Stupid Ads

If you watch TV with any regularity- and I still haven't figured out why I do with the lack of good programing- then you have probably noticed one of the recent trends in advertising: ads with idiots that glorify stupidity.

Three of the ads that typify this movement are below:

COKE ZERO

You've seen the ad, 2 idiots approach a Coke bigwig and tell them they want to sue Coke Zero for taste infringement.
Their argument is based on the fact that Coke Zero tastes remarkably like Coke- which it does- as opposed to Diet Coke which has a taste of its own. I like Coke Zero. And the first time I saw the ad, I thought it was a little bit clever, but it hasn't aged well (kinda like McCauley Culkin or Kenny Rogers). Now it is just annoying. We get it, now move on.

SONIC

Two dumb guys- one of them really dumb- or a stupid couple talk about their favorite Sonic menu items while in the drive-thru line. There are discussions of a "meat lottery", hearing grass grow and the finer points of tots. It's just a lot of inane banter and it's old.
My theory on this one is that some punk that was in high school when Beevis and Butthead came out and was a big fan; now he has a job as an advertising firm and the boss loves him because he thinks this punk can help Sonic get in touch with a younger audience.


HYUN-DUH

I think this one has to be the most annoying because it is the least creative. Pitched as the Hyun-Duh Sales Event, choirs in flashy gowns that look very cult-esque chant "duh" repeatedly instead of singing the lyrics to a Christmas Carol. Before it was Kelsey Grammar expounded on the various usages and meanings of the word duh- kind of a thesaurus for morons.

In a society where people can't find Canada on a map of the Western Hemisphere, a pageant girl refers to the population as "US Americans" and countless hours a day are spent keeping up with Brittney, Paris and Lindsey, the last thing we need is to be glorifying and encouraging stupidity.

Your thoughts?

Christians pray as Cyclone Sidr approaches Bangladesh; God spares lives

I received this update from a friend and wanted to share it with you.

By Goldie Frances*

DHAKA, Bangladesh--In the hours before Cyclone Sidr reached the coastal areas of Bangladesh last week, Southern Baptists and other Christians began praying – aware that the Category 4 storm could potentially usher hundreds of thousands into an eternity without Jesus.

“Our prayer before the storm hit was that God would have mercy on the people of the country. The note I sent to prayer partners was to pray for the millions who live in bamboo and tin homes,” said Susan Galvin,* who serves among Bangladesh’s tribal people groups. “We are thankful to God for protecting the millions living on the coastline.

“I truly believe God protected the masses in Bangladesh from certain death because He has a plan for their lives,” she said. “And I believe part of that plan involves 2 Peter 3:9. He doesn’t want ‘anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’ The real need is for the Gospel to be shared with the millions of this country who still have not heard the truth – those who have been spared.”

Bangladesh has a population of 149 million. About 86 percent of the population is Muslim. In 1991, a cyclone killed more than 138,000, and in 1970, a cyclone killed nearly 500,000.

Cyclone Sidr approached low-lying Bangladesh with a fury Nov. 15, making landfall during the black of night. The Category 4 storm has claimed more than 3,000 lives, according to news reports.

While the death toll continues to rise, the potential loss of life is not as great as many feared it would be. Lessons learned from previous cyclones, successful evacuations and pre-arranged shelters helped spare lives during Cyclone Sidr.

Still, many are suffering – those who have lost their homes and all their possessions, and especially those who have lost a family member.

“It was hard to rest as I imagined the horrifying experience so many were having in those moments (during the storm), especially those near the Bay of Bengal,” said Drew Neely* who also serves among Bangladeshis. “It was not hard to imagine steel roofs ripping off bamboo homes all over. What I couldn’t imagine was seeing my house rip apart and not be able to do anything to protect my family from the cold wind and rain and the terror of it all.”

But that was only part of the reason Neely couldn’t sleep Thursday night, he said.

“Last night a lot of people died and entered an eternity of suffering,” Neely said. “Almost none of them has heard a Christian testimony or biblical explanation of who Christ really is. They have never heard the truth about who God really is, who they are in His sight, or what God’s plan is to save us from our sin through Christ.

“Our hearts are heavy for all those without hope,” he said. “We are even more motivated now to go and tell them about the hope that is within us, and we are so thankful for your continued prayers and support.”

Neely and Galvin ask Southern Baptists and all Christians to continue to pray for Bangladeshis who are suffering physically and spiritually.

“Pray for those who have lost loved ones and homes in the Barisal area,” Galvin said. “Pray that God will reveal Himself in a mighty way to those who are suffering and facing a difficult road of rebuilding. Pray for the Gospel to be shared, so all will know the truth.

“Thank you for praying Bangladesh through Cyclone Sidr. Your prayers of protection were heard and answered,” she said. “May God answer our prayers for the salvation of Bangladesh!”

Watkinsville to the World

This past weekend I was invited to participate in a conference with other overseas workers. Watkinsville First Baptist Church was the host. Watkinsville happens to be located right down the road from Athens, Georgia, and thus, the University of Georgia, so it was a bit of a homecoming for this Bulldog.

There were about 20 overseas workers based in no less than 13 countries with 186 total years of service. It was great to connect (and reconnect) with others who have served or are serving overseas. On Sunday morning, there was a special ceremony during the service and they we spoke to the different Sunday school classes. At lunch, the overseas workers ate with church members who had recently taken or were planning to take short term trips.

Sunday evening we spoke to other classes. My partner in crime for my speaking engagements was Eileen who served in Japan.

Monday morning, I had breakfast with some guy from the church (Mmmmmm, Cracker Barrel). Then, some of us taught short lessons about our countries of service to home-schoolers... for an hour-and-a-half. Needless to say, after a few rounds of 4 and 5 year-olds, I was drained.

We finished the night with a Thanksgiving banquet and a challenge to continue the mission that Christ left us with.
It was a wonderful weekend and it reaffirmed my desire to continue to answer the call that I sensed about 4 years ago- that everyone should have the opportunity to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It also confirmed how truly wonderful the Body of Christ can be. Many people opened their homes to us, fed us and loved on us in a way that brought glory to God.
I can't wait to see what what God will raise up out of this conference in the future- volunteer trips, career servants, new brothers & sisters in Christ, praise for His Name and so much more.


(Special thanks to my sister and fellow servant Stephanie for putting together a wonderful conference and putting her heart out on display for everyone including Our Father.)

"the fireworks of fall"

To borrow a line from Eddie From Ohio, I got to enjoy "the fireworks of fall" last weekend.
I went up to Helen, Georgia, to spend the weekend with my family for my dad's birthday. For those of you not from around these parts, Helen is a little tourist town created to look like a Bavarian village, but nestled in the North Georgia mountains rather than southern Germany.
The Chattahoochee River runs through downtown Helen, but at this point it is more like a glorified stream. Also, the Appalachian Trail starts just a few miles from Helen and there are several great parks in the area for enjoying the outdoors.

This is a little reservoir at Unicoi State Park, which made for a nice mirror to the color of the leaves.

Anna Ruby Falls were just a little further up the road from the lake. While the severe drought had probably sapped some of it's strength and splendor, it was still quite beautiful. You can see several of the tiers peeking through the trees.


Me, my dad, my sister and her husband in front of the falls (yes, they are back there somewhere).

See, the falls are back there still.

And here is your obligatory artsy shot of the falls framed between the trees.

Taking in the fall colors... literally.

This was the sunset on Sunday in Helen. I guess the sky was getting a bit jealous of the trees, so they decided to upstage them.



(Note to the city of Helen: Put your power lines underground and it will make the city more picturesque.)