20 QUESTIONS

Several of you have asked for another one of these, so here it is. Please answer one, some, or all...

1. How often do you visit this blog site?

2. If you are a repeat visitor here, what keeps you coming back?

3. If you are not a part of CITN or cyber-CITN, how did you find out about this blog?

4. Do you think that this blog site is an asset to CITN, and if so, why?

5. Of all the BLOGINTHENOW blogs, which one is your favorite?

6. What’s the most outrageous (repeatable) word verification that you’ve had to use to post a comment?

7. What’s your favorite song on the BLOGINTHENOW playlist?

8. If you visit AW4W, what’s your favorite song on that playlist?

9. Of the regular contributors on the comments pages, who do you most enjoy hearing from?

10. What motivates you to post comments?

11. How does regular participation with the blog enhance your sense of the necessity for community?

12. If you are a regular participant (blurker or blogger), how has your participation affected your thinking?

13. How has the blog affected your relationship with God?

14. How has the blog affected your relationships with other bloggers?

15. How has the blog affected your relationship with CITN?

16. How has the blog affected your relationship with (or perception of) the BLOGMASTER?

17. Who would you like to hear from more on the comments page?

18. Who would you like to hear from again who no longer contributes?

19. Has there ever been a post published that you were convinced was meant just for you, and, if so, what was it?

20. If you were asked to write an article to be posted on the blog, what would you write about?

What's All This About?

Finally got these pics, Pastor Al...thanks!

Hey bloggers...It's nice to have all the rooms in the house filling up...you're all welcome here...

Last night after the service, P. Scott, Judah and Jonah and I went to see a late showing of Slumdog Millionaire, which is currently nominated for best picture...very cool...very well done...brutal, but extremely inspirational...perhaps the best movie about the concept of destiny fulfillment that I have ever seen, even though my ideas about destiny are kind of in flux right now...

I like what Peacemaker said on the 20/20 blog (PERCEPTION) about using the term "creator" instead of "co-creator"...I understood what he meant, and I agree...(BTW, there's a brand new post on that blog today, just waiting for your comment)...

Anyway, that's why I say that my ideas about destiny are changing...

More about that later...

There's a response from P. Ben on the Now Ministries site (MINISTRY NETWORK)...

As I said last night in the service, Pastor Dony McGuire is having major surgery this morning...I posted an e-mail prayer request that I received from his staff on the prayer blog (PRAYER REQUESTS)...be in agreement for his speedy recovery, and while you're over there, write your own prayer requests...

There's a nice little motivational poem on AW4W (ENTREPRENEURS)...it's kind of like a mental vitamin booster shot...

And the AYITN blog (DEVOTIONAL) is "HELP SOMEBODY!"...it's a good one to cut and paste and e-mail to someone who is too self-absorbed...

I thought last night's word was a good one for all of us to hear...go to the LifeSkills blog and tell me what you got out of it...

And several of you mentioned yesterday about my 20 Questions posts...I'll do one for tomorrow...


ATTENTION TEENS AND TWENTY-SOMETHINGS!!! DON'T FORGET PROJECT 404 TONIGHT @ 7 PM!!! They've got some real cool (and very funny) stuff for this evening's event...

Make Yourself at Home!

Hey bloggers...thanks for the good responses to yesterday's post...

I've been thinking about this past Sunday's message, and the fact that when at the beginning of the sermon I called for people to come up and tell something random about themselves (as in the current Facebook fad), they just came right up immediately (even kids), and weren't shy at all about sharing personal information in front of a very large crowd. I just found that interesting (you may want to share some facts about yourself here...just keep it clean).

I also wanted to say that there is a reason for my picture choice at the top of the page. I used a pic of me writing on my laptop, because that's what I look like when I'm creating all this stuff, and I think it gives my readers sort of a point of reference. But I especially wanted to use that particular shot at the top because it was taken on my own front porch, and I consider the BLOGINTHENOW title header to be the "front porch" of this cyber-house. All the blogs are the rooms in the house.

The point is that I think of it as a place where I welcome you all in, and now I'm encouraging you to go into all the rooms and make yourself at home.

As I said earlier, the BOOKS BY JIM SWILLEY room isn't technically a blog, per se, but I appreciate the reviews that some of you have written there. If you've never spent any time in that room, please go on in and look around. And if you want to write some words about a book of mine there, that would be great!

If you go into the DEVOTIONAL room (A Year In The Now), you'll find a good entry today about forgiveness. Your thoughts on that subject, as always, are very welcome...

In the ENTREPRENEURS room (A Word for Winners), there's a cool article about attracting wealth that's been there for a couple of days. There's already some good feedback there, but I always welcome more. And while you're there, take a little time to enjoy the music in that room. I'm very proud of that playlist.

The LifeSkills room will get an update after tonight's session, so you may want to visit that room now and later.

The MINISTRY NETWORK room (Now Ministries) has Bishop Tommy's new website link, which includes lots of pictures of UNITE 2009 (those of you who went with me to the Philippines will find your pictures there). There's also an update in that room of what's happening in Uganda. You don't have to be in ministry to participate in that blog.

Peacemaker, I'm glad you're not scared to be all alone in the PERCEPTION room (20/20 VISION)...I actually think that's a neat little blog (the little blog that could)...someone may want to go in there and keep PM company...

And, finally, there hasn't been any activity in the PRAYER REQUEST room for a couple of days, but it's there for you if you need it.

So come on in...take your shoes off...set a spell.

This house was built for you...

C U 2nite ITB!!!

Bless the Lord, O My Soul!

Hey bloggers...Debee and her husband, Dante, have been in my life for close to 30 years, and I've always known her to be deeply insightful...but yesterday she sent me this e-mail, and I thought that it was worthy of consideration here on the blog (she knows I'm going to post it, BTW).

This is a rather unconventional concept, but when I read it, I immediately thought of David saying, "Let ALL that is within me bless His holy name"...think about it "ALL" that is within me...what I perceive to be good in me...what I perceive to be bad in me...all...

I am neither endorsing this, nor disagreeing with it...but something about it resonated within me, in the sense that I think it may help someone today. And this probably goes without saying, but the "black dog/white dog" thing isn't meant to be interpreted as anything racially negative...it is what it is...

Good Morning Bishop,

I wasn't sure if this was "blog material" but I did want to share some thoughts with you from my Morning Pages. My gratitude for the way you've changed my paradigm is well.... bottomless. There's more but I wanted to send this before I chickened out:)
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Bishop.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Last night Bishop taught on self-esteem and used the analogy of two wolves living in the basement of my soul. I had always heard it as two dogs, one black, one white but the application was the same. Which one will live? The one that is fed. I used to go along with that analogy wholeheartedly believing that something in me needed to thrive and something needed to die. Now I’m not so sure. In my experience when I strived to ignore the black dog he didn’t die but grew larger demanding more of my thoughts. My time. Me.

It was only when I sat with him, listened to his grievances and concerns, thanked him for his loyalty and service that anything changed. Over the past few years I have confronted my prejudices, my intolerance, my personal wars. It was you, Bishop who taught me that salvation was for all--that everyone has been redeemed and that belief has bled over into the way I see myself. The intolerance and prejudices, the wars that have raged between the “dogs” in me are melting into understanding. I’ve invited all my secret selves to the table and given them a place to speak their mind. Gratitude has replaced disdain. I am learning to thank them all for somehow saving my life. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had a houseful of wild dogs that chewed the furniture, soiled the rugs, barked all night and bit my friends but with compassionate examination I realized they were all doing their best to keep me alive. Funny, after acknowledging their contributions, however skewed, most are willing to peacefully go and lie down. And occasionally one or all might still be needed. I guess it boils down to this. I don’t want to fight anymore. I don’t want to starve anyone anymore. I realize that we’re talking about thought patterns here but I’ve had far more success thanking the “dog” even for the crazy thoughts and saying “tell me more” than by neglect and starvation.

I want to learn to see the best in the world, hope against hope that we will beat our weapons into tractors and come together. And that is my prayer for me. No more ignoring, no more ignorance but compassion and understanding that brings all of me to the table where we give thanks and commune in peace.

Debee D.

Give Peace a Chance

Hey bloggers...I was looking through some files on the church computers to find Uganda pics to add to that slideshow (still looking for some from the Children's Home and the AIDS clinic, in case any of you from the team have any)...but in my search I found a few shots from our trip to Israel/Palestine some months ago that I hadn't seen...or if I had seen them, I had forgotten about them. Anyway, I came across this picture taken with a young Palestinian soldier in Bethlehem, just across the street from where most historians believe that Jesus was born.

The picture struck me as ironic and poignant for several reasons. First is the fact that this soldier is standing with a loaded rifle (where he probably stands every day), just a few feet away from where the Prince of Peace came into this world. Secondly, I was impressed with how jovial he was, and how agreeable to have his photograph taken with an American stranger. And third, what makes the photo especially significant to me is that I'm wearing a T-shirt that simply says "GOD IS LOVE".

All those elements together make this picture one of my favorites in an odd sort of way. On one level it communicates a certain sadness to see our smiling faces centered between two Palestinian flags, because I know how much pain and heartache there is in that region for both the Israelis and the Palestinians right now. I couldn't get the picture out of my mind, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Speaking of slideshows, check out all the new ones...it took me a long time to put them together (in between running around the house with Sofia, and watching about 500 episodes of Sponge Bob Square Pants with her).

And all the other blogs are being updated, so I'd appreciate some interaction from you on some of them.

But back to the peace thing, let me leave you with this today for your own life...

If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Romans 12:18 - Amplified Bible)