The Most Amazing Art Ever

It seems that I get on a blogging kick for a month or so and then i'll be done for the rest of the year. So here's my New Year's resolution. Blog once a week! Hmmm ... if that happens it'll be a miracle.

Anyway, to start my blogging revival, I give you the "Most Amazing Art Ever."

No One Wants To Play Sega With Harrison Ford

by: Brandon Bird

Your goose is cooked

I was supposed to help with a service project at the Hope Center yesterday, but I was kept away due to some bizarre circumstances. I woke up, got ready, and headed out the door only to find that my windshield had been smashed into a spiderweb. Upon closer inspection I noticed what looked like small feathers and animal feces surrounding the point of impact. So, my first thought was, "Did someone throw a dead bird into my windshield?" The second was, "I must have really ticked someone off to get the dead-bird treatment. This is just like the Godfather movies..." As I was pondering this, a construction worker from across the street approached me and said, "Ya know what happen'? This goose come flyin' outta da air and crash inta yer windshield. I saw it." He pointed in the direction where he last saw the goose, and sure enough, there were two geese about thirty feet from my car - one of them looking disheveled and somewhat insane. Bewildered, I just stood there until the worker added, "You can shoot it if you want to. I'll understand."

I'm pretty sure there wasn't a statistic for flying-goose-caused broken windshields until the one belly-flopped on my car yesterday. Even though this is going to be an expensive repair, it's pretty stinking funny. Check out some photos I took of the aftermath:








Notice the feather.


The culprit(s).

Why little kids rule

As I was leaving Target today, my attention focused on a conversation happening behind me. A mother was having a heart-to-heart with her daughter about the leap from elementary school to middle school, centered around the increase in responsibility. Passing through the automatic doors, I tired to imagine what the pair looked like without sneaking a peek, when my thoughts were interrupted by a young, excited masculine voice.

"It's already dark outside!" said a boy, with as much excitement as if he'd seen a cow jump over the moon.

Inherently funny, the child's exclamation brought an immediate response of laughter. I turned around to see the mother and daughter carrying on as expected, but behind them trailed a little boy with curly blond hair, resisting his mother with one hand while pointing to his wonderful discovery with the other. It struck me that the boy's joy in finding darkness when he expected light was probably just as meaningful as the very serious discussion happening between mother and daughter, yet it went entirely unnoticed.

We encounter a mountain of serious things everyday, but we hardly make an effort to find something amazing in those moments. Unfortunately, the serious stuff will keep on coming. However, there is an universe-worth of overlooked simplicities that are longing to be rediscovered. So, if we choose to see the world like a child (mind you this doesn't mean acting like a child, throwing tantrums and whatnot), every day can be filled with adventure.

New blog in the works

Hey all,

I have a new blog in the works called New Creations that will center around "the Ministry of Reconciliation," which is somewhat of a play on words springing from 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. Keep an eye out for new posts!

Peace.

On having a "real job"

This last Monday I started at Plattform Inc. as a Proofreader. As far as work goes, this place has been more than I could ask for - jeans and t-shirts (except when clients come in), fun atmosphere, cool people, good benefits...It's been a crazy blessing. I work in the QA department (i.e. quality assurance) with about 7 other folks who like to rock the dockets. We proofread all different kinds of media: web, tv, radio and print. Essentially, we are making sure that what the creative people make matches what the client wants/is paying for. For some of you that might seem mundane and boring, but it's not. It's sweet.

Until recently, I've been an employee of Chick-fil-A, where anything is a possible. It was humbling to work "quick service" food while having a degree, but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. It's amazing how we tend to look down upon those who work in the "quick service" food industry. If something goes wrong with an order, it's obviously because the person behind the counter is dumb, disgruntled or apathetic... However, I came to enjoy this tendency that people have. If I took an extra 10 seconds to ask how someone's day was going, they'd tell me the truth, because, come on, I'm just the Chick-fil-A guy. The ability to have no walls up between people in such a short time, and in such a fast paced environment, was amazing to me. One gentleman told me about his tearing 2 vertebra and then getting an epidural, which at the time hadn't kicked in - and wouldn't for another 40 some hours - he was in excruciating pain. Another gentleman told me about his wife being in the hospital because of lung cancer, and how it was an absolute nightmare. I asked if i could pray for him and his wife, and he said that he'd appreciate that. In less than no time I had entered into a very sensitive place for both of those guys; In the same amount of time they were gone. I hope and pray that the many little interactions I had with people were some sort of blessing, comfort, or encouragement to them.

It'll be difficult to have that kind of freedom in my new office setting, but hopefully I'll be able to take advantage of the opportunities that arise.

The Tecmo Weave

For most males that were born within the years 1980-1989, one sports video game in particular shaped them into the lazy bums that their friends and family know so well today. And that game was, is, and shall be: Tecmo Super Bowl.

This Nintendo original with its in-depth play books, realistic graphics, 90 yard touchdown passes, and 1000 + yard touchdown run s, instilled unattainable sporting aspirations among America's youth more effectively than any overbearing parental figure ever had in the past.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, or if you want to stroll back down memory lane, and experience your childhood once again. Take a look at this.

The magic that is Tecmo Super Bowl.

Free Lunch

Now that spring has arrived my blogging aspirations have been resurrected. Hurray.

Today I went with two friends (Jason and Emily) to hand out free lunches downtown. The area we hit up was near the crossroads in KC, and at about 9th and Harrison. We only had 35 lunches to give away and they went in a hurry. The goal of "Free Lunch" is to minister to the community that is often overlooked or ignored. (ie. the poor/homeless and Hispanic community ).

In Matthew chapter 25 Jesus tells the story of the separation of the sheep form the goats. In that account Jesus tells how the king will come and say to the sheep "...For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited me in..." Then the sheep say, "when did we do this?"; and Jesus says, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers (and sisters) of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me."

So, compelled by Jesus and his gospel, my friend Jason started this ministry that happens every other week. If you'd like to know more about it, check out:

http://www.freelunchproject.blogspot.com/

Home bitter-sweet home

For the past month, I've been living at home with my parents, and for the most part it's been really good. However, the lack of employment and/or direction in life, which most post-grads experience, is wearing me thin. This time has shown me what little patience and faith I have. In the bible, when people read a passage like Acts 28:30, we tend to blow right past it without realizing the depth of the passage, because it just seems like a random fact.

"He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance."

In this closing passage of Acts, Paul stays in Rome, providing for himself and teaching. It would be too easy to say, "Yup, whatever, on to Romans!" What sticks out now more than ever are the words "two years." He spent two years of his life in a place, according to my bible map, that was more than 2000 miles away from his home - at a time when many people wouldn't leave their city. Rome was it - the center of power, knowledge, arts, etc. (granted, they stole it from everyone else, but it was the place to be). Imagine going to a place like New York City, London, or Paris - living there for two years, supporting yourself, preaching, teaching, and accepting everyone that comes to your door, whether they're wealthy, poor, beautiful, ugly, sick, overbearing, offensive, awkward or whatever...

I have no idea how long I'll need to live at home, or how long it'll be until I have something concrete to focus on...other than my 2-day-a-week internship, which is non-paying; but I'm becoming more and more convicted that I need to preach boldly, like Paul, during this time where I have no hindrances to hold me back from...well, anything.