Fix N Mix

New inventions are all around us. The new show American Inventor is not that great really. They need to take a lesson from Wendy's. That's right my friends, I said Wendy's. Recently Wendy's did something to improve their already amazing dessert treat, the Frosty. Now, you can get a Frosty with a bag of Oreo's or M & M's or even Butterfinger. And for just $1.29 you can mix your favorite candy in with an already wonderful chocolate treat.

Koodos to you Wendy's. May we all aspire to your greatness.

Who is poor?

Poor - 1. having little or no means of support; needy. 2. Indicating or characterized by poverty. 3. Lacking in some quality 4. Scanty; inadequate: as, poor crops. 5. barren; sterile: as poor soil. 6. Lacking nourishment; feeble. 7. Lacking excellence; inferior. 8. mean-spirited; contemptible. 9. Lacking pleasure, comfort, etc. : as we had a poor time 10. Worthy of pity; unfortunate

I have been reading a lot lately about the poor. Bono had some good words to share at the national prayer breakfast. My good friend gets to see the poor quite regularly. I am constantly confronted with images of devastation. We are gearing up for another 30 Hour Famine. But as I listen, as I look, and as I read, I keep coming back to this question:

Who is poor?

It's amazing how many different ways there are in the dictionary to define or use the word poor.
Usually, we think of #1. But I want to talk a little bit about #10.

You see, I understand how spoiled I am now living in my quiet, safe neighborhood. I know that I have far more than most people. I know I am selfish, living beyond what I would ever really truly need. I give but know I can give more. I know these things because I used to live a different way. I was not white trash. Yet, I was a poor white country boy. In a family of seven, we had needs and never seemed to have surplus. I remember the X-mas we would not have had if someone would not have showed up at our door with Hefty sacks full of toys. Yeah, we don't need X-mas. But, I think you get the picture that we didn't have a lot.

In those time of being without, I think they were some of my best years. Because in those years, I had love. I had the support of a family. I had no stress. (I still have some of these things). We may have been borderline #1, but we were definitely far from #10.

Who is poor?

The family that has a six figure income but never sits down to eat a meal together.
The daughter who gets anything she ever asks for but never hears her father say, "I love you."
The son who recieves praise for being such an outstanding athlete, but never for just being a son.

On a trip to Mexico, I learned a few things from the Mexican people. They didn't have much. But they were proud people.

Who is poor?

My heart breaks for the "rich" who are surrounded by emptiness.
My heart breaks for the "poor" who would like to have their empty belly full.

I know John 3:16 is so cliche that we seldom study it. But I hope you remember that Jesus came to die for the world. He came for the "rich" and the "poor".

So, let's not forget the poor (#1) or the poor (#10). Because the word's of Jesus ring true. They are striking words from Mark 14:7 - "The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me." He said these words after being annointed by expensive perfume. Perfume that could have fed many hungry and clothed many naked. Jesus' point, I think, was we need to honor him. He said that the woman "did what she could."

That calls me to do what I can. Sometimes I feel like the little drummer boy. "I am a poor boy too... I have no gift to bring... that's fit to give a king. Shall I play for Him? I played my drum for him... I played my best for Him... Then He smiled at me."

Please forgive me if I don't help the poor (#1) like I should or can. I am trying and getting better. I really do care and am taking action to do more. I pray; I offer what I can. But, I feel God has called me to help the poor (#10) for this season of my life. That means I have more luxuries (a.k.a a roof over my head) . Because of the country I live in and the family I was born into I have the responsibility to shine the light on Christ and honor him with the people who may be "rich".

Who is poor?

Anyone I encounter who does not know The Life.

My Faves

For 2006, my most common blog will be about my favorite things. Categories will vary. But, I think by having a theme I will be more likely to blog more. Also, if you see some things that you like you can resonate with me and even share some of your faves so I can check it out too. If you see things you don't like, then you can say so as well :)

Favorite Things about 2005:
1. Sydni Mae Wilson (how could she not be #1?)
2. My wife's toughness - any woman who goes through that much is way tougher than me.

Favorite X-mas Gifts:
1. TiVo
2. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
3. Nerf Crossbow

Fave Books for 2005:
1. Seven Practices of Effective Ministry - Stanley
2. Radical Reformission - Driscoll

Fave Song 2005:
Don't Funk with my Heart - Black Eyed Peas

Fave Album:
Monkey Business - Black Eyed Peas

Fave New Group:
Mae

Fave Old Group Newly Discovered by Me:
ColdPlay - I'm a loser for taking so long - these guys are incredible

Fave Movie:
Narnia

Biggest Surprises of 2005:
Brad and Jennifer, Jessica and Nick - I thought they would be together forever :)

Fave Restaurant:
Buffalo Wild Wings (Does anyone have a half million I can have to bring one to Q-town?)

Fave Food:
Lobster Lasagna from Macaroni Grill

Fave Drink:
Chocolate Milk (always will be)

Fave Dessert:
Chocolate Tall Cake - Ruby Tuesday

Fave word that I over-use:
swell


Alright, that's all I got for now.
I hope your year was swell.
Have a Happy 2006.
Matt <><

Paste

I love Relevant Magazine. Inside a recent edition they wrote about the magazine "Paste". Imagine that, a magazine promoting another magazine. I thought that it looked pretty cool and I would keep my eye out to check it out sometime.

So, I am in my local County Market (that's right, go Nieman foods!) when I see Paste on their shelf. I pick it up because although it costs $8 it has a free sampler CD and sampler DVD inside. I honestly did not read much of the magazine which includes mostly reviews on music, films and books. I did however take advantage of the free CD sampler and DVD sampler. It is worth the cost of the mag alone. Their latest edition has Fiona Apple on it. The one before has Death Cab for Cutie.

Paste's theme is basically to bring to light music and film that is not necessarily popular but maybe just under the radar. They don't get wrapped up in fads and go more for substance. It is good stuff. You might know them from CNN where they do weekly Paste picks at 1:54 PM. They cover some new music and film. You can check out the mag at http://www.pastemagazine.com/.

Today, I discovered the music video by Tracy Chapman called "Change". The song is incredible. HBO is using it for their spots this winter. I don't get HBO, but I can understand why they like this song so much. The lyrics to Chapman's song is so good and the video is basically her just strumming. It is very cool. The lyrics are so thought provoking. I would like to know what you think she is singing about. You can read her lyrics here:

If you knew that you would die today,Saw the face of god and love,Would you change?Would you change?
If you knew that love can break your heartWhen you're down so low you cannot fall Would you change?Would you change?
How bad, how good does it need to get?How many losses? How much regret?What chain reaction would cause an effect?Makes you turn around,Makes you try to explain,Makes you forgive and forget,Makes you changeMakes you change
If you knew that you would be alone,Knowing right, being wrong,Would you change?Would you change?
If you knew that you would find a truthThat brings up pain that can't be soothedWould you change?Would you change?
How bad, how good does it need to get?How many losses? How much regret?What chain reaction would cause an effect?Makes you turn around,Makes you try to explain,Makes you forgive and forget,Makes you change Makes you change
Are you so upright you can't be bent? If it comes to blows are you so sure you won't be crawling?If not for the good, why risk falling?Why risk falling?
If everything you think you know,Makes your life unbearable,Would you change?Would you change?
If you'd broken every rule and vow,And hard times come to bring you down,Would you change?Would you change?
If you knew that you would die today,If you saw the face of God and love,Would you change?Would you change?Would you change?Would you change?
If you saw the face of God and loveIf you saw the face of God and loveWould you change?Would you change?

You can hear a sample of the song at http://www.atlanticrecords.com/tracychapman.
This song alone makes me want to buy the CD. Let me know what you think of the song.
I know this post has nothing to do with Christmas. Except for the fact that if you are looking for something for the music lover in your family, I would check into Paste. Obviously, it would be something more for adults than kids. And by the way, if you still have not purchased me a gift, I don't yet have a subscription to Paste : )

Paste

I love Relevant Magazine. Inside a recent edition they wrote about the magazine "Paste". Imagine that, a magazine promoting another magazine. I thought that it looked pretty cool and I would keep my eye out to check it out sometime.

So, I am in my local County Market (that's right, go Nieman foods!) when I see Paste on their shelf. I pick it up because although it costs $8 it has a free sampler CD and sampler DVD inside. I honestly did not read much of the magazine which includes mostly reviews on music, films and books. I did however take advantage of the free CD sampler and DVD sampler. It is worth the cost of the mag alone. Their latest edition has Fiona Apple on it. The one before has Death Cab for Cutie.

Paste's theme is basically to bring to light music and film that is not necessarily popular but maybe just under the radar. They don't get wrapped up in fads and go more for substance. It is good stuff. You might know them from CNN where they do weekly Paste picks at 1:54 PM. They cover some new music and film. You can check out the mag at http://www.pastemagazine.com/.

Today, I discovered the music video by Tracy Chapman called "Change". The song is incredible. HBO is using it for their spots this winter. I don't get HBO, but I can understand why they like this song so much. The lyrics to Chapman's song is so good and the video is basically her just strumming. It is very cool. The lyrics are so thought provoking. I would like to know what you think she is singing about. You can read her lyrics here:

If you knew that you would die today,Saw the face of god and love,Would you change?Would you change?
If you knew that love can break your heartWhen you're down so low you cannot fall Would you change?Would you change?
How bad, how good does it need to get?How many losses? How much regret?What chain reaction would cause an effect?Makes you turn around,Makes you try to explain,Makes you forgive and forget,Makes you changeMakes you change
If you knew that you would be alone,Knowing right, being wrong,Would you change?Would you change?
If you knew that you would find a truthThat brings up pain that can't be soothedWould you change?Would you change?
How bad, how good does it need to get?How many losses? How much regret?What chain reaction would cause an effect?Makes you turn around,Makes you try to explain,Makes you forgive and forget,Makes you change Makes you change
Are you so upright you can't be bent? If it comes to blows are you so sure you won't be crawling?If not for the good, why risk falling?Why risk falling?
If everything you think you know,Makes your life unbearable,Would you change?Would you change?
If you'd broken every rule and vow,And hard times come to bring you down,Would you change?Would you change?
If you knew that you would die today,If you saw the face of God and love,Would you change?Would you change?Would you change?Would you change?
If you saw the face of God and loveIf you saw the face of God and loveWould you change?Would you change?

You can hear a sample of the song at http://www.atlanticrecords.com/tracychapman.
This song alone makes me want to buy the CD. Let me know what you think of the song.
I know this post has nothing to do with Christmas. Except for the fact that if you are looking for something for the music lover in your family, I would check into Paste. Obviously, it would be something more for adults than kids. And by the way, if you still have not purchased me a gift, I don't yet have a subscription to Paste : )

Sydni Mae

In the swarm of things, I have not had a chance to post. If you have not yet heard, my daughter is here. She came on November 19th, at 8:30 AM. She weighed 7 lbs and 14 oz. She was 21 inches long and had a full head of hair. She is the cutest baby I've ever laid eyes on. My wife and I are truly blessed in having her. The experience was so amazing! It truly is a miracle and words can't really describe it. If you have a child, you know what I mean. And now, I finally know what so many of you have tried to express.

Thank you for your prayers. Mom and baby are completely healthy. Sydni is growing already. I rush home to see her every chance I get. She has found this way of cuddling with me that is the best. I can hold her two feet and little butt in one hand and then she tucks her head und my chin and curls up. She even takes her little hands and grabs at my chest. It is the best thing I have ever experienced. And I get to experience it every night!

I would love for you to meet her. Things are pretty calm around the house and it will be a couple weeks before we go out. But, I can't wait to introduce you to my baby.

Strong & Never Wrong

I know that I often try to appear as strong and never wrong. Now, there is no way I can hide how I am weak and have no clue.

I am 5 days away from being a father (if we hit the due date exact). In these past few weeks, my life has changed so much. I feel emotions that I have never felt before. I find myself praying more than ever and praying for the strangest things. Recently, I have been praying for gentleness and kindness. I know that they are fruit of the Spirit and I should always be praying for them. But somehow, in my monkey brain, I figured I had those two mastered. After all, those are the two we talked about the most while I was in elementary Sunday school class. But boy, do I need those two (okay and the rest too).

I guess what I am saying is that God is softening this heart. I know I take great risk of sounding like a weakling when I say that. I fear that if Pee Wee Herman read this he would be encouraged in the strength of his manhood. Yet, I don't really care to share because it is a place I love to be.

I have not even met this girl yet and I am madly in love with her. I would somehow try to find a way to make the north and the south pole meet if she wanted it. In these moments, I am more in love with my wife than I ever have been. It just grows more each day. I have become chief cook at my house and I abso-freakin'-lutely love it (I made a killer chocolate midnight cake last night). I think I have fixed every thing that needs fixed in our home. I hear that women start to nest, well, I think I have done more of that than Nik. But I have to be ready...

Wow, I thought becoming a father was going to be cool, but I didn't even know the half of it. I am reading a really great book now called, "Becoming a Dad" by Stephen James and David Thomas. It's a Relevant Book (I love Relevant!!! It's the best thing since Cool Whip!). This book has been perfect for me; very pertinent. In the book they talk about how becoming a father starts to clue you in on what it is like for God to be a Father to us. I had never really given that much thought before. I had always seen it from a child's viewpoint. I think this whole experience is more than just a normal thing that happens to lots of married couples. It definitely is an experience that helps me get a peek at the Creator. It shows me more of his nature than I ever have seen.

I say all the above and realize that I am at the edge of what is yet to come. I know there are tears, fears, frustrations, poop, sleepless nights, wailing (both by my child and me), more poop, puke, fevers, (did I mention poop yet), bruises, etc. I know I won't have every answer. I know I won't always be strong. That is why this whole process shows me that it is my Father that I have to rely on. That is the true beauty of what is to come.

Missing: Two Glow Sticks

Last night I answered the doorbell about 5-6 times before heading to a Halloween party. When we left we thought we would stick a couple glow sticks to the side of our Halloween bag and leave it on the porch. This would be a convenient way for kids to have some candy even though we weren't there to divy it out.

What I found out was it was a good way for one kid to have a whole stinkin' bag full of candy and a couple cool glow sticks to boot. I hope he enjoyed them (I say he because no sweet girl would ever conceive such a plot). The next time I see a kid with two glow sticks and no teeth you can bet that I will have some questions for him.

It was a great night of Halloween though. Most fun I have had on that "holiday" in quite a while. (I do remember having a sweet Mr. T mask in grade school. I also remember being Man-At-Arms from Hee-Man; good times) I know it is supposedly of the devil, but what a better time to teach people to be innocent of evil (Rom. 16:19). My new Werewolf mask was so much fun at our spook walk and then again last night. It would make my dad proud. My dad, by the way, used to put on this tremendously scary devil mask and chase us boys under the bed. He was so scary. I would get as far under the bed as I could and he would reach his hand down and grab at my feet. I literally thought my dad dissappered and Satan had come for a visit. It was horrible.