We went to the UNM Children’s hospital tonight for my first “official” troop! We dressed in conference room, then spent the next hour or so walking around and seeing the kids.

Our “docent” would knock on the door of the child’s room, tell them there were some Star Wars characters here to see them, then, if the they wanted, we would go in and say “hi.” Sometimes the kids had “contact restrictions” in which case we’d wave from the door. Of course some of the kids, or the kids’ parents, didn’t want us to come in for whatever reason, but for the most part everyone wanted to see us.

In fact, the first wing we went through was pretty quick… 10 or 15 minutes to do the whole thing. We would wave, say “hi”, and move along, move along. But the 2nd wing we went through was a Star Wars fan club! Children had Star Wars books, parents had Star Wars tattoos, one young man (probably 15) had a poster of himself someone had made for “Episode VII”. So, needless to say, we spent much more time in that wing taking pictures and just interacting with everyone.

It was as great of an experience as I’d have hoped it would be. The kids (and parents) were all so excited to see us. “You’re the real deal,” one parent said. “You’ve met the Stormtroopers,” another told his son. It was sad in many ways to be there, but the smiles and laughter of the kids made it much easier. What a great first troop!

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If you’ve not yet heard of hulu.com, don’t worry, neither had I. However, while flipping through Entertainment Weekly at Barnes and Noble yesterday I stumbled upon it… and am now in love.

It seems that the TV networks, and their subsidiary corporations that make movies, have finally realized the internet is not a threat. In fact, since ABC has been airing its shows after they have aired on TV they (the corporations) have realized that, “It appears to not be cannibalizing regular, linear television because most consumers who are watching are saying they’re catching up.”

We could’ve told you THAT!!!

I’m sort of amazed at what all is on there already. Great shows like The Office, Arrested Development and Battlestar Galactica… quite a few recent movies… and old stuff like Buck Rogers (not to mention the original BSG.)

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If you’ve never heard of Classical Christian Education it’s probably not what you think it is. If you’ve not heard about it and you either a) are in the education field, b) have children in public schools, or c) care about the future of our children and the education that we provide for them, then you should do some reading on this topic.

I’m not going to post much on it here, but I will give these two sources. First, an excellent book written by one of the pioneers of this method of education called “Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning.”

Second is this short video about the Logos School in Moscow, Idaho. It is a brief, yet excellent, glimpse into what Classical Christian Education is all about.

Please, if you’re reading this, and want a better future for our kids, then research this method. I know so, so very many of you who could become a part of this and benefit it as it benefits you! I truly believe this is something that God is revealing at this time in history.

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My good friend Wendy Leaumont’s dad passed away yesterday. Though Wendy and I have been friends for around 10 years now I never met or knew her dad. He was diagnosed with cancer around the 12th of February. Knowing that she might not have time later Wendy went to Chattanooga (where she’s from) to see her dad. She also got together some pictures and asked me to make a short video of him for the then possible, now occurring, funeral. I was more than happy to do so for her. (You can watch the short video below if you like…)

Something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, and that this video put into perspective even more, is how short our lives truly are. God tells us that our lives are “like vapors.” Literally a mist that appears for a little while and then is gone. For me, right now, my life is eternal. As far as I know, I have always existed, and will always exist. The only experience with death I’ve ever had is death of others… not of me. For a Christian though this reality is very different. We have, in fact, already died… and we are already living in eternity. But, even so, our earthly bodies only last for a while.

Wendy sent me 28 images and 1 song to make a into the video memorial for her dad. For me, someone who had never met or didn’t know him, this man’s life is summed up in these 28 videos and 1 song. I can see he fought in a war… he was married… had children… went on vacations… laughed… fished… had friends and family that loved him and that were close to him… but that’s it. I know he is a Christian from Wendy, but other than that his entire life, all those memories and moments, his eternity on earth, are truly a “mist” to me. I can view his entire being in less than 4 minutes. And someday, someone I’ve never met or don’t really know may be putting together a holo-card video of me. As much time as I think I have, my life here is a mist just like Wendy’s dad was. And thinking of that makes me so, so thankful for Jesus and for the hope I have that my life, though not like it is now, will continue on forever with Celeste, Lloyd, Wendy, so many others and the Lord!

Here’s the video for those of you who are interested…

UPDATE - March 3rd: If you’d like to know more about Lloyd Ray here a couple of articles written by those who DID know him well.  First an article from The Chattanoogan newspaper by Roy Exum, a long time friend of Lloyd Ray.  Then an article from the Chattanooga Times Free Press by Mark Wiedmer.  A letter to the editor from Chip Chapman.  And finally Lloyd Ray’s obituary.

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Our cousin Matt Scott told us about this video… it’s funny because it’s true. Yet another font (hello Papyrus) that is way over used in our society.

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Yes, I know, I’ve been posting a ton of videos from the TODAY show… but they had such a great Halloween day show that I have to share these!

This one is of the Mel Brook’s new Young Frankenstein Broadway production. The cast was there at Rockefeller Center and did a few numbers, this one got put online… and Celeste and I can’t stop signing (slash yodeling) it.

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If you’re like me you LOVE Stephen Colbert and his brand of humor. It’s right up there with David Letterman, Amy Sedaris, Ted L. Nancy, and Andy Kaufman. And if he’s not your kind I’m sorry… you’re so wrong as to what is funny and you need to get over it.

I also like him because he is a character… not a “character” like, “That guy’s such a character,” but a character as in a persona that he plays. Much like Andy Kaufman, Alice Cooper, and even Marilyn Manson, the “Stephen Colbert” the world knows and loves is a character. It’s a performance. It’s not the person his family knows. It’s not the person his close friends know. It’s not really “him“… it’s “him” as a part or a role.

This is something that is often so hard for many people to distinguish that they end up believing the public character version of the person is the real person also. I know it happened greatly with Andy Kaufman… and has happened to some degree or another with many of the other people I’ve mentioned here as well as countless other performers.

The thing is, often people who are so well known as their crafted persona are very reluctant to show their real self in any way shape or form. I don’t blame them really. I can see how, for instance, it could help them be famous while allowing their true selves to remain private and normal. But, it is nice, every now and then, to see one of them give an interview, speech, or appearance as themselves… their true selves…

So who is the real Stephen Colbert?
Well… here’s a clip into his wonderfully blessed mind.

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In case you missed it today, which I’m sure a lot of you did, this morning on the hosts of NBC’s TODAY show dressed at “The Munsters,” and it was incredible!

Here’s a short little clip from the opening (which they also did an excellent job on).

“The Munsters” is something I’ve always wanted to dress up as for Halloween, but have never had the correct theme where it would fit. But, when / if I ever do it, this is now the standard by which I would measure myself by!So I just want to say, “Good job NBC staff, make-up, costume and set guys!”

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