Josh posted a great rant on daylight savings time that made me laugh. Here’s a clip:

They do it to us every year … every single, stupid year.

“Here’s an hour of free sleep” they say. “I mean, who doesn’t want free sleep? And we’re just GIVING it away!!! No strings attached!!!!”

The stupid lying liars.

And then one morning the following spring I wake up and curse the whole stupid system that I stupidly give into every winter because I’m too stupidly shortsighted to remember how bad it’s going to suck when I lose an hour come spring time.

It’s time for us to be done with Daylight Savings Time. I think we can all agree that having extra light in the evening — the system we’re now back on — is the best way to go, so let’s just leave it be and stop messing around with stuff.

JG

This is going to be amazing …

JG

Thought I should post the link to Simply Access – I know we’ve talked a lot about it on the Simply Youth Ministry Podcast and at the Group Conference. If you’re looking for everything you need for a youth ministry for one year in a single bundle, the $299 subscription might be right for you!

JG

This is amazing. Follow the link for more …

JG

Do you ever pay attention to the little nuances in a conversation?

Maybe it is just a moment of tenderness or the obvious temporary lack of a full-press emotional guard. Maybe it is a slip of the tongue – a word or phrase that person would normally not be so bold or stupid enough to say. Maybe it is on the edge of their tongue but they are afraid to “dump it all” on you. Maybe you it is a non-verbal, just a moment’s hesitation, a sentence that trails off, a nervous glance away or a quick subject change as the topics starts to hit too close to home.

Act on it. Go there.

Sure it will keep you from your tasks. Sure your “to do” list will only grow while you take time for that someone in need, and yes, you might miss out on a little sermon prep time. I just wonder if maybe the tangent in your small group should be your focus tonight, not the prepared lesson.

I’m not sure of the right answer or exactly the balance lies in all of this, but I wonder if we miss out on significant spiritual and life-changing conversations when we see a nuance of a conversation but choose to rush right past it. Look for a nuance today in your ministry. I bet someone’s dying to talk to you … to really talk to you.

JG

Tonight we had missions meeting where small groups could come in for a teaching time about our personal responsibility to the world. We used Get Uncomfortable as a basis for some of the teaching, I taught a section about God’s heart for the sick, lost and needy all around us every day. We took notes on a red sheet of paper that included some basic attributes of God – love, justice, compassion and so on. The we created a simple takeaway from that, using a transparency of our hearts over God’s, to show them as one and the same.

JG

Here’s my predictions for American Idol based solely on who I like … listed from who is going home tonight to the winner!

12. Chikezie
11. Amanda Overmyer
10. David Hernandez
9. Kristie Lee Cook
8. Carly Smithson
7. Michael Johns
6. Syesha Mercado
5. Ramiele Malubay
4. David Cook
3. Brooke White
2. David Archuleta
1. Jason Castro (winner)

But, here’s my predictions based on how it will all go down:

12. Chikezie
11. Amanda Overmyer
10. David Hernandez
9. Kristie Lee Cook
8. Ramiele Malubay
7. David Cook
6. Syesha Mercado
5. Jason Castro
4. Carly Smithson
3. Michael Johns
2. Brooke White
1. David Archuleta (winner)

Who’s gonna win? Comment me who you think will end up #1.

JG