Archive | January, 2008

Eat, Drink and Be Merry!

By on January 30, 2008 in Faith

I didn’t get a chance to post my Sunday school synopsis from last Sunday in a timely fashion so how about we call it a preview for the Bible Study crowd tonight? From time to time people will repeat a common phrase and ask, “Is that in the Bible?”. Well would you believe that this one actually is?

More specifically it’s the last 1/3 of verse 19 in Luke chapter 12. This one actually probably isn’t among those you will typically hear discussed and mistaken as a Biblical reference in general circles because it has been seriously taken out of context through out the ages. It has usually been associated with pirates in the movies having a good time and party animals revelling into the wee hours of the night. But in context, nothing could be further from the truth.

The reason for the misperception is probably obvious. It’s the fact that most folks haven’t bothered to read or memorize the first 2/3rds of the verse so here’s the rest of it. The full verse says “And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’ ” (NIV)

This is near the end of Jesus’ Parable of the the Rich Fool which runs from verse 13 thru 21. What He’s basically telling us is that we shouldn’t put all of our trust in our worldly possessions and toys. Our trust is to be on high. There’s nothing wrong with having nice stuff and doing well. He doesn’t condemn that at all. The purpose of the story is to help us put our priorities in proper order. God first and foremost, everything else afterwards.

Verses 20 and 21 summarize it well. 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

This poor unfortunate guy wasn’t even going to be able to take advantage of the good life because he had spent such an inordinate amount of time fixated on that and almost none on the matters of the Spirit. My Sunday school teacher ended class with a caption on the board that said it all, “An eternal perspective is the cure for materialism.”

Be sure to read Luke 12: 13-21 for yourself and give it some meditation time. Then look at your life and make sure all the pieces are stacked in proper order. A good reference scripture to reinforce the lesson is Matthew 6:24-25. You have more tools, and now you can put them to work in your life.

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Another Quick YouTube Hint

By on January 30, 2008 in Blogging, Business, Faith, Music, Programming/Coding, Society

If you see a video on somebody’s blog that you want to copy to your own, here’s an easy way to do it. Just click on the “menu” button at the bottm right corner of the video player. You’ll see a section on the next screen on the right side that reads “<> embed”. Just highlight that code, copy it and paste it into your post.

You should still go to YouTube though and create an account so you can build your own video play list. You can do this for yourself or your group, then archive whatever interests you. They have everything, music, commercials, personal short movies, church sermons, organizations like my fellow Toastmasters who tape their meetings…you name it, it’s probably there.

If you do a daily or weekly Funk and Roll entry on your blog like I do, just pick your favorite songs from your list and add them in. Do you want to share your favorite silly commercials with the world. O.K. do that. I’m sure dozens of copies of the new Super Bowl adds will be up during the game on Sunday. It you and some friends want to be the next Spike Speilberg pull out your digital recorder and put your own material out there for the world to see. It’s definitely the easy way for churches to archive their sermons and share the word of God with the world on your church web sites each Sunday. And if you want prospective members to get a feel for your organization send them to your group’s web site or blog and tell them to check the video of our last meeting.

So check out this feature on the next YouTube clip that catches your eye or ear and take your multimedia skills up a notch.

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“I Wish” I Could Still “Kick, Push and Coast”

By on January 29, 2008 in Music

Today’s “Funk and Roll Tuesday” entry is all about childhood memories. My friend Villager had me reflecting on my childhood anthem written by Stevie Wonder the other day. Check out his post and reader comments. It had me smiling a mile wide so I’m going to add the selection to this morning’s post.

There’s also a very recent hit that works well in combination with Stevie’s classic because it takes me back to one of my childhood loves that seemed to wax and wane in popularity in different parts of the country. In the last 10-20 years in has become an international sports craze. You’ll see it in a minute.

First though, if you ever have one of those days when you’re “Looking back on when I, Was a little nappy headed boy, When my only worry, Was for Christmas what would be my toy” then you’ll love this video from back in the day. With the exception of maybe one or two topics in the song this was pretty much life for me as a child. This is Stevie Wonder’s, “I Wish”.

The second selection is a recent jam that talks about skateboarding. This had on again-off again attraction in my St. Louis of the 70′s. It was most popular on the South Side where I finished grade school and I took my skateboard to school almost every day during that time. That was when they were made of narrow wedges of plastic not the wider wood models of today. We had serious fun on that asphalt playground at Waring School. Anyway, I think it was during or just after that “roll bounce” period.

Roller skating was always popular but the 70′s was it’s heyday. Whoops, I digress.

Back to the subject at hand. Although I could stand up on roller skates I actually liked skateboarding more. I originally thought there were some underlying sexual overtones to this next song – references to grinding – but it really seems to be nothing more than a cool, innocent jazzy-hip hop jam about urban skateboarding.

You heard it a lot when it came out a few months ago, but in case you never caught the name of the group, here’s D.J. Fiasco with “Kick, Push”.

I said it before and I’ll say it again. I love music – I’ll save the O’Jays for another day – and these tunes tie it all together for me. I hope you enjoy these jams as much as I do.

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Obama Takes South Carolina!!!

By on January 27, 2008 in General Interest

Hear that chant? It’s not “O-ba-ma!, O-ba-ma!” this time.

Nope, this time it’s “Yes we can!, Yes we can!” and “U-S-A!, U-S-A!”.

Sound like a president to you? Sounds like one to me.

Carolyn Kennedy is a believer too. Read what she has to say about the Senator’s impact on the republic.

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My First Short YouTube Video – A Tutorial

By on January 26, 2008 in General Interest, Programming/Coding

Here’s my first test YouTube video. It was shot on the way to a Toastmasters Winter Club Officer Training meeting. By the way you can find your favorite local club here, find out what their meeting schedule is and sign up to begin improving your public speaking skills.

Until then check out the video and see how it plays for you.

Thanks to my fellow Toastmasters Lisa Ruffin and Karen Anderson for being my video test subjects. Looks like I cut off Lisa’s intro while working the video function on my camera. Must have been a few seconds delay in recording at the beginning or something. I tried to catch Karen in the rear view mirror but oh, well. Guess I have to work on my cinematography and camera angles…LOL. We learned a lot about growing the club today. Now on to the membership drive!

Here are the instructions for uploading a YouTube video in case you want to try it out. Go ahead and spice up your blog with your own multimedia creations. You don’t even need a full fledged digital cam corder to experiment. Just use your cell phone or digital camera. I did this short with a Samsung S360 digital camera. In the mean time give me a shout and tell me what you think.

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Honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 2008

By on January 21, 2008 in Politics, Society

Today we honor the single greatest American of the 20th century. The one person with the vision and force of will to actually make the country be in fact what it could only claim in principle.

I am of that generation who have been able to take advantage of the gains of the classic civil rights struggle era. The integrated world he spoke of is the reality that I have lived in most of my life.

Are there still major race and class issues in America? Of course there are. But Dr. King inspired a sense of hopefulness and Black pride not seen since the days of Marcus Garvey. In fact James Brown helped popularize the phrase and dealt directly with the issues of the time with this classic song.

That sentiment grew into a sense of actual Black progress not seen since Reconstruction. Parliament addressed the matter of opportunity and alluded to the expanding Black populations in major cities during the 70′s. This was also the time of a record setting pace of first time African American mayors in cities around the nation.

Mcfadden and Whitehead’s “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” was another post civil rights anthem which I didn’t truly appreciate when I was kid. At the time it was nothing more than a jamming dance song but its lyrics deal with what was to be done with recently won civic freedoms.

Isn’t it interesting how poplar music chronicles the times and allows you to reflect on events years later? Those days and times have brought us to this period in time. Continue to reflect today and consider how you will continue to push the envelope and create a new future for our country.

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Blessings and Mercy

By on January 20, 2008 in Faith, Music

This morning’s Sunday school send off is a reflection of how Jesus wasn’t as anti-establishment as his contemporaries may have thought in his own day. Luke 6:27 says “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies. Do good to them which hate you.” Last Sunday in class we learned that this actually wasn’t a new idea. In the old testament, Exodus 23:4-5 said the same thing about how to treat those who are vehemently against us. Man, Jesus was masterful at tying the old and new together. That is, after all, why He came into the world.

Another thing I learned that I think you will also find valuable is how you can bless the Lord or other people. You’ve probably heard these themes in some of your favorite Christian music and maybe even heard some of your church friends say them. But maybe you’ve never really thought of it more than things that people just say.

Or maybe you’ve said to yourself “Wait a minute, I can’t bless God or people. He blesses us. Aren’t we making ourselves Godlike to say such a thing?” No we’re not. The fact is that the word bless means to “speak well of”. That same chapter in Luke, verse 28 says “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” It’s an attitude check for us to speak well of and do well by people who we otherwise might not think worthy of nice treatment. Psalm 34:1 is the classic reference to blessing God Himself.

Why are we obligated to such things? Luke 6:35c-36 explains it. “For he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as you Father is also merciful.”

Our Lord and Saviour is telling us how to act folks. Now, how are you going to carry it out the other six days of the week? Enjoy these clips from Byron Cage and Donnie McClurkin and meditate on your way to the sanctuary this morning.

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A Slave, Steve Arrington Double Shot

By on January 19, 2008 in Music

Hey all you funkateers, when’s the last time you pulled out a Slave LP? For you youngster readers I’m not talking about “slavery” and LP stands for “long playing record”. That’s the big disk of 33-1/3 rpm vinyl in a cardboard jacket that your parents used to buy back in the day to play their favorite jams.

Slave was one of those funk groups that kept our heads boppin’ and booties shakin’ and Steve Arrington is the lead singer you’ll see in the video who kept the beat going. Click on the play button and enjoy two of their greatest all time classics, “Just A Touch of Love” and “Watching You”.

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Proud Black Voter Campaign

By on January 18, 2008 in General Interest, Politics

The AfroSphere Action Coalition (actionists, every one of them) has intitiated an effort to combat voter apathy in the African American community. It’s an unfortunate fact that we don’t sufficiently exersize a privilage gained by blood, shoe leather and water cannons over a series of decades and centuries.

Well we’re combating the lazy factor in the virtual realm and the Proud Black Voter Campaign is an effort to reach the online African American community. So if you’re of eligible age click on the link and learn what it takes to register in your community. Then, after you’ve done your civic duty and re-engaged with the process take it a step further.

First, attach a badge to your blog or web site so that your readers can be informed. Also, the next time you’re hanging out on your MySpace, Facebook or MyBlogLog communities be sure to tell your friends and fans to jump over to the PBVC blog and get involved.

Don’t just stop there though. After you’ve shared the link with your bloggy friends print out this post and share it with your offline contacts. No better time than this historic age to get started so pass it on.

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Baisden Encourages Youthful Entrepreneurs

By on January 18, 2008 in General Interest

I confess to not being the world’s biggest Michael Baisden fan. His show can be very raunchy and he will encourage certain personal habits that aren’t necessarily healthy or wise for his listeners. But every now and then he’ll get on a subject that is both socially redeeming and worth talking about.

Yesterday while channel surfing on the radio I noticed that he had kids from around the country calling in to tell listeners about their businesses and their web sites. It was quite inspiring to hear these kidpreneurs tell their stories. Here are a few that I was able to scribble down while waiting at stop lights.

One young guy named Jordan sells custom designed buttons. His company is aptly named Buttons by Jordan so if you need an order for your next event send him an e-mail and see if he’ll give you a good deal.

Another youngster, Tevyn Cole, combines history and wardrobe. How about checking out the catalog at School Me Clothing for a t-shirt or a pair of jeans. Tevyn is making it cool to be smart again. He has an online shopping cart for your convenience.

For you youthful bookworms these kids have such a good time in their grandma’s back yard they had to write a book about it. William and Miles Rabun are already well travelled book tour veterans and according to dad are working on a couple more self published works. The book and other “My Grandmother’s Backyard” paraphenalia are available for order on the site.

One young man does remote computer maintenance. I didn’t catch his name but if you need help with your system then Computer Repair Live might be worth a shot. They seem to be a full service outfit.

These are young people who are on the go and living life the right way. Quite a contrast to many we hear about in the news each day. Well let’s hear it for the good kids today. Even more importantly send them some business.

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