Summer Lists

We are doing a new series in my church community called "Good Life Bad Times." The series is centered around the times we are living (bad) and how to make sense out of life and bring perspective to that. So, I thought I would share some on how I have developed over these bad times in finding a "good life." For me, this entire conversation boils down to the common ingredient: a verse in the New Testament that says in our lives we must think and act like Jesus (Paul wrote this in Philippians). So basically, my life becomes something bigger than me. In our culture, this is a very difficult thing to comprehend, because the idea of "ME" is such a focus (come on, you know it is). However, wouldn't it be great if we could find some redemption in our culture's message that pointed us in this direction toward Jesus and finding the right perspective for life?

I think so. In fact, what I have decided to do with this article is to give a short listing of books, movies, and music that have come out in the past 2-3 years that have provided some great messages and influence for my journey. Ok, on this list there are not some obvious things that many would think I should include; please remember, this is MY list. I encourage you to read it with a critiquing eye and only listen, read, or watch based on your own interest. Ok, here goes:

1. Book: Wide Awake by Erwin McManus. Ok, this book was released earlier this month and I am not close to finished, but here's the thing: this book is like a Purpose Driven Life for emerging culture. The synopsis for this book is intriguing: "Shuffling and half asleep, so many people coast through the day. From class to class, home to work, and stuck in traffic in between, many have yet to tap into a passionate reason for living. It's not that this life is bad, but it's not the life of their dreams. In Wide Awake, Erwin McManus opens readers' eyes to see the eight crucial attributes of those who achieve the life of their dreams. It is every person's responsibility to discover and develop the gifts given to them by God. McManus writes, 'The future is not waiting for us, it is waiting within us.' The world is desperate for the best each person can offer-if they would only relentlessly pursue and achieve it." This book makes my list because of it's timely release and subject. Plus, McManus is a great communicator, I have read quite of few of his works.

2. Movie: The Dark Knight. Yes, Batman. I won't even rave about the late Heath Ledger's interpretation of "The Joker" (which was one the best characters on the big screen I have ever seen). What I will say, without giving the plot away, is that this movie has many scenes where the characters have to choose a destiny based on conviction or comfort. The struggle of decision and outcome are very wide open throughout the film. It was a very well put together thriller, in my opinion.






3. Album: Give Yourself Away by the Robbie Seay Band. The musicianship here is top notch for a mainstream/worship band. The titles don't do the lyrics justice when it comes to looking at life issues. However, Love Wins and Shine Your Light On Us are two great ballads of seeking direction and dealing with the emotion of decision. The sound of these guys reminds me of Peter Gabriel meets The Fray.







4. Book: Flashbang: How I Got Over Myself by Mark Steele. Ok, this book is not only one of the funniest books I have ever read, but it is also one of the most interesting in the way it flows. Bringing fragmented stories together mostly in first person, Mark writes about a journey toward significance and discovery. It is a very easy read and I highly recommend it to anyone who hates books.

5. Album: Little Voice by Sara Bareilles. This singer/songwriter mostly writes about love and love lost, but I found this album to be a glimpse into a struggling decision making person both loving and hating the complexities of life. Great piano rock ballads and the popular song, Love Song, complete this big voice, great melody album.

the dark knight, trenton, NJ, and a great burger

first of all, play this video and just listen to this song while you read. newton faulkner is becoming one of my favs.



secondly, i have never really liked heath ledger. i found his performances in A Knights Tale and The Patriot reminiscent of teenage homage, much like Leo in Titanic. When Brokeback Mountain came out (no pun intended), I really had no more use for Heath. the movie itself, though controversial, was filmed well; i just didn't connect with the theme. i am not pulling any right winged punches, i just didn't like the movie. it didn't SPEAK to me. however, this clip from family guy does make me laugh:



Lords of Dogtown was my fav movie by him, until this weekend. THE JOKER is mr ledger. it will not be conceived again with the perfection that i saw on the screen. i want to be the joker now.
my sister said it best: "i didn't see heath ledge but maybe twice in the whole film. it was the joker the whole time." i agree. and i also think that is what makes actors so great: they take their personality and place it aside for someone else's. not to just make this a spiritual rant, but that is basically what i have been learning about myself and Christ: he wants me to put aside the nature of my self and put on his nature. it is a constant battle. i would make a horrible actor.

this past weekend, shauna treated me to a weekend of Yankee stadium and great food in manhattan. i came up with the wonderful idea to go to up the night before and stay in a hotel outside of the city. so i booked us in the marriott in new jersey. did i mention the city>? no, i didnt think so. yeah, we stayed in TRENTON.


So, you never want to purposefully stay in trenton. i have found THE most ugly city in the US. if you are from trenton, i know you wont disagree or be offended. in fact, you probably dont want anyone to know you ae from there, so let's not let the cat out of the bag by commenting and letting people know. trenton is scary. bad architecture, smelly streets, no good restaurants (that i could find), and horrible lighting. trenton takes the world makes i say.

on to a more pleasant experience: manhattan. went to the yankee game for the last time at the REAL yankee stadium. that was sooo fun. we sat in like 5 different seats b/c it is the bronx. we then went to the old homestead down off of 9th avenue. WOW...had the KOBE beef burger...WOW.



you must try it...

take the risk,
n

top six food places right now

i dont do a lot of fav posts, but i have had a mojor life change in the past six months. moving to MD from NC has been huge, and i have noticed that MD has its own feature of cuisine. i am a big food person, a connoisseur if you will. in concord, i had my fav places to eat, and i would usually go with a student or friend to lunch about every day. here in MD, i am developing relationships and, as what naturally happens when you move, i am discovering the places i want to frequent with team members and friends. however, with the economic crunch, my choices have another element of decision. not only do i have to find some new (relatively speaking, i know) places to frequent, now it is much more of a decision how much money i want to pay.

so, i developed my top six choices of food within 5 minutes of where i work. these choices are based on $$, taste, and ease of commute. so, here goes, in reverse order (meaning my fav will be at the bottom):


6. Quiznos. This is a choice based on current promotion. You can (as of today) get a 5 meat large sandwich for $5. Add a small drink to that and lunch is $7 (with tax). I LOVE this special promo sandwich. It is very tasty, and it big enough to where I dont need chips or cookie or anything else. Load it up with peppers at the pepper bar (another fav thing about quiznos) and i am good to go.



5. Panera. No, I don't have a testosterone problem. I have a weight and money problem.
Panera has much to give me for my money, and it is the healthiest option here. The "YOU PICK TWO" option starts at $6.29, and if you get a water with it, lunch is less than $7. The salads are fresh and clean and I enjoy the atmosphere A LOT (free WiFi). I hold several meetings a month here. Also, my friend Terry Jory (shout out) informed me of the kids menu that sports a large portioned grilled cheese. This meal comes with the grilled cheese and choice of side with a small drink for less than $5.


4. Qdoba. This is the most expensive option on the list. A good queso chicken burrito and a drink with chips costs you around $10. But you can just get the large burrito and a water for less than $8. Qdoba has tvs and a good atmosphere. The beans and meats are excellent quality and I enjoy the queso burrito the most. There are cheaper options. And on Monday nights (or tues nights?) it is Best Buy night. Take in any Best Buy receipt (current date) and get your burrito half off.


3. Taco Bell. With the arrival of the value menu and the Big Taste taco, i have again become a believer of the noisy afterburn cuisine of collegiate and high school champions. It is cheap, people, and it is classic taco bell. I can eat to my heart's content for less than $5. It may not be great quality, but it tastes good the first time. You will be burping it the whole day long, though. It gets the #3 spot because of price.





2. Chick Fil A. Sadly, I can;t get away from it. It is the ONLY place around here with good sweet tea. It would take the #1 spot for that alone for most southerners living in MD. You know what you're getting at CFA. There's no sirprises, and it is always their pleasure to serve you. Plus, sit in the back and avoid all the kids, get as many polynesian and BBQ sauces as you desire, and free refils on tea. This one is truly a no brainer. And the CFA here now has a spicy chicken sandwich.


1. (drumroll please, and no pic): Rocco's Pizza. Yes, a little local NY pizzeria joint in downtown Glen Burnie. BEST NY PIZZA I HAVE HAD OUTSIDE OF NY: PERIOD. Lunch special: 2 (huge) slices and a drink for $3.95. Small joint; only three booths and a TV on top of a drink machine. Best lunch value and taste around. And if you order a pie for the family, i suggest THE GODFATHER. It is pricy, but it is INCREDIBLE (pepperoni, sausage, onions, mushrooms, peppers, and extra cheese). It is the heaviest pizza i have had. Another item you can get relatively cheap for lunch: OLD BAY HOT WINGS. Oh yeah, you read that correctly. HOT WINGS WITH OLD BAY.

Honorable mention goes to the following places: Mikie's (good sweet tea and southern style menu), Five Guys Burgers and Fries (great burger but a little pricy), and Cluck U Chicken (huge plasmas and good chicken wraps).

Now, the best crab cake around here is at a place called G&M. I highly recommend
trying G&M out (although you will need $15 for a crab cake sandwich lunch; well worht it for the crab cake, though).

take the risk,
n

my bud brandon

recently, i did a phone interview with my long time friend brandon nash about his skate park and shop and how that effects God's kingdom. we used this in a weekend celebration to emphasize the point of God working our passions and gifts along with his purpose for our lives. enjoy.

from journaling to blogging...a constant quandry

i cant order my steps on this one. i write in a journal and in a blog. i have cut back on my journaling and started using my laptop more for that and keeping a log and posting something from it here and there. i can't get comfortable with posting everything on a blog. i guess i am not as transparent as i thought i was...

anyway, my journaling overall has declined as i have settled in here in baltimore. i am learning that i have relied on my teaching and communication to others too much in my own spiritual journey. it's funny: i have always counseled against that. so, i am making more of an effort to learn and grow on my own (more concentrated i guess is the right term) without the crutch of public speaking. baltimore is teaching me a lot about myself, and i am enjoying most of it.

shauna's in her final stretch at uncc. there is a back story to her job ending there that, many years from now, we will look back and laugh about. until then, it is frustrating. she just has to put up with some crazy mess while that situation is ending. it all came up suddenly. w/o getting into to much, the whole thing just proves God's faithfulness with our journey. she will be here FOR GOOD this weekend. i can't wait to be married again. single life sucks (for me, that is...i know you single folks are cursing me right now and that is ok, i get legal afternoon delights again starting saturday...you cant hurt me...did that comment cross a line?).

so i cant figure out the balance between journaling and blogging. and i dont want to waste my time figuring it out, either. for many, ok, for most, this isnt a dilemma. i just want to blog the meaningful stuff and keep the journaling stuff that is private to myself. i guess i am doing that. you know what? i am learning that i tend to think one way, and when it is challenged i have to kind of regroup and talk myself out of frustration and arrogant apathy towards the change. my god, i am old in my head, arent i? not only that i got a haircut today and i look just like my father! no more pics on here until my hair grows back out to some minimal length where i can spike it or something...no more buzzcuts for me.

i took a nap today at 8pm. how dumb was that? now i cant sleep. and i end up rambling and writing worthless stuff in a blog.
ohwell.

take the risk,
n

Famous Last Words...

yesterday i spent most of the day in a workshop with Tim Stevens at Granger Community Church. It was helpful, and was centered around his new book Pop Goes the Church. I got quite a bit out of it, but we were assigned to create a message series around the idea that Everyone Can Make a Difference (or something like that). We had five minutes to come up with the series idea and relate it to Pop Culture. Dan and I came up with a parenting concept that neither of us really liked. Here's the point: this morning at about 230 when I couldn't sleep (airline delays...long story), I got the lightbulb moment on how I would create this series. Here goes: a pastor friend of mine in orlando did a series at Status called Famous Last Words that was created around this idea. They took words of Jesus, Mother Teresa, Ghandi, and others and made the series around being a world difference maker like these people. SO my idea is to spring off of this but to make it more of a pop culture thing (like use Bono, Chris Martin, Angelina Jolie, Oprah, etc.) and tie them to ancient church figures that made a difference and married it to faith. The idea here would be to show different angles of world change/culture change would be cool...and bring ordinary people beside the idea of the Pop Culture celebrity (infuse some life stories)

As for titles i like the following:
Wannabes: How I wannabe versus how I really am
CopyCats: Great decisions that shape who we can be
Famous Last Words (to totally steal the idea now)
Everybody Wants to Change the World (take some Campolo ideas here)
Perspective )this idea takes the images from an investment firm i saw in london. for example, like this:









It is all in the perspective. One looks trashy to some and the other looks trendy to some. Here's the point I would try and make with the perspective parts on the story: Angelina Jolie changes lives in Africa by adopting babies (loose interpretation but you get my point) and Mary Churchgoer changes lives by feeding the needy in her community. It would be kind of a perspective swapping with the celebrity and finding the unknown celebrity changing the world right where we are at...

ok, the name sucks right now, but this idea is in development. i am open to suggestions.

later, take the risk,
nate

Risky Business (no, this is not about an 80's movie)

Risky Business (no, this is not about an 80’s movie)

Risk: exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous choice (so says dictionary.com).

I think I really learned what the word “risk” meant when I was home for the summer during my freshman year at college. Allow me to explain: my “guy” friends (we all know what that statement means, right?) and I went swimming every Sunday night. We called it “SNS” (Sunday night swim). This festive event began around 9:00 p.m., and it happened every Sunday night throughout the summer. We would begin in our church parking lot (where the most deviant plans are surely hatched), and “borrowed” a church van for our adventure (we had to have it, because we all had to ride together...you understand how to justify to get what you want, right?). The adventure led us to Lake Norman (outside of Charlotte, NC...by the way, close to where “home” is for me). Now, one wouldn’t see much danger and risk to swimming at night in a lake (except my mom), but you don’t know the full context of this risk. Not only was it night, and not only did we “borrow” a church van (don’t ask more details, please), but we went swimming at an abandoned dock at an abandoned house with no lighting.

As young college gentlemen will do, we developed a habit of “crashing” this abandoned dock and making it our own, complete with a gas grill. We didn’t realize the risk until we noticed, one blissful, warm summer night, the flashing blue lights by our van. So what did we do? Did we count our losses and pack up to apologize for trespassing? No way. We swam out into the lake further so we couldn’t be seen (college boys lack the mental capacity to think with brilliance at times). We didn’t stop to think that the church van actually had the name and address of the church on it, and that there was a call being made to the church.

I won’t go into the whole story, but I will say we were not arrested (which could have easily happened due to the following charges: grand theft auto, trespassing, littering, disorderly conduct, and being idiots swimming at an abandoned dock at night, just to name a few). The cops laughed at us and a smooth talking member of our group helped us justify the church van situation. In our case, the risk was definitely not worth the reward.

I wonder sometimes how God looks at his decisions. I understand that he is infallible and omni-everything, but I wonder if he looks at the risk of his love versus the decisions we (humanity) make. The life of Christ exists so my life can be worth living; so that I can have a future. How many days go by that I make decisions that jeopardize this promise? How often do I, like a genius young independent college freshman, pay more attention to my immediate satisfaction over the eternal reality? We are all, at times, like those boys at the abandoned dock, swimming further away.

“Create in me a clean heart, Oh God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
-David (the poet king)


on a more personal and solemn note, the below video is, in my opinion, the new risky business video that should replace the 80's original


ok, take the risk,
n