April Fools Day - Computer Nerd Style

Today is April Fool's Day.
We in student ministries have a mild
prank to pull on the rest of our
church staff.
I will report it later if it goes well.

Wired.com recently posted this:

Top 10 April Fools' Pranks for Nerds
By Jose Fermoso

Here are 4 of my favorite from their list:
(I will personally be attempting #2 today as I bask in my computer nerdiness)

1.Re-map the Keyboard of Your Excitable Co-worker Every company has a sales rep who uses exclamation marks excessively ("C'mon guys!! We can do better this quarter!!!"). Use a program like KeyExtender, a registry hack that re-maps their keyboard so that exclamations and question marks are switched. They may begin to question their sunny outlook in life: "C'mon guys?? We can do better this quarter??? Guys??"
As they paw helplessly at their keyboards, sidle up and 'fix' their problem. Don’t forget to smile.

2. Change the Language Settings on Google When a co-worker leaves her computer unattended for a minute, quickly go to Google's home page and click on "Preferences." There, you can choose the interface language of the search engine. Klingon, Hacker and Yiddish are all excellent choices, but Elmer Fudd is our personal favorite. As Elmer, you can use the Google Diwectowy, perform a Google Seawch or find out if you're ‘feewing wucky.'
You'll be amazed how few people realize you can do this. The change-the-language trick also works well on cellphones.

3. The BlueScreen of Death Screensaver The BlueScreen of Death error in Windows has driven lots of users to the fringe of computer homicide. Tap into the river of pain by installing the BlueScreen of Death Screensaver on a friend's machine. It's available at Microsoft's IT website Technet, but there are several others out there. Just make sure it doesn’t have a real virus.
What’s likely to happen? The victim will reboot his machine by hitting the restart button. Hopefully, they didn't save their work!

4. Change Autocorrect in MS Office People are too reliant on some common programs that help them cheat, such as the Autocorrect feature in MS Office. Capitalize on their laziness by adding a few of your favorite "alternative" spellings.
Common words like "about" or "together" work well. Even better, try subtly adjusting the spelling of your victim's name. It's so hard-wired into most people's fingers, they hardly look at it.

It's Midnight and I just called the Cops

A few minutes ago I was about to doze off
in front of my laptop.

I was trying put together a powerpoint background
for our new Sunday series on the Gospel of John
yet was feeling so sleepy because we had spent
a great but long day at SEAWORLD in San Diego.
My eyes were getting heavier and heavier and...


BOOM!!!

It sounded like someone took an axe and swung it at our front door.
My heart leapt in my chest, I immediately became totally alert
and rushed to the window next to the door.
I then focused my adrenaline and realized there could be something
really dangerous on the other side of the door...

So Jason Bourne style, I slowly lifted one solo panel of the blinds
to see what I was dealing with.

Do you know what I saw?

Water and balloon schrapnel.
We had been water ballooned.

Wow.
It sounded like something way louder than that.

Marie came rushing in and that is when I saw it.
Water all over the inside of our door and on the hardwood floor.

Then I looked out the blinds again and saw some punk
kids running around the school across the street.

I got mad.
So I did what any white, 32 year old, out of shape guy would do.
I called the police.

As a junior higher my friends and I did some pretty dumb things:
1) climbed a tree above a busy street and squirted mustard at cars
2) stole cokes from vending machines by reaching inside the machine, breaking the guard and then shaking the entire machine
3) Threw cherries at summer campers at the Christian camp near my house as they exited nightly meetings

In 2 of these 3 instances, the police were called and in one of the them (the third), we were caught and yelled at pretty good by the SVPD.

Now here I am on the other side,
calling the police on some punk junior highers.

I like this side better.

What do you think Jesus looked like?

Tonight at our young adults gathering

we talked about who the Biblical Jesus is

compared to the Jesus of Mormonism.

I found this portrait of Jesus on a google image search

and I liked it....so here was the background image we used

for tonight's message.

Over Easter weekend, Marie and I saw a clip of a film
portraying Jesus with bright blue eyes.

We both laughed about it agreeing it was hard
to take a portrayal of Jesus seriously with a look
that didn't seem very accurate.

So the question is, what did Jesus look like?

The Bible tells us there was nothing in his physical appearance
to draw anyone to him.
Does this mean Jesus was homely looking?
Short?
Bald?
Overweight?
It almost seems blasphemous asking such questions.

What is your take on what Jesus looked like?

What Are You Doing at 3am Tommorrow?

I know what I will be doing...
Watching the Oakland A's destroy the ESPN Red Sox live from Japan. Baseball season is upon us
and as a truly devoted fan
I will be glued to the internet
tomorrow at 3am to watch
opening day live.

I wonder if I will regret this commitment?
I will post about it later in the day
on Tuesday...

Update
Tueday Night: I thought it would be rougher getting up this morning than it actually was. I was really excited to see the game. The A's looked solid until Huston Street entered the game. I plan to get up at 4am tomorrow to watch that game as well. I know the crash will come eventually, but right now I feel great....

Doan's new system: Sleep 4 hours a day: Get more accomplished!

Where We Got the Everything Skit

For me, The highlight of today's Easter service at Calvary
was a skit done to the music of a Lifehouse song
called, 'Everything.'

It was such a powerful moment
to witness today.

Here is the original skit done at
a Knoxville, Tennessee youthfest back in 2006.
(warning: the skit starts off kind of lame,
but it really builds into something powerful...)

Happy Easter

55"Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?"

56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God!

He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.

Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,

because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

-

The Bible, 1 Corinthians 15

This Song by Tim Hughes, has been rolling around my head today...

Verse 1:

The greatest day in history,

Death is beatenYou have rescued me

Sing it out Jesus is alive

The empty cross, The empty grave

Life eternal You have won the day

Shout it out

Jesus is alive He's alive

Chorus:

Oh happy day, happy day

You washed my sin away

Oh happy day, happy day

I'll never be the same

Forever I am changed

Verse 2:

When I stand, in that place

Free at last, meeting face to face

I am Yours Jesus You are mine

Endless joy, perfect peace

Earthly pain finally will cease

Celebrate Jesus is alive

He's alive

Chorus:

Oh happy day, happy day

You washed my sin away

Oh happy day, happy day

I'll never be the same

Forever I am changed

Oh what a glorious day

What a glorious way

That You have saved me

Oh what a glorious day

What a glorious name

Chorus:

Oh happy day, happy day

You washed my sin away

Oh happy day, happy day

I'll never be the same

Forever I am changed

What a glorious glorious day,

I'll never be the same

Thoughts on the movie,"The Passion of the Christ"

W e showed screenings of the movie
before and after our Good Friday service tonight.

I haven't watched the Passion
since I saw it originally in the theater
4 years ago.

It is such an intense movie,
a person has to be really prepared for it.
In fact a few people tonight were not
and had to leave half-way through the screenings.

Overall, the movie was so stirring for me.
Here are a few thoughts:

1. Satan is portrayed as so vicious in the film. It is a wake-up call
to me that the enemy is real and I need to take the weapon of prayer more seriously.

2. What must it have been like to be Simon, the guy who helped Jesus carry the cross to Golgotha? The film gives a great take on his experience.

3. Jesus was so silent for the majority of the experience to the cross. In the Gospel texts, this isn't as obvious or powerful as it is on film.

4. When Jesus did speak, his words were loaded with implications, fulfilling prophecy, offering compassion to his mother, speaking to His Father.

5. It strikes me as strange that both the Romans and some Jewish leaders openly mocked and yelled out at Jesus while he suffered on the cross. It seems that the gruesomeness of the punishment would have been enough to satisfy their anger.

6. I can't believe it is actually true that the God of the universe chose to take our place and take the wrath of our sin upon himself. I deserve hell for my sins. Jesus blood spares me from what I deserve. Incredible.

7. To call myself a follower of Jesus is the most amazing honor I could ever imagine

Beards and Snakes, Pt. II

Today is good friday,
a time when we stop and remember the incredible
sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Jesus was the innocent lamb who suffered
on the cross on our behalf.

The suffering that Jesus endured was so intense.
I don't think I really got this until watching
The Passion of Christ a few years ago.

In the Old Testament book of Isaiah
it says,
"I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. "

In Matthew 27 we read about Jesus crucifixion and we read about Isaiah's prophecy being fulfilled
27Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. 30They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Jesus suffered.
He was spit upon, whipped and even had his beard hairs pulled out.
I have been growing out a beard this week and even tugging on one hair on my face hurts. I can't imagine having chunks of hair ripped off.
Jesus endured this.

Why did Jesus endure so much suffering?

So that the authority of sin over people could be destroyed and the enemy Satan
could be defeated.

In Revelation 12 we read,
9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,
“It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.

This is why I love today so much.
It the day we remember the cross and the suffering that Jesus
endured, even having the hairs of his beard ripped away.
But it is also the day we remember the enemy that snake Satan
has been defeated and our sins have been paid for by the blood of the Lamb.
Amazing.

Beards and Snakes

I am working on a 10 day growth of my beard right now.

I have weathered the days of itchy skin and am now

fully into the manly stage of sporting facial hair.

I have to admit I have felt tougher this week.

Until this afternoon.

Brent Dedmon, our college pastor at Calvary

and Doug Brown, our new college intern

and I rolled over to Peter's Canyon Regional Park

in Orange, Ca to walk thru our Sunday Easter Sunrise Service

we will be holding this weekend at the park.

We walked around the park

scouting out locations to hold our worship gathering.

Near the entrance of the park we came across a giant rattlesnake

that looked like this.
The thing was all coiled up, ready to go.

I felt like crying.

In front of Doug and Brent I attempted to put up a brave front

but inside I wanted to run like a school girl.

The park ranger came cruising by in one of those white non-descript

trucks and we pointed out the snake to him.

He calmly went into a nearby shed, got a "snake pole"

walked over to the giant rattlesnake and

chopped its head off in one swoop!

No, the ranger actually grabbed the snake just below the head

with the pole and carried the snake into the brush away from the trail.

The rattlesnake was rattling like crazy as the ranger moved him.

The snake had to be about 4 feet long and was must have weighed something

like 20 pounds.

I learned 2 valuable lessons today

Beards do not make the man.

I would never win in hand to hand combat versus a park ranger.

Finally in case you ever need it...Here is a recipe for cooking rattlesnake

1 medium-sized rattlesnake (3-4 lbs.),

cut into steaks

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup cracker crumbs

1/2 cup milk1 egg

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)

1 teaspoon saltDash pepper

Mix dry ingredients.

Whisk milk into beaten egg and use to dip snake steaks.

Then coat them with dry ingredients.

Fry, uncovered, in 400 degree oil until brown.

Yum,Yum! It sorta tastes like chicken.

My High Society Tip of the Month

Did you know that the restaurant many critics

say is the best restaurant in America perhaps in the

world is here in California in a town called Yountville?

The name of the restaurant is the French Laundry

and it really is in Yountville (aka Napa Valley).

I have never been to this restaurant but evidently

they serve a 9 course meal that cost $250 a person
and is amazing.

What is the best dining experience you have every had?

Church in Santa Ana Prayer Walks Thru City Streets

There is a Catholic Church a few miles from our house
who started a tradition a few years ago to do a prayer walk
through their neighborhood streets on Palm Sunday.
They pray for peace and for God's blessing to be on a neighborhood
that each year faces the pressures of gang violence, addictions and financial pressures.

It is so cool to see a church take ownership over their neighborhood like this.
I wonder if my church could do something like this in our neighborhood?
What would our suburban neighbors think or do?

I can't stop listening to

A new song by the band Leeland
called "Opposite Way" (track #4)

Go buy it off I-tunes right now.
It is super poppy and maybe border line cheeseball

but I am not afraid to admit that I love this song.

It is a perfect song to listen to during Easter week.

And You Thought I Robot Was Freaky

There is a new magazine article coming out

that says Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett

are the new faces of Scientology.

Scientologists hold the worldview that humans have "engrams"

which are bad energy ions that need to be removed from each of us.

The way to remove engrams is to increase your knowledge.

The way to increase your knowlege is to pay your local scientology

center lots of money for intense classes. The more you want to know

the more you have to pay.

I can see why this system is attractive to celebrities.

Many celebrities are tremendously driven people

who probabley like the idea of being able to do something about

the "bad" that is in them. With money being no object for celebrities

it is probably easy for them to advance in the system fairly quickly.

The Bible clearly contradicts the teachings of scientology

saying the only way to have sin (engrams) removed from our lives

is through believing in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Scientology tries to remove the cross from being the solution to sin.

Sadly, all the knowledge in the world will never lead to what only Jesus can do.

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed."

1 Peter 2:24

Thanks

Lois Chandler, our student ministries administrative assistant
for the past 17 years, changed positions this week.
She has been given a great opportunity to move over to another place in our church
becoming the executive assistant to our 2 new executive pastors
and our senior pastor, David Mitchell.
I am excited for her, but it has been strange to walk in the office this
week and not have her there.

Lois and I have worked together almost daily for the past 9 years.
I am so thankful for her.
She has been like a second mom to me at times,
a friend and mentor in other situations
and an all around great co-labour in the work of showing high school students
Jesus Christ.
She has watched me go from a 20 hour a week intern fresh out of college
to a 32 year old high school pastor with a family.

She had such grace with me over the years like the time I left behind 215 student permission slips that were suppossed to go to Hume Lake and she had to Fed Ex them
the next day or even just a few weeks ago when we had to get students to fill out a waiver form
at the last minute just before we left for our Mexico trip.

Lois and her husband Alvin have housed interns, discipled students in small groups
hosted many of us to their home and been the biggest fans of student ministries.

Thank you Lois and thank you Alvin,
God used in you in mighty ways in the lives of our students
and in my life.

The Cycle

Joshua Griffin, the High School Pastor at Saddleback

produces an amazingly creative blog called more than dodgeball.

Last week he wrote about eating at In 'n Out with some students

and ordering the cycle.

Here is what he wrote:

"In layman’s terms, that means ordering one of everything off the menu and eating it in one sitting. Amazingly fun for about $13!"
-hamburger
-cheeseburger
-double-double with everything
-order of fries
-regular shake
-44oz soda
-regular coffee

Last night as we road tripped home from my parents in Santa Cruz

we stopped at a In n Out in Ventura.

For a brief moment I considered the cycle

but then backed down.

But one day with the right training and attitude

I hope to tackle it. Anyone with me?

Enjoying the Weekend in Santa Cruz

We are up in Northern California this weekend

enjoying a nice time at my parents house

My Dad and Samuel

At Santa Cruz Bible Church on Sunday

It is really hitting us how fast our kids are growing.

Unbelievable Shot

Did you see the end of the UCLA-CAL game?

You have to watch this shot by Josh Shipp:

Great Quotes

Thursday night at our college/young adult gathering,

Tim Warketin, a trainer of young missional leaders in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

said this:

"Our goal is to minister among them, not to them."

(talking about his relationship with his neighbors in one of the poorest areas of Vancouver

called, 'the Drive')

"What do you do when people fail you?

Run from them? Put up walls?

Our goal is to remember that God loves them

and God loves us and we can work it out through his power."

(talking about the challenge and opportunity of living in authentic community.)

Random Songs I Am Enjoying This Week

Taking to long to download?

Click on 'launch standalone player' to access the playlist immediately

What's on your recent playlists?

Sweeping the Nation

One of the most enjoyable moments
in my life as a youth pastor
came last June when
Marie and I attended the wedding
of 2 of our former students,
Doug and Jesse Brown.

It was so encouraging
to see them date well
as they loved God and
fell in love with each other.

Their 1st dance as a married couple
has become somewhat of a YouTube
sensation with 345,000 hits
since it was posted a few months ago!

Check it out...




If you squint really closely
you can see me holding my daughter Lily
at one of the tables...

By the way, Doug starts as our college intern
at church next week!

The Clark's are going Hollywood and to Ethiopa

My friends Randy and Susan Clark are leaving to go here this Saturday...

They are going there to pick up the 2 newest members of their family, adopted children, Sophia and Elijah. Susan's brother in law is one of the director's for the A&E series, "The 2 Corey's" and the MTV series, "Rob and Big"and will accompany the Clark's to Ethiopa to film a documentary on their adoption.

He plans to make the documentary into a film to be distributed in the future.You can follow his blog here as he follows Randy and Susan to Ethiopa.

24

It feels like I have been up for the last 24 hours.

Let me take you through my schedule

starting 24 hours ago this minute...

11:01pm - Go running around my neighborhood (Ryan Lemen are you running?)

11:12pm - Run once around the block, return home...too dark and cold

11:15pm -Start studying for Romans 8 Message

12:15am - Comfort Lily, my 2 year-old who wakes up crying

1:15am - Finish Studying Romans 8, go to sleep

6:00am - Wake-up, get ready for the day

6:30am - Go to Starbucks in Orange for weekly student Bible study

6:55am - Leave Starbucks early, head to Church Missions Retreat

9:20am - Arrive at Retreat center in Idlywild, Ca (Great drive up with fellow Calvary Pastors, Trevor, Matt, Josh and Victor)

9:40am - Present Ministry Update to Calvary Church Missionaries

Noon - Lunch with Missionary friend, Peter Joneleit

1:0pm - Meeting

3:00pm - Depart Retreat center, drive back to Santa Ana (Great drive home with Calvary Pastors Jeff, Michael and Eric).

5:30pm - Arrive back at church/Go to Young Adult room to set-up for night/print out notes

6:30pm - Go to Starbucks for a pick me up (forgot wallet at church...dang, no coffee!)

6:45pm - Hear over the phone about my family's day at Disneyland

7:00pm - Young Adult gathering begins

7:01pm - Surprise visit from 2 of my favorite people in the world, Matt Hsieh and Shane Dilisi, Pastors at Rancho Baptist Church in Temecula, Ca

7:30pm - I begin my message on Romans 8:2-13...(Main Point: Sin does not have authority over the life of a Christian).

8:30pm - Gathering ends

10:30pm - Head home from church as last people leave the gathering

10:45pm - Stop by Taco Bell Drive thru to eat late dinner ( no! There went the benefits from jogging last night)

10;55pm - Tuck my babies in, close down the house

11:01pm - Begin blogging about the last 24 hours

11:25pm - Ask myself, why Am I not asleep right now? Go to bed...

Do you need a cause?

Look no further...

Seattle vs. Orange County

Two of the coolest areas in North America,

who wins in a face-off?

1. Best Landmark

Seattle - Space Needle

Orange County - Disneyland

Winner: OC (Kinda of a no-brainer, but throw in the Fish Market & Space Needle, got a contest)

2. Most Famous Actor produced

Seattle: The guy who plays Jesus in the Passion of Christ

Orange County: Will Ferrel

Winner: OC (Could have substituted Steve Martin in OC and still won big)

3. Best Band Produced

Seattle: Nirvana or Jimi Hendrix

Orange County: Um...No Doubt or Sugar Ray

Winner: Seattle (wow, this category is embarrassing)

4. Most Innovative Company

Seattle: Microsoft

Orange County: Oakley

Winner: Seattle (who actually wears Oakley's anymore?)

5. Best Football Team

Seattle: Seahawks

Orange County: Orange Lutheran HS

Winner: OC (I hate the Seahawks)

6. Most Rainfall in FEB. 2008

Seattle: 1.59

Orange County: 1.85

Winner: OC (can you believe it, we beat them in Jan '08 as well)

7. Coolest Pastor

Seattle: Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church

Orange County: Rick Warren of Saddleback Church

Winner: Seattle (nothing against Rick, but Driscoll would win against anyone)

8. Best Movie Made About Area

Seattle: Sleepless in Seattle

Orange County: Orange County

Winner: Seattle (hard to admit this, but Sleepless in Seattle is a masterpiece)

9. Best Coffee House Originally from Region

Seattle: Starbucks

Orange County: Diedrich's

Winner: OC (Even though Starbucks eventually did them in, Diedrich's antigua coffee was incredible)

10. Best Airport

Seattle: SEA-TAC

Orange County: John Wayne Airport

Winner: OC (How can anything win against something named after John Wayne?)

10 Categories = Score is 5 to 5

11. (Tie-Breaker): What should the tie-breaking question be?

(Winner goes to Second Rd. to play San Francisco - New York Winner)