New Orleans March 2002. The week in New Orleans for spring break 2002 changed my life forever. New Orleans has done quite a bit to shape me into who I am today. New Orleans will make quite a few appearances over the next few weeks, so I am going to go ahead and lay the foundation for New Orleans as well.
My first trip to the Carver Baptist Center in New Orleans was March 2001. I hated it. I hated the city. The children were rowdy. The Center was not what I expected. The sleeping quarters were hot and crowded. The showers were small and crowded. The French Quarter was dirty and crowded. The trains and boats on the River were loud. There were a ton of things that I did not like about the city. There was one little boy that I did like named Michael, but that was it.
My friend went to New Orleans as a summer missionary the summer of 2001, and I started to fall in love with the children at the Center through her. I also went with her and a few friends fall break of 2001, and God was starting to chip away at some of my dislike of the city. I still had a ways to go, but I was starting to see that God had a plan for that city and for those kids.
In March 2002, our church chose to go on our second spring break mission trip to New Orleans. Although I was slightly disappointed that we were going back to the same place two years in a row (back when I viewed mission trips as a way to see as a new place as much as sharing the gospel), I could not wait to see Michael. There were other children I knew by name by that point and could not wait to see either, but I was most excited about seeing Michael. During that week, my heart towards New Orleans was changed forever.
I was not assigned to work with Michael’s age group, which was a disappointment at the time, but now I can see how God used that to form relationships that are still meaningful today. One of the boys in the class I was assigned to is currently living with me and attending Texarkana College. A simple little decision by a college minister making assignments seven years ago resulted in my ability to host this student today. That college minister probably has no idea that the decision made seven years ago has present day consequences. Isn’t God amazing? A boy who was locked out of his house when we arrived in town who remembers me from that trip although I do not remember him from then is one of the most important people in my life today (you will hear more about him before I reach thirty!). Missionaries who the year before were just names and people we saw working started becoming friends. A city that the year before had not quite captured me became my second home. When I left that mission trip, I began planning my next trip to New Orleans, and I still am always planning my next trip to New Orleans. At this point, I have lost count on how many times I have been there. It is a place that is a part of who I am, and in the past eight years (almost nine now) has taught me so much about God and humanity.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Countdown to 30: Day 28
Although my parents were key to my salvation because the gospel started in our home, there were two other people that really made a difference in my early years also resulting in my change of heart – Mrs. Crystal and Bro. Jordan.
Mrs. Crystal was my Sunday school teacher for years. I cannot remember a time when she was not my Sunday school teacher until my family moved to Fort Worth before my second grade year. She faithfully loved me for the important years in my childhood and faithfully taught me God’s word. I adored her, and I think that she felt the same way about me. Not only was she there for all of the church events, but she had a son the same age as me, and was there for all of my school events as well. I thought of her as a second mother. I think that she is an example of how teachers of young children do not realize how much they mean in the lives of the children that they teach. She was obedient to God’s call to teach the word of God to children, and because of her obedience, children like me responded to the gospel. She was faithful to love and that show of God’s love made church a place that this child looked forward to each week. Now I get to teach her grandson and love all over him and teach him God’s word which I know is being taught to him in his home as well, and I am glad that his Granna modeled for me how to show God’s love to children.
Bro. Jordan was our preacher during my early childhood years. I do not remember much about sermons that he preached. I do know that he used the Bible in all of his sermons and, from hearing him preach when I got older, that he tries to make the Bible passage central to the message. I do know that he taught about sin and taught that it was bad and would send you to hell. In fact, I think that he preached about hell – a lot. Enough to make this child afraid of going there and being separated from God. I am convinced that because he was faithful to teach the hard things of God’s word – sin, hell, God’s wrath – as well as about God’s love and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, I had an understanding of the basics of the gospel at a young age. My parents took their responsibility to discipline children seriously making sure that we knew how to sit through the service at a very young age (pretty much from birth forward), and God rewarded that with me hearing preaching based on the God’s word from a young age and God gave me an understanding at a young age.
I tend to not agree with having children’s church. Although there are a handful of children (at our church I could probably count them on one hand) that may need to be in children’s church instead of in the service, the majority of our children need to be exposed to the biblical preaching that comes from the pulpit at a young age. Is it a hassle to discipline during church? Yes. Do other members of the church tend to wish that children were not in the service? Yes. These same people do not understand the importance of children’s ministry and often did not make church a priority in their homes and do not know how to humble themselves in the body of Christ anyway. Will God reward our churches when we train our children in the things of God? Most definitely. I will say that I try to be as patient and understanding as possible when parents choose to have their children near me because the child needs to hear the sermon as much as I do. One day that child may be writing about his or her Sunday school teacher and Bro. Scott and how the faithfulness of those in the church resulted in that child having an understanding of the gospel.
Mrs. Crystal was my Sunday school teacher for years. I cannot remember a time when she was not my Sunday school teacher until my family moved to Fort Worth before my second grade year. She faithfully loved me for the important years in my childhood and faithfully taught me God’s word. I adored her, and I think that she felt the same way about me. Not only was she there for all of the church events, but she had a son the same age as me, and was there for all of my school events as well. I thought of her as a second mother. I think that she is an example of how teachers of young children do not realize how much they mean in the lives of the children that they teach. She was obedient to God’s call to teach the word of God to children, and because of her obedience, children like me responded to the gospel. She was faithful to love and that show of God’s love made church a place that this child looked forward to each week. Now I get to teach her grandson and love all over him and teach him God’s word which I know is being taught to him in his home as well, and I am glad that his Granna modeled for me how to show God’s love to children.
Bro. Jordan was our preacher during my early childhood years. I do not remember much about sermons that he preached. I do know that he used the Bible in all of his sermons and, from hearing him preach when I got older, that he tries to make the Bible passage central to the message. I do know that he taught about sin and taught that it was bad and would send you to hell. In fact, I think that he preached about hell – a lot. Enough to make this child afraid of going there and being separated from God. I am convinced that because he was faithful to teach the hard things of God’s word – sin, hell, God’s wrath – as well as about God’s love and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, I had an understanding of the basics of the gospel at a young age. My parents took their responsibility to discipline children seriously making sure that we knew how to sit through the service at a very young age (pretty much from birth forward), and God rewarded that with me hearing preaching based on the God’s word from a young age and God gave me an understanding at a young age.
I tend to not agree with having children’s church. Although there are a handful of children (at our church I could probably count them on one hand) that may need to be in children’s church instead of in the service, the majority of our children need to be exposed to the biblical preaching that comes from the pulpit at a young age. Is it a hassle to discipline during church? Yes. Do other members of the church tend to wish that children were not in the service? Yes. These same people do not understand the importance of children’s ministry and often did not make church a priority in their homes and do not know how to humble themselves in the body of Christ anyway. Will God reward our churches when we train our children in the things of God? Most definitely. I will say that I try to be as patient and understanding as possible when parents choose to have their children near me because the child needs to hear the sermon as much as I do. One day that child may be writing about his or her Sunday school teacher and Bro. Scott and how the faithfulness of those in the church resulted in that child having an understanding of the gospel.
Countdown to 30: Day 29
My parents played a key part in my salvation at a young age. I used to think that I had the most boring testimony ever. Now I see how my testimony is the type of testimony that God actually desires and delights in because it is the result of my parents’ obedience and faithfulness to God’s Word.
As a child, I remember church and Bible stories being important parts of our home. Church was always a priority, and both mom and daddy took us to church. Even when we went out of town, we were in church. Nothing came before church. No activity was more important than church. My parents even made the important decision to keep me and my brother in church for the preaching instead of sending us to children’s church. Because of this, I was exposed to preaching that was gospel centered and based on God’s word. Church was not the only time that I heard God’s word though. My parents were faithful in reading and teaching me and my brother Bible stories all throughout our childhood.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” It is God’s will for the home to be the place where the things of God are taught, and my parents made sure to obey that command.
I think that too often parents make the mistake of thinking that their children are not old enough to understand the things of God, or that the things of God need to be simplified or watered down, or that the church is supposed to teach their children about God. My parents did not let any of these things deter them from being obedient to God’s command to teach children the things of God. Of course some things are going to be too difficult for children to understand – adults cannot understand. However, children are often better at accepting things because God said so on faith than teenagers or adults, so it is important to teach them to accept concepts such as the Trinity at a young age. God makes it clear that His word is what produces fruit, so there is no need for parents to water down what God’s word says. It may be necessary to make it age appropriate or to explain it in a way that children may better understand, but the ugliness of sin and the commands of God should be communicated. God demands obedience to His word and nothing less. God commands that children be taught what God has done in the past so that children know who God is.
My parents have been faithful to communicate the things of God to the next generation by making God’s word a priority in our home. They also lived the gospel. I understood God’s unconditional love because it was like the love of my parents. I understood God’s faithfulness to His children because of my parents’ faithfulness to our family and each other. I understood God as a father because I had a godly daddy. I was willing to make sacrifices to live for God because I had seen my mom and daddy make sacrifices following God. I am who I am today because I had godly parents who made the gospel a priority in our home, resulting in my salvation at a young age, and, I am convinced, saving our family from a lot of heartbreak that comes from the actions of rebellious children.
As a child, I remember church and Bible stories being important parts of our home. Church was always a priority, and both mom and daddy took us to church. Even when we went out of town, we were in church. Nothing came before church. No activity was more important than church. My parents even made the important decision to keep me and my brother in church for the preaching instead of sending us to children’s church. Because of this, I was exposed to preaching that was gospel centered and based on God’s word. Church was not the only time that I heard God’s word though. My parents were faithful in reading and teaching me and my brother Bible stories all throughout our childhood.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” It is God’s will for the home to be the place where the things of God are taught, and my parents made sure to obey that command.
I think that too often parents make the mistake of thinking that their children are not old enough to understand the things of God, or that the things of God need to be simplified or watered down, or that the church is supposed to teach their children about God. My parents did not let any of these things deter them from being obedient to God’s command to teach children the things of God. Of course some things are going to be too difficult for children to understand – adults cannot understand. However, children are often better at accepting things because God said so on faith than teenagers or adults, so it is important to teach them to accept concepts such as the Trinity at a young age. God makes it clear that His word is what produces fruit, so there is no need for parents to water down what God’s word says. It may be necessary to make it age appropriate or to explain it in a way that children may better understand, but the ugliness of sin and the commands of God should be communicated. God demands obedience to His word and nothing less. God commands that children be taught what God has done in the past so that children know who God is.
My parents have been faithful to communicate the things of God to the next generation by making God’s word a priority in our home. They also lived the gospel. I understood God’s unconditional love because it was like the love of my parents. I understood God’s faithfulness to His children because of my parents’ faithfulness to our family and each other. I understood God as a father because I had a godly daddy. I was willing to make sacrifices to live for God because I had seen my mom and daddy make sacrifices following God. I am who I am today because I had godly parents who made the gospel a priority in our home, resulting in my salvation at a young age, and, I am convinced, saving our family from a lot of heartbreak that comes from the actions of rebellious children.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Countdown to 30: Day 30
I am going to start with the post that if I was prioritizing the list building up to what has shaped me most would fall on Day 1. I feel like it is a good place to start because it forms the foundation for all of the other posts. In some ways it also allows me to build up the suspense for the rests of the posts because the one that most people would guess is the most life-changing is first, so what else am I going to write about?!
I became a Christian at a very young age. I think I was five, but I may have been as young as four. I remember the event vaguely, and I think it is a good thing that the memory is kind of fuzzy. I do not have security in my salvation based upon an emotional experience that I had as a five year old, although I am confident that my salvation dates back to that time. Instead, my security comes from being able to see how God has worked in my life from that time to the present.
The gospel has shaped my life from that time forward. I am fortunate to have learned at a very young age the important principles of the gospel. I knew that God was a holy God because I heard God preached about and taught about and I sung Holy, Holy, Holy. I knew that God did not like it when I disobeyed Him. I learned the different ways that I disobeyed God from Sunday school teachers, preachers, and my parents. I knew that I was a sinner and I hated my sin. I knew that Jesus loved me and came to die in my place on the cross even though He had not sinned. I knew that Jesus had risen from the dead. I knew that I had to be sorry about my sins, love God, and turn away from my sins and towards God. I knew all of that at five. I did not fully understand what I was doing, and I do not fully understand to this day my salvation. I do know that God changed my life that day, and that I am who I am today because of the change in my life. This change of heart at a young age has shaped who I am today. Twenty-five years later, I can see how God has blessed my life because of my obedience as a five year old.
I became a Christian at a very young age. I think I was five, but I may have been as young as four. I remember the event vaguely, and I think it is a good thing that the memory is kind of fuzzy. I do not have security in my salvation based upon an emotional experience that I had as a five year old, although I am confident that my salvation dates back to that time. Instead, my security comes from being able to see how God has worked in my life from that time to the present.
The gospel has shaped my life from that time forward. I am fortunate to have learned at a very young age the important principles of the gospel. I knew that God was a holy God because I heard God preached about and taught about and I sung Holy, Holy, Holy. I knew that God did not like it when I disobeyed Him. I learned the different ways that I disobeyed God from Sunday school teachers, preachers, and my parents. I knew that I was a sinner and I hated my sin. I knew that Jesus loved me and came to die in my place on the cross even though He had not sinned. I knew that Jesus had risen from the dead. I knew that I had to be sorry about my sins, love God, and turn away from my sins and towards God. I knew all of that at five. I did not fully understand what I was doing, and I do not fully understand to this day my salvation. I do know that God changed my life that day, and that I am who I am today because of the change in my life. This change of heart at a young age has shaped who I am today. Twenty-five years later, I can see how God has blessed my life because of my obedience as a five year old.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Countdown to 30: Let the Countdown Begin!
Starting tomorrow for thirty days, I am going to countdown to my thirtieth birthday by sharing different events, people, circumstances, and maybe even books/movies that have had a significant impact on my life in my first thirty years of living. I am not going to do the blogs in any particular order. For some things, I may have to do several posts just to get the impact across. Some may be humorous, but most are probably going to be on the serious side. I am really excited about turning thirty. I think it is going to be a fun time of reflecting for me over the next few weeks as I think about what I should write about. I think it will also be fun for readers of my blog to see what I have chosen to share that has shaped me in the first thirty years of my life. I hope that you will join me on my journey the next thirty days as I countdown to thirty!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Christian Movies (and Books and TV shows and made-for-TV movies)
This blogger, Gene Veith, captured my thoughts exactly on the modern trend in Christian entertainment:
I have not heard of Gene Veith before today, but his statement could not be more true in my opinion.
But take some lessons from the past. I am currently teaching a course entitled “Major Christian Authors,” covering such authors as Dante, Spenser, Herbert, Bunyan, Hopkins, Chesterton, T. S. Eliot, C. S. Lewis, Charles Williams, Graham Greene, Flannery O’Connor. NONE of them wrote about people’s personal problems. There is not one terminally ill orphan in the whole lot. No scenes about broken marriages or friends dying or sports teams winning the big game. These classic Christian authors–who actually did influence their cultures–saw Christianity as being rather more than a means of solving life’s problems, and none of them lapsed into the deadly aesthetic sin of SENTIMENTALITY.
I have not heard of Gene Veith before today, but his statement could not be more true in my opinion.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Reasons I am not disappointed that the 2016 Olympics will be in Rio
(1) Now we will not have to listen to complaints about how much the Olympic building projects are costing the city of Chicago, the citizens of Chicago, the US Government to help out Chicago, etc., etc., etc. Seriously, if it cost $1.2 million just for the President to make his overnight trip to Copenhagen, then we are probably saving money until the then-President flies to Rio to watch the games.
(2) Having the Olympics hosted in a city with a reputation of crime will hopefully make the Atlanta bombing not look so bad to the IOC, thereby increasing the US's chances of hosting another Olympics game at some point in the future.
(3) In 2012 we will not have to hear Obama bragging about singlehandedly bringing the Olympic games to Chicago.
(4) The opening ceremonies will be much cooler in Rio. What would Chicago do for opening ceremonies? Rap? Hip-hop? Blues? Evolution of American music and dance? Fire? Mob? World fair serial killer tribute? Rio will probably do Carnival and it will be cool with the outrageous costumes.
(5) It is about time that South America join the hosting.
(6) Olympics cost more than they make in the short-term.
(7) We will probably have a scandal about an American athlete(s) partying too much in Rio and be able to blame bad performances on that. The excuse would not work too well in Chicago.
(8) It isn't Tokyo.
(9) The world's attention will be turned for a little while to a place that needs the gospel. Of course this would have been true for all of the other cities on the list as well, but most of us probably do not think of Rio that often.
(10) We do not have to hear the "They're Coming to America" song for the year preceding the games!
(2) Having the Olympics hosted in a city with a reputation of crime will hopefully make the Atlanta bombing not look so bad to the IOC, thereby increasing the US's chances of hosting another Olympics game at some point in the future.
(3) In 2012 we will not have to hear Obama bragging about singlehandedly bringing the Olympic games to Chicago.
(4) The opening ceremonies will be much cooler in Rio. What would Chicago do for opening ceremonies? Rap? Hip-hop? Blues? Evolution of American music and dance? Fire? Mob? World fair serial killer tribute? Rio will probably do Carnival and it will be cool with the outrageous costumes.
(5) It is about time that South America join the hosting.
(6) Olympics cost more than they make in the short-term.
(7) We will probably have a scandal about an American athlete(s) partying too much in Rio and be able to blame bad performances on that. The excuse would not work too well in Chicago.
(8) It isn't Tokyo.
(9) The world's attention will be turned for a little while to a place that needs the gospel. Of course this would have been true for all of the other cities on the list as well, but most of us probably do not think of Rio that often.
(10) We do not have to hear the "They're Coming to America" song for the year preceding the games!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Blogs of the Week - Photo Blogs
There are three photo blogs that I frequent at least once a day because of the humorous daily additions.
Awkward Family Photos - This is a great site because it usually involves pictures of families that are just plain weird. Be careful about viewing the Saturday Night Specials. Some of those entries are a bit risque. As a side note, my church's youth minister and his family's photo will be included in a book to be published by the website next year. His son threw a temper tantrum while the photograph was trying to take a picture for the church directory, and the results were amusing to everyone but the family! (Unfortunately the picture was not published in the directory but I am glad to see that it will reach a much broader audience.
Sexy People - This site leaves you to provide any commentary. I like how it allows the pictures to speak for themselves. It is nostalgic too because if you are like me, you remember many of the same backgrounds and clothing styles that these normal people were wearing at the time of the photographs. The expressions on the faces of the kid photos are often priceless.
People of Wal-mart - I often laugh, cringe, and feel a wave of nausea when viewing the photos on this site, but it is definitely entertaining. I do have three gripes about this site. (1) The commentary provided by the administrators of the website and those submitting the photos can be PG-13 or R rated at times including language, and even downright cruel. (2) The photos often contain offensive material, but, then again, these people are shopping at a neighborhood Wal-mart dressed that way or parking in the parking lot, so it isn't worse than what you might see on a trip to Wal-mart. (3) The administrators update too many times in a day on some days. Seriously guys, give me one or two pictures a day or it becomes overkill. It also keeps the suspense as a low whereas one or two posts a day would make me anticipate the next day's photo that much more (and probably make it more enjoyable).
I do realize that some people will find these sites repulsive because the sole purpose really is to laugh at the way people look. I think that even those people should frequent the sites though. Why? Because you need to make sure that none of your enemies submits a photo of you! Trust me, I have many photos that those who wanted to ruin my day could submit to any of the three sites. Well, maybe not the People of Walmart site unless someone is holding onto some blackmail photos I do not know about. I do remember several trips during the college years in my pajama pants, but at least they were G rated!
Awkward Family Photos - This is a great site because it usually involves pictures of families that are just plain weird. Be careful about viewing the Saturday Night Specials. Some of those entries are a bit risque. As a side note, my church's youth minister and his family's photo will be included in a book to be published by the website next year. His son threw a temper tantrum while the photograph was trying to take a picture for the church directory, and the results were amusing to everyone but the family! (Unfortunately the picture was not published in the directory but I am glad to see that it will reach a much broader audience.
Sexy People - This site leaves you to provide any commentary. I like how it allows the pictures to speak for themselves. It is nostalgic too because if you are like me, you remember many of the same backgrounds and clothing styles that these normal people were wearing at the time of the photographs. The expressions on the faces of the kid photos are often priceless.
People of Wal-mart - I often laugh, cringe, and feel a wave of nausea when viewing the photos on this site, but it is definitely entertaining. I do have three gripes about this site. (1) The commentary provided by the administrators of the website and those submitting the photos can be PG-13 or R rated at times including language, and even downright cruel. (2) The photos often contain offensive material, but, then again, these people are shopping at a neighborhood Wal-mart dressed that way or parking in the parking lot, so it isn't worse than what you might see on a trip to Wal-mart. (3) The administrators update too many times in a day on some days. Seriously guys, give me one or two pictures a day or it becomes overkill. It also keeps the suspense as a low whereas one or two posts a day would make me anticipate the next day's photo that much more (and probably make it more enjoyable).
I do realize that some people will find these sites repulsive because the sole purpose really is to laugh at the way people look. I think that even those people should frequent the sites though. Why? Because you need to make sure that none of your enemies submits a photo of you! Trust me, I have many photos that those who wanted to ruin my day could submit to any of the three sites. Well, maybe not the People of Walmart site unless someone is holding onto some blackmail photos I do not know about. I do remember several trips during the college years in my pajama pants, but at least they were G rated!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Glamour Shots
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I have a confession to make. During my teenage years, I secretly wanted to have a glamour shot photo shoot. If you are over the age of 25, you probably know what I am talking about. Big hair, professional make-up, all blinged out, fancy clothes, and model poses. Many of my friends had those shoots and I thought that their pictures looked so cool. However, I do not think that I ever got up the nerve to ask my parents, and they probably would have said no anyway because the shoots were a whole lot more expensive than my yearly yearbook pictures that chronicled that awkward phase nicely enough.
Now, I really wish that I had endured one of the glamor shot photo shoots. Have you seen the pictures now that the fad is over? Laughable is an understatement! I am sure that a glamour shot would now provide me with hours of amusement as I laughed at my own picture. I also think that it would show how false that reality would be. I was a plain teenager, dorky really, because I was not allowed to get contacts until I was a junior in high school. It would be a reminder that although I could get all dressed up and dolled up, I was just the same, normal, plain, non-glamourous teenager despite what the picture portrayed. It would be a humbling reminder that a glamorized exterior does not tell the story of who a person is on the inside.
I have noticed on the Fox News website the past few days that they have been showing off pictures of celebrities without their make-up. It is a reminder that what we see portrayed on TV is just glamor shots, but that these people are really just plain, average looking people. Sure, when you completely coat the exterior in professional make-up, professional hair, provide the right lighting, etc., these stars are gorgeous. But the reality is that all of those things are really just covering up normal, plain, non-glamorous people.
Don't get me wrong - I am thankful for make-up and the ability to hide some of the imperfections. I am just pondering how our outward appearance is comparable to our inward lives as well. We present as a pretty a front as we can to the public, but whatever we are able to act like on the outside does not change who we really are on the inside. The only way that any of us can be truly glamourous is through Jesus Christ. I am thankful that God will see Jesus covering all of my imperfections and ugliness on the day of judgment and that I will then inside and glamourous outside will match!
*You can find the pictures shown above and more at the Sexy People website - I almost posted the before/after pics of the Glamour Shot models, but you can find them for yourself on the Sexy People website here and here.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Fall TV
I am not a big fan of new TV because most of the new shows in the past few years have been too raunchy for me to enjoy them. Also, "reality TV" isn't real at all, so what is the point in watching normal people who fit a particular stereotype put into an unreal situation and experience ups and downs for several weeks while all claiming to have achieved some big personal revelation that will forever change their lives (the celebrity that comes from the show alone probably changes the life more than anything else, but I am digressing). For these reasons, I have sworn off of watching fall TV the past few years and have instead waited until the shows come on syndication (House) or DVD (The Office) to watch them.
This year I am taking a different approach however. I got so caught up in the season of House last year when I realized that the episodes I was watching on USA on Friday nights were the same ones that were played on the Monday of the same week that I started watching on Mondays. I even watched an episode or two of The Office on TV last year. Therefore, this fall when the season premieres came on, I could not resist the temptation to watch the season premiere of House and The Office. Part of my reason for not wanting to get addicted to watching on a particular date and time is that I do not want my activities during a week to be governed by what is on TV that night. Should TV really trump relationship opportunities that may present themselves? Probably not. Of course my previous post mentions certain football games that usually do trump relationships but most of the people I am friends with know and understand!
I love to watch House. House even trumped the first hour of Peyton Manning on Monday Night Football, which is pretty huge for me. There is something about House that intrigues me despite his atheist talk and his attempts to be God. He is fascinating, and I cannot help but be fascinated by the show. House may have some of the best writers in TV, even if (I have been told) this week's episode seemed to mirror The Soloist.
The Office is starting out pretty funny this year. Last year started kind of funny, but at least the last half of the season was not funny, and things were looking grim. I am pleased to see that the humor has returned and it is looking more like seasons 2 and 3 than 4 and 5. I also discovered this week that I can watch full episodes on my iPhone at the NBC site (for FREE!), so I do not have to craft my schedule around watching this show. AWESOME! I knew I could from the computer, but since I don't have Internet at home other than on my iPhone, it was inconvenient to try to watch the episodes last year.
Upon the recommendation of a friend, I actually decided to give Community a chance. So far I have found it funny. It is funny in a clever way. It is funny in a way that is reminiscent of classic Saturday Night Live skits (and I am not saying that just because Chevy Chase is a cast member - SNL Thursday update and Parks and Recreations are missing the characteristics of classic SNL that make this show funny). It has the humor of The Office without being the mockumentary format. Plus, full episodes of it can be watched on my iPhone for free meaning I do not feel bad for missing an episode and can catch up pretty quickly.
It looks like these three shows are going to be the only shows to survive into spring. I have watched bits of other shows, and I have not been impressed. I do like the opening skit on the SNL Thursday Update, but the rest of the show was downhill. Parks and Recreations was too - well, I am having a hard time finding a word - offensive seems to capture it well enough. I do not need to add any medical shows since House is so perfect. I do not need mystery/crime shows because House has that covered too. Three shows that I am addicted to is not too bad. Now I have a fall line-up that is manageable - House, The Office, Community, and football.
This year I am taking a different approach however. I got so caught up in the season of House last year when I realized that the episodes I was watching on USA on Friday nights were the same ones that were played on the Monday of the same week that I started watching on Mondays. I even watched an episode or two of The Office on TV last year. Therefore, this fall when the season premieres came on, I could not resist the temptation to watch the season premiere of House and The Office. Part of my reason for not wanting to get addicted to watching on a particular date and time is that I do not want my activities during a week to be governed by what is on TV that night. Should TV really trump relationship opportunities that may present themselves? Probably not. Of course my previous post mentions certain football games that usually do trump relationships but most of the people I am friends with know and understand!
I love to watch House. House even trumped the first hour of Peyton Manning on Monday Night Football, which is pretty huge for me. There is something about House that intrigues me despite his atheist talk and his attempts to be God. He is fascinating, and I cannot help but be fascinated by the show. House may have some of the best writers in TV, even if (I have been told) this week's episode seemed to mirror The Soloist.
The Office is starting out pretty funny this year. Last year started kind of funny, but at least the last half of the season was not funny, and things were looking grim. I am pleased to see that the humor has returned and it is looking more like seasons 2 and 3 than 4 and 5. I also discovered this week that I can watch full episodes on my iPhone at the NBC site (for FREE!), so I do not have to craft my schedule around watching this show. AWESOME! I knew I could from the computer, but since I don't have Internet at home other than on my iPhone, it was inconvenient to try to watch the episodes last year.
Upon the recommendation of a friend, I actually decided to give Community a chance. So far I have found it funny. It is funny in a clever way. It is funny in a way that is reminiscent of classic Saturday Night Live skits (and I am not saying that just because Chevy Chase is a cast member - SNL Thursday update and Parks and Recreations are missing the characteristics of classic SNL that make this show funny). It has the humor of The Office without being the mockumentary format. Plus, full episodes of it can be watched on my iPhone for free meaning I do not feel bad for missing an episode and can catch up pretty quickly.
It looks like these three shows are going to be the only shows to survive into spring. I have watched bits of other shows, and I have not been impressed. I do like the opening skit on the SNL Thursday Update, but the rest of the show was downhill. Parks and Recreations was too - well, I am having a hard time finding a word - offensive seems to capture it well enough. I do not need to add any medical shows since House is so perfect. I do not need mystery/crime shows because House has that covered too. Three shows that I am addicted to is not too bad. Now I have a fall line-up that is manageable - House, The Office, Community, and football.
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