Robert Cundiff: Discretionary Ish & Diatribes

Code Orange Revival Day 9

2012-01-26T13:23:00.000-08:00

#CodeOrangeRevival is winding down here... As we approach Day 9 (its now over) I can honestly say that this event has been amazing. My family has come together, my relationship with Christ is stronger than ever, and I have honestly just gotten over it all... all the nonsense that you would expect from people in life, just not those you care for. Not that #Codeorangerevival has anything to directly do with this but, strangely, all i see and hear are haters... I mean seriously... friends of mine... bloggers.... I can go on and on.... All hateing on God, Elevation Church, Just everything really... the whole thing is f-in redic.

I often times want so bad to tell people... remember the filthy rags! Most of you have no clue what the means and I'll just keep it that way. Remember there is Jesus and then everyone else... PERIOD. Stop judging, hateing, and trying to give your approval on something I nor my church seeks.

Now onto Night 9.... Kevin Gerald was the speaker of the night. He is known for a ministry that imparts practical Biblical principles that equip people to live successful Christian lives, Kevin and Sheila Gerald are the Founders and Pastors of Champions Centre (Tacoma and Bellevue, Washington), one of the largest congregations in the Pacific Northwest.

Kevins message started with:

Galatians 4:8-9 & 19 Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?

Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.

He made some crucial points in his message... my take aways were:

Be patient with me, God’s not done with me yet

Kevin then went on to say “Behind every great man, there is a greater woman”... amazing how one woman in a mans life can be his greatest prize or biggest down fall...

Kevin also talked about the importnace of knowing that sometimes what we want to do is not what we are supposed to do. I can tell you that this is 100% true. Thank God for my parents teaching me this when I was 5.(or maybe younger)

He went on to talk about salvation not being limited from sin... Understand that is real talk. Even though you are saved doesn't mean you are perfect or will not commit sins... I hate hearing people who are saved say that they are always going to be free from sin or think its not going to happen... And when it does... act like the world is going to end. Seriously?? I want to say get over it... Jesus has:)!!! HA.

Just as I said above, Kevin explains it is a process and Jesus positions us in a place of strength, to produce new and better experiences for our life. He stresses that the path you are on is not the path that you were on.... think about that please!

He says "Always remember that God has greater things for us!"

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

God has a great plan for our future.

The best days are ahead of us, not behind us! When you expect great things from God, and attempt great things for God! Those things usually comes though in some way shape or form! We should remember that our job is to keep encouraging people to attempt great things for God... and that isnt always easy. Church is God’s idea, not man’s.

If we’re going to experience the will of God, we have to partner with God every day.

Thats our relationship! We got to follow Jesus’ example. God willed that we would will for His Will to be done in our lives. We cannot without God, and God will not without us. We try to push things in front of Gods face, but trust Him with the secret things, but he wants to trust you with the things revealed.

Our greatest power is our power to choose.
The nature and quality of our life comes from within us.

Proverbs 4
Matthew 12:35
Philippians 2:13

Our nature comes from within us. What is the “Set of the Sail” in your heart? Where do you want your heart to go? Stay the course! God has greater things in mind. Good intentions alone are not efficient or sufficient to equip us to hit the target of God. The right in your heart will not correct the wrong in your head.

Kevin asked these questins taht are intresting.... these are the forces that form your future. (How different would my life be if…)

My seeds were sown different?
My beliefs had been different?
My relationships had been different?
My habits had been different?
My dreams had been different?
My thoughts had been different?
My feelings had been different?
My personal values had been different?
My words had been different?
My believing is effecting what I’m receiving.

Don’t undervalue the value that God places on us. Don’t try to make me think small of myself. I am a child of God, created in His image! Just because someone is good to you, doesn’t mean they are good for you. (1 Corinthians 5:23)

Someone else’s attitude could be your attitude... dont we see this everyday? Most people underestimate the effects that relationships can have on our lives. Say goodbye to the people that should not be in your life, and say hello to the people that God wants in your life Positive cannot hang with negative. Get the positive people to hang around your life, and keep pressing forward with positive.

Recap: God has a great plan for our future.

Do more than have emotion, have devotion
You’ve gotta clear the way for God assigned connections to come into your life.
Greater things are coming!

Code Orange Revival Day 8

2012-01-24T10:27:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night, orange is everywhere. Staff is wearing Team Jesus jersey's.... Volenteers wander through the crowd painting orange replicas of Elevation's insignia on the cheeks of the waiting little ones.

"There you go, girls," they tell two tiny blond clients. "All beautiful for Jesus."....

So this is what tailgating for the soul looks like?

Lawn chairs and space heaters. Cornhole boards and coolers. Footballs and beanbags. And long lines stretching down the grass medians and both sides of Elevation Church.

"This is history... In 2012, just look at how many people are tailgating for hours to hear The Word!" (over 10,000)

I wounder how many people could actually imagine this? This is one of the reasons I love Elevation Church

Onto the recap

As a large digital clock counts down, the big screen above the sanctuary offers a stream of incoming tweets (#codeorangerevival).

I want to Tebow on the stage.
What would Jesus tweet?
If you live ANYWHERE in the country and can get to Charlotte, get here before it ends.

Boom, Day 8 kicks off and I could tell Stovall Weems was going to give an intense message... I dont know if I thought that based off his look, the laser focus he went onto stage with, or if it was that fact that when Stovall was introduced and he started telling his story...I actually heard MY story! With that said, it was another great sermon and even though I dont know Mr. Weems by the time he wrapped up, I felt like it did!

Stovall Weems is the founder and lead pastor of Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida.

Celebration Church is a global, diverse, multisite church that reaches people from all walks of life. Since it began with just seven people in 1998, the church has grown both regionally and internationally to twelve locations with over ten thousand people in weekend attendance. Stovall is noted for his energetic, engaging and practical communication style. As pastor, teacher, and conference speaker, his ministry focuses on building the local church, reaching people with the gospel, and developing passionate followers of Christ

Stovall started out the night in typicall fashion (like all the other speakers)... just preaching an intesnse heart felt message.

See, "what some prefer as a private communion with God... Elevation Church has gone high-def, big-screen and viral. It is not contemplative. It is not for everyone. But, Code Orange's style of performance-art worship offers a boldness and power that Weems, in his sermon, says the world sorely needs.

It's "God Swagger"... as he calls it. (I Love that BTW)

Hebrew 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need..

Stovals main message was out of Genisis...

The flood has already happened... now check this out

Genesis 8:6-12 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and lay hold, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.

Stovall also made it a point to read this:

Job 1:7-12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Right now, do not pay any attention to Job (for right now).... just read Genisis

I want you to understand.... Noah originally took two birds, a Raven and a Dove

What did the Raven do? It went to and fro... it was just circling above... thats it.

Now, look at The Dove, she went out and came back to Noah... with no good news the first time.

Notice the author says that the dove found no rest for its feet (that means that Noah had to make room for her). It says he LAY HOLD and PULLED HER IN!

The second time the Dove went out what did she have? The Olive branch! The universal sign for Jesus!

You ask what is the point... or what does that mean?

Check this out...

The Dove always comes back.... JESUS Always comes back! You and you have to understand that unless Noah makes room for that Dove (Jesus) there is no place for it to come and land.... basically, Jesus can't just come into your life and land.

The author also says He LAY HOLD! He grabed it... if you are seriously going to have that relationship you have to take hold and pull it in! Treasure it and make it work.... make sense?

Now look at that verse in Job... Notice what Satan says to God when asked where did you come from.... Satan says I move to and fro in the earth.

You see We all have those Ravens in our life... they are just waiting for us to doubt, waiting for us not to make room, moving to and fro... wispering to us... "Jesus doesn't care".

We have to

Make Room
Lay Hold
Pull In

It totally amazed me that the verbage when comparing those two stories is right now.

Stovall explains to the crowd The world thinks it needs a lot of things. What it needs is a revelation of the son of God, He said "this is the lay-hold moment." #CodeOrangeRevival is not going to stop when the rally nights end. It's going on for the entire year. IN CHARLOTTE. ALL OVER THE WORLD. AND IN YOUR LIVES!"

Code Orange Revival Day 7

2012-01-18T16:44:00.000-08:00

I am in absolute awe of what God is orchestrating in our generation through #Codeorangerevival. I've been a Christian for 4 years and God is doing an unexplainable work in me, forming my faith, molding and shaping my trust in Him, Gods taking me somewhere and I am following with my eyes wide open!

When the music fades and all is striped away I will remain forever changed because of how God has touched me through #Codeorangerevival. Thank you Elevation Church, I am truly grateful.

The night started out with Elevation Church doing spontaneous baptisms... my mom asked me "what, none of these people were baptized at birth?" I tried to explain what baptism is but, in typical fashion... she said that was stupid and thought I was wrong... I really didn't argue as I love the fact that she actually watches this with me. I think baptism is a pretty simple concept but, I just didn't want the night to be ruined so I just let her say her peace and tried to forget about it... I will be honest, it bothered me all night... I do want to say, I am very proud of her though, she has been trying to keep an open mind and I keep praying that she will be able to break down some of those walls... and get past the guilt of "tradition" that has been scrubbed into her.

I know that she may not understand Elevation Church, and she may not embrace it, I think that when she sees the work God is doing through me, she might just come all the way around (I'm not holding my breathe though). With that said, I think this was a perfect sermon for her to hear!!

Day Seven (7) of #Codeorangerevival... I’m was pretty stoked to hear Pastor Perry Noble from Newspring Church preach to a packed house!

If you’ve never heard Perry Noble speak before, he lived up... he’s hilarious, solid, and probably unlike any other preacher I have ever heard before. He’s a guy I would call super legit!

If you haven’t seen anything that’s been going on at #Codeorangerevival this past week, God’s been doing some seriously awesome things! People have been tuning in from 6 continents, all 50 states, from over something like 50,000 devices (cell & Tablets), and lines have started forming at the main Blakeney location on both sides of the building as early as 9AM. It's seriously insane and I am loving every second of it.

Day 7:

Perry Noble started the night out talking about those go to sermons preachers have stored away from events like #Codeorangerevival... He called them "candy stick messages". He talked about knowing the message of those sermons so well that you know when people are going to cry, when you’re going to get saved, when you’re going to laugh, and when you’re going to get anointed. He said God put it on his heart to skip all three of his "go to" messages and preach a message that was specific to Elevation Church and Pastor Steven.

In Pastor Perry Nobles message he had four major points that supported one central message: "You Are Blessed"

Matthew 13:16-17 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Perry Noble talked for close to an hour, preaching on "You are blessed". He made it a point to really talk about Elevation Church and how blessed we are! He said:

You are blessed because of what you have seen.

Most people who have been going to church do not get to see what is going on at Elevation Church... They don't understand how our church is growing so fast, they don't understand how we are collecting so many young people. It is seriously not normal... I am proud of this and will defend it at all costs! Really what's going on is when people find out about Elevation and they are not part of the movement, they want to find every flaw and say that the people are crazy... Crazy...I say blessed! Why not be crazy about church? In a world where we can be crazy about basketball teams, football teams, idols, and things that really do not matter... why can't we be crazy about church! The people that think we’re "crazy"just can’t see what we see! The one thing about God is, You don’t tell Him what He can’t do! We are blessed because of what we have and are seeing

You are blessed because of what your ears have heard.

Just as most people don't get to see what we get to see every Sunday, they also do not get the privilege to hear what our ears have heard. There are people out there that attack Pastor Steven and have started rumors that Elevation Church doesn't preach the Gospel... I cant tell you a time while in church that Pastor Steven isn't preaching out of a bible along with me having a bible to follow and highlight... A rumor is what a stupid person says when they don’t know the truth. The stuff that we’ve heard over the past years in our church has been nothing short of remarkable! I often time tell friends... "When every Sunday you feel like that sermon was written specifically for you to hear its something special". Its why young people come in masses, its why the church has grown by 2,000 people a year for six straight years... It is because of the message, and the way in which it is delivered. It is in these sermons that we have heard, they have been planted in our hearts and we share them. Our ears have heard the word of God and you can not convince me otherwise.

You are blessed because of where you are.

Very simple, our house of God is on FIRE... blessed are you because of where you are. Its not just Charlotte, its everywhere that Elevation Church is. Through vision and values, Elevation Church preaches on salvation! God has blessed our church with campus after campus... we are blessed because of where we are... IN CHURCH. I hear all the time that Elevation Church has problems... well, if you find the perfect church, don’t join. You’ll screw the whole thing up! Are we the elevator that goes up? Are we the elevator that gets stuck? Or are we the elevator that just gets stuck and goes down? There is no perfect Church... I know that. I accept that... the minute you start thinking you have the perfect one you are in deep trouble!

You are blessed because of who you are!

Your life may not perfect, you may not be happy for who you are. But, by God’s grace and mercy we are in God’s church. God’s not through with you until you are dead... if you are breathing, he’s not done with you. Ask yourself, are you the kind of person that stays at the top, gets stuck, or the one that comes down. Every one of you has the potential to do amazing things for Jesus. The Cross is a promise to you, Jesus died for our sins, all you have to do is accept it!

As great as Perry Noble was, I think that day 7 may have been the weakest out of the group to this point. Understand that in saying that... it was great! But, they all cant be home runs.

I do want to mention that the end of the night was pretty amazing... Pastor Perry Noble was basically telling Steven that he is doing great... to "keep his fork in his hand" (that means the best is yet to come)... it was awesome.

I loved that Pastor Steven showed humility and a lot of emotion at the close of the night. Pastor Steven said "sometimes the battle wears you down so much that when the victories come you’re too tired to enjoy them. Let’s not get so weary from the battles that we don’t thank and praise God for the victories". I love that fact that we don't prop up our leaders to the point that they become idols... at the end of the day they are just men!

You are stronger, you are stronger. Sin is broken you, have saved me. It is written, Christ is risen. Jesus you are Lord of all!!!

Code Orange Revival Day 6

2012-01-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

Last night was night SIX(6), the half way point, of #CodeOrangeRevival. Israel Houghton was the guest... Israel is a five time grammy winner. He just may be the best known American Christian singer and worship leader in the world. He is known for his cross-cultural style of Christian music that fuses elements from gospel, jazz, and rock. Houghton is currently a worship leader at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas.

Now... onto the night at hand. I will not lie, I was not overly excited about a "concert" type event for one of the nights at #Codeorangerevival but, when I heard that people started lining up at 9:30 yesterday morning for this thing, I thought... maybe I should tune in.

I have dedicated Mac that serves as a media player on my TV so... I watched the whole event Live in HD in Souround Sound! I was able to view this with my uncle, brother, and dad (to be honest, I can't think of three other people I would rather have watched this with)... They were pretty much as floored as I was! Israels band "New Breed Music" played for over two hours. He and his band did not disappoint.

Its strange, that I went from almost skipping this night to... Holy Wow... Literally, this may have been the best nigth so far (don't you think I am going to think that every night?).

During the event, it seemed like almost all the things I had prayed about earlier in the day were front and center... God has some strange ways of showing us he is listening doesn't he! I honestly had to wait this post until today because if I would have tried to type this up yesterday, I dont think I could have put it in paragraph form... so many thoughts were flooding my mind... I have heard from so many people online and they have said the same thing! Basically "I am just writing from my heart not my mind."

Really, last night was almost overwhelmingly... what an incredible night at Elevation Church.... Again Israel Houghton led an AMAZING worship that touched my very soul with his lyrics.

**Since there has not been a video posted yet, I am putting up the Hillsong Video (I think Elevations performance was better)

For me the best part was when “Jesus at the Center” was being sung, the Church and the chorus continued repeating “Jesus be the center of my life” and “Jesus be the center of my church"... that was when Pastor Steven called out to his church and guests... He preached a min sermon on Grace, Forgiveness, and The Cross.

It amazes me everytime I see people come to Christ and get saved... that stuff is emotional man! It also makes all of my guilt and shame pour out... I just feel so humbled to know that even through all of my sin and disobedience to God, that He sent his son to be brutally murdered for me. It is in The Cross that no matter how many times I fall, stumble, or fail, God forgives me.

What a simple, powerful, awesome thing it is to know that all we have to do is let Him into our hearts and take the Grace he offers us! It's because of Jesus that we are forgiven, we are wiped clean, and in all those sins that have run through our broken lives.... past, present, and future... we are forgiven...they are nothing, they are done... God knew we would not be able to do it and If "Jesus is the Center" and we accpet him, God will see Jesus in us and all will be forgiven! Amazing isnt it?

To know that in all our struggles in our past, in all the temptations that lay ahead of us in life.... its because of Jesus that we are forgiven!

The last week has been so amazing (AND WE ARE ONLY AT THE HALF WAY POINT)

Now more than ever, I can proudly say "I know, for a fact, that I have Jesus Christ is on and by my side... and since he is on and by my side, anything is possible!"

Code Orange Revival Day 5

2012-01-16T11:15:00.000-08:00

Day 5 of #CodeOrangeRevival was interesting to say the least. Ed Young was the guest of the night and he had a strong message of following and leading others to Christ. Leading in the sense that as Christians its our job to get our "ass's" in gear and bring/educate/and guide lost people to Christ.

Ed Young has a very cooky way of preaching and I can tell you that it probably isn't accepted by everyone out there... I think when he said "ass" during his sermon my P's almost fell off the couch. He also took a second to plug his book "Sexperiment"... the book is referring to the predominant message of our culture... that it is okay to have sex whenever, wherever, and however we want. He says that sex has become "just sex". But, while society has taken sex too far, the church hasn't taken it far enough (I AGREE). By the way, I am sure my parents thought this was crazy too... Sex talk in church. Young writes God wants us married couples to make love in marriage-with passion, with purpose, and with pleasure. He says marriages aren't experiencing all the benefits that come from a healthy sex life. He also goes on to say couples are facing a barrage of influences that keep them from connecting with each other regularly - the kids, the career, the house, the errands, etc.

"SEXPERIMENT" shows people that sex in marriage is more than just sex, and it's more than a chore. The Youngs believe it's time to get back to understanding the context of sex in marriage and it's time for couples to break down the barriers keeping them from a healthy sexual relationship. Couples ought to experience the benefits of having sex regularly, intentionally, and creatively.

Ed Young is the lead pastor and founder of Fellowship Church in Texas. He has a passion for making the complex, simple as he speaks truth to people in ways they can understand and apply to their everyday lives

Recap of Day 5... The Main Points!

Get ready to "Rescue" because people are drowning without the Lord.
God has thrown us a life ring and Jesus is the life ring.
We can all be rescued we just have to take it.
The radically rescued, rescue radically.

Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Imagine yourself in the middle of the ocean, drowning... with no life vest or "floatation ring". That is you in your sin... that is you crying for help... that is you helpless. Seems pretty brutal right... pretty hopeless... Now imagine yourself with a vest... with a "floating ring"... suddenly it doesn't seem that bad, especially when its being thrown to you by a guy on a boat with food and water.

You probably asking what is the point of that story right? Well apply that to your belief in Jesus...

The ring is the thing (and Jesus is the Ring)

God has thrown you Jesus... all you have to do is take Him! I don't think this is a confusing concept is it? Take the ring.... Accept Jesus! In one simple choice you could be saved!
Now imagine that that ring that you were just thrown had a rope tied to it...

The hope is the rope. (God the Father is the rope)

When the church has the rope and everybody’s pulling the rope in the right direction, it is obviously going to be easier to bring that person in. We’re saved to share our rescue story.The ring is the thing. The hope is the rope.

Colossians 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves

Now check this out...

Just as the scripture says its our job to Pull so the house will be full.

The ring is the thing, the hope is the rope, now pull so the house of God will be full.

If everybody is pulling the rope it makes saving much easier:)... Brining people in numbers and go out and tell people the good news... This what Matthew 28 is saying to do.

We are supposed to "Keep on Keeping on".... We are not supposed to "play it safe" or be afraid to share our story... That means pull the rope! That means pull people closer to God!

Ask yourself when Jesus played it safe or when did the disciples play it safe?

We all should understand that almost all rescues happen in the deep.

Know that the longer we’re with God the fewer friends we should have that are far from God. There are two reasons for this.

Either You are pulling friends closer to God

Your so called friends have no desire to be close to God (that will happen to...trust me)

Ed Young says "do what you love to do but, do it with more non-believers"... Share your story and do your job as a Christian...it's about reaching others. Its about having God work through you to save others!

The ring is the thing, the hope is the rope, pull so the house God will be full. Fling the ring.

**In other words: preach the good news, bring those close to you, closer to God, and repeat!

Thanks for reading

Code Orange Revival Day 4

2012-01-16T09:28:00.000-08:00

Now that I am a few days behind on this... I am going to try to play catch up here...

Day 4 of #CodeOrangeRevival was hosted by Christine Caine! She was one of the best speakers I have heard and her testimony alone was worth the viewing... Wow... Christine Caine's message was amazing and to cover it all will be a little difficult for me to do in a blog post (you seriously need to hear her and listen to her testimony). With that said, I'm going to give it a shot!

Christine Caine is a follower of Jesus who happens to be an Aussie wife and mom. She is one of the most passionate and energetic people I've ever heard preach! She teaches God's Word all over the globe and when I say "all over" that is exactly what I mean. In the course of one month, she may very literally be in four or five different countries to share the gospel.

Christine's message really stirred something in me! It was inspiring and convicting....

There were really two basic points in her message:

There is nothing that our God cannot do!

I think that at times we all need reminding of that. I think we all need to remember that we need to have faith even when we don't understand what is going on, and that God is still good despite the valleys that we might be walking through. If our God is after our joy.. really...who can stop us? With Him all things are possible... and remember God is greater than anything that might get in our way!

God doesn’t believe in Expiration dates”

There have been promises on your life, and at times they seem impossible... just remember God doesn’t believe in expiration dates.  It is people who put "Due Dates" on things and that is why we think we have run into broken promises.

All of the promises of God are in Him. God cares about the details in your life. Ask yourself, "When was the last time you believed in God"... "When was the last time you trusted Him, with everything?"

What is impossible with man is possible for God!!
God is still the God that parts the Red Sea, That tears down walls, That makes a way!

Christine talked about the story of Abraham & Sarah (here is a quick history lesson for you guys)... Abraham and Sarah his wife were passed child bearing age but, God had promised them a son. They put a due date on this and Sarah told Abraham to take her handmaid, Hagar and sire a son by her, which Abraham did. The son so produced was named Ishmael (Islam Muslim Faith) but, he was not the promised Son. In time, Sarah did conceive and bear a son, Issac (Christian Faith), which was the promised son. Sarah became jealous of Hagar and asked Abraham to get rid of his and her son. Issac was to father Jacob and Jacob was to father twelve sons, some of these to were by handmaids. These twelve sons were the twelve patriarchs, siring the twelve tribes of Israel or the nation of Israel. However, Ishmael also sired twelve sons that became large tribes, these eventually became the enemy of Israel as Ishmael said he was the promised son. Look at what can happen by putting a "due date" onto a promise from God... The conceques of this one action are still affecting our world today. I dont know about you but, for me, that is some serious stuff.

Never shrink God down to your own experiences.
Don't confuse our due date with God’s appointed time.

Is anything to hard for God? God doesn’t see His things like we see things. His things are divine and eternal.

God promises are never expired, YOU are the one that puts expiration dates on the promise, God doesn’t see your promise as an expiration date... If what you’re seeing is all you see…believe that is there is a lot more to be seen.

She went onto talk about forgiveness and give her testimony which was so amazing... I was grasping at every word of it and it gave me a sense of appreciation, conviction, and REVIVAL!!

Code Orange Revival Day 3

2012-01-15T11:53:00.000-08:00

Day 3 is going to be a bit longer than the posts I have done because of the message that Matt chose to preach on. This was hard hitting stuff and I can wait to share it with you! I have included the whole video at the bottom because EVERYONE needs to hear... Wow Matt Chandler crushed this one!
Before I get into the message I want to frame this up really quick... as most of you know, I have been looking forward to Elevation Church’s #Codeorangerevival and made the commitment to myself to watch it in its entirety. Being a weekly attendee of Elevation Church, I knew it wouldn't be to difficult to do since every service I have ever been to has been awesome! It has seriously been like everyone of these sermons that Pastor Steven is preaching have been specific for my ears so, I couldn’t wait to hear all the guest speakers they had lined up!

I want you guys to actually think about this really quickly... this didn’t hit me until last night... we have 12 days of “Revival”, plus 2 Sunday services… that’s basically 14 times I am attending church within a 12 day period. That is close to 3 and a half months of Church Service in just a week and a half… amazing when I think of it like this.

The point of that wasn’t to toot my own horn but, when I started to think about that it really hit me… It's Insane and I love it!

I have hosted all 3 (now 4) nights of #Codeorangerevival hoping to lean farther in, wanting, hoping, and praying to hear what God has to say through some powerful voices of our day and possibly bring my friends and family closer to God.... On day 3 Matt Chandler was the speaker.

Matt Chandler serves as lead pastor of The Village Church in Highland Village, TX. He describes his 7 year tenure at The Village as a re-planting effort where he was involved in changing the theological and philosophical culture of the congregation. The church has witnessed a tremendous response growing from 160 people to over 5,000 including two satellite campuses (Denton and Northway). Prior to accepting the pastorate at The Village, Matt had a vibrant itinerant ministry for over ten years where he spoke to hundreds of thousands of people in America and abroad about the glory of God and beauty of Jesus.

Matt’s story and faith are unreal, his ministry and preaching anointed, and he gave me a real feeling of conviction.

When Pastor Matt was on stage, I tweeted several times about his service and I am still floored by his message… Wow... he was amazing, it left me speechless, and it totally blew me away

I think there main thing that Chandler wanted us to hear comes from Psalm 23

Read Psalm 23… If you read it wrong however, you’ll think that the point is that God is all about You, that’s 100% wrong:

The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. I won’t be in want. The deepest needs of my want and my soul will be satisfied in my Shepherd. He MAKES me lie down in green pastures. You can lie down or be MADE to lie down. You will bow or you’ WILL bow. He leads me besides still waters. He brings us into peace. He restores my soul. And he leads me in paths of righteousness...

Sounds like he is REALLY INTO ME doesn't it... leading me besides still waters, paths of righteousness… but why? Look at the motivation… Its for His names sake. His provision and love and passion about you – the motivation for this isn’t that YOU are great but, that HE IS GREAT. The motivation is His Name, His renown, His glory.

See, everything in our culture says you are valuable, its all about you...well I have bad news...it's all about God.

Chandler also really hit home when he said God is here for your joy… notice He didn’t say HAPPINESS. Happiness can be taken from you in a second. Happiness is cheap and will not sustain you for the journey that God has for you. “I am after your joy, but sometimes getting to joy STINGS”.

Don’t live on a superficial plane because that will not sustain you. If you live long enough you’ll bleed. You’ll experience loss. Your strength will fail you.

Non believers have this misconception... break the rules, do and don’t type of idea... like God is Santa.

Evangelicals misconception is that... God is all about US and ME...That creation is all about... God being lonely so He created ME… Me and Jesus are best friends type things. Bottom line is God is about God.

God’s motivation is always His glory, His name, His renown. All through the Scriptures, the works of God are expressed “for the glory of HIS name”.

Here are a few more highlights of Matt Chandlers message at #Codeorangerevival are shoe God is for God

Isaiah 43 God created us for His glory
Isaiah 49 God called Israel for His glory
2 Samuel 7 God gave Israel victory, for his glory.
1 Samuel 12 He does not throw his people away for the glory of His name
Ez 36 restored Israel from exile for the glory of his name
John 7:18 Jesus sought the glory of his father in all he did
Matt 5:16 and 1 Peter 2:12 do good works for the glory of his name
John 14 Jesus answers prayer so that God may be glorified
John 12 and John 17 Jesus endured his final hours of suffering for the glory of God.
Romans 3:25-26 God gave his son to vindicate the glory of his righteousness – does anyone have a problem that God forgave David WITHOUT Jesus, David was a adulterer and murderer. God is holy. How was David a man after God’s heart? he was a sinner! how is that possible, because Jesus vindicated ALL the forgiveness of ALL the people in OT and NT and now
John 16:14 the minister of the Holy Spirit is to glorify God
1 Peter 4 serve in a way that will glorify him
2 Thess 1 Jesus is coming again for the glory of god
John 17 Jesus ultimate aim for us is that we will see and enjoy his glory
Hab 2 the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God
Romans 11 everything that happens will redound to the glory of God
Rev 21:23 the glory of God will replace the sun – when I make all things new, we wont need the sun anymore. Jesus will be the sun, warmth, light, growth, life… what the sun does I WILL DO

From genesis to revelation – the story of The Bible, God is for the glory of His name, He is reconciling and reclaiming all things to Himself. The Bible is not about YOU. The bible is about JESUS.

Yes, it does have instructions but, its not the road map to life.

If you don’t get this, you’ll be reading it the wrong way. You’ll keep infusing yourself into the stories of the bible like you’re the hero.

You’re not David. You’re trouble in life is not goliath.
Jesus is the greater David, the greater Moses, the greater Abraham.
Jesus is the greater then.
Jesus is David, goliath is sin and death.

Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

God tends to use people that it doesn’t make a lot of sense to use. He chooses to make much of Himself through us. Because he loves us so much he saves us and transforms us and wounds us and heals us.

Why is it such good news that GOD IS FOR GOD over God being FOR YOU? His motivation is for the sake of His own name, not our own glory. Since God is for God and since God is ultimately about the praise of His glorious grace, God is not after my begrudging submission but, after my joy. God is ferociously about my joy, because the more I enjoy him the more His grace is gloried in.

See God is not after me, like “I better do what he says or he’ll send me to hell.” God wants me to enjoy Him. That’s why He gives me the law. Chandler talked about The Law and The Pharisees. He spoke about David delighted in the law, he sung about the law. Because God is for God and not our begrudging submission.

The commands of God are meant to lead us into greater life and greater joy and to line us up with how He designed things to work rather than for us to have it our way... which doesn’t work. God doesn’t suggest things, because he knows how things work, He does it because he created it… rest, money, marriage, sex etc. Greater life (John 10:10) is found in our obedience to how He wired the universe to work, rather than how we think the universe should work... we are own worse enemies, we are the problem, God’s law leads us into life. We are supposed to believe his law and His commands lead to greater joy and life.

Now we’re not going to keep that law perfectly... thats the implication of God being about God. If God is about God that means we are not the center of the universe...

Almost all the conflict in our life is predicated upon the belief that the world is about me. Road rage = the world is about me. Marriage conflict = the world is about me. Work issues = the world is about me. The more the world is about you, the more angry and tired you will be, the more it is NOT about you, the more free you are. (this is right on point)

The Apostle Paul was an unfazed, untouchable man... though in prison, beaten, left for dead, and shipwrecked 3 times… Lord are you serious! Confident in Jesus... how is that possible? Because his righteousness was from Jesus.

Despite me, despite my continued failures, despite my foolish heart and shortcomings, God because of the imputed righteousness of Christ to me and his wrath absorbing death on the cross and his resurrection now sees me as perfect and spotless and holy, not because I am but, because HE IS.

That is why Ephesians 2 says that even the faith I had to believe in was given to me was given by God, it is a gift, so God so owns the glory, that everything is His, that is why no one should walk with a swagger or with a limp, because we are His. Don’t touch His glory... He guides us and shepherds us and leads us for His names sake.

Our old man wants creation over the Creator – even in the church. Yes, God loves you but, God is ultimately after the praise of His glorious grace.

Trying to earn your righteousness will make your exhausted...We are all liars, thieves, adulterers, murderers. We are infinitely guilty but, Christ has made a way. Our hope is in Christ’s perfection. God is not in love with some future version of you, its not in the us of tomorrow that he loves or when we get our act together... if you believe that, you dismiss the cross of Christ.

The cross is a glaringly acknowledgement of our sin, that we fall short, that we’re not perfect (noone is except Jesus), that we’re screw ups. The cross says yes I know, I’ve made provision, I’ve handled that... There’s no sin in our past, present, or future that has more power than the cross of Jesus Christ. Christ absorbs God’s wrath on the cross, so serious was our transgressions that a price had to pay and the resurrection shows us that it was paid in full, that’s why Romans 8 says there is no condemnation for those in Christ.

God gives freely to those who will ask for it, who will humble themselves in repentance... There is no wound He cannot heal. The cross is the evidence that God knows. He knows our sinfulness. God responds when His people cry out for mercy.

Let us humble ourselves.

Love you guys,

Code Orange Revival Day 2

2012-01-13T13:48:00.000-08:00

Last night was the second night of Elevation Church’s “#CodeOrangeRevival". Without question the theme was of God’s faithfulness to us.

As usual the night was packed with crazy lines and people were eager to get in! Standing room only at both locations:)

There was another phenomenal worship experience from Elevation Worship. It's so awesome that Elevation Church goes above and beyond anything I have seen with their band and stage show that leads into the actual sermon.

The speaker of the night was Pastor Jentezen Franklin, founder and lead pastor of Free Chapel. He started out stating that he decided to scrap his originally planned sermon to talk about God’s faithfulness. During last night sermon there is no question that the biggest take away from the message was “When one generation is faithful, it’s possible to store up mercy for the next generation."

He used his time to preach about the covenant David had with God... and talked about this faithfulness to him... He talked the linage from Solomon to Josiah and how after hundreds of years God stayed faithful. Pastor Franklin made the point you were created for God and His hand is on your life.

Just as David’s linage was blessed because of his covenant, he preached that when the head of the house is faithful to God the rest of the family usually is.... he called it, the prodigal’s advantage. “If you’re a child that has been raised in church you might get pulled away, but the prodigal always knows the way back home.” I believe that what we as parents do now is not just affecting the here and now. As you serve God you have to decide between storing up iniquity or mercy for your families. I believe we can affect our children for generations to come. Our lives can be stepping stones or stumbling blocks.

I thought this was fitting as all great things have small beginnings... weather its the start of a business, relationship, local church or a career...

Of coarse, Pastor Steven wrapped up the night with a few encouraging words and talked about how many people actually tuned in... One thing that caught my attention was that #Codeorangerevival was one of the top hash tag symbols used on Twitter over the last few nights. He went on to talk about how important it is to support your local church, finding a local church, and as always filling out prayer requests so that Elevation Church can pray for you. What an amazing night... looking forward to tonight's service!

Code Orange Revival Day 1

2012-01-12T13:13:00.000-08:00

The Code Orange Revival hosted by my Church "Elevation Church" is here. 12 nights of knock-down dragout preaching...from some of the top preachers in the world. Yes, in the WORLD.

The night started out with some of the most amazing worship songs I have seen to date. Elevation Worship blew the doors off last night and I want to say... it really got me ready to hear some great preaching!

The opening night started with Lifechurch.tv's lead pastor Craig Groeschel. It was pretty incredible.

Recap...

The sermon was packed with content and challenges.

At one point, Pastor Craig was talking about how he went in front of an ordination board and was rejected. They said he was too wild. Maybe not conservative enough. Clearly, God was not done with him. Pastor Craig then went on to talk about how so many churches have three primary restrictions when looking for a pastor:

Must have at least five years experience.
Must have a degree from seminary.
Must be married.

If this were the case, then Jesus himself, wouldn’t meet the criteria to pastor their churches. What’s my point? The point is that we need to stop looking for approval from society and the worldly standards. Romans 8:28 says that “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” We are all qualified to spread the Gospel. There is no degree required to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I would say, for me.. the biggest point though came when Pastor Craig spoke about generosity. He talked about a visit to a 3rd world country and how the woman he stayed with saved for 6 months to provide him a piece of meat for dinner (trust me this wasn't filet) and how that kind of generosity is absent in most of our lives. He spoke about how instead of scheming on how to GET more, we should be scheming of ways that we can GIVE more. It was a total inspiration for me in regard to my families general finances and the appreciation I have for my country.

There are still ELEVEN nights left. Seriously do not miss this...

Each night will be streamed live online at the Elevation Network with the pre-show beginning at 6:12pm each night.

I'm excited to tune from the comfort of my home. You can bet I'll be on my couch - pen and paper in hand - ready to soak up all the wisdom that I can and prepare my mind and heart to be the best husband, friend, and person I can be in 2012.

Code Orange Revival... The Start of my 2012

2012-01-12T12:13:00.000-08:00

Hey guys my home church, Elevation Church is doing a revival conference that started last nigh... 12 days to start off 2012 It’s called Code Orange Revival :) It’s pretty amazing worship and teaching! You can watch online every night starting at 7 pm for the next 12 days I would love to hear your feedback on it:) COME WATCH …

http://elevationnetwork.com

Hearts could be touched and lives will be changed by Jesus forever.

Out... Bc

Notes from a Christian...

2012-01-11T08:05:00.000-08:00

Man, so its been a while since I have posted on here... probably due to the everyday nonsense of life and the road blocks it throws at us all... With that said, I have decided to take this thing in a whole new direction.

I have come to the realization that I don't want to just type to type... write to write... well you get the point.

I want to transform this blog into a "note taking session" on our weekly sermons at Elevation Church... I will get into what Elevation Church is and where it is located in the next few posts.

I hope you all enjoy the blog and read it weekly!

1 Down 64 To Go...

2010-12-07T08:09:00.000-08:00

As I started my 65 goals for 2011, so I decided to take a pretty logical approach to knocking some of these out. Tackle the small tasks that could be completed within a week and knock those out first, along with that start tackling long term goals or goals that needed to completed over winter (example, don't miss a week of church all winter long) and then work forward from there!

With that said, my first task was to "read 'The Shack'".... I finished up right on time (one week).

The reason I decided to tackle this goal first was simple... 1. it was easy (ha) 2. I had heard loads of praise about the book and I was excited to see what all the hype was about and 3. Another goal of mine was to read more... so naturally completing this would be a nice building block for that one.

Looking at the book as a whole, I can honestly say, I am totally torn over this book. "The Shack" dramatizes several messages. The first one, that I think is most important, is that every person is loved at every moment with a boundless love by God. The drama of this story hit me in a way that allowed me really wrap my mind around this idea. Another central message, which supports the first, is that most of us live with the illusion that God is absent, that we are separated from Source and from each other. As a result, we re-act out of fear instead of acting out of love, and so we cause pain.

This book displays brutality inflicted by one person onto another, actually onto a very young girl who is dearly loved, perfectly innocent, and vulnerable. It's a meditation on the problem of evil: why do bad things happen to good people? Most people would argue that the book is worth reading just on that question alone. The answer it offers us is that suffering is not justified; it is redeemed. Unjustified suffering is part of the mess that mankind has made of God's plan... God could clean up our mess by depriving us of freedom, but then the plan of sharing God's life with us would be lost. Instead, God builds a context around the pain that we cause, which turns a fear-based action into a step toward love and light. Whether that answer works or not can be debated but, it is definatly profound.

I thought that the "The Shack" was a compelling story, and has many little nuggets of wisdom.

On other hand, the book was uneven -- it was not all written by the same hand, and there were passages that just did not make a whole lot of sense to me.

On top of that, there are boat loads of other problems in the book were difficult for me to overlook... I don't understand the mentality that says, God is pictured as a lot of things in the Bible, so why can't I picture Him/Her as whatever I feel comfortable with? Well, because one of the most devastating forms of heresy is to give God an identifiable form, hence the commandment: "Though shall not worship false Idols". We are not supposed to put God in a box, whether that box be an old bearded Caucasian male, or an overweight African-American female, it doesn't matter.

The truth is that even if an angel were to enter a scene, people would fall on their faces in awe.

Making God a poker buddy isn't going to improve my or your relationship with Him.

This is a humanization of God. We often times trying to fashion God in our image, and this book simply reinforces that idea. The author goes from one extreme to another, a "God as an impersonal force that wants to punish us" to the other, a "God blows smoke rings, listens to punk rock and is my buddy". He beats us up with one wrong image of God, then he shoves us all the way off the other end of the shelf by presenting a completely different, image of God.

God is my Father, my Friend, my King, my Deliverer, my Redeemer, my Fortress, my Tower, my Alpha and Omega, my Bread and my Savior and the Word tells me that this is indeed so.

Also, I thought that the philosophy in this book was pretty weak. In fact, I still don't know the conclusion. If you were to try to communicate the lesson of this book, what would it be? I am expecting a little girl in my life this March and I hate to sound harsh but, this book scared the shit out of me and then never really gave me any satisfying resolution. I believe there are powerful and effective answers to address the problem of evil, but in my opinion, this book didn't give them to me.

I guess If you are someone who really doesn't understand the powerful love of God, then this book would be great. But other than that, I think it fell way short of my expectation and may even be strangely destructive.

I read a lot of fiction and love the liberal use of fictitious personalities, conversations, and circumstances to help me place myself in the time period and to appreciate others' experiences but, having said that, I could hardly wait to finish this book mainly because I was getting bored half way through.

It became almost like a chore to read all the “babbling” from the personalities of The Trinity... going on and on about some things that are not at all that engaging (though Mack somehow finds them enlightening and attention-keeping).

I’m not an expert but, theologically, the story fell apart fairly quickly as well. My biggest problems with the book was: 1) Apparently there is no hell (and if there is no hell there is no heaven) and 2) God's anger is not felt...I mean, I was extremely pissed about Missy's death being described by God and him saying "she was not alone (God was there)...that she was so brave!" I can't imagine the Holy Spirit telling a grieving parent that He was there and the child handled being kidnapped, raped, and murdered...bravely? That just sounds odd to me.

I didn't have a problem so much with the personification of The Trinity but, calling a woman "Papa" (God) pushed my limits. I wanted to like this book and about a third of the way through I really did. Boy, what a turn... I honestly thought the writing just got extremely boring. I’m glad I read it because I heard a lot about it but, it defiantly isn’t a must read and it didn't live up to the hype in opinion.

Out... Cundiff

65 goals for 2011 (Updated 12/7/2010)

2010-11-30T14:21:00.000-08:00

I have started a yearlong mission… to accomplish 65 goals before 11:59 pm December 31, 2011

If you didnt see my last post please check it out... "A New Way to 2011"

I will be updating and tracking these so you guys can follow along! I will also be posting some pictures as well as my progress!

Green will indicate the goals I’ve completed!

Orange marks what I am in the process of completing!

So I give you my pledge:

"I, Robert Cundiff will complete the below goals in order to be a more successful, healthy, upbeat, person. The goals are all relevant to my life as well as my families... I will not stray… Lets GET IT DONE!"

Here are the goals 65 in no particular order:

1. Complete all 65 goals by December 31, 2011
2. Give up drinking for at least 100 days
3. Give myself at least 1 hour of personal time everyday
4. Choose to be positive even when I’m down
5. Be a better friend
6. Be able to easily do 100 push-ups
7. Get my gun card
8. Lose 40 Lbs
9. Be under 10% body fat
10. Work on a new wardrobe
11. Don’t apologize for things that are not my fault
12. Stop procrastinating
13. Start my own Company (it’s gonna be next year or never)
14. Go to the Dr and get a full physical
15. Finish my Media Center
16. Use my snow board at least three time next year
17. Get a tattoo
18. Give up all fast food or junk food
19. Fast for 24 hours at least twice
20. Watch Seven Samurai (I have heard its great)
21. Make a calendar marked with important personal dates
22. Give up a firend who doesn’t bring any value to my life
23. Learn to be a better public speaker (join Toast Masters)
24. Give up gambling (except poker)
25. Watch less television
26. Read the entire Bible front to back
27. Play more Golf next summer
28. Complete a full run of P90X
29. Complete a full run of Insanity
30. Complete a full run of the Tri-Phase Workout
31. Eat healthy for the entire year (one cheat day a week)
32. Get a passport
33. Take a cruise
34. Care less about politics
35. Do more home improvement project
36. Be more “Cheap”
37. Visit my lake house more often
38. Be able to run 5 miles without stopping
39. Have a clear idea of my own career path
40. Be a better husband
41. Be a better dad
42. Clean up my language
43. Give up facebook
44. Stop drinking soda
45. Read more - Just finished up "The Shack"
46. Eat only when I’m hungry not to satisfy a craving
47. Start doing Yoga
48. Don’t crumble to peer pressure
49. Get a bartending certification
50. Get a personal training certification
51. Drink more water
52. Stop biting my nails
53. Stop spending money randomly
54. Work with Beckham more
55. Don’t get upset with my family as much as I do
56. Bench press 250lbs
57. Visit Tampa to see old friends at least twice
58. Keep a workout journal
59. Read The Last Lecture
60. Read The Shack - Done! (See my post on "The Shack" 1 Down 64 To Go)
61. Read There is a God
62. Keep my house cleaner
63. Don’t miss church for the entire winter
64. Spend more time with my family
65. Redo another goal list when I finish these

Out... Cundiff

New way to 2011...

2010-11-30T12:50:00.000-08:00

For years I had created vision boards, pictures of miles stones and achievements to remind me of the goals I set for myself. Until recently, I didn't know how impactful those were... but, I have come to the conclusion that those were ultimately the key to successes I had experienced in my life... Unfortunately, I have gotten away from them and as "the proof is in the pudding" goes, I have not been nearly as successful recently as I was in the past.

Did you know that 99% of Americans do not have personal goals that last past the second week of January? That's sad seeing that the goals are usually set the first week.

The evidence that goals work and work incredibly well is irrefutable.

I read a story today that said: In 1953, Yale did a study on their graduating seniors. They polled all of them to see who would be interested in a goal setting seminar. Three percent of the seniors signed up and set goals for the three major areas of their lives: business, relationships, and health. They not only had specific goals, but they also had to know why they wanted it.

They had to define obstacles, networks and people that could help them achieve reaching their goals.

THEY HAD A PRECISE PURPOSE.

In 1973, 20 years later, Yale contacted the entire senior class. The 3% of the class that attended and participated in the goal setting class in 1952 had more income than the other 97%. Not only did they have more income but,they were vastly more successful in all aspects of their lives (Health wise, relationally, etc...)

After reading this I have decided that I would put a list of goals together for 2011 (these are short term goals), include pictures, and track those goals via my blog. So, I will probably get away from ranting about religious topics, politics, and other things that are relevant in a broader scheme to my life and start tracking the goals I have set forth to give everyone out there a deeper, more granular picture of my journey and where I am in that journey. I will talk about the hardships that come with achieving and surpassing those goals.

I will get around to chatting up my regular topics but until I am really on top of my game, until I have broken bad habits and retrained myself to be better, I won't be.

So lets get to it...

**The biggest, most difficult goal on the list will be to complete the goal list... the whole idea of the list will be for it to be complete by 11:59 pm on December 31, 2011.**

65 Goals coming in the next few days!

Out... Cundiff

Perfection and Excellence...

2010-11-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

It's been a few since I have wrote anything but, this morning heard something that I thought was brilliant and could not wait to share it with you all.

There's a great quote that's been attributed to Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn and others: "Ready, Fire, Aim!" At some point in life, we have to say it's "good enough" and take action.

At some point, we have to settle for "excellence" and go for it! I'm not talking about being sloppy or settling for mediocrity, but in most cases, excellence is good enough. Particularly if we are willing to fix our mistakes, learn from them and seek constant improvement, excellence is good enough.

**Perfection is the exact opposite and arch enemy of Excellence.**

Working being excellent allows us to champion and achieve milestones... working on being perfect doesn't.

Nothing is perfect, and expecting perfection only sets us up for failure.

Agree?

Out...Cundiff

iPhone improv... Really sweet video

2010-11-06T14:27:00.000-07:00

I came across this video randomly messin around on youtube (what's new). Anyway I thought you all might enjoy it!

Out...Cundiff

Sports Illustrated Nonsense... "The Bronze Age" (Updated)

2010-10-27T10:02:00.000-07:00

"The Bronze Age?"

I have hated Sports Illustrated since the days of the "Jordan Feud", with that said I came across an article from SI in a Blog that I follow pretty consistently the other day. The basic premise of SI's article was how we prop up athletes quickly, build statues too soon, and glorify them as if they are hero's or more than that…"gods". The article goes on to talk about how only after 4 years of college we celebrate an athlete, or only after one contract year are we put coaches in the highest ranks. Well, correct me if I'm wrong but, doesn't the NCAA only allow an athlete four years of eligibility? These are not lifetime achievement awards for players, they are memorials of what they did while at that school. College players impact hard and fast, and if a college player stands out so much (in the case of Tebow) then really how long until a university or boosters prop them up? I'm mean Tim Tebow is only one of the top 5 college football players of all time.
Lets talk about the coaches... if you win a National championship, in Sabans case 2, or coach your team to one national championship game after another like Stoops, then, yes I think that the coach can be "glorified in a Sports sense" all they want, and as soon as they want.

People often forget that a guy like Bobby Bowden who won 11 games a year for 20 years, 2 national championships, and is the second winningest coach of all time was let go (fired) because the University thought it was their right to yet again win 11 games a year and contend for a national championship every year... Its funny though, when Bowden was hired at FSU, the university didn't even have a football team, it was a convert from an all girls school, he made the program, he turned it into that national power.

That's not the point though... the real point is that, even after doing so much for FSU... he was fired. Not for cheating, not for breaking recruiting violations (although he did in the past), for nothing. He was fired because the boosters and the university thought it was their right to win... guess what, after over 40 years of work Bowden doesn't have a trophy.

I guess times are different and we all get that but, for Selena Roberts (the author of the article) to say that we celebrate to quickly or glorify to fast... well if not now, when? After coaches are fired? After a guy like Reggie Bush is thrown under the bus and blackballed by the school he made millions of dollars for?

Shame on her and shame on SI.

Below is the conversation I had talking about these points as well as others... take a look, do you agree? Feel free to read the SI article in its entirety and comment below (SI Article)

Out...Cundiff

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I said:

Let’s talk about this a bit…

Maybe it is the fact that I was one of the lucky ones that participated in a collegiate sport and was shown the harsh reality of NCAA and their nonsense. So I have a very different take on all this.

Tebow (by the way a hard core Christian) should 100% have that statue in front of that stadium. He may very well be the single greatest college football player EVER, if he isn’t the greatest, he is in the top 5 period, no arguing that… he also lead Florida to two National Championships.

Now the cost of the statue… $550,000.00…lol chump change compared to the amount of revenue that Tebow brought in to that school. In the four years Tebow was at UF the average annual football revenue was 66.1 million dollars… that's 264 million dollars over four seasons that Tim Tebow and football directly contributed to the University of Florida, over a quarter BILLION dollars. In #15 (Tebow) Jersey sales alone, Florida made over $80,000.00 a year so, that $240,000.00 just in Tebow jersey sales… all of which he gets ZERO. What did Tebow get from UF a scholarship? $14,000.00 a year (he got $56,000.00 in total education) that is not even a year of his own jersey sales.
In a world where the NCAA and the Universities rape the athlete of all they bring into the school, it would seem that a statue should be the least of the issues.

Think about that revenue amount, a quarter billion dollars… think about how many additional scholarships that creates for non-athletes, for the poor, and for the academic scholars…

Even if the school was using its own money for a Tebow statue, I think that it is amazing that the kid played by the rules, never got into any trouble, is known as the greatest leader of his time as far as sports goes, all while leading a Christian life style.

By the way, all these guys that do get caught taking money and cheating, I really can’t say I blame them seeing how they know what kind of money they are making the school and they are getting none.

The sad thing is, for a guy like Reggie Bush, USC knew what was going on, they gave him whatever he wanted (they knew about it all trust me), with that said he cheated and got caught… that guy like most wasn’t in school for an education, he was in school to go to the NFL. Now USC blackballs him and shames him. They are the ones that should be shamed.

Also, now the current players at USC are being punished… for what? Something someone else who isn’t even at the school anymore did… that makes sense.

Sorry, this is the tip of the iceberg for me… I can go on forever about SI, the NCAA, and all these corrupt universities… it’s all a bunch of you know what.

Bc

----------------------------------------------------------------------
J Reply:

Bobby C, I’m with you 100% of the way on the equity of what the school gets compared to what the athlete gets. When you net it all out, Tebow’s statue is pennies on the dollar.

But that’s not my larger concern. It’s not whether it’s an even net for Tebow, but a wise use of real resources. What good could all that revenue create in a world where 27,000 children die every single day because of malnutrition?

Not to get all downer on this article, it’s just that the obscene money IS the problem. What if Tebow said, ‘Give that money for my statue to WorldVision and feed 50 villages in Nigeria.’ Would they?

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I said:

J, interesting take on this…

The thing is, I would not doubt that Tebow actually said to give the money to the poor instead of a building the statue, I wouldn’t doubt that he even asked for that money to be donated to a better good (http://www.timtebowfoundation.org).

The problem here is that a booster is paying for the statue out of his/her own pocket… (even though, as I pointed out in my last post, the universities are just as bad as these boosters).

Even if Tim Tebow said he didn’t want it, and that the money should go to feed some villagers, at the end of the day, its not his cash:) Its the boosters money… that could be you, me, anyone really… it’s their money to do with what they please… and as you know trying to tell someone how to better spend his or her own earned money isn’t the easiest thing to do. (thanks Dave for that lesson…lol)

Even if it was not the booster’s cash and it was the University of Florida’s (or any University for that matter), would they do as Tebow asked? Definitely not.

With that said, we should be asking questions of the Universities, the boosters, and all others who are in a place to give to less fortunate folks… I have found in my experience, being lucky enough to know more than a few professional athletes, they are usually fast to donate, to start foundations, and to give back to the poor and others who are in need as most of them have come from poverty themselves (or close to it)…. it also explains why a lot of them go broke after a few years after retiring from professional sports. Most of these guys are extremely giving and often times to generous with their money.

I have always wondered why we do not ask doctors, lawyers, or wall street millionaires why they are not donating to the poor as much as we ask our athletes to. It seems like we hold the athlete to a higher standard and its always dollars and sense with them for some reason… why is that? It also would bring up or open the door to this.

I think about how much of the revenue athletics brings into a given University and how much money is poured into other things across the board such as:
-New facilities across the whole campus (buildings, computers, research materials, staffing upgrades, etc…)
-Scholarships for all (especially the less fortunate and minority groups)
-Pay raises for administrators
-University foundations
-All Women’s sports, and other men’s nonprofit teams funding– did you know that basketball and football revenue fund all other sports, band, and cheerleading (sorry I don’t consider the last two sports)…. Basketball and Football are the only two athletic programs across the whole University that make money and actually fund the school…the university then spread it around (like Obama was running the joint),similar to a socialistic society, to keep all other sports afloat and parts of the University running on equal ground. I can go on and on as to other programs and such that money gets dumped but for time sake I won’t.

Its almost like the athlete is trained from day one that they are to support and give to others in need, examples above…

To me athletics is more than just sports… it is something that bonds people, something that drives us together and it fuels the soul. It’s something that people don’t always understand but, want to be part of. Maybe its the crazy amount of money athletes make that really intrigues people… I honestly think that these athletes do a lot more than we think or see.

This biggest thing for me is, maybe SI should have wrote this article about the crooked boosters are or how the corrupt Universities are. How the Universities and boosters should be donating to foundations.
I also think that SI should write a major article about how Tebow is a devote Christian (and voices it pretty strongly), or about how much money athletes in general donate to charity. It would be pretty sweet for these SI clowns to show how many athletes recognize Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior or talk about how many athletes praise Him during games and in their press conferences. That never gets any pub… you never hear about how many athletes are actually donating to those 27,000 children you were talking about but, trust me, THEY DO. See, that wouldn’t be politically correct or it would be looked at as giving more recognition to Christianity than other religions and well… we just can’t have that these day because someone might get their feelings hurt or feel unappreciated.
Sorry to rant here but, like I said, this is just the tip of the iceberg for me on this topic.
Bc

Random thoughts in life's journey...

2010-10-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

It's funny, I often times try to compare the state of my life as a 21-year old attending college and a 30-year old parent positioning my way through life... Each experience being accompanied by a certain degree of uncertainty about the future. At 21, I had hooked up with more than my fair share of girls, but I didn't know the first thing about dating, relationships, or real love (even though I thought I did). I had plenty of friends, but I didn't know anything about actually socializing. I'd never held down a job, and I didn't know squat about working. At 21, I knew absolutely jack-shit.

Well at 30, I still know jack-shit, but I know that I know jack-shit. Do you follow? In the 9 intervening years, I accrued experience and humility at approximately the same rate...

You know, I am not 100% sure that it's really supposed to be like this though. All the time in between 21 and 30... all the grinding, all the day to day non-sense, I thought I would be in a different place or something... Who knows, that probably doesn't even make sense...

Maybe its like this... There comes a time when you sort of see things or people for what they are. I think I am at that point... I might be realizing that you have to make it work or work harder, that you aren't just going to be handed anything (even if you think you should be).

Maybe hitting the reset button on life isn't that bad of an idea (obviously, you still need to handle your responsibilities)... Maybe taking those few steps back to retrace those mistakes or working back toward those few important goals that got lost in the process of "growning up" is what needs to be done... I guess only time will tell

Out...Cundiff

My Sphere of Influence...

2010-10-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I'm chatting with friends (like right now) I wonder about the sphere of influence that I have on them. I'm not trying to say that I think I'm all amazing or full of awesomeness but, rather the crazy places life brought me to, and the actual affect I have had... the groups of friends, scattered across, whom I've had the privilege to meet.

On some level, a apart of me, the dreamer I suppose, feels that there is definitely a greater purpose to this... that perhaps, I may play some key role that allows me to connect with people from all over and influence them maybe just a little (maybe in the smallest way... just enough to gain thier curiosity), and not in a match making sense, although I hear there's a lot of money in online dating.

I suppose on one level, I might seem like a really confident and very forceful person in my opinions, but anyone who really knows me, knows that over the years I have really settled down and thats possibly because, believe it or not, I have seen myself screw up a lot, especially in the past few years here.

I often don't realize the effect that I have on people, seriously, until they tell me, or it becomes really obvious. It often DOES surprise me, when I hear stories of people who I've encouraged or helped... groups of friends that have been bonded by my presence, its awesome to know that I can somehow do that... and it's a pattern that repeats itself in various places... I think that's what surprises me the most.

Obviously it feels good to hear that from people, and to know that I have great friends... but more than that... I wonder... well 1. can I build a business around it by teaching it, lol or 2. what does it really mean for me in my destiny.

Is it something as crazy as raising my own family to be better?... heaven knows I need a lot of work there.

Who knows... Perhaps God could very well send me to some other place in the world to have some profound effect on someone or something that needs it... I really have no idea... perhaps I'll meet another group of super awesome people with whom I'll be able to help on thier journey for a short while.

A friend of mine once told me that, he though I was an agent of change... an "impact" guy... I still have no idea what that means, or how it's going to give me a better paying job... but I trust in God, and He's got my back, so what do I have to fear?

Out...Cundiff

78%...

2010-10-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I shared some stats that that I was able to hear the pastor of my Church talk about a few weeks ago, as alarming as I found them, I also thought they were pretty interesting because I was once in the 78% that didn't really attend Church or care to for that matter. If you didn't read the Blog entry (check it out). With that said, I will give you a quick refresh on what it was about. There has been data compiled from a survey of four schools–namely, the local high school district’s outgoing four senior classes. The survey revealed that of 40 qualities which represent basic overall personal health, only one finished in a distant dead last. 22% said they possessed this quality: only 22% of our seniors claimed to invest a minimum one hour of time in organized religious activity each week.

When I blogged about this only a few days ago, I was asked a ton of questions and had a bunch of calls from friends who saw the blog posting, “22%...”(It was kind of crazy because I didn't think any of them really cared). They all basically said or asked the thing... “That’s crazy” or ”That number seems off a little”... I heard things like, "wow, everyone out your way (Mokena, Frankfort, Orland,etc...) have good jobs (and typically work M-F), everyone I know out there makes a good living, in that kind of community it would seem that everyone goes to Church regularly".

You know though, the funny thing was that the calls I got from my friends from the "old neighborhood" all knew the facts about that Church attendance dying off... the reason was because almost all of those kids actually go to Church, I wasn't telling them anything they didn't already know.

Those conversations were eerily close to what our parents say (or our grandparents... yikes, we are getting old) all the time. Here is what one of the conversations sounded like... "America is going down the tubes", "These young kids are so screwed up", "What has happened to our country".

My question though was ”What are the parents doing that the kids don't go to Church?”

Then it dawned on me... wait, I didn't go to Church when I was in high school, my parents were awesome and it defiantly wasn't there fault (lets be honest @18 what kid listens to everything their parents say or think? We knew it all back then didn't we? Really, we were rebelling and forming our own opinions and values).

It didn't hit me until now but, its almost like we are all just reliving or parents lives...lol (which for some of us, isn't really a bad thing)

Now, as I did in the 22%... Blog, I referenced Morlans blog (Our Pastor, because he did such a good job on it) and I am going to again. Here is what he says... it's not about not the 22% that actually go to Church but, the 78% that don't:

Read On...

"If you knew me well, you’d know that I wouldn’t share results like that to act like “a voice crying in the wilderness” decrying the end of the world…the end of America…or the moral decline of our beloved Lincoln-Way community. Lots of times, religious folk can work one another into a frenzy about how bad things in America have become or are becoming. Stats like 22% get them even more frazzled. But, truthfully, the article about the 22% wasn’t a message for the hand-wringers among the 22% who go to church. It was for the 78% who don’t.

So, here’s my second attempt.

“Ah-hem.” [Tap the mike to see if it's on.]

“Hello, 78%. Ummmmm, hi. Yes, the church-goers have left the building, so we can speak honestly without feeling judged or worrying that we’re going to get somebody upset. So…let’s just say it. You’re the ones who don’t ever go to church. Yes, there are a bunch of church jokes with you all as punchlines. And, no, I’m not worried that the roof will cave in or that hell will freeze over because you’re here.

“Actually, though I’m a pastor, you might expect me to judge you or get down on you because you’re a ‘Creaster,’ a serial ‘skipper’, unchurched, de-churched, or a skeptic. But that’s not the way I tick or the way I believe. First thing: I love you. Yes, I love you. If I weren’t so into what I believe, trust me, I’d be where you are each Sunday…some place else. I get that you see church as boring, obsolete, judgmental (yes, ironically filled with hypocrites), dusty, or annoying. I know, I know. Me, too. It’s why I got out. I stopped being religious and started a church.

“78%, even though we’re on opposite sides of this number, I’m on your side. So much so, I’ve got to let you know something. You’re missing something important. Like veggies and oxygen important…but more even. There’s something here that’s good for your soul that you can’t find anywhere else. No, we don’t think we own God or that we have Him caged in our building. Quite the opposite: He is unleashed here. You need to be around people who are experiencing this. I dare you to come. Four Sundays in a row so you get a good, fair taste. I dare you to talk to somebody or sing a song or listen to the words or follow through on what the pastor suggested. And see what happens. I bet you won’t be in the 78% anymore."

“Ahem.” [Long pause.] “And thus concludes the beginning"

Out...Cundiff

Athletic Propulsion Labs' $300 Concept 1 shoe...

2010-10-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ever since I have been lacing up the kicks, the myth has been out there... These shoes will make you jump higher, run faster, or even make you play better. It's actually one of the marketing campaigns Nike used with its first pair of Jordan's to turn itself into a billion dollar company.

Well it looks like that whole idea is back, only this time... it’s for real.
Athletic Propulsion Labs is the newest player to come into the athletic footwear industry and they are using a special pitch: The first performance basketball shoe designed to instantly increase a player’s vertical leap.

The company is owned by 23-year-old twin brothers Adam and Ryan Goldston and is backed by a decade’s worth of sneaker industry insiders. Launching with a $300 price tag, APL’s Concept 1 shoe is exclusively sold at APLbasketball.com.

The Goldstons both grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from the University of Southern California (That’s USC people), were they played basketball for USC under Tim Floyd and then for a brief time played football for Coach Carroll as well.

They were brought up in and around the athletic footwear industry. The twin’s dad was a top executive for Nike, Reebok, L.A. Gear, spent time with Adidas and worked with Converse as well.

About three years ago the family decided they wanted to try and create the most innovative athletic footwear company and centered it on breakthrough technology designed to dramatically increase athletic performance and hopefully.... vertical leap.

APL, is singularly focused on creating world class, high performance athletic footwear products that are unlike anything that’s ever been seen in the industry. They are beginning with the launch of a basketball shoe line, and the goal is to do something in the category that’s never been achieved before. APL has been waiting to create a shoe that makes you jump higher.

There’s been the Jumpsoles, there’s been the Air Alerts, and there have always been products that allow you to train to jump higher. APL wanted to create a shoe that made you jump higher instantly.

The goal is to constantly strive to develop innovative products featuring the highest quality materials and workmanship. That’s really the companies mission and their goal is helping you jump higher.

The twins say “We are trying to be like the Ferrari or Lamborghini of the footwear industry. We want to create something that’s exclusive, that’s got great materials, and is based on fine-tuned engineering.”

It seems that the company has created something that really is revolutionary… whether it’s the uppersole, outsole, midsole, sockliner, or anything, its quality… that is pretty much the goal of their brand and the company.

APL wanted to create a basketball shoe that was unlike anything anybody’s ever made before. They worked with a group of footwear experts and advisers for the company and then internally began to develop the technology and shoe design concept around the promise of creating the first shoe that would actually instantly increase vertical leap.

For new companies, unless there is a truly amazing concept or technology, it’s almost impossible to break into the game. Nike came out with the waffle sole, Under Armour came out with moisture wicking fabrics for their clothing line…you need to have something powerful to make a statement and that’s what they have done with the Concept 1.

The shoe design and fabrication was inspired by two of the most exotic automobiles: the Pagani Zonda and Koenigsegg CCXR. They’re both million dollar plus carbon fiber bodied supercars. That’s what APL wanted to create its brand around. They wanted to use carbon fiber and expensive materials, and materials that appeared to look exotic and things of that nature. They wanted to engineer the shoes to be like the cars – super high performance. And that was the basic premise for the company; everything has to be super high performance.

The Concept 1 shoe is designed to be the best playing shoe possible... to date, everyone that’s worn the shoe swears by it. APL utilized styling that makes a strong statement about those who can purchase the shoes because it’s so exclusive and it is so expensive. The amount of time and effort that went into selecting the design, the materials, and working on the device in Concept 1 is reflected in the products they are introducing.

For decades now people have been hoping that they could get a basketball shoe that would instantly make them jump higher or give them a competitive advantage on the court. APL’s slogan is: “Stop Dreaming. Jump Higher.” It also translates to the basketball court in other areas because you’re lighter on your feet, you feel like you can move better, and you’re more explosive and that’s really what players want and what APL gives.

There is a device in the shoe, that no other shoe has, (or will be able to have based on its patens) is a spring like device …they are calling it the "Load ‘N Launch technology device", it is placed in the forefoot, just in front of the ball of the foot and the flex zone. The technology features a propulsion device that compresses in the “load” phase and then releases in the “launch” phase to help drive the athlete upward. This will provide the wearer with greater velocity and height than the conventional basketball shoe. That’s basically the bread and butter of the shoe – the compression in the load phase, and the release in the launch phase.

That’s really how the device works… the second you put on the shoe, you feel as though you have a powerful piece of athletic technology under your foot. It would be similar to sitting in the supercars that were mentioned earlier, you feel the torque and horsepower the second you’re in the car. You know when you put on this shoe that the shoe’s going to make you jump higher. It’s just one of those feelings. You can feel the device and you can see the device on the bottom, so it really adds to the perception that this shoe is going to work… and it does.

Along with the Load Device there is also a shank that runs throughout the shoe to help transfer energy from the heel to the forefoot and to help maximize the technology.

So what are the results of the shoes? Studies have shown there have been people who have gotten an average as high as 3.5 to 4 inches added to their vertical leap. There are times when guys have put on the shoes and have gotten as high as 5 inches.

As I mentioned before, the founders of APL been around the footwear game for a long time… they’ve had the benefit of meeting and talking to tons of people that have already been revolutionaries in the footwear industry. One of those people was Tuan Le, who runs Breitenbush Design, he was the original creator of the And1 Tai Chi. Once Tuan met with APL, they explained the mission of the company and what we hoped to accomplish with the Concept 1. As soon as he was in the loop, he was just throwing designs out left and right. Tuan creates his designs all by hand, he doesn’t use the computer so every time we wanted to make a subtle change, Tuan would redo the whole drawing which was pretty incredible.

APL eventually came to a few different designs and then went through the sample process. From there, the Goldston twins made their own tweaks to the design. They added a couple things you see on the shoe such as the green piping and the translucent outsole. They wanted to make sure that the Load ‘N Launch technology would really fit in with the shoe and make you jump higher. That took many rounds to get the propulsion mechanism and the materials used in the device to the point where it was ideally suited to increase the vertical leap on indoor and outdoor basketball courts. Once they had created a device that was delivering an instant increase, that’s when we really started to look at the materials for the shoe, from the carbon fiber on it to the rebound EVA midsole, to the crystal rubber outsole.

From the first sample run to the last confirmation sample testing, the results are unbelievable…now it’s not comparable to any other shoe on the market.

With such high performance results David Stern and the NBA have taken notice of this

The NBA is prohibiting its players from wearing the new line of sneakers that claim to increase vertical leap.

"Under league rules, players may not wear any shoe during a game that creates an undue competitive advantage," the NBA said in a statement Tuesday.”

The Goldston brothers said that many NBA players, including about 30 percent of the rookie class, expressed interest in the shoes but, they wouldn't reveal names because the players had signed with other companies.

Out...Cundiff

22%...

2010-10-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine, who is also the pastor of my church, belongs to a local organization in the Frankfort/Mokena area, I get the opportunity to listen to him weekly and hear his thoughts on a variety of very intresting topics...with that said he also blogs @WorldPress on a variety of topics (not just church and religion).

Here is somthing that caught my attention on his Blog that I though was pretty intresting, yet somewhat troubling:

"As a pastor, I get the opportunity to be a part of some interesting and impactful circles that really lift my world. One of those is a local organization here among the four villages making up the Lincoln-Way community. No group is like it in our area–being made up of exemplary and active leaders within our community from almost every school, all the park districts, chambers of commerce, volunteer organizations, and churches. It’s amazing, really, sitting in the same room with these difference-makers talking about LIFE AS IT SHOULD BE. (It’s a delicate set of relationships and conversations given all the cultural assumptions about separation of church and state, but everyone involved navigates it elegantly and appropriately. It’s actually a pretty uplifting encounter to be in such a place doing what every community should be doing together.) More than just talk and theory, there’s probably not a room in our community that could comprehensively actualize these ideals more than this one. Of course, we don’t make people’s choices for them, but the hope is that we can knit the fabric that leads us all to the beautiful and greater good.

One intriguing thing emerged from this month’s T.E.A.M. Asset gathering. Our local Lincoln-Way high schools just compiled responses from a survey of our out-going 2010 class of seniors. (They will continue to survey incoming freshmen in addition to future senior classes to track our community’s effectiveness at influencing the upcoming generations into the greater good.)

The survey was designed to assess the overall health (family, social, intellectual, relational, and religious lives and behaviors, etc.) of our community’s young people. (T.E.A.M. Asset calls these qualities of personal health “assets,” but no matter what you might call them, we’re all endeavoring towards the same end goal: “Are our future generations adopting lifestyles that are healthy, sustainable, and positive as they move into adulthood?”)

The survey results about one asset in particular struck me strongly: only 22% of seniors said they participate in at least one hour of activities each week in a “religious institution.” 22%. One out of five. In other words, 4 out of every 5 local teens we encounter rarely participate in a faith community that helps in the growth and trajectory of their soul. (This number is sure to reflect not just high school seniors, but, most likely, their families, too.) 22% sounds lower than it should be, doesn’t it?

That’s really strange because one recent poll revealed that at least 32% of Americans believe in UFO’s. So, by a fair margin, more people believe in flying saucers than local folks do the relevance, responsibility, relationships, and rewards of church life. Not to be too harsh or prophetic against what is most certainly a tender age of development, but, what does a generation like that look like in the future? Moms, Dads, grandparents, coaches, and teachers, something more than our kids’ religious habits and preferences are staked to the future of their morality and faith. It’s not just THEIR futures, but the future and trajectory of our culture. The future of “love thy neighbor.”

The author of Hebrews said it like this: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (10:24-25–niv). Love and good works are “spurred” on, somehow, by our “meeting together.” Is this an apologetic and plea for greater engagement in church life? You bet it is. Consider yourself spurred. 22% goes up one person at a time. "

Out...Cundiff

46" Samsung 9000 Series 3D LED TV Review

2010-10-14T04:25:00.000-07:00

Being a huge tech geek and media freakazoid, I needed to get a TV for my newly finished basement. I shopped around for about a week and came across the Samsung LED9000 series. It was hands down, not only the best-looking TV but, it also had far and away the best picture quality of all the TV's I looked at (which was basically all of them). I saw this thing a few days ago and was instantly mesmerized by it. Not only is the picture gorgeous but, the over all Stainless Steel look of the TV is nearly perfect.

Samsung's LED9000 Series represent the pinnacle of its TV range. Designed with money-no-object flair combine the very latest in LED backlighting techniques and picture processing modes with 3D capability.

They are, in every sense of the word, 'statement' products.

Picture Quality 10 (If I could rate higher I would)

The Picture quality is better than anything I have ever seen! At a whopping 6,000,000:1 the picture resolution is off the charts… it’s not the highest resolution in the marketplace but, Samsung has done a few extra things to the screen that allows it to really stand atop the competition. When it comes to the picture, this has to be the BEST LED 3DTV in the market place (lets scrap the LED preface), it absolutely, positively has the BEST picture quality of all TV's currently out there.

The 2D picture clarity of this set is startling. Detail levels are phenomenal. If it's in the source material you'll see it on the screen. This revelatory approach will have you searching for the very best source hardware you can find.

The set uses edge-mounted LED backlighting (hence the screen's astounding slimness), and illumination is pleasingly even. As a result, black levels are deep and consistent, and color fidelity high. As with all LCDs, perceived black levels are higher in a well-lit room than in a darkened environment (plasma, of course, is the opposite), but there is no impression of creeping greyness. Pictures from the Freeview HD tuner are terrific and improve even further with Blu-ray.

One area of traditional weakness for LCD is motion resolution, and multiple solutions have been used over the years to improve this (high frame rates, black frame insertion, flickering backlights and so on). This TV shows how far these techniques have come.

Now… Let's talk a little bit about those “extras" Samsung put into the 9000, it’s incredibly advanced and has far more leds than any other TV currently out. It also has more hertz than any of the others in the marketplace giving it a huge leg up on its competition. The picture is smooth and you do not see any judder or blurriness during fast moving scenes. The blacks are really deep and there is no light bleeding from the edges or flickering that often times becomes a problem with some LED TV's. The picture has such depth to it that it really looks 3D without the feature even turned on.

So far I love the TV, it’s hands down better than the my Pioneer Elite that I have in my upstairs living room (I never thought I would say that). Everything looks great on this TV. DVD's look like Blu-ray and Blu-ray looks mind boggling! This is due to the frame rate on the TV. I will say that it is hard to get used to how clear everything is… It gives movies a totally different look and can take away from some of the magic (which is fine with me). It is an option you can shut off but, I personally love it. This feature has made it somewhat hard to watch anything on any other TV. HD on other TV’s does not even look like HD anymore. It’s a stunning display that I can’t say enough good things about!

Sound Quality: 8

You might expect a blade-thin TV to have insubstantial audio, but the TV is great when it comes to sound. Its speakers are cleverly located in its pedestal, facing forward across its width and unless you're seeking them out, you won't spot them. Power output is rated at 30w (2 x 15W). In movie viewing I would still recommend utilizing a separate multichannel sound system, but for every-day use the sound is fine. I have mine hooked up to a Klipsch Reference Series Surround Sound so, my sound is off the charts(10)! Most people however, will not have anything close to this type of setup and are just going to go off the standard speakers on the TV....no worries, they work great.

Features: 10

Features of this TV are awesome and I only have one complaint...its with the reliability of wireless internet features (they are not the best). The Set-Up was seamless and easy and if if you hardwire the net in it tends to work great. Not only can you access your media across your home network, pulling digital still images, music and video from PCs and NAS devices (there's support for JPEG, MP3, DivX, MKV and AVI extensions), you can also browse YouTube, check-in with Facebook and stream movies from LoveFilm. Samsung's App store also offers a range of simplistic games and more choices are promised for later this year. The remote is crazy…It has a fully customizable remote that values out at near $250.00. It’s a tad bit tricky to program but, I have it operating my whole media center and it is working just as good as the Harmony remotes out there. There are insane features such as “clone” mode on the remote, it gives you the ability to mirror whatever you are watching on your TV on your actual Remote (no need to pause the movie anymore when running to the washroom... just bring the remote along, lol). Along with all standard features the TV has by far the thinnest screen out there and it really gives an awesome effect to the room it is in.

All the components are located in the base, because the actual LED screen is less than 1/3" of an inch thick. It’s extremely light weight, and the base folds up and mounts with the TV (so you do not need to buy one)! When the TV is on the base, you can touch the bottom of the stainless steel set and the control panel comes out automatically, and then folds right back in when you're done with it…so sweet.

Price: 10

The price itself is a bit deserving...on launch date this TV retailed out a bit over $7,500.00 (with tax, you're looking at well over $8,000.00 out the door)... That price isn’t justified on any TV but, on sale at $2,300.00, it was hands down a sweet deal. Plus it comes with a pair of 3D glasses that are valued at $300.00, Two wireless Lan sticks valued at $200.00, a fully wireless Blu-Ray 3d player valued at $500.00, a wall mount that would run near $150.00, and a Samsung full touch remote that is sold separately with all other TV’s for $250.00. If you add that up, that is $1,400.00 bucks on things you would eventually need to buy if setting up a full surround sound entertainment system. Looking at it from that point of view, the total on the TV looks more like $900.00… hands down a STEAL

This is for lovers of the extraordinary, viewers who hanker for something a little bit special. A number of brands exist in this niche, catering for well-heeled customers, but it's unlikely that the likes of Loewe, Pioneer Elite, and Bang & Olufsen could have foreseen being shown a clear pair of heels by Samsung.

Summary:

This is the most ambitious LED LCD TV you can buy. Beautifully designed, with leading-edge electronics, it's a worthy flagship product from the world's biggest TV maker. The two-dimensional pictures are terrific, images are extra-sharp and the use of LED backlighting aids black levels immeasurably. The feature set, with well considered online and network capability, is also on the money. The 3D compatibility almost seems like an afterthought, but performance is very good, although crosstalk artefacts are there if you want to look for them. Overall, this is a fabulous TV proposition. It's expensive, but it very much looks the part. And if you're more interested in the visual performance than the aesthetics, there's always the brand's step-down Series 8 range.

Overall this is a remarkable LED LCD screen. It exceeds expectations in most areas and stands as a shining example of just how well Samsung can do high-end screens.

Out...Cundiff

Back Pains Start at the base...

2010-09-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

We hear it everyday, “Oh My Aching Back”, and yet we think of “Maybe I lifted too much”, or “I’ve always had a weak back.” How often do we think to ourselves, it must be coming from somewhere else. Just walking down the hall, it is easy to see the picture frame out of kilter. Looking outside we quickly notice that fence that is leaning or sidewalk that is bowed. The answer to these problems seem simple enough. Correct the base and the rest of it straightens out.

The skeleton is a set of fancy building blocks each one adjusting for the next layer following the laws of nature to satisfy the demands of any given situation. When we exceed the threshold, we become symptomatic. “I have a (high) (low) threshold of pain”, is the common response. Studies show, regardless of the symptoms, people often have to be asked “What is the source of the complaint?” to get a consistent result for each patient . It is surprising how quickly the body will respond, when the insult is removed from the patients environment. The foot as well as the core are the base of our machines (our bodies) and nature has constructed to get us to where we need to be each day. It has the capacity to carry the aged from chair to bed, or perform the elitist feats of scaling a cliff to running a marathon.

An interesting thing about your base is that many of the day-to-day aches and pains, stem from a small deformity that allows too much motion in the heel region of the foot. If this moves and tilts too much and the ankle has to adjust, then compensation occurs in the knee, the hip, and the aching back. Just like knocking down a brick wall, each segment has to adjust to meet the needs of standing up. Studies also show that Streatching your Hamstrings and stregnthing your legs and core will help in correcting this deformity and has been amazing in how much it helps back pain. Correct the foundation and the wall stands.

Strengthen up that CORE People!

Out...Cundiff

Myth or Reality, Craps and the Controlled Dice Shooter…

2010-09-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know any secret handshakes, I don't have a Captain Crunch decoder ring, nor am I a lifetime chapter-member of the Fraternal Order of the Free Masons (yet at least). But I can recognize a Precision Shooter who is likely to win me some money (props to "Iorn Wig" on youtube). I am getting good at venturing into casinos that have craps, walking up to their tables, and in a fairly short amount of time determine if any of the players there are more than likely to help me win. Oh sure, I can wait and hope and pray that someone will have a hot hand but odds are I will be missing out riding their wave of luck. See most pro will tell you that they can't make a living off of luck alone, especially in a negative-expectation game like craps. I look for a particular type of craps player who takes the game seriously, and who has added a weapon to his arsenal that just might give him that slight edge against the casino. You can call it Rhythmic Rolling, or you can call it De-Randomizing the dice. I call it an opportunity to make money!

The Controlled Shooter!

Many people arrange the dice to a particular set, and then shake them in their hands before chucking them haphazardly down the table. That's not a Precision Shooter. Some people will carefully set the dice, and then let go with a Nolan Ryan-type fastball pitch that could easily reach the back wall of the casino let alone the back wall of the dice table. That's not a Precision Shooter. Still other people will set the dice, and then loft them. After making quite a few rolls and hitting several numbers, they will shoot at an entirely new spot on the table because although they've rolled eight or ten times and hit Place numbers most of those times, their Point number has yet to appear. Feeling impatient with their efforts, they feel the need to "get on with it." They surely do get on with it since the dice are invariably moved on to the next shooter because of the 7-out that they just rolled. That is not a Precision Shooter.

The Precision Shooter arranges the dice to various "sets" or dice-face combinations. These sets are dependent upon a number of variables such as his shooting style or more importantly whether it is the come-out roll or the Point has already been established. He knows that a particular set will give him a higher occurrence of some numbers over others that would normally appear out of the thirty-six possible dice combinations.

The Precision Shooter grips the dice in such a way that he will have full control of the dice through the entire motion of his arm and wrist movement up until the point when he releases the dice. There are several different grips such as the often used "three-fingers on the front and thumb on the back,"(which is what I use) or the "stacked dice squeeze," or even the "thumb and fourth finger axis-pincer" grip. The use of different grips in craps is exactly the same as grip variations in baseball such as the fast-ball, sinking-ball, slider, etc. all demanding different grips on different parts of the baseball. Professional baseball pitchers don't just randomly throw the ball forward like it's a shot-put or bird seed in the unlikely hope that the umpire calls it a strike.

The Precision Shooter aims the dice to a specific spot on the table. Without getting into a long dissertation about where to throw the dice, suffice it to say that several spots work well. The dice table is the batter's box, and the strike zone can often vary from table to table. In fact, new dice at the beginning of a shift will react totally differently than heavily-used eight-hour-old worn dice. The same holds true for worn out felt layouts versus new ones, or tables where a spongy underlay has been installed under the felt. Each situation has to be looked at and evaluated. Too much work? For 99% of craps players the answer to that would be "hell yeah." However, for the 500 or so people who make a fine living playing craps, I would humbly suggest that their answer would be quite different.

The Precision Shooter lofts the dice without too much force or in-air spin. What spin you do see is on the forward axis only. When the dice land you will see a little bit of forward tumbling, but the dice stay on the same axis. They may hit the base of the pyramid-shaped "egg-crate" wall, and gently roll back a turn or two, or just stop dead at the base of the wall. The important observation is that the Precision-Shooter does it consistently. A consistent throw, whether in baseball, bowling, football or craps, is the path to profit.

The Precision Shooter carefully observes the outcome of the roll. He knows from his previous experience that he will throw a heavier proportion of some numbers compared to others. He will set his betting pattern to take maximum advantage of those numbers as they are rolled. If particular numbers are showing up frequently on his current roll, he may even adjust his betting to account for these short-term opportunities.

The Precision Shooter understands the dice and what they are doing, their randomness, and the effect he can have on de-randomizing the outcomes of his rolls. He understands that if his shooting produces a lot of 3's, his betting will reflect that knowledge even after the come-out roll, and even though the house edge appears to be very high. That bet may be his consistent money-maker. Another Precision Shooter may recognize that he throws a lot of outside Place numbers and bets accordingly. Yet another Precision Shooter doesn't have any idea what he'll be throwing, but he does know that his average throws before the 7 shows is currently 18 rolls and climbing. While this player's betting pattern may be more difficult, his opportunity is higher because the longer he holds the dice, every roll becomes a potential windfall of profit.

So if you are standing at the craps table, observe each shooter. Are they setting the dice, and using a particular grip? Do they seem to be taking aim at an invisible target area on the table, and gently lofting the dice without causing too much spin? Are some numbers appearing in disproportionate frequency than others? If he's thrown nine 4's and six 10's, but neither the 6 or 8 have appeared, that would probably be a sign to even a vision-impaired person that an opportunity to make money was clearly at hand. If he is always throwing more than eight times before a "7-out," and his roll-count is consistently over twelve, then you don't need to call Jo-Jo from the Psychic Friends Network; you need to be betting on this guy's roll because you have found yourself a bona-fide Precision Shooter.

Good Luck and Good Skill at the tables!

Out…Cundiff