Reading Recommendation

One of the beautiful things about a "staycation" is all of the reading i can get done! I just finished an excellent book entitled Life of Pi. I highly recommend this amazing story of faith and survival centered on a young Indian boy named Pi who survives a shipwreck on the Pacific Ocean. He is the son of a zoologist and let's just say that zoo animals play largely in this creative work of fiction. One of the better books I've ever read.

When I read I like to note quotes that stand out. Even in this work of fiction there were many quotes that were great. Here is a sampling:

* "The presence of God is the finest of rewards."
* "Evil in the open is but evil from within that has been let out."
* "The main battlefield for good is not the open ground of the public arena but the small clearing of each heart."
* "I have a story to tell that will make you believe in God."
* "Religion is more than rite and ritual. There is what the rite and ritual stand for."
* "I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life."
* "To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation."
* "If you take two steps toward God, God runs to you."

Staycation

I am looking forward to some much needed down time over the next few days with my family. Fortunately you don't have to travel and spend money to get away. For me, it's as simple as turning off my cell phone and laptop. That will feel glorious this afternoon. My mom and dad are driving up even now from South Carolina. I'll get to see my sister and her family as well. And I have a big (rare) family reunion up north on Saturday. There's nothing like spending time with family and true friends - people who are true and with you through thick and thin - appreciating who you are, what you do, and want to see you grow and succeed - challenging and encouraging at every turn. It' has become surprising to me in the day to day grind how rare that is anymore. Anyway, I will return on Monday. I already have a great deal to write about - including "On Being Wrong" and "The GodBlocker". I will look forward to returning, but I'm not going to think about that now. :)

Peace.

- Lance

Just Do Something

I read this on Google Reader this morning and wanted to pass it along. A good blog and recommended:

Just Do Something

By C.J. Mahaney

7/13/2010 8:23:00 AM

To close out his Next 2010 conference message, “The Church,” Kevin DeYoung gave a list of suggestions for how to be a difference maker in the local church. He said:  

• Find a good local church. 

• Get involved.

• Become a member. 

• Stay there as long as you can. 

• Put away thoughts of a revolution for a while.

• Join the plodding visionaries. 

• Go to church this Sunday and worship in Spirit and truth. 

• Be patient with your leaders. 

• Rejoice when the gospel is faithfully proclaimed.

• Bear with those who hurt you. 

• Give people the benefit of the doubt. 

• Say “hi” to the teenager that no one notices. 

• Welcome the old ladies with the blue hair and the young men with tattoos. 

• Volunteer for the nursery. 

• Attend the congregational meeting. 

• Bring your fried chicken to the potluck like everybody else. 

• Invite a friend. 

• Take a new couple out for coffee. 

• Give to the Christmas offering. 

• Sing like you mean it. 

• Be thankful someone vacuumed the carpet for you. 

• Enjoy the Sundays that “click.” 

• Pray extra hard on the Sundays that don’t. 

• And in all of this, do not despise the days and weeks and years of small things (Zechariah 4:8–10). 

7 Leadership Lessons Learned from Cleveland Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert’s Embarrassing Letter about LeBron James | Live Intentionally

Excellent take (IMO) from Living Intentionally about the Cleveland Cavaliers owner's response to Lebron's leaving. Good lessons here.

7 Leadership Lessons Learned from Cleveland Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert’s Embarrassing Letter about LeBron James | Live Intentionally

Please, God

Say a prayer. This needs to stop.

New cap, ships could contain Gulf oil leak by Monday - Green House - USATODAY.com

Putting The Fun In Your Friday

People of Walmart the book is coming!

If you're unfamiliar with where this originated from, then check the original blog site out (I'm sure you will bookmark it for your continued viewing pleasure).

You're welcome.

People of Walmart Coming to a Bookstore Near You

Another Great Gmail Addition

Now if they'd only make the Conversation threading OPTIONAL!!!

Gmail finally adds rich text and per-address signatures

Enough Said

“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.  And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession- to the praise of his glory.”
- Ephesians 1:11-14 The New International Version 

Help Rebuild Three Schools in Haiti

Recently a good friend of mine was able to go to Haiti to offer aid and support to that devastated country. I would love so much to be able to do that. I followed his blog religiously while he was there (http://thehaitiannation.blogspot.com/). Haiti is in dire need of virtually everything, and it was such a poor country lacking any type of infrastructure to begin with. There are a lot of ministries and agencies doing a great job with relief right now, but there is still so much that needs to be done.

I read Relevant Magazine religiously. I listen to the Relevant Podcast religiously. I listen to the Relevant Drop religiously. I listen to RelevantFM religiously. In short, I love all that the Relevant Media Group does. Right now they are leading an initiative to rebuild three schools in Haiti, and it will only cost $50,000 total to do so. That's only $10 per person if 5,000 people give, and Relevant Magazine has way more subscribers than that. I wanted to pass on the article below for you to consider. Just don't go to Blockbuster or Starbucks a couple of times and give to this opportunity instead. It will be a blessing to you and the people of Haiti.

RELEVANT Magazine - God. Life. Progressive Culture. - Help Rebuild Three Schools in Haiti

Anticipation For The King

At 9 PM EST on Thursday July 8th millions of people will tune in to ESPN to see where "The King" - NBA free agent LeBron James - will play basketball next year. In a broadcast called "The Decision" LeBron will take a one hour time slot to announce which team he has chosen to help him become "the first billion dollar athlete." Apart from the World Cup this has been the most followed and anticipated sports news story in the world. Basically, LeBron has been holding out for the most money and the best chance to win a title. It would appear that LeBron has three choices: 1) Get the most money ever; 2) Get a lot of money and find a team ready to win immediately (which may only be for one year, but it's not a guarantee); or 3) Go to a team and make it his own and make it a winner - thus securing his legend - regardless of whether or not he makes the most money (which he no doubt would anyway). I recently read an interesting article on this very subject on the New York Times Freakonomics blog. It is a good read and worth checking out. For the record MJ did number 3 back in the day with the Bulls, and the money certainly came for him as well as the legend. Certainly LeBron James is a marketing force. But I don't know if he's more interested in the money or in a legend/legacy. He appears to be trying for instant success rather than doing it the old fashioned way (again - ala MJ). All that said, the thing that I think most strikes me about all of this this is the media frenzy and circus that surrounds LeBron James - "The King." The anticipation is palpable. No matter what he decides, I will still enjoy watching him play.

Even as I've followed this story I couldn't help but wonder about another King. Of course the King that I'm referring to is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible in many places calls him "the King of kings" (Revelation 17:14; Revelation 19:16;). I wonder, do I have as much anticipation for him in my daily life - especially for his return?  


James 5:7-9 says, "Be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!"


1 Peter 4:7 says, "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.” 


Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”


Hebrews 10:37 says, “Yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”


1 John 2:18 says, “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.”


1 John 2:28 says, “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.”


1 Thessalonians 4:15, 17 says, “We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord . . . . we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”


Titus 2:11-13 says, "“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”


And there are other texts to consider as well (1 John 3:2; Colossians 3:4; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4).


The point is - Christ will return. It is prophesied. It is imminent. But is it anticipated in your life and mine? If so, I certainly hope it blows the anticipation surrounding King James out of the water. 


Even so come Lord Jesus.

Have We Already Forgotten?

I blogged about the oil spill quite a bit in recent weeks, but I confess I have said very little about it in recent days. I have not thought or prayed about this horrible situation as I was not so long ago. The article below highlights that I am not alone. It contains humbling statistics concerning how quickly our short attention spans have moved away from this tragedy on to whatever else is the latest news (like the latest failed Bachelor relationship).

Are We Losing Interest in the Oil Spill? [STATS]

This isn't going away any time soon. How I wish that it were different. How I wish that I could make a difference. For now the best thing I know to do is to continue to raise awareness. Because I'm tired of seeing this:

"The Elusive God Particle"

In my various readings recently - be it scripture or otherwise - I've come across a lot of texts dealing with creation. As a person of faith, I do not wrestle with issues of origins - the universe, the earth, mankind, wildlife, plant life, etc. I have a foundation and a framework tried and true that answers enough questions for me, and when I do not find the answers that I may want I find God's sovereignty is bigger than God's silence on a matter. I find it to be sufficient, because I trust enough of what I do know about God - his character, his name, his existence, his word - to remove all doubt about what I do not know. That is faith according to Hebrews 11:1. Nor do I get upset over scientific or inner-faith debate and dialog over the young earth/old earth argument. In my mind either way is amazing and miraculous (although I lean toward a young earth because of how specific the original language is on the matter). Don't fool yourself - to be an evolutionist in the Darwinian sense requires faith as well. In that way it is quite religious. But it is a religion that, in large part, goes against the teaching of the Bible. And since I believe that faith is a gift from God and not from man, I have faith in God in matters of the physical just as I have faith in God in matters of the spiritual. I do not have that kind of faith in something man-made and man-centered. I know this is a lightning rod topic, but I refuse to fight about it because I think much can be learned through science, and I embrace science. But science has limitations. Faith does not. And it is important to recognize that where science ends faith has to begin. It is also important to recognize that true faith and true science need not and will not contradict.


I was reading recently in the UK's Telegraph about the Large Hadron Collider. If you are not familiar with it let me explain. It is a particle accelerator being used for experimentation taking place right now in Geneva. It is the world's most powerful "atom smasher" which is buried 100 metres under the French-Swiss border. Here scientists are trying to find the "elusive God particle" otherwise known as the 'Higgs boson'. Finding this Higgs boson is the main goal of the LHC. It is a quest to find a subatomic particle which has never been discovered even though this quest is in its fifth decade. It is believed to be the reason why we are all here. Noble laureate Leon Lederman is the one who came up with this theoretical boson ("the God particle"). He believes its discovery could unify our understanding of the universe and help us "know the mind of God" (at least he mentions God). I'm not surprised that this particle has not been found. Genesis teaches that God created all things "ex nihilo" - or, out of nothing. He spoke the worlds into existense. But even if it is found, my faith would not be shattered. Rather, it would be even more affirmed. It would truly be a great triumph for science, but all it would show to me is just one more layer into the depth of God's power to create something as magnificent as our universe and to allow us to discover this. This, in turn, would only serve to give God the glory.


I can't help but think that so many are missing God because they are so consumed with the quest to find his "particle." If one wants to "know the mind of God", one only has to open his word. And in his word he reveals all that is needed to truly know him and his creation. The following are some verses I've read recently on this subject:


Jeremiah 32:17 (ESV) ^"17 Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you."


Psalm 135:5-7, 13 (ESV) ^"5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. ⁶ Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. ⁷ He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. ¹³ Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages."


Psalm 19:1-6 (ESV) ^"1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. ³ There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. ⁴ Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, ⁵ which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. ⁶ Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat."


Romans 1:20 (ESV) ^{20 "}For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." 


A few weeks ago NASA captured the rising sun lighting up the midnight sky. "The International Space Station snapped a particularly beautiful photo of the various layers of our globe's atmosphere with the rising sun peeking out to say hello, while touring over the Greek islands around midnight. NASA's Earth Observatory, which posted the photo, pointed out the polar mesopheric clouds, or 'night-shining' clouds as they called them, which are seen at twilight. Usually the clouds are only lit up by the sun when it's setting, however this particular shot shows the rising sun inking its rays across the low clouds." (image below)


Why would anyone want to find just a particle of God when one can know all of him - through creation; through his son; through his word? I love science, but I love God more. Science is great, but not as great as God. Science is good, but not as good as God. Science is glorious, but not as glorious as God. I would rather spend my next 50 years pursuing him than a particle that most likely does not exist.

Let Me Introduce You To Bruce And Evelyn

First, Evelyn.


Evelyn Levy Shaw was born in Cincinnati in 1921. She graduated from the Cincinnati Art Academy and the University of Cincinnati Art Department. She spent a year working in the studio of Moses Soyer in New York. She was an artist - and a good one at that. She had exhibitions all over the country in the 40's and 50's - many quite notable. Here is a listing of her exhibitions:


International Color Lithographers Biennial
Cincinnati Art Musuem
Library of Congress
Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
Sweat Museum in Maine
Print Club of Philadelphia
ACA Gallery in New York City
Creative Gallery in New York City
Dayton Art Institute
Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati
Speed Museum in Louisville
Fort Wayne Art Museum
Butler Art Institute of Ohio
Albany Museum of Art in New York
Columbus Art Museum


She was a board member of the Society of Ohio Print Makers and taught painting and drawing for many years at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Her work remains in the permanent collection of the Library of Congress as well as many corporate and private collections. She was a lifelong friend of noted printmaker and teacher Paul Naish. Evelyn died in 2009 having left behind a life of creating and teaching. When she died her estate was left to her son. Unfortunately, he died six months later and he was her only living heir. She had a home in Kenwood where so much of her life's work remained. When she passed on and when her son passed on the question arose - what to do with this wonderful woman's life's work? That's where Bruce comes in.


Bruce Clawson - owner of The Garden Gate in our historic Lebanon, Ohio. Erin and I stop by there often and look at all of their wonderful and unique garden items. It's a place for "all sorts of garden themes, schemes, and dreams." We have bought several things there in the last couple of years - including our beautiful wind chime hanging on our porch. When you visit this store, there is a room off to the back of the store on the left hand side. There is usually a lot of local artisan items for sale and display there. On this particular day, we had enjoyed the Fourth of July parade in the heart of town and then we decided to go through the shops (something we do almost weekly). Upon entering The Garden Gate we wandered through the shop until we got to this specialty room, and we immediately noticed it was set up as an art gallery - all dedicated to Evelyn Levy Shaw. So many of her works were on display as well as a brief biography. While admiring it Bruce came in and began to tell us a story. The story was so good I knew that I had to share it. He mentioned all of the above concerning Evelyn and then told us how he got a phone call one day by someone tasked with getting rid of her things (since she had no living heirs). He received the call because of the unusual amount of art, letters, cards, and memoribilia that was found at the home she left behind. Long story short, he bought it all in hopes of selling it and keeping her art alive. He shared with us letters that he found written to her from famous artists all across the country - and old Christmas cards as well - all of which go back over 60 years. And then there is her art. They are selling pieces and attracting interest, and well they should. I hope to have a piece myself soon. Some of the art is simply her sketches of subjects she would paint later. Some of it was darker. Some of it very colorful. There is definitely a quality to it that shows real heart, craft, skill, talent, and history. It was like going back in time to an exhibition she may have had herself. I couldn't help but think about what her last thoughts were concerning her art? Who would see it? Who would care? And then her son as well - knowing he was the last of the line. Thankfully, her art lives on and will continue to do so, and not just in what she created but also in how she taught others to create. Truly a great story. I recommend you stop by and talk to Bruce at The Garden Gate.


Walking home this left me to consider life - what we make of it. What are we doing now that will outlive us once we're gone - on this earth and in eternity? Are we fully utilizing our gifts and talents - pursuing our dreams and the things we love? And then having the character and care to pass it on to others? I was encouraged and challenged on a very deep level by a lady I never knew personally, but I know her art and a little about her story - all of which have outlived her and continue to inspire. And all of this should add up to a worthy lesson for us all.


What is your dream and are you pursuing it? On the subject of dreams, Ashley Smith had this to say, "Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”


What will your legacy be? On the subject of legacy, Billy Graham had this to say, “Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.”

What Would MacGyver Do?

You haven't heard of Jonathan Metz - until now. Just a normal guy in his early thirties with a pet dog, a solid job, a fiance, and a love for softball. One day he puts a snack in the microwave and runs downstairs to check on his furnace. He ends up getting his arm caught in it. Nothing he tries to get it out works. He actually thinks to himself, "What would MacGyver do?" Well, after 18 hours, his options were few. His arm was cut up and swollen and starting to smell. Infection was certain and would surely spread and kill him. He was left with one option - he had to cut off his right arm. But could he do that? Well, according to the article below - he did. And he lived.

Cutting off own arm was ‘surreal,’ says man - Health - More health news - msnbc.com

It's hard to know what you or I would do in that circumstance. Somehow the body and mind seems to find the necessary willpower and adrenaline to do something this extreme in order to survive. It's an unfortunate and shocking story, but I'm sure Jonathan Metz would tell you he'd rather be alive without a right arm then dead.

This reminded me of a parable in Matthew's gospel. In Matthew 5:27-30, Jesus is giving the sermon on the mount. He says in these verses,

²⁷ "You have heard that it was said,'You shall not commit adultery.' ²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell."

Here he is focusing on adultery and lust in particular and sin in general. This passage gives us a blatant statement from Jesus on how to handle sin. He equates sin with an offending member of the body that must be removed in order to be saved. If sin were an offensive eye it must be torn out and even thrown away in order to live. If sin were an offensive right hand it must be cut off and, again, thrown away. The mental pictures of such actions is horrid. But what should be even more horrid is how offensive sin is in the eyes of a holy God. How do you and I see sin? Do we see it as God sees it? Are we actively looking to literally amputate sin and obliterate it from our lives? That is the message of this parable. There is no other way to deal with sin. It must be completely and violently eradicated from our lives in order for us to live as God would have us live.

I don't know what MacGyver would have done if he had his right arm caught in a furnace, but I do know what Jesus tells us to do when it comes to sin - cut it out before it kills. Need further confirmation? James 1:15 has this to say, "Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." 


Sin kills. Period.

10 Things That You Should Never Buy New

Excellent article on Yahoo Finance by Donna Werbner. All great suggestions. Check it out.

10 things you should never buy new | Yahoo! Finance

The Unforgettable Mistake

Decisions, decisions. We are faced with them daily. Some are simple. Some are challenging. Some appear innocent enough yet produce difficulty down the road. Some are quite hard in the moment but produce positive results in the most unexpected ways. But no matter the choice, there is always an associated consequence - good or bad. Todays decisions determine tomorrows destiny.


I recently read an article posted by Brian Barrett on Gizmodo entitled, "The Forgotten Apple Founders Unforgettable Mistake". It is short enough to quote in this post:


"In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple with veteran engineer Ron Wayne. Ten days later, Wayne signed away his 10% of the company in exchange for $800. Here's what he's up to thirty-four years later, $22 billion poorer. Wayne's life now—septuagenarian, coin collector, penny slot enthusiast—might seem pretty bleak. Which is why it's all the more remarkable that he speaks without much bitterness. And while hindsight is perfect, it's not so unbelievable that the Wayne of 1976 had sufficient cause to worry about assuming the fledgling company's potentially massive debt. Or that you or I would have done the same. The only hints of sour grapes: Wayne's never owned an Apple product, and is writing a book about his brief time as a founding father. Even so, the impression one gets is a man filled more with regret than with anger, over a choice that can't be undone or forgotten. [CNN viaThe Next Web]"


Wow. One choice cost this man $22 billion dollars. Now, there's more to life than money, but talk about a choice with a very tangible consequence. It's hard to argue that this man did not make a big mistake. I was struck by the last sentence, "...the impression one gets is a man filled more with regret than with anger, over a choice that can't be undone or forgotten." And that is the one unchangeable truth about choices - they can't be undone or forgotten. I really feel for this man. If I were in his shoes, I probably would have had the same fear and made the same choice. I would suspect most of you would have done the same as well.


So, as Christians, how do we make the right choices? As always, going to the Bible gives us an answer and an example. Joshua is one of my Bible heroes. He was a very brave man and an excellent leader. Here is what he had to say about chooses:


Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV) "14 Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."


Joshua 1:8 (ESV) "⁸This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

From these two verses we find a simple formula for How To Make The Right Choices:

1. Worship. Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to a place called Shechem and he summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel together and the first thing he addresses is proper worship. "Now therefore fear the Lord..." Fear is a part of worship. It is part of having the proper perspective of the complete character and nature of God - understanding who he is. This will naturally lead to a proper...

2. Walk. "Serve him in sincerity..." In order to make the right choices in our life we need to walk in sincerity, which is in direct correlation to our worship. If we do this right then we will have a proper...

3. Work. "Serve him...in faithfulness." When our worship is proper, our walk will be proper. Consequently our work will be proper. And we can't get those out of sequence. But these three things are not enough. We need a proper...

4. Will. Making choices has everything to do with our will. Joshua challenged all of the tribes of Israel to put away false gods and choose to serve the Lord. That was the choice that Joshua made. And this isn't a one time choice. It takes a daily surrender of our will to his will. And the most obvious way to do this is through the...

5. Word. In Joshua 1:8, we have the classic verse on the importance of God's Word, and it is worth repeating and memorizing, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." I love the phrase "careful to do" - this speaks of willful choice, and the quickest way to biblical prosperity and success is by not departing from the Word of God - meditating on it day and night. 

If we follow these steps we can be assured of making the right choice in any circumstance - and avoid an unforgettable and regrettable mistake.

"Google Me" - Facebook Killer?

If it's anything like everything else that Google does, then "Google Me" should be great. I'd check it out. I like Google Buzz, but it sounds like this might take Google to a whole new level on the social networking front.

So is this the beginning of the end of Facebook? File this under "things that make you go hmmm".

Buzz was just for starters -- here comes Google Me (look out Facebook, lock up your daughters, etc.)

"Somebody's Watching Me"

We've all heard the song lyric by Rockwell and Michael Jackson, "I always feel like somebody's watching me." And it's true. We live in truly fascinating times. Technology allows us to do so much now - good and bad. What's more - technology allows what we do to be monitored - good and bad. We worry about "big brother" watching our every move via satellite technology, internet monitoring, phone tapping, etc. Very little is private in our lives any more. It seems like we leave a trail behind us every where we go - especially online. And we do, but we live like we don't. Somewhere in the back of our mind we wonder about it but not enough to change our habits. We think we're getting away with something. Big brother hasn't come for me yet, right?


What about "big boss?" During the Olympics, NBC.com provided online streaming of the games. In their streaming player they had a "Boss Button." This button had one purpose - when pressed, the player was replaced by what appeared to be your computer desktop with an open Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. This gave the appearance of productivity if your boss happened to walk by. Pure deception. CBS has the same feature for their online streaming of the NCAA mens basketball tournament games. When their "Boss Button" is hastily selected the player is replaced by what appears to be a Microsoft Powerpoint presentation. Again, not everything is as it seems. In both cases, the players were specific to Windows-based systems. I guess Mac users were out of luck. I know it's kind of funny, right? But it's really not good (unless you're fortunate to work for a boss like mine who allows some give during big events like these).

There are more examples of this. The Google Chrome browser has a "Panic Button" extension that you can add to the toolbar of the browser. The "Panic Button" makes it easier for you to hide all of your tabs at once just by clicking on a button. Another click on the "Panic Button" restores all of the tabs you have hidden earlier. You may also make use of "Panic Button" keyboard shortcut. Just press ESC to hide and restore all your tabs. This is obviously designed to allow the user to hide the tabs that they have open - presumably tabs that they do not want a boss, manager, or coworker to see.


What's interesting about this is companies are beginning to crack down on this "cyberslacking." There are myriad computer programs out there designed to allow for monitoring of an employees productivity while at work - employees who are utilizing an asset to perform a job for pay - not for pleasure. Social networks are destroying employee productivity. Time and money are being wasted at a higher rate than most employers think. Statistics show 64% of employees use company time to browse sites like Facebook. Programs like The Office Software (theOS) provide network-based productivity tools to help managers monitor employees and achieve increased productivity and enhanced security. On average, workers with an Internet connection spend 21 hours per week online while in the office, a little more than four hours per day. And on average, 26% of that time is spent on personal-interest websites. That amounts to roughly an hour per day, or 22 hours per month - per employee. This is simply mind-boggling. 


Getting back to Google, recently they did something pretty nifty - when you went to www.google.com they provided a mini-Pac-man game that you could play. Hey, I'm not going to lie - I played it, and I told everyone on Facebook about it (that was when I was still on Facebook). That, in turn, caused me to lead many people astray, for they, too, burned some time on this game. Then I read this article, and I was dumbfounded. A company called Rescue Time did a study and proved several things statistically:


1. On that particular Friday (when the game was posted on Google.com) the site experienced 36 extra seconds per visit. This doesn't sound like much, right?
2. This added up to an astounding 4.8 MILLION wasted hours of game play by Americans - most of which transpired through the work day (4,819,352 man-hours to be exact).
3. This, in turn, averages out to $120,483,800 in lost productivity. Millions of dollars. As RescueTime put it, "you could hire every single Google employee, including co-founders Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and CEO Eric Schmidt, and get them for six weeks for that much money."


In a word, crazy.


So often we think we're getting away with things like this. It seems harmless to hit the internet throughout the work day to check Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. But it really does add up, and if we're doing it on the companies dime then what does that make us? I've certainly been guilty of this in the past. It amounts to poor stewardship of time, and stealing. And you know when you do it that you're a little nervous someone will come around the corner all of the sudden to find you watching the "First Semester of Spanish Love Song" (and I recommend that you do watch this - as well as the "Second Semester of Spanish Love Song" - only do it on your own time.)


The truth is, we're not getting away with it. Others know, even if the boss never finds out. And you know. And God knows. If we (especially Christians) lived our lives with the understanding that God sees and knows everything, it would certainly cause us to think very carefully about wasting time and making wrong decisions - not just at work, but at home, at church, at the grocery store - everywhere.


A couple of passages to ponder:

Proverbs 15:3, "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."

Jeremiah 23:23, "Am I a God at hand, says the LORD, and not a God far off?

24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? says the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the LORD."

I wonder how different we would live our lives day in and day out if we truly believed that Someone was indeed watching us? No matter what, somebody is watching us. What do they see?

(eye in the sky)