Of The Christian Right & Tea Party Fear
My friend Paul Webster wrote the following as a guest post. Thank you Paul!
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Politico has a fascinating article about the Christian Right’s (C.R.) concerns about the tea party movement. In it, Ben Smith describes un-ease among some Republican stalwarts who speak for the C.R. because the tea partiers are stiff-arming traditional conservative social issues, namely the sanctity of life and the defense of marriage.
I liken it to the kid who wants to make all the rules of the game because it’s his ball only to have another kid produce a newer ball and, who by the way, doesn’t have to play right in front of the house where mom can check on everything. So the first kid keeps his ball and pouts as he watches all the other kids he used to boss around running off to the big field with the second kid.
Heart Song
Soaring
Everything was kind of muffled. Nasty head cold turned into both ears becoming infected. The anti-biotics are helping but all of the pollen in the air is making the process seem longer and a little bit confusing. Am I still sick? Or is it now just about having bad allergies?
Who really cares… it all feels bad.
Last Friday night I thought about going up to Starbucks and drawing for a little while but my ears … blech. I needed to go to the store instead. So I popped some DayQuil, pulled on a sweatshirt over my t-shirt, baseball cap, wore flip-flops and jeans … jumped in the car for .6 miles and headed in to the store.
I felt like a total middle aged bachelor on a Friday night. All I cared about was getting some kettle corn popcorn, diet 7-up and … whatever else was on my mental grocery list. Buying groceries and renting the movie Precious … those were my big Friday night plans.
I walked in the door and went to get a buggy and I noticed someone had left a two gallon jug of milk in one of them stacked several deep. Not only did someone forget that jug of milk, someone else had shoved more carts in line without even noticing. I dug the jug out and took it up to customer service.
2009 OUT! Come On In 2010 – Some Favorites
So, it’s a little late in the day to be posting this but … I am determined to get it done before Midnight! (it is a long post, most of it and a video after the jump.)
Favorite Movie – Avatar
Hands down. I know that most of my conservative brethren break out in hives over the movie as being liberal propaganda … all I know is , it was a great, simple, epic story with amazing artwork and technological advances. It is a historic moment in movie making history and liberal ideology infused or not … I know what I believe and I know I believe this was one of the best movies ever made.
Favorite Song – Pocketful of Sunshine
Pocketful of Sunshine is a song by Natasha Bedingfield. It was released in 2008 but it remained my consistent most played song on my iPhone. I love it. It is a great song and reminds me of my prayer journal time with the Lord. It helped inspire me to go back to handwriting my prayer journal. Also, Kim Hill did an amazing job singing this song at our Exodus conference last summer.
Christmas Joy
When I was a little kid Christmas was a huge deal. We would always go to Great Granny’s house in rural Tennessee. Back in the day you had to go down a several mile gravel road. On crisp cold winter days, you could hear someone coming from miles off. Her house was built by her father, my Great Great Grandfather.
Every year she would make me my very own chocolate pie. Everything was made from scratch and it was *good* down home southern cooking.
After visiting her one year, when my Mom was dating my step-father, he had set up trains, tv’s and alll kinds of presents that greeted us when we got home. I will never forget that brightly lit, lots of laughing Christmas as I turned on my new black and white tv to watch Saturday Night Live when I wasn’t supposed too.
Merry Christmas 2009! – The Spread
Christmas Feast 2009
My family finally accepted my invitation to come over for Christmas dinner and the above is it! 
and it was a hit!
In the shot: Non-edibles – Holiday Spice Candle, Waterford Crystal Christmas Tree, Lladro Statue “Bread of Life”
Edibles – Dinner Rolls, Honey Baked Ham, Brown Gravy, Pink stuff (that’s what I was raised to call it, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Corn, Deviled Eggs (kept them away from Lladro Jesus) ::: grin :::, Macaroni & Chees, Fried Okra.
Not pictured – Coke Cake, Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie and Homemade Vanilla (a brand) ice cream.
And my prayer “Thank ya’ Jesus, Happy Birthday … let’s eat!” My Mom’s prayer was a little more thoughtful . I have a more serious post to do but I am in that “too much food” daze and will have to get to it later.
Credits go to Cracker Barrel, Honey Baked Ham Store, Publix, my oven and my Mom .
But again, this day is about celebrating the Lord’s birth. And my step-father did something he has never done before today … Again, a more serious post to come … tomorrow or Sunday.
Avatar – Movie Review
Last night I went and saw the new movie by James Cameron titled “Avatar.” To say that I was incredibly, incredibly impressed would be a complete understatement.
My one word review is:
OHWOWSERSThatWasOneOfTheBestMoviesIHaveEverSeen!!!
Yes, all strung together and said with one breath.
And just an FYI, this post doesn’t have any spoilers ( I don’t think. )
When I got home last night at 2 in the morning, I was SO hyped up from the movie it was hard to go to sleep. I saw it in 3D on the new IMAX screens they are currently installing into theaters (much larger than normal, slightly concave but not the mega screens in traditional IMAX Theaters.)
YOU HAVE to see this movie in the theaters and preferably 3D or IMAX 3D (new or traditional.) You have too. Why? Because this is a historic moment in movie making history. The artwork, filmography, CGI … breathtaking. It helps that the story, while not overly complex, was good but even if it was bad… you will be enthralled with the world you are enveloped in.
Seriously gorgeous.
But the story is good. It’s a reverse of the old theme of aliens coming to Earth to destroy humanity in order to steal our resources. In Avatar … we are the aliens destroying the planet’s (Pandora) population to get to the natural resources. Of course it has some very similar controversial themes that are hot topics in our culture right now (more after the jump) but basically it’s about how some of our “aggressors” become part of the life and culture of the inhabitants of Pandora and help them defend their planet.
The story, again, is not overly complex but remember … neither was Star Wars until the upteenth movie. Even then it wasn’t complex it was just … a lot. The story of Avatar is epic, noble, brave.
It’s a great love, action, SciFi, Fantasy, Adventure and artistic story. It is destined to be one of the best, if not the most successful movies ever made.
Now… about those controversial bits …
Black Friday 2009 Cost me $5.88
Yummy
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4lPn43COcg&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b&border=1]
These the pictures from today. I went to Best Buy but didn’t take any pictures there. And I probably should have because it was CRAWLING with people. ALLL over the place. When I went in there was a HUGE mountain of $99 flat screen monitors. It was down to 7 when I left.
I totally wanted to buy one but my inner dialog went something like this, “WOW! What a GREAT DEAL! REALLY decent resolution even though I have NEVER heard of the manufacturer! But, Randy you have no reason to buy one … but I really wanna’ … no … I have ZERO need for one. But I could FIND a reason … no you can’t. YES I could … no … shut up and leave.”
I left.
Thanksgiving 2009
Today is the day we in the United States eat way to much to celebrate what we are thankful for. I am thankful for:
- Family: Goes without saying but must be said! I love you all so much and have the most beautiful, intelligent, creative and awesome nieces ever.
- Friends: Online – been online since ‘93 and have met some amazing people and have a real appreciation for the good that online communities can bring. You (blog readers) have seen me go through quite the travails of whether to keep blogging or not in 2009 and I appreciate you hanging in there with me.
- Friends Offline – When I came to Christ He eventually released my unabashed extroverted-ness . Now, I have the honor of enjoying friendships with folks all over North America. PLUS I have great new friends in England and Mexico that I met this year .
- Food: oh yeah … I like my food … a lot. Especially ice cream food.
- The Gym: maybe I like food a little too much? I actually like the gym a lot. Some cool folks go there and it isn’t a meat market. That plus a reasonable gym membership price, no waiting for machines and great spin class schedule. Ok… the spin class schedule is great even though I don’t ever go to it.
- Live in a *great* country and we will leave it at that for the day . Live in a great state. I love Florida. And I have great neighbors and a nice home that brings rest.
- I am grateful for my church family. Especially grateful that we are based in the grace of Christ’s atonement for us.
- Grateful for art and creativity. Still trying to learn how to paint with acrylics.
- Grateful for being able to read and write.
- Grateful for prayer, private worship and communion
- and of course grateful to God for His son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who dwells within.
- … and much more.
So, what are you grateful for?
Taking Our Place
At church one of my friends is a great single Mom to three great kids, one girl and two boys. I have watched them growing over the past few years and they are a delight. The oldest boy, we will call Kevin, loves to joke around, skinny, dark hair, freckles and does a dead on impersonation of Drew Barrymore’s cadence.
Funny kid.
Today, I looked over and while he had left his mother’s side quite a while ago to join the tweens/teens section on the front row to our left, it was very cool to see him today having fun among his friends. They were singing, talking and being a part of our church. They even looked like they wanted to be there and were having fun! The thought came to mind, “He’s taken his place,” and I felt very encouraged for him.
On another note, some sad news also happened. Our worship leader Abby, had to fly home last week because her grandfather passed away. In her place the guitar guy, we will call Blond Faux Hawk Dude, stepped up to fill in the gap as worship leader. In times past when he has led a song, he sounds like a cross between Third Day and Scott Stapp.
Excellent. I really like Third Day and Scott Stapp.
Please Pray For My Friend "Blessed" – I'm Here to Stay
I have gotten so much positive affirmation of my blogging on facebook, here and privately via facebook, twitter and email. I should totally delete and recreate my blog more often!
Wait … I kinda’ do.
But this one message really struck my heart, many touched my heart but this one … just kinda’ got to me. A friend on Facebook writes:
(Printed here with permission)
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