget to wash your hands.”

I paid cash for my groceries at the self-checkout.

“Don’t forget to take your change,” the machine advised.

Don’t forget.

Hmph.

Uncle Larry just discovered a pet peeve.

What if they worded it like this instead:

“Please remember to wash your hands.”

“Please remember to take your change.”

Remember.

Aaah, much better.

It’s like back when I played baseball as a kid. I was usually the pitcher. Every once in a while I’d fall behind in the count. And some doofus on my team would say, “Don’t walk him, Larry.”

Seriously? Did you think that was encouraging? Reminding me not to screw up?

How about saying something positive like “Strike him out!” instead?

Or as an adult, when my hockey team was gearing up for a big playoff game and our other goalie got up and said, “If we play like s***, guys, we’re gonna lose.”

Thanks, Phil. I love you like a brother, but motivational speeches are not your forte.

Would you consider ”If we play well, guys, we’re gonna win”?

I just find it hard to draw encouragement from a sentence that begins with “don’t”.

Is it just me?

What do you think of the difference between “don’t forget” and “remember”?

Back on August 31, I was called into an office and told that I was newly unemployed.

Funny, because a few weeks earlier I had the feeling that God was calling me to move on from that position. I remember praying that He make it abundantly clear whether or not He wanted me to go.

Well, He did.

Part of me was glad to move on. Part of me was hurt that the company didn’t quite recognize the contributions I made through my work there. And part of me was anxious about the prospect of being without a substantial, steady income for an unknown amount of time.

Fortunately, I start a new job tomorrow. It’s better than the old job in many ways. And I never would have wound up there if I hadn’t been kicked out of the old one in the first place. If it were up to me, I’d still be stuck there.

Sometimes we need to go through pain, challenges and uncertainty to wind up where we ought to be.

I’m glad I documented my job search through this period. It was quite interesting.

Over 10 weeks I sifted through hundreds of job opportunities. I submitted 40 applications for positions that I felt were ideal matches to my experience and qualifications. I firmly believed that I would hear back from every single one with a request for interview.

Out of an expected 40, I received only 8 interested replies.

Yikes!

Those 8 replies translated into:

2 phone interviews

3 in-person recruiter interviews

4 in-person employer interviews

2 aptitude tests

and

(finally)

1 job offer.

See, it didn’t exactly just drop into my lap.

I get the feeling that there’s usually a lot more hard work, pain, challenges and uncertainty behind most successes than we care to think about. 

But, as Dan Rather once said, “If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all.”

What challenges have you experienced (or are you experiencing) on the road to something better?

What successes have you been avoiding because you know some of the difficulties that stand in the way? 

If you’re a Guns N’ Roses fan, you’re likely familiar with the song Mr. Brownstone from their 1987 album Appetite for Destruction. Alluding to the life of a heroin addict, the lyrics include, “I used to do a little, but a little wouldn’t do, so the little got more and more.”

Those lyrics sprang to life for me last night as I dove into a bag of potato chips.

Is it just me, or has somebody cranked the seasoning dial up way too high on our potato chips these days?

I can’t eat a mouthful of flavored chips without feeling like I’m giving my tongue a chemical peel.

I don’t remember chips being like this when I was a kid.

Take a look at the picture above and you’ll see how dangerously high the average American’s sodium intake is. And it’s been increasing since 1970 (yep, that’s when I was a kid).*

And it’s not just potato chips.

Seems like just about everything is growing (or has grown) out of control today. Little. By. Little.

Let’s think about it - would most prime time TV shows or commercials on the air today have been allowed to air 30 or 40 years ago? Are we any more “enlightened” or blessed for having programs like Jersey Shore?

I don’t think so.

Or look at the collapsing economies of dozens of countries around the world.

Am I turning into Chicken Little or did my bag of chips last night tip me off that we as a society are, as Dire Straits once put it, “dying by degrees”?

I’ve been caught in this trap before. The changes are so gradual that we don’t even notice. Just a little bit more salt…just a little bit more salt…just a little bit more salt…

Next thing you know our health is all out of whack.

Physical, spiritual, financial…

That’s why we have the Bible.

It should be our fixed point of reference. A measuring stick. A signpost. A GPS to keep us on track.

And yeah, I must admit that after the flavor blast from those chips, the taste of healthy food can seem a little bland and restricting at first.

But in the end I’d rather be healthy.

Where do you see gradual, unhealthy changes taking place?

*For more information on sodium intake click this link to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention article titled Americans Consume Too Much Sodium (Salt).

Can you help me?

If you’ve spent a significant amount of time in social media lately, you’ve likely heard of Klout.

Klout measures the amount of online influence you have, based on content that you create, recommend and share in the social media realm. Klout boasts that they “have a killer team of scientists and engineers working everyday to ensure continued accuracy” of what topics it deems you are influential about.

And I must admit that they do a pretty good job of drawing key words from social media to determine topics that I am interested in, and chat about.

But it’s the anomalies that are the most entertaining.

Some of my favorites among felow bloggers?

Ben Reed is influential about Okra.

KC Procter is influential about Duct Tape.

Mo Karulkar is influential about Hummus.

Matt Cannon is influential about Hairstyle.

Moe Vivas and Billy Coffey are influential about Earthquakes.

Alise Wright is influential about Justin Bieber.

The incomparable Katdish is influential about Mafia and Refrigerator.

Clay Morgan is influential about Pregnancy. (Hmm…)

Amanda aka Mandie Marie is influential about Snuggie.

Chris Goforth is influential about Sheep.

And, of course, Kely Braswell is influential about…Apostrophe. Yep, I don’t get it either.

So it wasn’t too much of a surprise today when I found out that, according to Klout, I am most influential about Zombies, Turkey and Christianity.

But I’m just not sure how the three fit together.

Can you help me come up with a story that involves Zombies, Turkey and Christianity?

To make sure everyone gets a shot at it, we are going to write this story together, in segments of 15 words or less. You can add to the story as many times as you’d like in the comments section, but you can’t post two consecutive sections. You have to wait for someone else to add their section before you add another. Everyone takes a turn, ok?

I’ll start it off.

It was a dark and stormy night. As the rain pelted the windshield, Dave remembered…

Back in September my wife and I vacationed in Michigan to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary.

My favorite stop in our Michigan tour was Timothy’s Fine Cigars in Bay City*. Owner Tim Socier, self-described as ”like a fine cigar, well aged and a little leathery,” was our gracious host.

“One of the things that I love about this little shop is all the conversations that I get to have with friends and customers,” says Tim, ”I get to share in their lives, both good and bad.”

Timothy’s regularly hosts charity events, shuffleboard games and euchre tournaments. But what really caught my eye were their Tuesday evening cigar-friendly Bible study and their Sunday Cigar Service.

Does that change your perception of cigar smokers a bit?

“I just love cigars!” Tim confesses, “I love how they bring people together. My dearest friends, I have met in this shop. Cigars make you stop for a minute and remember how blessed you are.”

I couldn’t agree more.

As much as I know how important it is for me to be still, pray, and know that God is God, I find it’s easier said than done. I rarely sit still.

Unless I’m having a cigar.

The La Flor Dominicana Ligero L-500′s that I bought at Timothy’s take me well over an hour to smoke. Each cigar is an event, where everything else goes on hold. Kind of like setting aside 90 minutes to go into a theater and watch a movie.

Wednesday afternoon, when the temperatures hit an unusually high 64 degrees F, I couldn’t resist. There’s nothing quite like being still in my back yard – just me, a cigar, and God. We had a great chat. It was wonderful.

It’s my 5 3/4 inch sabbath.

What unusual things do you find help you get closer to God?

* Just in case you were wondering, the answer is yes - the Bay City Rollers, though Scottish, were named after Bay City, Michigan - the result of a dart thrown at a map. Pretty neat, eh?

I always look forward to the start of a new month.

It’s a time of reflection and taking stock. It’s a time for figuring out what worked, what didn’t, and what we can do better. It’s a time of resolve and renewed energy.

But most of all, it’s time for the Posts with the Most!

If you are new to the neighborhood, welcome! Posts with the Most is a collection of my favorite blog posts from the previous month, collected from the dozens of blogs in my reader.

As great as these posts are, I know I’ve only covered a fraction of the entire blogosphere. So I’d like to ask you a favor. Would you kindly add your favorite post for October 2011 in the comment section here?

Let’s recognize as many great blogs and bloggers as we can! 

I’m proud to share these picks with you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

1. Astonish Me – Dustin Valencia from Abraham Chronicles gives us an encouraging Christian perspective on the motto of a graphic design pioneer.
2. Sweaty Worship – Gary Molander of GaryMo reveals that worship is probably a lot more than you thought it was.
3. Peace at the Laundromat – This gem from Alise Wright of Alise Write! proves that agitation is best left to washing machines.
4. Monitoring My Blessings – Liz McLennan rocks. She leaves comments on my blog that are better than my posts. Here she does a little bedtime eavesdropping on her sons at Life With Bellymonster.
5. Blah Blah Blah – Matt Cannon aka The Seeking Pastor says it all here, remarkably with very few words.
6. Treasured Guidance – A moving tribute to her Mom and her legacy from Carol H. Rives of Pause and Smile.
7. Shining Your Light – Feeling unsure of yourself? Let Billy Coffey give you an encouraging reminder.
8. Occupy Your Community – Before you organize a demonstration, check in with Keri at Pop Parables for some sound direction.
9. How to Overcome Perceptions – I love how the theme of many of these posts tie together. Here Ben Reed’s Life & Theology teaches us about real public relations.

What was your favorite post for October 2011?

My son was playing on our Wii Fit Plus.

“Dad,” he asked, “which activity should I do next?”

I pointed to the top left corner. “Try Perfect 10.”

He replied, “Naaah, I don’t really want to do that one.”

I thought, “What’s the point of asking me for direction if you’re not going to follow it?”

Then God leaned in and whispered to me, “Good question.”

Busted.

James 1:22

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time.

I have a stalker. I’ve seen her.

She is short, with light brown hair and green eyes. She wanders our neighborhood after dark. Most nights between midnight and 6 am she leaps onto the trunk of my car, then climbs onto the roof. She perches there like a queen on her throne.

Before dawn she saunters down the windshield and across the hood, jumps to the ground and disappears into the night.

All that remain in the morning are her paw prints on my windshield.

Silly cat.

At first I found the paw prints annoying. But now there is something almost comforting about finding them on my windshield in the morning. I look forward to it. Through the course of the day they may fade or get wiped off, but chances are good that there will be a fresh set there again in the morning.

Have you ever had something – or someone – impact you like that?

They’ve left their paw prints on your windshield. Maybe it even seemed a bit annoying at first. But eventually it became a blessing. Through a word of encouragement. Through a positive relationship. Through their example. Their presence may fade or be wiped away through the course of the day, but the next morning they are back again, fresh and comforting.

Who has left their paw prints on your windshield?

Last week I asked in a post what our readers would like to protest. We got some fun answers, but we also had a lot of commenters remark that they were getting agitated as they thought about things that really bothered them.

Kind of like how I used to get whenever I heard Coldplay.

Yes, I realize that I’m probably in the minority here. Everybody and their brother seems to like Coldplay these days. But I’ve never been a fan.

And now that people are oohing and aahing about their latest release, it looks like I’ll be hearing a lot more of Coldplay in the coming weeks.

It would probably be a traffic-boosting source of controversy if I spent the next few paragraphs trashing Coldplay and telling everyone how I don’t like their music very much.

But really, who would that serve in the end?

Frankly, dwelling on things that bother me is downright exhausting. It’s like trying to dig your way out of a hole. The more you gripe, the more you seem to find stuff to gripe about.

Sharing that gripe would be nothing more than an attempt to drag a few more people in and get them as agitated as me.

I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to go there.

So, I won’t!

I’m not going to rant about Coldplay here. Truth be told, I’ve listened to a few of the songs from their new release, and they are starting to grow on me.

Like this one:

So what if I don’t like Coldplay? Well, I suppose I could dwell on it and get upset.

What I would rather do is think about some things that are worth celebrating.

Some may be big and obvious, like the Gospel. Others we may take for granted but really miss when they aren’t there, like comfortable 100% cotton underwear, hot showers, clean drinking water, and bacon.

Either way, there are plenty of things worth celebrating out there.

What are some of yours?

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time.

Every year nearly 12000 other people and I climb a few stairs to raise money for a local charity.

Ok, more than just a few stairs. Actually, the tallest metal staircase in the world, located in the CN Tower in Toronto.

A total of 1776 stairs rise 342 metres (1122 feet) from the base of the tower to its lookout level. The staircase and landings are only wide enough for two people to ascend side-by-side. On average, the event sends 700 people per hour up the staircase.

It is not an easy climb.

Paramedics are stationed every ten flights. I usually pass a few people on the stairs, and several more that have stopped on the tiny landings to catch their breath. And a few keeners always streak past me on our way up.

The strain of the climb itself, coupled with a narrow pathway and high traffic volume, creates potential for a lot of conflict, much like rush-hour traffic in a densely populated city.

However, no one I’ve encountered along the way has had anything negative to say.

Everyone is remarkably positive and encouraging. The participants, the paramedics, even the people at the base and lookout level who aren’t climbing the stairs clap and cheer in support of those who do.

It is so refreshing.

Imagine what would happen if we chose that attitude on a daily basis, not just while climbing stairs for charity.

Sincere encouragement is infectious, both in giving and receiving.

In 2009 I did my first climb, finishing after 29 minutes and 28 seconds.

I returned in 2010, and completed my second climb in 24:53.

Today, October 23, 2011, I’m heading down to the tower for my third ascent, and shooting for a personal best of 24 minutes. I’ll be sure to post my time as soon as I get back!

Climbing 1776 stairs in less than half an hour isn’t easy. But with a lot of encouragement,

one

step

at

a

time,

it’s amazing what can be accomplished.

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. – Ephesians 4:29

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. – Philippians 4:8

What have you accomplished, bit by bit, with encouragement, that at first seemed overwhelming?

My daughter Stephanie lives more than 2000 miles away. My wife and I are very thankful for Skype, email, texting, and all the other convenient ways there are to keep in touch with her.

She regularly contacts us via her cell, sending pictures of her latest latte art (there’ll be a post on that in the near future) and random texts throughout the day with her entertaining observations on life.

Yesterday’s text exchange between Steph and my wife was a great example of just how warped and hilarious my family can be…

Steph: Seeing Christmas lights and decorations and stuff up now makes me furious. It’s not even Halloween yet! It’s still warm outside! Put it back in the box!

Monique: Maybe they are Halloween decorations dressed up to look like Christmas? They are in their costumes!

Steph: Candy canes? They weren’t eating people or anything… They seemed rather jolly.

Monique: That is how they lure you in! They look all cheery and festive, you take them home thinking you are safe, then after midnight – BOOM they are zombie candy canes.

Take another look at that picture above, and tell me you don’t see it.

Yep, zombies.

Stripey, minty zombies.

Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

When do you think people should put up their Christmas decorations?

Back in high school, I knew some students who lived to go to protests.

It didn’t really matter what the protests were for or against. They just liked the idea of protesting.

After all, when you’re yelling, “Hey hey! Ho ho! (Something, something)’s got to go!” or “What do we want? (Something!) When do we want it? Now!” does it really matter what the something is?

Last year my part of the country hosted the G8 Summit, the G20 Summit, a few Infiniti G25′s and probably a Gee Whiz Summit over in the corner for good measure.

There were a lot of protesters. And I bet a significant number of them couldn’t articulate what they were protesting, or offer any viable solutions.

They were just there for the party.

Which kind of ruins it for those who really know and are passionate about the issues.

So I had a bit of a chuckle when I saw the slogan on the above poster for Occupy Wall Street.

“What is our one demand?”

Dude, shouldn’t you figure that out before you protest?

Aah, maybe not…?

But as Christians we are told:

…And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. – 1 Peter 3:15b-16

I think that gets the message across better anyway. Something we should all aim for.

But hey, while we’re here and talking about protests, let’s have some fun.

Here are some things I’d like to protest, if I had the time:

• single-ply toilet paper
• “fitted” sheets that are too small and peel away from the bed in the middle of the night
• polyester (Yeah, you can call yourself “microfiber” but we still know what you are.)
• the extra “U” in all those Canadian words like “neighbour” and “colour” (Yes, I’m Canadian, but I never use the extra U. Think of all the ink cartridges it saves! Plus it just plain looks wrong.)
• people who use their hand-held camcorder to record a video off their TV, then post it onto YouTube (Dude, a video with such poor quality should never be posted. Please save me the click and don’t.)
• all that extra hair that started growing from my ears when I turned 40 (What is with that, anyway?)
• the word “bling”
• that guy in the office who insists on retelling every sitcom that he watched last night, word for word

How about you – what would you like to protest, if you had the time?

Yesterday morning my friend Moe shared this thought on Twitter:

@Moe_NYC  I’ve grown weary of “X steps to solve (insert problem here)” posts. We’ve all become experts. Is the internet making us smarter or dumber?

This morning my friend Matt published a genius post called Blah Blah Blah.

Right on, Moe and Matt.

Just because it’s published on the internet, doesn’t mean it’s true.

Or valuable.

However, after a hearty breakfast and several hours of intense daydreaming, I have figured out the secret of how to become an internet guru. Normally people would charge thousands of dollars to reveal these secrets. But today I am publicly posting them, for a limited time. Because I love you.

Here are the five steps to becoming an internet guru:

1. First, write a post about how to become an internet guru. It doesn’t matter whether or not you really know how. Just say it with authority. Hundreds of thousands of people want to become internet gurus too, so they will flock to your site to glean your perceived wisdom.
2. Make sure your post is in a list format. Internet gurus always have lists. Because people like reading lists. People know that things in lists are always true. For added effect, make sure the number of items in your list is an odd number. Why, you ask? Don’t question, just do it.
3. Add a little drama to the mix. Tell them you learned how to do all this from the spirit of the late J Paul Getty as channeled through a dying rat after it chewed through a power cord and shorted out your used toaster oven, which was your only possession prior to learning these secrets to success. Offer the secrets as a $36,000 value that you are selling for a limited time for $450.
4. Withhold one step at the end. Promise to reveal it to them in future posts.
5. Subscribe here to see Step 5 revealed in future posts!

If you could become a “guru” on any topic, what would it be?

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time.

Last year my oldest son’s band (Aprilis) played at the el Mocambo Tavern in Toronto.

The “el Mo” has a very rich musical history. Over the years it has hosted such big names as The Rolling Stones, U2, The Police, and even Marilyn Monroe. Yes, I said Marilyn Monroe. If you now have “Happy birthday, Mr. President” going through your head, it is completely my fault.

Sorry…

It was my first time visiting the el Mo. I was excited to see my son and his band on stage at such a storied venue. We arrived about an hour before their set. The band that was on stage when we arrived was very talented.

Their singer mentioned something about them being a Canadian Battle of the Bands champion, or something like that. Sadly, I had trouble listening to what he was saying. I was distracted by all of the F-bombs that peppered his speech.

“I want everybody in this **** room to mosh from this side of the **** room to the other **** side of the room, and from the back of the **** room to the **** front!” he yelled.

Yikes!

Am I turning into an old curmudgeon?

I do remember letting a few foul words fly when I was younger and in certain places where that language was often the norm (hockey dressing rooms, baseball dugouts, construction sites, shipping docks, engineering school, driving in rush hour traffic, etc.) But this was downright painful to hear.

Probably because it was so unnecessary.

The singer had enough energy and charisma to influence the room without the added profanity. In fact, he appeared to have much less influence when he swore. Nobody was moshing. I’ve seen the same thing happen with comedians who are extremely gifted, but fall back on coarse language to get a few laughs. Their influence just seems to drop a few notches.

I wish I had taken the time to flag down and chat with the young singer after their set. I don’t know if it would have made a difference or not. But I’d like for him to know that he is better than the language that he was using. That he had what it takes to rise above it.

Strangely, I found myself not wanting to scold him for his foul language, but to encourage him to step beyond it. That’s an unusual reaction for me. Sounds like God might be doing some work on me too. He’s teaching me about grace.

Next time I see that singer, I think I’m going to talk with him about grace.

And maybe when we’re done, he can show this old curmudgeon how to mosh.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. – Ephesians 4:29

When is the last time you were in a mosh pit?

Everybody wants to be a cartoonist. But who has time these days to draw?

Welcome to Name That Toon – all the fun of cartooning, without the hassle of drawing stuff!

You are welcome to hover for as long as you’d like, or dive right in to the comments section below and share your caption for today’s toon. Winner will receive a virtual fist bump.

While you’re here, why not invite a friend or two to join in the fun?

Today I was a not-so-good Samaritan.

I was making some sweet potato and leek soup at home, and realized that I needed a can of coconut milk to finish the recipe.

I hopped in the car and drove over to the bakery to pick up a couple loaves of sourdough bread to go with the soup, then zipped over to a local grocery store to pick up my coconut milk.

As I walked out of the store, can in hand, I noticed an elderly couple emptying their groceries into the trunk of their car.

I thought to myself, here’s a great chance to be a good Samaritan.

As I offered to return their shopping cart for them, the man gave me a bit of a puzzled look.

Unfazed, I figured that he just mustn’t be used to having someone offer to help.

Just then a young store employee walked by with a few other empty carts, so I asked if I could add this couple’s cart to the load. He said, “Sure.”

As I went to add the cart to the existing train, I noticed that they were all coin activated. Each had a special slot and key that needed a $0.25 deposit to unlock.

No wonder the man looked at me that way. He figured I was trying to steal his quarter!

Slightly flustered, I tried to smoothly click the key back in place and return his coin.

No such luck.

There were no diagrams on the carts. Just a short chain, a weird looking key, and one visible slot that was too small for the key to fit.

Completely puzzled, I asked the employee how to retrieve the quarter. He shrugged and muttered a helpful, “Dunno.”

I could have assembled three barbecues in the amount of time I stood there trying to figure it out.

Finally the old man had had enough. He grabbed the cart and the key, shoved the key in the back of the cart handle and snatched his quarter.

I blurted out, “Oh, THAT’s how it works!”

He just looked at me like I had three heads or something.

I felt just like Super Grover in this video:

Oh well.

I may not have been all that helpful, but I bet I gave that couple something to talk about tonight.

And the soup is awesome!

Have you ever botched up an attempt to be helpful?

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time.

Oprah Winfrey is considered by many to be one of the most influential women in the world today. An incredibly popular philanthropist, activist, political advocate and media giant, her sphere of influence extends to millions of people in dozens of countries across the globe.

Vanity Fair magazine once printed, “Oprah Winfrey arguably has more influence on the culture than any university president, politician, or religious leader, except perhaps the Pope.”

There is no denying that Oprah has used her position of influence to positively affect thousands, maybe even millions of lives around the world, donating millions of dollars and drawing attention to many worthwhile causes. Yet she’s also had her fair share of controversy.

Let me begin by saying that I am not pointing to Oprah Winfrey as the source of all that is wrong with the world today. Nor am I expecting her to lead an infallible life simply because she is influential. However, one comment she made about a certain Bible verse has definitely sparked a lot of debate.

Almost 30 years ago, Oprah was attending a church service. In her words:

“…this great minister was preaching about how great God was and how omniscient and omnipresent, and God is everything, and then he said, ‘and the Lord thy God is a jealous God’ and I was, you know, caught up in the rapture of that moment until he said ‘jealous’. And something struck me…I was thinking, God is all, God is omnipresent, God is…and God is also jealous? Jealous, God is jealous of me? Umm, and something about that didn’t, didn’t feel right in my spirit because I believe that God is love and that God is in all things and so that’s when the search for something more than ‘doctrine’ started to stir within me.”

When she heard the word “jealous”, no doubt Oprah thought of how the word is often used today – meaning fearful, suspicious, vindictive – hardly the attributes I would ascribe to a loving, perfect God either. It’s something that caused me concern as well when I first heard it.

Who would want a relationship with a God who is jealous? Isn’t jealousy a bad quality?

At this point we have a choice: do we dismiss what is now a less-than-ideal God in our eyes, and instead start to seek and define a God that operates on our terms? Or do we seek a deeper understanding of what God says about His own character?

This isn’t just about Oprah. It’s about how we all view and relate to God.

When God says, “I am a jealous God,” do we really have the right to say, “No, you’re not”?

How arrogant to dismiss God for who He is! But without knowing the true meaning of the word “jealous” in this case, it’s easy to have our doubts.

Thankfully, there’s an answer.

“Jealous” in this case, or “El Qanna” in Hebrew, refers to the fact that God expects – and warrants – our exclusive worship and love. God doesn’t want anything to interfere with our relationship with Him. It’s not an unhealthy jealousy, but rather an intense love that shuns everything that gets in its way.

In this case “jealous” is a good quality.

As Steven Curtis Chapman aptly wrote,

God is God and I am not
I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting
God is God and I am man
So I’ll never understand it all
For only God is God

Like it or not, God is God. There are no valid substitutes.

We’ll never fully understand Him, but that’s no reason to dismiss or doubt Him. It is not up to us to try to define Him, especially on our own terms. It is up to us to grow in our understanding of Him and accept Him for who He is.

I’m learning to do that. Some days are easier than others. Now that I have a better understanding of what it means, I’m ok with God being “jealous”. I hope Oprah and her fans are as well.

I don’t want anyone to miss out on His amazing love.

You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you. – Exodus 34:14

“If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” – Saint Augustine

What parts of God’s character do you find hard to understand?

Werner Barth was the best teacher I ever had.

A wiry man with a spring in his step, a sparkle in his eye, a gravelly voice and a thick German accent, Barth had a tremendous effect on me. Strangely, it had nothing to do with the topic he was teaching.

Barth taught statics – defined in one dictionary as “The branch of physics that deals with physical systems in equilibrium, in which no bodies are in motion, and all forces are offset or counterbalanced by other forces.”

It was potentially one of the most boring subjects on earth.

But not with Barth as the teacher!

Today I have the pleasure of guest posting at Renee Jacobson’s blog, Lessons From Teachers and Twits. Renee is hosting a weekly series called TWITS, which (in this case) stands for Teachers Who I Think Scored.

To find out why Barth was the best teacher I ever had, just click on this picture of Renee and pay her a visit. While you’re there, say hello in the comments section. Let us know who your favorite teacher was!

See you there!

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time. Cheers!

I suppose most parents say this, but I think my kids are awesome.

Stephanie is a creative, hardworking artist with an eye for photography. Matt is an accomplished guitarist who also loves working with wood. Zac has a passion for musical theater and makes great cookies. Jake is a drummer with an unstoppable imagination.

They have all inherited their father’s warped sense of humor.

My wife is a saint.

Last September, the kids all went back to school. Each one eased back into the routine of going to bed on time, setting their alarm clocks, and making their own lunches. I had to laugh on Tuesday morning when I opened the refrigerator door and read the label that Jake had placed on his “sammitch.”

Apparently Jake did not want anyone else to take his lunch. Of course, he does know how to spell “sandwich.” But I like the way he spelled it for his label. It’s quirky, fun and memorable, just like Jake.

It occurred to me that I don’t tell my kids often enough how proud I am of them and how honored I am to have them as part of my family. It’s little things like the “sammitch” label that remind me how very unique and gifted they each are.

What are some quirky, fun and memorable things your children have done?

Waaaaait a minute…

It’s the end of September already? Where does the time go?

For me it has been a whirlwind, including four weeks of job hunting, a refreshing weekend away with the young adult group from our church, riding a horse for the first time in 30 years, a really cool vacation in Michigan, my 44th birthday, and my 21st anniversary. I hope you’ve had an incredible month too!

Of course, as each month draws to a close I look forward to presenting our Posts with the Most – ten of my favorites from around the blogosphere. Many thanks to my wife Monique for helping me whittle the list down to ten. That’s always the hardest part!

In (mostly) chronological order, here are your September 2011 Posts with the Most:

1. A Letter to My Son…and the World – Get a hanky ready. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Liz McLennan of Life With Bellymonster wrote a couple of PWTM-worthy posts this month. But this one is my favorite. If you don’t subscribe to her blog already, do it. Right now.
2. Memories of Anger or Grace – There must be something about blogging and the name Acuff. I’m not sure whether Suzanne Acuff of The Acuff Family is related to blogger Jon Acuff or not, but both are great bloggers. In this post, Suzanne shows how we can shape our children’s lives through one simple choice.
3. To Love A (Wo)Man – Messiah Mom Kristin Herdejurgen is feelin’ the love. Why not head over and see how?
4. “I know you’re going to say no, but…” – This was actually a re-post of an earlier Billy Coffey classic. When it came up again and was eligible for Posts with the Most, I…ahem…couldn’t say no!
5. My love letter book – Husbands, wives, parents, siblings, everyone who knows and loves someone – you need to read this post by Brad Huebert.
6. First World Monday - Gene Anderson of Rucksack Revolution has been places that most people would never want to go. He has a perspective on things that is well worth sharing. While you are visiting, be sure to also read Gene’s post about 10 Things You Should Know About Homelessness From The Inside Out.
7. Making Them Smile – The Seeking Pastor Matt Cannon knows how to make people smile. And he also has some good reasons why!
8. Tenderness – Mandie Marie (aka Amanda) switches gears slightly here from her usual quirky, hilarious posts, showing incredible depth and talent as a writer. After reading this post, check out her Friday Field Notes!
9. Guest Post: “Everyone You Meet” – This is why guest posts are so great. Tamara Out Loud hosted Amanda Williams of life. edited. yesterday. I had never heard of Amanda before. Now I’m very glad that I have!
10. If You Think I Take Grammar Seriously, You Should See Me On Rosh Hashanah – Yes, Christian in the Rough is promoting a Jewish post. Who knew? After reading this gem about Rosh Hashanah from Renee at Lessons From Teachers and Twits, I think you’ll see why it’s included here. Dip your apple!

Ok, now it’s your turn:

What was your favorite post from September 2011?

I just dropped my car off at Gary’s Automotive Repair for an oil change and some other routine maintenance. I like dropping my car off at Gary’s.

I know that he is going to do a good job. I’ve trusted my vehicles to Gary for years.

And I know he’s going to tell me right away how long the service may take. When Gary is busy, he lets his customers know up front. He doesn’t make promises that he can’t keep. If it’s going to be three hours before he can look at your car, he’ll tell you so.

I’m sure he’s lost several jobs because of it. I have seen people walk out the door because the announced wait was longer than they wanted.

But life is so much simpler for Gary and his customers, because Gary tells the truth.

If a job is going to take four hours, tell me that it’s going to take four hours! Don’t tell me that it’s going to take two hours because that’s what I want to hear, then jerk me around for another two. That adds way too much stress to both our lives.

Though lying may put you in the “good books” for a while, the truth will always catch up and find you out.

How to keep your life simple in one easy step?

Tell the truth!

Easy? Not always.

Simple? Yes.

Worth it? You bet!

“A lie will easily get you out of a scrape, and yet, strangely and beautifully, rapture possesses you when you have taken the scrape and left out the lie.” – C.E. Montague

When you would rather hear a lie than the truth?

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.- Proverbs 13:20

Four weeks ago I was laid off from a job I had been working at for the past six years. In the grand scheme of things, it’s no big deal. Layoffs happen all the time, especially in Canadian manufacturing. Life goes on. Though I’m still looking for work, I’m confident that God will provide.

Unfortunately, the way my former employer went about laying me off is known as ”constructive dismissal”, which is a definite no-no.

Friends and family members cried foul, and strongly suggested that I take legal action against the company. I had been treated unfairly, and needed to exact some revenge.

And I must admit that I did want to see the company pay for handling the dismissal in such an unprofessional manner. At least that might keep them from doing the same thing to someone else.

But I don’t know the first thing about labor law. I figured that I’d better find someone who does.

My sister recommended Gary Bennett of Bennett Law Chambers, and I’m very glad she did.

Gary was incredible. He asked me lots of good questions. He gathered all the information. He gave me many valuable tips about labor law and pitfalls to avoid in the future. I knew that I could count on Gary to give me wise counsel.

After our consultation Gary let me know that, although my former employer played dirty pool in how they let me go, their severance met the terms of my employment contract. I had no case against them.

That wasn’t really what I wanted to hear.

I wanted to hear that we were going to go at them full tilt, seeking a potentially large settlement that would help me provide for my family while I’m looking for other work. I wanted to hear that we were going to teach them a lesson so no other employees would suffer the same mistreatment.

But sometimes the thing we want to hear, isn’t the thing we ought to hear.

Gary saved me lots of time and money by letting me know that legal action would be fruitless. He also earned my admiration and a well-deserved plug from Christian in the Rough.

If you are from Ontario and need a good labor lawyer, give Gary a call.

When have you benefitted from someone telling you something that you didn’t want to hear, but was the best thing for you?

Liz McLennan and I have always had a sort of kinship. We both have sons with red hair. We both live in Southern Ontario. We’ve both used hockey sticks as household tools. And now (thanks to Liz) we have both received the Liebster Award!

The purpose of the Liebster is to bring attention to some great, but not yet well known, blogs and bloggers. Recipients are asked to pay the honor forward to five of their favorite blogs that have fewer than 200 subscribers.

Liz’s blog recently received a well-deserved Liebster from Elena Aitken. And I’m pleased to announce that one of Liz’s five choices was Christian in the Rough.

Thanks, Liz!

Before I extend the shout out to five of my faves, please pay a visit to Liz’s blog Life With Bellymonster. You are sure to enjoy her wonderful mix of humor and wisdom as she shares her adventures as a wife, and mom of two reds!

And now, in alphabetical order, here are my five picks for the Liebster Award:

1. A Woman’s Guide to Women: A Blog for Men – What can I say about Sharideth Smith? My 20-year-old daughter said it best, “she’s very smart this lady.” Sharideth offers up some great advice about relationships, with a healthy amount of fun thrown in.
2. BradHuebert.com – Truths that end the world as you know it. I don’t think I’ve ever called anyone a “Renaissance man” before, but I think fellow Canadian Brad Huebert qualifies as one. He’s an artist, an explorer, an encourager and a man of passion.
3. Mandie Marie – Delightful, quirky and a wee bit twisted. The tagline says it all. Another great Canadian blogger, Amanda has a unique and hilarious perspective on things - all the way from facial hair to quirky Canadian icons to pickles on a stick. (No, pickles on a stick do not count as Canadian icons.)
4. The Seeking Pastor – Seeking to live, laugh, and love like Jesus. Matt Cannon often gets me rolling with laughter and pensively stroking my chin in the same post. I love to laugh. I love to learn. Matt helps me do both. Can’t beat that!
5. Untitled by Michael Perkins – Michael is one of those guys who can use poop as a sermon illustration and somehow pull it off. I don’t know how he does it. It’s probably that charming grin. And his undeniable love for people. Plus he uses really cool adjectives like “awesomesauce” and “stout”. Frankly, I’m jealous.

Congratulations to our five Liebster recipients!

What is your favorite adjective?

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time.

Bill Buckner was a Major League baseball player for more than 20 years. He won the National League batting title in 1980. Over his career he amassed 2,715 hits and boasted a solid .289 batting average. Buckner rarely struck out, four times leading the league in most at bats per strikeout, four times finishing second in that category. He earned a very respectable fielding percentage of .991, meaning he committed an average of just one fielding error for every 101 opportunities.

But that’s not what most baseball fans remember about Bill Buckner.

Let’s go back to Game 6 of the 1986 World Series between the New York Mets and Buckner’s Boston Red Sox. Boston was on the verge of winning their first championship in decades. Ahead by two runs in the bottom of the tenth inning, they quickly recorded two outs against the Mets. Boston’s Marty Barrett was announced on television as the player of the game.

And then the wheels fell off.

Boston yielded a single to Gary Carter. Then a single to Kevin Mitchell. Then a single to Ray Knight, scoring Carter. Then a pitch to batter Mookie Wilson scooted past catcher Rich Gedman, allowing Mitchell to score the tying run, and advancing Ray Knight to second base. In the blink of an eye, the score was tied.

A few pitches later, Wilson hit a routine ground ball toward Buckner that should have been the final out of the inning. It should have sent the game into the 11^th inning as a 5-5 tie. Except it rolled under Buckner’s glove and into right field. Ray Knight ran around from second base to score the winning run.

In Game 7, Boston squandered another lead and lost the series, four games to three.

Even though there were many blunders that led to their loss in game six, and despite a blown chance to redeem themselves in game seven, Buckner’s unlikely error became the lasting symbol of Boston’s World Series loss, and of decades of baseball futility in the city.

Bill Buckner became a household name – not for his impressive career statistics or his admirable character, but for one unfortunate World Series gaffe.

Advance to April 2008. More than 20 years after that fateful error, and almost 18 years after retiring from baseball, Bill Buckner returned to Fenway Park in Boston to throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the season. Unsure of how the fans would receive him, I can only imagine how relieved he was to receive a five-minute standing ovation from a gracious and forgiving full house of Boston fans.

As Buckner left the field that day, it was announced:

“Ladies and gentlemen, one of the greatest players to wear the Boston uniform, and one of the finest men to be part of our alumni. Thank you again, Bill Buckner.”

There are probably still some Boston fans who blame Buckner for the 1986 loss, and who have not forgiven him. But really, how petty is that? Should the memory of one error nullify an otherwise excellent career?

How much more liberating it is to forgive and be forgiven!

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. – Ephesians 4:31-32

Who do you need to forgive?

I’m not usually one to jump on the bandwagon when it comes to blog topic trends.

But when I read posts by Jessica, Amanda, and Renee about accents, while I was vacationing in Michigan, I couldn’t resist!

Many thanks to my friend Kim for meeting up with me at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth and contributing her Michigan accent to this video. You rock, Kim!

Let’s compare the difference between a Michigan accent and its neighbor to the north…

What words would you pronounce differently? What questions would you answer differently?

Today I’m celebrating my 21st wedding anniversary. Monique and I are vacationing, and taking some fun pictures! This one definitely needs a caption.

Click in the comments section below to leave your caption for this gem! Winner receives a virtual fist bump from both me and the bear.

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time. Cheers!

Last year a couple of Canada geese chose the lawn outside my office as their nesting place. The nest quickly became home to six large eggs. It was inspiring to see the mother faithfully, patiently sit on her nest for four long weeks, keeping the eggs safe and warm.

At the end of April, all six eggs hatched. Mother goose was very protective of her offspring. She hissed at me twice as I approached with a camera. However, I did manage to snap the above shot of her with the brand new goslings before they wandered off together in search of water.

I learned a lot about geese through that experience. In fact, I discovered seven really good reasons to act like a Canada goose:

1. Canada geese stay with the same mate for life (if one mate dies, the other will find a new mate).
2. While their eggs are incubating, the male goose stays near the nest and protects his family.
3. Both mother and father goose play an active role in raising their children.
4. By flying together in an aerodynamic V-formation, communities of geese enable themselves to fly at least 70% further than they could if flying on their own.
5. When the goose at the point of the V-formation tires, another goose will take its place and allow it to rotate further back in the formation.
6. Geese further back in the V-formation honk their encouragement to those in the lead.
7. When a goose gets sick or injured and falls out of formation, two other geese stay with that goose and tend to it until it either recovers or dies.

I can’t help but wonder how different our lives would be if we all lived by the same principles of loyalty, responsibility, compassion, encouragement and community as these graceful birds.

What life lessons have you learned from unlikely sources?

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.- Proverbs 13:20

I almost died when I was five years old. My kidneys stopped functioning. I needed two emergency surgeries to repair them, and another three weeks in hospital to recover.

During that time I received dozens of get well cards and letters from family friends. There were so many that we assembled them in a giant scrapbook.

For nearly four decades that scrapbook sat in a trunk at my mom and dad’s house. Just a few weeks ago they dug it out and gave it to me.

There’s something magical about reading cards and letters from people who have since passed away. How incredible and awesome that what we write can live beyond our flesh and affect people long after we are gone.

Tucked in among the cards and letters was a note from Miss Wiiliams, written to me in 1979 for my confirmation (at the time I was Roman Catholic).

Miss Williams was old even then. Her eyesight was failing, her penmanship past its prime. But her mind was sharp as a tack, her wisdom plentiful.

Here’s what she shared with me:

“Give every man your ear, but not your voice. Be careful therefore what you say. Weigh every word and you will wound neither friend or foe, by hasty or ill considered speech. Many friendships have been severed by unguarded remarks, and lives have been wrecked by the same cause.

Youth is always ready to give its opinion and to pass judgment; and ignorance never hesitates to make a noise. Remember Larry you only have to whisper and God will hear you always.

Love, Irene”

I didn’t appreciate that note when I received it. But reading it more than 30 years later, with plenty of experience to back up Miss Williams’ wisdom, you bet I appreciate it now.

If you could write one letter to someone right now, knowing that they would be reading it decades after you are gone, who would you write to? What would you say? 

Are you a blogger?

Have you ever had trouble answering the question, “What’s your blog about?”

Have you ever felt that your blog could use some tweaking, but didn’t know where to begin?

Have you ever lacked confidence in your blog?

Have you ever struggled to engage your audience?

When author and blogger Bryan Allain begged invited me to review his new eBook 31 Days to Finding Your Blogging Mojo, I had no hesitation.

After all, they say that the best way to navigate a minefield is to follow the footsteps of someone who has already made it across.

Which begs the question: who are they, anyway? Why are they choosing to walk across a minefield in the first place? Who planted these metaphorical mines? What does that have to do with blogging? And what the heck is blogging mojo?

Well, the blogging world can be a lonely place full of questions, if you let it. Without anyone to guide you as a blogger, it’s entirely possible to spend weeks, months, even years wallowing in doubt and insecurity, and winding up nowhere.

But who wants that?

Bryan Allain has walked the proverbial blogging minefield, and shares his gleaned insight with a generous dose of humor. In 31 manageable steps, he will teach you how to find your blogging mojo – to start “writing about things you are passionate about for people who share your passion.”

Focusing on three core elements: audience, perspective and content, Allain gets you thinking about your blog in ways that will have you focused and blogging with more confidence than ever before.

This will very likely be the funniest, most accessible book on blogging that you will ever read.

No need to tiptoe through the blogging minefield any more. Pick up this gem of a guide, and get ready to find your blogging mojo!

I received a free review copy of this eBook from Bryan Allain. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Embedded in this review is an affiliate link to Amazon.com. If you follow the link from here and buy a copy of this book, Amazon will award me a 4% commission on the purchase. Hopefully Bryan will get at least 5%. After all, he did most of the work!

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time.

There’s something very enticing about things that are forbidden, isn’t there?

The food we know we shouldn’t eat.

The website we know we shouldn’t visit.

The thoughts we know we shouldn’t entertain.

The relationship we know we shouldn’t pursue.

The thing we didn’t even think about doing until we saw a sign telling us that we shouldn’t.

No hunting. No fishing. No loitering. No sunbathing. No biking. No swimming. No skateboarding. No running by the pool. No trespassing. No smoking. No food or drinks. No pets. No parking. Please keep off the grass. Do not tap on glass. Do not feed the animals. Do not enter. No U-turn. No diving. No chewing gum in class. No speeding. No loud music after 10 pm. No dumping. No littering. No alcohol beyond this point. No motorized vehicles. No passing. No left turn. No right turn. No recording devices. No cameras. No cell phones.

No…no…no…

Why is it that things become so much more compelling to me as soon as they are forbidden?

Paul notes this in Romans 7:21-25a:

“I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

What are some things you never even thought about doing until you discovered that they were “forbidden”?

A few weeks ago my wife, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, mother-in-law and I had a lobster feast. The outside of the box said that it held 30 pounds of lobster, but I couldn’t really tell. Does this look like 30 pounds of lobster to you?

"My mama always said, 'Life is like a box of lobster...'"

We got 12 lobsters in all. I must say, they aren’t exactly cute. But the way they are designed is fascinating.

Ok, the lobster may be cute. But it can't type a blog post. Larry wins.

The colors and the structure of their shells were really neat to see up close. Of course, we had to cut the bands from their claws before we dunked them in the boiling salt water.

No humans were harmed in the filming of this event. The lobsters, on the other hand...

We won’t show you pictures of the lobsters in the dunk tank. But that thing that people say about them squealing when they go into the boiling water? It’s a myth. I was the only thing making squealing noises.

Lobster, anyone?

Another helpful hint: if you are going to cook lobster, do it outdoors. They smell.

See? I told you Larry wins.

When the lobster finally reaches the plate, that’s when the fun really begins. Dig out your rubber mallets, chisels, nutcrackers, garden weasels, tweezers, blow torches, chain saws, turkey basters and even that melon ball scooper thing because you’ll need every tool in your arsenal to crack those puppies and get to the meat.

Oh yeah, and don’t wear anything that you want to keep clean (note the plain white T-shirt on Uncle Larry – wise move!). You will get messy.

It also wouldn’t hurt to bring a first aid kit. Shell shards are sharp.

I’ve been waiting all year for a chance to use alliteration. Thanks for humoring me.

Yes, this may be a cheesy metaphor, but here are five ways that I figure life is like eating lobster:

1. You’ll need just about every tool imaginable to do it properly.
2. Most of those tools you will have to borrow and/or share.
3. It will get messy. Deal with it.
4. You’ll probably get hurt along the way.
5. It’s worth it!

What is your favorite food?

Ah, September.

School is back in session. The temperatures in my part of the world are starting to cool. Leaves will soon be changing color. I’ll be chalking up another birthday, celebrating an anniversary, and taking a bit of a vacation. Lots to look forward to!

But first, let’s have a look back at August.

I’ve compiled nine of my favorite posts from around the blogosphere last month, and am looking for you to let me know which one of your favorite August posts should make it an even ten!

Here are my nine picks:

1. No heaven, no hell – The incomparable katdish returns to PWTM with a great story. Or poem. Or whatever.
2. When was the last time God blew your mind? – Brad Huebert asks some really good questions.
3. Life In Balance – Another great question is posed by Clay Morgan of EduClaytion – Are you a freezer, tiptoer, or sprinter?
4. Do nice guys finish last? – To be a jerk or not be a jerk. That is Jon Acuff’s question.
5. Beauty in the Empty – Newcomer to PWTM Sam Davidson debuts with a gem about the beauty of a life well lived.
6. A Thousand Opportunities – How many daily chances do we have to glorify God? This is one of many August favorite offerings from The Blazing Center.
7. Getting to the point – James Scott Jr. (aka Scotty) of EXTRAORDINARY LIVING explains the importance of clear communication.
8. breaking down marriage: part 1 – One of my newest favorite bloggers, Sharideth Smith, dishes out a healthy serving of wisdom and humor at A Woman’s Guide to Women: A Blog for Men.
9. Good Company – Michael Perkins’ Untitled blog is awesomesauce. ‘Nuff said.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy these nine.

What August post would you like to add to this list?

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time.

Are you a coffee drinker?

I started drinking coffee two decades ago out of boredom. Business was slow. My employer came up with some very creative ways to keep me occupied. For hours each day I applied double-sided tape to sample chips of anodized aluminum, peeled the backing from the tape, and then pressed the swatches into neat little rows on our company brochures.

It was a mind-numbing task. To break the monotony – and keep my sanity – I had to think of an excuse to leave my desk every hour or so. One of the few reasons I could find was pouring myself a cup of coffee.

I was first drawn to coffee by its aroma. I was disappointed when the flavor didn’t quite match. That was probably a good thing, though. If the taste of coffee were as appealing as its smell, I’d be drinking twelve pots per day. Still, even though I didn’t enjoy the flavor, I soon fell into the routine of drinking three to five cups of coffee per day on weekdays, as a temporary escape from my boredom.

With no reason and no desire to make or drink coffee on weekends, I started to experience intense headaches on Saturday and Sunday as my body went through caffeine withdrawal. Once I recognized the source of my headaches, I dramatically cut down on my coffee consumption. Yet the habit stuck.

I continued to drink coffee for the next 20 years without actually enjoying its flavor or its side effects, but simply giving in to my habitual desire for the “coffee experience.”

And then one day it hit me. While some research suggests there may be beneficial properties to coffee, I find that coffee upsets my stomach, dehydrates me and – if caffeinated – puts me on edge. In fact I can’t think of a good enough reason to continue drinking it. So why do I?!

Last year I finally decided that I would no longer drink coffee, period. Was I successful? For about six weeks I was.  And I was amazed at how much better I felt when I went without it. Instead of drinking coffee, I drank water or occasionally green tea. My stomach was no longer upset, I was no longer dehydrated, and I found that I was less likely to “snap” from caffeine-enhanced tension.

Today I’m back to drinking just one or two cups per week. I’m still working on getting rid of coffee completely. Some habits die hard. It’s that darn aroma…

In his book Addiction & Grace, Gerald May defines addiction as “any compulsive, habitual behavior that limits the freedom of human desire.” He says that “the psychological, neurological, and spiritual dynamics of full-fledged addiction are actively at work within every human being.” After reading his book – and still drinking coffee after 20 years without actually liking it – I agree with him.

What compulsive, habitual behavior has you in its claws?

What’s your poison?

Every once in a while I temporarily lose my mind and go grocery shopping on a Saturday afternoon.

As soon as I arrive at the store, I remember why I swore last time that I would never, ever shop on a Saturday afternoon again.

But hey, since I’m at the store and obviously need a few things, I might as well make the trip worthwhile. This is a character building opportunity. A chance to extend God’s grace to others. To be a testimony to the greatness of Jesus Christ in my life.

Or at least get a decent blog post.

Through my incredible powers of observation and frustration, I’ve noted at least ten different grocery shopping styles that frequent the stores. See if you recognize any of them:

1. The Express Lane Enforcer - The Enforcer may be seen ”discreetly” (yeah, right) counting how many items all the other express lane patrons are buying. If they happen to have more items than allowed, the Enforcer may be heard reading the express lane sign aloud. By the entire store. “Ooh, look! That sign says 8 items or less!” You especially don’t want him to run into…
2. The Rule Bender – Sure, this guy has 11 loose cans of soup in the express lane. But to him they only count as one item, because they’re all chicken noodle.
3. The Produce Picker - There are 387 apples in that bin over there, and the Produce Picker will go through them all, one at a time, to make sure he gets the best 6. Even if it takes all day. After all, someone may call up and ask to borrow his apples for a photo shoot later that afternoon.
4. The Human Traffic Cone – This guy’s not looking to buy anything. He’s just there to pig out on free samples of veggie dip and crackers. The cart’s just for show. Which is why he doesn’t really care where he leaves it. It’s not in his way, so what’s the big deal? He’ll get out of your way as soon as he’s done stuffing his face.
5. The Re-Arranger – You may never see him, but you’ll know he’s been there. That box of Froot Loops didn’t sneak into the fish section all by itself.
6. The Tag Team – One partner grabs a space at the checkout line, while the other runs to see how many more items they can add to their cart before their purchase gets rung in. What’s your record?
7. The Newlyweds – Shopping is secondary to the Newlyweds. Their main purpose is to give each other googly eyes and other public displays of affection. You may spot them meandering down the aisle, hand in hand, blissfully unaware of anything else. Like the traffic that’s building up behind them.
8. The Leaner – He’s been shopping for so long that he can’t stand up straight. The entire weight of his upper body is resting on the shopping cart handle. Don’t pull the cart out from underneath him, or he’ll fall over.
9. The Sidewinder – A mobile version of the Human Traffic Cone. This guy must have eyes in the back of his head. Try to pass him on the left, he slowly drifts to the left. Try to pass him on the right, he slowly drifts to the right. Don’t even think about passing him. Might as well just hang back and throw seedless grapes at his head.
10. The Constipator – Just think of the worst time and place for someone to stop their cart. The constipator will find that time, every time. Don’t expect for it to make sense. Just expect it to happen.

I know I’ve missed a few. Will you help me fill out the list?

What are some quirky shopping styles that you have, or have seen?

I was back in Edmonton last week for another round of exhausting but thoroughly rewarding work. Now that I’m getting more familiar with the City of Champions, I decided to venture beyond the lines between my workplace and hotel room. The natural destination: the West Edmonton Mall.

The West Edmonton “Sprawl” as it is affectionately nicknamed, is the largest shopping mall in North America, fifth largest in the world. It covers more than 6 million square feet. It attracts roughly 28 million visitors per year.

With apologies to the founding Ghermezian brothers, as I spent a couple of hours strolling around and getting completely lost, it occurred to me how Satan is like the West Edmonton Mall.

1. He’s an expert at attracting attention. The mall is full of all kinds of attractions, from a full size skating rink, to a pirate ship, to a water park, to a casino, and even an amusement park. Who wouldn’t want to spend some time there? Just check out Genesis 3 to see how subtle, smooth-talking and attractive Satan can be. Wrong as it may be, who wouldn’t be drawn by him?
2. He wants to keep you wandering. You will have to search long and hard to find a directory in the Mall. In my time there I only spotted one large map and a tiny kiosk with some mildly helpful pamphlets. And don’t rely on using stores as landmarks. A few stores actually have multiple locations in the mall. The Mall owners don’t want you to find that one store you are looking for right away. They want you to wander and see all sorts of other things you want to buy. In the same way, Satan would rather bombard us with enticing images to keep us wandering in circles than find our direction.
3. He doesn’t want you to see a way out. As I wandered through the Mall, echoes of Joe Walsh’s Life’s Been Good kept running through my head. “I go to parties, sometimes until four. It’s hard to leave when you can’t find the door.” Yep, although there are twenty kajillion exits from the mall, it’s cleverly laid out in such a way that once you get in, it’s hard to see a way out. Satan would like for you to think that you are tempted beyond what you can bear.

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. – 1 Corinthians 10:13

The good news is that the mall closes every night and releases its occupants. Satan, on the other hand, is at work 24/7.

I’m glad we have God to keep us on track.

Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. – Psalm 25:4

When is the last time you felt distracted, with no way out?

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time.

Every year my family and I visit the beach at Christie Lake Conservation Area for a day of rest and relaxation. The people at Christie have installed a special screen that allows them to chlorinate part of the water and keep it separate from the rest of the lake. Swimming outside of this designated swimming area could pose a health risk, and is prohibited.

Of course, we didn’t know that until my wife and my nephew David – the family rebels – decided to test their endurance by swimming beyond the screen to the other side of the lake and back.

As they returned from the other side, a pleasant young lady in khakis walked down to shore and called them in. She politely explained how the screen works, how they test the swimming water daily to ensure its safety, and how the outside water could be contaminated and unsafe. Monique and David apologized and promised to stay on the safe side of the screen.

Less than an hour later, a grumpy old man also skirted the safety screen and started swimming laps, back and forth, along the opposite side. Again, one of the conservation workers – and several other people in the water and on the shore – tried to get his attention to warn him of the hazard and ask him to return to the chlorinated side of the lake.

Nothing seemed to catch his attention until my brother-in-law Chris swam out to the barrier and flagged him down. Even though Chris kindly explained the rules of the park and the potential health hazard, the old man rudely told him to mind his own business and continued his swim for another half an hour.

Thankfully, neither Monique nor David suffered any ill effects from swimming in the untreated water. I’m not sure if Mister Grumpy Pants fared as well. However, I do know that his pride set him up for a potentially big fall. It was easy for me to recognize, since pride is probably my biggest stumbling block as well.

Pride makes me always have to be “right”. Pride keeps me from acknowledging my faults and asking for forgiveness. Pride keeps me from seeking advice from others who are probably wiser. Pride puts my selfish ideas and desires ahead of God and His direction. Pride puts me on the dangerous side of the lake.

Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18

God opposes the proud but favors the humble. – Proverbs 3:34

What side of the lake are you swimming on?

So you wanna be a wise guy?

If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard the expression “wisdom comes with age”. You may even believe that it’s from the Bible.
And you’d be right.

Sort of.

It actually comes from the Book of Job, chapter 32. There it says, “Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the clan of Ram, became angry.”

No, not because they couldn’t fit his name on his football jersey. He was angry with Job and Job’s three friends for their apparent lack of wisdom.

The chapter continues:

Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said,
“I am young and you are old,
so I held back from telling you what I think.
I thought, ‘Those who are older should speak,
for wisdom comes with age.’
But there is a spirit within people,
the breath of the Almighty within them,
that makes them intelligent.
Sometimes the elders are not wise.
Sometimes the aged do not understand justice.” – Job 32:6-9

In other words, wisdom doesn’t necessarily come with age.
Yes, in the words of John Greier, “You’re only young once, but you can be immature forever.”

So you wanna be a wise guy?

Today I have the honor of guest posting at Some Wise Guy - a blog for dangerous dads and manly men (and the women crazy enough to love us). To visit Some Wise Guy and find out the 3 ways to become a wise guy, just click this sentence.

While you’re there, say hello to KC and have a look around. Enjoy!

Yesterday I published a post about a letter we received regarding one of our sponsor children.

Dennis was no longer showing up at his student center. The organization that coordinated his sponsorship couldn’t provide him with the support that we were financing. Our financial obligation to Dennis was officially terminated.

We wrote a final letter to Dennis, wishing him well and letting him know that he and his family would always be in our thoughts and in our prayers. All the while we wondered why he stopped attending. We hoped and prayed that he was healthy and safe.

I was relieved to get another note a few weeks later, this time a farewell letter from Dennis.

Here is some of what he said, as translated roughly into English:

“The reason of this letter is to thank you for all the support. I hope God bless you greatly for your kind heart. I am sad because I can’t attend the project because I moved and it’s very difficult to go to the project.”

“Larry and Monique Hehn I want to ask you only one thing. In the same way you blessed me and my family I ask please you continue blessing another boy…”

“My family and I wish with all our heart that God take care of you and he gives you the double that you have given me. Every night, in my prayers, I am going to ask God to take care of you and to send angels around you and your family. Do not forget God will be always with you everywhere you go and in the hard times.”

“Please do not forget to pray for me and my family and my studies. God bless you and thank for your support. BYE.”

The news was bittersweet. Dennis’ father found employment in another part of the country, and the family had to move.

Dennis, we are honoring your request and are sponsoring another young boy in your country. His name is Ney. I will remember to pray for you and your family. God bless you, my young friend, and thank you for all you have taught me.

Dios te guarde, Dennis. Me despido con mucho amor.

What’s the latest thing you learned from a child?

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time.

My wife and I are proud parents of four children, plus we sponsor another five in other countries. Last year I received a disappointing letter about one of our sponsor children.

It started by thanking us for our “loving support of Dennis _______.” The letter continued, “Dennis has been receiving your support through the _______ Student Center. Recently Dennis has not been attending. Project staff made every effort, through encouragement, counsel and advice to ensure that Dennis remained in the program but were unsuccessful. As Dennis was receiving support through the Center, it is no longer possible to continue our ministry to this child.”

I miss getting letters from Dennis. I kept every one of them – more than twenty in all – over our five year relationship.

Dennis started each letter with a cheerful greeting “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ”, updated us on all of his achievements at school, his favorite activities (mostly soccer) and the highs and lows of his family life, including the loss of a baby brother at birth in 2006, and the joy of a healthy baby brother born in 2008.

He always signed off with much affection and a hearty blessing. But what I enjoyed most were the pictures that he drew on the back of each letter. Dennis is a very gifted artist.

See what I mean?

It was upsetting to find that Dennis had stopped showing up at the Student Center. I couldn’t help but wonder – if I had written to him more often, been more encouraging in my letters, or simply kept Dennis and his family in my thoughts and prayers more often, would that have made enough of a difference for him to attend?

I pray that he will continue his journey with God at the center of all that he does. I also take heart in the words of the letter, “Please remember your sponsorship has made a real difference in (Dennis’) life…and we trust God will use the experiences he has had…to produce a positive impact on his future.”

Through this whole experience I kept thinking of one famous quote:

“Eighty percent of success is showing up.” – Woody Allen

It certainly seems true in this case. Dennis’ chances of success have definitely dropped as the result of his absence from the center.

I think the same could – and should – be said of us and our relationship with God. Should we really expect much from any relationship if we don’t even show up? Why should it be any different in our relationship with God? Really, how much time do we spend in reading our Bibles, prayer and worship? How much do we expect in return?

If you currently do not have a relationship with God, or have one that you consider sub-standard, consider how much you are showing up.

What percentage of success do you think showing up is?

What things distract you from showing up in your relationship with God?

I went for a stroll downtown this evening. As I passed Brampton Scuba, their lawn sign caught my eye. It simply said:

SOMEDAY IS TODAY

What a great idea!

After all, if the shop were in “Canada’s Scuba Diving Capital” Tobermory, people would be more inclined to make an impulse purchase or two. But Brampton is landlocked. There aren’t too many good places to scuba dive nearby.

So people decide that they’ll try scuba diving…someday.

Before you know it, years go by and “someday” is still, well…someday.

You know what I mean.

“I’m going to clean out that closet…someday.”

“I’m going to book that physical…someday.”

“I’m going to have that lump checked out…someday.”

“I’m going to write that book…someday.”

“I’m going to have that difficult conversation…someday.”

“I’m going to start that exercise program…someday.”

“I’m going to go back to school…someday.”

“I’m going to tell them how much I love them…someday.”

“I’m going to sponsor a child…someday.”

“I’m going to read my Bible…someday.”

“I’m going to take that leap of faith…someday.”

Ahem…

SOMEDAY.

IS.

TODAY.

What were you going to do…someday?

Last week I shared a post about some quirky song lyrics that just didn’t seem to fit.

Although it was a lot of fun wading through the “sweet green icing” of MacArthur Park, there are other lyrics that deserve some recognition.

You know, the ones that move you. The ones that hit you right between the eyes. The lyrics that you swear were written just for you.

A while ago Rod Stewart’s Every Picture Tells a Story started playing on my car radio. I had heard it before, never really thought much about it…

Then it hit me.

I firmly believe that I didn’t need anyone but me
I sincerely thought I was so complete
Look how wrong you can be

Ouch. Yep, right between the eyes.

Thanks, Rod. I needed that.

One of my other off-the-top-of-my-head favorites:

It was a beautiful letdown
The day I knew
That all the riches this world had to offer me
Would never do
– Switchfoot, The Beautiful Letdown

And my all-time favorite, Man of the Tombs by Bob Bennett:

Thanks, Bob. I needed that too.

What are some of your favorite song lyrics?

Every Sunday in August, September and October I’ll be tweaking and sharing some of my favorite blog posts from the early days of Christian in the Rough – when the proverbial trees were falling in the forest but there was no one around to hear them.

It’s my pleasure to share them here again…for the first time.

I never used to like the word “content”. To me contentment was another word for laziness or resignation, an easy way out for those who were tired or afraid of striving for something more. Contentment was the enemy of progress; it was something to be avoided at all costs.

Today I see contentment differently.

I have impaired hearing in my left ear. Without my new hearing aid, conversations are distorted and difficult to follow. Would I want to have full hearing in both ears? Of course I would. But I am learning to be content with my imperfect ears. Some people don’t have any hearing at all.

I have two large scars along my sides and back from kidney surgery I had as a child. I’m used to the scars and rarely think about them, but I’m sure they aren’t visually appealing. Would I prefer to have a scar-free body? Yes, but I’m learning to be content with my scars and repaired kidneys. I was there as my best man’s sister passed away in her teens waiting for a kidney transplant.

My wife and I have marriage problems. (Helpful hint: If you are married, so do you.) Still, I am learning to be content with my imperfect marriage. My wife is an incredible blessing; not many people would be willing to put up with me on a daily basis.

I am learning to be content with my imperfect children. I know many who would love to have children but aren’t able.

I am learning to be content with my imperfect career. Many are unemployed.

I am learning to be content with my imperfect health. Many are terminally ill.

I am learning to be content with my imperfect home. Many are homeless.

I am learning to be content with the many blessings that God has showered on me that I truly don’t deserve. With all that I have received, do I really have a right to complain?

…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. – Philippians 4:11-12

What imperfect aspects of your life could you learn to be content with?

I just completed a two-day First Aid course, and am now certified for another three years. There will probably be a blog post about that in the next couple of days.

But as I sat in the classroom today, looking out at the rain, a song popped into my head.

A song first recorded just one year after my birth, (i.e. a really old song) and quite well known.

A song that has since been covered by such greats as Diana Ross & the Supremes, Sammy Davis Jr., Donna Summer, The Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, Waylon Jennings, Long John Baldry, Liza Minnelli, Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, and even parodied by Weird Al Yankovic.

I’m speaking, of course, of MacArthur Park.

Oh, those lyrics…

MacArthur’s Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don’t think that I can take it
‘Cause it took so long to bake it
And I’ll never have that recipe again, oh no

Huh?

Yep, some lyrics are just baffling to me. I get that it’s a metaphor, but sweet green icing?

Blecch.

That got me thinking about some of my other “favorite” song lyrics.

Like George Thorogood’s I Drink Alone:

You know when I drink alone
I prefer to be by myself

Yep, I get that, George. Actually, if you weren’t by yourself…well…ok, never mind.

Or Van Halen’s Why Can’t This Be Love?:

Only time will tell
If we stand the test of time

I think that one came from the Department of Redundancy Department.

There are so many fun lyrics out there.

What are some of your favorite song lyrics that were written to be serious but are actually kind of funny?