Experiential Worship

I'll have to admit, experiential worship is a newer concept to me, and at times a bit difficult because it requires you to step back and focus in a busy world which is tough for me. With that said, I had an amazing experience during a time of experiential worship this last weekend, and I want to pass it on to you to possibly use for your youth ministries. NOTE-this is not my idea, just something I wanted to pass on.

Here is how it works. You take 8-10 various spices of varying flavors-sweet, spicy, bitter, etc. and put them in individual bowls. You then have participants walk through the line and pick out three spices of their choosing. Once the person has their spices, they are to find a place where they can take the time to focus and then taste each spice one by one and listen/pray to see what the Lord has to say to them. That may sound strange, but the chance to step back and take a few moments was amazing, and I would encourage you to try it if you are looking for some experiential worship opportunities.

So for me, I chose seasoning salt, Italian spices, and sugar. I started with the seasoning salt and immediately it made me thirsty. As I sat there reflecting, I found myself thinking about the verse that says hunger and thirst for His righteousness, and I was reminded that in the busyness of life I need to remember to always long for more of the Lord. When I moved on to the Italian spices-which I love on pizza and other various dishes, I found that they were bitter alone and did not taste very good at all. This reminded me that things that are enticing may not always be beneficial, and if I am not careful they can get in the way of my relationship with God. Finally I tasted the sugar and immediately the thought of "taste and see that the Lord is good." God is better than anything the world could ever offer to me, and I need to remind myself of that daily.

As I said, this type of worship experience is difficult for me, but was awesome. I hope to explore this more, and would encourage you to do the same for yourself and your youth ministries if you are involved with one.

That's my idea for the week, thoughts?

Let's make sure the right thing is done with the bailout plan...

Here is one way that might help with this crazy 700 billion bail-out plan that won't affect us like simply passing the bill that failed would. This is courtesy of Dave Ramsey. Copy and paste this and send it to your Senators and Representatives...

Years of bad decisions and stupid mistakes have created an economic nightmare in this country, but $700 billion in new debt is not the answer. As a tax-paying American citizen, I will not support any congressperson who votes to implement such a policy. Instead, I submit the following three steps:

Common Sense Plan:

I. INSURANCE
A. Insure the sub prime bonds/mortgages with an underlying FHA-type insurance. Government-insured and backed loans would have an instant market all over the world, creating immediate and needed liquidity.
B. In order for a company to accept the government-backed insurance, they must do two things:1. Rewrite any mortgage that is more than three months delinquent to a 6% fixed-rate mortgage.
a. Roll all back payments with no late fees or legal costs into the balance. This brings homeowners current and allows them a chance to keep their homes.
b. Cancel all prepayment penalties to encourage refinancing or the sale of the property to pay off the bad loan. In the event of foreclosure or short sale, the borrower will not be held liable for any deficit balance. FHA does this now, and that encourages mortgage companies to go the extra mile while
working with the borrower—again limiting foreclosures and ruined lives.
2. Cancel ALL golden parachutes of EXISTING and FUTURE CEOs and executive team members as long as the company holds these government-insured bonds/mortgages. This keeps under performing executives from being paid when they don’t do their jobs.
C. This backstop will cost less than $50 billion—a small fraction of the current proposal.

II. MARK TO MARKET
A. Remove mark to market accounting rules for two years on only sub prime Tier III bonds/mortgages. This keeps companies from being forced to artificially mark down bonds/mortgages below the value of the underlying mortgages and real estate.
B. This move creates patience in the market and has an immediate stabilizing effect on failing and ailing banks—and it costs the taxpayer nothing.

III. CAPITAL GAINS TAX
A. Remove the capital gains tax completely. Investors will flood the real estate and stock market in search of tax-free profits, creating tremendous—and immediate—liquidity in the markets. Again, this costs the taxpayer nothing.
B. This move will be seen as a lightning rod politically because many will say it is helping the rich. The truth is the rich will benefit, but it will be their money that stimulates the economy. This will enable all Americans to have more stable jobs and retirement investments that go up instead of down. This is not a time for envy, and it’s not a time for politics. It’s time for all of us, as Americans, to stand up, speak out, and fix this mess.

If we do our part as Americans together, we may be able to change what I think will be a bad decision on the part of our government. It shouldn't be our job as taxpayers to bail out companies that were stupid with money!

Thanks!

Rock the Vote...

Well, we are just a little over a month from the big day, election 2008. This of course most would say is more monumental than any election of the past, but I still believe that any election is monumental because it is a celebration of one of our many freedoms, which many around the world do not get to experience.

With that said, I want to encourage everyone to continue to research the candidates and positions that you will be voting for, whatever they are, and as far as I am concerned vote for who/what you feel is right after you have done your research.

Here is why I say that, last weekend I noticed as a part of the pregame tailgating atmosphere at OSU where you can apply for countless credit cards, car insurance deals, and pretty much anything else you can think of there was a big push to get people to register to vote courtesy of the "Rock the Vote for Change" bus. If you have never seen it, it is a big tour bus that is set up at various events around the country where you can listen to music, hang out, and register to vote. While I think this is a great idea and we need to get as many young people to register AND vote as possible, I was a little disheartened by the propaganda that was present as well. It was not a bi-partisan thing by any means. Now, let me again say I am not bashing Barack Obama or saying don't vote for him. You should vote for the candidate that you most believe in and most align your beliefs with, WHOEVER that is-be it Obama or McCain. Please don't vote just because your favorite rock star is endorsing them, or because pop culture says this is the right candidate-you're not a lemming destined to go along with whatever everyone else is doing. Vote for who and what you believe to be right BECAUSE you believe it.

So please don't be a lemming. Don't vote one way or another because Christians can only vote one way or one candidate is cooler than the other and being endorsed more by the media. Spend time researching each candidate and issue and know what you are voting for. As for who I'll be voting for...sorry I'm not going to tell you, but know I'll be voting as it is my right and I am excited to do so. I won't be voting just along party lines or because it's time for "change," I'll be voting the way I feel I should as an individual, just as you should. Okay you twisted my arm, I'm voting for...ROSS PEROT IN 2008!!! :)

Thoughts?

2008 MTV VMA's

So as I expected to be I was none too impressed with last night's VMA awards on MTV. I am not a huge watcher of MTV, but I do like the occasional show of the "Real World," and I have recently gotten hooked on "Exiled," which is a new take on the "Super Sweet 16."

All that said, any doubt that I had about where MTV stood as relating to the message it wants to send young people went out the door last night.

It started with Russell Brand (by the way who the heck is this whacked out ugly guy anyway-wasn't the least bit funny) making comments about the Jonas Brothers and their stance on purity and continued with telling the whole country they should vote for Barack Obama just because he was black? I just don't get it.

Now I know most of this was supposed to be satire and a really lame attempt at humor from a guy who knows nothing about humor (or grooming from the looks of him), but think of how many students will begin to wonder if this is how they should think since it came from MTV.

Again, I could be wrong, maybe MTV isn't the cultural icon it was when I was in school, but still I was a little disturbed and frustrated with the show last night.

Thoughts?

It's finally official for November!

Props to my friend Tony for finding this, and also providing some friendly competition...

I have to admit, I have been struggling with this year's election. I'm still not sold on either candidate: I still wasn't convinced after last night's Obama speech, and I'm still not certain about McCain either-especially now with a completely unknown running mate. So after much thought and prayer, and a little bit of help from the Internet, I am officially throwing my name in the hat as a candidate for presidency of the United States. Here is the link to the "local" press coverage. We'll be operating out of the home until we can secure some additional funding...

http://www.inews3.com/play.php?first=Matt&last=McKee

weight loss battle-an update

So it has been some time since I posted any kind of update about my weight loss struggles. Needless to say, I have gotten a bit off track with the craziness of summer and life in general. I hadn't paid too much attention until a business professional in the community referred to me as "big-un" since he forgot my name. Now I know that is a term of endearment here in southern Ohio and I just shrugged it off, but it did bother me a bit so I jumped on the scale the next morning...the judgement 365. I have gained back almost all that I have lost over the last 2 1/2 years. I need to get back on track.

To top it all off, I finally took the time to hook the Wii up and try my new Wii fit that I got for my birthday-only to find that I am TOO HEAVY for it. It really does wonders for your thoughts when a game you want to use to help you lose weight tells you that you have to lose 35 pounds before you can even play it. Way to go Nintendo! I have loved the Wii until now and was really excited about the Wii fit, but now I can't use it which is frustrating.

It just gets a little frustrating-there is all the talk about everyone being overweight and all of that, yet it seems that most of the stuff that helps you can't use if you are overweight. Seems like a bit of a double standard to me.

Okay so enough ranting-I'm back to trying again. I am hoping to start walking in the evenings since I struggle with mornings, and I am keeping track of calories and what I eat again, and maybe, just maybe I can get back on track.

Gotta love the up and down! The battle continues...

2 Movie reviews for ya...

So this weekend was a different weekend in that I got to see not one, but two movies. I thought I would offer up a few thoughts on them for you as I often do....

The first movie I saw was Mamma Mia, the musical set to the music of ABBA. Now I have to admit, I do like musicals, but I was not looking forward to this one since I can't say that I am a fan of ABBA and my only impression of this musical was that it was the one that kept me from seeing Phantom in Toronto since it took over the Pantages theater there. Not to mention the fact that it was opening night for the Dark Knight. But like any good husband would do I yielded and we went to see her choice. All in all it was decent. I think it has a high enough cheese factor to become a late night cult classic that people sing along to (it was somewhere between Velveeta and Cheese Whiz-not sure which one yet). It is a little campy, but the story is decent-a young girl getting married sends invitations to her three possible fathers and they all show up. Needless to say the hilarity ensues from there. It is definitely not a kids movie by any means but would make for a decent date night for a couple. I'll have to admit I am glad I went to see it, but as far as I am concerned Pierce Brosnan lost his Bond card I'm afraid, I was fine until one part where he spontaneously bursts into song. Overall I give it a B-

Luckily, I took my normal Sunday afternoon nap time to catch a showing of the Dark Knight. I have really been looking forward to this one since I loved Batman Begins and think that Christopher Nolan has done a wonderful job of taking the Batman franchise and literally blowing it up into a mega-hit. I was not disappointed at all. Heath Ledger's Joker character is amazing as predicted and it is just a shame he won't be able to reprise the role should there be a third movie. I have been a fan of the Batman movies (even the somewhat cheesy previous four before BB) but this one is the best as far as I am concerned. I did not find myself once looking at my watch to see when the end was coming. The story is encompassing and very well presented. One word of advice, it is definitely not a kids movie. Even though Batman is a comic book character this is a very dark story and is definitely too much for anyone under the age of 13 in my opinion. In fact I am somewhat surprised that it didn't get an R rating. It is definitely worth seeing if you want a good action movie! Overall rating A+

Thoughts?

Bragging on a kid...

I love it when I get the chance to brag on a kid! This is one of my teens who at 16 already knows what he believes to be right in the political realm and is not afraid to stand up and talk about his beliefs. He also has a deep desire to grow spritually and dig as deep as he can in his walk with Christ. To say the least I am proud of him, and to make a long story short, he created quite the buzz last week at this town hall meeting with Senator McCain. Way to go Taylor!

Home owner update...

The AC is up and running and seems to work better than ever. Although it took three weeks to get it fixed the guys at Hughes Plumbing, Heating, and Electric did a phenomenal job. I guess I learned how AC is one of the pleasures that we take for granted too often since two of the three weeks were the hottest so far this summer.

On the financial note, God provided the funds as needed as I knew he would. The cost was just over our deductible so the insurance paid some and thanks to our "emergency fund" we learned about through Dave Ramsey we had just enough to cover the cost.

So here's to AC, planning ahead, and Lord willing no more repairs anytime soon-since we now have to rebuild our emergency fund.

Welcome to home ownership...

We could use your prayers today. To make a long story short part of our house flooded today via the toilet in the bathroom. We've had some hefty storms the last couple of days and not sure yet what happened, but the hose on the toilet tank began spraying water everywhere. Not normally an issue unless you catch it a couple of hours after it happened. Needless to say the water ran out of the bathroom into the vent in the hallway causing the HVAC tubing to collapse dumping water everywhere and beginning a nice waterfall into the basement-onto all of the boxes we haven't unpacked yet. The duct work (and maybe more will have to be replaced). It's frustrating and we'll have to file an insurance claim, but it is just stuff and we'll get through it. As for the finances of the situation-it'll be tough, but I serve a big God and I am trusting that He will work everything out. Thanks for praying! God is good! I'll keep you posted-thanks for praying!

We lost a good one today...

Hollywood lost a good one today in the form of Harvey Korman. He will be missed. I remember staying up on the weekends and watching many of these classic sketches with my family. Here is one of my favorites! RIP Mr. Korman, you will be missed

Working in a Methodist Church...

One perk of working in a methodist church...a beautiful pipe organ on Sunday morning playing the great hymns of the church.

One drawback of working in a methodist church...Having a beautiful pipe organ being played for hours by someone preparing for a weekend concert during office hours when your office is right down from the sanctuary.

It's beautiful, but I'm ready for a break. I can only turn my itunes up so loud.

Final idol rant...

Well it's over for another year. I'll have to admit, I was nervous that David A was going to win, but am pleased that David Cook won. I was a little off though on my vote prediction-12 million WOW! I think America spoke even though the judges favored Archuleta. I think I will definitely buy David Cook's album when it comes out. Does anyone know if the song he sang when he won was the traditional submit your own song? Just curious. I liked it, but it was a little hokey if you ask me. Congrats to both and to the top 10 as well who will wind up with deals or at least on a Wal-Mart past idol finalist CD (have you seen those?).

That's all the idol talk until next year! Thoughts?

Weekly Idol Rant...

So it comes down to the Davids as I had expected. My fear is that we will have another Taylor Hicks moment where the best singer does NOT win. Archuleta is going to draw alot of the teen/tween vote-especially now that he has shown some emotion even though David Cook is by far the best performer as far as that goes. My hopes are that Cook pulls it off as he has just the right edge of pop and rock and would fit exactly what idol is looking for in a star. The thing not to forget though is that NEITHER of them will leave without some type of record deal.

My pick-David Cook wins...barely (to quote Seacrest..."in the closest vote in Idol history, your winner is...we'll find out after this....your winner is-long boring pause-DAVID COOK!")

Thoughts?

FINALLY!!!

We are FINALLY in possession of the keys to our house. Nothing like waiting until day 29 of the 30 days after closing clause of the contract. Now the unpacking process begins....anyone want to do it for me?

Weekly Idol Rant...

Anyone else think Idol is just losing its flair? I was not that impressed last night and we are just a couple of weeks out from the finale. I just find myself wishing it would get to the end because it just seems to be the same. Same comments, same performances, same outcome.

With that said...Sayesha is starting to win me over. For the third week in a row I thought she had 2 great performances, but it is probably too little too late. Again Cook was awesome (but a little weaker this week), Archuleta was "boy," and Castro messed up. I hope they send Castro packing this week, but with his "looks" it will probably be Sayesha and heaven forbid David Cook. It all depends on who voted. If all the tweens blew up the phone lines and text messages who knows. I guess we'll know at 9 EST tonight.

McKee- OUT!

Weekly Idol Rant...

Finally we got rid of Brooke, the way things are going Sayesha will probably be next. I am pretty much running out of things to say since the competition is almost over, but I am still picking David Cook to win it. I again thought he nailed it the other night, and the other David ruined "America." I have decided that the reason I don't like Archuleta, but probably the reason he is going so far is that he is too "boy." What I mean by that is that is almost too Jonas Brothers, too poppy and just kind of show choirish...he puts me in the mind of Alfonso Ribiero's "Carlton" character from the Fresh Prince of Bell-Aire. He's just a dork I am afraid, but I guess he can sing. He may make it to the finals.

Thoughts?

Out of the mouths of babes...

Had a good laugh yesterday at lunch and learned a valuable lesson...never say anything to a 2 1/2 year old you don't want repeated. My newest niece Chloe was dedicated yesterday morning and so we all went out to eat as a family after the service. Paige (the 2 1/2 year old), wanted to know why Meg and I were still dressed in our church clothes since her mom and dad had already changed her clothes. She asked and Megan why and then said she should change her clothes and take a shower (since that's normal right?). I promptly chimed in jokingly that it would be good for Aunt Meg to take a shower since she smelled like "poo." I don't have kids so I didn't think anything of it.

Fast forward 15 minutes....Paige is tapping the waitress on the shoulder, and boldly proclaims, and I quote, "My Aunt Meg needs to take a shower because she smells like poo!" Needless to say my side hurts today from laughing so hard. Meg wasn't embarrassed and laughed too.

So I guess the moral is when trying to tease and have fun with your niece realize that everything said WILL be repeated in some way, shape, or form.

Weekly Idol Rant...part2

The bottom two should NOT have been the bottom two. I am convinced no more than ever that Idol has become a joke. I don't think that Carley or Sayesha had what it took to be the idol, but it is clear that something is up when the two worst performances are safe while two of the best are up for elimination and one of them went home. Oh well, I guess at this stage you can only have one winner, but still I think something is up as Carley Smithson should NOT have gone home. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

Thoughts?

Weekly Idol Rant...part1

Props to American Idol for featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Weber. Those who know me know that I love the music from almost all of his musicals. So to hear it last night on Idol was awesome, although I was a little concerned how much they would "pop" it up and the only one to do that was David Archuleta. I like ya David, but you ruined "Think of Me" by making it pop-sure it could be a hit, but it just took away from the flair and mysteriousness of Phantom.

As it relates to the bottom three, I'm struggling with a guess as to the last of the three. For sure I expect to see Brooke and Jason there, but I am not really sure of the third. I think last night we saw for sure who the final four are. If I have to pick a third I am going to guess Carly since she has been there before and although it was still a PHENOMENAL performance, there were some parts that were a little rough.

Going back to Brooke, I am glad she pulled it back together and I am with Simon, I think she did a great job by stopping and starting again...I've been to concerts where that has happened and I think when an artist loses it, it shows their human side if they start again. However, she lost it and I think it killed what could have been a great performance.

David and Sayesha hit it out of the park last night and I think Sayesha takes the award for best performance of the night. I'll write more after the results, and it will be short unless some shocker happens-which could well happen since Idol is so "real."

Thoughts?

Weekly Idol Rant...

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU AMERICA!!!! You stopped voting for Kristy Lee Cook and she went home! While she wasn't nearly as bad as Sanjaya she just wasn't good. Speaking of Cook's David Cook sealed the deal as far as I am concerned for my vote for this year's winner. I'm not even a Mariah Carey fan and I thought he did an awesome job hitting it out of the park Tuesday night.

I am really excited that the music next week will be Andrew Lloyd Weber if I heard things right. I cannot WAIT for those performances, but PLEASE do not ruin the songs from some of the most amazing musicals out there.

We're winding down, and idol will be over soon as well as the other good shows and then it will back into summer re-run limbo, but hey at least we're used to that now since we had the biggest part of this year's TV season interrupted by the strike.

That's all for now...thoughts?

Weekly Idol Rant...

WOW! Michael Johns goes home? I sort of agree with the audience booing after that one. While his performance of "Dream On" was forgettable as no one can do that song like Steven Tyler from Aerosmith I am not sure it was a valid enough reason to send him home. My fear is that "votefortheworst" has picked up another contestant like they did last year and are keeping them around while getting rid of the ones that are good enough to stay (a la Sanjaya last year). Stuff like that frustrates me, but since it is an America votes competition nothing can be done. I don't think Michael was strong enough to win the competition, but he wasn't that bad either.

On the flip side, Idol gives back was good again this year. The performances didn't wow me necessarily (and I was not impressed in the least bit at the leather-or rubber-pants that Fergie wore during her performance of Barracuda with Heart), but it is good to be reminded again that there are those in and out of the country that need help. So I guess as much as possible whether through Idol or your church do SOMETHING to make a difference in the world. Give some money if you can or give of your time to make a difference.

Well that's it for the week, thoughts?

As of today...

As of 12 noon today...WE ARE OFFICIALLY HOMEOWNERS!!! Now, if we can just get in the house. That should happen soon, but hey at least we are one step closer. Here is a couple of pictures for you to show of the place...

Megan is thrilled about the big kitchen...

This is the living room (formal), but the TV will be downstairs in my "man cave"

Thanks for all of your prayers, we have sure appreciated them! We'll keep you posted as time goes on!

Weekly Idol Rant...

So Ramiele went home last night. No big surprise for me. She just never really had a WOW performance. Don't get me wrong, she's decent, but not idol material as far as I am concerned. I also PRAY that they NEVER do Dolly Parton songs again. I was ready to change the channel after the first words of "Jolene" and who is surprised that Simon thought that singing "I will always love you" didn't live up to the original or the Whitney version.

I love idol, don't get me wrong, but I pray that it gets better soon. The season is winding down and I am getting a little weary of it. I'll keep watching though since it gives me something to blog about.

Thoughts?

Weekly Idol rant-delayed

Well I missed Idol this week because of the move, but I heard that Chekieze got sent home. I'll have to admit, that is a bit of a shocker to me, it must have been a really bad performance. Anyone know what happened? I guess just when you thought the show was somewhat predictable, something like this happens! I really thought he would make it to the top 5 or 6.

A quick update...

Well the house in Florida is completely empty save for a few small items we couldn't fit in our cars or the truck (we'll get them this weekend when we head back down) and the truck has been unloaded...how we fit everything into the garage of the house we are buying I have no idea. Now we continue the waiting process as we finalize all of the paperwork for the house we are buying. We should close sometime in the next two weeks and hopefully have possession shortly there after...I am really excited although I still almost want to puke every time I think about the size of the loan we are getting. It's nothing unreasonable for a house, but is still WAY more than we have every borrowed before.

Tomorrow we'll head back south for TNT@TNU on the the campus of Trevecca Nazarene and then back down to Pensacola for our final service at Ensley. Then we'll head BACK up here to officially start at Christ Church in Jackson on the 1st. I think I'll need a vacation before all this is over with...but since we're buying a house it will probably a while until we take a vacation again.

Still filling out lots of paperwork and transferring insurance and all of that. I think I'll have carpal tunnel or wrist problems before I am done signing my name on all of this paperwork.

On a funny note yesterday after we loaded everything into the garage in a grand total of 45 minutes (Thanks to everyone who helped unload), I asked Megan where the box of North Florida t-shirts were for TNT. She said "what box of shirts?" Thus began the search of climbing over everything to the back of the garage squeezing my fat behind into places thought unlikely and looking for a box of shirts needed for this weekend. After searching almost an hour in the back with no luck I was ready to give up until we looked at the front one last time and it was within reach without no issues whatsoever...oh the joys of stress, I don't think I ever do anything the easy way, but all is good and we got a great laugh out of it.

I am not sure how much access I'll have to the net in the next few weeks, but I'll try to drop in as much as possible and keep up with the regular posts as well. My new email is matt@jacksonchrist.org.

Thanks for all of your prayers!
-Matt

Weekly Idol Rant

So with having my wisdom teeth out last week, I am on pain medicine and took two lortabs on Tuesday, so I don't remember a whole lot of idol as I went to bed early (BTW-lortab, that some good painkiller), but I wasn't surprised last night with the results. What I did see was good, of course I still like the Davids and I am officially sick of Beatles music.

While I am disappointed that Amanda Overmeyer went home last night, I am not surprised, and even though I liked her, I realized that every song was going to sound alike, so it was time for her to go. I'm pretty satisfied with the final ten, but it's still a toss up on who's going to win it all as far as I am concerned.

Movie Review-Horton Hears A Who

As far as I am concerned, it's a rental, wait for DVD unless you are just looking for a chance to get out as a family. While I am a big fan of Dr. Seuss, and have enjoyed the Horton stories in book form, the movie just wasn't memorable. Maybe I was just a little too anxious, but it just seemed to drag on and the story was just OK. I found myself looking at my watch several times and not laughing nearly as much as I would have liked. There are some great teachable moments though as it relates to commitment and willingness to help however possible, but it just didn't win me over like I thought it was. I give it a youth ministry C for teachable moments, but a D overall for the movie itself. Grade D

Of course I don't have kids either so maybe it's different for parents, thoughts?

We Got the house!!!

Well...almost, now the mounds of paperwork begin. I don't think I've ever had to follow a paper trail this long and we're just getting started. Anyway, to make a long story short, we were able to negotiate a price that worked for us, and as long as everything goes through with the financing (which we're already pre-approved for) we've got our first house! We are really excited, it is in move in condition, fully remodeled and I will officially have my own "man cave" which of course will be painted and decorated in all things scarlet and grey! I'll post a picture of the house as soon as the paperwork is looking good for the closing and keep you updated as time goes on. Thanks for your prayers, keep praying....next Friday is moving day...somewhere, even if it's into my parents garage for storage for a few weeks.

Ya'll rock!
-Matt

Weekly Idol Rant...

It's time for the weekly idol rant since we're down to the final 12-or at least the almost weekly idol rant...Not bad on the performances last night. I am not a huge fan of the Beatles, but it was cool to hear some of the retakes on the classic songs last night.

• Best performance as far as I am concerned goes to Chikezie, I wasn't a huge fan before last night and I am still not sold on him as this year's idol, but he was AWESOME last night.
• Worst performance (not necessarily vocally though) goes to Kristy Lee Cook, I think she'll go home tonight, but I've been wrong before.

My favorites this year are Amanda Overmeyer (I know the hair is wild and the yelling is rough, but i kind of like that Janis Joplin, Heart, female rocker vibe that she has but she won't last) and David Cook, but I am a rock fan.

It will surprise me if David Archuleto doesn't win, and he has a great voice, but I have a problem with him being able to be in the competition since he already won Star Search as a kid. See my rant from before for my thoughts about that whole deal.

So there ya go, the "almost" weekly idol rant for week 1

A housing update...

Just an update-the first offer was declined as we knew it would be, so we counter offered. So now is where your prayers count even more than ever. We should know more later today.

Thanks!

-Matt

A housing prayer request...

If ya'll could lift us up in prayer over the next couple of days, we would appreciate it. We made a marathon trip to Jackson this weekend to look at houses (and get stuck another day thanks to the snow) and found the one we really want, so we put in an offer. We've been told the offer is lower than previous offers, but I know I serve a big God who can work miracles. If you would, just pray that God's will be done as we try and get our first home.

Thanks!
-Matt

Movie Review-U23D

Had the chance to check out U23D this weekend with Megan, and to say it was awesome would be an understatement. I have been a u2 fan for years and Megan is just starting to appreciate their music as well. The only way to describe the experience is that is was as if you were there...and then some. This was my first experience with digital 3d and it is unreal how amazing it is. If this is anywhere near your area, I highly recommend checking it out. It is a little more expensive than a regular movie, but it is well worth the money. You'll feel like you are right there at the concert (which I was really sad I missed when it was here in the states) and it is the best front row seat you'll ever have. I had the chance to see U2 on their Elevation tour in 2001 and while this isn't quite the same as being right in front of the band...it is a close 2nd. Rating: A+

A green rant...

I need to start this post off by letting it be known that I am by no means a "tree hugging hippie" an Al Gore supporter, or a firm believer in global warming and the coming "inconvenient truth." I did however decide about a year ago that I was going to try and be a little more "green" and do my part to help the environment...not because of all the hype right now, but because of Psalm 24:1 which says "the Earth is the Lord's and everything in it..." I figure we should all do our part to take care of what God has blessed us with-whether or not there is a coming environmental crisis or not.

With that said, over the last year I have tried to do my part by switching light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs as old ones burn out, trying to consume less water in the house, adjusting the thermostat in the house during non-peak hours, and other things as I can.

Now on to the rant...have you noticed that every hotel you stay in now gives a spiel in the bathroom about how they are conserving water and resources by not changing sheets everyday and asking that you only get new towels if you would like them? Well that seems to be the case, and since I am trying to "do my part" I generally hang up my towel to reuse it the next day, but EVERY hotel I have stayed in STILL replaces the towel each day, which I don't mind, but don't waste the print and paper for a note if you aren't going to do what you say you are going to do. It happened again this last weekend at a large 4 star hotel in downtown Cincy.

Okay done with the rant....just do what you say you are going to do or don't ask! I'm trying to be a good citizen here people! :)

Speaking of hotels, I highly recommend using priceline to name your own price for hotels. I have always gotten great deals at expensive hotels ( I got into the convention hotel for $50 a night last weekend) so check them out and see what they can do for you!

NYMC Day 3

Well another great day, that is for sure. I have to admit, I hate that tomorrow means back to the "real world" but I think I am almost as excited to get back into things as I was about being here. I still have a lot to process and a lot of work to do, but I think this conference has helped me take a few steps in the right direction.

So here is what I'll have to chew on from today. Greg Stier spoke tonight about "Challenging/Difficult" conversations. He emphasized the fact that we HAVE to have those difficult conversations with our kids even when we are afraid of the outcome. Again I thought-how do they know exactly where I am? In addition to the idea of having these conversations, he mentioned that we need to allow kids to question and process through the difficult questions and let God work the answers. Our job as youth ministers is to work through the issues WITH the students, and not necessarily always have the answers, but be committed to finding the answers with the students. Again this will be a challenge for me, because I have always thought I had to have all the answers since I was the youth pastor. So with that said I am glad that I now have the freedom to say I don't know, but let's find out together which will hopefully lead to deeper meaningful relationships with students.

So this has been an awesome weekend. I highly recommend ANY youth worker attending this conference next year...especially if you live in Ohio since it's in Columbus. I promise you'll leave feeling like you connected, learned some great things, and got fed.

Thanks Group and SYM for an amazing weekend and for pouring yourselves into us. You'll never know how much it has meant to me.

NYMC Day 2-part deaux

Alright, so I've had a good night's rest, and most recently a fill of another Cincy delicacy in the form of LaRosa's Pizza, so I think I am good to go to offer my thoughts of what God is doing in my life from yesterday and into today.

There seems to be a recurring theme in everything I have experienced so far that keeps pointing me toward the fact that I need to make sure the Lord is first in EVERYTHING in my life. I am not exactly sure why that is the case-I thought I was doing okay, and I am not sure what it means necessarily, but that seems to be the way the Lord is pointing me. I don't think I have strayed from the Lord that I am aware of, and I know I am not involved in some secret sin, but maybe I just need to refocus everything on Him because maybe-just maybe there is more than I am experiencing already.

This stood out to me in three areas yesterday...

1. PLAY-I loved yesterday morning's session. I think for some reason or another I have forgotten how to play. I need to rediscover that "inner child" within me. I am a goofy guy, and love to have fun, but I have found myself not being as "fun" as I used to be-whereas I used to be the first one to rush the stage or do something as crazy as possible, I have begun to move into a role where I seem to step back more, and I really don't want to be that guy. In fact I am sensing that I need to relax more and just have fun...its OKAY to have fun, you can be "childlike" and still be an adult and still relate to kids...so God, help me rediscover that inner child.
2. FEAR-Doug talked about letting go of our fears by faith in order to be able to have authentic conversations and relationships in ministry. I think the biggest are for me is my sense of inadequacy. I have discovered this about me and it has haunted me for some time. What I mean by this is the sense of "I'll never be as good as..." For some reason I have always been afraid of stepping out in faith or I have backed away from things because I compare myself to others and think I am not as good as they are in ministry. I thought I had beat this a long time ago, but the enemy still puts that thought in front of me more than I realize and I think it keeps me from being as effective as I can be...so God has been showing me that it is okay to be ME. I'm the only one (thank the Lord some would say) and God uses me as ME, not if I am some carbon copy of someone else. So God help me to discover who I am.
3. EMPTINESS-I have been going through the deeper learning track dealing with lasting in leadership since to put it easy, I am worn out, tired, and empty. I think now I am realizing that it is more related to 1 and 2 than anything, but I am being filled this weekend and discovering how NOT to be empty again in a short time. God help me to lean toward you to be filled instead of trying to fill myself with things that are not YOU.

So that's what I've learned so far...I still have a long way to go, but hopefully I am not alone. Here's to discovering who I really am in the Lord!

-Matt

NYMC Day 2

I'll blog in the morning about day 2...still trying to process everything, and I am beat so I am going to head to bed and maybe in the morning when I have a clear head I can place my thoughts into words-if I tried to night, it would be rambling that would make no sense...wait, that happens more often than not.

See you in the mornin!
-Matt

NYMC Day 1

WOW-so far awesome is all I have to say. I think the coolest thing is the intimacy level that occurs at the conference. I use that term loosely of course, but it really is odd how interactive the conference is. Normally when you go to a youth conference it is uncommon to see the speakers and trainers out and about-not so with this one, I think I had about four conversations today with leaders of the event and observed several others. I really appreciate that, but I am also a little nervous about the intimacy aspect too as it is not always easy for me to come out of my shell in a group of people and share with those I don't know, so pray that I am stretched in this area this weekend and that I will feel comfortable sharing my heart.

Coach Tony Dungy was the speaker this evening and it was awesome as expected, his testimony and challenge was quite an encouragement. Three things he hit us with that are applicable to my ministry...

1. Learn your craft- Basically I need to know as much as I can about my ministry and the students I work with and also how I do this. I do think this is relevant to working with teens, but I am not as concerned about this aspect this weekend. I try to stay as fresh as I can about youth culture, so I don't expect to get as much of this during the conference. I am praying for an open spirit though that God will show me some new things while I am here.
2. Make it personal- Be yourself and take a personal interest in the students you work with. I think I have some to learn in this area. Even after 12 years in youth ministry I still am trying to figure out who I am sometimes and how I can reach certain groups of kids. I am asking God to show me who I am this weekend-even more so than already. Do I have to look or be a certain way to be an effective minister or just be who I am? Also how do I reach the rough kids-how do I draw clear boundaries and still reach those who I don't connect with?
3. Recharge-Rely on Christ as my driving force, walk as close to Him as possible, and trust the Lord when you experience setbacks. I think THIS as I said yesterday is the reason I am here more than anything. It's not that I am not walking with the Lord or struggling with some deep sin, it is just that I need some refreshment. I am praying that God shows me this weekend what I need to do to recharge.

So day one was awesome....just one more thought I am working through that I'll try and put into words later...just what does the perfect youth worker look like. That is meant more for humor than anything-but I am on the lookout this weekend for that one person who has the "look." I'll try and get that blog on later as well as a picture if I find him/her. Thoughts on what I should look for or today's thoughts in general?

Time to go to sleep-I skipped the late night sessions tonight because I am EXHAUSTED...I know I must be getting old.

Seeking to go deeper...

-Matt

We Made it!

We made it in okay...at 1:30 local time. Lots of rain most of the trip, and then that nasty stuff...a mix of rain and snow that made the last 100 miles or so miserable...my knuckles are still white, but I guess I better get used to it since I'll be back up here permanently in a month.

I am looking for several things this weekend...

• first an foremost to be refreshed...working two jobs has been tough, I need a break and to be refilled. I am excited about the chance to reconnect with the Lord on a deeper level.
• I am looking forward to laughing and having a great time with thousands of other youth pastors...and chasing Josh around to see just how much free stuff I can get (but I won't be a stalker I promise)
• I am excited about seeing my junior high sponsor get even MORE excited about working with kids that find great joy in farting, belching, and super-wedgies.
• I am excited about one thing in particular, it's not super spiritual, but eating it can be an experience in itself...and the hours afterwards, well we'll let that speak for itself (in many ways)...that one thing is.....SKYLINE CHILI!
• and finally I am excited about being in the hometown of the soon to be world champion Cincinnati Reds, and Super Bowl XLIII champs Cincinnati Bengals-well that probably won't happen, but I can dream right? Eventually it WILL happen...I HOPE.

Here's to a great weekend, I am praying for all of you who are attending, and those who are back home (in Jackson and Pensacola)

-Matt

WKRP in Cincinnati...

I just thought I would put a little throw back to those of us that remember the early 80's. I do that because I am heading up to Cincy for the weekend for the National Youth Ministry Conference. I am really excited about this, as I didn't get the chance to go to YS last year and I need an opportunity to be refreshed...especially with all the craziness happening with the transition to Ohio already and what is yet to come.

Pray for us though (myself and Scott-my youth sponsor and junior high genius)...looks like we'll be heading right through a winter storm to get there...fun stuff.

I'll be posting throughout the weekend on my thoughts about the conference, and hope to maybe see some of you there...anyone going?

-Matt

the new Knight Rider

So did anyone else watch it? I was a HUGE fan of the original when I was a kid and still like the re-runs when they are on today. I was a little skeptical of the new one when I saw the preview, but it was interesting how they pulled it all together and didn't try to remake the original. The best part for me was the new KITT...AMAZING! I loved the trans-am/camaro, but a Shelby GT500 Mustang blows it away as far as I am concerned. I'll be interested in seeing if it will become a series or just a one time shot like they did a few years ago when they brought HasselHoff back and a new red KITT.

Thoughts?

The Explanation...

Okay, so here is the follow up from my posts over the last couple of weeks...here is the explanation:

February 12,2008

Dear Pastor Brian and church leadership team,

Megan and I want to personally thank you for the last three years of ministry here. While it has not been without difficulties, we have made some great strides as a youth ministry, and I believe there is a bright future for our young people. The younger students in the ministry as well as the upcoming young people have already far surpassed what I could have ever hoped for in a youth ministry.

With that said, and after much prayer and wrestling with God, Megan and I have made a difficult decision. We feel that the Lord is leading us in another direction for yet another exciting adventure in ministry. Our last Sunday with Ensley Nazarene will be Sunday March 30th.

To say that this was an easy decision would be untrue. I have wrestled with this for some time now. The journey actually began last summer. When I was approached about the financial difficulties with the church, God opened up another door for me and I chose to stay by working with q100. However working two jobs has taken its toll on me, and I had hoped to move into a full time position with the radio that would allow me to adjust my schedule at the church even more. This has not happened, and is not going to happen. I am not physically and mentally able to continue both positions and have been praying that God would find a solution in some way.

Ask and you shall receive. God has opened up a door for us. We will be returning to Jackson, Ohio where we came from where I will serve as the director of student ministry at Christ United Methodist Church. It is obvious that the Lord is leading there as I was contacted about the position without any solicitation on my part. This does seem strange since I will be returning to the town we left and serving in a different church, but there is something God has for us there just as he did here.

Again thank you for three wonderful years of ministry serving together. I believe God is going to do some great things with the church and we wish blessings upon you!

With the love of Christ,
Matt & Megan

So this may come as no big surprise to those of you who read the blog regularly, but in case you didn't know, this is what has been up lately and the reason for us asking for prayer. I told the teens last night which was VERY difficult, but God used it and it was a good service together. The reason we knew we were supposed to take the position is because every SPECIFIC prayer that we asked was answered exactly as we wanted it to be. We are both excited and nervous about this new adventure so we covet your continued prayer.

I guess once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye-but I'll sure miss the beach! As we say-Buckeye born, Buckeye bred, and one of these days I'll be Buckeye dead.

Suggestions?

So Megan turns 30 on Sunday (She's gonna kill me for posting that) and I want to get her a very special gift.

Her dream is to go to NYC, which won't happen right away, but maybe later this year. Anyone know how I can get a cheap package or have any suggestions for MUST SEE'S/DO's?

I really want to make this special for her, so I am open to suggestions.

A Little Clarification...

I probably should have mentioned this yesterday for clarification, but didn't really think anything of it until I received a few calls and noticed some of your comments. First, let me thank all of you for your concern, it really means a lot. Also thanks for your prayers.

Just to clarify a little bit, there is nothing happening medically or marriage related that are crises. Since I wrote the blog so early in the morning (something I can do since I work the morning show at the radio station) the thought never occurred to me that I might raise some fears.

I still can't share much, but Megan and I are at a bit of a crossroads and have some decisions to make in the coming weeks. Basically we have some tough decisions to make that we are wrestling through and yesterday was a point day relating to all of that. Like I said I'll share more in the near future, but can't yet.

So again, all is well. We are both healthy as far as we know, and all's well in our lives together (in fact I think it's pretty darn good that I'm blessed with such a great woman). Thanks again for our prayers yesterday, they were felt and we appreciate it so much.

A Special prayer need....

If you think of us today, could you please lift us up in prayer? I'll share more when I can, but we need your prayers today if you could. Thanks! I appreciate and pray for all of you often!

-Matt

Skybus...

We had the chance this last weekend to head to Ohio for a little long weekend. We decided since it was a short weekend we would fly instead of drive. Normally we are looking at 350 to 400 for a round trip flight from Pensacola to Ohio. Everyone up home rants and raves about skybus which is based in Columbus. They are the no frills airline with DEEPLY discounted airfares. We had always thought about trying them out, but thought the only hub was in Jacksonville 5 hours away. However, we found out the fly into "New Orleans" but it's actually Gulfport/Biloxi which is only two hours away, so we thought we would give it a try.

We did not get the $10 fares, but evidently you have to be one of the first ten to purchase that flight to get the rate. I was amazed however to see airfares under 100 with less than a week before departure. We wound up paying 75 for the first leg of the flight and 55 for the second, but it was a direct flight at night.

The flight home was delayed an hour, getting us into Columbus late, but I was highly satisfied. There was plenty of room, the planes are brand new, and the flight crew including captains were awesome. They had fun (especially on the flight back yesterday), were very pleasant and did a great job. I WILL fly skybus again. It is well worth it.

The only downfall is a chance of a delay (but it's not that bad with delays), you do have to pay for luggage (checked-5 each for first two bags) and drinks/snacks, but I'll take that over a $400 ticket.

So check them out at their website and enjoy it. And those friends and family who live in the frozen tundra up north....now is no better time to visit! we'll come pick you up.

Your travel guru (yeah right)...
-Matt

Idol Farce?

Well it is back...and honestly I am just not sure what to think this year. Of course I am talking about American Idol, and in the midst of the oh so wonderful writer's strike, it is one of the only "decent" reality shows that are permeating the airwaves right now since all of the good scripted shows are stuck in limbo right now.

On a quick tangent as it relates to television, there is one scripted jewel that premiered last weekend on Fox. It is a must watch if you are a fan of the Terminator movies. It is called the "Sarah Connor Chronicles," and I am impressed so far.

Okay back to Idol-I just really don't know what to think. Part of me likes the first few weeks with the "bad" mixed in with the good, but I'm already sick of it after two episodes. I get frustrated at the way they belittle some of the contestants by letting them through the auditions only to be made fun of on national TV.

HOWEVER...working in radio and being the local producer for a nationally syndicated show there has been a lot of talk about how "real" it all is.

Don't get me wrong, I know that reality TV is scripted to some extent. I know that there are several rounds of auditions, and I know that some of the "bad" contestants are people doing a "bit" for radio or to boost their careers. That's fine...I'm okay with that and some of them are really funny. However, what about the ones that really are sincere...and how many of them are sincere? The tall guy who butchered "livin' on a prayer"-I really think he was real and I feel bad about him. Or what about the guy who "sings low" and did "go down Moses" pretty sure he thought he could sing...don't know though. I am not entirely convinced that "I am your brother guy" was legit but who knows. I know this is all part of the grabbing ratings and viewers, but couldn't you shorten it...some of it is okay, but at least 2 weeks worth of 2 hours for 2 nights-a little much now, we've seen it. Let's get on to Hollywood.

Of course if you haven't heard, rumors are flying that the 50 finalists have been leaked to the net and several of them have had reps or recording deals in the past.

So with all of that and record labels dropping past idols (Taylor Hicks, Kat McPhee, and Jordin Sparks), I just don't know what to think. I am a little skeptical this year. I'll keep watching for now, but I need to see some breakout talent if they want to keep me this year. Let's have a couple more laughs and move on okay? Thoughts?

I am your brother...
-Matt

The battle at two years...

Welcome to 2008! As I sit here through a day of playing the Wii, watching college football, and a STREAM of shows about obesity and weight loss (a marathon of season 2 of TBL and TLC had several shows about morbidly obese people) laden with a ridiculous amount of advertisements for weight loss specials/gyms I realize that 2007 was a tough year. I start 2008 at 340, only 2 pounds lighter than last year. I wasn't nearly as motivated this last year as I was in 06 and it shows. I could give all kinds of excuses as to why I didn't lose, but basically I wasn't dedicated. So I'm not making any real resolutions this year. I am going to try something different...I will use all of the resources around me and keep SMALL goals instead of making outlandish hopes for the year. If I start small and achieve those small goals maybe I can get further this year. And I'll be honest...the Wii does help! Playing even for a half hour a day helps, it really gets my heart up. I don't know what this year holds, but here's to another year of battling on...anyone wanna join me?

Christmas 2007

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!!!

I hope it was a blessed and great time with family and friends! Thanks for being a part of our lives!

A Little Christmas Laughter for you!

I got a big kick out of this, and I think you will too-especially if you are a fan of Jeff Dunham. There are a couple of words and a bit of off color humor, so if you are easily offended you may want to skip it. I appreciate the thanks Achmed "unofficially" gives to the US military. Thanks to all the men and women serving! Enjoy and get a good laugh!

Wii like to play!

Once I purchased a Play Station 2 a few years back, I swore off Nintendo forever. I didn't need Mario, because Crash Bandicoot was just as entertaining and as much of a platform game as any Mario title out there. Well I sold the PS2 earlier this year since I didn't play it anymore and thought I was done with gaming except for at the church in the game room. That was until I had the chance to play the Wii at NYC this summer. From the first go around I realized how fun it could be...and how out of shape I was since it definitely requires physical activity to play it. So with all that said...Meg and I are now proud owners of a Nintendo Wii!

So here's to having a lot of fun with it...any maybe losing a few pounds getting some exercise playing. (I really think this was a BRILLIANT move on the part of Nintendo making a system that requires you to exercise to play it. If you are looking for a system that is family friendly (most of the games are rated for younger families) and that gets you going instead of just sitting I would recommend getting one (as soon as you can find one-we got lucky)

Meeting and idol...

We had our annual teen Christmas party Sunday night, and after an evening of feasting, gift "stealing" and stuffing our faces, we headed to a local church to hear Chris Sligh in concert. This was an unplugged show where he gave his testimony and talked about his faith journey through American Idol and beyond. I have to say, he is as genuine and light hearted in person as he was on the show. This was an awesome event for me as he was one of my pics to win last year and I really liked his voice all through the competition. I picked up a copy of his album (I think it is with his band pre-idol) and he rocks out as good as he sings a ballad. Here are a few pics including Meg and I getting to meet him after the show...

Politics 2008

With the year almost over and an upcoming year of what is likely to be filled with political jargon and propaganda, I thought this picture spoke for itself...

As the primaries arrive next year do your homework and know who you are voting for. I don't care who you choose-just vote...it's your opportunity to make a stand and if you don't vote, don't complain about what happens.

It's time for a playoff...

Okay, so I am thrilled that there is still a snowball's chance in the place of eternal punishment that the Buckeyes may make THE game. It also helps that we beat Michigan...AGAIN! I do feel bad though, Lloyd car was a great coach and I hope it wasn't just because of the loss to OSU. Best wishes to him though.

With all that said though, It is time to let the BCS go and just have a playoff...put them all on the field and let them battle it out. Most likely Hawaii will remain unbeaten and we'll be in the same boat we were with Boise State last year.

Here's to a screwy season and maybe another chance for the Buckeyes...and to hopefully at least tailgating at the game if the Buckeyes make it since it is SO close. We'll see!

PS...check out my good friend Briana's profile sporting the Scarlet and grey as a Michigan fan (since she lost a friendly "wager"). Here's the link- www.myspace.com/BrianaNStopp

Oh Well...

Well I guess it was bound to happen eventually. We lost today against Illinois of all teams. But the good side of all of it is that now the pressure is off and it is ON against Michigan. It should be a great game and the winner gets the Big 10 title...GO BUCKS BEAT MICHIGAN!!!

On the record...

Can ya help me?

I've just signed a petition to the 2008 presidential candidates asking them to go on the record and tell us exactly where they stand on fighting extreme poverty and global disease.You can take action on this important cause too by visiting http://www.one.org/ontherecord

Thanks!

Thoughts on the fall tv season...

Well I have finally had a little bit of time to check out the fall shows and get into a viewing pattern, so as promised here are my thoughts on fall television thus far. Let me know what you think...

MONDAY-NBC takes the cake again this year with their lineup. Chuck is perhaps the best new "dramedy" on tv. Heroes is even better this year and I find myself hating the wait for the next weeks new episode. Finally there is Journeyman about a reporter who is an unwilling time traveller. It is defintely worht watching. The only other show I watch on Monday nights (or when I can get to it) is the new CBS comedy Big Bang. It is a comedy about two geniuses who live next door to a not so genius blonde. It provides some great humor and is a good look into society and the stereotypes we have about geeks and blondes. It's worth checking out.

TUESDAY-Tuesday finds me flipping between NBC/ABC. First it's The Biggest Loser and then over to Boston Legal. TBL is good again this year, but I hate the fact that at the beginning of the season they made some of them feel like rejects again before letting them know they were still going to be on the show. Boston Legal I got hooked on last year late, simply because I think the Denny Crane character is hysterical, and i find the cases (althought unreal) intriguing. Two to skip on Tuesday though are Cavemen and Carpoolers. Cavemen was a HUGE letdown and is not the least bit funny. Carpoolers just doesn't keep my attention . I don't see either of them lasting (but I've been wrong before)

WEDNESDAY-Wednesday of course is church night but I record the shows I like and catch them later. Pushing Daisies is a hit as far as I am concerned. It is original, witty, and I love the fairy tale type storylines complete with narrator. It has a bit of a Tim Burton-esque feel that catches my attention. The new Bionic Woman is okay, but I am not 100% sold on it yet. The same goes with Private Practice-I am just not commited to it yet. Two shows I could do without are Kid Nation-I had high hopes for it and didn't even make it through one episode and Phenomenon, which even though I love magic is just not good enough for me.

THURSDAY-Thursday of course includes all the returning shows with Survivor-which is decent this year but I fear on its last leg, The Office and My name is Earl on NBC, and one that I wrote off last year but am now a big fan uf-Ugly Betty on ABC. In fact Ugly Betty is perhaps one of my favorite shows right now, although the adult themes (all of the craziness in the fashion world) do bother me sometimes. Another ABC staple that I have started watching is Grey's Anatomy. While it is more drama than I like sometimes, it provides a good medical drama since ER just isn't good anymore (i'm surprised it is still on).

FRIDAY-When we are home Friday sees us watching Friday Night Lights, which I had written off last year, but again turned out to be a good show. This year it is a little bit edgier but the stories are more compelling. Also I have started checking out Numb3rs on CBS. This cop drama intrigues me in the fact that I know there are people that smart out there.

So that is my viewing pattern for the fall. Any others I am missing that I should check out? I am still getting caught up, but there are others that I am starting to check out like Big Shots, Life, Moonlight, and Dirty Sexy Money which I haven't watched yet.

thoughts?

Speaking of radio...

I mentioned the radio station in one of my earlier posts, and so I thought it would be good to mention that I had my first official show at q100 tonight as a part of our "Flashback weekend." If you heard it, let me know what you thought. I normally of course am just the producer of the morning show, so this was pretty cool. I am not sure what will come of it yet but it was fun to do it and know that it was "my" show.

Movie Review-Bee Movie

So Meg and I had the chance to go catch a movie tonight for the first time since I started working at the radio station, so we decided on the new Jerry Seinfeld movie "Bee Movie." Since I haven't done a review for awhile, I thought I would throw in my two cents...

Honestly I would have to give it a "bee minus." It wasn't bad, it just wasn't that great as far as I was concerned. There were some pretty good puns and some adult humor, but some of the subtle messages about relationships were a little too disturbing, but maybe I was just reading a little too much into it who knows? Not to mention the fact that there seemed to be a little bit of the "love the earth, everything is a part of the greater planet" mentality-again I may be reading too much into it though.

Overall the story wasn't bad, it's about a young bee who gets out of the hive and experiences the real world. I won't say more so as not to spoil the plot, but basically the whole story revolves around his experience and what he learns about the outside world.

There were some decent messages mixed throughout that I think are good to note. And these could possibly be used for illustrations, the biggest being that everyone has something to offer to make a difference, not matter how big or small. I did like that aspect.

Again-not a bad movie overall, but I would say save your money and catch it on DVD when it comes out. Grade B-

a W is a W

Well it was ugly, but a W is a W as far as I am concerned...play like today against Michigan though and we'll lose! Still unbeaten though-GO BUCKS!

Waiting on Kirk and Spock...

So watching the new season of Heroes-which is amazing of course, I have noticed that it seems that there is an abundance of appearances by the original members of Star Trek. First it was Sulu as Hiro's father, now Ohura as the aunt/grandmother of the Nikki's son, I half expect Denny Crane (boston legal-william shatner) to show up defending some unknown Hero character played by Leornard Nimoy. Any idea why they are showing up on the show?

Meet Gizmo...

Here is the new addition to our family (at least for now). We are calling him Gizmo because of the size of his ears...Here are a few pics of the little guy (who is really cute and up for sale):

Can you believe the size of these ears?

Tuckered out after playing...

Hiding in the closet during a storm...


I am trying really hard not to get attached. He sure is cute, and my fear is that if we don't sell him soon he will be a permanent addition to our family.

Tornado...

I have received several calls, so let me fill you all in. Yes, a tornado did touch down in Pensacola today, but we are just fine. It hit the southern part of the town in the downtown area and while there is some damage all is okay on our end. I did happen to be at the station when all this went down and so I got to see us in emergency mode and also did some "on site" stuff, but we are all just fine here in Pcola, thanks for asking about us!

-Matt

Did you catch it?

So I am still working on my thoughts on the new TV shows this fall, but did anyone catch the quick reference in tonight's episode of "Chuck" to Oceanic Flight 815 (LOST in case you didn't know what it was from)? I thought that was kind of cute-especially coming from an NBC show. Anyone know why they might throw that in there?

just curious and amused...LOVE "Chuck" by the way, definitely one of this seasons best new shows!

Fall Sweeps...

Fall sweeps begins this week with all the new shows and season premieres happening over the next couple of weeks so keep tuned to hear what I have to say about the new seasons and new shows...

2 things I am excited about...
Another new season of Survivor (with a return to the more traditional format)
FINALLY a new season of Heroes!

-Matt

Go Big Blue...

Well this is a couple days late since I have had limited access to the net, but I just have one quick statement...

HOW BOUT THEM WOLVERINES!!!

They're playing the kind of football I like to see! GO BUCKS!

More new puppy pics...

Here are a few updated pictures of the new puppies...ours is the one on the right... They are starting to get the little fuzzball Yorkie puppy look...

Brothers playing with each other...

Wanting Meg to put them down so they can play...

Snuggling and giving Meg a kiss...

We're still not sure if we're going to keep him or not. Meg is getting attached. I told her if we keep him, I'm naming him "Cash Money" to remind us of what we would have had if we had sold him...he is cute though!

You never know who you'll meet on the street...

So last weekend when I was working with the radio station on a remote at the Wharf in Orange Beach, I see this guy who looks familiar. I sort of pass him off as "just one of those guys" but then I heard someone confirm who it was and I was right-sure enough it was Cledus T. Judd from country music and Celebrity Fit Club fame. He spent some time looking through the store we were promoting and also visited with anyone who wanted pictures. He was in town opening up for Gretchen Wilson that night. He was VERY nice, approachable and was just all around a good guy. He has kept the weight off as well. Here is a pic...

I guess you never know who you'll run into some times!

Here's the skinny...

Okay sorry for the lack of posting of late...truth be told I have just been running ragged and have not had the chance to blog. I've been hinting at a few things recently and I can finally talk about them so here is the skinny on our lives right now...

• The biggest change is that I am going "part time" at the church. This is on a month by month basis, but given the financial situation of the church it was necessary. Since a large portion of our salary is the house, it was easiest to work with my salary to balance the budget. I have a perfect peace about this and the church has made it very clear that they are going to take care of us and I believe that with my whole heart. It is obvious that God is working through this situation as we have had some amazing services since I agreed to this and He also provided the radio job at the perfect time. It seems like every time I looked away from here God pointed us right back in this direction. As it relates to "part time" we all know that really doesn't exist in ministry and I am as dedicated as I always have been to the church and teens and am keeping VERY busy.
• Speaking of radio, I am still loving it. I go into the station every weekday morning to run the morning show which means I am up at 4:30 every morning. This has been a rough adjustment, but I find that I have a lot more energy since I don't lay around in the morning anymore and when I go to bed I am finally sleeping good! I am not on the air yet, but will hopefully soon be doing news and weather during the morning show. I have done two remotes live and recently cut my first spot (commercial) so my voice has been out there, just not regularly yet. Also this weekend, I'll be heading to see Taylor Hicks in concert for the station and get the chance to take listeners backstage for a meet and greet session. I was a huge fan of his on Idol and so this member of the "soul patrol" is going to have a great time (even if he can't dance). Needless to say, it's a lot of fun!
• On top of everything else I was recently told that I am now the "interim" (but looks like it's official) district youth president, which means I am the point person for all the district activities relating to teens in the North Florida district. This was also a goal of mine, so I'm excited about it as well.

So life is crazy busy, but needless to say, I am happier than I have been for a long time and with the Lord's help I am managing it all. Thanks for your prayers over these last few months, there have been several times when I wanted to give up, but with your prayers and the Lord I was able to make it through-so if times are tough...HANG IN THERE! I'm praying for ya'll!

PS-Meg is doing great as well, she just started back teaching music again full time and loves it, but could use your prayer as it is at an inner city school and it is tough on her at times.

weight loss battle 07-? weeks in

So not much is really happening in the weight loss realm right now. I have gained a few pounds currently weighing in at 338. I am not too discouraged though as I am wearing pants that are a size smaller than when I started the year so that is good.
I'm still trying to get into the gym, although it really is a struggle to go most of the time since it is a circuit workout and I just don't find joy in it anymore. I just wish I could find some type of exercise that I love.
On the good side of things though, I have more energy than I have for a long time, my blood pressure is down and hopefully when I get my labs back next week I'll see good numbers there as well.

The battle continues!
-Matt

I knew it!

I knew it wasn't all my fault that I was fat! Now, here is all the proof I need that my weight is caused by a virus....

http://health.msn.com/dietfitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100168200&GT1=10316

Now can someone just give me the antibiotic to fix it...and it better not be "Alli" because I don't know about you, but I don't want the "intestinal discomfort" and "potentially embarrassing situations" that are warned about on the label!

Hope ya laughed!

-Matt

4 years!

On a more serious note, today marks four years of being married to the most wonderful woman in the world...my lovely wife Megan. She makes my life so much more wonderful, I don't know what I would do without her! She is always there when I need to laugh, cry, or simply just be quiet, and she is AMAZING! I love her with all my heart!

Long live the King...

In honor of the remembrance of the passing of Elvis, the "King of Rock-n-Roll," I thought I would post this picture...may his legacy live on forever in the lives of people like this guy:

Long live the king!

Desire...

God is good. He always has been to me, and although I've known it for a long time, I sometimes too easily forget. One of my life verses has always been Psalm 37:4 which states that God will grant you the desires of your heart. That verse means more to me today than it has for some time.

I have now been in ministry for 11 years. I love every minute of it. You may or may not know this, but my other major is in broadcast communications. I am so glad to be working in radio again part time. It has always been a love of mine. I was lucky enough to get into it when I was in high school and continued with it through college. However, when God called me into ministry I sensed the Lord asking if I would give up radio for Him. I was hesitant at first because it was such a love. However, I knew that I simply needed to trust God and He would take care of the rest. Who would have imagined that 11 years later I would be doing BOTH things I love, radio AND ministry. God is good! I do not know what the future holds for me, but for the time being God is granting my desire to do both.

So with all that said, if you are struggling with offering something to the Lord, know that He has your best interest in mind and He will always give you what is best if you trust Him!

Stay strong!

GGD concert...

Here it is...our pic from the meet and greet w/ the Goo Goo Dolls. Great show along with Colby Caillat and Lifehouse who did a great job as well. If it comes to your town, it is worth checking it out if you are fan of any of the bands. Here's the pic...thanks guys for taking the time!