like a fire

Lately I have been noticing something that has really bothered me about TV. I haven’t had very much time to watch TV until lately and here is the thing. TV isn’t what it used to be. Somewhere, it all changed and it isn’t any better.

I was trying to catch up on the news today. Promptly at 8 AM I turned to the Today Show and was faced with a LONG commentary on the lives of the people who speak the news. Turn to Good Morning America and there is some weirdness about wonders of the world. Good grief! I just want the news people. I won’t even go into the fact that MTV almost never has music anymore or how Spike TV is always showing old Star Trek shows (as if real men love Star Trek). BTW, NEVER go to their site. It is the most obnoxious site I have seen in a while (I guess men are also supposed to be obnoxious).

This reminds me of advertisers marketing the worst trait of a company as the best to get press. You know what I’m talking about. Circuit City where service is state of the art. Blah, blah.

Is our society heading toward equating a name that has no meaning?

This makes me think of Jacob wrestling with God and how God changed his name. Do our names really matter? They must to God. Maybe I should change my name.

It’s official. I am no longer the Director of Youth Ministries at UPC. It has been a great couple of years, I have learned a lot, and I will never forget the people of UPC.

UPC has been a great church for me. The biggest things I love about UPC is that it is the healthiest church I have served at. More than any other church I have served at, they want to help people be spiritually healthy. I have learned more about spiritual health in the last year probably than in all the years combined.

I have also learned a lot about myself. The things I value have been cemented into my being by my stay at UPC. I am completely clear that I have a heart for discipleship that lasts longer than a teen’s stay in the youth ministry. I have a vision for teens that drives me to work harder and longer than I normally would. I have a love for people and getting to know them. I have a heart for worship and for helping teens learn to worship in authenticity. I have a passion for investing in teens leading now. All these things were so firmed up in my call to ministry that I will always have a debt o UPC.

Thanks UPC, I’ll miss you.