That's The Power of the IMac

Yep, great pic taken in the Apple Store. Awesome.

When confronted by my brother and his equally aggressive 'Mac'boy' about my Dell running Vista Home Premium I merely defended myself by saying that it works for me! They then continued to push until I looked at my brother and asked him kindly, "What kind of computer do you have right now?"

Oh yeah . . . .

He uses mine.

Pwned.

This is the Kind of Dad I Wan to Be

New Life

Last night David Elijah Budd was born. He is gorgeous. (I will try to get a pic up later.) He is small, as most new-borns are, 5 pounds 10 ounces. It was interesting to be there and just look at him. One of the siblings made a comment that impacted me, "It is amazing how much you can love someone so much when they just came into the world."

It was an honor to be able to see the baby. They allowed me to hold him and bless him.

There isn't a lot to say except that children are a blessing. Thank you God.

Pray for the family!

Foxnews: Oldest Sibling Has Highest IQ

Sorry Seanster, but its science. Thanks Foxnews for reporting that I am smarter than my brother. (I sure wish I was taller than him too.)

Children at the top of the pecking order — either by birth or because their older siblings died — score higher on IQ tests than their younger brothers or sisters.

The question of whether firstborn and only children are really smarter than those who come along later has been hotly debated for more than a century.

Norwegian researchers now report that it isn't a matter of being born first, but growing up the senior child, that seems to result in the higher IQ scores.

Major Congratulations to Mark and Judi!

Today is their 4th anniversary. Congratulations. I still can't fathom how Mark holds on, but he seems to do alright. (It gives me hope.)

Mark and Judi,

Congratulations on another great year. I speak for everyone who is close to you and I say thank you for being such a phenomenal, God-chasing couple. You are a great example of what it means to chase God first and allow Him to bless your lives in a crazy way! Thanks for loving each other and showing those around you what it means to live happily with someone you love passionately.

You are an amazing couple! I am blessed to call you my friends!

- Josh

Lincoln is a Blast!

This is what you get if you give me free time in Lincoln and access to my cousins - MADNESS!

This Can't Be Real!

Pastoral Accountability

This is interesting. This is the form that John Piper and his staff use for accountability. It is interesting because of how holistic it is. It covers many aspects of life in a very simple way. This would be an interesting way to do accountability in a small group way. The point of this form is not to point fingers, but to offer a way for people to notice and then help with these issues before they become problems. I wonder what would have happened if some other ministries had similar mindsets about accountability?

The most interesting part of this to me is the time off portions. Too often I have seen over-worked and burnt-out pastors, who are not leading healthy lives. That is one of the things that is attractive to me about my church, Jubilee. The pastors take time off, not too much, but they take more than other pastors I have seen. This results in healthy family lives for the men of God who are leading my life. This also gives them the ability to stay fresh and alert in their roles. These are very positive things both for them and for the church as a whole. I would much rather have a rested, fresh pastor who is hearing from God naturally, than a maxed-out, stressed-out pastor who is hearing from God frantically and chaotically.

(ht: SmartChristian)

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

Today is my parents' 23rd wedding anniversary. I am proud of them. They are away at Breckenridge for a couple of days. On May 4th, 1984 two 18 year olds got married and began a life together. I was born later than year. It is hard for me to imagine being in that situation. By the time my dad was my age he had a 5 and a 3 year old! But they have succeeded and many people would agree with me when I say that my parents are a great example of an awesome marriage! It encourages me and continually provides me with stability and peace. Thanks Mom and Dad, have fun in Breck! (I don't have any pics, otherwise I would post one, I will look when I get home.)