i'm Back

No excuses, I’ve been dark, off the grid, silent, MIA. Not drifting, not not caring, not without opinions, concerns, observations, insights and questions, just in stand by mode.

But I’m back.  Not with Sunday school questions, not with Sunday school answers, but with questions, observations, insights and tension about where we are as Believers, in church, in Church, in community, in our lives.  I’ll also be throwing randomness at you, as it comes my way and I want to engage you conversation.

So let the games begin.  Check back or read this blog as part of a RSS feed, I promise you’ll be glad you did.  Who knows I may even be talking about you, because as I’ve said before, “it’s not paranoia, when the ones that you think are out to get you, really are”.

 

Check out new site

I’ve moved my site to: www.jimsthirdspace.com

 

You've got to love Jan Brewer

 

Want to help cut the federal budget?

Here is a way your voice can be heard in cutting the federal budget.  I know, I know, it seems hopeless, but at least you can say you tried.

Everyday there is a new possible cut that you can endorse or not.  Let your voice be heard.  Go <HERE> to be heard.

 

Ron's got it together…

Several years ago I made a friend in Michigan that has really challenged me to think,  rather than to take for granted a lot of things.  That friend is Ron Martoia.  Ron is now published and a frequent speaker-teacher at innovative conferences around the world.  He is one of the most well read and articulate people I have ever met, with a charismatic personality that make you love him.  Once again he is on the edge with a new publication,  ttTribe-Manifesto . While this pub contains a pitch to join a subscription learning community I think he is right on with a lot of his observations and conclusions.  Rather than give you a few “sound bites” I’ve included a link to his pub so you can read, enjoy and be challenged.  I think you will enjoy this introduction to Ron if you’ve never read or heard him, and if you’ve read him in the past, you’ll recognize this as another of his insightful works.

After you’ve read ttTribe-Manifesto,  feel free to comment and we can chat.

 

A year of living dangerously…

Brief post to confirm that I’m back “on the grid”.  It’s been almost a year of living dangerously, trying to sort things out, hanging in there,  plan B, plan C, no jobs, five part time jobs, believing and living for a God that knows what His timing is and continues to bless and provide for our family.  So from a blogger’s perspective, I’ve been:

But I’m back. Look for my blog postings to be frequent, be things that will make you: laugh, cry, think, worry, be challenged, make you say WHAT?, and hopefully force you to be more engaged as a Believer in the context of the world we live in.  So let the games begin….

 

Everybody needs one of these..

Do you have one of these:

Maybe you’re not sure what it is.  Does this look more familiar?

These are both pictures of generators.  Everybody in Florida wants one of these during hurricane season  because they can save your refrigerator  goods and help make life a lot cooler and get you past those electrical outages.

What I want to know is, do you have a generator in your life?  A generator, a friend that puts energy back into your life.  Someone that helps you weather the storms of life that can be dark, desperate, deep with despair.  Someone that can help you keep going or get started again.  Someone that isn’t only a 2 a.m. phone call person, but someone who calls you.

I have one of these generators in my life.  And when things are the darkest, he calls.  We get together. We have coffee. We talk. We laugh.  We cry.  We give each other advice.  We pray.  A true friend.

Do you have a generator?

 

Enough said

 

Marketing genius

Buzz, that’s what marketing Gurus try to generate.  Create conversation and excitement about their product-event. They want to have everyone talking about “IT”.  The Focus on the Family marketing folks pulled off what I think is the biggest win of 2010.  Everybody has been talking about “their ad” that is airing during the Super Bowl.  The most watched TV show of the year.  The show that charges more for its commercials than anyone else.  The show that creates all the buzz with its over-the-top commercials.

Everyone had an opinion.  News stories. People on the left, people on the right.  People in the middle. People who didn’t care. People who don’t like football. Gator Nation lovers.  Gator Haters. They were all buzzing.

Then the commercial aired.  That’s it?  Did I miss something? Are they going to show more later?  Nope, that its.

Now the day after, there is more buzz.  It was too soft.  It shows Focus on the Family is slipping. It shows how sneaking “they are” trying to get people to their website. Blaa, blaa, blaa….

Great job marketing guys. To use another sports metaphor, I think you hit a home run.

 

Right on Brit

Brit took some heat, but doesn’t back down: