Random Ramblings (and Hello, Herbert!)

Here are just a few of the random things that are on my mind today:

Will (my 14 year old son) is a huge movie buff, and so am I.  Both of us have been waiting for months to see The Men Who Stare At Goats,which opens today.  We love George Clooney in quirky roles like the ones he played in O Brother Where Art Thou and Burn After Reading, and this looks to be even better.  Marilyn just loves George Clooney, period!  Any movie that makes fun of the incredibly odd things the military thinks are important can't be all bad.  Hopefully we will see it tomorrow.  "No Goats, No Glory!"

David (Herbert) Cannady left a message on the Blog Guestbook yesterday, which was extremely cool!  I think of David and his brothers and sister often.  Seeing David's message brings up two questions for me.  First, why did I call him Herbert?  And secondly, what other long lost friends are frequenting this blog?  In the past two days I have discovered that Steve Semmler, Lisa Ramos Moran and David are reading.  If you are out there, sign the Guestbook or leave a comment.  It is such a thrill to hear from everyone!

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers put their perfect record (0-7) on the line against the Green Bay Packers this Sunday, wearing their hideous creamsicle colored jerseys and the helmets featuring Bruce the Buccaneer (at right) whose manhood has often been questioned.  I guess they are hoping these throwback uniforms will help them remain perfect, just like they helped the original Bucs go 0-14.  The Bucs will be starting their fifth different quarterback in the last eleven games. They are 26 million dollars under the NFL salary cap.  The Steinbrenner family lives in Tampa; why don't they buy the Bucs? 

I realize I am a couple of years behind the times on this one, but if you haven't read it yet and like to have the way your mind pictures God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit challenged then you need to read The Shack by William P. Young.  It's a great story, an easy read, and it will break down some of things you think you know about the Trinity. If you have trouble thinking outside the box, if may also make you uncomfortable.  Not everyone can picture God as a black woman who loves to cook!  Enjoyable and thought provoking; not a combination you come across very often.  I got my copy from my local library, so no excuses!  Check it out.

I have been out of youth ministry for a while now, but can someone please explain to me why no churches seem to offer youth meetings on Sunday afternoons/evenings anymore?  Our current church and many others have gone to week nights.  This may work well for some families, but I know for us marching band and school pretty much fill up the week.  Our week night programs were always an issue with parents when I was doing youth ministry just as they are for my family right now.  We always offered both, because Sunday is still the one day there are no school activities.  I have been told that Sundays have been eliminated to allow for "family time."  The disintegration of the family unit makes that a moot point for many students.  A mom from a wonderful family once told me that the best thing I could do for their family (and she was actually talking about Mother's Day!) was to get the kids out of the house for a few hours on Sunday.  I just don't get it.  I also don't get offering events on a Friday night during football season.  You just eliminated the players, the cheerleaders, the band and the hardcore fans from your event.  I hate to say it, but I wonder how much of this change is for the convenience of the youth worker and not the youth...because I remember working 14 hour days on Sundays.  Things that make you go "hmmmmm..."

I'll shut up now.  I hope everyone has a great weekend, and remember that Sunday, Nov. 8th is the official International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.  Never heard of it?  It tends to get overlooked in the USAmerican church because we don't know squat about persecution(I guess I didn't shut up, huh?), but come back Sunday and read all about it! 

Because of Jesus,