http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUlmNc_94ow

I love it when ANYTHING can happen at church… this was a pleasant and fun surprise!

Lyrics

Chorus:
I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me

I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me

Verse 1:
Here I am
Here I stand
Lord, my life is in your hands
Lord, I’m longing to see
Your desires revealed in me
I give myself away

Verse 2:
Take my heart
Take my life
As a living sacrifice
All my dreams all my plans
Lord I place them in your hands

Chorus:
I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me

I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me

Chorus:
I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me

I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me

Bridge(7X):
My life is not my own
To you I belong
I give myself, I give myself to you

Hey Friends and Family,

I just wanted to share a blog post that beautifully sums up the “I’m Sorry” campaign I participated in at the Gay Pride parade in Chicago this past Sunday with The Marin Foundation.  The echoing reactions have been powerful and people across the country have been inspired to take action toward reconciliation with the Gay community.

From Nathan’s Blog Post:

…
“What I saw and experienced at Pride 2010 was the beginning of reconciliation. It was in the shocked faces of gay men and women who did not ever think Christians would apologize to them.”

It’s actions like this that I think are essential to restoring broken relationships with the disenfranchised.  I don’t think one has to argue or debate the religious beliefs about homosexuality to say from one individual or group to another “I’m sorry for what I / we have done to hurt you”. If living out life as Christ would live in our current circumstances is our goal, then I think this speaks to the reality of what that might look like.

Even to those that say that this is a “nice try” or “just a start” I think that our actions as a group as well as individually will show in the long run how authentic our actions are.  The reality is that no single event that any of us could do is going to undo all the wrong and balance society into perfect harmony.  However, we can use the best of what we have to move in that direction.

Please share your thoughts and questions and be sure to check out Nathan’s blog here.

(Photo Credit: Michelle at maladjustedmedia.com)

Check out the above link to AfroSpear – a blog where I found powerful yet simple video that inspired this post.

I’m becoming more and more interested in the dynamics of story. Not just in literary form but also in music, drama, video, and cultural traditions.  Our worldviews are built on the stories we’ve heard and accepted.  History exists as a collection of stories.  We long to live the kind of life that makes a great story someday after we’re gone.

What also must be considered is the fact that stories are often told from a single perspective.  We often gain new understanding when we hear a story from another perspective – even if the story has been told to us for ages.

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Wanna help me celebrate? Leave a comment!

I’ve only played around with it a little tonight (before I even got it home) and I couldn’t wait to load up the video and see how things were looking. You can check out two videos I made with it below.

The first video was edited in Adobe Premier Elements 7.  This next video was a chance for me to check out the video editing software that comes loaded on the camera.

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Initial Reactions

I think I’m happy with my purchase in general. The design of the camera does leave you to buy several necessary additions: An SD Memory Card (which is good because the memory is expandable and you can carry multiple cards for added capacity),  a Tripod (the bottom of the Zi8 is rounded unlike the Flip Cam which has a flat bottom that will allow the camera to stand on a flat surface), and a USB extension or hub (the built in USB plug is flexible, but I don’t feel comfortable putting that extra weight of the camera on my USB connection).

I think I would like the lens view to be a bit wider – self-recording can easily crop the top or bottom of my head — and I’m GOOD and aiming a camera at myself.

I LOVE that I can plug in an external microphone (stereo at that!) I got better sound with a cheap external mic plugged in – simply because I was able to have the mic closer to my voice.

So far, I’ve only done low indoor lighting and available street lighting for the two videos I’ve made.  The video is grainy in low light but definitely useable for the kind of camera it is.  I’m looking forward to seeing the quality in some well-lit areas.

I love that the form-factor closely resembles a phone – making it less conspicuous for candid street videos.  There is a red light by the lens however that lets you know it’s recording.

The image stabilization is an added benefit – but won’t replace the need for a tripod.  I hear that feature also eats up the battery.

I Don’t like the video editing software that came with it – but mainly because Adobe Premier has me spoiled. (side note: Humm… I probably have misspellings in the video… DOH!)

Those are my first thoughts.  As always feel free to leave your comments below.  I’m strongly considering a redesign to this site, so maybe in the near future you’ll see more video updates from me posted here.

We’re only about an hour and a half into being on the road for real (made a few stops before really getting moving).  We’ve already had one great road trip song: “if you’re out there” by John Legend.  I hadn’t heard the song since the time of the election – but we certainly went to church in the car listening to it!

I’m going to try and check in from time to time even though this will only be a short trip.  We’ll be right back on the road coming home to Chicago after the funeral.   In the mean time, I’m going to attempt to get some of this backlog of work done.  For now, check out the video and I’ll talk to you guys soon!

The Weight I Carry on Vimeo on Vimeo

I loved this video from Igniter Media from both a design perspective and a personal one.

So often I look ‘fine’ on the surface, but just minutes into a thoughtful reflection on “how am I doing” and suddenly the burdens of my life all start grappling for attention.  I think the challenge is not avoiding having things to carry – I’m not sure how attainable that goal is.  I think we are called to 1) cast our Cares on Him (Jesus) and 2) bear one another’s burdens.  In my mind I think I do both, but in reality I’m not doing so well with either of those.

For me to allow someone else to bear some of my burden would require me to let go of part of it, to actually put the weight of my life in part on someone else.  Theoretically that would make things so much more ‘doable’ but I really struggle with feeling like I’m ‘being a burden’ on someone else.

And giving my cares to Jesus is sooooo much easier to sing about – but in daily living it would seem that I make that a last resort when I’ve run out of things I can do myself.  How much different would my life be if I practiced daily surrendering my cares to Him and seeing what he leaves me to work on?

These are just the thoughts that pass through my mind… these are the thoughts that need to become actions in my life. I hope these things inspire something within you as well.

CHANGED from blaine hogan on Vimeo.

This music video was created for Aaron Niequist’s new song, Changed.

©2009 AARONieq Music / Willow Creek Community Church

I Love this video.  it speaks in simple ways about the awesome things that God has called us to.  “How can we worship more than singing?” is a question we have to ask regularly.

Right now, I’m knee deep in planning an Arts Reception for all the creative, musical, artistic types at my church.  My hope is to empower as many people as possible to connect with our church and use their gifts and to connect with other individuals who share their passions.  I’m extremely excited about the potential of what could come from people gifted by God to do creative things getting together to spread the Gospel, provoke thought and action, and to communicate the heart of God.

Keep me in your prayers as I can get a little overwhelmed with the minute details (that I don’t really need to worry about).  I know that God is in control and working things out wonderfully according to his plan.  If you’re in the Chicago area on August 30th, I’d love to see you there!  You can get details at WCarts.eventbright.com!

This past weekend was an exercise in listening for and responding to God’s prompting. I’m normally pretty busy serving on Sundays, but on Thursday God was giving me a clear directive to ‘be still and know that I am God’. On Thursday I was all set for ‘stillness’ by Saturday night I was ready to make some phone calls and get back to all my activity on Sunday morning.

Well, I resisted that urge and remained still. Because I wasn’t busy, I ended up sitting next to a friend who I haven’t seen for a while in church. Through the service I kept feeling like I should give him a hug – I didn’t do so until the end of service. When I hugged him he broke out in tears and tells me about something terrible that happened to him on the way to church that morning. I was able to get some help for him and just be a friend in the time of need – something I would have totally missed had I been ‘busy’ with all my normal stuff that God told me on THURSDAY to take a break from.

Because I submitted to God, I had the opportunity to see how he would use me beyond my gifting and expectations. God has a purpose in all that I do and go through.  I’m challenged to know all the more – WHERE DO YOU WANT ME TODAY. LORD?

My weekend closed with the opportunity to see Sy Rogers preach at City Church Chicago.  I’d never heard of him before that day, but a friend insisted that I come to the service.  I was glad I did.  Sy Rogers defies the expectations of many about the look and sound of a born-again Christian – or any preacher for that matter. I love that!  He brings the message of the Gospel and teaches in practical ways that apply to most anyone who hears him.  I’ll let this video clip speak for itself.

Please be sure to share your thoughts and responses.  I’m finding lots of people are being challenged right now to submit to God and to be still.

Be blessed!

It was so wonderful to reconnect with my family this weekend.  I’ve never valued these connections so much before.  In a lot of ways, I just didn’t know how.  I’ve got to intergrate being with my family more into my life!!!

Anyway leave comments and share what you did with your family or friends this Holiday.

This is why I love my church!  Willow Creek & Andy Marin: what kind of amazing things can happen from this connection?!  I love that my church is willing to jump into the messy, controversial, never-easy, topic of homosexuality in a way that isn’t fear based or centerd on condemnation or even reacting to the current political and media events.  It’s an honest and informed discussion that I think will help our congregation(s) to mature in how we handle this key topic in our society.

Check out the video or download the audio and listen in your spare time.  The entire 4 week series will be made available online.

Time to think out loud again.

First I want to send a shout-out to all those lurkers out there who read but don’t comment.  Lurker is a common internet term for people who are actively reading a site or discussion, but not responding / joining in the discussion.  Though it sounds bad, it’s not always – we all would do well to observe what’s going on before we go to saying whatever is on our minds.  With that being said, I do want to encourage anyone who drops by to let me know that you were here. Just a quick hello or even a smiley face .  Sure Google tells me I had X number of visitors each day, but it’s nice to hear from you rather than Google.  This comes up because I recently learned that one of the two primary ways I experience love are “Words of Affirmation” ( which also scored equally with “Acts of Service”.)

On my way home from a concert I was feeling a bit frustrated.  As I dug into what I was feeling I was even so bold as to tweet about it (here and here) – speaking up was a GREAT idea because it sparked a small discussion on Facebook (where my tweets show up as my status message). I realized in that discussion that I was placing myself in a good position to become burned out with a group I love dearly.  This wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened in my life so I’ve been actively trying to understand the pattern and avert the cycle.   For one, I don’t speak up nearly enough when something bothers me or I’m put off by something.  I’ve done that for so long that it takes a while me to even notice that I’m bothered!  Second I had to keep some things in perspective because I know I’m loved / appreciated by this group but I just wasn’t feeling the love.  That’s why my second tweet was about my need to learn to communicate my need for love.

This communication issue got me to thinking about the Five Love Languages that I’ve heard of so frequently but have never checked out.  So I did a quick google search to find some of the “Five Love Languages” tests online.  The results helped me to understand all of what I felt this evening.  I was feeling taken for granted and unappreciated for something in particular that I’ve done for them on three occasions at the last minute and with no thanks at the end.  Now some of you are getting all ruffled because I expected a thank you, but if we’re honest – very few of us continue doing things where we get NO positive feedback. The funny thing is that the way I’m wired things would have been quite different for me if someone noticed what I did last time to ‘fill in’ and had asked me in advance to do it again this time, I would have been more than happy to do it!  I guess for me it’s a form of affirmation that my contribution is valuable.  I was sooo jaded that I’d walked into the event saying “no… I won’t help again” and before I could even be seated two different people were asking me to fix what was wrong. (I was trying to just be a ‘guest’ that night!)  With the least bit of resistance I went and ‘helped’ – fixing the problem and maintaining that position for the rest of the night.

Ok… so now that I’ve vented all that out (and you’re still reading?! WOW?!) What I’m learning is that if I don’t speak up about the problem, it’ll continue to happen.  I did (in a light hearted way) let the organizer know that they really have to be mindful to cover these kinds of basics since they do events so regularly.  I also let another friend of mine know that I wasn’t feeling great (I usually don’t tell him things like that… more about that later).

The song “Simply Put” by Fred Hammond came to mind as I was processing all of these thoughts and feelings.  The end of the verse seems to say it best:

…”My basic needs are really very simple
To know You love me
You like me
And I am Yours
I am Yours”

That phrase as stood out to me so strongly for years and it gives voice to my needs even now.

Even as I write this I’m so thankful for the many voices tonight and elsewhere that are so generous with their words of love, appreciation, and encouragement.  More and more I’m realizing just how important that is to me.  No one has to appreciate you or even care about you – so to be able to say that I have been blessed with a wealth of people who do just those things is amazing and I’m grateful to God.  I’m thinking of very specific e-mails, conversations in cars, and even text messages and facebook comments that I carry in my heart.  I’m thinking also of some of my most desperate times when God should have been far, far away and He’s whispered in my heart that he loves me and that I belong to him -still.

I am loved and I’m thankful for it.  I just need to hear it.

Read my review and get the code after the jump…While I was away, it appears that the service has been improved in a few ways.  They’ve added stock images via iStockphotos, added new music genres, and have given a few more options for how videos are produced (such as turning off the ‘music video style’ credits at the end.  I like the new features, although I’m hoping to see the music collections for commercial users diversify a bit more and update more frequently.  I love that they make it easy for me to use music fairly by providing royalty-free music that’s licensed for commercial use — I would love to see more sites take this kind of initiative.  Part of me also worries about the production style of this hot new product becoming as ubiquitous as the “Ken Burns Style” effect for showing photos.  But I also realize that I’m the one who grows tired of things more quickly than the ‘average consumer’ so I should be OK for a while. 8-)  Don’t get me wrong – I love the Ken Burns style but you see it as a randomized default in so much that it becomes cliche.

One of the greatest things about this company is the customer service.  I’ve contacted them on various occasions with product / service ideas as well as to report bugs.  Each time I was responded to by an individual I’ve seen ideas I’ve sent in incorporated.  I love that and it makes it clear that the company is connected to its users.

Overall this is one of the few products that I can genuinely recommend to both the amateur and the professional.  I think it’s simple enough for anyone who has ever uploaded a photo online, yet high quality for more advanced uses.

Check out the site today.  You can create an account for free and make 30-second videos that you may post online to YouTube or embed on your page.  I’d love to see what you make or hear how it goes for you!

Animoto Promo referral Code: sqiwugyp (Update 9.15.2010 – the promo has changed, use the link to take you to the site)

Tonight we watched Rob Bell‘s Nooma video titled “Bullhorn”.  This is our second week of watching his videos and the second time I wasn’t quite on the same page as most people who rave over his videos.  I think they are good, but at times I challenge the challenges he gives.  In this particular video, the focus was on the “bullhorn” street-corner preacher who’s primary message is condemnation and fear.  And while I don’t believe in that approach either, I think he may have thrown the baby out with the bath water.  The point of the video was that we would show and be love – that Love be our message – and I agree.  I just think that the ‘bullhorn’ guy may have also gotten stereotyped as all bad.  Way Of The Master is a ministry lead by Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron that relies heavily on open-air (street corner) and one-on-one ministry.  And while I’m not 100% on-board with all of their approaches or teachings, I do think that their boldness and challenge is ALSO needed in our world.

((EDIT: I found Todd Friel of Way of the Master Radio’s response to “Bullhorn” check it out!))

I guess I’m this way because my born-again experience came through someone making a pretty bold challenge by asking “what does God want for your life” but also having a bible study conversation that showed me what the Word says with conviction and the life-giving grace that is available through Jesus Christ.  That has been my “preaching style” ever-since I began to minister to others.  It was one of the things that drew me to my current church – that balanced message.  My previous church was heavy on the condemnation and would judge just about everybody (else).  In coming to my current church, I came with the expectation (From the former church) that everyone else would preach a ‘watered-down’ message free of conviction.  I was pleasantly surprised to hear conviction that was FULL OF GRACE – it brought me to tears.

I said all that because I’m finding out more of who I am in Christ.  We’re called to be like Jesus – who was full of grace and truth.  I want to live the balance of grace and truth – to have a life that is marked by Love.

As our group talked about these issues, it raised lots of uneasy questions that don’t have quick answers.  I thought that was very healthy for us.  To me, it’s essential to question and understand what you believe and why.  I love that our group can tread in those uneasy waters together.  I was so excited coming home on the bus that I couldn’t read my book! As I would read a line on the page, my mind would wander back to something we discussed or just imagining the potential of how God may challenge each of us – and how I’m being challenged right now.

I don’t know where things will go from here, but the lyrics to one song in particular captures it all.  I have a heart for those who have questions, for those who fall outside of the lines of being ‘fit’ for God and ‘acceptable’ but who yearn for relationship with Him.  I want everyone to know that no matter what people have told in condemnation and rejection that God loves you and Jesus is the way to a full relationship with Him.  So much influences us and raises doubt to the story of Jesus and his Message.  But God is big enough to handle that – he can help our unbelief. Check out this song “What If” by Nichole Nordeman and be blessed.