As if reading my blog

It was an amazing thing yesterday. I posted that I didn't have a remote here in my room, and within minutes the maintenance guy was knocking at my door with a remote for me. It was very uncanny. It was as if they were reading my blog and realized that I needed a remote!

No Remote

I'm in a Hotel in North Arlington, and I just kicked back on my couch to catch up on local sports and news (D/FW is home for me), when I realized there is NO REMOTE for the TV! Now, when the commercial's volume is turned up, I have to get up and walk over there...not to mention changing channels! How ever can I relax having to stand up every 30 seconds? And surfing...don't get me started on trying to find a good channel...UGH!

Make it so.

This week has been HECTIC! I actually had to turn my phone off yesterday at 5 p.m. because I hadn't had a break from people in a while. SOOOO, if you called or texted me yesterday, sorry! Sometimes I just need a break. Ever feel that way? So today, after our LIFE Group (which met at 10 for our study on the early church), I am going to practice Sabbath. I heard one pastor call the day of rest "cocooning." It's not a day to cease from work, but rather a day to focus. By God's own example, He doesn't cease from work on the Sabbath day. If God quit working, we would cease to exist! The Sabbath is a day to make sure your heart beats with God's heart. Jesus reminded the Pharisees that the Sabbath was made for man, and not the other way around. God knows that we have a tendency to allow the things around us to choke out the things He is doing in us. Sabbath is a day of "weeding," so to speak. So, after I'm done with this update, I'm going to jump back into the Scriptures, share the day with my family, and get some much needed recliner time. How's it going for you? Do you have a refuel and recharge day? If you don't, you're headed down a rough road. I'll be praying for you today. I'm praying that you will find that time of Sabbath. "I'm too busy to..." is only a symptom that you are heading for failure. If you are too busy to refocus and recharge with Christ, then you are too busy. As Jean-Luc Picard says often to Ryker, "Make it so."

The Last Guy I Sparred

The Old Man can still bring it. Here's a couple pictures of the last guy I sparred.

Who doesn't like crayons and playdough?

It's a simple truth...we all love to doodle, color, and play with playdough! It's an amazing addition to the worship gathering to cover the tables where participants sit with white butcher paper. Leave some crayons there and put out a couple cans of playdough. During the entire gathering, some people will express through their hands what they feel they can't with their mouth! For more creative ideas, check out LOS's blog.

Microsoft Abandons Power Point

I was reading Bill Kinnon's blog and found the following article. Alarming to say the least.

Redmond, Washington April 1, 2008 (Wrediculus News Service)

Bill Gates announced today, that in spite of its popularity, Microsoft (MSFT) would be abandoning PowerPoint. Originally developed by a former Berkeley PhD student, Bob Gaskins and software developer, Dennis Austin at Forethought Software - PowerPoint was launched for the Mac in 1987. Forethought was purchased by Microsoft later that year and PowerPoint was released for Windows in 1990.

Gates made the announcement at a symposium put on in Seattle by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Eyeballs. Commenting at P.E.T.E yesterday, Gates stated,

"Listen this has nothing to do with Apple's purportedly superior presentation program, Keynote. I just feel that after almost twenty years, PowerPoint has served it's purpose. If you remember, I didn't even use it for my presentation at CES in January. But, quite frankly, that isn't the real reason we've canned the product.

As you may remember, Time Magazine voted Bono, my wife and me, Persons of the Year a few years back. It's because of our efforts to make the world a better place.

Dispensing with PowerPoint is a part of that initiative. We realize that no matter how wonderful the software is, it's being used in ways that are hurting people."

Gates said that one of the main complaints he'd heard about the presentation software was its use in churches. He stated that there are over 300,000 churches in America and it would seem a vast percentage were using PowerPoint. And using it badly.

"From cluttered screens to using every font in their system, churches are making a mockery of the power of this program. Things fly in, things zip out. It's making congregants sick. And Microsoft has had enough litigation issues without having to worry about a class-action lawsuit from the millions of pew sitters in America."

This reporter asked Mr. Gates why he hadn't recommended the writings of Garr Reynolds to the church PowerPoint audience. Gates said,

"Listen, I've really appreciated Garr's comments about my own PowerPoint presentations. I've taken them to heart. And I am making my way through Garr's new book. Unfortunately, Ballmer has been less willing to change.

But the problem is that Mr. Reynolds calls his website PresentationZen.com and churches really aren't into the whole Zen thing."

Gates stated that Microsoft (MSFT) would continue to support PowerPoint for Windows XP and earlier but that all development for Vista was being curtailed. He also said that all PowerPoint packages in the retail channel would have labels added to them stating "Not Recommended for Church Use."

Gates also told the gathered reporters that he was attempting to talk to Steve Jobs about Keynote as he feared churches would just move to the Apple platform. "As yet, I've not heard back from Steve."

Originally published on Feb 14th, 2006. I thought it would be appropriate for today.