Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Tell Me Something Good!


Then those whose lives honored God got together and talked it over. God saw what they were doing and listened in. A book was opened in God's presence and minutes were taken of the meeting, with the names of the God-fearers written down, all the names of those who honored God's name. (Malachi 3:16-Message)


"Blogging is the new poetry." - Unknown



BLOG (from Wikipedia)

A blog (a portmanteau* of web log) is a website where entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog), sketchblog, videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog), audio (podcasting) are part of a wider network of social media. Micro-blogging is another type of blogging which consists of blogs with very short posts. As of December 2007, blog search engine Technorati was tracking more than 112 million blogs.


* portmanteau - a new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings: "smog" is a blend of "smoke" and "fog"; "motel" is a portmanteau word made by combining "motor" and "hotel"; "brunch" is a well-known portmanteau


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I found these quotes on-line and re-arranged them a little (you CITN bloggers know how much I love lists of seven quotes!) Anyway, I thought that they were very insightful, and wanted to know what you thought about them.



1. The drops of rain make a hole in the stone not by violence but by oft falling. -Lucretius

Conversational blogging is not a sprint to happy high lands of massive traffic, huge link backs and Alexa rankings. It’s a marathon of touching one person at a time with something that’s meaningful to their lives.



2. It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it. -Albert Einstein

At the very least, a conversational blogger gives as much (s)he receives. And if (s)he can give more, it’s all the better.



3. Grant that we may not so much seek to be understood as to understand. -St. Francis of Assisi

The conversational blogger doesn’t see him/her self as the expert that everyone should be learning from. Rather, they see themselves as students more than teachers -always being open to learning from what others have to share.



4. Once harm has been done, even a fool understands it. - Homer

The conversational blogger is careful with his/her words because (s)he does not wish harm to anyone. They may have strong opinions, but they never make it personal or hurtful to others.



5. Talent develops itself in solitude; character in the stream of life. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


Conversational bloggers are in a constant cycle of learning, growing, changing and integrating. Their work is when the keyboard is silent. And, the fruits of their work are shown in how they interact with others.


6. To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day. -Lao Tzu

As conversational bloggers, we can learn to fill our selves every day with more knowledge about how to blog, how to drive traffic, how to get more links. What get, then is that - knowledge. But wisdom, and great conversation, comes from stripping it all down to just the conversation. Share, give, link and the rest takes care of itself.



7. To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself. -Soren Kierkegaard


The conversational blogger stretches him/her self with his/her blog. Since (s)he doesn’t have to be the expert, there’s room for him/her to slip into risks without unknown outcomes. This can become exciting and engaging conversation, without which we’re not authentic.


- Dawud Miracle

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That staistic from Wikipedia is incredible - 112 million blogsites?!!! Wow, it makes you really think about why this medium is so popular!

I get the sense that there are a lot of regular "looky-loos" here, and I want to speak to that. You know my policy about not inviting in religious strife...this site is not open to theological slugfests. But I am willing to entertain legitimate questions, along with tastefully stated observations that may not be my own personal viewpoints. So I invite some of you eavesdroppers to get in here. This is not a clique, and you don't have to be brilliant and clever to participate...if you have something to say, we want to hear it. Just be yourself and talk to us. Try it, you'll like it!



"The heart and soul of blogging is the individual and/or the group of individuals opining on the fly and responding post-haste to one and all."
- Michael Conniff


The Scripture at the top has always been a favorite of mine, but I saw it with new eyes in light of this blog. I particularly like the way The Message says "God saw what they were doing and listened in."

In the KJV: Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Those of you who come to Body Builders (check out the CITN site if you don't know what that is) know how powerfully the Christ is manifested in those conversations every month...here we have, in another medium, the opportunity to experience that every day!

Tell me something good...

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Portmanteau also means, "a large traveling bag". Woohoo! Where we goin'?! To the portculis!

Technorati - fun word. (hmm... does that make me a technoramus?)

My family has its own portmantultitude (oodles)

"pluter" = play on computer

"mankie" = my blankie

"blutimus" = beautiful, lovely, stupendous


2. It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it. -Albert Einstein

* Great. That's gonna be a lot of Bazooka gum!

4. Once harm has been done, even a fool understands it. - Homer

* 4 out of 5 hungry pizza eaters agree

5. Talent develops itself in solitude; character in the stream of life. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

* Bob Dylan said that he just wrote a song & he knew it'd be OK. Before he wrote it, he didn't even know what it was gonna say.

6. To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day. -Lao Tzu

"In the beginner's mind, there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind, there are few." -

Suzuki Roshi

Lise said...

Morning, Bish and all!

Tell you something good? OK...
This blog rocks! Anyone who thinks that there can't possibly be merit to bunches of people posting stuff online is so sadly mistaken. I concur that many blogsites are possibly and probably garbage, but not this one!!! Perhaps unknowingly, as a support system you all have brought me through my current situation. I needed to share with people of faith, and to rely on agreement, because I just couldn't reveal all of this to my family. They are so precious to me, but I feel like what I could expect from them would be 1/3 sincere compassion and support and 2/3 worry and Winnie the Pooh kind of fretting. It's the fretting that I can't handle, because I've had to try to overcome that myself. So, I've made an effort to just step out of the way of any negativity and to grow up a little bit. As Suzanne Sommers said in one of her books, "Growing up is not for sissies." (She's a smart cookie!) So, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the freedom of expression represented here!

And regarding today's 1 on 1 (CITN site)... was that just for me or what?!? I'm sure not, but wow! I loved the Kipling quote. "Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are your own fears." Reminds me of a bulletin on MySpace that one of my friends posted in which was stated, "make sure the bulldog has teeth." In other words, don't get all anxious about something until you KNOW what it is you're going to have to face. Doing so is premature and, I guess, immature. I don't want to be immature, so I am "running toward my giant." And in so doing, I am solidifying yet another facet of that wonderful, intimate friendship that I have with God. He is SO good :)

As for now, it's a beautiful day here in Simpsonville, SC! I'm calm at present, and hope to remain so throughout the day and especially tomorrow. Keep praying for me, and if you would, please say a prayer for my wonderful MySpace friend, Leilani. She was truly the voice of God to me a few weeks ago! Her tests are from 9-12 tomorrow. There has been a history of breast cancer in her family, and she has several of the risk factors. But I know my God, and He IS... bigger than all that!

CARPE DIEM!

DoubleBack Alley said...

Of course, Iris all are welcome. We have a most excellent captain on this journey to the center of the mind. Finally, a Ted Nugent reference, Sahib.

I am most pliable to thoughts of this site. Sight that is stimulated and centered from the inside out. Some people mentioned the Andy Griffith show yesterday. Never have really acquired a taste for that television genre, but as fate would have it, the eponymous show came on while I was reading Chopra's latest book, "The Third Christ". Reading Chopra and listening to Barney was like trying to eat a grits-filled deep dish pizza. Incongruent tastes that prompt a gag reflex.

It was the "Opie the Birdman", an appellation designated by the Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club (who knew?). The final scene finds Opie lamenting. “the cage sure looks empty”, to which Andy responds, "but don't the trees seem nice and full". Whew, baby, I really cried. Real, warm, salty tears. Why didn't someone tell me grits were this good?

Don’t know what I did with my thoughts before this blog. Probably just stared into the cage and watched them flutter, flail, and founder away under my watchful eye. About a month ago, I opened my cage with all of you into the trees of Sahib’s blogsite and before we could even think of lamenting about the vacuum of our thought cages, our Father said, “Don’t the trees sound nice and full”. Thanks to everyone for letting my birds chirp with your birds in the trees. Thanks to the ones who are yet to get it and you can rest assured, your birds can play with my birds all they want. Birds of Paradise come in all shapes, sizes, and scent. Some fowl, some not so.

Sahib, with your permission, my favorite 7 bloginthenow things:
1. Grits of Wisdom
2. Wisdom of Bloggers
3. Bloggers of Diversity
4. Diversity of Birds
5. Birds of Unity
6. Unity of Desire
7. Desire of Grits

Ain’t God Good?

Friend4Life said...

Goodday Every-1!
(#4) Once harm has been done even a fool understands it.-Homer

I try to be careful with my words. I diffently don't won't to harm anyone.

Wow-112 million blogsites! People want to connect. That's something that's missing in their lives. To reach out with words; to be understood. Alot of people are lost. That's why I pray for them to be found. (To Enter IN) That God has always been there. God hears even the smallest voice.

Call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.(Jeremiah 29:17)

Tell Me Something Good...I love coming to this incredible site.

With Love,
L.W.

Anonymous said...

Bish, I am responding to Albert Einstein's quote/that we have an obligation to give back. Believe it or not, I just wiped out a beautiful blog the Lord gave me, quite by accident but anyway, this one will be the better one.

In meditating on Sunday's message and a conversation with an apostle friend, we discussed briefly the "transfiguration" which in turn prompted me to read the 3 accounts of the Mount of Transfiguration which you will find Eugene Peterson's interpretion as follows...

9 (The Message)
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Mark 9
1 Then he drove it home by saying, "This isn't pie in the sky by and by. Some of you who are standing here are going to see it happen, see the kingdom of God arrive in full force." In a Light-Radiant Cloud
2-4Six days later, three of them did see it. Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. His clothes shimmered, glistening white, whiter than any bleach could make them. Elijah, along with Moses, came into view, in deep conversation with Jesus.

5-6Peter interrupted, "Rabbi, this is a great moment! Let's build three memorials— one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah." He blurted this out without thinking, stunned as they all were by what they were seeing.

7Just then a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and from deep in the cloud, a voice: "This is my Son, marked by my love. Listen to him."

8The next minute the disciples were looking around, rubbing their eyes, seeing nothing but Jesus, only Jesus........well in thinking about what took place on this past Sunday I thought...Could it be possible that because of the revelation you explored with your disciples (us)...did that cause us to sit in heavenly places on a whole 'nother level and see the Glory of the Kingdom arrive in full force and the visual of God's glory to appear and you Bish, to become like Jesus in which God the father says...This is my son, marked by my love, in whom I am pleased, (listen to him)...just a thought I have been pondering! I am not trying to be too persistent, just wanted to share what was in me today! What a glorious day, How great is our God!!!!Selah, Peace and blessings, Yvonne

Iris said...

Thanks DBA…

Bishop…You have said before… each of us brings a new facet of God in the Body of Christ… No one can experience all of who God is without one another… That is the way that I see this blog… with all of us blogging… we are seeing new aspects of who God is… We are artist painting a beautiful exquisite picture… We all have a paintbrush to use our God given creativity to fashion what flows from our spirits… we all bring diverse colors to the painting…

Or another way of looking at it is… each of us are a unique color of the rainbow… Without ALL of us the rainbow would not exist… And what is even cooler… the rainbow is what points us to God… As the rainbow points us to the heavens, we find a whole new world… heightened… multihued… landscaped to perfection… an astounding display of all the wonders of our King… a place where our dreams really do come true… where the clouds are far behind us and all we see is the Son… DBA, it’s a place where the birds are free to fly… a place where freedom reigns… Kind of like the song… “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”…

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true
Some day I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
Some day I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?


I believe that with this blog sight… it has and is going to continue to enlighten people to all the aspects of God… I believe our rainbow will point everyone to the Son… and we are flying free…I love this sight… Bishop!!!

Iris

Kettly said...

Dear Bishop,

You said: TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD!

I SAY; MY SOMETHING GOOG ARE: When I my turn computer, on the blogsite to read, or rather to eat, what you cook us this morning for breakfast.Not only breakfast was ready to eat,I also have desert.

FOR BREAKFAST I HAVE:
#3;#4;#5;#6 and 7.

FOR DESERT I HAVE SEVEN BEAUTIFUL SONGS. WHICH ARE:

MORNING HAS BROKEN(CAT STEVEN).
I wake up to the first early sunrise.

I SEE THE LORD(MATTHEW WARS).

I truly see the LORD with the morning Sunrise shines on me

THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM(LUTHR VANDROSS).

If I you don't mind me saying this.(This song reminds me of you), who has a dream with a RECOCILIATION MESSAGE,(giving to you by the Lord to reach the world.) But so many oppositions are coming your way,thinking they can stop you from doing the job, God has entrust you to do Jesus said: on LUKE 18:27-What impossible with men is possible with God. That's why I know your Dream to reach the Community of Newton and Rockdale, and some part of the Nation will come true.

4-DAYS OF ELIJAH(ROBIN MARK).

That was the days of Elijah.Now I believe our Days are coming soon at CITN, if they are not here already.

5-NOW BEHOLD THE LAMB(KIRK FRANKLIN)

Because you hold the Lamb of God so dear to your heart, the impossible dream to reach the Nation will truly come true for you.

6-THEME FROM AMEN

Yes! I can see the Light is really Shines on you and on us at CITN.

I'LL TAKE YOU THERE(STAPPLE SINGER)

Thank You Bish, for saying "yes" to the LORD to give you intructions
in the form of" Revelation" to TAKE US US THERE.

May You and your Family be Bless.
Kettly.













I turn the computer to the blog,to read what you write for me (us),for breakfast,the first SEVEN SONGS:

Ebony said...

Well, on the personal note, I don't have to go in to work tomorrow.

For the good of the bloggers, A few passages from the Message

Proverbs 13:14 " The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
so, no more drinking from death-tainted wells!"

Romans 9:31-39:

"So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. "

It's ALMOST FRIDAY!!!

Donald said...

3.Grant that we may not so much seek to be understood as to understand. –St. Francis of Assissi

I thought that Stephen Covey had an original idea when I heard that point in his seminar. A lack of adhering to that principle is a major cause of dissention and stagnation, not only in churches, but in every facet of life. With everyone so busy trying to prove their point, there’s not much room left to consider a new idea. Only new ideas bring about change.

Erik said...

“Tell me something good… tell me, tell me , tell me, tell me that you like it, oh yeahh… I’ll make you wish there were 48 hours to each day.. tell me, tell me.. “ That is what I hear God saying all the time. God, Jesus, Jehova.., Holy Spirit, The Universe, The Energy, Flow, Allah, Elohim, all of is, whatever.. Is soooooooooo sexy. Do you ever just think about how fun it would be for life just to break out in a musical? In my head, it does anyway, but I mean with people, trees, birds, cars, flowers, just break into a cool song and dance, then after, it all goes on as before. I love when I notice that God is listening in, it makes everything so much more alive. How blutimis . Thx izumi.

When I was growing up, my bike, my cats, my books, my stuffed animals, nature, all sung to me. Things do now too, but differently, and I notice when I am distracted by ‘practical things’ they are mostly quiet. So I limit as much as possible the practical thoughts :) . But in a practical way… :0 :).

I like the quote – To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself. – Kierkergaard.

So, today, while listening to the playlist, working, reading blogs in between, I enjoyed thinking about how blessed I am, that we all are. In this space discussing the most wonderful things of life, what lights our joy, and fills our peace. I thought about yesterday’s post from Bishop, which to me is the core of everything - we all are intrinsically connected. If one of us is discarded, the other 99 lose. I know this in my spirit, and know it with every breath. Because we all are a part of each other, so if God is within me, which He is, then there is no one He is not in, nor that we are not a part of. So if 1 is discarded, we all suffer that amputation. God does not amputate Godself. God IS,… God is great, All the World knows in themselves How Great God Is. When I open my floodgates on the reality of ALL, Every, The World, I lose myself, in the most wonderful way. I did that yesterday, and lo I never blogged. So, keeping a lid on now, ---

Iris, isn’t great to be living paintbrushes AND living epistles, the breathing threads in the tapestry – Someday is today. This blog sight is a vision clearer, kind of like spirit Lasik surgery. We see that colors without the ‘glasses’.

DBA – We do fill the trees , the cage doors are always open, and We do dare, even if there is a momentary ‘woosh’ the updraft fills our wings. We find ourselves in the trees in flight, but lose vision in the cage. But alas, one can walk out of the cage at 9 or 99.

Praise God !!!!

Unknown said...

Something good? Yesterday’s posting and bloggings certainly built up the Body of Christ! Powerful to see love re-act like it did.

I’m not sure I totally get #7 today. It seems that the reference to blogging should say--in not having to be an expert there is “room to slip into risks without ‘known’ outcomes” which can become exciting, engaging, real conversation. Is there something I’m missing in reading the original quote?

Something else good?
The picture of DBA’s beautiful birds set free in the trees.
Ebony’s Romans 9 reminder of the risks God takes. I needed that tonight.
Yvonne’s Mark 9 choice--His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. I never noticed “from the inside out” before!
Donald’s memory: I thought that quote sounded familiar! Covey’s Seek first to understand! Do you still have a copy of the book? Did he give props to St. Francis?
Kettly’s dessert with breakfast…yum!
Iris’ blue eye coloring the blog rainbow
Erik’s singing bike. I heard the sound of playing cards flapping on the spokes, but never singing. That would have been cool.
Izumi/joy’s blutimous view of the world
LpinSC’s the bulldog has no teeth attitude
Friend4life’s beach scene
This blog.

and a BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE was written—must be cached somewhere, you think?

Anonymous said...

Good morning all.

Thanks Avatar!

Thanks Erik! Amongst chefs, you're a patron saint.

miraclegirl said...

I've been a lookie-lew Bishop. But today I feel like sharing "something good". I was thinking about when God breathed the breath of life into man..... (remember that day you brought out your coat of many colors?) The breath of life.... that's something good. Put your hand up in front of your face and blow a breath into your palm. Can you imaging? THE BREATH OF LIFE?!?!?!?!? Then, he gives us the choice whether to love him or not. I choose LOVE.