Jackson Waters is hot…
I posted this at MonticelloLive today:
The contemporary Christian band Jackson Waters released its first label-released CD today. Entitled Come Undone, it’s being released by Word Records. Monticello native, David Leonard is the lead singer, song writer and plays guitar and keyboard on the album. The band has been together for four years and have been with Word for a year.
Two singles have already been released on the radio, Give Me Amazing Grace and the title cut from the CD, Come Undone.
“It’s got something on it for everybody! It’s a good mix of style and sound,†says Leonard. “We’re hoping to get on the road and promote the album.â€
What I didn’t say there is how old this makes me feel. Dave is Rob Leonard’s son. Rob and I were campus ministers together at UAM. I was the director of the BCM, while he directed the MBSF. Rob is still there, carrying out a wonderfully effective ministry to collegians. He has not been recognized enough for his tireless commitment to collegians.
Back to Dave. I can still remember him as a kid running around on campus at different ministry events. It’s a little surreal to see his band hitting the big time right now. Heck, the closest I’ve ever been to actually knowing a famous musician is the gals of Point of Grace, whom Caro and I went to school with. Then there’s Ben Coulter, who I’m still hoping will allow me to introduce him in his first concert when he makes it big.
But I’m excited for Dave and the Leonards now. Way to go, Dave!
The rest of you, go buy the album here!
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Whew…
Is anyone else out there feeling overwhelmed? If not, then offer words of enlightenment. If you are, share why. Nuff said.
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Way to go, Morris!!
Morris Chapman, president of the nation’s largest evangelical denomination, asks a pertinet and piercing question. Read the article here.
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The Illusionist (rated 4 stars)
The Illusionist (Widescreen Edition)
by Neil Burger
A great movie that made my head spin! Reminded me of Sixth Sense, for some reason.
See more about The Illusionist (Widescreen Edition)
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Christ’s tomb… with bones?
Get ready for a media blitz next Sunday, March 4, on the Discovery Channel as they air a show called The Lost Tomb of Christ. I’m sure skeptics and antagonists of Christianity will come out of the closet drooling in delight again, as they did with the Jesus Seminar, The Da Vinci Code, and the supposed “Gospel” of Judas. Here’s a great link to demonstrate that scholars are already debunking the claims of the show; however, it makes for good money to cause a stir, so DC is moving forward. Use the information for intelligent dialogue.
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Hands down, a great video…
In advance, YES, I know this is a beer commercial. If this tempts you to go get drunk and rob a bank, then you’re, well, an idiot. But for some reason, I’m fascinated by the video.
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Where’s the love?
OK, it’s in the middle of a tornado warning here in our small metropolis of 10,000. I had just finished posting the National Weather Service warnings on MonticelloLive. I had the front door open listening and stepping out to look at the swirling clouds intermittently. Carolyn is out of town at the Journey Ladies’ Retreat, and so the kids had made a shelter in the hallway closet. They kept yelling, “DADDY!!!! Come get in here!” I walked back to comfort and lend them my manly presence only to discover that with them, the stinking chihuahua, the cat-that-has-become-ours, the bird and cage, and the hamster and cage, there was no room in the inn.
The thought of their dear old dad not being able to fit in the closet in case of an actual tornado apparently didn’t concern them. Rather, I placed last after a dog, cat, hamster, and parakeet.
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Disney corp faced severe excess of ego problems (rated 4 stars)
by James B. Stewart
It was a fascinating and disconcerting read at the same time. Having just come back from a week in DisneyWorld earlier this month, this book revealed the “dark side†(as Eisner claims everyone has) behind the magic.
It all boils down to this: Michael Eisner’s 20+ year stranglehold on the Disney Corporation was highlighted by almost a manic obsession with anyone receiving recognition beyond himself. He routinely lied, twisted, and covered truth. As author James Stewart concludes at the end of the book, it doesn’t appear that Eisner even became aware that there was a “truth†– that whatever he said was “truth.â€
A legion of amazingly talented folks exited from Disney during his reign of insane, uncontrolled outbursts and character assassinations. Some formed Pixar; others formed DreamWorks, and still others head literally dozens of media and household corporations that you know and love today.
What would Disney be today without Eisner? Who knows? But I imagine it will be years before a culture of openness and creativity without fear are restored. You can’t abuse people for 20+ years and then expect for the dysfunction to disappear overnight.
Name one Disney movie or park or thing that you like, and chances are, Eisner was NOT behind it. In fact, chances are, the folks who were behind were forced out later because of their success.
An interesting omission in Stewart’s book… there is only one mention of “evangelicals†in the book as a passing sentence describes Eisner as “secular†and relates how deeply he hated Pat Robertson. However, there was absolutely NO mention of the Southern Baptist Convention’s boycott of Disney, nor of the numerous evangelical ministries’ call for reform within it.
It’s clear from reading the book that the downward spiral for Eisner began nearly simultaneously with the evangelical community’s call for a return to family-friendly fare. While I knew that a few years following the boycott, Disney’s stock hit an all-time low, I was not aware until I referenced the dates that perhaps there may have actually been some divine intervention, even judgment taking place within Disney, far from the eyes of those praying for it.
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Regular blog stops
I was quite intimidated recently by a long list of excellent Christian blogs offered. I scrolled for hours, it felt like, to reach the end of the list. Needless to say, many of my frequent stops weren’t on the list, and in fact, Notes wasn’t there either. So if you’re here, reading and enjoying, pat yourself on the back for having discovered one of America’s little-known blogging jewels of insignificance. ;)
However, I’ve noticed in the past few weeks that my frequency at a few blogs has become quite steady, and I wanted to list them just to let you know of some that I really like and appreciate. For the most part, I’ve corresponded with the authors, and they’re very personable, helpful and friendly.
Ta-dum! Here’s the list:
If you find one you like, let me know! Or if you have some to recommend, post them in the comments.
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Boosting blog traffic
Shawn adds to the plethora of information out there on boosting your blog traffic in a simple, helpful and very readable way. Stop by and check it out. Tell him thanks for his work.
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A step in the right direction
Lifeway Christian Resources named Thom Rainer as their new executive director. Read his address here. He has the spirit that the SBC desperately needs in these days of growing isolationism. Let’s hope that Rainer can indeed build bridges and convince his fellow SBC leaders to do the same. For too long, they’ve been bridge burners.
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What’s your desktop look like?
Thanks to Shawn for a fun idea! What’s your desktop look like? Here’s mine:
Post it on your blog, or post a link in the comments. If you’re using a Mac, hit apple+shift+3; if it’s a PC, uh, I have no idea.
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Amazing Grace opens Friday
The movie that I’ve been waiting to see for quite some time opens Friday. It’s called Amazing Grace, and it’s the story of William Wilberforce (1759-1833). Wilberforce singlehandedly was abel to move England to outlawing slavery in his generation. A vibrant Christian, he was also a prolific writer. I read his Real Christianity a couple of years ago and was amazed by how relevant his assessment of dead religion and living faith is to today’s church.
I’d highly encourage you to go and take a friend!
Blogged with Flock
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Med student reflects on death and the medical profession
Tim does a great review over at his blog today on a new book that’s out. Profound reflections. Might be worth picking up for some of us.
She found that her vocation, which is premised on caring for those who are ill, also systematically depersonalizes dying. Final Exam: A Surgeon’s Reflections on Mortality, another book I found on the New York Times list of bestsellers, represents her attempt to come to terms with this brutal truth of the medical profession.
In a profession made attractive by the power to cure, it is rare to find the young medical student who dreams of caring for terminal patients. But in a society where more than 90 percent of us will die for a prolonged illness, physicians have become the final guardians of life, charged with shepherding the terminally ill and their families through the intricacies of the end. Most patients and their families fully expect physicians to be able to comfort and provide that support. For doctors, this care at the end of life is, as this book’s title implies, our final exam.
Chen’s next words are revealing. “Unfortunately, few doctors are up to the task.” The problem is that most doctors quickly learn to suspend or suppress any shared human feeling for dying patients, as if this is the key to being a successful physician. Chen found that these lessons in denial and depersonalization began as early as her first encounter with death in the gross anatomy dissection lab where she spent weeks dissecting a cadaver, and that they continued through her residency and practice.
Challies Dot Com: Book Review – Final Exam
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MMI
I’m really growing to enjoy mondaymorninginsight.com. Two posts there today made me think. One was about whether the senior pastor model for churches is irrelevant today, and the other is related to the importance of a home church for spiritual accountability. Read ‘em and let me know what you think.
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Leading too fast…
Our city’s mayor has called a community meeting for tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. about one of the most important (and costly) projects ever attempted in the community. The disconcerting reality is that word is just now getting out about it. Special invitations were sent out to select business leaders and dated February 20. (Unfortunately, MonticelloLive didn’t receive one. We found out through several emails.) Such last minute publicity is alarming and make it appear as if he may not actually want open discussion about the pros and cons of his plans.
Actually, his vision for a new community center has a LOT of merit. However, his efforts to date remind me so much of pastors who have just been called to a church. In their energy and zeal to transform their church, they do too much too soon and end up alienating everyone. They simply don’t know how to communicate, listen, and be teachable while leading. Such pastors do not stay at those churches for very long.
There are myriad leadership principles that urge influencers to assess, communicate, share, listen, and then do it all again, integrating other’s thoughts with the initial vision. In this way, the end product becomes something everyone has “ownership” of, and no one feels like they were forced or manipulated.
Calling a vitally important meeting the week of the meeting is unwise, to say the least. It does appear that a few leaders in the community were aware of it; however, I began receiving emails from concerned citizens around lunchtime today. All of them seemed to indicate that at the least, this meeting is being rushed into without much consensus building or public awareness. I’d highly recommend a leadership seminar or two for folks who have either pursued leadership without vision or folks who have a vision but don’t know how to lead with it.
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A coffee prostitute
I prostituted myself this morning. I went to a coffee shop besides Dad’s Place. I feel so cheap.
I had to go to Little Rock this a.m. to take our Sequoia to the body shop. Its front left fender was decorated by my mom’s Jeep in a kind attempt to add some color to our rather neutral-colored SUV. I made mandatory stops at a couple of bookstores and then wound up (sssshhhh, don’t tell Jim) at Starbucks.
Now, Starbucks has nothing on Dad’s Place. I’ll be the first to say that. But what is different is just the amount of people in there today. Hey, it’s Little Rock, not Monticello. However, as I sat there journaling, reading and thinking, I just had to stop and consider the dynamics of what coffee shops offer. Both Dad’s Place and Starbucks do it exceptionally well.
Consider the following notes from my journal:
I’m sitting in Starbucks in LR. Line was too long to stand in for the moment. Great atmosphere. Wonderful place for a quick business meeting. Today’s coffee shops have really become America’s kitchen/office. Here’s what I’m seeing…
- Students studying
- Couples visiting
- A trio of suited execs discussing numbers, hunched over steaming cups of goodness
- 2 older gentlemen laughing together at a table
- Man reading newspaper in an easy chair
- 2 other suited men engaged in heavy conversation (wonder which one is getting fired?)
- Man in suit with muffin and laptop
I began to reflect on how people will readily enter a Starbucks or a Dad’s Place but will avoid a church. I wondered how many regular church attenders have ever stepped foot inside a really good coffee shop and noticed the dynamics of difference between the people there and those in their pews every Sunday.
My thoughts were revived this afternoon upon doing some blog reading when I stumbled across this entry at mondaymorninginsight.com (I actually think they post daily). Go there now and reflect. By the way, it’s best read with a coconut steamer from Dad’s Place in hand.
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Complete Nutts
Did anyone else catch this last Friday? Houston Nutt’s been given a raise! By departing AD Frank Broyles. It sure seems like one of those last minute pardons a president or governor gives on the eve of his departure. I’m disgusted.
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A review of “The Guardian”
I couldn’t help but think of the process of Christian discipleship as I watched this movie. A LOT of time spent with a few people produces incredible results. Allowing your “students” to experience life, hardship, and working together creates a lifelong bond and commitment to mission.
GREAT movie. Inspirational. Many thanks to the men and women of the Coast Guard who serve thanklessly, for the most part.
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Broyles out!
I laughed when I Googled “Frank Broyles” this a.m. and saw this result. It expresses my feeling exactly. Yahoo! He’s gone. Apparently his leaving was not exactly on his own terms. According to KAIT News in Jonesboro,
KHBS-KHOG reported that “several sources” told it that Broyles would quit Saturday, while KATV said it had “confirmed” Broyles’ resignation.
KTHV-TV in Little Rock reported that, if Broyles doesn’t announce his resignation tomorrow, the board will vote to fire him Saturday.
This is great news for Hogs fans, and it’s the first step needed in a house cleaning. Nutt needs to go next, and heck, while they’re at it, let’s throw in Stan Heath and start fresh next year. After all, Hog fans have been saying, “Wait ’till next year,” for so long without any real commitment to change that a clean sweep would go well with this tired, old postponement philosophy. Or we could just keep paying a football coach a multi-million dollar salary for mediocre results while professors, grad assistants and administrators struggle to make ends meet.
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About
Notes from the Trail
The Personal Blog of Jeff Noble
Info: From the misty hills of Virginia, "Notes from the Trail" seeks to encourage you on your journey. Written by a graphic designer-pastor, this blog is a blend of humor, insight, and faith discovery.
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