Finally, a reasonable perspective on an important issue.

I love this guy...he's brilliant and if I can figure out this blog thing I'll post a talk of his I recently heard. In the meantime he has articulated my perspective perfectly on a relevant issue of concern to many today. Read here.

Coming soon...Namesake Movie Review

I'm Worthless

Apparently I had made a deal with my wife that if she got a new job she was applying for than we would spring for a smartphone like the one I've been using for a while. I had forgotten about this 'deal' until she reminded me. In typical 'mann' fashion we had her new toy in hand no less than 48 hours later (and at 250 less than the retail price). The whole conversation got me thinking about my phone, which is two years old (poor me right? Not really) It's worked great for me, does practically anything (my favorite thing to tell the students is that it can change the channels on the t.v., beat that!) and I've only dropped it 2-3 times. Make that 4. Riding my bike on Sunday God took my phone out of my pocket and slammed it on the ground. I know, I'm thinking the same thing, how rude! My phone wouldn't turn on and I just laughed to myself about the timing of all this...I guess I was getting a new phone after all. The most disappointing fact of all is that I lost all calendar appointments for the past two years and coming months in an instant. My phone has been my brain for a long time now and has my Bible, calendar, info, dates, phone numbers, a cool drug-selling game (just a game :), nonethless still very addicting) etc. Gone! Ouch. I started looking for a phone similar to Becca's but a little cheaper and have gotten close twice now on craigs list but no cigar. One guy said he'd sell it for $50 less than he posted it as, then he wouldn't email me back for a day, then he decided he wanted to keep it, then he said he'd sell it for the original price and now he's not sure again. Another one popped up today but was sold by the time I got to it. You'd think the sad part is that I have yet to land one...no, that is not the sad part although that is unfortunate. The sad part is how worthless, disappointed, and frustrated I have been this week with my mind fixated on what I DON'T have. I can't think about anything else, it's absolutely embarassing. This thing owns me right now and it won't let me go. As I read on a friend's blog, my life is way too comfortable if this is the kind of thing that is causing the most stress in my life. In the meantime here's a picture into my head, the only thing in my head...

Ladies and Gentleman, I'd like to introduce you to...

the new Ministry Assistant in Outreach Ministries at Salem Alliance Church...your hero and mine... Mrs. Becca Mann!!!!!!!!!!!! Hail to the chief...da da da da da da da!!! The Mann's are celebrating BIG-TIME as Becca looks forward to her new, full-time, $100,000* role beginning May 29th. Working at Salem Alliance is like the biggest of all dreams come true for Becca and I think she is going to do an amazing job. Steve Fowler leads the outreach team and it's a pretty cool team to be on if you ask me. And I would like to clear up any confusion you might have surrounding Becca's new role. I often get asked, working at a church, "are you a priest?" No...and you might be thinking, does this make Becca a nun? Yes, yes it does. I am married to a nun, I better get my act together! *one of the three qualifiers are false, can you guess which one?

Prayer

I spoke at ethos, our college-age ministry last week on the spiritual discipline of prayer and came away with this thought... Jesus asked us to engage the world we couldn't see to change the world we could.

Thought for the day...

Sometimes the things we're most thankful for keep us from what we were truly made for. Have you ever experienced that?