I just arrived home from a 5 day trip where I was the keynote speaker at a youth conference in Wisconsin. Great trip. Not only was it a rewarding ministry weekend, I also was able to bring my 13- year-old daughter Alyssa with me.

We flew into Chicago, ate some Giordano's Pizza, drove up to Wisconsin, spoke for the weekend, then hung out in the Chicago downtown for one night before returning home. A fantastic time with my Lyssa. I'll blog more about it later... I'm dead tired at the moment (got up WAY too early this morning to catch the flight home).

So for now... I'll just leave you with this low res pic that Alyssa and I took with my cheap little camera phone from the top of the John Hancock building in downtown Chicago. We went up to the 96th floor (top floor) and had a virgin strawberry daiquiri in the "Signature Lounge." Great view sitting in one of the tallest buildings in the world.

Good times.

(you can see the Sears tower in the upper right, Michigan Avenue the lit street below up the center of the pic)

Greg Stier over at Dare 2 Share just emailed me about a YouTube video he just saw... fascinating!

I don't know if you are familiar with the comedian Penn, of "Penn and Teller." They are quite popular. Penn is an atheist and is always quick to point out phonies. In this particular video... he surprised me. He had an experience with a guy in his audience who kindly gave him a Gideon Bible. Penn was very complementary of this guy's attitude and methodology. That's huge!

Penn, a self-proclaimed atheist, goes on to argue that if we think someone is going to Hell, we should definitely warn them. He argues that we shouldn't keep our religion to ourselves. We SHOULD prosthelytize. After all, he says, "If I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you and you didn't believe it. There's a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that."

Yeah. Very cool.

It takes him a couple minutes to set up his story (he's very artsy)... but it's worth the wait. Watch what he says. Good stuff.

(Click here to see the video if you received this via email)

Wow! Good job Mr. Gideon Bible dude! Very cool.

Greg blogged about it as well on his blog today: http://www.gregstier.org/

I'm trying to take a little time off with the family the next few days before I fly off again... so I'll leave you with a list of my 5 resolutions for next year.

1. Yell less. I'm a parent, I'm Irish, and I've got teenagers in the home... there's usually some yelling involved. I'm going to try to handle situations more like Clint Eastwood. Instead of yelling at my son, I'm just going to ask him, "Do you feel lucky... punk?"

2. Read more of the Word with my wife. This resolution will probably help the first one. In the last year Lori and I have spent some time studying the Bible and praying together, but not nearly enough. Lori loves this time, and I do too... when I actually do it. I'm wanting to have more of these times, so I'm resolving to make it happen.

3. See the 160's on the scale. Some of you remember me talking about my weight before. I LOVE food. It's my vice. That's why I hit the 200's a few years back (not a pretty picture). In the last year, I've really been working out hard and got down to the low 180s, I even hit 179 for a few days (before the holidays). But I really want to see 169 at least once. I'd be happy to settle in the low 170s... I just want to see my old friend 169 just for a day!

4. I want to bench-press 300. Call it what you want, but part of my getting back in shape has been hitting the weights again. Realize, in high school I was a lightweight (135 poundish), but I always liked lifting. I got close to benching 200 in high school, but never hit it. A few years ago I hit that mark. Now that I'm trying to get into shape, I'm up to about 235 on the bench... and trying to increase. Yes, 300 is a pretty lofty goal. Can I up it 65 pounds in one year and hit the 300 mark? I have no clue. But I've gotta have something to strive for.

5. I want to see our Training Tools page come to fruition. Most of these goals have been personal goals... but I'm pretty dang excited about this ministry goal. David and I are working on a training tools page that would offer youth workers two needed resources: online computer-based training for all youth workers, and "ready-made" power point  and training outlines for youth leaders. We've already started this, we hope to be launching three of the training outlines with powerpoint in the next couple months. This resource is gonna rock. And like all the other stuff on our site... it will be free.

How's that?

Wow... that would be cool if I could look back and have accomplished those 5 things by the end of 2009.

Yesterday I went into the kitchen to see what all the clamor was about. The sound of pots, spoons and mixers... my spidey sense was telling me that cookies were being made. Sure enough, there was Lori (my smoking hot wife) in an old pair of jeans, looking as beautiful as ever... baking my favorite kind of cookies.

I get to see my hot little lady daily (although those old jeans had her looking particularly steamy). But I only get to taste these cookies once a year. I'm not sure why, now that I think about it. These cookies rock! They are amazing. Maybe one step from a Giordanno's Pizza (that's huge by my standards). I should barter to see if we can make these cookies more often. They are Oatmeal Chocolate Chip. They aren't a recipe I've seen anywhere else... only from my wife's friend Dixie. And every time someone tries them, they say, "Oh my GOSH! I've got to get that recipe."

These aren't normal cookies... they have an 8 oz Hershey bar crushed into the mix. (drool... slobber). When you get to the final stages of the recipe... you almost have to break a few wooden spoons (we have) to stir them. I had to step in and do my part yesterday. Lori needs my huge biceps to stir the mixture every year.

An hour later, I was on the couch, eating the cookie dough. Oh! Amazing!!!

My favorite cookies and my hot wife... a great Christmas memory. It doesn't get better than that.

Oh... I guess I should share the recipe.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dixie’s Recipe

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
5 cups oatmeal
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
24 oz. chocolate chips
one 8oz. Hershey bar
3 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream together- butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Set aside.

Using a blender, grind all of oatmeal into fine powder (do a small amount at a time). Pour into a LARGE bowl. Next, grate chocolate bar and combine with oatmeal. Now add flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda to same bowl and mix well. Combine creamed ingredients and dry mixture (here’s where the stirring takes some real strength… and a big bowl!) After well blended, add chocolate chips and nuts. (and this is where I eat a bunch of the dough!)

Make golf ball size cookies. Place 2” apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for about 9-11 min.

You are soooooooo lucky I shared this recipe with you!!!!

Enjoy!

I'm always amazed at the "perceived" value of things. Things like... a snot filled tissue.

Yeah, that's right. Currently, a snot filled tissue is on Ebay selling for over $2,000. Not any snot filled tissue, mind you. This is the mucus from the snout of the one and only Scarlett Johansson. And the tissue was handed to her by Jay Leno on his show. She blew her nose... and the rest of history.

Check out whole story in this small USA Today article.

I wonder where the highest bidder will keep it? Will they buy a plexiglass case? What will they label the case?

As I look back at the most popular music of 2008, I can't say that I'm happy with the content that found its way into kids' iPods. Most of it was highly sexualized and foul. Unfortunately, sex sells. This year's Top 10 downloaded songs are, by majority, no exception.

In our last Youth Culture Window article of the year, David and I reviewed the Top 10 Downloaded Songs as charted by The Nielson Company. I find this list fascinating, not only because it reflects some of the most popular music of the year, but also the fact that downloaded songs offer explicit lyrics... and most parents have no idea what is on their kids' iPods.

Do you know what's on your kids' iPods?

In this article we quickly review what kids have listened to in the last year and a little about each artist. Then we encourage parents and youth workers to dialogue with their kids about this music and this content.

Last night I got a chance to see a screening for the new film coming out Christmas Day, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. If you've seen the previews, it's the peculiar film with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett where Pitt plays Benjamin Button, a person who ages "backwards." He was born old and wrinkled, and "grew" younger each day of his life.

The film was truly remarkable. It started with a very "Forest Gump" feel, with plenty of humor and heart. Unique creative storytelling... like nothing I've ever seen. Then it transitioned into a romance much like "The Notebook."

I really enjoyed the film, and I can see why it's getting so much Oscar buzz. Pitt was amazing. But Pitt is always amazing. Don't discount his talent because of his pretty boy appearance or his reputation in the tabloids. Pitt has proven himself over the years with a range of roles and accents (think of the range from Kalifornia to 12 Monkeys, Meet Joe Black, Snatch, etc.).

Blanchett was equally good. It took me over half an hour to recognize her under the makeup of an elderly woman- the makeup and special effects in this film were mesmerizing. (You've seen films where you could tell that someone young was playing someone old. Not in this film.)

So, was it one of my favorites of 2008? No. It was a little long, and slow at parts. And I have nothing against long films. Several of my favorite films of all time are over three hours long (i'll share those in my podcast tomorrow). This film was 2 hours and forty five minutes. In its defense, I didn't look at my watch once until an hour and forty minutes. After a 10 minute lull, it had my interest back for another 35 minutes and I looked at my watch again.

It was good... just not the best of 2008. I'll be sharing my top films of 2008 in our podcast coming out tomorrow on our podcast page.

It's not for kids. Sensual at times (like The Notebook), and very much reflecting the world's values and philosophies.

I'll be giving my complete take on the film on our movie review page the day before its release Christmas Day.