Because I Can… the random thoughts of Marc Scott

Everybody wants to feel like they belong.  It’s why we join sports teams.  It’s why we go out for coffee with friends.  From the Legion to the Scouts to the Volunteer Fire Department, we all have an inner desire to feel like we are a part of something.

When I worked in Youth Ministry one of my toughest challenges was getting my teens to feel like they belonged in the church.  Often, they were made to feel as second rate citizens.  Sure the church gave us our own room and even a little bit of money to spend on things we needed.  But in the grand scheme of things, we were unimportant to the work of the church.  Those jobs were reserved for the adults, and even then, it was often only a select few.  The minister, and maybe a few elders and a couple of their wives were the ones that mattered in the church.

When people think about a Firefighter they picture a guy standing on the end of a hose, courageously working his way into a burning building.  The guy that works on the Fire Department is the one that holds the hose.  The guy the works in the church is the minister.

One Friday night, to do something different, and to try and change the perspective of my kids, I took them to the fire hall.  Each one of them were assigned a task.  One of them would be the Pump Operator.  One of them would be responsible for operating the Tanker.  A couple of them were responsible for laying supply lines from the Tanker to the Pumper.  A couple of them were responsible for running the “attack line.”

In a very real and tangible way, they got a lesson in teamwork.  They guy on the end of the hose may be the only one they see or hear about on the news, but they came to understand that there was so much more to putting out a fire.  It takes a lot of different people with a lot of different skills and no one person is more or less important than the other.  They guy on the hose is of little value is there is no Pump Operator to give them water.  The Pump Operator is of no value if there is no Tank Operator feeding him water.  The Tank Operator can’t feed water to the Pump if there is nobody to lay a supply line between the trucks.  Everybody brings something to the table.  Everybody counts.

The kids had a blast.  They all took their roles very seriously.  They all worked together, and they all understood how all the pieces come together to finish the puzzle.  Of course, when we were done, there was a huge water fight.  It’s kind of a staple of Youth Ministry.  Wanna have a good time?  Have a huge water fight!

I wanted my kids to understand that church is about more than a minster and an audience.  All to often that is what it’s reduced to, and that is one of the reasons why people leave the church.  They aren’t engaged.  They aren’t valued.  They don’t feel like they belong.

My kids left the fire hall that night feeling differently about things.  They understood that God had given each of them gifts and talents and skills and that they could use those skills to be a part of something.  Some of them got involved in the nursery ministry.  A couple become substitute Sunday School teachers.  A few of the guys got involved in the worship team playing instruments.  A couple others joined me in the sound booth as part of the media team.  Some of the kids that didn’t attend church got involved by assisting families with things ranging from fence painting to lawn mowing to babysitting.  Every kid in my youth group, even ones that didn’t attend church on Sunday got involved in some way.  The whole idea of church being community, and everybody being an important part of that community finally made sense to them.  The best part was, they did it on their own, because they wanted to.

I recently started attending church again.  In my job I worked every Sunday and as a result I hadn’t been able to go for quite some time.  Now that I have new hours, I’m excited to be going back and I’m even more excited to have been asked to resume a role I previously filled with the Media Ministry Team.

There are roles for all of us while we roam this planet.  We are all here for a reason, whether we feel it, like it, believe it, or not.  None of us are here by accident.  None of us are here to just take up space.  Find something you love to do, a way to contribute, to participate, to belong.  Do it.  And do it well.

So here are a few quick thoughts form tonight’s American Idol results show.

First off, I love Disco.  It’s one of my favorite genres of music to listen to and I have a lot of it on my iPod.  It’s fun music.  So I was really looking forward to Disco week.  Then last night happened, and of the 7, there may have been 1 or 2 performances that even had a feeling of Disco.  That was a bit of a letdown for me.  Tonight was an even greater letdown.  The Disco medley with Disco stars from days gone by was a spectacular flop.

We all know the Idols lip sync during their group performances, well maybe they should’ve done that with the Disco stars too.  Then it might have been a little less painful.

Paula is a little loopy, we can’t argue that.  However, she is still a cutie and I have definitely had a crush on her since my youth.  Have I said that before?  I think in every Idol blog I’ve ever written.  Sorry. ;)

No big surprise that Lil got sent home.  In fact, the bigger surprise for me is that it didn’t happen sooner.  She has been out of the game for a while now in my opinion.  I’m sure her kids will be glad to have mommy back home again, and that is a good thing.

I am shocked by the bottom 2.  Anoop Dawg I get.  But Allison, I don’t.  She is so good.  I guess it’s getting to that point where good singers are going to be in danger, but I really didn’t think Allison would be one of them.

I wonder if Archie had a cold tonight?  He was sounding a little congested tonight.  Maybe he’s just hitting puberty and his voice is dropping or something.  He can still hit the high notes though.  I’m still kind of surprised that he didn’t win the whole thing last year.  He really is just the nicest guy ever isn’t he?!

End of the road for Anoop Dawg.  I can’t say I’m surprised.  I really liked that guy.  He was fun, and he could most definitely sing!  I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear from him again somewhere down the road.

The pressure is on big time tonight!  Two people will be sent home since the judges save came into play last week.  That means no mistakes by anyone if they hope to survive.  So here we go, live blogging American Idol.

It’s Disco week and personally, I’m excited about that.  It just so happens that I’m all about the Disco!

Lil Rounds kicks off the show tonight on what, I suspect, will be her final week on Idol.  She’s doing “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan.  She isn’t doing it well.  Of course, this should come as no surprise considering she isn’t actually a very good singer… a fact I’ve been trying to convince the judges of from the beginning!!! VERDICT: Simon (and Marc) says “she’s done!”

We’re back to all 4 judges critiquing again.  How much you wanna bet we run over again and somebody gets missed by America?  Check the settings on your PVR!  I’ll be OK as long as I don’t miss Fringe!

Kris is busting out the guitar again this week.  Curious to see how that is going to play out.  ”She works hard for the money?”  Really?  OK, so that’s an odd choice.  You know what, I’m digging this stripped back arrangement.  It’s actually pretty unique.  This guy knows his zone and he is smart enough to find a way, regardless of the genre, to sing in it!  VERDICT: Solid performance.

Paula is so out there sometimes.  ”Are you saying he buys ladies underwear?”  Simon trying to make sense of Paula’s critique.  If she isn’t back next year, I suspect it is moments like these that will be the reason why!

As if I needed another reason to be a fan of Danny Gokey, he comes out with “September” by Earth Wind & Fire… that just happens to be one of my all time favorite songs!  I have versions on my iPod by Earth Wind & Fire, Kirk Franklin and Sisqo and Vitamin C.  One thing I will say, Danny can’t dance.  I mean, I can’t dance, so I probably should judge.  But dang… the boy can’t dance.  Regardless, he is a lot of fun to watch.  Vocally, he is the guy to beat. VERDICT: See you in the top 5!

“I thought asking Danny to sing Disco is like asking Simon to wear plaid.” Kara

Allison doing Hot Stuff.  Her outfit looks like it must have been really hard to get into.  I bet it’ll be hard to get out of after the fact too.  No surprise that Allison took her Disco track and made it a Rock track.  She knows her zone and she makes her songs go there.  I still can’t believe this girl is only 16 years old.  She is phenomenal!  VERDICT: She should be safe.

I get the idea of the competitors taking the songs and making them there own.  But still, I can’t help but think that there should still be some resemblance of the original genre!

Adam didn’t impress me tonight.  He did something he’s done twice before.  He came out in a suit and sang a song slow.  It’s original to the song, but not original to Adam.  I mean, the guy can sing I suppose, and he’ll be the finals whether I like it or not.  I’m just having a hard time understanding the fuss.  VERDICT: He’ll be back.

I love Paula Abdul, I really do.  I’ve had a crush on her since my youth, but I can’t help but wonder… do you think she gets teary because of the performance or because she knows how ridiculous she sounds?

Did the judges waste the save?  Matt Giraud is doing the Bee Gees and if anybody was singing for their life, it’s this guy.  I really love Matt.  I really want him to stay.  So I’m hoping he nails it tonight and thus far, I’d say he is nailing it!  That was a pretty hot rendition of “Staying Alive.”  He took a Disco song, and gave it a modern Disco feel.  Give the guy props for that. VERDICT: I’m crossing my fingers.

“Matt, you pick songs like I bowl. Sometimes I throw gutter balls and sometimes I throw strikes. Tonight you threw a strike.” Paula Abdul.

I, like Simon Cowell, am the last guy to give fashion advice, but Anoop Dawg… what in the world were you wearing?  It was odd to say the least.  Wasn’t it last week he busted out the green and white striped shirt?  Who dresses this guy anyway?  OK, onto the performance… boring.  That was not good, and that has helped me pick my two to go home. VERDICT: I think Anoop may be done.

I have every confidence that Lil is finally done.  The judges want her to be done, and she needs to be done.  As for the other person going home, I think it might be Anoop.

Wow… congrats Idol.  You proved me wrong and you finished on time!  Good job.  Time for Fringe.  Curious to see the results tomorrow night.

A few months ago this blog was really starting to cook.  I was actually quite shocked at how my random thoughts on random things had drawn so much interest.  With very little effort I was drawing well over 200 visitors a day.  As I settled in, as I became more comfortable, as I shared from a more personal place, those numbers started to dwindle.

I am a Christian.  I believe in God.  I believe in the Bible.  My faith is the single most important aspect of my life.  As a result, when I share my thoughts, opinions, stories, etc. that is going to come out.  The more of that that comes out, the fewer people that seem to want to read it.  On some days, my blog traffic is now 1/5 of what it was 2 months ago.

If I hadn’t alienated everybody before, then I am quite confident I’ll alienate a few today.  I’m OK with that.  I’ll likely upset some people.  No doubt it’ll possibly cost me a few clients as well.  I guess I’ll take my chances.

I’ve been following along today with the aftermath of the Miss USA Pageant.  More specifically, I’ve been following along with the aftermath of Miss California’s answer to a question asked by Perez Hilton regarding the topic of gay marriage.

“We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised.” Miss California USA, Carrie Prejean

Personally, I thought it was a fantastic answer.  Diplomatic, considerate, yet, honest.  However, understanding the society that we live in, I also knew that she was setting herself up to ridiculed, outcast and torn down by everybody with a voice and a way to make it heard.

On his Twitter site, Perez has spent the day ripping on Miss California quite hard, and he’s been gathering a great deal of support from others who are more than willing to pick up a stone and cast it.  I won’t even bother to post some of the quotes,  they aren’t worth your time.  I can’t help but find an irony in this though.

Miss California answered the question honestly, and she did so with no anger, no hate, no disrespect.  To Perez, and the likes, her opinion was seemingly unacceptable.  Yet, it’s OK for him and his supporters to respond with hatred and anger?  Am I the only one that sees a bit of a double standard here?  Have you ever noticed that, to the majority, if your opinion on gay marriage isn’t “in support of it” then your opinion is wrong?

With regards to the issue of gay marriage, the Bible is pretty clear.  It’s not OK.  God intended marriage to be between a man and a woman.

It’s funny how over time, through shifts in society, culture, and even the church, certain sins have become “more acceptable” than others.  For example, greed is a sin.  Yet, how often do you see the church frowning upon people living in luxury?  As long as they’re cutting their weekly cheque for 10%, nobody seems to complain.  Could they downsize their life and donate money to bring clean drinking water to villages in Africa?  Most certainly.  But the church doesn’t seem to make a big fuss about the sin of greed anymore, and so it is, now, for the most part, overlooked.

How about divorce?  God is pretty clear on divorce.  In fact, He seems to be equally clear on his feelings about divorce as He is about His feelings on marriage being between a man and woman.  Yet, today, divorce is mostly accepted among the church.  Look at me!  I’m divorced.  It’s my single greatest regret, and the ramifications of it reach further than I could possibly ever express.  But you know what, like the one that lies, like the one that lusts, like the one that engages in a sexual relationship outside of God’s intended plan between a married man and a woman, I’m a sinner.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23

There is not one of us who is innocent.  There is not one of us who is more, or less, a sinner than another.  Yet, there is not one of us who can escape the love of God.  Homosexuality is a sin.  I don’t make the rules, I just read God’s plan as it’s written out for us in the Bible.  Perhaps the church has blurred the lines on certain sins making some more or less acceptable but trust me, that isn’t how God sees it!  God loves me, despite my divorce, and God loves the homosexual just the same.

The greater problem at hand is the church’s overwhelming incompetence when dealing with issues like this.  The question needs not to be about the sin, but rather about how we treat the sinner.  Banishing the gays to hell, condemning them for their sins, spewing words of anger and hatred are the very reason why the church is losing it’s voice on the issue.

Judgement is no more for me give than it is for you.  Our call is simple.  Our call is to love.  We do not have to accept the sin.  I personally don’t accept homosexuality and gay marriage anymore than I accept murder or divorce.  However, we do have to love the sinner.  Since we are all sinners, then that means there is NONE that should be cast aside!

Sunday was old movie day.  Actually, many of my days off tend to turn into old movie days.  There is just something about old movies, especially ones from the 30’s and 40’s.  Love had nothing to do with sex.  Language was eloquent, poetic and filled with romance, as opposed to being inarticulate, prosaic and laced with profanity.  Ladies carried themselves with elegance and grace, and the men were gentle and chivalrous.  Our society would be well served to watch a few of these movies and learn some lessons, men especially!

Of all the movies, and all the genres, I find myself most drawn to the musicals.  I work in radio, yet, most of today’s music does nothing for me.  So much of it really has nothing to offer me.  I don’t mean to paint it all with a wide brush, but I don’t think it would be a stretch to say that the vast majority of today’s popular music revolves around sex and self.  There is certainly a lack of romance!

During my movie day, two songs in particular spoke to me.  Oddly enough, they’re on the opposite ends of the spectrum from each other.  Yet, as I listened to them, I could relate.  On a personal, emotional level, I connected with the lyrics.  That doesn’t happen to me very often, if ever, when I turn the radio on today!

The first was from “Easter Parade” with Fred Astaire (whom is one of my favorites) and Judy Garland.  Judy sings a song called “Better Luck Next Time.”  This one nearly made me cry.  It was her performance as much as the lyrics.  As I listened to her sing, I could feel exactly what she was feeling.

For ev’ry rose that withers and dies
Another blooms in it’s stead.
A new love waits to open its eyes
After the old love is dead.

That sounds alright in a careless rhyme
But there’s seldom a second time

Better luck next time
That could never be
Because there ain’t gonna be no next time
for me – no siree

Made up my mind
To make another start
I’ve made my mind up but I can’t make up
my heart

I’d like a new lucky day
That would be nice
But this comes just once in a lifetime
not twice

So don’t say better luck next time
That can never be
Because there ain’t gonna be no next time
for me.

The second song was from “On The Town” with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra (two more of my favorites).  It’s called “You’re Awful” and Frank sings it with Betty Garrett.  As I watched them perform, all I could think to myself was that one day I can only hope to be so lucky as to have someone that has this effect on me.  Someone I could sing this song to.

Gee I don’t know, I’d like to whisper sweet nothings
Those words that everyone knows
But my thoughts gets mangled,
And all the words get tangled,
But since you asked me, here goes:

You’re awful, awful good to look at,
Awful nice to be with, awful sweet to have and hold.
You’re nothing, nothing if not lovely,
Nothing if not dazzling, nothing but pure gold,
You’re frightening, frightening me when you say
That you might go away,

You’re boring, boring into my heart to stay.
You’re cheap, dear, cheap at any price, dear,
Cheap for such a diamond,
Cheap for such a pearl,
What I said before, I’ll say again,
You’re awful, awful nice to be my girl.

You’re old, dear, old with worldly wisdom,
Old like Gordon Soda, old like finest French champagne,
You’re so-so, so-so, so-so kinda charming,
So-so kind of witty, so I can’t explain,

Can’t stand you, I can’t stand you giving some fellow the eye,
Can’t stand you in the arms of another guy,
Who needs you? Need you to distraction,
Need you too this crazy, need you rain or shine,

I’m the one who needs you,
And I think you’re awful, awful nice to say you’re mine.

Maybe it’s the old fashioned, hopeless romantic in me.  Maybe I was just born in the wrong era, I don’t know.  I just know that seldom do they make them as good as these anymore!

Back in the day I used to be a fan of the New York Yankees.  They were, after all, baseball’s dynasty.  They were the franchise to which all others aspired to be.  The history, the players, the championships.  They were, arguably, the most significant franchise in sports period.

Something happened a few years ago in a play-off game that turned me.  It was a play involving Alex Rodriquez and I was so embarrassed by it that my allegiances were switched on the spot.  It wasn’t the play itself, it was how A-Rod and the team handled themselves that was disgraceful.  It just felt like in that moment, that Yankees had become too full of themselves, too sure of themselves, and I couldn’t be a fan that.

I got home from work yesterday just in time to catch the last few innings of the Yankees game against Cleveland.  What an epic rout that was!  I was almost giddy as I watched the end of the game.  The only thing that made me sad was that I missed the 2nd inning.  For those that missed it, in the 2nd inning, the Indians, one of the worst teams in the A.L. this year, scored 14 runs against baseball’s most storied franchise!

The Yankees opened their new stadium this year.  The brand new Yankee Stadium was built as a tribute to this franchise.  It cost 1.5 billion dollars to build.  Tickets for a single game in the new stadium sell for up to $2,625.  It’s hard to fathom such numbers, especially in relation to something as insignificant, in the grand scheme of things, as baseball.  And this, from a baseball fan!  Yet, despite the billion dollar stadium, and despite the highest payroll in baseball, for $2,625… you still got to watch the mother of all franchises get their butts handed to them!

As I watched the game come to an end, and basked in the hilarity of a 22-4 score I couldn’t help but think about something I had read only the night before.

When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice:  “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

“Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 14:7-11

There is no denying the history of the New York Yankees.  You can’t argue with 26 World Series Championships and 39 American League Pennants.  They expect to win.  Media expects them to win.  Fans expect them to win.  Yet, even the New York Yankees aren’t immune to the occasional lesson in humility.  It’s a lesson I suspect we can all use from time to time.  Every so often we can all stand to have our ego put in check.

It would be easy for me, I suppose, to feel pretty high on myself from time to time.  If I have a great show and the phones are lighting up, it definitely stokes my ego.  When I audition for a big voice job and then land it over everybody else, it’s easy to feel pretty special.  When I extricate somebody from the mangled wreckage of a motor vehicle collision and our efforts impact their chance for recovery or even survival, it’s easy to feel pretty good about myself.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think there is anything wrong with celebrating our successes.  When we do something and we do it well, it’s OK to acknowledge that.  What is more important though, is keeping it in perspective.  Lessons in humility come, for me, when I’m reminded that nothing I do is of my own accord, but rather, through the gifts, skills and talents given to me by God.  It’s important to share my success by giving credit where credit is due.

I wasn’t hardly home for more than 10 minutes last night.  I got in the door, took off my shoes, changed my clothes, and had just started to cook supper.  I had a pork chop marinating all day and I was looking forward to eating a nice meal.  I should have known better!

I had just started working on the pork chop and was preparing the vegetables when my pager went off.  A corn field on fire.  Really?  The first thing I thought to myself was, who the heck even has a corn field in April?  The second thing I thought was, what the crap are they doing burning it on a Friday night?  Regardless… so much for my nice meal!

As we pulled up on the scene, sure enough, there was a corn field and it was most certainly on fire!  In fact, it was a pretty large corn field and, courtesy of a gusty evening breeze, it was burning pretty good.

There was no way we were going to get our trucks to it.  We also determined that if we all lined up (all guys) and simultaneously, well, use your imagination… that wasn’t going to work either.  So that left us to fight it the old fashioned way… with brooms.  We all grabbed our brooms and started trekking out into the field.

The fire was hot, and the smoke was thick.  A wind blowing from the northwest wasn’t helping.  It was fanning the flames, pushing the fire, and blowing the smoke.  It tasted awful!

We were working hard to try and contain the fire, but it was spreading on us fast because of the wind.  In a matter of just a few minutes, the fire line moved a good 20ft further south.  The fact that it was burning so hot didn’t help.  You could only stand the heat for a minute or two before you had to step out.

As I was standing there, soaked to the core from sweat, my eyes stinging from the smoke, I couldn’t help but reflect back on the some of the events that have taken place in my life in the last little while.  Certain areas of my life felt a lot like this fire.  Out of my control.

If it weren’t for the wind, we could’ve contained that fire and got it out a lot faster.  But it made me think about how sometimes things are just beyond our control.  Circumstances we have no say in.  Events we can do nothing about.  Sometimes, whether we like it or not, we really are just along for the ride.

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!” Matthew 8:23-27

Whether it’s a boat at sea being tossed by a storm, a corn field burning out of control because of the wind, or circumstances in our life that maybe didn’t play out quite like we thought, it all comes back to one simple thing.  We’ve got to have faith.

I love the movie Field Of Dreams.  It’s the perfect blend of drama, suspense, mystery, and baseball!  Ray Kinsella (played by Kevin Costner) finds his father in a corn field.  As I stood in that field last night, I found my Father too.  He reminded me that I just needed to have faith, and trust that He’s got things under control.

When I am called to duty, God,
wherever flames may rage.
Give me  strength to save some life
whatever be it’s age.
Help me to embrace a child
before it is too late,
or save an older person
from  the horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert and hear the weakest shout
And quickly and efficiently to
put the fire out.
I want to fill my calling and
to give the best in me.
To guard my every neighbor and
protect his property.
And if according to my fate,
I am to lose my life,
Please bless with your protecting hand
my children and wife.

A. W. ‘Smokey’ Linn

In case you didn’t get the memo, Angelina Jolie is the “Most Beautiful Woman In The World.”  This little piece of information comes to us courtesy of Vanity Fair Magazine.  I’m not entirely sure who appointed them the leading authority on feminine beauty, nor am I sure how this US publication became the global voice for all things beauty.  However, read the headline.  Apparently, it is what it is.

As a male with a pulse, and as an individual who prides himself on honesty, I wouldn’t dare try to convince you that I don’t find Angelina to be an attractive woman.  That said, would I rank her at the top of my list – though I can honestly tell you I posses no such list or ranking – certainly not.

It’s bad enough that we are fed the lies of beauty and attractiveness and appearance by all major forms of media.  When a celebrity gains a pound and a half, they’re fat.  When a celebrity surpasses the age of 40, although it seems that threshold is getting lower and lower, they’re going for plastic surgery.  A lift here, a tuck there, an enhancement you know where.  It’s ridiculous.  It’s disgusting.  It’s heartbreaking.

We struggle with self esteem and confidence issues enough as it is, without all the added pressure of looking perfect.  What I want to know is, who determined this standard?  All media seems to have adopted it.  Watch TV, watch a movie, open a magazine.  They all look the same.  The women are so thin they could turn sideways, stick out their tongues and look like a zipper.  Then men, with their stuffed boxers (refer to this blog What’s With The Package On The Package? for more on that) and washboard abs, set a standard which is virtually unattainable by those of us whom are mere mortals.

When we don’t look like “them” we feel ugly.  We feel fat.  We feel unworthy.  What’s worse is, we lose ourselves.  No longer are we interested in becoming the best version of ourself.  Instead, we want to look like Angelina or Brad or whomever happens to be the Sexiest Man and Woman Alive, so says People Magazine.

It’s even worse for the younger generation whom succumb to the pressures of unattainable physical appearance in the worst ways.  Anorexia, Bulimia, Self Mutilation are all cries for acceptance.  Drugs, alcohol and sexual promiscuity and experimentation are ways to cope or mask the feelings of inadequacy.

Perhaps the saddest part is, we are allowing our society to be consumed and our self esteem to be robbed by a mirage. Can beauty, in the physical sense, even be defined?  I don’t believe it can.  As cliche as the saying is, beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.  So, by human standards, how can one voice determine whom is the “Most Beautiful In The World?”  Such a statement brings with it as many unique answers as there are people roaming this planet.

There is one often overlooked authority that has a thought or two on the topic of beauty.  Granted, it’s not a movie, a TV show, or a magazine; although it is a form of print media.  It comes with few celebrity endorsements.  It doesn’t offer any flashy headlines.  I can’t promise you that forming your opinion on beauty based on what it says will be widely accepted by your friends, although it is accepted by Someone greater.  What I can promise you is that if you take it as truth, you’ll take a lot of pressure of yourself!

Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 1 Peter 3:3-4

Our society has spent so much time looking in a mirror that we’ve lost sight of what really matters.  We’ve spent so much time devouring the lies fed to us by the media, that we’ve overlooked the truth.  The epic line from “A Few Good Men” says, “you can’t handle the truth.”  I don’t know if it’s that we can’t handle it, or we’ve just stopped believing it.  Either way, if you want the truth, here it is.  There is One who is THE authority on matters such as the most beautiful person in the world.  He thinks it’s you.  Just the same as He thinks it me.  Just the same as He thinks it’s the person beside you.  In our own unique way, inside and outside, we are all at the top of the list!

OK, I don’t have too much to say tonight because I missed most of the show.  However, I did catch the bottom 3 and I was a little surprised by it.  I get Matt being there, although I love him.  Performance wise, he was the worst last night.  Even on his worst night though, he is still good!  I also get Lil being there.  I don’t even have a clue how she has lasted this long in the competition!  But Anoop really surprised me.  As far as I’m concerned, he owned the night on Tuesday!  I woud’ve put Kris in the bottom 3 before Anoop.

I’m really glad that America has finally figured out that Allison Irraheta is one of the best this competition has to offer.  After a couple of weeks in the bottom 3 in the early rounds, she’s been safe ever since… and so she should be!

I am really glad the judges chose to save Matt. REALLY GLAD!  He should not have been the one going home tonight.  That title should’ve gone to Lil.  It should’ve gone to her this week, and probably last week too!  When Matt is on, he is one of the best.  The audience was screaming to save him too.  Maybe they should have voted for him last night and it would’ve never came to this point!

The pressure is on BIG time next week though.  Because the save has been played, 2 people get sent home next week.  I hope it’s not Matt.  That would probably tick the judges off.  It would be like wasting their save.  Even before performances though, I suspect one of them will be Lil, and the other could possibly be Anoop.

I’m looking forward to Disco week.  I LOVE Disco!