My Reign in Spain

Tomorrow, less than 24 hrs from now, I will be on a very long flight to Spain. It's going to be exciting - which is not to say that I've been 100% looking forward to it for the past few months, but it will be whatever I choose it to be.

Please pray for the group - it's going to be a crazy schedule. I WILL be taking photos, and video though, and HOPEFULLY, I'll be able to post from over there. If not, I will when I get back - both on my picture blog and some official pics on our departmental site (http://www.nscmusicandarts.com). Also, I'll be on Google Talk, if I have broadband there, so if you have any need to talk to me - download that client and you can find me at desmondcsmith@gmail.com.

Anywho, that's it - I'll let you know how everything goes. There is some fun stuff scheduled - like playing for a 100 yr. old's birthday at a Seniors' Complex. Fun. Partying like Jesus.

Grace.

Perspective (for those of you that don't watch the news)

NEW ORLEANS - Hurricane Katrina probably killed thousands of people in New Orleans, the mayor said Wednesday - an estimate that, if accurate, would make the storm the nation's deadliest natural disaster since at least the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

"We know there is a significant number of dead bodies in the water," and other people dead in attics, Mayor Ray Nagin said. Asked how many, he said: "Minimum, hundreds. Most likely, thousands."

WOW. Thousands? Remember to pray for this whole situation. Get involved, somehow, if you can.

Grace.

Let's not forget these

BAGHDAD Trampled, crushed against barricades or plunging into the Tigris River, more than 700 Shiite pilgrims died Wednesday when a procession across a Baghdad bridge was engulfed in panic over rumors that a suicide bomber was at large.

Most of the dead were women and children, Interior Ministry spokesman Lt. Col. Adnan Abdul-Rahman said. It was the single biggest confirmed loss of life in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion. Sabah Ali, a senior official in the Health Ministry, said 719 were killed and 383 injured.

Grace

An Image of Christ

Sometimes, friends of mine give me a hard time about my choice of morning radio show. I listen to Ace & TJ, here in Charlotte, on Kiss 95.1. They're actually pretty good - sometimes a little crude, but ALWAYS funny. I don't listen to Christian radio in Charlotte, because, IMHO, it stinks. Sorry New Life, just what I think.

With all of the recent happen on the Gulf Coast, an interesing thing occurred. I realized that I, in fact, DO listen to a Christian morning show - perhaps the most Christian morning show in the region.

Course of events: Following the landfall of Katrina, Ace and TJ (normally on from 6 -10 AM) stayed on the air all day and organized an impromptu telethon to benefit the victims of the disaster. They solicited supplies, volunteers and even prayers.

Hmmmm.

So far, they've raised tens of thousands of dollars and have a CONVOY of 18-wheelers headed that way, full of supplies.

And they didn't sit around and gossip - they just got the work done. They didn't complain about someone else getting the limelight, they just got the work done.

Praise the Lord, for Ace and TJ.

Grace.

Notorious Sinner

Mark 2:15

So, I think I either want to be a notorious sinner or find out who they are and invite them to dinner. Who are the notorious sinners today? Who are the "Tax Collectors"?

Are they the porn industry? Are they drug kingpins? Are they speeders? Are they Christians?

But it seems like having a party with them would be a good time. Jesus would have done it.

Grace

New Friends

I've added some friends to my friends list - this list is not exhaustive and the biggest reason you may not be there is A) you don't have a blog or B) it's annoying to add those links and I couldn't normally be bothered.

I keep getting amazed by Google. I would like to work for Google. They are, in the words of one friend of mine, "No joke." Everything they touch turns to gold. So, if you want an invite to join GMail (the most amazing web-based email on the planet) let me know and I'll hook you up.

It's cloudy today. The weather has been amazing for the past couple of days. Every morning, just a little hint of coolness. I think all it really is, is that the air was dry (read: not humid). Very very nice.

I apologize for the lack-lusterness of this entry. But I'm serious about the loving Google bit.

Hmmmm.

Grace.

Talk about Weird News

OK . . . so there are some weird things happening. I'm not exacty sure what it all means, but somehow, I think armageddon is involved. Are you ready for the news?

Alright . . . . Air Canada was voted to be North Armerica's #1 Airline.

Yes . . . I know. If any of you are Aeroplan people you may have gotten an email about it. My theory is this . . . the only people that care to be voting about what the #1 Airline are drunk Canadian men returning from a weekend away to see a hockey game.

There's no way on the planet that Air Canada is better than any other airline on this continent. My best experience with Air Canada occurred during a trip to Ottawa, when I had been flying Canadian Airlines and their plane all but exploded, so, the only way they could get me home was to put me up in First Class on an Air Canada flight. They gave me a nice hot facecloth and a beautiful ham and swiss on a baguette.

In any case, Air Canada is about as useful as my armpit . . . or my appendix . . . or my appendix pit.

I'm very disappointed . . . I'd like to meet all 7 people that voted on this and . . . get mad at them.

That is all.

Grace.

Other Interesting Quotes from my Google page

Here are some other quotes that are making me think.

There are people who think that everything one does with a serious face is sensible.
- Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.
- Matt Groening

Interesting

Sometimes I feel very callipygous.

Also - Interesting quote from Confucius:

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.

Grace.

Jesus' Burden

We always quote the verse, "Come unto me . . . and I will give you rest." Jesus said that, in Matthew 11. It's great and gives us peace. It even says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Problem is, as with most things, we stop there because we have all the comfort we need in those few words.

But Jesus goes on and says, "Take my yoke upon you (ie be harnassed up like oxen), and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Here's your comfort - let me take your burden and I'll replace it with a burden, albeit a MUCH lighter burden. But if you let me guide you (ie like a farmer guides an animal) you'll have rest.

He doesn't just take away all your burden - He gives you more.

But it's different. And we should take responsibility for it.

Grace.

The PodCasting

Long story short . . . I've finally discovered the joy that is podcasting. With iTunes, you can download the latest episodes of SO many radio shows or other audio programs (like Science Friday, from NPR).

The idea, of course, is that you would listen to them on your iPod. Well, I don't have one of those . . . yet. But you can also listen on your computer or burn them to a CD.

Nice.

This is Daphne - she's an Eastern Fence Lizard, and she lives at our house.

In the Middle of the Storm

I was reading a while back about Jesus calming the storm - you know - where he's asleep and there's a huge storm happening and the disciples were frightened . . .

It's in Matthew 8.

Anyway, the thing that stuck out to me is that Jesus was asleep. We always talk about Jesus being right there for us when times are tough, when the seas are rough, when we've had enough (corny song coming on!). The disciples, however, felt troubled and Jesus was right there asleep. Not making them feel comfortable. Not making them feel good about themselves.

I can only assume that that is where He would have stayed if they didn't go and bother Him. He probably would have stayed asleep.

So they ran below deck, woke up the soon-to-be Saviour of the world and shouted, "Lord SAVE US - we're going to drown."

His response was funny. I take it as a scold, or a burn even: "Why are you so afraid?" Yes, it's rough. Yes, your dinner might come back up. Yes, it SEEMS scary. Omniscient saviour of the world KNEW what they were afraid of . . . but that's not what he asked . . "WHY ARE YOU SO AFRAID? YOU HAVE SO LITTLE FAITH."

What's that? A test? Sarcasm?

He rebuked the storm and it stopped. Did they get what they asked for?

I don't know. I don't think they really knew what they were asking. It seems as though, in hindsight, they were never in danger to begin with. He didn't SAVE THEM as such, given that. He took away the elements that they were afraid of, the elements that troubled them. AND he rebuked them as well. Gave them a life lesson. Stuff is going to stink all around you, and there is going to be a lot that you don't like. I CAN take it away, but it does you more good to learn from it.

Interesting, I thought.

Grace.

Stupidity should be painful

Nothing uberinspiring tonight . . .

Except that I was driving behind a Jeep today with the following two bumper stickers:

• The whole world is going to hell and I'm driving the bus

AND

• Stupidity should be painful.

Rather ironic, I thought.

Grace. More to come.