Art imitates

A few months ago I met a guy who was helping out Overflow church with some video monitors. It's a long story but he was a very smart person in his field of electronics, video and military knowledge.
He worked with a technology that is incredible. Right now there are two planes flying over Baghdad filming almost all of the city. Digitally recording all motion that goes on. They record three tera-bytes every eight hours. This has affected the hard drive market they use up so much memory. These high definition cameras are mounted in aircraft using some kind of gyroscopic mounting system.
When a roadside bomb event happens they can go back in time and record the vehicle coming and leaving. They then can make a pinpoint strike against the insurgents at the home where the vehicle went. Pretty cool technology don't you think? When he was telling me this I thought of a movie I had seen. He told me the story of how this technology was born.
A couple of scientist were watching the movie with Will Smith "Enemy of the State" One looked over to the other and asked can we do this? Then out come the napkins and they came up with the technology.
He then told me something that he was very passionate about. He said "Art imitates life" That is why I don't let my kids play video games. I don't let them watch television or movies with violence or sex in them. Our world has become sick because of this. Life has become devalued and kids act out what they see or play.

I couldn't help but think of my new friend when I watched a movie this weekend with Michael on his X-Box. It was a movie called "Condemed". It starred Stone Cold Steve Austin. The whole story line was about a guy who created a reality show that was only shown on the internet for a fee of fifty dollars. The competition he came up with was ten condemed convicts were set loose on an undisclosed island. They had thirty hours to kill the other convicts before their tethered exposive on their ankle blew up. If they were the last man standing they would be set free.
They had cameras all over the island and they recorded all the brutal ways they killed each other off. Oh and by the way two of the convicts were women so you know there was rape involved in the mix. As the killings happened more and more people were logging on to the internet and watching, this was making the guy a bunch of money.
Now I see a new movie coming out about this guy who kills people on line. The more people that log on, the faster the person is killed. I think it was called Helpmekillthem.com. The FBI tells people to stay away from the site or they will be accessories to the killings. But this attempt backfires and people curious start logging on.
I must admit sadly that these movies were and sound entertaining but I can't help thinking about the ramifications. What if there are some weird hackers out there that want to make a buck and figure out how to do some of this stuff in real life?
I'll have to go back and talk to my friend and get his take on all this.
The movie looks pretty good will I go see it? Not sure...but I'm sure curious!
God Bless,
Randy

Christmas is over

Well Christmas is over and all is getting back to normal. We had all the kids home again this year. Brandon brought his girlfriend Katie and Mike brought his new dog Maggie. (our grandpuppy!)
Our house felt so small when everyone was home. We are not sure what it will look like next year in a new home. We are having fun dreaming about where and what kind of home we want to get.
On Christmas Eve we were at my folks house and they got the call that my grandma was getting worse and that she should have family around her for her last hours. My folks left and we continued with Christmas. Boy was that weird! We had to continue because there was no way to get evryone together again. Deb and I visited after the party. My Grandma lasted until today (Friday 28th.) She was ready to see Jesus and it was a blessing for her to pass.
We had some really fun times too. Brandon brought home the X-Box games. He has the rock band equipment and a movie scene game. Brandon, Mike and I formed a rock band and started touring Boston playing Rock and Roll and gathering fans and money as we got better. We spent most of the day Monday playing music while the girls went and got their nails done. We went bowling later that night and watched the girls be careful not to break their nails! We also got all the Nieces and Nephews on Debs side together and played rock band and laughed at our corny abilities to play and sing rock and roll.
Stephanie brought Deb to tears with the present of the year. She went through all the old pictures of the family and put them in a scrapbook. She said it was so we could remember our old house when we move away.
We are looking foward to New Years Eve. We are getting together with some old friends from Allendale Wesleyan. We don't see them much anymore. It's to bad we can't get together more.

Mary did you know?

I recieved the December City Life newsletter today. One of the stories Pastor Christy shared was about Mary. If you remember Mary is a local prostitute who has become friends with a few City Lifers. She is the one I talked about in my previous post. See "I witnessed it".
Mary has struggled with a drug addiction for the last 25yrs. Christy has invited her to come have refreshments on Sundays. She comes in during church sometimes and grabs some food and drink.
I found out last week at church that Mary has landed in jail on a drug charge. Her new friend Hermy (lady who bought her food) said she wrote to her and supplied her with a return envelope and she wrote back. Christy writes in her newsletter that she visited Mary this week and she was so excited to see her. Mary has started going to church and Bible study in jail.
Mary did you know that people in Gods Kingdom care about you? Mary did you know that you have inspired people like me to continue fighting to bring Gods Kingdom here on earth.
Mary did you know that the people reading this blog may be inspired by your story.
God Bless the Marys' one and all!

Mixed Emotions

Well it's been quite a weekend. Saturday night I had three things I was supposed to attend. Of course we all know the world would be better if there were three of me! ha ha. My work party, a vision chat party for Overflow www.overflowchurch.org , and to top it off Saturday afternoon my dad calls me and tells me that my 92yr. old grandmother fell at the nursing home and is not expected to live. She had contracted pnuemonia and was going down hill quickly.
I had already decided not to attend my Christmas party. Deb was shopping in Detroit with some girlfriends from work. I was really excited to attend the vision party. To be a part of this exciting adventure is truly a humbling honor. I can't wait to see what God can do through us in Benton Harbor. I did not plan on visiting the hospital.
This may sound cruel but let me explain. I have never had much of a relationship with my grandparents. They have always lived a couple of hours away. We would see them only a couple of times a year.
I was on my way to Benton Harbor when this feeling of guilt came over me. My parents were traveling back from visiting my brother in South Carolina. They asked my brother to help them get back home. Here I was only 25miles away and I haven't even made an appearance. At that point I knew I had to turn around and go to the hospital. I didn't want to, I hate hospitals.
I called my mother and she was at the hospital crying on the phone as she talked to me. I knew it was the right thing to do.
Throughout the weekend I saw family members I hadn't seen in many years. My Grandmother is now still hanging in there which promotes another mixed emotion. She would like to go see Jesus and I feel it would be a blessing for all of us. Her quality of life will suck if she pulls through. Suddenly giving a call to Jack Kivorkian doesn't seem so cruel.
I really missed not being in Benton Harbor but I know I did right by being there for my family.
Blessings,
Randy

Heros

I'm sitting in the living room watching a very insprirational show called CNN Heros. CNN has chosen heros from all walks of life. I am watching missionaries, doctors, everyday citizens doing extrordinary acts of kindness. People who are feeding the hungry, taking care of the sick, educating the poor etc.
At one point in tonights program Sheryl Crow came on stage and sang a song. I wasn't listening to closely because I was helping Deb put up the Christmas tree. I did catch one phrase that she belted out that got my mind working overtime. She sang "if there is a God where is he".
I immediatly had a thought that I thought I would share. She MISSED THE POINT! God was there! He was there with the missionary feeding and teaching the kids. The nun taking care of the women and their children that were the product of rape. The doctor who is taking care of villages in Kenya. The lawyer who is trying to save the natural beauty of the Amazon by constantly petitioning the courts against the oil companies.
We are called to be Christ like. We are to be representatives of God. It is my hope that we can start becoming heros to those who we meet and to those we puposefully reach out to. Then they might be able to say that they have experinced God through us.
I have been inspired by tonights Heros. I think this is what Jesus was talking about when he said he came so we might live life to the full.
Blessings,
Randy

Carson City Christian

I had to go on an emergency service call in Carson City Michigan this evening. Carson is about 1.5 hrs away. I was supposed to be at a meeting with Deb by 7:00pm. I got called away at 3:30pm and figured I would miss the meeting.
As I was grumbling in my van my mom called and asked how I was doing. Of course I let her know how angry I was that I got called away. She just softly mentioned I wonder what God has got for you. I realized that I should have a better attitude. As I got to the prison where the generator was I met a guy named Dave who had been working in the generator. He asked me for the part I had brought and we installed it. The generator fired up and worked fine.
As we started talking we found out each of us were christian guys using our talents for God. Dave was mentoring inmates that were helping him with electrical jobs around the complex. I mentioned that I shot photography and he became very excited. He has a daughter who is getting married and needs a photographer.
Lomg story short....Job done....Made it home @ 6:55pm.....feeling humbled again!
Randy

Great Scott

Today I sat and took orders again for Angel food ministry. My new friend Mark and his friend Scott were supposed to join me. Mark had to work but sent Scott to help me anyways. Iv'e seen Scott at church a couple of times but never talked to him. I thought from the way he dressedd and acted that he was one of the staff at Salvation Army.

It turns out he is a recovering crack addict in the program at Salvation Army. We sat and took orders and he shared his story with me.

Scott has expierienced the mountain top of financial success. He ran a thriving business of concessions on the NASCAR curcuit. His business was the $6.00 lemonaid stands that you see. He followed the curcuit around and would make 150k a weekend. As long as it didn't rain. He has a 1/2 million dollar home with a wife and two children. He made alot and spent alot. He gambled and partied and finally lost his marriage. His wife left him and he crashed and burned into the drug scene.
Scott finally hit rock bottom and landed homeless in Grand Rapids. He is now 5months into his recovery and has given his life over to God. He was really excited because he was going to sing on praise team tomorrow. Scott is taking things one day at a time.
The sad thing is I've been told that after five years only 5% of addicts stay clean. I sure hope my new friend is one of those. I can only pray to a big God.
I'm sure pastor Adam and Christy have expierienced this crisis all to many times. These guys are big heroes of mine. They continue to press on in spite of the relaspse rates.
Some of the things that happen in suburban churches seem so petty now compared to this. I have to watch myself because I can feel myself becoming really cynical towards them. They have tons of resource and they throw it towards programs that do little to affect their community. Okay I'll stop before I offend the people that read this.
I don't know if I will ever feel comfortable or right attending a church like I used to. It all seems so unaffective and unchangeable.
That's probably why I apprecite the Overflow vision.

1. Connect
2. Grow
3. Serve

We connect with people, help them grow, and join in serving so we can connect with more. the circle just keeps going around. Even our small groups will be servant based. Along with discipleship we will be serving.

I started this blog last Saturday. The cable went down and I haven't had time to finish.

Randy