Two blog posts in one day – it’s a modern miracle! Ha! A friend sent this to me tonight, it’s hysterical and so, so true. Enjoy

I’ve been introduced to some great stuff because of John Saddington and the boys at 8BIT. John posted a link to this video from Chick-fil-A. It’s simple, yet the message is brilliant, thought provoking and an instant conviction to me, personally. I try to be very transparent in this blog of mine and I’d be lying if I said I don’t struggle to love other people. So often I don’t stop and take note of the world around me. I’m so wrapped up in my own world and my own struggles that I fail to see the stories all around me. Chick-fil-A gets it – if only I could.

Someone sent me this song earlier in the week and I thought it so fitting for this week, in celebration of Father’s Day. I know there are so many ways I just utterly fail, when it comes to being a good husband and father. And it seems like I have to constantly be reminded that I can’t do it alone, I need God’s help every step of the way. This song is such a great reminder that only as we allow God to lead us, will we be able to lead our family.

“Lead Me”
by Sanctus Real

I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying…

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They’re just children from the outside
I’m working hard, I tell myself they’ll be fine
They’re in independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying…

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I’m called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won’t You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can’t
Don’t want to leave them hungry for love,
Chasing things that I could give up

I’ll show them I’m willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me, ’cause I can’t do this alone

Father, lead me, ’cause I can’t do this alone

My friends at ChurchCrunch posted this on their blog today, and I couldn’t resist re-posting it. Something this brilliant coming from an organization that sells soda. How do they “get it” yet so many of us don’t? I needed this slap in the face today – as one who is very much immersed in social media. Sometimes we need to just put it all away, turn off the cell phone, the computer, the TV and just look around at the lives around us. I could keep going, but just watch the video. It’s a wake up call to all of us.

Back about a year and 1/2 ago I wrote a little post about how to get free, on-demand TV via the internet (check it out here). Honestly, we don’t use it a ton because we still have DirecTV, but I think that may change this summer once all of our normal shows are off – and here’s why. There’s this wonderful little company called Boxee that’s aiming to take out cable and dish – and as much as I like DirecTV – I’m all for it. The internet isn’t going away after all, and has become nothing short of a necessity in everything we do these days.

Currently, there’s a little setup involved for being able to access the internet on your TV – but it’s relatively simple with just a few adapters and a spare computer/laptop. There’s a great little video here that’ll help you. Once you’ve got everything connected, that’s where Boxee comes into play. It’s basically your menu or guide to everything that’s available to watching via the internet – bringing various venues like Hulu, YouTube and all the main networks like ABC, NBC & Fox all in one place. And it doesn’t stop there – it also accesses any photos, music and movies that you’ve already got on your hard drive and will play them for you on-screen. AND… if you’re a Netflix subscriber, you can tap into their “watch instantly” movies. Check out some of the screenshots below.

Home Screen

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 5

I know this is a purely techie, geeky post for some of you, but I think Boxee’s a game changer and makes this whole “internet home theater” idea a reality for the otherwise, non-techie. If for some reason you don’t have a spare computer or laptop laying around, they’re also developing a stand-a-lone box that allows you to tap into all of the above without having to connect a computer to your TV. Pretty sweet. They claim it will be released sometime this summer and cost less than $200.

So will services like Boxee mark the end of cable & dish? Probably not anytime soon, but with TV manufacturers rolling out new lines of internet equipped TV’s, it’s obvious they’re seeing the writing on the wall too. It’s interesting to watch the trend for sure. Now if only Boxee could make some sort of deal with the NFL to bring Sunday Ticket to their users, I’d drop DirecTV quicker than you can say “HUT! HUT!”

If you want to get a little more fancy (or geeky rather), check out the HippoRemote Pro, that can turn your iPhone into a wireless mouse, keyboard and app launcher… all for $5 in the app store. Did I mention it could remotely turn on your computer too? Pretty cool.

If you ever need help/advice setting this up, let me know and I’d be happy to help.

How many of you have played around with internet TV? If yes, what do you think? If no, why not? Your comments, as always, are appreciated!

I was out running this morning when this song came on. It felt as though God was speaking this directly to me, it was surreal.

“Leave Ninety-Nine” by Audio Adrenaline
I’m lost and broken all alone on this road
The wheels keep turning but the feeling is gone
When I fear I’m on my own
But you remind me I am not alone

When you say..

I’d leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you (For you alone)
I’d leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you

It’s dark and lonely and the path is unclear
Can’t move my feet because I’m frozen with fear
And you say, “My child, my child,
I am always here, I’m by your side”

I’d leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you (For you alone)
I’d leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you

You’re never too far down
I promise you’ll be found
I’ll reach into the mud
And miry clay
Pursue you to the end
Like a faithful friend
Nothing in this world
Could keep me away

I’d leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you (For you alone)
I’d leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you

To find you

I’ve made a lot of difficult changes since October 17th (my 30th birthday). For the first time in my life, I feel that the changes I’ve made will stick, because I’ve made them for the right reason… to glorify God and Him alone. In the past, as I posted in my Up, But Not Over post, I’ve typically made decisions on the basis of what was best for me or my family. Or what was easiest or most convenient. That’s not how God rolls, it’s not what He expects. It’s not how He works and it’s definitely not characteristic of someone who is truly seeking Him and following Him.

Life is tough. The Christian life is even tougher. Over the past month I’ve been convicted about my sheer laziness and apathy, both physically and spiritually. Because of this I’ve felt God’s prodding to begin pushing myself out of my comfort zone and stretch myself beyond my typical daily routine. It’s not been easy, but I’m not going back to mediocrity. The complacency and laziness I lived in for so long has no part in the life of a follower of God. It’s my prayer that God will spare me from ever going back to that way of life. This morning at the end of my run, a song that’s been on my heart and mind a lot lately started playing and I knew it wasn’t coincidence, so I thought I’d share it with you.

“Never Going Back to OK” by The Afters

It’s not the end but it feels like it is
I’m waking up like I’m back from the dead
I’m stepping out and it feels so free
But as long as I’m moving it’s alright

I feel alive and it hurts for a change
I’m looking back its hard to believe
That I was cool with the days that I wasted
Complacent and tasteless and bored But that was yesterday

Chorus
We’re never going back to ok
We’re never going back to easy
We’re never going back to the way it was
We’re never going back to ok

This discontent, like a slap in the face
A mediocre I’ve had enough of this place
This party’s over and I’m moving away
From the frills of your Beverly Hills That was yesterday

Chorus
We’re never going back to ok
We’re never going back to easy
We’re never going back to the way it was
We’re never going back to ok

We’re here to stay
This is our time
My only life
Our chance to live

That said, I want this blog to be more than just about me or what’s going on in my life. My world is not that interesting, I’m a fool to think otherwise! If you’re reading this and it’s struck a chord with you, please let me know. As my pastor often says, “we’re all broken people living in a broken world”. No one has it all together. Everyone has something they struggle with — and maybe for you it seems so overwhelming that there doesn’t seem to be a way out. I want you to know, there is always a way out! No matter where we are or what we’ve done, God never gives up on us and He has not given up on you!

Every once in awhile I love to go to iTunes and check out new Christian artists and catch up on some old ones that God’s used in my life in the past. I stumbled on the David Crowder Band tonight… don’t know them well, but this promo shot from their newest album literally made me laugh out loud. It reminded me of so many scenes I’ve dreamt of over the years… Christian music (or CCM as some refer to it) meets ‘fundamentalism’. If you haven’t grown up in the same circles I have, this post will mean nothing to you and that’s ok, in fact, it’s probably best you don’t understand. All that aside, this is an amazing song and just what I needed this evening.

“How He Loves”
David Crowder Band

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If his grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

That He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

It’s rare that I listen to the radio anymore, but the other day I was headed home when Matthew West’s song, “The Motions” came on. It’s a great song, and a very fitting one for where I find myself presently. I found the video on YouTube tonight and discovered that West had written the song after he underwent career threatening vocal surgery in May 2007, which makes the song even more powerful in my book. I’ve posted the lyrics for you to read below:

“The Motions” by Matthew West
This might hurt
It’s not safe
But I know that I’ve gotta make a change
I don’t care
If I break
At least I’ll be feeling something
‘Cause just ok
Is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions

No regrets
Not this time
I’m gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love
Make me whole
I think I’m finally feeling something

Take me all the way
Take me all the way
Take me all the way

Since my last post (and since turning 30), I’ve made some drastic changes in my life, for the primary reason of glorifying God with my life. It’s not been easy and grows increasingly hard by the day, but I’ve already started to see the results of change. I feel like I’ve coasted far too long, physically, spiritually, and have simply “gone through the motions” of life. It’s certainly easy to do. How about you? Do you find yourself going through the motions?

May we allow God’s all consuming passion to help us fight against the ‘nothingness of life’ and take us where He wants us to go!