Servant Leaders

We had a great Deacon Meeting last night. Dave Sanders had the devotional. He titled it, Top Ten Things You Should Never Hear A Servant Leader Say. I thought you would enjoy this!

1o. Enough about you. Let's talk about me!
9. That's not my job. We have others who do that.
8. That's not my gift.
7. That was really my idea.
6. I'd like to, but that's the night I sort my socks.
5. I'll see your 30 years of service and raise you two.
4. It's not worth the effort. No one will notice anyway.
3. I don't know them, so I don't need to smile or even say hi.
2. Sorry, I'm saving this seat for a friend.
1. Hurry honey! We have to get their early to get a good parking space.

Thanks Dave! And thanks for being such a great example of servant leadership! But I have one more statement that you need to add to your list. Here is the eleventh thing you should never hear a servant leader say: "I don't know. I'm only a deacon!"

Renewed

Saturday concluded with concerts by David Phelps, Barlow Girl and Newsboys. I was impressed by all the bands desire to not only perform but to minister to people. You can see a slide show here.

All the bands did a great job but Newsboys were incredible. I'm not a big concert kind of guy, but this was different. Michael Tait demonstrated a humble heart for God and for the people of Cedar Rapids. They came to serve our community and that humility permeated the concert.

Keith Cook shared the gospel and asked for a show of hands after leading in a salvation prayer. There were a number of people near me who raised their hands. I met with two families to talk and record their information. Both families attend a catholic church. I plan to call the two men this week to see if they would be interested to meet for coffee to discuss the concert and the decision they made. Pray for me as I make these phone calls.

I don't know what the outcome of the concert will be. I do know that God used it to touch the hearts of many people Saturday night. We will continue to pray for open hearts and open doors for the gospel here in Cedar Rapids. And that God would continue to see fit to use New Covenant and Serve the City to accomplish His purpose in our city.

Saturday night Sharon and I walked several blocks to our car after a long day at the sports complex. We were both tired, but it was a good tired. Saturday night we returned home with a new sense of excitement about what God is doing in our city. We returned home strengthened and renewed.

Inspired

Sharon and I were assigned as Friends in the Sports Zone on Saturday afternoon. The Sports Zone was right next to the Family Fun Zone in the hockey arena. It was a perfect venue for the events.

I didn't know what to expect. I had seen Tanya Crevier at the FCA banquet a year ago. But I didn't really know much about Untitled Skateboards or the Strength Team. I came curious but I left inspired! You can see a slide show of the events here.

I was inspired by Tanya Crevier's passion! She is well into her 60's yet she exudes energy and enthusiasm. When I'm in my 60's I hope I have as much passion for life and sharing the love of Jesus as Tanya has! She's on incredible lady! She even taught Mr. Shucks some ball handling skills!

I was inspired by Untitled Skateboard's sincere love for Christ and their sport. Nothing fancy. Just three young men who obviously love skateboarding, love Jesus and who want to make a difference. They persevered through narly wipeouts, got back up and tried the same trick again. Wow! I would love to have just a portion of their perseverance.

I was inspired by the Stength Team's commitment to hard work. All of their feats of strength are accomplished without steroids or other substances. One member shared how he found his identity and acceptance in Christ after pursuing body building, drug addiction and steroid use.

The testimonies were impactful and the feats of skill and strength were awesome! At one point, the Strength Team said, young people don't try this at home. What the heck! Old people shouldn't be attempting this stuff either! And Keith Cook did a great job of sharing the gospel and pointing people to Jesus.

I won't be picking up skateboarding or juggling anytime soon. But I did leave inspired to live my life with passion and purpose. To use what God's given to me to impact others. To work at and practice my craft. And to find my strength and sufficiency in Jesus Christ. I left inspired!

Awe

As I reflect on the Noelridge BBQ on Friday evening, the word that comes to mind is Awe! I'm in awe as think about what God did. You can click on this link to see a slideshow of the event.

The concept was simple enough. Put on a BBQ, invite the neighbors, and build relationships. New Covenant teamed up with Eastview Christian to plan the Noelridge event. It was great working with Pastor Bill Holley and his team. James Wartian was the New Covenant point person and I was his helper!

We reserved the shelter at Noelridge Park just in case it rained. That was a good move! Eastview planned out the kids games, we put in our food order, went to 1300 homes with door hangers inviting them to the gathering, recruited volunteers, hung door hangers again the week of the BBQ, prayed and then waited.

This all seems simple enough, right? Yes, except it's never been done before in this neighborhood. Would anyone come simply because they got a door hanger? What would we do with 500 hamburgers, 200 hot dogs, 27 large bags of chips, 560 bottles of water and cans of pop if nobody came? I have to admit, there were times that I began to have some doubts!

Like on Friday morning when I woke up, went to the weather radar and saw the huge storm front coming our way. I followed it all day, and it wasn't going to miss us. And sure enough, at 6:00 PM, right as we began to serve, I felt the first sprinkle!

We began to make contingency plans. We moved the serving tables inside. We got the New Covenant umbrellas out and I began to wonder what we would do with all the extra food. Bummer!

And then God showed up. He had actually been a part of this all along. There's no other way you can explain what began to happen next. I stood in awe as He began to work in spite of the weather and my lack of faith.

I was in awe as:

1. I watched people begin to stream into Noelridge Park. The parking lot soon filled up and we sent a parking team out to direct people up to the Noelridge Pool parking lot! We filled up half the pool lot!
2. I watched people walking in the rain from the parking lot to the pavilion. Soon the pavilion completely filled up. Yet people continued to arrive. At one point, the line was 50 feet long out the door as people stood in the rain waiting to get their food!
3. I watched our people serve with grace, patience and joy! It was so much fun. I met some people for the first time from New Covenant. And we made some new friends with the folks from Eastview!
4. I watched Pastor Mark Eades and his team make and serve 250 snow cones to those who were standing in line for food! It brought a bit fun and enjoyment to what could have been a discouraging wait!
5. Bob Dye, Pastor Bob and our cooking team grilled up 500 hamburgers and 200 hot dogs! Bob Dye called earlier in the week and offered to bring the Youth For Christ chuck wagon to help with the grilling. We couldn't have done it without the chuck wagon. It even had an awning that kept the cooks dry!
6. I watched all the food we brought being served! Earlier in the day I was making plans on what to do with leftovers, and now I was worried about running out! But that didn't happen. We had enough for everyone, with a few hamburger patties left over. We used 650 paper plates and we probably served around that many people!
7. I met people from the neighborhood who showed up to eat. One woman and her three children were driving by, saw our sign that advertised Free BBQ and stopped to eat. They were early but waited 30 minutes and were one of the first through the line!
8. People asked me who sponsored the picnic. One person wanted to give a donation. Others stopped to introduce themselves and say thanks before they left!
9. As I talked to a woman from the Noelridge Neighborhood Association. She said they struggle to get ten people out to their meetings. And then she commented, as she pointed the people standing in the rain, "Look at this!"

Make no mistake, Friday night was a God thing. And it wasn't just at Noelridge. The same thing happened at some of the other venues around the city!

Friday night the rain showed up just as predicted. But something unusual also happened on that soggy summer evening. God showed up, and that changed everything!

Friday night I witnessed a miracle. To some, it may have looked strangely like a picnic, albeit a wet one. But to me, I was standing on holy ground in the presence of a mighty God. The Spirit of God was in that place and we served with a sense of awe!

Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today." Luke 5:26

Healing the Heartland

What an incredible weekend! By all accounts, the Healing the Heartland Festival was a huge success! 38 churches and 8 ministries worked together to share Christ with our city. It's an awesome thing watching the body of Christ come together for a joint mission. I will make several blog posts about some of my thoughts about the weekend.

We started out with the ten Neighborhood BBQs held throughout the city. New Covenant assisted with the gatherings at Noelridge, Palo and Robins. Saturday afternoon focused on the Children's Fun Zone and the Sports Zone. Saturday evening featured concerts by David Phelps, Barlow Girl and Newsboys. Sunday evening was Family Faith Day at the Kernels with our own Big Band playing on the concourse before the game!

A special thanks to all who served at one of the venues! The gospel was shared several times throughout the day on Saturday and many indicated that they prayed to place their trust in Jesus Christ. Now the work of follow up begins.

Healing the Heartland is over, but prayer, care and share continues. These are exciting days! We have unprecedented opportunities to demonstrate and communicate the love of Jesus Christ with our community. Might people know the hope and healing the comes through Jesus Christ.

Mentoring

I'm teaching on Mentoring Relationships tomorrow in the Be[cause] Adult Bible Fellowship. This is a topic that I'm pretty passionate about. I wouldn't say that I'm a great mentor, but I've certainly had some really good mentors and models in my life. And I would bet, that most of my mentors didn't even know how powerfully they were impacting me. They may not have even realized that they were mentoring me!

But that's the way it should be in a good organic mentoring relationship. They two parties may not even realized all that is happening. I would have to say that most of my experience being a mentor is with my own sons. As they grew up and got into high school, we would go out once a week for breakfast and talk. Sometimes we studied something and discussed it. But mostly we connected and talked. Jon and I met for breakfast this morning and had a great time. I love spending time with my sons!

My desire for each person in the class is that they would see the need for having a mentor(s) and know how to ask someone to mentor them in a specific area.

So, what areas would you like to be mentored in? What are the qualities of a good mentor? What's the best mentor you've ever had? I'd love to hear your experiences with mentoring.

Don't go it alone! There are people who care just waiting to be asked. Both your lives will be the richer.

Creating Memories

We made a quick trip to Oklahoma to visit Ryan and Natalie this past week. We had a great time and packed a lot into three days.

Natalie ran the Half Marathon in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on Sunday morning. She did an awesome job and ran a 2.04.09! Great job Natalie! You can see a short slide show of Natalie running the marathon here. She was the cutest runner on the course! I'm sure you would agree!

The marathon ended near the Oklahoma City National Memorial. This was my first visit to the Memorial and it was a powerful experience. 168 children and adults lost their lives on April 19, 1995 when the Alfred P. Murrah building was bombed. You can see a short slide show of the Memorial here. I encourage you to view the virtual tour here even if you have seen the Memorial. Hans and Torrey Butzer, the Memorial designers, explain the symbolism and meaning of the Memorial. Very powerful.

On Thursday we toured and explored Bricktown, the older section of Oklahoma City. The stream running through the area, outside shops, benches, public spaces and recreational venues make this a fun place to explore. We can only hope that Cedar Rapids is able to do something similar along the Cedar River in the future. You can see a slide show of Bricktown here.

And no trip would be complete with a baseball game! We got to see the Oklahoma City RedHawks play the Omaha Royals. The game was so-so, but we had a lot of fun. Will and Ginny Davis, Natalie's parents, joined us for the game and we enjoyed a good cup of Starbucks and dish of Cold Stone ice cream after the game.

It was quite a trip! We put some miles on the van, walked a ton, and laughed a lot! All part of creating memories!

The Courage to Believe

Jackie Robinson broke into major league baseball 62 years ago today. In memory of that event all major league players are wearing Jackie Robinson's No. 42. Two years ago, on the 60th anniversary of Robinson's big-league debut, one player on each team symbolically wore No. 42.

Introduced to a standing ovation, Rachel Robinson stepped to the podium at Citi Field, the new home of the New York Mets, and smiled as she gazed around the regal new rotunda that bears her husband's name. Before Monday's 6-5 loss to San Diego, the Mets unveiled the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, a sprawling marble and granite tribute to Robinson that adorns the entrance of the new $800 million park. Much of Citi Field serves as an architectural homage to Robinson's home park, Ebbets Field.

High above the ballpark entrance, an inscription of his famous quote: "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." At the other end of the room, an 8-foot, blue sculpture of his No. 42.

Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars read aloud his nine values, articulated in a book written by his daughter, Sharon, and now etched around the rotunda: courage, excellence, persistence, justice, teamwork, commitment, citizenship, determination, integrity.

Jackie Robinson was an incredible man. I wrote about him two years ago here.

In our Lead Like Jesus group this morning we discussed our life mission, vision and value statements. The older I get the more I desire to make a lasting impact on people. To live a life that intentionally connects with God's purpose and mission. To make a difference and to leave the world a better place.

Jackie just didn't talk about a life mission, he lived it. Jackie didn't discuss the values that shaped his life, he lived them. Today baseball honors a man who helped change not only the game, but our nation. Today we honor the memory of a true American hero who had the courage to believe that one person can make a difference.

Death and Taxes

As Easter and April 15 approach, it's appropriate that we talk about death and taxes. We may not agree on either. But this much is sure, both are a reality! Much too real!

If you're like me, you're wondering what in the world is the government doing with all the monies they collect from me? Well, they didn't collect all that much from me this year. Two boys in college helps with deductions but that also puts stress on the old budget! You get the point. Show me the money already!

Well, now that you've asked, I will do just that. If your a policy and finance nerd you can go to the Office of Management and Budget and take a look at the Fiscal Year 2010 Budget for yourself! Not interested. I can't say I blame you.

Enter Jess Bachman and WallStats. Bachman transforms reams of boring data into posters for your wall. The newest poster outlines the 2009 budget. The entire poster is six square feet, but you can see a detailed, zoomable version here. Place your cursor on the map and controls appear that allow you to scroll in close. The size of each circle represents the size of each agency-and there are over 500 of them in total.

Take a close look and you will see that in 2009 we spent $2.054 billion for Humvees used in Iraq and $3.230 billion for New Orleans Storm Protection.

And where did all this money come from? I'm glad you asked! For every $1 billion of federal spending:

• Every tax payer has to pay $4 on average ($550 million total)
• Every employer has to pay $1 per employee on average ($150 million total)
• Every corporation has to pay $20 on average ($110 million total)
• $40 million is collected in estate, gift, excise and other taxes
• $140 million is borrowed

Are you wondering what the 2010 budget looks like? As you can imagine, Bachman is still working on that poster. Rumor has it that the 2010 version will be a wall-sized mural! You can get a preview of the size of the spending and deficit here. We are looking at a $1.2 trillion deficit or 8% of our gross domestic product. And this deficit spending adds to the size of our rapidly growing national debt, which is now at over $11 trillion and rapidly climbing!

By the way, I have the National Debt Clock module on the right hand column of my blog for your viewing pleasure. Watching that Debt Clock spin is a good reality check and a reminder to not spend more than what I make.

Death and taxes, both are a reality. You can get mad, you can protest and you can live in denial. But Father Time and Uncle Sam bow to no one. Try to ignore them and before you know it they will be knocking at your door. Both demand payment in full.

And so in March of this year I paid a visit to my tax account to settle my score with Uncle Sam. No one was going to do it for me. I'm accountable and held responsible to pay my taxes annually.

And tomorrow I will celebrate with millions of other followers of Christ around the world. I will remember our Saviors death, burial and resurrection. I'm thankful for a Savior who willingly paid my death sentence for me so that I can live.

Death and taxes. I can't do anything about my tax problem. Uncle Sam has to be paid year after year. But I can do something about my death problem. Father Time is a defeated foe. This is what Easter is all about.

In a year of bad new - the flood of 2009, the economic melt down, vanishing retirement accounts, high unemployment and global terrorist threats - I'm ready to celebrate some good news.

He is not here; he has risen. just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:6

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18

Where, O Death, Is Your Sting?

By now you may have heard that 22 year old Anaheim Angel pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a hit and run car accident yesterday in California. The driver of the minivan that struck the car in which Adenhart was riding, 22-year-old Andrew Thomas Gallo, was later apprehended and was legally intoxicated. He had a suspended license and a previous drunk-driving conviction. Two other passengers in the car were also killed

Nick Adenhart was a 14th round draft pick of the Angels in 2004 and pitched here in Cedar Rapids in 2006, posting a 10-2 record with a 1.95 ERA in sixteen games. He was named to the 2006 Midwest League Western Division All-Star team and also the 2006 Midwest League post-season All-Star team.

This was a tragic and needless death. This being Good Friday, I probably spent more time than I otherwise might have, reflecting on this incident. The thing that absolutely grabs my heart is when I watch the Angel Press Conference with Adenhart's agent, Scott Boras. Please watch the video and the way that Boras breaks down in tears.

Now, if you're not a baseball fan, what you need to know is that Boras is the toughest and most hated negotiator in the sport. In its April, 2001 edition, Esquire writer Scott Raab called Scott Boras the Most Hated Man in Baseball. Slate magazine called him "The Baseball Anti-Christ." Trust me, without going into details, Boras' hard-nose, take no prisoners reputation is well deserved!

To watch a man like Boras break down in tears reminds me that even the strong and powerful are not immune from the tragedies of life. And then I reflect on the tragedy of a young Jewish man who was falsely accused of a crime he didn't commit, cruely punished, publicly humiliated, and brutally beaten and crucified. This is a tragedy of epic proportion.

This tragedy brings me to my knees when I realized that my Savior took my place and paid my penalty. He did for me what I couldn't do for myself!

Friday is a day of tragedy. But I'm thankful for Sunday and the empty tomb. I'm thankful that Jesus Christ hung on a cross and died for my sin. I'm thankful that senseless tragedies will one day be made right. That pain and suffering will be swallowed up by life.

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

Hollow Mask

Take a look at the video to see the "hollow mask" optical illusion explained and demonstrated. Even when I know what's happening I'm totally unable to interrupt the illusion. Very powerful stuff. All the more reason we are instructed to walk by faith, not by sight! You can't always trust what you see!

Play Ball!

In case you haven't checked your calendar lately, it's now officially spring. Don't let the threat of a wintry mix of precipitation fool you. Spring is here!

How do I know? Today is Opening Night for the 2009 major league baseball season. It's the Braves versus the Phillies.

So settle in for the evening. Grab your peanuts and popcorn. They're throwing out the first pitch tonight in the city of brotherly love. Play ball!

Digital Collaborator

The Pew Internet and American Life Project just published their latest poll results titled The Mobil Difference. Nothing too shocking here, just a confirmation of what we're seeing regarding the rapid move to digital communication and networking.

I learned that I fall in the category of the Digital Collaborator. 8% of Americans are in this group.

Here is what the Pew report has to say about Digital Collaborators.

As much as this group consumes digital content, it is also very distinct in what it does with digitized information. They create and share it at rates much higher than members of other groups. More than half (54%) of Digital Collaborators have shared some sort of creation with the world using the internet and the same number have posted a comment to a blog or website. One-quarter (27%) have blogs and 24% have taken online material and remixed into some other form. Some 44% have their own web page, and nearly one-fifth (18%) have created an online avatar or graphic image of themselves.

On a typical day, 59% of those in this group with cell phones do at least one of ten non-voice data applications, such as texting or taking a picture (a full list of non-voice data activities asked about can be found in the Appendix). For Digital Collaborators, handheld applications are oriented toward traditional information consumption and exchange. Members of this group are most likely among all adults on the average day to use their cell phone for email (18%) and accessing the internet for information (21%). And members of this group are most likely to have ever used their handheld to get directions or a map (29% have ever done this).

The Digital Collaborator is me. I have a blog, I share my digital photographs online using flickr, I use my cell phone for email when I'm out of the office, I listen to podcasts on my iPod, I read using my Kindle, and I use the web to learn and connect with others.

But here's the funny part. The average age of the Digital Collaborator is 39! Whoops! Someone forgot to tell the Pew organization about old guys like me! I wrote about this in 2006 in a blog post called The Old Man and the Internet. I'm 2 1/2 years older and still digitally connected. In fact, more even more so. In 2006 I didn't have a Kindle and I didn't go online or receive email on my Palm Treo.

You can go here if you would like take a short survey to determine what kind of tech user you are. Me, I'm a Digital Collaborator!

One of a Kind

Elizabeth "Freddie" VanderSchaaf passed away on Thursday, March 19. Pastor Bob and myself had the honor of officiating at her memorial service on Saturday evening. You can read her obituary and see a video tribute at this link. This what I shared at the service.

Freddie was a connector. She loved her God, she loved her family and she loved people. But she didn’t want to just meet people and exchange pleasantries, she wanted to connect. She wanted to get to know you, to find out about your family, what you do, where you’re from. And hundreds of other questions! Chances are that if you’ve lived in Cedar Rapids for more than ten years, Freddie knew you.

Sometimes Freddie’s inquisitiveness went too far or got her in trouble. Bill Halderman tells this story about his first encounter with Freddie.

We had been attending New Covenant for a few months when one of the Sundays my wife Marilyn didn’t attend. I found a seat in front of Freddie and Howard next to a friend of 40 years. Giving Adel a hug as we always do when we see each other. After the service Freddie asked me if this was my wife. I told her she was my second wife we were members of the Mormon Church before coming to New Covenant. At that point she was speechless! Not wanting to offend us she just said, “we are glad you’re here.”

And when a relationship or connection wasn’t working out quite right, or as she expected, Freddie would call me. It was such a visit over 15 years ago in my office at church, that our relationship changed. Freddie (and Howard, they always traveled together) set up an appointment and came in to see me. She shared about a hurt, I listened, offered to help, and a friendship was born.

Looking back, that was the day that I became adopted into the VanderSchaaf family. I know many of you know what I mean, because you were adopted too!

Everyone needs a friend who believes the best about you. Who only sees your strengths. And even when you make a mistake or let them down, they overlook the offense and come to your defense.

Freddie was one of those people to me. She gave me far too much credit and overlooked way too many of my weaknesses. She would introduce me to those outside New Covenant this way - “Come here, I want you to meet one of my favorite pastors!” She always introduced me with such pride. I always a little embarrassed and wondered what other people thougth! How many pastors does she have? Does she have some she doesn’t like?

But I came to understand that Freddie had all kinds of favorites! Favorite oldest grandson, favorite middle grandson, favorite youngest granddaughter, favorite oldest son, favorite youngest son, favorite youth pastor, favorite male soloist .... on and on. And of course she had her favorite husband, Howard!

But that was Freddie! She was a one-of-a kind! A big smile always greeted her friends. Freddie loved to connect with old friends and make new ones. Today, might the many memories we have of Freddie be an encouragement to live our lives for eternity – to love God, to love our family and to love people.

Pray for Fargo

Please pray for Fargo, North Dakota as they prepare and brace for the worst flood in their history. Fargo, our hopes, prayers and volunteers are with you this weekend.

March 27 Update
Residents in this city of 92,000 had been scrambling in subfreezing temperatures to pile sandbags along the river and spent much of Thursday preparing for a crest of 41 feet, only to have forecasters late in the day add up to 2 feet to their estimate.

The National Weather Service said in its follow-up statement that the Red was expected to crest between 41 and 42 feet by Saturday, but could reach 43 feet. It said water levels could remain high for three days to a week — a lengthy test of on-the-fly flood control.

The first estimate sparked urgency among thousands of volunteers in Fargo. The second shook their spirits.

Hydrologists are now estimating that the Red River will crest at 43 feet, over three feet past the previous high-water mark. After watching a similar catastrophic flood in Cedar Rapids and then an unprecedented national financial melt-down, I thinks it's safe to say that we are living in unusual times. You can throw your risk assessment, flood plain maps, and future predictions based on historical trend analysis out the window!

Here's the bottom line. We live in a world that is very unpredictable and full of risk. The harder we try to tame our environment and reduce risk, the harder it pushes back. This world is not our home. All of creation is groaning under the weight of sin, waiting for redemption. Our world is fraught with risk and danger. We will only know real peace and security when we shed this body to get to our true home in heaven.

In the mean time, pray for those who are going through lifes trials. And when possible, lend a hand and be the body of Christ in word and deed. And realize that even lifes unpredictable events do not take God by surprise ... and we shouldn't be surprised either. In this life we should come to anticipate and welcome the unpredictable, asking God to use it all for His glory.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you particpate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12-13

Welcome To The Digital World

In case you haven't noticed, the newspaper business is undergoing a rapid transition. According to a survey published by the Pew Research Center in December 2008, 40 percent of respondents said the Internet was a prime source for national and international news. Only 35 percent said the same about newspapers. That’s a steep rise from 2007, when just 24 percent relied on the Internet more than newspapers.

So, for the first time in history, more people turned to online for their news instead of turning the pages to their favorite newspaper. And this is just the beginning. Newspapers are in a free fall.

As of today the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is a 100% online publication, with the final print run of its paper edition already complete. The Post-Intelligencer's revenues from both sales and advertising have fallen so much that the paper had a loss of $14 million last year. The Hearst Corporation was forced to close the paper's printed edition, making it the largest newspaper in the U.S. to go 100% online.

In addition to the Rocky Mountain News that folded in February, here is a list of others newspapers that 24/7 Wall St says is most likely to go out of business next. The Philadelphia Daily News, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Miami Herald, Detroit News, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Sun-Times, New York Daily News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Our own Cedar Rapids Gazette is in the process of laying off 100 employees and has repackaged the print edition in an effort to reinvent itself. I hope they make it. This is not for the faint at heart.

For me, I enjoy sitting down to read my morning newspaper with a cup of coffee. But here's the problem. By the time the paper is printed and delivered to my door step the news is already old! I've already read much of the news the day before online.

I get major headlines as well as local news via RSS feeds on My.Yahoo.com homepage. The best of both worlds for me will be when The Gazette begins to publish a Kindle edition. Delivered right to my Kindle each morning, the news will be up to date. There's no reason why breaking stories couldn't even be delivered to me throughout the day! No more hunting around in my bushes by the door on a cold winter morning for the news. I will be able to enjoy it with a good cup of coffee while I sit in my favorite chair.

Steve Rubel is a guy that understands the digital domain. Here is what he has to say!

"By January 2014 I will wager that in the US almost all forms of tangible media will either be in sharp decline or completely extinct. I am not just talking about print, but all tangible forms of media - newspapers, magazines, books, DVDs, boxed software and video games."

Wow! Quite a statement. Here is what Steve has to say about the Kindle and the impact that it will have on print media.

"The Kindle, like the iPod, is an emerging critical mass device that actually encourages people to pay for content rather than get it for free. When Apple launched the iTunes Music Store, people were skeptical that people would shell out cash for music they could snag for free from file sharing networks. They did. The same was true when Apple, and later others, rolled out movies. However, today millions rent or buy movies online."

"The Kindle offers a similar experience in a much larger market - text. This one is tougher to monetize. In the digital age books have managed to remain premium content. However, beyond books, magazine and newspaper content is available in abundance online for free. Yet, I still believe that people will pay to receive some of their favorites on their Kindles or their Kindle-enabled phones. Meet them there now while you can."

"So, media companies, please jump in now. Embrace the Kindle. Subsidize it. Create value-added content for it, such as e-books. Or even partner with advertisers to offer advertorials. This could be your last shot at getting people to pay for your content. Don't miss the next iPod."

The news is not going away. It's here to stay. But the way it's delivered is undergoing a profound change. All of us will be impacted in one way or another. A new age is being ushered in. Printing press, welcome to the digital world.

It's A New World

I've now owned the Kindle 2 for one week and I thought I would post some of my impressions and thoughts on this Amazon electronic book reader.

• It looks bigger in the photos. In person, it's remarkably small and light weight. Measuring only 1/3 inch thick and 10 ounces, it's easy to hold and tote around. The actual reading screen is 4.75" by 3.5".
• It so easy and enjoyable to read! The electronic ink technology is incredible. I've read several hours at a time with no eye strain or fatigue! And the 16 shades of grey render fantastic graphic images.
• There are all kinds of free books online in the public domain. I've already read G. K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy and am currently working on The Man Who Was Thursday. I've downloaded The Prince, The Brothers Karamozov, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Divine Comedy, Tremendous Trifles, the ESV Bible and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - all for free! You can't beat that.
• I'm reading more and I'm reading a wider variety of literature. If I'm interested in a book or get a recommendation, I download a sample copy of book to my Kindle and try it out. And the large variety of good titles in public domain have opened up new reading options.
• I'm a person who marks and underlines when I read. The Notes and Highlight feature of the Kindle is nothing short of awesome. You really need to see it to believe it. Mark the text or passage you like, push the five-way button and it's saved in a My Clippings file. Add a note annotation if you like and it's saved too. Connect the Kindle to your computer via a USB cable and you can download all you notes and highlights in a text format document. No more retyping favorite passages to share with others! The Kindle does it all for you.
• I love the live dictionary look-up function. Chesterton uses several words a page that I've never heard of. No problem! Just put the cursor in front of the word in question and the definition pops up at the bottom of the screen. I've already looked up more words in a week than I have in the past ten years combined!
• Want more information on a word or topic? No need to get out of your chair to go to the computer. Just fire up the Kindle's browser and it takes you directly to Wikipedia. Or you can open up Google and surf the web! It works great in a pinch. The Sprint EVDO network is at your disposal for no additional fee or charge.
• Have you ever tried to find that favorite passage or note in a book? With the Kindle, you can search your entire library, a particular book or your notes and highlights! Very cool! Add key works or tags and you have a powerful search tool.
• I enjoy skimming through a book before I read it. The Kindle makes this a little harder to do this. You can always jump directly to the Table of Contents, a particular chapter, bookmark or the last place you read. But it's not quite the same. All things considered, this is a small price to pay for the additional features the Kindle gives me.
• Do I miss the experience of holding an analog, printed book in my hands? Not at all. I can set the Kindle down on my lap and not have to worry about trying to keep the pages open.
• I'm looking forward to being able to subscribe to the Kindle edition of the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Steve Buttry, the former Gazette editor, wrote on a recent "live blog" that the Kindle edition is in development and they hope to release it in the near future. Kindle editions don't have coupons, ads, or crossword puzzles. But they usually contain the same content as the printed or online editions. And for around $5 a month, you can't beat it!
• I'm enjoying the ESPN - The Baseball Report blog. It's delivered to my Kindle each morning and then updated throughout the day. I can get the same thing at my computer, but it's fun reading the blog while sitting in my favorite chair! It's a great price at 99 cents a month!
• The price is right for Kindle books. I recently purchased and read The Survivors Club. It retails for $27. Amazon sells it for $14.81 online. I purchased the Kindle edition for $9.99. I'm hoping that over the course of the next few years that the Kindle editions will drop in price. Currently, 10% of Amazon's total book sales are for Kindle editions. This is just the beginning of the growth curve. In the not too distant future, a paper book will be as unusual to find as a music CD is today.
• I love being able to carry around a library of books in a device that weighs under one pound! I just throw it in my bag or carry it with me as I go to an appointment or meeting. In an instant, I have access to various Bible translations, Bible study reference materials, current books that I'm reading, books that I have enjoyed reading and want to share with others, and many other books that I hope to begin reading some day.

Well, there you have it! Is the Kindle right for everyone. Absolutely not. You must be a reader to justify the expense. At $360, the up-front cost price is steep. But for the person who reads thirty plus books a year, the Kindle is a very viable option.

A special "thank you" to the several friends who made surprise contributions to my Kindle fund! I'm having a blast reading, experimenting, and exploring on my new Kindle! It's a new world!

World Champs

The baseball world is in shock. The Netherlands baseball team beat the highly esteemed Dominican Republic team twice in four days to advance to the second round of the World Baseball Classic.

The Dominican Republic is often referred to as the "The Republic of Baseball." Not Tuesday night. Not this year. The Dominican team, which was a pre-tournament favorite to win it all, went home in shame.

The 2-1 extra inning victory and elimination of the Dominicians is being hailed as the biggest upset in baseball history! Consider the following:

• 23 members of the Dominician team are on a major league roster, compared to only two from the Dutch team
• The major league salaries of the Dominican team total $84 million compared to $400,000 for the Dutch team

"I don't have big names, but I've got some long names," Netherlands coach Rod Delmonico joked. Names like Van Klooster, Duursma, and Stuifbergen. Good grief, I can't even pronounce them.

“It’s a miracle,” Delmonico exclaimed. “That’s all I can tell you. Our guys came together as a team, and miraculously we won. It’s not because we’re better than they are. They’re one of the best teams in the world. Collectively we just played hard, and it happened. I can’t tell you. Other than it’s a miracle.”

"I've been in this game for so many years and in so many leagues, and just when you think you've seen it all, you're proven wrong," said Dominican Republic manager Felipe Alou. "We've seen something happen we never could have imagined."

Something that could never be imagined happened Tuesday night. A miracle was witnessed by an entire stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The ecstatic Dutch players, who are known as honkballers in their home country, piled onto the field to celebrate the stunning win. For one brief moment in time, the team from the Netherlands was world champs!

Renewal

Sharon and I have been enjoying Sanibel Island, Florida for the past week. I can't believe how fast the time has gone! You can click on the picture above to see a slide show. We are staying with my dad on the island. He has cooked our evening dinners for us, it's almost like having our personal chef!

We are within walking/biking distance of the ocean and beach! The weather has been in the 70's so we have spent a lot of time outside. This past week I walked 21 miles and biked 37 miles! Sharon and I started each day with an early morning beach walk of 4 miles. What a great way to start your day!

I have been mostly unplugged this past week, making it very relaxing. We went to two spring training baseball games. There's nothing like watching baseball in February when it's 70 degrees in Florida and 10 degrees in Iowa! Sharon and I are working our way through the TrueFaced Experience guide, and we've had good conversations each afternoon in a local park or coffee shop over the topics of trust and grace.

We've also enjoyed evening walks on the beach at sunset, bike riding, extend times in the Word and times praying together. I read two books and have had fun capturing some photos of our week. It's been a great vacation. But better yet, it has been a wonderful time of recreation, refreshment and renewal.

I Was Stupid

What's in a name? Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Jose Canseco and now Alex Rodriguez. All of these names have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs. Names that took a life-time to build now tarnished by scandal. Names that were once larger than life, reduced to finger pointing, excuse making and embarrassment.

By now you've probably heard that reports came out over the weekend that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. Today, Alex Rodriguez spoke with Peter Gammons and admitted that he used performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-2003 while playing with the Texas Rangers.

Alex Rodriguez, a three-time MVP, will now have to deal with the backlash of public opinion. In New York City they are calling him A-Roid. It won't be pretty. Kudos to Alex, if even under duress, for coming clean. Perhaps Alex will be an example that others will soon follow.

And now the debate rages on regarding the Baseball Hall of Fame and if these player from the steroid era should and will be considered. Commentators and analysts are already calling the Baseball Hall of Fame hypocritical for keeping Mark McGwire out. The argument goes that you should only measure what goes on between the lines.

But the critics overlook one important piece of information. The Hall of Fame ballot says "a player's record of achievement, contribution to the team, the game, their character, longevity and sportsmanship should be considered."

You see, the Hall of Fame is "old school." They think that sportsmanship, character and teamship count. And they weigh these "intangibles" as heavily as achievement. What a novel idea!

What's in a name? Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."

A good name is to be desired and esteemed. A good name along with a record of achievement makes you eligible for Cooperstown. A good name means you don't have to worry what informants leak to the press. A good name means you don't have to defend decisions you made in the past.

In 2008 Alex Rodriguez made $28 million playing baseball for the New York Yankees. Alex Rodriguex has fame and fortune. But I'm certain after watching the Peter Gammons interview today, that Alex Rodriguez would gladly trade it all in exchange for getting his good name back. Alex said it best when he said, "I was stupid."

Kindle2

Jeff Bezos and Amazon unveiled the new Kindle 2 electronic book reading device today at a press conference. I wrote about the Kindle in 2007 in these two blog posts.

The updated Kindle has a slimmer design (just 1/3 of an inch thick), longer battery life, faster page turns, over seven times more storage, sharper images, and a new read-to-me feature. In case your not familiar with the Kindle, it utilizes electronic-ink display technology, which gives the same appearance and readability of printed paper. Reading on the Kindle is nothing like reading from a computer screen. The screen works using ink, just like books and newspapers, but displays the ink particles electronically.

Presently there there are 230,000 books published in the Kindle format. Bezos vision is "every book, ever printed, in any language, all available in less than 60 seconds!" Wow!!

So what's the big deal about a digital book reader?

• Efficiency - The Kindle is 10 ounces and holds 1500 books in memory! You can have your entire library at your finger tips! Have you ever tried to find a quote from a book you read but can't remember which book its from? No problem, just type in the key words and the search functionality will find what you're looking for.
• Cost - Kindle books cost less than their print counterparts. I usually read 20-25 books a year, meaning a Kindle would pay for itself in about two years. In years to come, the price of electronic books will continue to decrease while the cost of print books will continue to increase.
• Convenience - You don't understand the meaning of a word or phrase and you're too lazy to go find the dictionary? No problem. Just put your cursor over the word and the definition is displayed at the bottom of the page! A friend recommends a good book to you that you want to purchase. Just use the free whispernet wireless EVDO network and it will be downloaded ready for reading in 60 seconds! That's convenience!

The electronic book is here to stay. So dust off your print books and keep them for your grand kids. Some day you can tell them how you used to read print books curled up in a chair in your family room as you listened to music on your CD player. Your grand kids will laugh, and say, "Grandpa, tell me another story!"

Congratulations Jason and Erin!

We had a wedding this past weekend! Congratulations Jason and Erin for planning such an incredible God-honoring wedding ceremony. And a special "thank you" to Scott and Julie Juedes for their willingness to have the wedding at New Covenant, allowing us to invite many of our family and friends.

I have prepared several slide shows for those who are interested. You can click on the slide show title to view it.

• Set up on Friday
• Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner on Friday evening
• Pre-Wedding Prep and Family Pictures
• Wedding Ceremony
• Wedding Reception

It was such an honor for me to have a part of the ceremony. Standing on the platform with my four sons is as good as it gets! I am so proud to each of them.

I also want to thank Steve and Linda Jenkins for helping greet and host, John Maurice for taking informal photos, and all those family and friends who helped with set up and clean up.

It was a wonderful weekend full of memories. We look forward to how God will use Jason and Erin in the months and years to come.