Shirts with Fake Undershirts, Home of Confession, Real People and What Your Math Teacher Said

So there's these shirts that you can buy that makes it look like you are wearing an undershirt on, but in reality you are just wearing one shirt... you've probably seen them.  I refuse to buy them.  I prefer to be real when it comes to my shirts.  If looks like I am wearing an undershirt, I really am.  You can trust me, internet!

Now, let's be real.  We all screw up.  We are trying to improve, trying to be better people even though we will not measure up to the holiest of standards.  Rather than striving to raise our children in homes of perfection, we want to raise them in a home of confession.  Let's be real... is there an undershirt or isn't there?  Not sure if that entirely works.  I'm not gonna think about it too hard.

I recently listened to an episode of one of my favorite podcasts, "Don't feed the trolls" about the guy that played as Biff in back to the future and how people seem to always see him as that one character he played (Here's the link to the episode: https://soundcloud.com/trollspodcast/the-pop-fugue).  He wants to be percieved as more than this two-dimensional character he played in the movie.

They then began talking about how we generally do this... we view people as two dimensional, rather than three dimensional.  In reality, so many things we observe are this way.  So often, we look at situations, we look at people, we look at situations and make conclusions based on very little data.  We need to think critically, to consider the nuance in life rather than making assumptions.  When we reach a conclusion, we should be able to go back to determine where we gathered the info.  As Susan Etlinger says "it's like the Math teacher says, 'show your work'".

Them glasses tho... is that Harry Potter's mom?

Anyways... I really believe we should be on  the forefront of this as Christians.  We need to take the time to see things clearly... to take the plank out of our eye first and foremost, then sort out the information.

Speaking the Truth In Love, Glow in the Dark Yogurt Tubes, Songwriting, Fighting Anxiety, and Cat Videos

Speaking the truth in love.  What exactly does that mean?

I think it's a pretty natural thing to do in a functional relationship.  It's like, "hey, you were a bit out of line when you said that."  There are ways where there is relationship at gauging things as you say them to ensure it is landing well... to ensure it is safe to say what your saying, get feedback and clarify further if necessary.

However, when we are talking publicly about a situation where the issue is purely theoretical from our perspective, like touchy political issues such as immigration, homosexuality, transgenderism, or socialism there is no relationship for us to work with.  It can very quickly become and us vs. them issue.

I typically avoid making broad statements on these issues for this reason.  Without relationship, so many of these issues are purely theoretical, so what is the point in forming a strong opinion and trying to get people on your side?

One thing I don't have strong opinion on is glow in the dark yogurt tubes.  I mean... I'm not for them, but I'm not against them.  I'm just wondering, what up wit dat?  Are kids eating these in the dark?  Who eats yogurt in the dark?  Now there's a song idea...

This week, Jeff and I should be attempting to write music together for the second time.  Our first session was very ADD... not so much mastermind, but we think we're gonna sound a bit like Cake:

I'm intrigued to see how this ADD Mastermindness sounds musically.  I would like to write music with unexpected twists that is as funny as it is deep.  Is that too much to ask?  We will keep you informed on the progress we make.

It's crazy to add another thing to our list of things to do... but this just has to be done.  Some people just live to create.  It tends to help the stress level somehow, magically.

Man, though.  We are living in uncertain times.  I feel like I'm in a perfect storm right now where everything is unsure.  I heard something cool on the Focus on the Family podcast that changed my thinking.  This lady was saying that when her children are anxious, she uses this verse as guidance for them:

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Phillipians 4:8


I'd never thought of this verse as the antidote for anxiety, but wow! If we are able to this about the truth and stop believing lies, that diffuses so many things to begin with. In focusing on what is pure, we are looking toward the positive part of our situation and going into the realm of what is admirable should have us focussed on the great things that God is doing amongst us.
Very cool. It is my prayer that these things are revealed to us and in doing so, the Lord will lift us out of our despair and bring us into His glorious light. What an amazing God we serve! He brings resurrection to the direst of circumstances.


So... cat videos. How's this?

Andy Stanley, Silly Supervillains, The End of Average and Privilege Vs. Work Ethic

I finally listened to Andy Stanley a couple of days ago for the first time. It was one of those things where I heard the guy was a bit controversial and I just had to check him out for myself. The message on his podcast, "Your Move" entitled "Brand:New" had a statement that has really gotten me thinking: 

"Do other peoples' failures make you feel superior, or so they bring out compassion?"   

Man... I'd like to say it always brings out compassion, but there are times where my motives are just not right.  I use other peoples' failures to feel better about myself.  I like to point out how judgmental people are, or how selfish they are and it makes me feel better if I can think I'm not like them.  

I kind of feel this is why people like watching Dr. Phil... or any reality TV show, really.  It's like, "look at this idiot!  So glad I'm not like him."

We do the same thing in social media as well, drawing attention to people whom we feel superior to: people who do stupid things, celebrities in trouble, politicians... and we forget any of these people are real people.

I don't know if it's for the same reason, but I really like silly villains.  I doubt it's because it makes me feel better about myself... maybe it's just because they make evil a bit less scary. Maybe I just shouldn't overanalyze it and just enjoy silly supervillains.  So, here's five of my faves (in no particular order):

1.  Heinz Doofenshmirtz - Phineas & Ferb

2.  Doctor Evil - Austin Powers

3.  Siegfried - Get Smart

4.  Mugatu - Zoolander

5. Gallaxhar - Monsters Vs. Aliens

Man... all these fellas crack me up.  My favorite thing I've seen with Heinz Doofenshmirtz was when he put self-destruct buttons on the bottom of robot's feet, then commanded them to march and they all blew up... so epic!  Wish I could've found that clip.  It's from Phineas & Ferb Across the Second Dimension Movie... it's on Youtube at this link, if you really want to rent it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrXbcMGfpfQ.  

I saw the funniest thing on Facebook yesterday.  A good friend of ours... which I'll keep unnamed gave a quote, but he was unsure who actually made the quote.  So, he stated who he thought it was and put "I think" in brackets after that.  Just thought that was genius and I'm going to do that next time I'm unsure.  Hilarious, Rob... hilarious!

I heard a really cool interview with a guy named Todd Rose on the Charles Adler podcast and he was talking about his book "End of Average".  He was explaining how industrialization forced us into a system based on everyone being average and how we are always compared to the average, how percentiles are based on being either below average or above average.  Funny... we are just used to that system when it comes to education and  and how businesses are structured.  But, he says, with the advancement of technology we can basically find something we are good at and chances are, there is a potential career for us in that field.  Anyways, sounds like a great book.  I'm adding it to a long list of books I've got to read.  Here's the Kindle link: https://kindle.amazon.com/work/the-end-average-succeed-sameness/B00R1TLOK8/0062358367

Another book I really want to get to reading is Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.  What's interesting about this book is that it shows what conditions people were placed in that allowed them to be massively successful.  There is typically a series of tremendously fortuitous events that lead people such as Bill Gates or even the Beatles to massive opportunities, which along with hard work create these phenomenal success stories.  

I think this is something we forget about ourselves.  We have been given a leg up on a lot of people less fortunate than us.  We assume they are not as successful as us because they did not work as hard.  I think about this often.  I am tremendously blessed to have been born into a middle class family in a free country and am so blessed to have been given an excellent education which opened the doors to this career I now hold.  I have worked very hard for all I have, but I do have to recognize that a lot of this could have been different had I been born into an abusive family, a third world country and dropped out of high school due to my inability to focus.  How can I judge that person that did not get the leg up that I have?  

I just want my children to have every advantage I can give them, but to keep them aware that there are other people who live with so much less and that we should be using our privilege to give those other people a leg up:

4 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ - Matthew 25 (I think) <-- haha

Anyways... been fun spilling my random thoughts on this blog.  Please let me know your thoughts with comments below.  Any silly villains you guys really like?  Any clips of hilarious supervillains?  Hook me up in the comments section.  Maybe we can get some banter going.