Ramblings and Updates

So far Sears Auto Center has reimbursed me $97 for their crappy labor. I have also submitted the invoice for my rental car and I'm confident they will pay me back for that.

Karen bought me Season 3 of Seinfeld for my birthday. It is hilarious. I believe it is the best season out so far.

My flowerbeds are performing nicely. I am somewhat disappointed with the bulbs I bought because 4 or 5 of them have died. When I start getting more blooms, I will post before and after pics of the area between my house and garage that I landscaped.

Why do they call it a Restroom? I don't know about you, but I rarely rest when I am in there. In fact, I am motivated to get in and out as fast as I can (often this approach fails). You can't really call it a Bathroom either, because unless you are at home, you can't take a bath (although I did see a guy with his shirt off, a bar of soap, and the sink running). I prefer it to be called The Toilet. In the Asian countries I have been to, that is what they call it, and it seems to make the most sense.

My sister and her husband are moving to the Queen of the South today (a.k.a Birmingham). Now we will have 23 family members living here, most of them within a 10 mile radius. Is this good or bad?

How many of you visited the Website of the Week? What did you think of it?

Podcasting

Do you have an MP3 player? I hope so, because I am about to introduce you to something that will change your life. Due to the fact that 2 months ago most of you were in the dark as to what a blog is, I will now introduce you to an even greater piece of technology. It is called Podcasting. The following definition is from Wikpedia:

Podcasting is a way of publishing sound files to the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed and receive new audio files automatically. Podcasting is distinct from other types of audio content delivery because it uses the RSS 2.0 protocol. This technique has enabled many producers to create self-published, syndicated radio shows.

Users subscribe to podcasts using "podcatching" software (also called "aggregator" software) which periodically checks for and downloads new content. It can then sync the content to the user's portable music player, hence the portmanteau of Apple's "iPod" and "broadcasting". Podcasting does not require an iPod, however; any digital audio player or computer with the appropriate software can play podcasts.

Now I am going to give you a link to iPodder, the service I use free of charge for receiving the 5 or so Podcasts I am subscribed to. This technology could be the future of your cable, radio, news, etc. Let me know what you think.

Update: I went to two different car service centers who both told me that I was overcharged for the service Sears provided me. Not only that, but the job that took Sears mechanics 13 hours should have only taken 1 hour. Both service centers felt that Sears was responsible for breaking wires to the alternator, so I am writing my brief to Sears Auto Center now. Brian, can you help?

Unspoken Rules

I have noticed another phenomenon (please reference the "Bag Boy Phenomenon"). Not a new one, but one I believe has been taking place since the wisemen came to see Jesus. We will henceforth call this the "Imbalanced Gift Exchange Phenomenon." This phenomenon transcends all barriers. Whether they are social, religious, financial...it doesn't matter. Everyone is faced with this experience. Here it is:

How come you never send money as a gift to anyone older than you? It doesn't matter if they are 25 and you are 24, it just doesn't happen. However, you are always expected to give a monetary gift to someone below you. Some of you need an example so here it is:
It was my birthday last week, and I received a card with a monetary gift from a few people older than myself. When it is their birthday, they will receive only a card from me. Why? Because I am not expected to give them money. Maybe a toothbrush or a fresh apple, but never money because that might be awkward. I would be in violation of the unspoken gift rule. However, when my cousin Austin sends me a graduation announcement (still waiting...I think his graduation is Saturday) I will be expected to provide a monetary gift (I am almost in the clear on this one, because the exception to the rule here is that if I don't know about it in time, I am not obligated to send money). Who made these rules? How long have they existed? What happens if I am in violation? Who would win in a fight between George W. Bush and Hilary Clinton?

Update: I have included a new link entitled "Website of the Week." This week I am featuring Boxed Thoughts, which I find EXTREMELY interesting. It provides a fascinating insight into people's lives. This site went live about two weeks ago and has grown immensely.

2 for 2

Many of you know the story of our trip back from Harrisburg (read the story). Apparently Karen and I don't travel well. And now, the rest of the story...

We were on our way back from St. Simons where we had a somewhat relaxing 3 days. Here is the schedule of what happened on our way back:

Saturday 4 p.m. – Battery warning light comes on as we approach Douglasville, GA. I regret my decision earlier in the week to help jump start a stranded motorist.

4:15 – Wal Mart checks the battery and says it is probably the alternator, which they can’t fix. I feel like a jerk for wishing I had not helped the stranded motorist.

4:30 – Arrive at Sears Auto Center (Arbor Place Mall). The service dude, whom we will call D, says he will call me with an estimate in 1 hour.

6:00 – D finally calls and estimates that they need to replace the alternator. He says they will finish call when it is done.

8:45 – I arrive back because I haven’t received a phone call and they close at 9. D says he called. I show him my call list, he says he must have misdialed. They are closing, and tell us our alternator plug has been stripped. I ask him what time he new this wasn’t going to get fixed. He says 8. He offers a ride home…I remind him (again) that I live in Birmingham. He offers a ride to Hampton Inn…I cannot believe what is transpiring. They promise to get the part and fix it in the morning…they don’t open until 10!

Sunday 11 a.m. – I arrive at Sears Auto Center. D says there’s a problem. Nobody is open to get them the part. After reminding them again that I live in B'ham, I tell him to give me the phone book.

1 p.m. – I give up calling dealerships, salvage yards, and auto part stores and decide the best thing to do is get a rent-a-car and go home. D promises me it will be fixed by 1 the next day.

Monday 10:00 a.m. – I call to make sure everything is still cool, D says yes. I let him know I am on my way.

1:11 p.m. – I arrive in Douglasville. They tell me it won’t be ready until 6. I forcibly let them know how they are jerking me around and that he needs to get out there and tell them to hurry it up. Once again, they are reminded I live in B'ham.

6:00 – Where’s my car? Still getting worked on. They say another 45 min.

7:00 – I get my car and go home with $360 taken out of my checking account.

Random Thoughts About Spirituality (Part 3)

Part 1 generated alot of response while Part 2 generated only a few. I hope that Part 3 provokes you enough to give me your thoughts. I am not going to make my usual disclaimer. If you want it then click on either one of the links above.

New Disclaimer: When I refer to the church below I am referring to local congregations in the U.S. I define programs as anything which categorizes groups of people (i.e., VBS, Singles Ministries, Divorce Care, etc.).

I believe there is a generation of people who have spent all their life in the church but continue to have a deep spiritual longing. They have been brainwashed to believe that the local church is the only place that can fill that need. Many who have grown up in the church have been conditioned to believe that just one more program is needed to meet particular needs of individuals, and that will solve the spiritual longing they have. We have programs for EVERYTHING, but it sure seems that many churches lack intimacy, excitement, and the movement of the Spirit. Have we programmed ourselves into complacency? Do we believe we can create a program to foster true intimacy with the Father? What if the heart of the Father is grieved by all of this? I believe in many ways we are trying to take the role of God and fill people’s spiritual hunger. When people visit our congregations with a problem (i.e. divorce) we hand them a spiral bound workbook and send them off to a group. Please don’t misunderstand me, I don’t believe that programs are a waste of time or wrong. Many are life changing. However, I do believe that many local congregations use it to stay busy, not to foster intimacy with Jesus. What do you think?

TIME Tells The Tale

Last night I was absorbed in an article entitled Faith and Frat Boys by TIME. Usually when I read TIME, I get angry, stomp my foot, and frown because of their liberal bias and malice towards Christians. This time, however, was different. The article related to how difficult it is to live out one's Christian faith on a secular college campus. There is one particular story at the end that caught my attention. It was of Peter Howell, who has asked each of his 70 frat brothers to join him in a Bible study. He didn't ask once. He asked them every week for 2 years. Here is the rest of the story:

Just two of the 70 brothers accepted the offer, but that doesn't mean the rest haven't been affected by Howell. "In the biggest meathead frat [at Indiana University], he's himself. He's 100%. And no matter what day I say no, he'll always come back," says junior Trevor Loe, who declined to attend that week's session. "One day, when I'm ready, I'll remember Peter."

Trever Loe will never know how much his statement has impacted me, but it is clear that we have to be persistent in our pursuit of Jesus. People watch, and as Peter Howell has exemplified, they know when we are authentic. Who will remember me when they are ready?

Where have you been?

I have not received much response from my last "Random Thoughts About Spirituality (Part 2)." Frankly, this concerns me. There could be several reasons for this: (1) you don't care (2) you are lazy (3) I'm wrong in what I wrote and you have excommunicated me from your church (4) you are "to busy" to get involved with someone's blog. Hey folks, no one said reading my blog was going to be easy. I need feedback...I crave it.

I went to a funeral last night for a guy I didn't know. I'm not big on the whole funeral thing...especially with an open casket. I have never understood this. Why do people want to look at a dead body? There really seems to be disturbing attraction with this among most people. Anyways, I have decided on a few things I would like you to keep in mind when I die:

1. Make sure no one wears black. I want bright colors.
2. Close the casket. I don't want people examining me, trying to figure out why I never had certain moles removed.
3. Celebrate (not because I'm dead).
4. Have the reception (not viewing) the same day as the funeral and in the evening. I don't want people to have to take a lunch break to come to the funeral during the middle of the day.
5. Do not...I repeat, do not, have finger foods. It is perfectly acceptable to have pizza, burgers, ribs, BBQ and Creme de mint! I want you to have a party, but make sure the topic of conversation revolves around how I impacted your life.

What do you want at your funeral?

Update: Congrats to KB (one of our regular bloggers) on becoming a dad! My flowers are coming up well, but no blooms and lots of weeds. Do you have any suggestions for weeding without breaking a sweat?