Take Some Pride in Your Criminal Activities

If you're going to try to steal my Paypal account information, at least have the decency to check your grammar, geesh!

"According to our terms of service, you will have to confirm your account every 6 month.

Unless you don't want send us a copy of your personal id for verification, you have to confirm your account until: 27 September 2008"

This is a welcome picture!

Meet Brandt Russo

Here's a story out of my local paper about a dude traveling around the country, ministering to homeless people. The crap that went down with Ignited Church unfortunately enhanced the perceptions of hypocrisy in the Church that is all too often a barrier to all too many.

But that's a side story here. A necessary footnote that will bring to light Brandt's ministry. More importantly it will put a face on the faceless.

Journey Church, mentioned in the story and it's pastor, Adam Mayfield, are my church and pastor. The seemingly insignificant thing Adam did by letting them crash at our offices and continue is work there is the most important thing Journey has done in it's 1 1/2 years. But again, the story here is about Brandt's ministry so be sure you watch the video on the left and hear a little about his work.

Click the link…………
HERE

Latest Downloads..........

First let me thank Big Doofus for telling me about 89.3 Minnesota Public Radio The Current..........

Now to the songs:

Yeasayer - Sunrise (different but great percussion)

The Black Keys - Psychotic Girl

Mudcrutch - Scare Easy (the band that became Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers that came back together to release an album)

Tune in next time...........

Latest Downloads..........

Thought I'd share what's going into the iPod.

I've been listening to a public radio station out of Fordham University in New York that plays everything from Johnny Lee Hooker to Bjork. It's a great mix plus they have an all Irish show on the weekends...........

The website for online listening is www.wfuv.org


Here's todays list:

Eddie Vedder - Hard Sun

Coldplay - Violet Hill, Viva La Vida

My Morning Jacket - I'm Amazed

The Raconteurs - You Don't Understand Me

Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Posses Your Heart

Stay Tuned........

I'm Alive!

Thanks to everyone that's commented asking about how we're doing. We (yes we, the whole family arrived last Friday) are doing great! I got our apartment furnished and cable ready all by myself, just in time for my arrivals who would have killed me if they missed the premiere of "Camp Rock". (for those without young girls, it's the latest Disney movie, starring the Jonas Brothers)

We're living in a great little town named Ramsey, NJ. Five minutes north and we're in New York, twenty minutes east and we're in New York. Work is going awesome and I know Sheri and the kids have all of our weekends planned for the next 2 months. Saturday we might try to do the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan or maybe the Edison Museum in, uh, Edison, NJ.

I located a Redeemer Presbyterian church plant in Teaneck, NJ and hopefully we'll be checking it out soon. I can only hope that they need a stand in drummer from time to time..................

I don't know what our plans are for the future. I'm sure we'll make it back to Lakeland sometime, just don't know when! I hope to be on here more regularly, doesn't everyone say that?

Talk soon!

p.s. Pastor Eddy, I got your message, sorry for never getting in touch. Leave me a message if you still want to talk..........

Great Day in the Big Apple!

Had the ultimate NYC experience yesterday. At the last minute Sheri got me a ticket to the Yanks-Mariners game at Yankee Stadium. Got to test my driving skills in the City. First took the George Washington Bridge into NY, this became the Cross Bronx Expressway, then exited onto the Major Deegan which I took to exit 6 for the stadium.

Had a little adventure finding parking, got to see some streets in the Bronx that I never would have, on purpose at least. The game was awesome. My seat was in the lower level right behind home plate. The Yanks came back in the 8th to win 6-5 and I enjoyed a cup of Bud and a messy but delicious sausage, pepper and onion sandwich.

Afterwards, on the invitation from a guy at work, I left the stadium headed across a bridge (155th?) into Manhattan (Harlem), took a left on Adam Clayton Powell Ave, went down to 139th, left to Lenox Ave (Malcom X) then right down to a secluded little Jazz Club/Art gallery called 449 LA. Awesome music, fresh sangria and great people. I'm sure I stood out a little, white guy in a Made in Ireland t-shirt, but I had a blast. They let anyone get up and play so maybe next time I'll feel a little more comfortable and hit the congas or something.

Altogether it was a great time. Thanks to Sheri for getting me off my butt or I would have spent the day in my hotel room (like I'm doing now........)

New Move!

I appreciate the comments from those of you that read my blog. I've been going through some major changes lately and I hope to be back soon. I'm starting a new job next week and will be away from my family for a while. I plan on using the time away to get back into my bible study and hopefully my blog will kick back into gear. Talk to you all soon!

Haven't posted in a while...

...but that's a different story.

I couldn't pass up linking to this blog by Carlos. YOU HAVE TO READ IT!

Ranks up there with Chris' blog on Pete's baptism as posts I'll never forget.

Why are you still here? GO! NOW!

3/5/08 - Life Journal - Father God (yes I skipped a day...oops)

...and for a pretense make long prayers.

Mark 12:40

Jesus was calling out the people that put on a wonderful show of holiness, seemingly trying to prove how much better they are than everyone else.

I laughed at this part and I almost laugh out loud when someone gets into one of those prayers that's all, "Lord Jesus, I love you, and Lord Jesus, thank You for everything You, Lord Jesus, have given me, and Lord Jesus, did I say I love you Lord Jesus". It's almost as comical as someone you're with all the time busting out in King James english whenever they pray. Come ON! God knows who we are, he knows how we talk, he even knows what we're gonna pray about. Just spit it out.

Father, I'm not the best at prayer so I hope I'm not being too hypocritical, Father God, but I really do love You!

What's happening down at the Double Deuce?

While it's true that Patrick Swayze, star of "Roadhouse" and a few other minor movies, is being treated for pancreatic cancer, his physician says he is responding well to treatments and the rumors of him having only weeks to live are false. Continue praying for him.


Roadhouse happens to be one of my favorite movies (don't know why, just is). Fans of the movie and Rock N Roll have already felt a big loss this week with the passing of Jeff Healey. The awesome blues guitarist, blind from early childhood, died after another battle with cancer. He was truly amazing.



Let's just hope that Sam "I'll get enough sleep when I die" Elliott is taking care of himself.

3/6/08 - Life Journal - Eyes to the Sky

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

Mark 13:26

Doesn't sound like a quiet rapture of His church, but we won't get into the eschatological debate here. Jesus was warning us of the suddenness of His arrival and the hidden timing of His coming.

What an awesome sight if I'm still on this earth when He comes back. He's telling me to keep my guard, not to get lax in my quest for righteousness and also to warn others. With the up and down fluctuations of my faith and discipline it would be a safer bet to die now of natural causes, with time to solidify my faith in my heart than to get caught with my pants down (hopefully not literally) when His time comes.

Father, place the seriousness of these passages on my heart.

Craig Groeschel's talking to us at Journey

Check out this post, great addendum to Adam's message Sunday. Don't worry, it's short... (c:

3/4/08 - Life Journal - Can't Put God in a Box

And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!"

Mark 11:9,10

The people of Jerusalem greeted Jesus with cries of "Hosanna", a word to praise God. It means 'we want God to save us'. Seems like, for now at least, they recognize Him as their Savior, cheering Him on, laying palms before Him. Quite a different tune they'd sing when in the presence of the priests when they condemn Him to crucifixion.

We all, I, do the same thing all the time. Sunday mornings, hands in the air, the church is full of praise and worship. Then we leave, and we forget. We're not even out of the parking lot when we're yelling at our kids, honking at others, arguing with our wives, remembering work the next morning, etc, and He is forgotten. Jesus? Come on, it's Monday morning, who's got time for Him. He'll be waiting for us at church when we get there next week.

Hosanna. We want God to save us. Are we worth it? Thankfully He and His Son think so...

Lord, why do I compartmentalize my life. I put You in this box labeled "Sunday" and pack You away the rest of the week. And You let me do it! You're just waitin for me to come to You and say, "I need You always". I need You always.

3/3/08 - Life Journal - The Eye of a Needle

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Mark 10:21,22

Jesus wasn't necessarily telling all of us to give everything away, well not necessarily. Here He has pinpointed the one thing that this man values over all else. It didn't have to be wealth but in this instance money was this mans idol and proved to be the undoing of his salvation.

What am I holding onto that's keeping my relationship from being what He wants it to be. What's my camel I'm trying to squeeze through the eye of a needle? We all have one thing above all else. What would He confront You with?

Father, search me and convict me. I'm not where I should be, what's holding me back?