Voting Priorities

I'm really trying not to add too many "2 cents" into the political blogesphere but I thought this was a great article from Jim Wallis. If you have time read it. Is it me or has this election been so amped with how to vote by the christian community? If you have some more time on your hands (like 45mins) then listen to Rob Bell's new sermon from Mars Hill Bible Church on iTunes. It is a great sermon on tribes...I know it sounds weird but very thought provoking.

Tickle Your Ears...

I am sure there are ton of people in blog land that have heard of Pandora but if you have not, go to Pandora. It is awesome. What you do is create "radio stations" of music that sounds like your favorite artist. Pandora will then play music of that genre. If you like what they are playing then you give the song a "thumbs up" and it will add music like that to the algorithm. It is pretty darn good at finding music you like. Try it...you will thank me later!

Why I Watch!!

There are many reasons why I am watching the Olympics. I just love sports; the weird ones that only come around every 4 years. Or maybe it is to see the US medal count rise higher and higher only to find myself feeling bad that we send 700+ athletes to the games and 80% of the countries that attend the Olympics have NEVER won a medal. Maybe I love to watch the underdog, the country with 3 or 4 athletes possibly get a medal like in Kayak this year. Cant forget the Dream Team or Redeem Team as it is called this year. This year I have fallen in love with Skeet, Trap, and Fencing. Fast twitch, don't blink or you will lose sports. Of course I am so glad to have seen and witnessed Michael (great name) Phelps become the greatest Olympian of all time...what the heck. But for me, the moment that I feel has eclipsed all the previously mentioned moments is the one that you all have to watch for yourselves. I don't cry much in movies or touching moments but for some reason this one almost had me.

The celebration, the moment, the medal ceremony...wow...to me this is what the Olympics are all about!

Please click this link and watch and cry!!!

Reminiscent

Now I normally don't do this, and I try not to talk about it too much but...I love reminiscing about The Overflow and the staff that was. Everything was a blessing from God from the well oiled machine it was, to my relationship I had with Trav and the freedom I had in leading the students in musical worship...what an amazing time in my life as a pastor/leader. I bring this up because E Lo found this wonderful clip of the 4 M's of camp: No Missing, No Moaning, No Messing, and No Meandering...this is The Overflow Staff at its top-tip creative shape...watch and enjoy my friends (say these last 5 words with the voice of the Dos XX guy that says "Stay thirsty my friends)

Click Here

Back From The Dead!!!

That's right...I'm blogging. I'm giving you a post to satisfy your urge for my Puerto Rican Slant on things...just kidding. I figured I should blog something since I have one.

Today Jess Mac came over with the girls to go swimming in my new pool at my new home. That's right...I moved from Orange Crest to Canyon Crest...5 mins away. Holly and I live in the Canyon Creek apartments. Anyways it was just me and Audrey...holly wasn't even home. Jess didn't have to come over but she did and that meant a lot to 

me. Why you ask???

Ok so I have been Mr. Mom for the last two mont

hs. it has been such a blessing and privilege to do so. Whenever I tell guys or gals for that matter, they all say, "oh you are so lucky as a dad!!" I guess I am, I am just doing what we as parents have to do. Now what I am about to say my make some people mad but to me it is reality...being a parent is not that hard! Babies, kids, adults, the cosmos...it all has some sort of rhythm. If you find the rhythm then it becomes predictable and simplified. There is to say that bit of unpredictability but again if you are in tune with the rhythm then it is easy to sense the unpredictable and roll with the punches. What is not hard as a stay-at-home parent is the lack of Adult interaction. God created to need people and even though my little Audrey is a person, I can only repeat certain words so many times before I crack. I put on DVDs just so I can have some adult interaction; which I don't really watch...it is just for the adult sentences coming from my iMac. Especially for me (Super Extravert), I need 

people. So you see...for Jess to come over, without her good friend, my wife Holly there and just hang wit

h Mr. Mom meant a whole lot. For all of those stay at home mommies out there I can empathize and fully understand that it isn't the kids but the lack of common adult interaction that can drive you nuts...

So there is that...and some pictures of Audrey!!

This is what I am reading...

I love N.T. Wright. He is our modern C.S. Lewis with amazing theology all wrapped into one. The man is a poet when he writes and talks and he is freaking brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Anyways I just started reading it and he poses two great questions about Heaven and Hope: "What is the ultimate Christian hope? Second, what hope is there for change, rescue, transformation, new possibilities within the world in the present?" (Wright, 2008, p. 5).

Great question because if one holds true to turn and burn, I have punched my ticket attitude of heaven, then there isn't much hope for those behind and the cosmos we leave...

"But if the Christian hope is for God's new creation, for 'new heavens and new earth,' and if that hope has already come to life in Jesus of Nazareth, then there is every reason to join the two questions together" (Wright, 2008, p. 5).

My mind is blown already...love it!!! Rabbi Bill Risinger stretched me to read stuff that baffles and stretches the mind. This is a book that is going to do that. Pick it up folks, I dare you.

SPRING BREAK!!!

So I am on spring break and it couldn't have come at a better time. I'm tired. I'm tired of thinking, or not sleeping because I am studying or taking care of my lovely, beautiful daughter, or I'm tired of being tired.
So what am I going to do you ask...good question.

1. Get new brake pads for the hog
2. mow and feed my lawn
3. sleep
4. read all of my outstanding books. I have been reading a book from Brad Young about The Parables. Great, great insight to Jewish thought about where Jesus was coming from while speaking in parables.
5. Spend some lovely time with my wife and child. Maybe teach Audrey to read and write; or throw a baseball; or just how to be PuertoRican
6. Spontaneity...we will just see!!!

10 days of bliss is just what the doctor ordered.

Jackie Moon

I love Will Ferrel. Love him! The first time I saw his new movie I immediately thought of Trav Osborne and his Life 2007 character. What I love more about this character are the commercials he is doing. So far I have just seen some Bud Light ads and Old Spice ads. The Old Spice ads are absolutely brilliant...well both companies have brilliant commercials.
I want to share the love of Jackie Moon and the Old Spice commercials.
Have fun my fellow bloggers...I really do think they jacked the idea from Trav for Jackie Moon!! ;)

Knight Rider

Last night was the WORLD PREMIER of Knight Rider. Umm...it was fun. If anything it takes me back to my childhood. I loved Knight Rider when i was a kid. LOVED IT!!! The Hoff was awesome and Kit was a dream come true; a fast car that talks and can shoot people out of roof if he didn't like you...that is classic.
This new Knight Rider is fun. It isn't great but it is fun. The car is better (I am partial to Mustangs not T-Birds) but that is about it. The acting is horrible (what are you gonna do...it's freakn' Knight Rider) and the plot is going to be interesting to see. Yes I said plot. All 1 hour shows have their plot for that episode but apparently there is going to be more to this show. The Hoff showed up at the end of the 2 hour premier...enough said (Michael Knight...a fugitive of the law). The new character is name Mike. Oh and I don't think this show has any producers except Ford Motor Companies; can you say advertising. Every car in the show was a Ford and if the car wasn't a Ford (heaven forbid) than the camera angles made sure you had no idea what kind of car it was. Oh well. Maybe I like this show because there aren't a ton of main characters with the name Mike or Michael...hmmm...
Well you don't need to waste your time but I am going to because, well, it's freakn' Knight Rider. What kid doesn't want a car that is ridiculously amazing.

U2 3D

There comes a time in ones life where something happens that can change the course of history. Marriage, Having a Baby, Graduating with a RN/BSN, and seeing U2 in concert. What would make it better is seeing U2 in IMAX 3D...oh wait... I did. I just saw U2 3D and it was like seeing a concert without having to pay $80. It was absolutely amazing how they, the producers of the movie, didn't overwhelm you with 3d technology but gave it just enough to actually want to see if you could reach out and touch The Edge. This wasn't your typical Captain Eo. There was a set list of 14 songs, all done in South America where stadiums seemed like they had trampolines built into the floor (My People). Even the IMAX theater couldn't help to clap after every song as if they were there. The producers of the film, National Geographic and 3ality, some how captured all, and I mean all of the energy at each concert (I say each concert because the movie was a compilation of South American shows they seamlessly put together). What made the night even better was to see Holly enjoy the show as much as I did. She had never seen U2 in any concert format but she was singing along with everyone in the movie and the theater. Holly also loved how Bono tailored the concert to our South American brothas and sistas adding Spanish lines to Beautiful Day instead of talking about China. Of course it wouldn't have come off it wasn't for Bono. For U2 fans, it is known that Bono will deliver a great performance, but, to see it in 3D, 60 Feet tall; it's a whole new realm of energy. Bono should win an Oscar...j/k...no really though...j/k...no really.

My advice to you is see it before it is gone no matter how far away an IMAX is. Get a whole bunch of people together and make a road trip out of it.

My only problem with the movie is they didn't do City of Blinding Lights but they made up with Miss Sarajevo. Go and enjoy my friends.

Changed and Saved,
Mike

Toxicity

Well my wife has done it now...she has slowly and painfully but shirley (he he) changed me over to the dark side. She has made me concerned with the products I'm using...aaaaahhhhhh! No really, it is a great thing. I have never been one to use a ton of man made stuff on my body except for soap and shampoo and toothpaste and contact solution and shave gel and mouth wash and acne stuff and...well you get the point. If you have a brain and can critically think straight; does it really make sense to put man made stuff on your person? Does it? Out of the thousands upon thousands of ingredients that are used everyday for our care products do you actually think they check every single reaction and co-reaction of these products. No, they don't have the money or man power to check them. But this website that a friend of mine found is a great site to see which products you are using are safe, moderate, or dangerous.

There are two ratings that the website gives. One tells you how dangerous the product is. The second tells you what percentage of the ingredients used in the product have been tested for carcinogenic effects. If you click on this link you can get an idea of a product that I use in my hair: Garnier Fructis Hair Stuff. It is real eye opener and to me, it just makes sense to switch to something that is healthier.

Skin Deep is the name of the Website

Some YouTube Fun!!!

Here are some fun youtube videos that I found this past vacation up in the PNW (pronounced P-N-DUB). Thanks to my little sis telling me about the bear. miss you Hales! Well have fun with this and Happy New Year to you all.

Bear vs. Trampoline


Wedding Dance


Southwest Commercial


Philinthecircle (an amazing...AMAZING artist)

What Would Jesus Buy?

I can't wait to see this movie. However, this is an interview of the infamous movie What Would Jesus Buy?, which, according to Trav, is worth seeing. The interview was done at Imago Dei in Portland, Oregon (Holly and I have been there and it is a great community doing miracles in the name of Jesus). Rick the pastor for Imago is interviewing the producer of the movie and it truly captures his heart in making this movie. Take a gander and let it marinate a bit on this one...

Spreading Christmas Cheer!!!

I absolutely love this time of year. I love the music, the food, memories that are made, time off of school, going to Oregon to visit family and actually have a real winter...I love it all. I also love the funny things that are Christmas like egg nog (which I love), A Christmas Story, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation; you know...the classics. The internet has made some advancements on making Christmas that much more cheerful...
You are looking to Elf Yourself this year, please do so at this website www.elfyourself.com.

Here are a couple of examples of fun if you elf yourself. It is a lot of fun...seriously! The first one is of me and some of my boys. The second one is of Holly (my wife), Sara (our roommate), Curtis (Sara's boyfriend), and myself.

Just make sure to have the sound up...

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1233907342

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1233743044

God Grew Tired Of Us

I really want to see this movie. The whole premise is close to those conversations we all have...you know the ones where what if someone from the middle ages stepped into the future, in 2007, and tried to live? How hard would it be? Well, this story is about bringing some men from Africa; from the war torn parts of Africa to the United States. It is a documentary from National Geographic and is narrated by Nicole Kidman. I don't think this movie will end up in the theaters but I am sure it will go to DVD. It is a movie like this that helps to bring balance to my life. You can never have too many examples of what balance should look like in the life of a Christian.

Not only that but any movie trailer that ends with a U2 song is an Oscar winning movie in my book!!!

The Story Of Stuff

This is very important that all should watch and learn. This has been going around quickly amongst my blog buddies and I want to make sure that if you read my blog, you will know about this short film. Go to this blog (Audience of One) and watch the videos. They blew me away at all of the stuff I have bought into and now need to change for my little rodrigo (Sydney Claire. that is not her name but that is what I want to name her). It even gave some great history as to how we as a society have bought into the same mentality.

I strongly encourage you to educate yourself using these videos. While you stop by at Micah's blog give him some love for posting these remarkable videos. It they do not change you than I say to you...You have a heart of Black and you're not cool!

On a spiritual note:

The video on consumerism is a great tell tale sign of yourself, of myself. This section of video will show how one truly looks inside and what one will go through to make sure that person feels accepted, complete, and whole. No one wants to be told they don't need this or that. It really falls in line with my blog Green = Contentment

Baby Rodrigo...

So I just heard the heart beat of my lovely Baby Rodrigo with my stethoscope. I felt for the baby, pushed and prodded on Holly's belly, found baby's back and placed the stethoscope on her back and listened... woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
It is really, really quiet but it is there and fast. I can't wait to meet her!!! She doesn't really like me pushing in on her space to hear her heart though. She pushes back and it sounds really loud through the stethoscope; not really pleasant.

The Gospel According to Mary Poppins

I know what you are thinking because I am thinking the same thing, "How did Mike put gospel and Mary Poppins in the same sentence?" Well here is how. I was watching Mary Poppins last night with Holly and my roommate turned little sis Sara. If you haven't watched this movie in a while I suggest you do so. Watch it by yourself if you need to but I suggest watching it from an adult standpoint. I say an adult standpoint because to me there are a ton of life situations that children would just not understand unless they were taught them. I know I didn't when I was a kid or at least I did not understand the weight that each issue truly caries.
Now let me get this perfectly clear...I did not specifically watch this movie to seek out faith meanings but as I was watching, and given the time period that this movie came out, I realized how advanced this movie and its' plot really was. Yes it may be cheesy but it truly was ahead of its' time dealing with family issues, womens rights, overlooking the poor, money and how to use it for self gain or for selfless reasons. These are all very religious and very spiritual ideas; of course all things are spiritual...right!

What's Yo Flava!!!

So the other day some great friends of mine, Dan, Adam, and Ian, all went to Substation for some killer sandwiches (which are severely over priced). I, being that I am trying to help my brother Dan out by staying away from soda, purchase Vitamin Water (purple label). It was good. It tastes lighter than Gatorade but what got me hooked was the label on the bottle. HILARIOUS!! Each drink has a weird, quirky story that makes no sense what so ever. LOVE IT. So I ask the bloggnation; What is your favorite Vitamin Water and the story that goes with it?

Little known facts about Vitamin Water:

• It was purchased by Coca-Cola not to long ago for 4.1 Billion dollars
• They have 2 high profile investors in Vitamin Water
• 50 Cent: who has a 10% stake in the Vitamin Water company
  
• Third Baseman, David Wright, from the NY Mets. He has .5%