Famous Chef for a weekend

I just had to share this because it was very exciting for my uncle. And also really neat for all of us! Check out who MY uncle cooked for a weekend for....


Look who it is MY uncle and...."J.T."

Just a little white lie....

I was reading this post "Santa: Yes or No?" (and the comments) the other day on From the Morning. It was kind of interesting to see a post on this subject because I've had a few conversation with my mom & various other people on the same subject. Is it in your childs best interest to do the "santa" thing with them???

I (at the moment) am not married & do not have any children but one day I plan on beind married & having kids, so this has crossed my mind on what I would do. I have 12 cousins under the age of 10 (my mom has 3 brother & 3 sisters so yeah we have a big family plus my dad's side) all of their parents have chosen different ways of doing the Santa thing.So I've been able to see different ideas for this subject.

For me it has always been a hard thing to decide. I know as a child I was always excited about "Santa coming" & enjoying giving presents to others. But now that I'm older I look at everything in a different way. It seems so interesting(for lack of a better word) to me that pretty much every "Holy day" we have Jesus' birth, His death & Resurrection have all been "covered up" through out the years to be not about Jesus & the message He has for us but it's about Santa & the Easter bunny. It's as though we as Christians don't even have those days for ourselves anymore. (not to sound selfish but they are OUR days to honor Jesus) They have been turned into a secular holidays for everyone to celebrate. I don't know about you but I don't celebrate Hannukah because I'm NOT JEWISH just because it's a holiday. So just because Santa came around Christmas is all of a sudden everyone's holiday.

So with that said it is hard for me to be able to say that when I have children that I will do the whole Santa thing for them! Because we celebrate Christmas because it's about honoring & celebrating Jesus' birth not about Santa. Not to mention the point that FTM brought up:

I remember when I was a young boy and I first learned that Santa was not real. I remember how hurt I was to learn that this great guy that brought me toys on Christmas was just something that my parents (or their parents, or their parents' parents) had made up. I remember my first thought very vividly: "I wonder if God is real."

What a great point! That to me is definitely one of the biggest reason why the Santa thing is so hurtful & deceiving. I want my children to trust me & believe what I say. And even though it's just a "little white lie" a lie is always a lie!

I believe that for me the best thing would be to celebrate Christmas for what it is. Jesus' birth. Yes I think that we will still give presents, but not because of Santa, (they will be from mommy & daddy) the presents will be given in love & to celebrate Jesus' Birthday. Just like the three wise men brought gift to baby Jesus we give gifts to each other to celebrate!

Another great idea that I might incorporate my "Nanny" (my grandmother) has started a new tradition since my younger cousins were born, when we get together for Christmas we have a Birthday Party for Jesus. She makes a BDAY cake that says "Happy Birthday Jesus" on it. We all fellowship & sing Happy birhtday to Jesus, etc. Just like a normal birthday party. That to me is such a great idea because kids really can relate to that! And we read the Christmas Story. It is a really great way to Celebrate Christmas & the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Well, that's my two cents on the issue. Definitely check out From the Morning he's got some great posts & a lot of diversity in comments!

What IS "Christian music"?

We were talking last night at my small group about this. Our pastor has preached on this subject a few months ago as well. So last night we were addressing the question: Can you take a song, a secular song and sing it as a worship song even though the band/singer is not a "Christian Singer"?

Our pastor was saying that there is no such thing as "Christian music" there are only "Christian lyrics". So if the lyrics are sang with a worshipful heart does that make it a "Christian song"?

A couple of the people were putting together a slide show from the Youth Camp that we have and in the intro they had this background & it had the different names for God popping up randomly around the screen. They were thinking that it would be cool to put a song background (screensaver type image).

They were thinking that the lyrics of the song "The Reason" by Hoobastank would be really cool here's the lyrics:

HOOBASTANK LYRICS

"The Reason"

I'm not a perfect person
There's many things I wish I didn't do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
and the reason is you

I'm sorry that I hurt you
It's something I must live with everyday
And all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
Thats why i need you to hear

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
and the reason is You [x4]

I'm not a perfect person
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
and the reason is you

I've found a reason to show
A side of me you didn't know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you

Couldn't that song be used in that way? I think that it was an interesting point. There have been a lot of songs that I've heard that aren't "Christian bands" but the lyrics to me mean more.

Well, that's just what I was thinking about.

Depp

We went and saw Willy Wonka today!!! I really liked it! Of course the mix of Tim Burton & Johnny Depp was amazing. All the visuals were so cool & so "Tim Burton". And Johnny was so good! He played Wonka SOOO good! He was freakin hilarious!! Everything he said was so funny, not because of just what he said but how he says it, it was great!


The movie was pretty much like the first movie, but there was a lot more info on Wonka. I guess (from what I heard)that this one was based on the book & not the previous movie, they wanted to make it closer to the book. But I really don't know because I never read the book.

Thankfully I knew exactly when to expect Charlie to find the ticket because of the 10 year old(approx.) boy who was sitting behind us narrating the entire movie! It was pretty annoying, especially since his parents were sitting next to him & didn't tell him to quiet down AT ALL! I mean I personally think that if you're going to take a kid to a movie you have to explain to them the proper way of watching a movie in public. At home it's fine to talk during a movie but in a public movie theatre it is appropriate to not commentate on what is going on in the movie LOUDLY where people 2 rows ahead of you can hear! (I wouldn't have minded if he was making comments lowly to his parents but he was narrating & copying lines from the movie SO freakin loud!) AHHH it was annoying! I know the kid was excited but I just think that there is a proper way acting in the theatre & that wasn't the way!

But other than that it was great! You should definitely see it. It was a little "weird" but you have to expect that with Tim Burton anyway...and since it was based on the book, which was suppose to be pretty "dark" you have to know it's going to be like that!

But it was good! Ok, well that's it for tonight! I'll catch ya lata! Go see Willy Wonka!

I Am Sam

I just finished watching this movie. It came out about 4 years ago, but I had never seen it before. It's pretty good! Sean Penn did a really good job! I had no idea that Dayota Fanning was in it. She is so cute and such a good little actress. She's so young but every role I've seen her she just does such a great job! It's amazing how such a young person can be so good.

Well, I have been kinda busy & have somethings that I want to talk about but I'll have to post tomorrow (or something) because I'm just not "feeling it" tonight.

I'm going to see Charlie & the Chocolate Factory tomorrow night! I can't wait. I know that Johnny Depp is going to be awesome! I love his movie. He also is just such a great actor. Definitely not the same old same old, like most of the actors. We're planning on seeing Wedding Crashers Saturday night. I heard it was freakin awesome!!!

K-Lata!

It's been awhile...

It's been awhile since I've posted..well a week to be exact. I've just been busy getting things ready for school to start. I'm starting the RN program in Aug. and I'm sure then I'm not going to have any time!!!

Have you checked out the new season of Big Brother? I saw the first show the other night and I've been checking up on everything at Jokers Updates. It seems pretty interesting this year. I've watched a few of the season, it's pretty interesting. See the different strategy & stuff. It definitely gives you something to do when you're car is "being worked on" & can't go anywhere! AHH...I'm going crazy not having my car!!! Whenever I need to go somewhere (run errands etc.) it's such a hassle to have to figure out whose car I can borrow. And plus I just like my car!!!

Lately I've been looking at other cars (new ones) saying that I want to buy a new car (not that I will, I'd just like a newer one, ya know that doesn't have the quirks mine does and it's not like I have the $ to buy one with) but now that I've been without mine for a few+ days I just want MINE back! I don't want a new one. It's like they say "You don't know what have you until you lose it" That's for sure!

Well, I got this link from my aunt check out this Dragon Illusion it's pretty neat! Watch the video that's the best part. It's interesting what are brains do!

Well that's it for now. Lata!

Happy Fourth of July!!!!

Thanks to all the troops that our away from their loved ones today. We appreciate all the sacrifices you are making for us!!

Hope everyone has a fun & safe day!!!