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Save The Finder!
Save The Finder!
Have you ever had a television show that you really enjoyed watching only to have the network snatch it out from under your nose via cancellation? Unfortunately this has happened more often than not – Pushing Daisies, Breaking In, Reaper, and the list goes on and on. Recently FOX announced that they have decided to cancel the Geoff Stults crime dramedy The Finder. What really irritates me is they are cancelling a great show likes this while they keep garbage like Glee! I missed the first few episodes of The Finder, so I didn’t really get into the show until it was too late.
If you’ve never watched the show, it’s a spin-off of the show Bones. Geoff Stults plays Walter Sherman (A.K.A. “The Finder”) an Iraq War vet who suffered brain damage in an IED explosion. This injury gave him the ability to “find” things. With the help of his “legal advisor” Isabel (Mercedes Masöhn), his friend and bar owner Leo (Michael Clarke Duncan), and a teenage parolee named Willa (Maddie Hasson) he solves some pretty cool crimes involving everything from a meal to music. This show has everything – for you ladies you’ve got the good looking, quirky guy in Walter. Guys, we get the hot eye candy of Isabel. There is romance between Walter and Isabel. You find camaraderie (a “bromance” of sorts) between Walter and Leo. Willa adds a little rebellious teenage angst for the younger crowd (and she’s kind of cute).
If you are like me and really enjoyed the show, let FOX know how you feel! There is a “Save The Finder” Facebook group. You can also sign a petition telling the network they should renew the show. Someone has even created a Keep The Finder blog you can follow. Fans have also been asked to participate in the “Send A Map” campaign where viewers will be mailing Kevin Reilly (the president of FOX) a map of their state with the words “Save The Finder” across it. There is also a campaign to get the USA Network to pick up The Finder (go to http://www.usanetwork.com/feedback/ and at the bottom of the page there is form – fill out the form and select “USA Network Programming” under Topic then for Program under “Other” select “Suggest A Program” leaving a comment telling them how much you love The Finder on FOX and how you think USA Network should air the show). I don’t know what if anything will happen as a result of all of this, but it never hurts to try.
Enjoy the promo video below for The Finder.
Photo Credit: By Amazon.com
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Disney Kids Go Wild!
Why do we rush to be “grown up?!”
Something has been on my mind lately (not in a “keep me up all night” kind of way, more of a general wondering). Why do former Disney Channel stars feel the need to prove to the world they are “all grown up” now? Miley Cyrus has been caught doing everything from smoking a bong to dressing very provocatively for her age. Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens are both trying to disassociate themselves from their Disney squeaky-clean, good girl images with a new indie movie. Demi Lovato hit one of her backup dancers and then ended up going to rehab.
If you think I’m just calling out the ladies of former Disney shows, the guys aren’t exactly angels either. Former Disney star Mitchell Musso was busted for a DUI and he was only 20 years old at the time. Not to mention Musso’s numerous tattoos – did he not think about how they will look when he’s sixty and has “moobs” like Steven Tyler? In a 2010 interview, Disney star Hutch Dano (18 years old at the time) was asked by a reporter “What do you think of the fact that when you type ‘Hutch Dano’ into Google, one of the first suggestions it makes is ‘Hutch Dano shirt off?'” and his response was that he “became immediately uncomfortable.” Apparently it no longer makes him uncomfortable because he is now posing for shirtless pictures. Disney’s High School Musical star Zac Efron is trying to shed his Disney image as well.
I was devastated when 80s pop stars Debbie Gibson and Tiffany both posed nude for Playboy because they were my age and were good, clean, wholesome role models prior to this. I’m afraid the same is going to happen to these kids. How much longer until Playboy comes out with a “Former Darlings of Disney” issue (the thought totally creeps me out by the way)?! I also hope that none of these guys get caught in a sexting scandal like Anthony Weiner or Brett Favre. I just don’t understand why they feel they have to go to the extreme to prove to people they are no longer a little kid.
It’s been proven that one of the basic human needs is a sense of belonging, but I think we as a society tend to take it to the wrong extreme. Why can’t someone enjoy their childhood and not worry about proving that they are an adult? As I get older, I wish I had embraced my childhood longer – as an adult you have to worry about bills, work, money, relationships, and more. I wish I could tell these former Disney stars not to stress so much about proving to the world they are no longer a kid. I also wish I could go back in time and tell my younger self to enjoy life more and not worry about growing up so much.
If you could tell these former Disney stars one thing, what would it be? If you could go back in time and tell your childhood self one thing, what would it be?
Photo Credit: By Silwertand
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Clearing The Clutter
Time to clear the clutter!
I know it’s sad, but I moved in March and I’m JUST starting to go through and unpack things right now, two months later in the month of May. Clearing the clutter can be a painful process – sorting through things that may have emotional attachment, accepting that a certain part of your life has passed, or realizing you can’t go back to the way things used to be during a certain part of your life. This week I have gone through old clothes, cds, and books – most of the excess will end up at Goodwill or used music or book stores. Whether you hate or love it, the process is a necessary evil (otherwise you’ll see me on a future episode of Hoarders).
Those who know me well will attest to the fact that I am definitely my father’s son when it comes to being a pack rat. I will find an excuse to keep anything and everything. Well, I finally parted ways with a Mickey Mouse phone that I’ve had for at least ten years and never used once. A three cd disc changer stereo (with only two of said cd changers working) has now taken up temporary residence at Goodwill. This weekend I will be going through several books and cds, then making a trip Monday to a couple of local shops to see if I can get cash for some of the things I just don’t use any more.
Purging the unnecessary has become quite liberating – I don’t feel tied to my “stuff” any more and have more room to just live. I feel like this has also been a “clearing of the clutter” for me spiritually as well, as I find myself asking what things I need to get rid of in my life that are taking a negative toll on my spiritual life. Regardless, I feel like once I am on the other side of this time in my life I will be able to see things more clearly for a lack of a clutter. I can easily relate to comedian Bone Hampton when he talks about the clutter in his life in the video below (NOTE: go to 4:00 in the video to see the part about cluttter, but the rest of this bit is really funny as well).
Photo Credit: By Sean MacEntee
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Dekker Reveals Paradise Via Showdown
Dekker starts Paradise Trilogy with Showdown
A new author hits the market just about every day. In October 2000, Ted Dekker released his first book, Heaven’s Wager and the literary world has never been the same since. Dekker’s books combine themes of spirituality with the supernatural. I have read several of his books over the years (including Chosen). I recently decided to read Showdown (the first book in his Paradise Trilogy) and I couldn’t put the book down no matter how hard I tried.
The book takes place over seven days and starts off as two separate stories that merge into one. It first opens with the story of a town called Paradise, Colorado. Paradise is your typical old western town, but then a stranger (Marsuvees Black) comes to town proclaiming that God has called him to bring grace and hope to the town. Black starts doing things that lead the residence to believe otherwise. The second story tells of a secret monastery of sorts, where thirty-seven orphans have been sequestered from the rest of the world as an experiment. Project “Showdown” was created to take these students and teach them right from wrong via Biblical principles, later they will be released back into the “real” world to see how they survive. One of the main means of teaching the children is via writing and there are four rules they must obey when they write: 1)Write to discover. 2) There is no greater discovery than love. 3) All love comes from the Creator. 4) Write what you will.
One student (Billy) decides to buck the rules and explore the monastery where he finds a dungeon filled with mysterious books. Billy and several of his fellow classmates decide to use these blank books to write a story about a town called Paradise. Unbeknownst to these children the blank books are the “books of history” and anything they write in them actually happens in the town of Paradise, Colorado. Their actions cause destruction and chaos in a city that has no idea that Black is a part of this plan. Dekker’s novel deals with the concept of free will and how outside forces cannot force one to do things, but merely place suggestions in the subconscious. Several twists and turns make Showdown a very enjoyable read that will keep you up all night reading from cover to cover.
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read the final two books in the Paradise Trilogy (Saint and Sinner).
Photo Credit: By Amazon.com
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Follow The Leader?
This is something I recently found that I wrote back in 2001.
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Adults, do you play follow the leader?
Follow the leader — what a great game for preschoolers. Now that I am much older, I look back at those days gone by and wonder what I really learned from this harmless little childhood game. How can I apply these “lessons learned” to my life in the here and now?
First I learned to let others dictate what I do. I do not have to think for myself; just follow the crowd. Do not question the leader’s abilities or his/her qualifications as the leader. Lastly, do whatever you can, at any cost, to become the leader. Wait a minute! Are we still talking about a childhood game or life in general? Makes you stop and wonder, does it not?
As we get older these “rules” are essential to our survival in life. Exodus 20:12a tells us, “Honor your father and mother…” and Romans 13:2 warns us, “…he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against who God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” How do we prevent mindless following but not rebel against authority and also honor our parents? Our parents and those in authority over us when we were children instilled in us morals, a sense of right and wrong and general social etiquette. This is especially true if your parents took you to church on a regular basis. Mom and dad were the ones to lay down the law for you. There was no question of what you should do; the question was “Do I do it or do I face the consequences of not doing it?” Our parents definitely had the previous experience of leading us from their mistakes that they learned and they would not knowingly lead our infantile minds astray.
Pastors are authority figures that we take for granted. We often sit in the pews Sunday after Sunday like a sponge soaking up what we are told without question. I have been very fortunate to have had two wonderful Pastors, one at my home church and one at the church where I currently attend. I consider both of these gentlemen to be great men of God. One thing I admire about both of them is they have both said (from their respective pulpit) “Do not just accept what I tell you. Look it up and research it on your own. I am human and may unintentionally lead you astray. Please hold me accountable to assure that what I speak is the one and only God inspired truth.” I have a great deal of respect for someone like that who openly admits his faults and his limits. Romans 10:17 says, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” Notice it says “…through the word of Christ” and not “…through the word of the Pastor or Preacher.”
Matthew 16:24 tells us that life is not about us. “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (emphasis mine). If we follow the ultimate Leader, things will work out in the end. Taking the focus off of Christ and placing it on ourselves can cause utter chaos and can lead others astray. 1 Timothy 4:16 “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
We will go through many times in our life where we question anything and everything. Make sure that your faith is your own and not your parents’, you Pastor’s, or anyone else’s. Questioning your faith makes you grow. Proverbs 14:15 informs us, “A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.” It is okay to play follow the leader, but make sure you are following the right Leader!
Photo Credit: By Ben Hoyt
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The Hunger Games – The Odds Are Definitely In Your Favor!
The adventures of Katniss Everdeen!
My oldest niece had been talking non-stop about a series of books that she had read. Not only had she read through all three books once, but she enjoyed them so much that she decided to read through them a second time. I decided that I need to check out this world of The Hunger Games created by author Suzanne Collins and I am glad that I did. This book is definitely a page turner that will keep you reading all hours of the night.
The story takes place in a futuristic world where North America has been replaced by the country of Panem. Surrounding the capital are twelve districts. Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen year old resident of District 12, shares through her eyes the experiences of the annual Hunger Games. Once a year each district selects (via raffle) a boy and a girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to compete against the other twenty-two “tributes” in a televised battle to the death.
This year, Katniss’ younger sister Primrose is selected to participate in the games but she volunteers to take her younger sister’s place. Katniss is partnered with Peeta Mellark, a boy she knows from her school. In preparation for her role, Katniss must leave her sister, mother, and her male childhood friend Gale Hawthorne and hone her skills by working with former Hunger Games District 12 champion Haymitch Abernathy. The problem with Abernathy – there is rarely a time when he is not drunk and he convinces Peeta to pretend he is in love with Katniss in order to get sympathy from those watching the games. Katniss begins to have feelings for Peeta and later finds out about Abernathy’s plot.
What I really like about this book is that it’s not gory in nature – yes, there are battle wounds and yes, you are told what happened but it is not graphic. You are just told what you need to know in order to keep the story flowing. The Hunger Games is a great book for both guys and girls – for the guys you have the battle of the games and for the girls you have the opportunity for potential romance between either Katniss and Peeta or Katniss and Gale. (Don’t worry guys, the romance isn’t so overbearing that you get sick of it.) The characters (even the minor ones) are believable and you actually care about them. Katniss is a strong young woman who can carry her own, but you also see her vulnerable side when she deals with her potential relationship with Peeta.
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to see how the book translated into the movie!
Photo Credit: By Wikipedia
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4 Things I’ve Recently Learned About Leadership
Four things for leaders to remember
The topic of leadership can come up in various ways in daily life. For me there have recently been four recurring leadership themes.
1) As a leader, you can’t force someone to follow you – You can provide the environment and the resources for someone, but you just can’t make them follow your lead. The decision has to come naturally from the follower in question otherwise it is not a true “followship” and they will resent you.
2) Leading with others can be a challenge, but it is not impossible – When you are not the only leader in an environment you have to learn to “play well with others.” You may have personality clashes, but you have to look at it as a positive experience. What can you learn from the other people with whom you are leading? What can you improve on or do differently having seen them do the same thing? Make it a point to listen and hear them out when it comes to their ideas of how to do things.
3) You cannot prepare for the unexpected – No matter how much you prepare, things will happen that you cannot control. People may not show up on time (or at all). Technology may not cooperate. You can only do the best you can given whatever circumstances may occur. Do not take it personally. It is also therapeutic to be able to step away from the situation and just laugh about it.
4) You need a sounding board – You need to have that person (or people) that you can go to and just share your ideas. It is also okay to have them there to listen to your frustrations as well. Keep in mind that not only should you be able to talk with them, but you also need to be willing to listen to them. They may be able to give you a new perspective you might not have previously considered.
What are some things you have learned recently about leadership?
Photo Credit: By Jukka Zitting
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Strange Interview Questions
Interview questions can be weird.
Job interviews can be stressful – what to wear, what to say, and just trying to find out if it is a place where you would like to work. You can prepare like there is no tomorrow and still not feel ready. One of my biggest fears is that I will be asked a question that I will have no idea how to answer. I was reading an article the other day about unusual questions people have been asked on job interviews. I have definitely been asked my fair share of strange interview questions.
One interview question that stands out in my mind is “How do you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?” It was for a Quality Assurance position and I later found out they were looking for the most detailed answer I could possibly give them. I guess a question like that does kind of make sense given the context of the job for which I was interviewing. I think the most bizarre question I’ve been asked at an interview was “If you had to choose between being a ninja, pirate, or spaceman what would you be and why?” My response was a pirate, because they are able to work independently or in a team environment. I think this question was just about being creative with your response (plus I was told I was the only person they interviewed who said pirate…by the way I got the job).
The strangest question that I read about (but have not been personally asked) was “You have been shrunk down to the size of a peanut. Someone has accidentally put you in a blender. How do you escape?” I have three interviews coming up next week and I am praying that I do not get asked any questions like the last one.
What is the most unusual question you have been asked at a job interview?
Photo Credit: By Valerie Everett
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Take A Break – You Deserve It!
It's okay to take time to relax!
When life gets busy, other things have a tendency to fall by the wayside. What makes matters worse is we start feeling guilty as a result. It is okay to take time away from the people and things we love and enjoy. Returning to these things only reminds us how much we really appreciate them. Give yourself permission to take a break.
Some religions believe in what they call “Sabbath.” This is just dedicating time to yourself where you can turn off your phone, shut down the laptop, and just refocus for a day. If you don’t take this time, you can easily experience burn out and you will not be at your best in whatever you do – be it personally or professionally. How you spend this down time is up to you. I enjoy spending time with friends, listening to music, or reading something fun. Each person is different and how they “recharge their batteries” is just as unique.
I have several friends who work for a church and as result they are typically working on Sunday (when most people take their Sabbath). These friends usually have Friday off, so they make that their day of rest and refocus. It doesn’t matter when you do it, it just matters that you do it. Find time in your schedule that works best for you and permit yourself to just enjoy time away from your every day life.
Do you take a “Sabbath” day each week and if so, what do you do on that day?
Photo Credit: By lukey dargons
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Scars
This is something I recently found that I wrote back in 2001.
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Do you have any scars?
Webster’s Dictionary defines a scar as, “a marring or disfiguring mark on anything; the lasting mental or emotional effects of suffering or anguish.” Scars have been given a negative connotation in our modern times. Contrary to popular belief, there are many positive aspects of scars.
A scar can be an identifying mark. If you ever meet me, look closely above my left eyebrow. For you will see a scar, a unique mark that distinguishes me from others. John 20:27-28 gives an example of Biblical proportions. “Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said ‘My Lord and my God!'” It was scars that allowed Thomas to identify the Son of God.
Our male species has a unique ritual of comparing scars. As strange as this may sound, it reveals yet another good thing about scars: they create a common bond. Isaiah 53:5 “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” We as Christians have the commonality of knowing that the scars, pain, and suffering that we cause Jesus with our sin brings us peace and healing through His sacrificial gift, Himself.
The most important thing is that scars tell a story. Mark 15:17-19 – “They put a purple robe on Him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on Him. And they began to call out to Him, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ Again and again they struck Him on the head with a staff and spit on Him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to Him.” But wait, it gets better! Matthew 27:35, 39, 41, & 44 – “When they had crucified Him, they divided up His clothes by casting lots… Those who passed by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads… In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked Him… In the same way the robbers who were crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him.” Praise God the story did not end there. Matthew 28:6 – “He is not here; He is risen, just as He said.” The ultimate scars (physical, mental, and emotional) tell the ultimate story.
I once heard someone say, “God will not search us for medals. He will look for scars,” to which one of my best friends jokingly added “He’ll probably want to start with my knees!” The more I thought about what my friend jokingly said, the more I thought he was actually right. Wouldn’t it be awesome when we meet the Lord face to face, if He sees scars and rug burns from where we have been constantly on our knees in prayer and humbling ourselves daily before Him? I long to have that kind of relationship with my Maker. How about you? May we never look at scars the same way ever again!
Photo Credit: By Lenore Edman
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Scott Couey 