my grandmamma sent me this…

The struggle when success and creativity collide.

My friend Preston sent me this video from a creative conference with Elizabeth Gilbert speaking. If you’ve ever batteled the creativity monster, then, this is for you.

Sarah Palin at Church

A friend of mine, (and maybe yours) AnnieLaurie Walters sent me this link.

Her words:

You may have seen this already but I thought you would be interested
in watching the video of Sarah Palin speaking to her home church in
Alaska about her faith.  She was baptized in this church at the age of
12.  Keep in mind, this speech was delivered in June of this year,
months before she was looking good for the nomination.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1766638341

This is legit, here is the link to the church website where they say
they had to take the video down after she became the VP candidate for
McCain http://www.wasillaag.net/

Someone must have grabbed it and added it to brightcove so that the
rest of us can enjoy it today.

Want good grades? Go to Church.

thanks to Bethany Hader for this article.
from: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,409121,00.html

FOXNEWS.COM HOME > SCITECH
Church Attendance Boosts Student GPAs
Friday, August 22, 2008
By Robert Roy Britt

If you want to boost your teenager’s grade point average, take the kid to church. Or, a new study suggests, find some similar social activity to involve them in.

Researchers found that church attendance has as much effect on a teen’s GPA as whether the parents earned a college degree. Students in grades 7 to 12 who went to church weekly also had lower dropout rates and felt more a part of their schools. On average, students whose parents received a four-year college degree average a GPA 0.12 higher than those whose parents completed only high school.

Short Story: “The Tortoise with No Hare”

I wrote this story a few years ago, and thought it might be fun to post again. Hope you enjoy it.

“The Tortoise with No Hare”
by J.Watson

This is a story, just a story. But as you know, most stories have a moral.

There is a lot we do not know about turtles. Some things have been blown out of proportion; some things have been covered up. This is my attempt to allow the truth to be known. I want to blow the shell off of this secret so the world may know… names and exact places have been changed to protect the innocent.

Have you ever wondered why so many Turtles have attempted to cross the highway? They are in training. The whole tortoise and hare fairy tale is based in fact. Actually the only fact is the tortoise. No bunny has ever raced in our spectacular event. But yes, there is a race. My name is Colby, I am a hard shell, and this is my story.

If you examine a turtle, it is evident to the eye, that our legs are not what you would call lanky, nor do we ripple with the muscles of a thoroughbred, but one thing has been missed by all of creation. We are aerodynamic. From Bicycle helmets to Volkswagen Beetles, scientists create in our image.

For every tortoise, at the appointed age, must travel a great distance and compete in the Tort-athalon. All hard shells must compete- but only one time. All hard shells must travel great distances to make the race… but some are defeated upon the highways and intersections of busy giants in busy machines too busy to see the little things in life. This is something I have known since I can remember. We know the cost- but our shelltegrity is on the line. Everyone must compete in the Tort-athalon.

No Words for this.

You’ll just have to see for yourself.

Thanks to J.R.P. for this.

Kanon Tipton Preaching – World’s Youngest Preacher

more about “Kanon Tipton Preaching – World’s Youn…“, posted with vodpod

$600k offering? No Thanks.

How bout this one- found it on the Drudge Report.

Church Rejects Donation from Lottery Winner
Posted By: Ryan Duffy     19 hrs ago

ORANGE PARK, FL — After Robert Powell hit the Florida Lottery jackpot last month and took home more than $6 million, he thought of his church.

And he offered to drop his tithe, around $600,000, in the collection plate of First Baptist Orange Park.

But the church and Pastor David Tarkington politely declined and told Powell they will not accept the lottery winnings.

Many churches do not approve of the lottery and gambling but on the other hand Pastor Dr. Lorenzo Hall of the El-Beth-El Divine Holiness Church says $600,000 can do a lot of good.

Psalm 23:1

A PSALM OF DAVID.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 23: easily one of the most famous passages in scripture; poetic, encouraging, and empowering. This verse depicts God as a shepherd to David as a sheep. In God’s provision, David won’t have any need. It sounds pretty doesn’t it?

Never having spent excessive amounts of time with sheep, I did a little research. (Oh, how I love Google.) Sheep are often considered stupid animals. However, sheep range below pigs in intelligence, but on par with most cattle. In actuality, Sheep aren’t stupid, just easily spooked. Motivated by fear, they never walk in a straight line, and only feel safety when in a herd. Sheep love sheep.

Sheep also love food. Having four stomachs, they will devour a country side quite easily, but are susceptible to many kinds of toxic plant life. While animals can be trained to lead a herd of sheep, another simple method of leading a group of sheep is by placing food before them. They will go wherever the food goes. The stomach leads.

It is also true that sheep can recognize the faces of people taking care of them. They can learn voices, and even be given names and respond to them for years. In time, the care giver- in biblical times and term- a shepherd will be depended on for all of their needs. The sheep will trust the shepherd for protection, and provision.

It has been said, many of times, that men are pigs. I think we are a bit more like Sheep. We too aren’t stupid- just easily spooked. We will run at the first sign of danger, or commitment for that matter, and can be lulled into trust. Men also don’t like to be separated from other men. Don’t believe me? Drop one into a baby shower. Watch him never make direct eye contact, look completely uncomfortable, and look for the first chance to make a run for it.

Joking aside, I find great similarity to myself and sheep. I’m not stupid- just spooked easily. The figurative stomach of my life leads my decisions and direction for everything I do. In my hunger for provision and protecting, and am found wanting.

The Brick Testament

I’ve been sitting on this for a few days, trying to figure out whether or not it needed to be known.

I’ve decided that you may find it offensive, or just plain creative. Either way- Viewer beware:

Thanks to Justin P. for this link:

for the full version: www.thebricktestament.com

eucharist smuggler

Thanks to Russell Hilton for the article…

Last Edited: Monday, 07 Jul 2008, 11:38 PM EDT 
Created: Monday, 07 Jul 2008, 11:36 PM EDT 

Student Who Took Religious Icon Getting Death Threats  
By Cheryl Getuiza
FOX 35 NEWS

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) –A UCF student claims he’s getting death threats for messing with something sacred.

Webster Cook says he smuggled a Eucharist, a small bread wafer that to Catholics symbolic of the Body of Christ after a priest blesses it, out of mass, didn’t eat it as he was supposed to do, but instead walked with it. Catholics worldwide became furious.