Thoughts from a Survivor

As in other technological evolutions...

2011-09-05T10:08:00.000-04:00

9: RELATIONSHIP TECH

As in other technological evolutions...

...relationship tech will begin its innovation in the avant garde, then work back to the familiar.

R-tech first appears in the world of the web, but will gradually infiltrate the world of canned goods and sports equipment, as well as TV shows and vacation spots. Eventually it reaches the final stage in the progression of customer relations:

To change what a customer wants. The ongoing tango between customer and provider draws them together until their identities disappear at times. This is especially true in frontier arenas, where expertise is usually in short supply. At first there is no authority on what customers want or what providers should deliver--as in these early days of the web and e-commerce. Expertise has to be developed jointly, coevolved. Customers must be trained and educated by the company to teach them what they need, and then the company is trained and educated by the customers. We saw precisely this equation in the pioneer days of online conferencing about a decade ago. When email and chat began, no one knew the difference between great email and okay email, between fabulous chat areas and average chat areas. The best online companies learned all they knew from their first customers. But the customers, too, had little expertise of what to expect and so relied on the visions and vaporware suggested by the companies. Customer and company educated each other on what was possible.

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Discover the key element that’s missing from 99% of businesses!

2011-09-05T10:01:00.000-04:00

Last week, I wrote one of the most popular posts ever on this blog. It was about the difference between doing normal work, and doing work that matters. I recommend you read it, before continuing with this post.

One of the many emails I received following that post, was from Giles Payne in Canada. Giles asks an excellent question, which echoed what the majority of you asked me. Here’s the question along with my answer:

I know it’s impossible to tell each reader what we, individually, should do in order to switch to the work that matters model, but can you help us with some ideas on where to start, Jim?

Your craft

The best general advice I can give, regarding where you should start, is with your craft.

Your craft is the element of your work, which is uniquely you.

Your craft is the creativity you inject into what you do.

Your craft is about creating something fresh, which then touches the lives of other people.

If you give 100 people a pencil and paper and ask them to draw a bridge, you will get 100 unique drawings. Each of these drawings shows how that person sees and depicts a bridge. No one is right. No one is wrong. Everyone is unique.

In business, those who successfully apply their craft, accept the fact that they are unique and allow their uniqueness to touch everything they do. Commercially, the magic begins when your craft produces something, which others see unique value in. Doing work that matters is what I call the development and delivery of your craft.

The majority of business owners struggle, because they focus on being like their competitors, but just a little, cheaper, faster or better. By being to similar to their competitors, they render themselves almost invisible. They get into the numbers game. They find themselves selling on price, not value.

How doing work that matters can be a game changer

Imagine you are looking to buy a tablet device today. For most people, they are faced with the following question: Do I buy an iPad or one of the other devices? In reality, that is not the correct question. There are dozens of choices and some are very good indeed. The thing is, Steve Jobs’ approach to doing work that matters, means Apple produced a game-changing device that has so far, eclipsed everything else.

It’s worth remembering that Apple were not first to market with a tablet by a LONG way! Toshiba and others were producing tablet devices many years before Apple; yet they failed to produce anything that excited the marketplace. They simply produced what were essentially laptops, with a touch screen. They failed to use their craft to develop something fresh and compelling.

Sharing your craft

It takes courage to share your craft with the marketplace, rather than do work that’s expected. That’s because the more unique you are, the more visible you become. If there are 10,000 people standing in a stadium, wearing white shirts, and you are standing in the middle, wearing a red shirt, you will draw more attention than any of them. That’s because people’s attention is drawn to that, which is different.

Here on this blog, I share my craft with you very publicly. I try to write useful material for you, based on my unique experience and my particular approach to marketing and business development. Everything I do here is visible. Every idea I share is open to debate. However, as a direct result of sharing my craft, every day a subset of my readers contact me, to see how I can help them develop their business.

Whilst I’m sharing my craft here, there are marketing providers all over the world, attending networking groups, pestering people for business leads. Many of those marketing providers are talented. However, they need to ask people for referrals, because they focus on doing what’s expected, rather than applying their craft to doing work that matters. I have helped dozens of fellow marketing professionals to overcome this challenge and the first step always, is to focus on your craft. That is my suggestion to you too, regardless of your industry or profession.

That’s a pretty long answer to that initial question, but the subject is way too important to dismiss with anything less.

I hope you found this post useful!

Written on September 5, 2011 by Jim Connolly

Spotify - How it Will Help Your Music Career

2011-08-16T07:14:00.000-04:00

Spoify, a music service with instant access to over 13,000,000 songs, launched in the United States last month to huge buzz. Users have three options to access it. There is a free service, with limited access and commercials, a "computer" based sevice with unlimited access for $4.99/month, and a "mobile" service, also with unlimited access, but with higher quality streaming for both computers and mobile devices for $9.99.

It's a great service. More or less, you type the artist you want to listen to, click on the song you want, and it starts playing.

And I think it's good for the music business. At the height of the business, when people were both new CDs as well as back catalog, to replace worn out vinyl and cassette albums, the average consumer was spending about $3/month, which was split between retailers, distributors, labels, publishers, songwriters, producers, and artists.

If we can get 2-3x that money, without worrying about the "middlemen" and costs of physical distribution, we'll be in good shape as far as revenue.

Plus, a service like Spotify allows consumers to explore music. You can find an artist that you like and, instead of focusing on one album or a single you've heard, you can dig deeper, going into back catalog and more obscure recordings, of which Spotify has many.

This gets people more interested in and involved with the acts they like. Knowing one song is great, but knowing entire albums worth of material creates a relationship.

Imagine having fans who knew everything that you've ever done, thanks to a service that paid you every time your music was played? That's Spotify.

Spotify, and services like it, will help you to develop the type of fans you're looking for. People who have access to music like this are more likely to come to a live show, more likely to buy a t-shirt or other mechandise, and more likely to support you in future endeavors.

If your music is not available on Spotify, you can make that happen now via CD Baby or Ditto Music.

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The inevitable outcome of marketing fear

2011-08-14T16:31:00.000-04:00

Years ago, the authorities decided that a key weapon in the war on terror (sic) would be to make people more afraid.

Two reasons for this: if you make potential bad guys afraid, they might not move up and graduate to become actual bad guys, and second, if something does go wrong (and of course, things always go wrong), at least it looks like you were trying.

And so an infrastructure is built in which photographers are detained, in which expensive scanners that don't work are installed and in which people believe they are doing their job when they engage in the fear mongering part of the work without paying attention to the actual inspecting and crime fighting part.

At the airport on Thursday, a colleague of mine was detained by two armed police officers because he took a picture (out the observation window!) of a sunset. And when I politely declined to go through the magic scanner, I was put through the regular (inferior?) scanner, detained, carefully searched and basically encourged not to do it again.

Of course, the hard-working folks doing the detaining feel like they're doing their job. It's easy to measure. It's in the manual. It feels like progress. It's actually a cargo cult, though, the sort of thing an organization does to simulate progress when it's actually distracting itself from the mission at hand.

Fear can be used as a tactic, but it's almost never the end goal of marketing. The problem with using it as a tactic is that it's so easy to do, organizations almost always forget the real point of the exercise.

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Stand Up and Wear Blue for Colon Cancer Awareness

2011-03-03T14:19:00.001-05:00

Stand Up and Wear Blue for Colon Cancer Awareness

Posted on March 3, 2011 10:09 AM

This Friday, March 4, friends and families across America are making plans to wear blue in an effort to help raise awareness of colon cancer and the importance of having your colon checked.

Dress in Blue Day began in March of 2006 as a local event in Seattle in an effort to raise awareness of colon cancer, and the importance of screening. However, today it is a nationwide event on the first Friday of every March to raise awareness around the disease itself and the best ways to prevent it.

As the second leading cause of cancer death it the United States over 80 percent of all cases can be prevented when detected early with recommended screening, so it's important to spread the word. Not sure what recommended screening entails? The Colon Cancer Alliance recommends having your colon checked regularly if you are 50 years of age or older, unless you are at higher risk because you:

are African American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, or Jews of Ashkenazi descent;

have a personal or family history of colon cancer, polyps or inflammatory bowel disease;

have a personal or family history of other types of cancer;

have poor diet and exercise habits, type 2 diabetes, or smoke or drink heavily.

By waiting or avoiding having their colons checked, many people are greatly increase their risk.. Seven out of 10 people with colon cancer have no symptoms at all, which means that getting screened before symptoms develop is crucial. A simple test may save a life.

To celebrate Dress In Blue Day, SU2C is joining this important effort by urging the public to proudly wear blue on March 4 and continue to spread colon cancer awareness, not only in the month of March, but all year long. By standing together we can spread the word in the hopes that one day colon cancer, and all cancer, will be a thing of the past.

To learn more about what you can do to prevent colon cancer, visit the Colon Cancer Alliance website at www.ccalliance.org.

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Should Digital Collections Be Worth Something?

2010-12-30T13:53:00.001-05:00

Most people don’t care whether they own music downloads or not.

Of the more than 8 million people that are estimated to buy a Kindle this year, only a small fraction of them understand that the ebooks bought on the device are licensed – not owned – which means they can’t lend or sell their titles. By agreeing to Amazon’s terms of service, which they didn’t read, they’ve accepted these conditions. Soon, single ebook lending may be allowed on the Kindle, but users won’t be allowed to buy used ebooks.

The “first sale” doctrine indicates that consumers can sell their physical books, give them to a library, or do just about anything else. This legal principle covers CDs, DVDs, and videogames too. It enables the used marketplace and retailers like eBay and Amazon to exist and sell used titles. In the digital age, this concept is under fire. It’s no longer clear that consumers should be granted the same rights when they buy digital downloads.

You own an iPod and Kindle, but not the songs or books on them.

“In the context of a downloaded book or music file, the Copyright Office suggests that first sale rights could be limited to the medium used to make the copy,” Seth Greenstein writes. “In other words, to resell your digital downloads, you must also sell your hard drive, ebook reader, or iPod.” However, he notes, even those rights may be forfeited by “clicking” agree to the terms of service that Amazon and iTunes put forth.

This amounts to 10 billion music downloads – that nobody owns.

As far back as 2006, the RIAA said in a statement to MTV that, “Selling an iPod preloaded with music is no different than selling a DVD onto which you have burned your entire music collection. Either act is a clear violation of U.S. copyright law. The RIAA is monitoring this means of infringement.” To which they conclude, “In short: seller beware.”

So, fans can’t resell music downloads on eBay or Amazon – it’s not allowed. Nor can they try to sell an iPod that’s full of songs that you bought. That’s illegal. Thus, digital collections are worth nothing. And as I suggested, most people don’t care about this.

Should we care? Should digital collections be worth something? As someone that recently purchased an iPod and Kindle, this question has renewed interest to me.

What’s your take?

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Leadership Principles

2010-12-14T14:55:00.001-05:00

1. Know Who You Are: Wear one hat

2. Know Why You're Here: Do it because it's right, not because it's right for your resume'

3. Think Independently: The person who sweeps the floor should choose the broom.

4. Build Trust: Care, Like you really mean it

5. Listen For The Truth: The walls talk

6. Be Accountable: Only the truth sounds like the truth

7. Take Action: Think like a person of action, and act like a person of thought

Howard Behar, former President of Starbucks.

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Music Eases Cancer Pain

2010-09-28T15:07:00.002-04:00

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Music Eases Cancer Pain

Listening to just thirty minutes of music significantly reduced pain and distress for cancer patients.

The patients were receiving medication, but still had pain.

Music reduced pain scores by more than 50 percent for almost half of them compared to fewer than 1 in 10 similar patients who just rested in bed.

Nurses randomly assigned Taiwanese patients to listen to their choice of music for 30 minutes or to rest without music. They measured pain at the beginning and end of the time using a visual scale.

42 percent who listened to music had their pain scores fall by 50 percent or more, compared to 8 percent of those who merely rested. A statistical test showed a large effect of the music for both changes in the sensation of pain and changes in the distress patients felt.

Patient had their choice of folk songs, Buddhist hymns , or American harp and piano music. Although 7 out of 10 chose the Taiwanese music, the American music was also enjoyed and effective.

Writing in the International Journal of Nursing Studies, lead author Shih-Tzu Huang said,

Offering a choice of familiar, culturally appropriate music was a key element of the intervention. Soft music was safe, effective, and liked by participants. It provided greater relief of cancer pain than analgesics alone. Thus nurses should offer calming, familiar music to supplement analgesic medication for persons with cancer pain.

SOURCE: Huang et al, International Journal of Nursing Studies, Volume 47, Number 11, November 2010.

What This Means for Patients

Sometimes the simple things that we do intuitively prove to be effective scientifically.

In this study music was not offered instead of medication, but in addition to it.

Patients also got to choose the music that they liked from culturally appropriate choices.

This simple method may help cancer patients both in the hospital and at home.

Posted by Kate Murphy on September 28th, 2010
Tags: cancer pain, complementary therapy

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“RADICAL” by David Platt book review by @brucefrank1

2010-09-15T11:28:00.001-04:00

I recently read the book Radical by David Platt. I can honestly say it challenged me as much as any book (other than the Bible) has in recent memory. The book is subtitled “taking back your faith from the American dream”, and Platt challenges you to consider how culture has tamed how radical the call to be a Christ follower really is. It is strong medicine but is delivered with both a humble and bold attitude. I have spent a little time with David and find that to be a good reflection of who he is. Some of the points that stuck out (or into) me were:

“Plainly put, a relationship with Jesus requires total, superior, and exclusive devotion.” (see Luke 9:57-62)

“We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with. A nice, middle class, American Jesus.”

“We have been told all that is required is a one-time decision, maybe even mere intellectual assent to Jesus, but after that we need not worry about His commands, His standards, or His glory…but the gospel demands and enables us to turn from our sin, to take up our cross, to die to ourselves, and to follow Jesus.”

“This is the design of God among His people. He is giving unlikely people His power so it is clear who deserves the glory for the success that takes place.”

“Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.” (see Romans 1:14-16)

God blesses us so we can bless others and glorify His great name. (see Psalm 23:3; Psalm 67; Isaiah 43:1-13)

“Anyone wanting to proclaim the glory of Christ to the ends of the earth must consider not only how to declare the gospel verbally but also how to demonstrate the gospel visibly in a world where so many are urgently hungry” (note: 26,000 children die each day due to starvation or a preventable disease).

“Why not begin operating under the idea that God has given us excess, not so we could have more, but so we could give more?”

“To everyone wanting a safe, untroubled, comfortable life free from danger, stay away from Jesus…as long as Christianity looks like the American dream, we will have few problems in this world.”

“Things look radically different on a luxury liner than they do on a troop carrier. The faces of soldiers preparing for battle and those of patrons enjoying their bonbons are radically different.”

“Ultimate satisfaction is found not in making much of ourselves but in making much of God.”

As you can hopefully tell, I think Radical is an excellent book written by one of God’s best. It challenges the believer to live in a Biblical lifestyle that brings much honor to Jesus. I do feel a couple of words of caution are warranted:

1. An immature Christian could become very legalistic with some of the things in the book. I define legalism as making my preferences your burden. One could take some of the points about the church and say that ‘it is too expensive to put in carpet, A/C…that money could have fed the poor in Africa, etc…do you really love your AC more than the orphan’s life you materialistic American?’ For sure, materialism IS a bigger problem for us than too much generosity, but Biblical balance is necessary. Briefly, I see several principles in the Bible about money that need to be held in respectful tension:

a. God gives excess to some so that they can share with those who have less. (2 Corinthians 8:13-15)

b. Jesus’ radical generosity toward us should be to us a model and motivation for radical generosity with others.

c. God delights in our enjoyment of His material gifts & gives us richly all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17-19). (Note:if you take this principle apart from the others, you can justify an indulgent lifestyle that is not honoring to God)

d. We are not to trust in riches but in God (Matthew 6:25-33) (watch Steve Farrar’s message on this passage)

e. Wealth management is wise and includes how to save money, make money, spend money, and give money. (Proverbs 6:6-8; 14:24; 21:5; 3:9-10; 13:22; 10:22, etc.)

2. It would also be easy for someone to romanticize a particular foreign Christian culture over the “indulgent Christian American” culture. Christian cultures have both darkness and light, wickedness and goodness. The key is desperation and dependence. It is true that we in the states often have more “stuff” that we mistakenly trust in. David hits it well on page 60 when he states, “Instead of imagining all the things we can accomplish, we ask God to do what only He can accomplish. Yes, we work, we plan, we organize, and we create, but we do it all while we fast, while we pray, and while we constantly confess our need for the provision of God. Instead of dependence on ourselves, we express radical desperation for the power of His Spirit, and we trust that Jesus stands ready to give us everything we ask for so that He might make much of our Father in the world.”

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"The Mystery Is Gone And Artists Just Start Looking Like Normal People That Aren't So Special," Says Kevin Breuner of CD Baby. Interview Part Two.

2010-09-15T11:11:00.000-04:00

2010.09.14

"The Mystery Is Gone And Artists Just Start Looking Like Normal People That Aren't So Special," Says Kevin Breuner of CD Baby. Interview Part Two.

In the second segment of my interview with Kevin Breuner, who is the Marketing Project Manager at CD Baby and host of the DIY Musician Podcast, we talk about the singular model of success that the record industry operated under, why musicians need to think of themselves as entrepreneurs, and The Great Reset occurring in the record and music industries.

Kyle Bylin: In the past, the record and music industries were disproportionately biased towards a singular mode of thinking about how success was achieved and measured. Somewhere, at the back of some bar, an A&R agent sat and discovered your band, signed you to his representative label, and paid for the production of your album. Then, you toured on that album, got on radio, and in retail—if you moved millions of albums, then and only then, you were deemed a success. And, if you weren't able to accomplish that feat, the album was considered a failure.

In what ways have new technologies brought us into a new economy for music, where instead of one model that everyone tried to apply, to an economy where many different models exist?

Kevin Breuner: Right now, everything is wide open. Artists are able to try anything they want to when it comes to the way they connect with their fans and get their music out. From the artist perspective, I think there may be some issues with motivation. Like, “What’s the point?” Being an artist is not an easy road, and in the past, there was always the lofty dreams of “making it” that kept them going. For the artists that did make it through the gate keepers, and were lucky enough to be signed, they received validation.

"Even if their records didn’t sell, this

validation could be worth more than money."

It says to family, friends, supporters, and fans, “We are a legitimate artists! The time and money we put into our music is not a waste!” Now, without that stamp of approval, I think it’s harder for artists to jump from being seen as a local band to a band who needs to be spending their time crafting music.

On the fan community side, I think the age of the rock stars is over. You don’t see people going as crazy for individual artists like they once did. I think the downside of all the artist accessibility on the internet, is that much of the mystery is gone and artists just start looking like normal people that aren’t as special or mysterious.

Bylin: This new economy for music won't be just about the music itself, but about music as art.

From the perspective of urban studies theorist Richard Florida, "Music was one of the first industries to experience the brutal effects of the digital transition, and it's clear that the ability to make money has shifted—even for the most established acts—from selling albums, CDs, and even digital downloads to live performance and, designing experiences."

It's been said that, "music as art gains value when put into context."

How do new technologies help artists create different and innovative "contexts" in which their music can gain value, tangible and intangible?

Breuner: Bands have always made most of their money and fan connections by playing live, so when I see statements about the live performance being the key to the future, I usually assume the person saying it is not a musician. Plus, the concert industry has serious issue as well that the “live performance is the key” theory overlooks.

"There is a glut of live shows with a growing number of artists vying for a limited number of concert bills."

Not to mention the fact that just because you write a good song, doesn’t mean you’re automatically good at performing live in a way that makes strong connections with fans (and in turn making money). In my opinion, the usage of video in conjunction with the artist’s career is the next big frontier.

Obviously many artists are already doing it, but bands that can find their niche with video, will find it much easier to broaden their fan base. This could be live streaming shows, documentary type YouTube videos, funny content, you name it. The consumption of video online is skyrocketing and it’s not going to slow down any time soon. I always tell my band mates in Hello Morning that our largest audience will never be at our shows. They are on the web. We get video clips from just about everything we do. Even if the show was not attended well, we’ll get views online that far exceed the venues capacity.

Bylin: Industry pundit and analyst Andrew Dubber has famously said that, "If you want to make the music that moves you, that will hopefully create meaning for people, and that will perhaps earn you a sustainable living, then you have chosen risk, and you will have to be as smart with the entrepreneurship as you are with the music if you want to survive and thrive."

This means that you can't make things that fans will not pay for, start insisting they should, and then complain that their morals to blame—if and when fans file-share your music.

By thinking of themselves as musical entrepreneurs, how does that change the way artists think about the music that they create, the context that they interject into it, and the overall direction of their career?

Breuner: I think it just forces artists to be more honest about their motivations with the art they are creating.

"If you want it to sell, you have to figure out

what will sell. There is fierce competition, so just

making a good album is not enough."

For an artist that has been on a label, this idea always enters the equation. A label wants to sell units, so they are going to pressure you to produce music they know will sell. I think for many indie artists, they find that reality a bit crushing.

Bylin: In The Great Reset, Florida argues that Great Resets are "broad and fundamental transformations of the economic and social order and involve much more than strictly economic and financial events.”They are the great transformative moments when new technologies and technological systems arise, when the economy is recast and society remade, and when the places where we work and live and work change to suit new needs."

Do you think that the record and music industries are experiencing a Great Reset of their own?

Breuner: I’m not sure if it’s a reset or not. There are still some serious challenges for the music industry. It used to make money off a physical product which was easy to control, and the world is now digital where there is very little control.

"At some level, if you want to make money,

you have to be able to control your product."

The benefit of the old model is that it took people who were good with music and paired them up with people who were good at marketing and business. Now that more is falling on the shoulders of the artists themselves, it’s still too early to tell if that will translate into long term profitable business models. I can totally see a return to a hybrid of the old model where artists continue to pair up with people good at business, only this time around the artists will be more business savvy and be the ones in control of their career and music.

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Multivitamins Don’t Raise Colon Cancer Survival, Prevent Recurrence

2010-09-13T20:56:00.000-04:00

Multivitamins Don’t Raise Colon Cancer Survival, Prevent Recurrence

Taking a daily multivitamin didn’t improve survival or reduce the risk that colon cancer would come back for stage III patients enrolled in a clinical trial of chemotherapy after surgery.

Although about half of patients in the trial took a multivitamin supplement during their treatment, the vitamin didn’t improve their outcomes, nor did it reduce side effects. At the same time, multivitamin use didn’t have a detrimental effect.

Researchers asked about 1,000 patients at the end of their chemotherapy and then about 6 months later about whether they took multivitamins during their chemo or afterwards. Patients in the trial had randomly received one of two different chemos, and the trial showed no difference between the two treatments.

After about 7 years of follow-up there was no difference between patients who took multivitamins during chemotherapy and those who didn’t for cancer-free survival, recurrence, or overall survival. There was also no difference for patients who said that they took multivitamins in the months after they finished chemo.

However, multivitamins taken during chemotherapy did appear to benefit patients who were 60 years old or younger. who had about a 30 percent reduction in the risk of dying from cancer or having their colon cancer return. This difference didn’t seem to be related to family history or microsatellite instability. But taking multivitamins after chemotherapy was completed, didn’t improve outcomes for these younger patients.

Obese patients did derive benefit from multivitamin use, but those who were merely overweight actually did worse in terms of disease-free survival when they took them. In normal weight people, vitamins didn’t make a difference.

Commenting on the study, Charles Fuchs, MD, director of gastrointestinal oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the paper’s senior author, said.

This study adds to a growing body of research that questions the purported benefit of multivitamin use, and it underscores the need to investigate the use of individual vitamins, such as vitamin D, which may, in fact, provide real benefit.

Dr. Fuchs noted that most multivitamins contain a small dose of vitamin D.

Use of multivitamins during chemotherapy didn’t appear to affect side effects, with no significant differences between those who took them and those who didn’t for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or lowered white cell counts. There was less severe fatigue in multivitamin users, with 10.8 percent of the nonusers experiencing grade 3 or 4 fatigue compared to 7.4 percent of those who took vitamins.

Lead author Kimmie Ng and her colleagues concluded,

Multivitamin use during and after adjuvant chemotherapy was not significantly associated with

improved outcomes in patients with stage III colon cancer.

SOURCE: Ng et al., Journal of Clinical Oncology, Early Release, August 30, 2010.

Posted by Kate Murphy on September 13th, 2010

Tags: nutritional supplements, recurrence risk, survival benefit

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Stars, Networks Stand Up To Cancer Tonight

2010-09-10T10:33:00.001-04:00

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Stars, Networks Stand Up To Cancer Tonight

Tonight, September 10 at 8PM Eastern/7PM Central, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX will join in a simultaneous broadcast to Stand Up to Cancer. HBO, Discovery Health, E!, MLB Network and The Style Network will also carry the show this year.

Stars from television, movies, music and sports will join cancer survivors in an effort to raise money for cancer research.

Diane Sawyer says,

The broadcast is a way of saying, ‘Together, we can do this’ And yes, we’re losing one person every minute, but 11 million survivors are out there; living proof that this can be done. It will also be an opportunity for everybody to figure out concrete ways that they can do the things that they connect to the most strongly.

100 percent of donations raised by SU2C will used for cutting-edge cancer research, including directly funding innovative, high-risk, proposals that often are not supported by conventional funding sources, but have the potential to improve the lives of cancer patients.

Nearly $75 million in funds raised during the 2008 broadcast are supporting five Dream Teams that take a collaborative approach to solving critical cancer problems. Teams include more than 300 researchers from 20 institutions as well as patient advocates.

In addition, almost $10 million is dedicated to the work of young cancer scientists doing innovative research. The SU2C Innovative Research Program was established in honor of the late Judah Folkman.

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the scientific partner for SU2C, reviewing proposals and overseeing grants through its Scientific Advisory Committee.

Colorectal Cancer Coalition Chair Nancy Roach chairs the Stand Up to Cancer Advocacy Advisory Council. The Council brings the patient and family perspective to cancer issues important to the project.

The AACR-SU2C Clinical Trials Navigator will have extended hours during the broadcast and the following weekend. You can reach them at 1-877-769-4829.

Posted by Kate Murphy on September 10th, 2010
Tags: cancer research, Stand Up to Cancer

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“Now you’re the International Man of Fu Manchu Mystery … What are you thinking?”

2010-09-01T10:52:00.001-04:00

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If 40 is the New 30 Then is 20 the New Junior High?

2010-08-31T05:58:00.001-04:00

A recent article in the New York Times asks the question why so many people in their 20′s are taking so long to grow up. In the article, Robin Henig proposes:

“It’s happening all over, in all sorts of families, not just young people moving back home but also young people taking longer to reach adulthood overall. It’s a development that predates the current economic doldrums, and no one knows yet what the impact will be — on the prospects of the young men and women; on the parents on whom so many of them depend; on society, built on the expectation of an orderly progression in which kids finish school, grow up, start careers, make a family and eventually retire to live on pensions supported by the next crop of kids who finish school, grow up, start careers, make a family and on and on. The traditional cycle seems to have gone off course, as young people remain un tethered to romantic partners or to permanent homes, going back to school for lack of better options, traveling, avoiding commitments, competing ferociously for unpaid internships or temporary (and often grueling) Teach for America jobs, forestalling the beginning of adult life.”

My friend Bob, who is about ten years older than I am, told me recently that, at least in our culture, your twenties are about getting educated, your thirties are about accumulating resources (becoming financially sustainable), your forties are about building (families, houses, careers, ministries, impact) and your fifties are about enjoying what you’ve built (and perhaps pressuring your kids to get married and make babies)… He did not intend this as advice, he was only making an observation. But I tend to think it’s a pretty good path. It takes time to build influence, to establish connections, and to build confidence in others at your abilities. But delay the process and, well, you are in what psychologists call “suspended adolescence.”

To be honest, most of my friends who are in their twenties are seriously ambitious and enormously accomplished. I think of my friend Justin Zoradi over at These Numbers Have Faces, or Chase Reeves who is building his little blog empire, or Joshua Dubois who runs the Presidents Faith-Based Partnerships and Community Initiatives Program, or Jenny White who is heading up Charlie Peacock’s Art House Program in Dallas. It’s hard for me to see twenty-somethings as kids (unless we start talking about music, in which they trade in bands like children with baseball cards, hardly taking time to actually listen to the music! Call me an agist. I know I am an agist) but apparently the phenomenon is real. So if you’re in your early twenties and it’s just after noon and you’re crawling out of the bed you grew up sleeping in and surfing internet sights with a laptop on your belly, here’s some tips:

1. Lose your friends: If your friends aren’t ambitious, if they don’t have clear plans, you probably won’t either. This doesn’t mean to reject them, but it does mean if your friends want to lay around doing nothing all day, get some new friends. The single greatest influence playing on you is your friends. You will become like the people you hang around.

2. Read books: Try to read a book a week for the next six weeks. This alone will stimulate your mind and you’ll start being bored with being bored. You’ll want to explore ideas. Your conversations with friends will become boring. You’ll wonder how many more conversations you can have about what happened the last time you guys were drunk.

3. Write down your goals for the next five years, one year, one month and one week: Do this now. If you don’t know what you want, that’s a very serious problem, so just write down anything and start moving. A body in motion stays in motion. It doesn’t matter if you change your mind later. You can’t change your mind about what you want until you start moving forward.

4. Ask your parents for criticism: Criticism from people who love you is a gift and a blessing. It’s going to be hard to take, and the first thing you are going to want to do is criticize them back, but don’t do it. Just soak it in, then act on whatever they say. Nobody is perfect, but people who don’t accept criticism end up worse off in the end.

5. Accept hardship: Hardship is part of every life, and God intends it to purify you and prepare you. If you reject hardship, you reject life.

6. Cut the cynicism: Leaders don’t roll their eyes, children do. Is the Dave Matthews band so yesterday? Great. You and the kids in the high school cafeteria can talk about it all day. People work very hard to do what they do, and when you roll your eyes you’re being insulting. Children are insulting, adults appreciate craftsmanship over fashion. That said, the last Dave Matthew’s record really wasn’t that bad.

7. Accomplish something: Nothing builds true confidence like success. Want to be a filmmaker? Make a short film and enter it into a contest. Want to write? Write an essay and submit it to a journal. Pick something and practice and work until you’re good at it. You can only change direction if you are in motion.

And of course there are a million more. But this should get the ball rolling, or at least get you out of bed.

Know any twenty-something bucking the trend? Provide a link in the comments section…

via donmilleris.com

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St. Patrick's Breastplate

2009-03-17T04:41:00.000-04:00

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the poop [deck],
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

Quoted in the Catholic Encyclopedia

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What to Pray for a New President

2009-01-20T13:01:00.000-05:00

What to Pray for a New President Seeking God's blessing for a pluralistic, conflicted, and divided nation. by Mark Labberton There is no better time to renew our commitment to pray for our leaders than the start of a new presidential administration. Barack Obama needs our prayers and we should give them freely and eagerly no matter how we may have voted. I know our president needs prayer, because I know I do. My own life and pastoral leadership depends on prayer. I am aware that much of the blessing in the life of our church unfolds because of the prayers of people united in seeking God's way. Blessings are not earned by prayer, nor should blessings be presumed because of prayer. But I do believe prayer increases our readiness to live humbly, wisely, and courageously.
These are also the qualities our new president needs. After a divisive campaign, an extraordinary economic collapse, a period of ecological vulnerability, and a time of war and global instability, our president and our nation need humility, wisdom, and courage. Wherever we or our congregations may be politically, these three qualities should guide our prayers for the leaders responsible for our nation and our world. Leadership that is lacking in any of these three will be far less constructive than these trying times demand. Our president needs the humility to live and lead in dependence upon God, practicing a clear estimate of our human and national limitations. Few qualities are more characteristic of Jesus than his willingness to serve in dependency on the Father, "emptying himself and taking the form of a servant." Humble servant leadership is the essence of Jesus' power. Let's pray that as a new season of presidential leadership begins, Barack Obama will live before God with a clarified awareness of who he is and who he is not. When we lead our people to pray for our national leaders, we are praying for them to be wise. That means that they will be men and women led by the truth, who will act with discernment and justice. We may be tempted to pray that certain policies or political ideologies are enacted by the government, or for the authorities to establish our own utopian vision. This kind of prayer mistakenly treats the United States as a theocracy. Instead, we should be praying for leaders to have the wisdom to seek the shalom of the city, country, and world. This kind of prayer asks God to grant leaders the power and authority that allows people and communities to thrive. It is a prayer that neither over-reaches nor under-reaches. When we lead our people to pray for this new administration, we also need to pray that President Obama, and everyone in government, will have courage. Given the social, economic, environmental, and security threats today, we could accumulate a pile of fear-inducing situations to rival Everest. This is an exceptional time, when our leadership needs the strength of character and will to seek, say, and do what is right. When we pray for a pluralistic, conflicted, and divided nation like our own, we should recognize that we are not just praying for the church, for the community of God's people. Instead, we are stepping into our role as faithful exiles, surrounded by a widely varied people, who seek God's life-giving love, mercy, and justice, especially for the marginalized and for our enemies. We cry out to God for his shalom to be poured out upon others. That will be the evidence to the world that the blessing we seek isn't just for ourselves, but that we truly care for all peoples, tribes, and nations. When we pray for these things—humility, wisdom, and courage—we are stepping beyond our own party affiliation or preference, beyond the bickering of the campaign, beyond the places where divisions are real and substantial. We are seeking instead to be prayerful partners of God's shalom that comes, at least in part, through governments, civic leaders, and even presidents. Mark Labberton is pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Berkeley, California.

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Keeping Christmas

2008-12-24T03:12:00.000-05:00

Keeping Christmas (HT Gunnar Simonsen)

Henry Van Dyke

________________________________________

There is a better thing than the observance of Christmas day, and that is, keeping Christmas.

Are you willing...

• to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you;

• to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world;

• to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground;

• to see that men and women are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy;

• to own up to the fact that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life;

• to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness.

Are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing...

• to stoop down and consider the needs and desires of little children;

• to remember the weakness and loneliness of people growing old;

• to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough;

• to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts;

• to try to understand what those who live in the same home with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you;

• to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you;

• to make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open—

Are you willing to do these things, even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing...

• to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world—

• stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death—

• and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love?

Then you can keep Christmas.

And if you can keep it for a day, why not always?

But you can never keep it alone.

- Henry Van Dyke

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War on Christmas attacks religious free speech

2008-12-23T15:28:00.000-05:00

War on Christmas attacks religious free speech

by Mike Devine

"You can't legislate morality."

"They want to impose their religious beliefs."

So go the arguments meant to persuade courts to ban voluntary prayer and Bible study in schools, ban nativity scenes and displays of the Ten Commandments on public property, and legalize same-sex marriage and abortion.

Judges shaped by the moral vision underlying such decisions have imposed them on an America whose revolutionary Founders were intent upon government by We the People, not by one king or five justices. The Constitution they ratified guarantees freedom of all speech, not just non-religious speech. Earlier this week we documented the actions of the educators of such judges that embrace a warped moral vision that bans Christmas trees as offensive but needs commissions to study whether offensive racial epithets deserve prominent display on "free speech" graffiti walls.

Happily, advocates of speech-squelching judicial activism have yet to muster sufficient popular support to see their religion-devoid vision ratified in even one of the 50 states. Indeed, they can't legislate their morality.

Not that they haven't tried.

Not so long ago my former S.C. Democratic Party tried to silence the "God talk" of Christians to avoid offending non-believers, then, amazingly, invoked the words of Jesus to justify high taxes and a turn-the-other-cheek U.S. approach to the Soviet Union.

Christians fled to GOP

Large swaths of the offended Christian demographic responded by retaining their free religious speech and creating a new political juggernaut called "Reagan Democrats."These former Democrats were aware that the Pilgrims came to the New World to flee persecution for religious speech and that the Founders were inspired by their Creator that their rights came from God and not man.

The abolitionists who opposed slavery, President Abraham "The Great Emancipator" Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. were all inspired by scripture. Franklin Roosevelt quoted the Bible to justify saving the world from fascism, as did John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan in opposing "godless" communism.

What kind of nation would we be, and what kind of world would we live in, absent those Americans inspired by religious free speech?

Yet too many do not want to hear religious speech in the public square and wish to relegate those who wish to speak within the confines of church walls and stained glass. Recently they even turned on one of their own, when Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi dared utter the name of Christ in public.

Since the 1970s, Washington Democrats have confirmed federal judges primed for discovering illegal "establishments" of religion where predecessors had not: nativity scenes on government property, invocations at high school football games, the reading of a Bible at recess.

But the Constitution seemed content to ban only established churches like the one from which the Framers themselves had fled — state churches that fed off tax revenue and compelled worship attendance.

When President Reagan nominated the Constitution-fixated Robert Bork (pictured above), liberal U.S. senators crucified him upon a cross of political correctness and mischaracterizations of his record. Bork conservatives find no right to not be offended by the speech of others in the Constitution. Rather, they embrace its right to speak and vote against speech and laws they found offensive.

Look to the Bible

Last year Democrats in South Carolina opposed a bill that would require pregnant women seeking abortions to first view an ultrasound picture of the developing human being in their womb.

Would the words of Jeremiah that "before [God] formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee" be more persuasive than the Left's "It's my body"?

We need the wisdom and inspiration of religious speech. We don't have the luxury of the "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" monkeys of cartoon fame.

In his classic book "Witness," Whittaker Chambers describes the continuing choice of history to be as old as the Scriptures, where in Genesis the serpent invites Eve to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge so that "ye shall be as gods."

Man's choice to be his own god resulted not only in banishment from Paradise but in the slaughter of millions under the names of Nazism and communism in the 20th century.

The majority of Americans who believe in Judeo-Christian principles need to legislate some morality we believe in. America needs the wisdom of religious free speech. (portions originally published in The Charlotte Observer)

Mike DeVine's Charlotte Observer and Minority Report columns
[All links available at original Examiner.com edition.]

"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson

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Cancer's Unexpected Blessings

2008-12-03T08:50:00.000-05:00

Commentator and broadcaster Tony Snow announced that he had colon cancer in 2005. Following surgery and chemo-therapy, Snow joined the Bush administration in April 2006 as press secretary. Unfortunately, on March 23, 2007 Snow, 51, a husband and father of three, announced that the cancer had recurred, with tumors found in his abdomen—leading to surgery in April, followed by more chemotherapy. Snow went back to work in the White House Briefing Room on May 30, 2007. CT asked Snow what spiritual lessons he has been learning through the ordeal one year prior to his death July 12, 2008.

Being a colon cancer survivor and a Christ follower, I wanted to share these thoughts. Even though I did not write them, I have lived them these past 2 years. I was diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer on November 15th 2006. Surgery was performed on December 4th 2006 to remove a cantaloupe sized tumor that was metastasized. December 7, 2006 the pathology report showed no cancer in my system. I have
lived with this unexpected blessing for the past 2 years.

Blessings arrive in unexpected packages—in my case, cancer.

Those of us with potentially fatal diseases—and there are millions in America today—find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God's will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence What It All Means, Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.

The first is that we shouldn't spend too much time trying to answer the why questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can't someone else get sick? We can't answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.

I don't know why I have cancer, and I don't much care. It is what it is—a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.

But despite this—because of it—God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don't know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.

Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere.

To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life—and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many nonbelieving hearts—an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live—fully, richly, exuberantly—no matter how their days may be numbered.

Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease—smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see—but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance and comprehension—and yet don't. By his love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.
'You Have Been Called'

Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet; a loved one holds your hand at the side. "It's cancer," the healer announces.

The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. "Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler." But another voice whispers: "You have been called." Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter—and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our "normal time."

There's another kind of response, although usually short-lived—an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tinny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions.

The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies. Think of Paul, traipsing though the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes (Spain), shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment.

There's nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue—for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever could give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do.

Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf.

We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us—that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God's love for others. Sickness gets us partway there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two people's worries and fears.
Learning How to Live

Most of us have watched friends as they drifted toward God's arms not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power and authority of love.

I sat by my best friend's bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was a humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. "I'm going to try to beat [this cancer]," he told me several months before he died. "But if I don't, I'll see you on the other side."

His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn't promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity—filled with life and love we cannot comprehend—and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms.

Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don't matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?

When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it.

It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up—to speak of us!

This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God.

What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don't know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place—in the hollow of God's hand.

Copyright © 2007 Christianity Today.

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

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I Support Compassion

2008-11-22T04:23:00.000-05:00

Compassion – Make a Donation – Sponsor a Child

New Artist Advice

2008-11-19T07:23:00.000-05:00

Advice often sounds like clichés and I am sure mine will, too: be true to God, be true to your calling, be true to yourself. Remember whose you are. God has not called everyone to the big arenas. If we all go seek fame and fortune, who is left to minister to the local church and community? We need more creative types that are community focused. Our goals should be about utilizing the talents God has given each of us, in the place God has called us to be.

That is why I usually suggest people plug in locally, wherever they live. Find a good church. Minister there. If you have talent and a heart for ministry, it will be noticed. Volunteer to sing to the young kids, the youth, the college age, the picnics, local festivals, wherever.

What has allowed the message of Christ to endure for 2,000 years? It is a message of hope; it is a message of truth. I think that shines through the Christian arts. Also, you have often heard "Music is the universal language." It is. When you combine a powerful message with a well-turned tune, what's not to love? This is why a song like "Friends" from Michael W. Smith is still one of the most requested and beloved songs of our day. If you ask a music high brow, they will tell you the tune is simple, the lyrics are lame, but the simple tune penned by Michael and his wife touches us profoundly with its truth and its simplicity. It surpasses the musical formulas with its message of the love shared among friends. God has a way of doing that. Christian music can get too contrived with books, formulas and gimmicks. Bob Carlisle wrote "Butterfly Kisses" for his daughter, not to be the next #1 hit. He went past the formulas with his message of a father's love for his daughter. The simple things from the heart are often the best.

I have seen the pitfalls of the Christian music industry as people that are called "ministers" in the industry have stumbled and fallen, sometimes again and again. Yes we are all human and all stumble, but the Bible makes it clear more is expected of those in positions of teacher, leader, minister. Character is more important than talent in ministry, but talent is often esteemed more highly than character in the "industry." There is a tightrope artists walk between "ministry" and "industry." I would offer this advice to anyone seeking a career as an artist that would put them up in front of people as a leader, role model and minister: clean the skeletons out of your closet and deal with any issues you have BEFORE you climb up on that tightrope. No matter how fabulous your talent is, it is your fruits that will leave the lasting impression of what your ministry was all about.

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

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Barack Obama: A Leader for the 'We' Generation

2008-11-13T02:54:00.000-05:00

Interesting read... (HT Michael Hyatt @MichaelHyatt )

Barack Obama: A Leader for the 'We' Generation
Leaders can learn a lot from Obama about power that comes from the bottom up, not just from the top down

By Bill George

The sweeping victory of Barack Obama ushers in a new era of leadership that will affect every aspect of American institutions and that sounds a death knell for the top-down, power-oriented leadership prevalent in the 20th century.

A new style of "bottom-up, empowering" leadership focusing on collaboration will sweep the country. A new wave of 21st century authentic leaders will take oversee U.S. institutions of every type: business, education, health care, religion, and nonprofits. These new leaders recognize that an organization of empowered leaders at every level will outperform "command-and-control" organizations every time.

The 20th century leaders focused on money, fame, and power, earning the title of the "me" generation. Their leadership destroyed many great institutions, as evidenced by the failures of Enron, WorldCom, and dozens of companies like them. The recent fiascos on Wall Street can be traced to the failure of "me" leaders who put themselves ahead of their institutions.
Failed Policies

Unfortunately, the top-down style didn't stop with business. It bled into K-12 education, which focused more on administrators than on teachers and students, and into health care, with health plans and hospitals so caught up in billing procedures and regulations that they denigrated the vital patient-physician relationship.

In the nonprofit world, even the venerable American Red Cross had such dysfunctional governance that it couldn't deliver the massive contributions the poured in after September 11 and Hurricane Katrina to people desperately in need. Mainline places of worship have steadily lost membership to newer ones, largely because their priests, rabbis, and preachers did not engage their congregants.

The worst example of top-down leadership is the Administration of President Bush, whose "I am the decider" attitude and centralized White House decision-making turned knowledgeable government leaders into mere implementers of failed policies.

The leadership style of President-elect Barack Obama promises to usher in the "we" generation. The best evidence is not in his campaign promises, but in the remarkable way he ran his campaign. In sharp contrast to the "Washington-centric, top-down" organizations of Senators McCain and Clinton, Obama's organization was derived from his formative experiences as a community organizer. Lessons learned in Chicago's streets translated into history's most successful campaign organization.

Let's examine his organization to see what leadership lessons can be learned:

• Obama created a grassroots movement by building an ever-expanding organization of empowered leaders, who in turn engaged people from their social networks like Facebook.

• The entire organization was aligned around a single goal—electing Obama as President—and operated with common values ("Offer messages of hope, don't denigrate our opponents, refuse to make deals").

• Campaign leaders subordinated their egos and personal ambitions to the greater goal. Those who deviated quickly exited.

• Obama set a clear, consistent tone from the top ("No Drama Obama"), and never wavered, even when things weren't going well.

• Obama's greater mission transcended internal goals, such as fund-raising, endorsements, and campaign events, but each of these areas had goals tied to the greater mission.

• The campaign team used the most modern Internet tools to communicate, motivate, and inspire people and to guide their actions. Each day, 5 million people received personal messages from campaign headquarters or even Obama himself. This organization collaborated across a wide range of geographies and campaign functions, all tightly integrated nationally and executed locally.

In the corporate world, progressive business leaders are adopting this new style and achieving great success. Look at the remarkable results of Google (GOOG) in harnessing the Internet for vital information and of Genentech (DNA) in creating life-saving drugs.

Well-established American icons like IBM (IBM), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Avon, and Procter & Gamble (PG) have shifted steadily to the collaborative, empowered organization style and have results that prove it works. IBM's Sam Palmisano has converted his 344,000-employee organization from a silo mentality to an integrated global network, focused on leading by values. J&J's Bill Weldon uses the J&J Credo (BusinessWeek.com, 9/5/08) and a decentralized organization to keep J&J growing as competitors stagnated.
Spreading the Gospel

Avon's (AVP) Andrea Jung has quadrupled her organization of 6 million "empowered women" to sustain Avon's growth for a decade. A. G. Lafley has transformed P&G into a global powerhouse by empowering people throughout the world.

These examples aren't limited to business. In religion, the most rapidly growing churches are Rick Warren's Saddleback and Bill Hybels' Willow Creek. Both organizations build around small groups of empowered people who are dedicated to serving people as far away as Rwanda and Zimbabwe. In education, Wendy Kopp's Teach For America created a corps of committed teachers achieving great success in inner city classrooms.

In health care, the Mayo Clinic's well-established collaborative model is being adopted by major systems like Allina Health System to fulfill its healing mission. Among nonprofits, the Gates Foundation is working with local, "on the ground" organizations such as Carolina for Kibera that recently received a major grant to help people in the Kenyan slum.

These trends portend massive changes in the 21st century leadership of American institutions, led by the Obama government itself. The most successful leaders will be those who can align people around common goals of serving people and empower them with a collaborative style. Their organizations will be the winners in restoring the U.S. to global greatness.

George, professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, is the author of two best-selling books, True North and Authentic Leadership. The former chairman and chief executive of Medtronic, he serves on the boards of ExxonMobil, Goldman Sachs, and Novartis.

-- Scott

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Soldiers Waging A Battle Against Cancer

2008-11-11T08:35:00.002-05:00

This weekend will be 2 years since my diagnosis with Stage IV Colon Cancer. I have been following this blog for the past 2 years. Always a source of reflection for me.

From Laurie Singer My Cancer ( http://www.npr.org/blogs/mycancer/2008/11/soldiers_waging_a_battle_again.html )

It's Veterans Day. One of the rare holidays in this country we actually observe on the day it was intended. That's because, even though World War I ended on June 28, 1919 with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, fighting had stopped seven months earlier. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

Look around -- there's our flag, dancing on a breeze at a veteran's headstone, or on porches across America, in a soft salute to those brave men and women.

This blog brings together different veterans. Still fighters. Soldiers of sorts. Waging a battle in a very personal war against cancer.

This may not be your day on the calendar, but I salute you, too. Today and every other day, because I know your battlefield, and how destructive your enemy can be.

All veterans of wars have something in common.

-- Scott

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Mr. President-elect, strengthen fight against cancer

2008-11-10T16:05:00.002-05:00

By Lance Armstrong
Special to CNN

Editor's Note: Lance Armstrong is a cancer survivor and advocate, professional cycling champion and father of three. This is one in a series of "letters to the new president" that will appear as commentaries on CNN.com in coming weeks.

(CNN) -- Here's something that should outrage you: Every day, more than 1,500 Americans die of cancer. Our federal government knows how to prevent many of these losses. Tragically, its attention has simply been elsewhere.

The American cancer community and the Lance Armstrong Foundation are hoping that will change with the election of President-elect Barack Obama, a man who has lost two of the most important women in his life to this disease.

Throughout my conversations with him, I've been impressed with his commitment to fighting cancer and have gained a sense of optimism about the future. And looking back on recent years, that optimism is a big improvement.

The American people are doing their part, especially against tobacco, the No. 1 cause of cancer. Twenty-four states as well as the District of Columbia have strong smoke-free workplace measures in place. Cities all over America are banning smoking. And Americans are far more aware and motivated to lead healthy lifestyles than they were even twenty years ago.

Our federal government's scatter-shot approach to the war on cancer is what galvanized those touched by cancer this election season to create our own campaign -- not to support certain candidates, but to get all of them to commit to our cause: the fight against a disease that will claim more than 560,000 lives in this nation in 2008.

And we used all the tools in the campaign toolbox: we met with candidates to plead our case, stood outside campaign events holding signs, ran ads, sent opinion pieces to our hometown papers, and suggested questions to the presidential debate moderators. We even hosted forums designed to let voters talk to presidential candidates directly about their plans to fight cancer.

Let me put all this in perspective: during two terms on the President's Cancer Panel, my fellow members and I heard directly from thousands of survivors, healthcare professionals, government officials, policy makers and scientists about the effects of cancer on this nation. And what struck all of us was the fractured approach to this disease taken by our federal government in a time when cancer touches 12 million American lives.

Luckily, our campaigning paid off. Like most Americans, both Sen. John McCain and Obama have strong personal connections to cancer. McCain is himself a survivor while our next president has lost both a parent and now a grandparent. Both answered our call with plans of action.

So here's what we will be looking for come 2009, stacked up with the commitments made by our next president:

1. Creating National Coordination: No great struggle was ever won without leadership and a plan. Currently, thousands of diligent people in our federal government work hard but without coordination against cancer. A unified strategy for cancer research, treatment and awareness programs is therefore the first step and our next president has committed to this in principle.

2. Increasing Our Investment in the Fight: Today, our federal investment in this fight is roughly $6 billion, a vastly inadequate amount considering the millions of Americans lost in the last decade alone. And for the past few budget cycles, funding has remained static or fallen off. Cancer patients and caregivers persistently lobbied for more dollars for the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. During his campaign, Obama said he'd double federal funding for cancer research within five years, focusing on the NIH and the NCI, and increase funding for the FDA during his administration.

3. Investing in Prevention and Screening: If you could fix the dam for a dollar now, why wait for the flood that will cost you $10 million? Even modest investments in cancer prevention and screening save millions of dollars -- not to mention lives - down the line. Obama made a campaign promise to require federally supported health plans to cover all essential preventive services and to expand investment in proven smoking cessation programs. We support that pledge and look forward to seeing him honor it.

4. Supporting Survivors and Their Families: When you beat cancer, it doesn't simply disappear from your life. Its effects stay with you, physically and emotionally, and it influences your outlook, your future and your family. To date, we've done a poor job in supporting the millions of Americans who have to face these realities. The Obama campaign promise: new support to survivors and their families and new funding for the CDC to study how best to help people affected by cancer navigate a thoroughly confusing health care system.

We expect Obama to work with Congress on these measures as well as on comprehensive legislation that will modernize our efforts. Sens. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, are already hard at work on this.

Big picture: We love what we're hearing so far, Mr. President-elect. We support your commitments and will do everything in our power to further their achievement.

-- Scott

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Religious Right R.I.P.

2008-11-06T17:45:00.002-05:00

From Cal Thomas http://townhall.com/columnists/CalThomas/2008/11/06/religious_right_rip?page=full

When Barack Obama takes the oath of office on Jan. 20, 2009, he will do so in the 30th anniversary year of the founding of the so-called Religious Right. Born in 1979 and midwifed by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, the Religious Right was a reincarnation of previous religious-social movements that sought moral improvement through legislation and court rulings. Those earlier movements -- from abolition (successful) to Prohibition (unsuccessful) -- had mixed results.

Social movements that relied mainly on political power to enforce a conservative moral code weren't anywhere near as successful as those that focused on changing hearts. The four religious revivals, from the First Great Awakening in the 1730s and 1740s to the Fourth Great Awakening in the late 1960s and early '70s, which touched America and instantly transformed millions of Americans (and American culture as a result), are testimony to that.

Thirty years of trying to use government to stop abortion, preserve opposite-sex marriage, improve television and movie content and transform culture into the conservative Evangelical image has failed. The question now becomes: should conservative Christians redouble their efforts, contributing more millions to radio and TV preachers and activists, or would they be wise to try something else?

I opt for trying something else.

Too many conservative Evangelicals have put too much faith in the power of government to transform culture. The futility inherent in such misplaced faith can be demonstrated by asking these activists a simple question: Does the secular left, when it holds power, persuade conservatives to live by their standards? Of course they do not. Why, then, would conservative Evangelicals expect people who do not share their worldview and view of God to accept their beliefs when they control government?

Too many conservative Evangelicals mistake political power for influence. Politicians who struggle with imposing a moral code on themselves are unlikely to succeed in their attempts to impose it on others. What is the answer, then, for conservative Evangelicals who are rightly concerned about the corrosion of culture, the indifference to the value of human life and the living arrangements of same- and opposite-sex couples?

The answer depends on the response to another question: do conservative Evangelicals want to feel good, or do they want to adopt a strategy that actually produces results? Clearly partisan politics have not achieved their objectives. Do they think they can succeed by committing themselves to 30 more years of the same?

If results are what conservative Evangelicals want, they already have a model. It is contained in the life and commands of Jesus of Nazareth. Suppose millions of conservative Evangelicals engaged in an old and proven type of radical behavior. Suppose they followed the admonition of Jesus to "love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in prison and care for widows and orphans," not as ends, as so many liberals do by using government, but as a means of demonstrating God's love for the whole person in order that people might seek Him?

Such a strategy could be more "transformational" than electing a new president, even the first president of color. But in order to succeed, such a strategy would not be led by charismatic figures, who would raise lots of money, be interviewed on Sunday talk shows, author books and make gobs of money.

God teaches in His Word that His power (if that is what conservative Evangelicals want and not their puny attempts at grabbing earthly power) is made perfect in weakness. He speaks of the tiny mustard seed, the seemingly worthless widow's mite, of taking the last place at the table and the humbling of one's self, the washing of feet and similar acts and attitudes; the still, small voice. How did conservative Evangelicals miss this and instead settle for a lesser power, which in reality is no power at all? When did they settle for an inferior "kingdom"?

Evangelicals are at a junction. They can take the path that will lead them to more futility and ineffective attempts to reform culture through government, or they can embrace the far more powerful methods outlined by the One they claim to follow. By following His example, they will decrease, but He will increase. They will get no credit, but they will see results. If conservative Evangelicals choose obscurity and seek to glorify God, they will get much of what they hope for, but can never achieve, in and through politics.

-- Scott

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America Has Chosen A New President

2008-11-05T08:58:00.002-05:00

From Albert Mohler http://www.albertmohler.com/

The election of Sen. Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States came as a bang, not a whimper. The tremors had been perceptible for days, maybe even weeks. On Tuesday, America experienced nothing less than a political and cultural earthquake.

The margin of victory for the Democratic ticket was clear. Americans voted in record numbers and with tangible enthusiasm. By the end of the day, it was clear that Barack Obama would be elected with a majority of the popular vote and a near landslide in the Electoral College. When President-Elect Obama greeted the throngs of his supporters in Chicago's Grant Park, he basked in the glory of electoral energy.

For many of us, the end of the night brought disappointment. In this case, the disappointment is compounded by the sense that the issues that did not allow us to support Sen. Obama are matters of life and death -- not just political issues of heated debate. Furthermore, the margin of victory and sense of a shift in the political landscape point to greater disappointments ahead. We all knew that so much was at stake.

For others, the night was magical and momentous. Young and old cried tears of amazement and victory as America elected its first African-American President -- and elected him overwhelmingly. Just forty years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, an African-American stood to claim victory as President-Elect of the nation. As Sen. Obama assured the crowd in Chicago and the watching nation, "We will get there. We will get there." No one hearing those words could fail to hear the refrain of plaintive words spoken in Memphis four decades ago. President-Elect Obama would stand upon the mountaintop that Dr. King had foreseen.

That victory is a hallmark moment in history for all Americans -- not just for those who voted for Sen. Obama. As a nation, we will never think of ourselves the same way again. Americans rich and poor, black and white, old and young, will look to an African-American man and know him as President of the United States. The President. The only President. The elected President. Our President.

Every American should be moved by the sight of young African-Americans who -- for the first time -- now believe that they have a purchase in American democracy. Old men and old women, grandsons and granddaughters of slaves and slaveholders, will look to an African-American as President.

Regardless of politics, could anyone remain unmoved by the sight of Jesse Jackson crying alone amidst the crowd in Chicago? This dimension of Election Day transcends politics and touches the heart of the American people.

Yet, the issues and the politics remain. Given the scale of the Democratic victory, the political landscape will be completely reshaped. The fight for the dignity and sanctity of unborn human beings has been set back by a great loss, and by the election of a President who has announced his intention to sign the Freedom of Choice Act into law. The struggle to protect marriage against its destruction by redefinition is now complicated by the election of a President who has declared his aim to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. On issue after issue, we face a longer, harder, and more protracted struggle than ever before.

Still, we must press on as advocates for the unborn, for the elderly, for the infirm, and for the vulnerable. We must redouble our efforts to defend marriage and the integrity of the family. We must be vigilant to protect religious liberty and the freedom of the pulpit. We face awesome battles ahead.

At the same time, we must be honest and recognize that the political maps are being redrawn before our eyes. Will the Republican Party decide that conservative Christians are just too troublesome for the party and see the pro-life movement as a liability? There is the real danger that the Republicans, stung by this defeat, will adopt a libertarian approach to divisive moral issues and show conservative Christians the door.

Others will declare these struggles over, arguing that the election of Sen. Obama means that Americans in general -- and many younger Evangelicals in particular -- are ready to "move on" to other issues. This is no time for surrender or the abandonment of our core principles. We face a much harder struggle ahead, but we have no right to abandon the struggle.

We should look for opportunities to work with the new President and his administration where we can. We must hope that he will lead and govern as the bridge-builder he claimed to be in his campaign. We must confront and oppose the Obama administration where conscience demands, but work together where conscience allows.

Evangelical Christians face another challenge with the election of Sen. Obama, and a failure to rise to this challenge will bring disrepute upon the Gospel, as well as upon ourselves. There must be absolutely no denial of the legitimacy of President-Elect Obama's election and no failure to accord this new President the respect and honor due to anyone elected to that high office. Failure in this responsibility is disobedience to a clear biblical command.

Beyond this, we must commit ourselves to pray for this new President, for his wife and family, for his administration, and for the nation. We are commanded to pray for rulers, and this new President faces challenges that are not only daunting but potentially disastrous. May God grant him wisdom. He and his family will face new challenges and the pressures of this office. May God protect them, give them joy in their family life, and hold them close together.

We must pray that God will protect this nation even as the new President settles into his role as Commander in Chief, and that God will grant peace as he leads the nation through times of trial and international conflict and tension.

We must pray that God would change President-Elect Obama's mind and heart on issues of our crucial concern. May God change his heart and open his eyes to see abortion as the murder of the innocent unborn, to see marriage as an institution to be defended, and to see a host of issues in a new light. We must pray this from this day until the day he leaves office. God is sovereign, after all.

Without doubt, we face hard days ahead. Realistically, we must expect to be frustrated and disappointed. We may find ourselves to be defeated and discouraged. We must keep ever in mind that it is God who raises up nations and pulls them down, and who judges both nations and rulers. We must not act or think as unbelievers, or as those who do not trust God.

America has chosen a President. President-Elect Barack Obama is that choice, and he faces a breathtaking array of challenges and choices in days ahead. This is the time for Christians to begin praying in earnest for our new President. There is no time to lose.

-- Scott

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A Prayer For America On Election Day

2008-11-04T07:56:00.002-05:00

From Albert Mohler ( http://www.albertmohler.com/)

Americans head for the voting precincts today as the 2008 election is now at hand. Already, some 20 million citizens have voted through early voting options. Some expect a record turn-out for today's election. In any event, millions of citizens will participate in the first duty of freedom -- the freedom to vote.

There is so much at stake. We hear every election cycle that the stakes have never been higher. In one sense, this is usually also true. There is always the sense that there is more at stake this year than last, and, given the way issues unfold, that perception often seems validated by the times.

Christians face the responsibility to vote, not only as citizens, but as Christians who seek to honor and follow Christ in all things. But, beyond the vote, we also bear responsibility to pray for our nation.

First, we should pray that God will bless America with leaders better than we deserve. Democratic systems inevitably reflect the electorate's decisions, and these decisions reveal underlying worldviews. And, truth be told, all we can expect from democracy is the government we deserve. We must pray for a government and for leaders better than we deserve. May God grant us mercy as he reigns and rules over all things, including this election.

Second, we should pray that Americans will be motivated to fulfill the responsibilities of citizenship, yet also that we will be stripped of an unhealthy and idolatrous confidence in the power of government to save us. God has given us the gift of rulers and governments in order to restrain evil, uphold righteousness, and provide for civil order. No human ruler can save. No government official or office holder can heal the human heart, solve the sin problem, or accomplish final justice. These powers belong to God and God alone.

Third, we must pray that Americans will vote by conscience, not merely on the basis of celebrity or emotion. Christian citizens must vote to uphold righteousness and contend for righteous and just laws. But, at the same time, we must repent of moralism and the tacit assumption that better laws would produce better people.

Fourth, we must pray that Americans will vote to defend the least among us -- and especially those who have no vote. This starts, but does not end, with concern for the unborn and for the recovery of respect for the dignity and sanctity of every single human life at every stage of development, from conception until natural death.

Fifth, we should pray that God will prick the conscience of the nation on issues of morality, righteousness, and respect for marriage as the central institution of human civilization. So much ground appears to have been lost on these issues. We need to pray that much ground can be regained.

Sixth, we should pray that God will protect these candidates and their families. They have been through an arduous ordeal and now face the deadline of the vote. They are physically exhausted and now face the judgment of the people. They are public figures, but they are also flesh and blood human beings, who are fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, sons, and daughters. Their families have withstood much. We should pray for their marriages and their children. May God protect them.

Seventh, we should pray that the election is conducted with honor, civility, respect, and justice. We must pray that we do not face another round of litigation after an election. This brings democracy into disrepute. May there be a clear winner, not a contested result.

Eighth, we must pray that Americans will be prepared to accept the results of the election with respect and kindness. This will be no time for rancor, condemnations, and conspiracy theories. Instead, we must pray that God will settle the hearts of the people. May Christians be ready to respond with prayer, respect for office, and a gentle spirit. Others will be watching.

Ninth, we should pray that this election would lead to even greater opportunities to preach the Gospel, and that the freedom of the church will be respected, honored, and protected.

Tenth, we must pray for the church, praying that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ would be strengthened in the truth, grounded in the faith, and empowered for witness and ministry. May the church, the sign of the coming kingdom, be faithful to declare the Gospel -- knowing that this is the only message that will save.

May God grant us mercy and grace as we seek to fulfill our responsibilities as citizens -- and our responsibilities as Christians. This world is not our home, but we do bear responsibilities as followers of Christ as we are living here.

May God bless America, not because this nation deserves to be blessed, but because He is a God of grace and mercy. Oh God . . . save us from ourselves.

-- Scott

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Economics in One Easy Lesson

2008-10-31T12:15:00.002-04:00

Economics, commonly known as the "dismal science," can actually be easily understood. Here are each of the basic economic philosophies explained in simple "two-cow" terms:

Communalism: You have two cows. You keep one and give one to your neighbor.

Communism: You have two cows. The government takes them both and--from time to time--provides you with sour milk.

Fascism: You have two cows. The government takes them and sells you the milk.

Liberalism: You have two cows. The government takes them both, shoots one, milks the other, pays you for the milk, and then pours it down the drain.

Socialism: You have two cows. The government taxes you to the point that you must sell them both in order to support a man in a foreign country who has only one cow which was a gift from your government.

Free-Market Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.

Centralized, Multi-National-Corporation-Based, Government-Subsidized, Democratic Socialism: You have two cows. You sell one, force the other to produce the milk of four cows and when it dies you write off the depreciation, hire a lobbyist, and garner a government bail-out and tax-breaks in order to purchase two new cows. Repeat.

-- Scott

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Rejection of the Wisdom of America's Founding Fathers

2008-10-30T07:43:00.002-04:00

Originally published by Mike DeVine, as legal editor for The Minority Report

Want to force the Drive-by media to cover Obama’s rejection of the wisdom of America’s Founding Fathers and our Constitution that produced the greatest nation on Earth?

Then Obama should be the keynote star speaker at every McCain-Palin campaign event.

One has to question whether many voters that are up for grabs will immediately understand, given our woeful education system partially taken over by socialists that control the schools, Obama’s contempt for American exceptional-ism and the import of his words:

If you look at the victories and failures of the civil rights movement and its litigation strategy in the court, I think where it succeeded was to vest formal rights in previously dispossessed peoples. So that I would now have the right to vote, I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order and as long as I could pay for it I’d be okay.

But the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth and sort of more basic issues of political and economic justice in this society. And to that extent as radical as people tried to characterize the Warren court, it wasn’t that radical.

It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, at least as it’s been interpreted, and the Warren court interpreted it in the same way that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties.

It says what the states can’t do to you, it says what the federal government can’t do to you, but it doesn’t say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf. And that hasn’t shifted.

One of the, I think, tragedies of the civil rights movement was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributed change and in some ways we still suffer from that.

……

Maybe I’m showing my bias here as a legislator as well as a law professor, but I’m not optimistic about bringing about major redistributive change through the courts. The institution just isn’t structured that way.

You just look at very rare examples during the desegregation era the court was willing to for example order changes that cost money to a local school district. The court was very uncomfortable with it. It was very hard to manage, it was hard to figure out. You start getting into all sorts of separation of powers issues in terms of the court monitoring or engaging in a process that essentially is administrative and takes a lot of time.

The court’s just not very good at it and politically it’s very hard to legitimize opinions from the court in that regard. So I think that although you can craft theoretical justifications for it legally. Any three of us sitting here could come up with a rational for bringing about economic change through the courts.

McCain should play Obama’s voice over the loud speakers at every stop and then deconstruct his words as revealing a man that could not, in good faith, uphold the required Oath to “preserve, protect and defend” the precious document he trashes as “fundamentally flawed” above.

Obama sees the Constitution as only a negative document. It is, in that it limits government, but it also positively protects Liberty in so doing.

Obama loves government power, not Liberty for We the People and sees the Warren Court as not having gone far enough! Under a constitution written from the Marxist dreams of his once-met Kenyan “father” (Another Messiah’s with no birth certificate and questions about his father, but this one photo-shopped a fake one and dreams of an atheist Kenyan Father while studying at the knee of a Hawaiian.), not only would a Warren Court let off a murderer that wasn’t read his “Miranda rights”, it would make the government a conviction-proof robber of your wealth to spread around the ‘hood like a piece of the action by him as Boss/Godfather.

The U.S. Constitution is the oldest ongoing governing document on earth. The Liberty it unleashed has produced the marvel of what man can accomplish in the history of the world. How five percent of the world’s population can create such great technological progress and share it. How the poor here would be considered upper middle class most places since the 1830’s. How it set the stage for the only nation to fight a war and then eliminate slavery on moral grounds. How it is the magnet for the dispossessed and even put up a Statue of Liberty to beckon them.

How we produced enough wealth to build a defense strong enough to defend against enslaving megalomaniacs and be responsible for the greatest explosion of free peoples in history, within and beyond our borders in a benevolence unheard of by previous empires.

And as Colin Powell said before he lost his way, the only land we asked for from the liberated was enough to bury the dead that died for their liberty.

Obama considers that Constitution to be fatally flawed because it limits the power of government to control us.

My God! The miracle of the document is how it limits the government so that the potential of free human beings is unleashed.

Obama doesn’t understand that the “negative” document is under girded by a Declaration of Independence that sees our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (especially including the right to keep the fruits of our labor as private property), as Creator-God given. He doesn’t understand, or doesn’t care, that the secret to why we have so much wealth that he would like to spread to favored groups as pieces of the action is the incentive of the right to private property. God knows he admitted that the question of when humans get the right to life is above his pay grade.

No, Obama hates the Constitution and would rather July 4, commemorate a Declaration of Dependence on his government. How can he take the Oath? Especially on a Bible that contains within the other great pillar of our exceptionalism, i.e. Judeo-Christian values.

No, this is not a claim that he is a Muslim. In fact, this rooster could name many Muslims that I would happily vote for President given their love and allegiance for The Founders and the Constitution and their advocacy of our shared values.

But Obama, like many that attend Christian churches, has a different view. Let his own words indict his contrary world view.

And even there, he has a contrary view.

“I’m rooted in the Christian tradition,” said Obama, who has declared himself a Christian. But then he adds something that most Christians will see as universalism: “I believe there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people.”Falsani correctly brings up John 14:6 (and how many journalists would know such a verse, much less ask a question based on it?) in which Jesus says of Himself, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” That sounds pretty exclusive, but Obama says it depends on how this verse is heard. According to Falsani, Obama thinks that “all people of faith — Christians, Jews, Muslims, animists, everyone — know the same God.” (her words)

If that is so, Jesus wasted his time coming to Earth and he certainly did not have to suffer the pain of rejection and crucifixion if there are ways to God other than through Himself.

Here’s Obama telling Falsani, “The difficult thing about any religion, including Christianity, is that at some level there is a call to evangelize and proselytize. There’s the belief, certainly in some quarters, that if people haven’t embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior, they’re going to hell.” Falsani adds, “Obama doesn’t believe he, or anyone else, will go to hell. But he’s not sure he’ll be going to heaven, either.”

Here’s Obama again: “I don’t presume to have knowledge of what happens after I die. When I tuck in my daughters at night and I feel like I’ve been a good father to them, and I see that I am transferring values that I got from my mother and that they’re kind people and that they’re honest people, and they’re curious people, that’s a little piece of heaven.”

Any first-year seminary student could deconstruct such “works salvation” and wishful thinking. Obama either hasn’t read the Bible, or if he has, doesn’t believe it if he embraces such thin theological gruel.

Obama can call himself anything he likes, but there is a clear requirement for one to qualify as a Christian and Obama doesn’t meet that requirement. One cannot deny central tenets of the Christian faith, including the deity and uniqueness of Christ as the sole mediator between God and Man and be a Christian. Such people do have a label applied to them in Scripture. They are called a “false prophet.”

I hope some national journalist or commentator with knowledge of such things asks Obama about this and doesn’t let him get away with re-writing Scripture to suit his political ends.

Obama is not one of us.

I actually have sympathy for Obama and his father-, and mother-(she was a Marxist, too) challenged childhood. No one gets to pick their parents.

But we do get to accept or reject our nation’s heritage, a heritage, that in his case, provided him with a good life, liberty, including, education and the pursuit of happiness, including great wealth.

He explicitly rejects what produced that great life.

He rejects the Father of our Country.

We that embrace that George Washington and his fellow Founders of this nation and Framers of the Constitution, and who love the actual United States of America with its glorious history, must reject Obama and the America he would found, or reap the whirlwind.

Vote McCain-Palin!

Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns

“One man with courage makes a majority.” - Andrew Jackson

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

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President's Cancer Panel Recommends National Priority for Cancer

2008-10-29T07:43:00.002-04:00

In a new report Maximizing Our Nation’s Investment in Cancer: Three Crucial Actions for America’s Health the President’s Cancer Panel makes three recommendations to the President that they feel are critical to the battle against cancer in the United States.

Make reducing the cancer burden a national priority.
Ensure that all Americans have timely access to needed health care and disease prevention measures.
End the scourge of tobacco in the United States.
The President’s Cancer Panel was created with the passage of the National Cancer Act in 1971. Its three members have a responsibility to report on barriers to full implementation of the National Cancer Program and make recommendations to overcome them. Panel members responsible for the 2007-2008 Report were:

LaSalle D. Leffall, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S., of the Howard University College of Medicine
Margaret L. Kripke, Ph.D., of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center,
Lance Armstrong, cancer survivor and founder of the Lance Armstrong Foundation
In February 2008, President Bush appointed Joe Torre, a cancer survivor and Los Angeles Dodgers manager to replace Lance Armstrong.

Four in ten people in the United States will develop cancer at some point in their lives. In 2008 more than 1.4 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer and 565,000 will die.

However, despite the growing US burden of cancer, in developing the 2007-2008 recommendations for the President, the Panel pointed out disturbing trends:

A declining cancer research budget
Avoidable inefficiencies and poor collaboration among governmental, voluntary, industry, and academic organizations working on cancer research
Questions about the appropriate focus and emphasis on cancer research in light of current cancer trends
An aging and increasingly sedentary population
A more and more fragmented and unsustainable health care system
An increasing number of uninsured, underinsured, and underserved Americans due to a steady erosion of public and private health care coverage
Continued tobacco use, reduced cancer control funding, and increased tobacco marketing targeting young people, women, and other vulnerable groups
Complacency and a lack of understanding and sense of urgency among policymakers, the research and health communities, and the public about the growing burden of cancer
In their Executive Summary, the Panel challenged Americans and their leaders to make cancer an urgent priority saying,

It no longer is acceptable to say that because cancer is complex, disparities in care are entrenched, and the tobacco companies are powerful, we cannot solve the problem of cancer in America. We can. But to do so, cancer must become a national priority—one that is guided by strong leadership; fueled by adequate funding and productive collaboration and compromise among governments, industry, and institutions; and embraced by individuals who understand and accept their personal role in preventing cancer and in demanding meaningful progress.

I am one of that forty percent of Americans whose life has been touched by cancer — too many times in my own life and that of my family and friends.

I welcome the strong words of the President’s Cancer Panel, and I hope that despite the frightening financial crisis we find ourselves in, the pressure of two costly wars, and a change in Washington leadership, we will listen and learn!

By letting government funding for cancer research stagnate, we are literally eating our seed corn. There is exciting research going on, but it cannot continue without the brains and vision of young researchers. However, as the Panel points out, they are being forced out of cancer research by dwindling funding and lack of opportunities for their careers to grow.

We know how to prevent many colorectal cancers and find others early . . . but millions of Americans cannot access the simplest screening tests because they have no insurance.

Cancer is a war that we can win. I believe that with my whole heart, and I spend many hours each day working on the struggle to win it. I urge you all — citizens, researchers, legislators, President — to join Dr. Leffall, Dr. Kripke, Lance Armstrong, Joe Torre and me in the fight.

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

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Interesting Analysis by Wesley Pruden

2008-10-28T19:20:00.002-04:00

PRUDEN: A game-changer by Obama
Wesley Pruden

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

If your toilet is stopped up by something really big and smells really bad, you'll probably need a plumber. Joe the Plumber, as it turns out, diagnosed the trouble, and yesterday we learned what it was. It smells really bad.

The tape recording of an interview that Barack Obama gave to Radio Station WBEZ in Chicago in 2001 surfaced, and in that interview Mr. Obama, then a law professor and a state senator, lays out how he would redistribute the wealth. He sounds like a man with a plan.

The interview explains a lot, beginning with the attempt, abetted by a mainstream media that no longer tries to hide its slavish obeisance to the Democratic campaign, to destroy Joe the Plumber and shut down discussion of the implications of what the candidate said.

Mr. Obama doesn't think much of the Constitution, or even of the Supreme Court justices who have rewritten it over the years to accommodate notions of "social justice." The Warren Court, which wrote finis to public-school segregation with its unanimous Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954, has been decried since as radical, but it wasn't radical enough. Earl Warren only pretended to be a soldier of the revolution.

One of the "tragedies of the civil-rights movement," Mr. Obama says, is that the Supreme Court did not address redistribution of wealth, probably because of the inherent difficulty of achieving such goals through the courts. The Supreme Court did not break from the restraints of the Constitution and "we still suffer from that." Mr. Obama is not "optimistic" that the Supreme Court can achieve redistribution of wealth - of taking from the workers to give to the deadbeats - but he obviously thinks he knows how to do it. A president with a compliant Congress, which he expects to be in January, can do it through legislation and "administration."

The Barack Obama of this interview clearly does not think much of what the Founding Fathers bequeathed to us: "The Constitution reflected the enormous blind spot in this culture that carries on to this day. The framers had that same blind spot ... the fundamental flaw of this country."

Mr. Obama is a gifted politician, with the smarts to understand that this could be the "game-changer" that leaves his campaign, almost picture-perfect until now, in ruins. He understands that he has to fly under the radar for now. That's why his campaign apparatus moves swiftly to dismiss questions about the Obama paper trail, such as it is, and to crush anyone bold and foolish enough to inquire into the real Barack Obama.

Joe the Plumber learned the hard way what happens to such questioners, and when a television reporter in Florida asked Joe Biden whether his running mate is a Marxist economist, good old Joe, usually eager to talk about everything, acted as if the interviewer had accused him of serial killing or child molesting. Some things just aren't to be talked about, not now. Not Barack Obama's radical notions about redistributing the wealth - which is, after all, the essence of Marxism. Not about how he intends to replace fundamental American values with values that most Americans, if they knew about them, would regard as alien and hostile.

If John McCain wants to change the game over the next seven days, he'll have to break through the media screen to spell out, clearly, often and in detail, the implications of what Barack Obama actually means when he talks about how to redistribute the wealth. To redistribute wealth, you first have to confiscate it from those who earned it with hard work, and the way to do that is with confiscatory taxes. Then you give it to those who didn't earn it. Such explanations, made with cool detachment, once would have been the work of the newspapers and even the television networks. But not this year. Mr. McCain can expect real grief from the media when the polls tighten.

There's nothing ambiguous about Mr. Obama's radical views, as revealed in this interview. He clearly thinks the Constitution was a "tragedy," that the men who wrote it were not the revolutionary heroes plain Americans regard them to be, and their work must be corrected by the surviving radicals of the '60s and their progeny. Anyone who listens to this interview, available on YouTube.com, understands why Michelle Obama was never proud of her country until she thought the opportunity was at hand to destroy the country to save it, and why Barack Obama could spend 20 years comfortably listening to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright exhort God to damn America.

Wesley Pruden is editor emeritus of The Washington Times.

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

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Living With Cancer

2008-10-06T14:45:00.002-04:00

Well it’s coming up on 2 years since my diagnosis of Stage IV Colon Cancer. Feels like a lifetime. There’s not a week, a day, a moment that goes by that I don’t realize I am a cancer survivor. In fact I am a blessed survivor. I am gearing up for the current round of tests that will be upon me. First up is the annual colonoscopy. In all reality the procedure in easy. It’s the prep that will kick you and it starts tomorrow evening.

I’ve gone for quite sometime without really writing any thoughts down. I’ve just let it go by with no good reason. So I will ease back into it. Thanks to my family for keeping after me.

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

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Nashville

2008-05-01T09:38:00.000-04:00

Wow last week in Nashville was awesome. Austin and I had such a great time. We celebrated his 18th birthday at Morton's. Always an incredible meal. We were also able to catch several concerts. 2 events really stand out. First, I was able to join Austin at Rocketown for Tooth and Nail Records. This was where several of Austin's favorite bands performed. I had finished up with my showcase where we had picked up some awards and found out that his showcase was still going on. So I sent a text to see if he'd mind if I hung out with him. Needless to say we didn't get back to the hotel until 12:30 am. Morning came early and we were so glad for Starbucks.

The second was attending the Dove Awards. I was really fun to see the show through his eyes. I have had the privilege of attending for many years. This was his first. Although we did not win in our categories we had a great time.

It was great being able to introduce Austin to many of my friends in the industry. Next year we hope to have Josh join us. That would be an awesome adventure.

Until next time.

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

Reach

2008-04-17T05:07:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to give everyone a quick status update. Everything is going really with my health. All the docs are very happy which in turn makes me happy. I’ll be seeing my oncologist the first week of June for a scheduled checkup. We will then have a CT Scan to make sure that everything is clear. Please pray for me in the next coming weeks. I have been feeling great which has allowed me to slip into overdrive. I have taken on several projects at once. With that I need to keep up my strength and rest. I will also be traveling more than I have in the past couple of years over the next few months.

I will be heading out to Nashville on Sunday (after attending Austin’s audition for the drumline at Appalachian State) to attend Gospel Music Week. Austin will be making the trip with me. We are going to have a blast. Several of my old record company friends cannot wait to meet him. We will also be attending the Dove Awards. We are up for a couple that night. Austin is hoping that we win our categories so that I’ll have to accept the awards. He thinks that would be great. We will also celebrate his 18th birthday while we’re there. I will also be back in Nashville a couple weeks later because I’ve been elected once again to the board of the CMTA (Christian Music Trade Association). After that I’ll be traveling to Orlando for our annual trade show for a week. In between all that there is Austin’s graduation. I can’t believe where the time has gone.

The other thing is for Austin. He has taken on putting on a benefit concert for 3 groups. He has been planning this for months. There will be 3 bands playing that night. Austin’s band will close the concert. He put this video together and posted it on the website http://www.reachconcert.org . One of the causes is for a mentor of Austin. He has pulmonary fibrosis and is awaiting double lung transplant at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. David has been the single biggest influence to Austin throughout his music career. What we’re asking for is prayer. Pray that we will reach the students of Asheville, and Western North Carolina to motivate them to action. Please watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyMQxmlzpiE

Blessings

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

Latest News

2008-03-20T17:19:00.000-04:00

It’s been a couple of months. All my test are coming out great. Finally had the port removed from my chest. That’s a really good sign. See the oncologist in another 3 months.

Austin finally settled in on school for the fall. He’ll be going to Appalachian State. It looks like he’ll be majoring in business instead of music. He still wants to be in the marching band there. He goes for auditions in April. That would be really cool for us. ASU opens up against LSU this year.

Josh is doing really well. It looks as if some things may be coming together for him to finally get into the music business. We’ll see how things come together.

Updates

2008-01-08T07:54:00.000-05:00

I have visited with all of my physicians in the last few weeks. Got a clean bill of health. All my tests are looking great. After my March visit with my oncologist we’ll decide on the frequency of my follow-up visits.

We spent Christmas in south Florida. It was an incredible time. The weather was absolutely perfect. Lori & I and Austin & Cyndi had so much fun. Josh & Dusty celebrated their first Christmas together in NC. They had a wonderful time together in their new home.

Austin is trying to narrow his college selections down. He has several auditions for the various music schools in the next few weeks. The first one on the 19th will be the test. He’ll do great but this is his first choice. Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University.

Thanks again for all of the prayers, cards and calls.

Anniversary of Sorts

2007-11-15T07:50:00.000-05:00

A year ago today my doctor called to inform me that the mass he found was Stage IV Colon Cancer. Wow the time has passed so quickly. I’m doing well. I’m healthy and I’m very blessed. I just wanted to say thank you to for your prayers and your support during this last year. You have been such a blessing to me and my family. This journey has been such a blessing to us. We’ve been able to encounter so many individuals that got to hear of God’s miraculous love, grace & mercy.

I am very fortunate this evening to be able to spend time with my family. Josh & Dusty, Austin & Cyndi and Lori & I will be attending a concert. Steven Curtis Chapman is in Asheville tonight. It’s very appropriate that it is the Miracle of the Moment tour. We are definitely celebrating the moments that we have. The kids are looking forward to seeing a concert with me especially with an artist that I had the privilege of working with during my time at EMI. They just wish I could still get backstage passes. It should be a great time together.

I hope this finds you all well. I pray that you all have a blessed Thanksgiving. Give thanks for He is good.

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

Here’s the lyrics to the song

Steven Curtis Chapman - Miracle Of The Moment

From the album This Moment

It’s time for letting go

All of our if only’s

‘Cause we don’t have a time machine

And even if we did

Would we really want to use it?

Would we really want to go change everything?

‘Cause we are who and where and what we are for now

And this is the only moment we can do anything about

Chorus:

So breathe it in and breathe it out

Listen to your heartbeat

There’s a wonder in the here and now

It’s right there in front of you

And I don’t want you to miss

The miracle of the moment

There’s only one who knows

What’s really out there waiting

In all the moments yet to be

And all we need to know

Is He’s out there waiting

To Him the future’s history

And He has given us a treasure called right now

And this is the only moment we can do anything about

And if it brings you tears

Then taste them as they fall

And let them soften your heart

And if it brings you laughter

Then throw your head back

And let it go, let it go

You gotta let it go

Listen to your heartbeat

First Place

2007-10-29T07:47:00.000-04:00

This weekend TC Roberson Marching Band placed first in 4A Competition at the Foard Marching Band Classic. This is the first time, that we are aware of, that this has been accomplished. Also the drumline placed first. Again another first. This was Austin’s last high school competition. What a way to finish.

The Wedding

2007-10-20T21:32:00.000-04:00

Josh & Dusty were married October 20th. It was a beautiful day in Wilson, NC. The service was great as was the reception that followed. We were excited to have so many family members and friends share the occasion with us. Lori & I are trying to recover. As soon as more pictures arrive we will be posting more.

The Weekend

2007-10-01T07:31:00.000-04:00

Well I made it through the weekend. We had a band competition on Saturday. The band did good for their first outing. You might be wondering why I refer to it as making it through. It was a year ago at this competition that I started to realize that something was probably wrong with me. It felt really good to be there watching Austin and not worrying about what could be wrong with me. So much has happened over the last year. I am just so thankful for where I am in the journey.

Good News

2007-09-19T07:29:00.000-04:00

I went to see my oncologist yesterday. Everything looked great. My levels are doing well. It was actually good to see him smile as he was giving me the results. I go back the week before Christmas for another visit.

We also helped Josh move into his new apartment yesterday. He is very excited abut this new chapter is his life. Yes, it’s only 4 weeks until his wedding. I think the reality is setting for all of us.

I cannot thank you enough for all your support and prayers.

You can do that here. https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=158934&supid=162486079

If you have already done so...THANKS. If you can’t donate that’s OK as well. Pass this link along to someone who might be able to.

Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™

At last an update

2007-09-05T07:27:00.000-04:00

Well summer is about gone. My doctors are very pleased with my continued improvement. All the tests that I have had throughout the summer, as well as the reversal of my illeostomy, have come back very positive. Starting September 18th I will begin my maintenance visits with my oncologist. They will be every 3 months for 3 years. I just want to say thank you all for your continued prayers for these past 9 months. We have seen God just do the miraculous. It is so good to be feeling good again.

Things around our household are totally crazy right now. Everyone’s doing great. Josh’s wedding is about a month away. He moves in to their new place in about 10 days. Austin is in the midst of applying to colleges and marching season. Lori is back at school dealing with all her other kids. I’m still doing what I love to do. How could I not....everyday what we do has the chance to change life for all eternity. That is what got me into the music business and what has sustained me to almost 20 years.

Thanks again for all your support and your prayers.

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

It's been a while...

2007-07-24T07:23:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update on where we are in our journey. June 26th was my last chemo treatment. Everything went well with the last couple of treatments. Now we are on to the finishing touches. I’ve had in the last 2 weeks a colonoscopy and a CT scan. Everything looks good according to the doctors. August 6 I will have surgery to reverse my ileostomy. I’ll be spending a couple of days in the hospital. Then in September I begin my 3 month appointments with my oncologist for maintenance. My blood work has been good and my markers look great (according to my oncologist). Now we’re on to the next chapter in our journey.

I just want to thank all of you for your continued prayers and encouragement. Please don’t stop. This has been an incredible journey. I’m looking forward to what God has in store for us next.

If you have the opportunity don’t forget about my friend Cliff Phillips. He’s training hard to the NYC marathon. We’re still raising support for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. If you can donate it would be greatly appreciated. You can do that here. https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=158934&supid=162486079 If you have already done so...THANKS. If you can’t donate that OK as well. Pass it along to someone who might be able to.

Thanks again

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

What a ride...

2007-05-24T07:20:00.000-04:00

This is an off week for chemo. Our last visit was a little bit rough but it was worth it in the end. The oncologist told us we would be done by mid-June. So we only have 2 more treatments. Thanks for your continued prayer and support.

Over Mother’s Day weekend we had a graduation and a wedding shower. Our parents were in town to make the weekend great. What a blessing to have our family around to share it with us.

More to follow...for now

Blessings

--Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™

4 more to go...

2007-05-02T07:16:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the delay in my communications. After yesterdays treatment we are left with 4 more to go. The doctors are very encouraged with my progress. My blood counts are staying stable and they are thankful for the weight gain I’ve been experiencing. Not really sure I am. I didn’t think I was the vain type but after losing 100 pounds gaining 20 back has been a shock. Once the treatments are complete I will be able to get consistent with a diet and exercise program.

Yesterday was a hard treatment for me. Not so much physically but mentally. I went into it just wanting everything to be done. I was tired of the routine. Shortly after my treatment started Lori & I had the entire nursing staff talking with us. It was just what I needed to get me focus back on the task at hand. God uses so many things and people to get our attention.

Things have been crazy around here since I last talked to all of you. Austin spent his spring break in Gulfport, MS with the youth choir and band. The choir spent the day painting and constructing homes that were damaged by Katrina. The band (Austin played drums) spent the day setting up the stage and rigging which took about 5 hours and then after the performance it was about 3 hours to tear down. It was long and hard but when he got home all he could talk about was going on the road. Wanting to share with anyone who would listen, the message of Christ. This was the groups second trip down there. They capped the trip off by singing the National Anthem at the Atlanta Braves game. We are so proud of him and of all the kids and leaders who went.

Lori & I decided to go to Atlanta and make a weekend of it. We had a blast. We were able to get together with Cliff Phillips and his family. It was great to see them. Cliff is busy in training for the NYC marathon in November. Lori’s parents came up to see Austin at the game. We had a great time with them as well.

Then there’s Josh. As of yesterday he is finished with his college career. He is graduating May 12th with his BS in Music Technology. He is also graduating Magna Cum Laude (3.87 GPA), and with distinction as a University Scholar for completing the Honors College. We are so proud of him. So if anyone is looking for a great new audio engineer / studio musician let me know. On top of all that there are still wedding plans to be made for the October 20th event. This is going to be a fun weekend.

As you can tell these last few weeks have been really focused on being with the family. We’ve all been trying to move forward and get to a “normal” living. You know I’m not really sure what “normal” is. Through this event we will never be the same as we once were. We can’t.... Life means so much more.

There is so much left for me to do. For us to do. God has been stirring all of us to make use of every moment, every conversation, every talent, every laugh, every tear, every “good night”, every “good morning”, every “Thank You”, every “I love you”. They mean so much more.

I’m not guaranteed tomorrow, all I have is now. That’s all any of us have. So I’m using whatever time I have left to try and make this disease matter. To use the incredible gift of life that I’ve been given to glorify my creator. To try and make this new life count for the Kingdom.

I hope this update finds you all well. I can’t thank you enough for all your prayers and support during this time. If you have any prayer requests please let us know as we will be sure to stand with you in prayer. Until next time.

--Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™

Half Way

2007-04-04T07:14:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I came to the halfway point in my treatment. My oncologist tells me I have 6 more treatments. That will bring me to the last week of June. My blood counts held steady and I will have a complete blood work up next week. I have gained weight over the last 5 weeks. So he’s very excited about that. All in all a good day. Generally most chemo days are spent reading or listening to some of my favorite podcasts (see below). It helps eat up the 6 hours that my treatments take. Once again I had an opportunity to share the story today with a student nurse who is graduating next month. She wanted to know how I could be so upbeat while I’m there for chemo. So I told her. I’m not sure that nursing school prepared her for what she heard.

Thank you all for your constant prayers and support. Words cannot express our gratitude. If you have not heard yet, my buddy Cliff Phillips ran the ING Atlanta Half-Marathon. He did absolutely great and I am so proud of him and the work that he is doing with the Lance Armstrong Foundation. He’s starting to train for the NYC Marathon in November. If you’d like to know how you can help us in this cause check out Cliff’s site: http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots/cliffphillips?faf=1=1003329846 Those of you that have already helped, THANK YOU!!!! If you can pass the info on to someone else. If you can’t help at this time we completely understand.

Everything around here is absolutely crazy. Our youngest son Austin, is getting ready to leave on a mission trip to the Gulf Coast with his church youth choir. He will be rehabbing house by day and performing in the evenings. Our oldest son Josh is frantically finishing up his last semester of college. He’s taking his comps for his major and finishing out honors college. If that isn’t enough he’s planning a wedding. He will be married on October 20. Lori & I will be celebrating our 25th anniversary this June. We definitely have a lot to be thankful for.

I hope this update finds you all well. If you have any prayer requests please let us know as we will be sure to stand with you in prayer. Until next time.

Favorite Podcasts

Light Without Limits – Dr. James Walker (my pastor) -http://archive.biltmorebaptist.org/bbcsermons.xml

Grace Brethren Church Calvert County, MD – Robert Wagner (my uncle) http://www.calvertgrace.org/audio/calvertgrace.rss

Walk in the Word – James MacDonald – http://www.walkintheword.com/podcast.xml

Rolling Hills Community Church – Dale Ebel (my former pastor in Oregon)– http://www.sermonfeed.com/rhcc

A New Beginning – Greg Laurie-

http://www.harvest.org/podcast/feed.php/anb.xml

First Baptist Church Naples – Dr. Hayes Wicker (my church in FL) - http://www.fbcn2.org/sermons/sermons.xml

Active Word – Bob Coy – http://www.activeword.org/podcast.xml

Strength for the Journey – Dr. Joe Stowell - http://www.rbc.org/strengthforthejourneypodcast.rss

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG™ if we’re GODSTRONG™.

If you can help with our fundraising for the NYC Marathon on behalf on the Lance Armstrong Foundation please click below.

Cliff Phillips’ site: http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots/cliffphillips?faf=1=1003329846

Team Phillips / Wagner Accepted in NYC Marathon

2007-03-14T07:11:00.000-04:00

Got this in from my great friend Cliff Phillips. Cliff and I have been a great team in the past. Now we’re teaming up for a different cause. If you can help us that we would appreciate it. your support will go for a great cause.

Team Phillips / Wagner Accepted in NYC Marathon

March 25th is just around the corner for the ING Georgia Marathon/Half Marathon.

Ok, first things first. I spoke with Scott Wagner yesterday and he's doing great. The chemo is going good and hopefully he'll be done by the summer. Any of you that know my history with Scott know that he and I have been known as a pretty good team at times in the past, now we just have a different cause. Please continue to pray for Scott, Lori, Josh, and Austin. If the cancer isn't enough reason a wedding this year is. Stay strong Scott, because of this God will keep using you in ways you've never imagined.

Second! I'm pleased to announce that we have been officially accepted to run as a proud member of the Livestrong Army in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation in The New York City Marathon in November. I say we because this is, has been, and will continue to be a team effort. You may have noticed that my financial goal significantly increased this week due to the good news. For those of you that have already contributed, I would ask that you please send the link from this page on to at least 5 other people that have an interest in helping us to fight cancer.

It's been absolutely amazing to see friends, current and former co-workers, and family all come together over this cause since we started it just about a month and a half ago. I almost cried this week, I'm getting more sensitive in my old age, when I saw a donation from a long time friend from the music industry who made a donation in honor of his mother and Scott. Many of us remember that time and I feel blessed that we have an outlet to help us fight this terrible disease.

Training!

Okay, since I've last updated, I arrived back from Mexico with a severe high ankle sprain inflicted by a nice Argentinian masseuse named Ramon that stretched the ligaments in my ankle a little to far during a sport massage after my long run in Cancun. I'm sure the flight back the next day didn't help much either. It certainly has thrown a wrench into my training over the last week but I was able to crank out my 11 mile run last Saturday. I'm continuing to ice it daily and it's coming along ok. It's probably at about 70% but I'm hoping to be closer to 90% by the time I line up for the race. I wish we were running tomorrow. I feel ready, except for the ankle, and March 25 can't get here fast enough. One upside is that I've been able to drop the extra 3 pounds that I've been fighting to get off. I'm now at 185. My perfect weight. No more weight and no less weight.

Next week's update should be fun. I hope to be covering the very important topic of what's on my IPOD for the race.

Stay tuned!!!

Fins Up and Livestrong!!!!

Cliff Phillips

Follow This Link <http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots/cliffphillips?faf=1&e=988839116> to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support Lance Armstrong Foundation

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG if we’re GODSTRONG.

Good Week

2007-03-12T07:03:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to give everyone an update on my progress. We’re approaching the halfway point with my treatment schedule. Next Tuesday (March 20) will be the mid-way point. The new treatments are going well. Whatever the new “cocktail” they’ve mixed for me appears to be working well. I am feeling great. I appear to be getting stronger every day and I’m actually gaining some weight back.

The only issue we’ve had is that my last blood work showed that my white cell count dropped substantially. It wasn’t low enough to interrupt my treatment schedule so my oncologist is not alarmed. However, it concerned me because it was the first big drop.

I appreciate all the emails and notes that keep coming my way. I am constantly amazed at how God is using this ride for his glory. I’m finding myself in conversations everyday where I get to share His story. In fact my whole family is having the same experience. We’re currently going through a series at church on Romans 12. We’re all learning new meanings on being a “living sacrifice” and “one body” as we continue on this journey.

We serve an awesome God. I must admit I don’t understand the reason for the adventure however, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I am learning so much on this adventure about me , about life. We as a family have been taking this opportunity to examine ourselves and look at what is truly important to us in this life we have. Oh how that has changed in the last 4 months. Instead of being completely wrapped up in my career, I’m looking for those opportunities to serve others. It really is amazing to see the responses of people when you say the word cancer. It really opens doors. The conversations get flowing.

I hope this update finds you all well. If you have any prayer requests please let us know as we will be sure to stand with you in prayer.

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG if we’re GODSTRONG.

If you can help with our fundraising for the ING Georgia Marathon on behalf on the Lance Armstrong Foundation please click below.

Cliff Phillips’ site: https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=158934&supid=162

The Next Step

2007-02-27T07:01:00.000-05:00

Well it’s been a week since my last chemo treatment. Feeling great except for a cold that I can’t seem to shake. It appears the new cocktail and wearing the pump for 46 hours seems to be agreeing with my system. I know that can change at any moment but we’re enjoying these days.

God has been opening so many doors to share. It has been amazing. In fact all of us (Lori, Austin & Josh) are having these opportunities to share. We all come home after our day and share what conversations we had and how God has opened that line of communication with someone else.

We have been so overwhelmed but the notes, emails, cards, & letters that we have been receiving. Thank you all so very much to all of you. Please keep on praying. Pray for our continued treatment as well as the opportunities that He will place before us.

Until next time.

To LIVESTRONG we must be GODSTRONG.

Opportunities Abound

2007-02-11T06:58:00.000-05:00

Greetings everyone,

I’m sorry I know it’s been a while. This last chemo treatment has been a rough one. The oral medication I’ve been taking built up a toxicity in my body that caused major problems to the point last Tuesday evening I was taken to the ER after collapsing into my youngest sons arms. Thankfully he’s 6’2” and strong. We were admitted and found out that my kidneys had shut down and my BP was 61 / 35. By Wednesday morning that was all corrected and I was taking massive amount of fluids to re-hydrate. I was discharged Friday and I feel great. GOD IS GOOD.

I begin a new regimen tomorrow. I have IV chemo tomorrow and then will be fitted for a pump to administer chemo for an additional 46 hours. The pump is about the size of a Cracker Jack box. My oncologist is very confident that this will go well. He reminded me that we’re going 6 months and then were done and he doesn’t want to see me for a year. I’ve said it before...if this is the worst it gets I am luckier than most.

In all seriousness the coolest things are happening because of this. God has opened so many opportunities to share my (it’s not my story it’s HIS) story with so many people. In fact during the hospital stay I was able to share with all the nurses on my floor and the lab techs as well. In fact one nurse was so intrigued by the book I was reading (Beth Moore’s “Praying God’s Word”) she started to ask questions about “this Jesus stuff”. How great is that, at 4:00 am while I’m having blood draws & vitals taken, God is at work.

So thanks again for all your prayers, notes, calls and cards. It is greatly appreciated. Please keep me in your prayers as we begin this new phase of treatment. We’ve got July 1 as our target stop date.

One more thing, a very dear friend is running the Inaugural ING Georgia Marathon/Half Marathon on March 25th. It will benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation on behalf of Cancer Research at Vanderbilt University Hospital and myself. A half marathon is 13.1 miles and we’re asking for people to please contribute at least $1 a mile if you are stretched for money and at least $2 a mile if you feel that you can afford to donate more. Here is the secure link to do that. http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots/cliffphillips?faf=1&e=940464633 If you can participate we would greatly appreciate it.

God’s peace to all. Until next time.

-- Scott

We can only LIVESTRONG if we’re GODSTRONG.

The Journey Continues

2007-01-10T06:54:00.000-05:00

Greetings,

Just wanted to give you a quick status report. Overall I’ve healed up pretty well from the surgery. I began my chemo treatments yesterday. Everything went well and I’ve had a great day today. I pray that it will be like this for the rest of the 6 months. I am doing an IV treatment every three weeks and taking chemo pills for the next 14 days. The side effects are about the same for both. My prayer is that the side effects would be minimal during treatment.

Thanks again for your support and especially your prayers

A New Day

2006-12-11T06:52:00.000-05:00

Good morning,

I first wanted to thank you all for your thoughts & prayers during this time. It was one week ago that I was in surgery to remove a cancerous tumor this size of a cantaloupe from my colon. Unfortunately the tumor had attached itself to my small intestine, bladder and abdominal wall. My surgeon was able to completely remove the tumor along with part of my bladder. There was great concern after the surgery on what the pathology report would show being Stage 4 cancer and the tumor attaching itself to other organs.

We received the news on Thursday that the pathology came back and showed that the margins were completely clear where they removed everything, and that they took 22 lymph nodes and that all 22 were clean and cancer free. Our surgeon sat there and told us that this was our miracle. We could not have hoped for any better news. What an awesome God we serve.

As I sit here and type we don’t know what treatment plan the oncologist will be looking at so we still covet your prayers as we continue on this journey.

Thanks again for your continued prayer and support during this time.