So that's what happens to the tough guys.

I thought this was funny.

The school at our church just had a thanksgiving program. (It's mainly a preschool, with a couple kindergarten classes.) So nevertheless, here's the scenario: You're got about 100 kids from the ages of 3 - 6, and lots of their parents in the back of the church; here's where it gets funny. I look around and see tons of dads walking around in their work clothes holding all sorts of cameras. For real, it's like we're having a best buy sale with all the different kinds of cameras. One poor sap had a digital still camera around his neck, probably over $500 for that bad boy, and a mini-dvd digital video camera in his hand, making his 'moment capturing ablility' somewhere near the $2000 mark.
It's just funny to me to see these guys who, for most of their day, probably think they're all hard and tough working wherever they do, but once they get to their kids program, they're nothing but softies.
And to think, 15 years ago the majority of those guys were probably sitting in a frat house somewhere swearing up and down about how they're 'the man' and betting on who can drink the most beer while riding a donkey through campus.
Man I hope I don't ever have to grow up. . . . .

Just let it go man.

So I had this really long post all ready to go, but I figured I talk and write too much, so I summed it up.

We just got a new phone system put in with an automated attendant and menu options and all that jazz; (stuff that was innovative in the 70's) and yet, our church secretary has been in the bizz her whole life, and thinks that a machine is too impersonal, so anytime the phone rings. . .no matter where she is in the church, she bolts like her dress is on fire to her office and tries to grab the phone. It's not a huge deal, but it's funny to be talking to her, and then you hear the phone ring, and she just disappears.

I think one day if I see her walk by my office door, I'll call her office with my cell phone just to see her fly by. . . .I'm sure that would entertain me for at least an hour.

Blogs I hate. . .

What I hate about some blogs are the insane amount of quotes. I'm coming to your blog to find out what YOU think, not what site you can link and quote from all day long. Certainly links are cool, if you're talking about something you found on another site, or a cool picture or what not; I can handle that. . .It's information. But what kills me are all the blogs with the freakish 'cult followings' that are nothing more than quotes from other sites. Maybe every 10 posts or so will have a sentence or two of the authors actual writing, but the rest is just news relay. . .and I can get that crap on my own. These blogs become simply become a window helping readers surf the web. (I'm a youth worker, trust me, I know how to effectively surf the internet on my own. I don't need someone guiding me)

All in all, here's my thing. If you're writing a blog, write your own stuff, and don't rely on other sites and ideas to make your own look cool and exciting. I'm all for linking to another site if it's something that catches your eye, but at least write your thoughts about it. Otherwise, you're just using other material to gain readers and look 'cool'. And it's not working. . . .Well, I guess for some of the sites it's working. . . .because, if you ask me, some of the most hardcore followed blogs out there are nothing more than a links page with a fancy title and lots of readers trying to look like beatnics because they've heard of this blog. . . .
Hey kids, write your thoughts and stop reading stupid blogs. . . . .
-Peace out-

What annoys me about ministry.

The thing that gets under my skin more than anything else about working in a church is the lackadaisical attitude people have towards prayer. Because I work in a church, and I'm seen as a minister of some sorts, people find it humorous to say things like "Pray for Billy, he's a wild child in school" (This just happened as chapel was dismissing today) I don't mind requests for prayer, but I believe in the power of prayer, and I think some people miss the boat on it. The phrase gets thrown around like it means nothing anymore, and also, because I'm in public ministry, people seem to think my prayers will be more effective than their own. "Oh Brandon please pray for so and so" I want to say, "Of course, but will you also?" Certainly some people are sincere about their requests, I just feel like others have a missunderstanding of the power of prayer, and what it is they're really asking when they ask for a prayer.
Hey kids, read your bibles.
-Peace-

Books I'm Reading . . . .and other stuff

This is a great book for anyone in the post-college drudge of learning to be a 'real' person. Chapters like "How to buy groceries" and "It pays to live beneath your means" will be beneficial for anyone coming out of The 115.






Cheap Ways To. . . is just what it seems. Sections titled "Cheap ways to Get legal help" may come in handy. Other chapters include ". . .to get a masters degree. . . .to plan a creative date. . . .to take a ski vacation." This one is more laughable, but still with good intent.



Anyhow, both books just came in the mail from Amazon and I've been reading through them off and on. Don't forget boys and girls, Dream Theater just released a new album today called Train of Thought. I haven't heard it yet, but reviews say it's one of DT's best ever. If you're into progressive rock at all, this is an interesting sidenote.

Neal Morse is known in the progressive rock world "as the composer and vocalist for the leading progressive rock band, Spock's Beard. Or as the composer, vocalist and keyboardist for the progressive rock supergroup, Transatlantic (comprised of members from Dream Theater, The Flower Kings, Marillion and Spock's Beard)." (taken from) Neal Morse.com ) Anyhow, he recently put out an album entitled "Testimony". On it, he tells the story of his life as he lived it before and after he became a follower of Christ. (For those of you not familiar with Morse, this is the equivalent of the Eagles becoming Christians and deciding to put out an album full of songs that speak to their conversion.) FYI I don't know if the Eagles are Christians or not, I just picked a random succesful band. Anyhow, Mike Portnoy, of Dream Theater brings in the drums on "Testimony". Portnoy is known throughout the drum world as the leader in progressive rock drumming and I have been thoroughly obsessed with him for several years. I'm glad to see good composition coming to the Christian scene.
-Peace out-

Trash talk. . .

Last night as I was taking out my trash, which was alot even by the 115's standards, and it crossed my mind that every piece of trash I throw away was somehow brought into my apartment in a non-trash form. Everything I take out of my apt in disgust that I call 'trash', I probably brought into my apt in a new, shiny wrapper.



Earlier last night, I went to a college worship service called Refuge. It takes place at First Baptist Church in downtown Dallas. This was my second time attending the service, and it was amazing. The speaker that night had an incredible message to give us; one that I have not considered in quite some time. Talk about conviction. . .Check out Ephesians 4, specifically verse 30.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,. . .
For myself, it's been too long since I realized the implication of God's spirit alive and working in my life. With every sin I commit, God Himself grieves. Everytime I decide to walk apart from God, He is there in a state of grief, pleading with my soul to come back. . . .I can imagine how many times just today the Holy Spirit has been crying out to me "Don't you know where that leads?! Don't you know what that can do to you?!"
Wow. . . .
This brings in to question, how long will God's Spirit continue to dwell within us? This brings questions of a hardened heart, and all that jazz. . . .we read about it in scripture, so will it still happen today? I feel like the answer is yes. Now, I have to pre-empt this with the thinking that, just like the excommunicated church-goer, the reason for a break is the desire for redemption. scripture tells us to treat those who continue unrepenting in their sin differently; to treat them as pagans (unbelievers). And guess what, we've been taught to love our unbelieving brothers and sisters, longing for them to be a member of the believers.
Ok, so back to the point. I do believe that through the constant rejection of the truth, (aka. sin), there is a point when God's spirit says 'that's it'. Now remember, we're talking about unrepentive sin here. There's a difference between striving for the perfection God demands, and simply throwing in the towel and living in cheap grace. We're also not talking about a salvation thing here. By no means do I, or scripture for that matter, ever mean that if we continue sinning our salvation will be taken away from us. This is a matter of God's Holy Spirit choosing to dwell within us.

With all that in mind, as it's alot to chew on, I am glad to be given a message of law. It've been too long without it. I think this is something we do a horrible job of in the Lutheran church. Grace is free and it's our central message. . . .but some people need to be told and convicted of their sin to realize their need for a savior. Last night, I was that person. (And I fear I've been that person for far too long.) Once again, this isn't a fear thing, where we work our butts off to be good in hopes that God will still love us. . .because like the bastard children we are, He will mysteriously always love us. This is a matter of trying not to grieve the Holy Spirit. . . . . .grieve God himself. It is an amazing thing that God would choose to make us His dwelling place. Because quite honestly, I'm a pretty crappy dwelling. I can only imagine what I've put God's Spirit through. . .how much He's grieved because of my actions.

Convicted and Saved,
-Brandon-

The Matrix

So last night, (Monday) I went to see The Matrix Revolutions. Now you may be asking yourself, 'self, how did Brandon see that movie when it isn't being released until Wednesday?' Well my little blogglets, the answer is simple. I am the unknown face behind the Wachowski brothers writing! Well, not exactly, but that would have been a whole lot cooler if I was.

A friend of mine has a brother who works in one of the movie theaters and he got us into a screening of the film. Too bad they didn't get the movie started until 12:30 at night! I didn't get home until 3:30 in the morning, but I think it was worth it. Just to let you know, I threw a spoiler into the last sentence of the paragraph about the movie, so if you don't want to know some significant parts of the movie, don't read it. . . but if you don't care, read on. I'll warn you again right before, just don't get ticked at me if you read it.


Here's my take on the whole Matrix phenomenon. . . . .

The first Matrix movie presented us with a philisophical framework that was just amazing. While the idea of defining reality is old philosophy, it was brought out in a new light with created world of the matrix. (Check out the Matrix website for some great essays on the philosophy behind the movies, and how old the concept really is.) Back when the first Matrix was released, we were told that this was only the beginning of the story, and the first one had to be shown to set up the world in which the actual storyline was going to take place. This being known, the two more recent installments in the matrix trilogy have been nothing more than elaborate action movies. Don't get me wrong, I think both Reloaded and Revolutions were great flicks, but they lack the philisophical depth of the original Matrix. Reloaded still gave us hard questions and big words from the architecht, but this was all in relation to the storyline, so it lacked the emotional/philisophical depth that the first movie had to offer.

Revolutions offers us with more answers to the world of the matrix, as well as a few oppurtunities for more questions. All in all, I thought the film was great. It had the kind of action we've come to expect from the trilogy, and enough questions were answered to satisfy my cravings left over from Reloaded. Ok, here's the spoiler. . . . if you don't want to know anything that happens in the movie, skip this last sentence and head to the next paragraph! Don't say I didn't warn you! (Agent Smith takes over Neo's body. . . .and Trinity dies)



Whew, ok, good to get that out of my system.
All in all, the reason the first Matrix was such a great movie is because it forces you to challenge your own concept of reality. Few movies have ever achieved this goal. It's not just a metaphor on human life, or a depiction of how life 'might become'. It forces us to consider the possibility that we are already living in that world. . . .or better yet, it forces us to challenge or own concepts of what is real, and how we can rationally come up with an answer. (My postmodern friends love this)

Thanks be to God that He has shown us what is real. He has 'revealed' to us the truth.
Peace out
-Brandon-