No, I'm not going to sing.

Instead, this is link love for the people I follow, the people I admire and the talents I aspire to, out there in interwebnetland. They are bloggers, Tweeters or just folks I have been lucky enough to run into somehow. Click through and see why.

She of the carpet shampoo

Kate writes her blog at Itisi and also produces content for a bunch of clients like Danger Here (a football thing). She knows all about WordPress and is also a graphic designer, but is so modest you’d never know how talented she is until someone tells you. She wields carpet shampoo in times of aggression and flings chips with frightening accuracy. Above all, she always makes me laugh: I wish I had her way with words when it comes to humour.

Eid Mubarak.

And some good news:

Announcement on Ijtema.net

Bismillah

Assalamu ‘alaykum dear friends of Ijtema.net!

It’s finally here… an exciting, new development from the Ijtema team… the Muslim Bloggers Directory!

The Muslim Bloggers Directory is a categorised collection of links to Muslim blogs, vlogs, and other multimedia channels, with a custom search engine allowing visitors to search through the actual contents of listed sites. It is open to submissions from the public… and it is entirely FREE!

Come on over and see if your site has been listed. If not, submit it today, and become part of the Ijtema community! Visit the FAQ page to learn more about the directory and how to use it, including how to claim an existing entry.

We hope to see you there soon!

Head over to Her Blog Directory and check out the new layout. Her Blog directory hopes to become the leading online blog directory listing blogs written by women.

So if you are a woman who writes a blog then we want to see you listed !

The new Technorati still has some bugs to work out, but it looks promising.  I’m excited to announce that I’ve been accepted as one of their writers…people who write articles on their favorite topics either just for Technorati or to be seen there first – before it appears anywhere else.  My first exclusive-to-Technorati article was published over the weekend and can be found here.  As I do on this blog, I will be writing articles about business, small business and home-based business.

Don’t know what Technorati is?  According to the Technorati Blog, dated October 14, the new T is a “…re-launch of a wholly new Technorati.com. Technorati was founded to help people find great blog content….” When I first discovered it about two years ago, I understood it to be a blog directory – a place to use much like an internet search engine, to find blogs to read in categories of my choosing.  And so it was.  Then I also discovered Alltop, which also is a terrific directory: “…The purpose of Alltop is to help you answer the question, ‘What’s happening?’ in ‘all the topics’ that interest you….” It has a cool feature where you can have a page that lists blogs and sites that you like to read.  My Alltop page is here.

As I’ve said on my “About” page on this blog, I believe information is key and it is very helpful to have sites such as Technorati [the new] and Alltop and other blog directories that help you sift and sort the millions of blogs and words to find what you need.  Everything new has bugs and fits and starts…so I’m hoping that blog readers and writers everywhere will join me in having patience with the New Technorati as it gets its beta version off the ground.

George of my jungle

Speaking of having patience…George, my 5-year old Amazon parrot insists upon “helping” me this morning!  He likes to “shop” on my desktop to see what he can snatch…today it ended up being some green sticky notes.

can two walk together unless they are agreed..?

amos 3.3

last wk… we gathered.. our first official meeting.. been gathering before.. but this was it.. great time… since we are heading into a our new study.. “life in the Spirit”.. thought it would be good to take a look at Who the Holy Spirit is.. His role.. relationship to the Son.. to the Father.. what is the Promise of the Father.. ? why the Helper..? Comforter..? truly a great time.. hard to beat a study on the Holy Spirit..

can tell you for me.. seems harder to prepare for.. harder to hear.. don’t know why.. not any different than teaching the Word.. right..? but for some reason.. much harder.. teaching the Trinity and/or the Holy Spirit seems to be sacred ground.. defiantly pushing me to the matt..

after reviewing the basics.. we pounded out the following… promise/indwelling… obedience.. following the call.. hearing His voice..

seems simple right..? but inlight of amos.. “unless we are agreed.. can two walk together”..?

funny how it can come down to basics.. you see.. i can pound it out… hit the deck.. cry out to the Lord.. study His Word.. fast…. all good.. but unless we are in agreement.. what’s the point..? many a times in my life it seems i am cutting circles in the carpet.. as stated.. doing it but missing it.. it seems the closer i draw.. the more i become aware of those areas.. don’t think i totally understand sacrifice.. don’t think we do as men.. oh.. we have our moments.. we will put down the paper long enough to read the Word.. you know.. ck the box.. will even sign up for a men’s Bible study.. will even go to an “out-reach” event.. might even write a ck from time to time.. but sacrifice.. the core stuff that comes from the heart.. now that’s a different story..

the amazing part to me is that the stories never change.. we all want God to move in our lives.. we all say we are in.. say we will commit but the moment we leave the room.. we go right back to our ways.. like a dawg returning to his vomit.. talk is cheap…

truly i don’t get it.. i hate those areas in my life.. i pray daily for those standing around me to grow deeper in their walk.. to dig in.. make a home at His feet.. why…? for me.. for them.. for us.. i need men in my life who are not just talking.. but in.. working it out.. and no not some bs program that punches the card.. but men who’s love.. first love.. only love.. last love is Jesus Christ their Lord.. their Savior.. their King…

i spend my days with men.. men of all kinds.. shapes.. forms and colors.. some saved.. some thinking they are saved… many saved but bound.. too many lost.. not very often i look into the eyes of a broken and contrite man.. one who will sell it all for a glimpse of the King..

if you read the context of the scripture.. it’s a Word given to amos regarding the children of israel.. i get it.. if we are not in agreement with the Lord in our lives.. if we are not in agreement with His Word.. revealed to us by the Holy Spirit working in and through our lives.. what’s the point…? right…?

but get this.. if i am not in agreement with the men standing around me.. if they are not in agreement with me.. if we are not in agreement.. if we are not on the same course.. seeking the same things in our lives.. what’s the point..? how does one follow one who can not lead…? how can one lead who can not follow…?

i love to hunt.. want to talk about hunting….? hang out with hunters.. also love harleys.. got one in construction.. want to talk bikes… ? hang out with bikers.. want to do Jesus..? want to live Jesus…? hook up with those who are in agreement.. know why…? “two walk cannot walk together unless they are agreed..?”

painful words to some.. think about Jesus.. denied and crucified by His people.. and yet.. He carried obedience to the cross.. total and complete sacrifice..

not saying drop all of those standing around you.. am saying time to start measuring fruit.. your fruit.. their fruit.. our fruit.. if it’s not bearing in the kingdom.. time to take a step back.. for some.. it is time to cut chase and move on.. for others.. draw in and near and let’s get about it.. no more cheap talk.. let’s put some push to God’s call on our lives.. it’s time.. our time…

stay in.. stay close.. hand to the plow…

tbrooks

p.s. we gather tuesday nights at 7:00.. interested in joining withus… ? register on line @ http://menbiblestudies.eventbrite.com/ or..

contact us at… info@dailydisciples.org ..  or..

contact me directly at  tbrooks@dailydisciples.org

Our first teaching video is up.. http://www.vimeo.com/user2313584/videos….

when we purchased the ranch.. the property was in complete disrepair.. it was a total gut.. so we started over… like all who travel down this path.. costly.. timely and a basic pain in the butt.. however.. when fulfilling ones hearts desires.. if taken with a measure of patience and “be-still”.. can be very rewarding..

one of the items on my “must-have” list was a towel dryer.. totally cool.. or hot as it may be.. you hang it on the wall.. hard wire the electrical.. set the switch to your desired temperature and before long.. dry towels.. want to know the best part..? you know how your bath towels can get “musty”.. with the towel dryer.. no more ”stinky towels”…

want to know the problem..? of course you do..  one can forget that the towels need to be washed on a regular basis.. just because they don’t stink.. does not mean that they don’t need to be washed.. the other day.. bble and tl were at the radio show.. i decided to take on cleaning up the house.. bble and i have been very busy.. our anniversary was on sunday.. so i decided to kick it up…. clean the house.. inside and out.. vacuum.. dust and wash all of the laundry..

when i took the towels off the rack.. they were warm.. smelled clean.. no musty smell…. no “stinky towels”… could not tell.. what to do..? it’s then the Lord started to speak to me about my heart…. ”ouch”.. going to hurt..

you see.. i might have all of the right words.. can even kick out a few from time to time.. but my heart.. you know those deep dark places.. now.. that can at times be troubled waters.. since we launched the daily disciples men’s ministry teaching video http://www.vimeo.com/user2313584/videos .. i have been challenged.. surprising…? no.. but disappointing.. been told things that i never said or done.. told i need medication.. challenged…  why the “hat”.. reminded that i live in “liberty”.. told i am doing too much.. others.. not enough.. reminded that my heart needs to be right.. careful of the witness..

the list is endless and most of this was covered in the first 24-hours.. the final push came last night.. can’t say i handled it correctly.. can say i am sorry.. will also say that i am tired.. working hard at this.. can also say i expect more to follow.. am concerned about the fall.. it’s coming.. death and dying to oneself is the process.. add to this “men’s ministry”.. we have been screwing it up since the days of adam.. the host of hell stands against us as men.. it’s doesn’t take an intelligent man to get this.. we have screwed it up and will continue to do it until the day our Lord comes.. oh we are good at covering it up.. most of the noise was covered under christaneze nonsense or.. as far as a i am concerned.. just plain old “stinky towels”..

we are all guilty.. oh we are good at the shuffle.. you know what I mean.. “liberty”.. “to the pure”.. you know the beat.. it’s sad.. sad for us as men.. sad for me as a man.. why…? because it starts here.. “stinky towels” hits home.. got some junk to deal with.. been doing a pretty good job over perfuming over the stink.. almost forgot about it.. a good washing is in order.. time on the mat.. a lot ahead of us these days.. need to make sure sanctification starts at home…

don’t like the idea of admitting that there areas in my life that are still under construction.. only way i am going to get through it.. only way i am going to learn.. this is where it begins for me.. should know better.. God calls you in a direction.. gives you a Word.. first thing happens is the attack.. guess what bothers me is that i could not “continue” to take it.. 2-3 days.. my abundance was changing.. not good.. not good at all.. forgot the number one rule.. “stay in”… lost track and let my guard down.. so i guess it’s true.. “too much”… please forgive me…

this men’s ministry stuff is going to be painful.. nobody needs to tell me.. can’t say i can measure the depth and breath of it all.. but can say i am familiar with the road.. it’s strewn with the lives of my friends.. family members.. and associates..  men from all corners of life.. it’s a dangerous and treacherous path…. interesting thing about the “words” given to me.. all from the “neighborhood” .. we are so good at shooting our own.. or as bble would say.. “throwing stones”…

we are moving into a new Bible study… “life in the Spirit”.. for me…. can’t get to much of the Holy Spirit.. need more.. so much more… as men.. more.. world.. more.. we have forgotten what it is like to walk.. talk and live a “life in the Spirit”….

“our trouble is that we are tying to confirm the truth of Christ.. of Christianity by an appeal to external evidence”.. a.w. tozer

so true… i debated my cause under the guise of doing the right thing.. following the “call”.. others.. could be giving somebody a good word.. a deed.. signing up for more functions.. all works.. not Spirit.. forgetting that it’s by the leading of the Holy Spirit.. “it’s an internal process that leads to external workings”..a.w tozer..  if we get off.. we are off..

“are you so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh… ?” gal 3.3.

yes.. that would be me.. and yes.. i suspect the above scripture speaks to all of us… i wonder how many words i receive were birthed by the Holy Spirit.. i wonder how many times i open up my big mouth.. type a blog.. send an email before i ck in….? tough questions to ponder.. “stinky towel”… looks good.. smell good and works just fine.. going to need some time on the deck this weekend…

leading men’s ministry is dangerous enough.. in the hands of a fool.. deaf.. dumb and blind man…? a cocktail for total disaster.. but then those Words…

Isa 52:12… “for you shall not go out with haste…nor go by flight… for the Lord will go before you.. and the God of israel will be your rear guard”…

Ok.. so a wretched deaf.. dumb.. blind.. stupid fool of a man.. by the Grace of God by the moving of the Holy Spirit in and through my life…. might stand a chance..

how about you.. ? got some “stinky towels”.. hanging in your heart..? need some time on the deck..? or how about a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit in your life…? hosea “it’s time to seek the Lord”.. its my time.. its your time.. it’s our time…

stay in.. stay close…  hand to the plow…

tnbrooks

daily disciples men’s ministry.. now who would have thought this day would come..? suspect both bble and tl did.. but for those of us on the side lines.. can’t say we were sure the day would ever come.. for most of us.. or “those” who have been standing with the girls from the early days.. always thought somebody would take the reins.. never really thought it would be me.. can tell you thought of it from time to time.. one look in the mirror and i knew there was no way..

too many “sauls” in the ministry today.. too much “saul” in me.. Galatians.. “started in the Spirit.. now in the flesh”.. so ministry.. so men’s ministry.. fearful for me.. fearful for those standing around me.. can also say that i have prayed that our Lord would raise a man.. one that i could respect.. support and follow..

the girls have set a high mark.. they are about the business of our Father each and every day.. God is blessing the labor of their hands.. don’t care if you have eyes to see and/or ears to hear.. a deaf.. dumb… blind.. stupid man (that would be most of us as men) could measure their fruit.. the Lord has raised the girls up to teach the Word of God and lead women around the world to follow Jesus Christ.. truly a blessing to be standing with them.. truly a blessing to be able to support bble my wife.. and tl.. her partner..

daily disciples men’s ministry.. actually ordering cards.. so cracks me up.. my own email.. blog.. it’s a trip.. can’t quite get my head around it.. the exposure.. the accountability.. the “mark”.. so much to measure.. so much to take on.. can’t say i have earned the opportunity.. can say i never will.. will also say i am a man who loves the Lord.. i am a man who loves His Word and believes in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit working in and through our lives today…

will also say that i am going to blow it.. (that would be the deaf.. dumb.. blind.. stupid in me)…  one wk in and I already have those standing around reminding me of those areas in my life.. already throwing stones.. it’s part of the package.. can’t say i am surprised.. can say i am disapointed… but “i am persuaded that He is able to keep what i have committed to Him until that day..” if you know the first part than you know.. the attacks.. the noise and the nonsense is part of the deal….

the passage the Lord has given me for the start of the daily disciples men’s ministry is.. “Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you…”  for me.. this is my time.. this is the Lord’s “exit strategy” for me… i want to go home.. it’s time to be about the Father’s business.. so i am going to start in the mirror and work my way around those standing with me.. for us.. this is daily disciples men’s ministry time… one of our men last wk in our prayer meeting posed the question… “what choice do we have…”

want to invite you to join in with us.. we are a bunch of scoundrels that have a heart to seek the Lord.. we endeavor to walk it out each and every day.. we believe it’s time to turn off the noise.. get back in the Word.. develope a prayer life.. give occasion to the Holy Spirit to move in and through our lives.. get right before our God.. work it out with the men standing around us.. “daily disciples”.. its more than just a name.. it’s a life with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior…

so the question is..  ”what time is it for you..?”

want to join in with us…..? we start tuesday 9.22.09 7:00 at daily disciples offices in carlsbad.. follow the link.. http://menbiblestudies.eventbrite.com/ 

have questions..? concerns..? life freaking you out.. ? drop me an email and i will contact you directly..

want to see a video of the above teaching… ? click on the following link…..  http://www.vimeo.com/6618895

tnbrooks

Just added myself to another blog directory:

Not sure how this helps me but what can it hurt, right?

Anyone would have trouble coining a phrase that as of today has over 600 million Google hits.  Nevertheless, my title remains a salient question to be asked by any budding writer in the 21^st century, or one just catching up to the end of the 20^th.

I remember the first time I was introduced to the phrase ‘weblog’ in undergrad.  It was by an English student who was on top of all things technological, something I hadn’t managed to do since public school.   Since then, I’ve always toyed with the idea but could never get around to doing it.  It certainly wasn’t for lack of time.  Looking back, if I’d only blocked Freetetris.org from my computer, I’m sure I would be king among bloggers by now.  Come to think of it, if I’d only blocked Tetris three or four years ago, I’d probably have a degree in chemical engineering or theoretical physics.

It will be said by the luddites that the internet only fragments opinion.  What it actually does is increase the potential for a diverse set of opinions to reach an audience.  To be sure, there will be falsehood and slander, all of the joys that come with opinions or beliefs.  But proportionally speaking, there is no less crap on the internet than has been bound into book, or put onto the silver screen.

(Although if it is crap you’re after, here’s a link to my friend Remi’s site.)

From an epistemological point of view, we are not going to reach a desirable objectivity by relying on large, privately-owned and increasingly centralized news corporations, any more than we are by listening to state sponsored media.  The age of the Imperial Encyclopaedia is long since gone.

Having evolved to become a radically potent force in media, blogs are just about the only semblance of democracy we have in our so-called ‘democratic’ society.  We see the power of the internet, the blog and the ubiquitous camera recently on such disparate places as the streets of Tehran, as well as the town hall meetings of Main Street, USA.

Let us not fear, stifle, or deny the marketplace of ideas.  Let us embrace this democratic technology as one of the few potent weapons in our arsenal against dogma, superstition and illegitimate authority.

We’re in this together, kids.  I’ll get back to writing…after this quick game of Tetris.

Lighten up, lad!
”Arghh! Yeowwwww! Help me! Save me head… oh!” The little boy’s cries of agony echoed through the underground temple of Shark Tooth Island. He knew his parents had warned him not to play with fire, but he just couldn’t resist! Unfortunately, a ‘’small accident” had caused his whole body to go up in flames, and he was burning fast now. His head was the first part to catch on fire, and in a few seconds had melted his hair away, leaving him bald. He now wore a nice crown of fire on top of his head, and the rest of his body was glowing orange from head to toe. Oh, will he ever be saved, or will this poor kid be left to –

Oof! A purple dungeon bat knocked him down into the water below the ledge he was standing on. It was terribly salty and dirty water, and the little boy also remembered being warned by his parents not to go swimming down there (whoops, too late!). But amazingly, the horror of the flames were gone! He was saved! The boy vowed never to mess with fire again. As should all of you Poptropicans!

Blog Post Title: Lighten up.
Description: Is it just me, or is it hot in here?
Image URL: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AkTCxo8C1Ys/SmclnLkbppI/AAAAAAAAAGg/PpwfMT1AnJc/s1600-h/lightenup.jpg
Image Name: lightenup.jpg
Posted by: Dr. Hare

Thanks for this update, Incredible Fish. We don’t know much about this fire-body power, but it’s most likely going to be a new Poptropica Store item coming soon in the Cool Stuff section. Don’t forget, there will also be an astronaut suit coming to the store next week! (See the post below for more information.)

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Apparently, a day or so ago, prices in the Poptropica Store had gone down just after they had gone up. Thanks for the update, Green Seal. When the store first opened, costumes were 75 credits each and Cool Stuff items were 250 credits each. However, on July 15 they had gone up: costumes had become 150 each and Cool Stuff things were 325 credits. A day later they were back at original price. But apparently, they were lowered by a lot recently: Cool Stuff was 175 and Special Costumes were 25 each!

Golden Eagle suggests that they were probably testing out prices to see if they got a surge in sale, but maybe normal was getting the most profit for them. They have now returned to the original price, Cool Stuff being 250 each and Special Costumes are 75 each.

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We have moved the ”Commenting Rules” from the About page to a seperate page, which you can find here. Recently, we have also added a ”Contact” page, where you are able to learn new methods of keeping in touch with updates at the PHB. You can find the Contact page here.

By the way, due to going through too much work, our Poptropica Links site will not be used anymore. Repeat: The PHB’s Poptropica Links WordPress blog will not be updated any longer. However, we will continue to update the Poptropica Directory on the PHB – but we won’t be adding new directory listings into our blogroll sidebar, sorry. As a matter of fact, we have now reached over 40 listings in our directory, so click here to check out all the cool webpages!

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Blog Notice
Scary Tomato will not be active on the PHB from July 24 to July 28, 2009. I’ll be on vacation and won’t have Internet access for those five days. Hopefully, the rest of our staff will still be posting news updates and stuff!

Unfortunately, I will not be available for the one-year anniversary of Poptropica Help Blog, sorry! But while I’m gone, please don’t wreak havoc and spam the whole site! Smockers and Codien will still be around to catch y’all and send you to prison with Crusher, Ratman, Betty Jetty and the rest of their evil gang. Just kidding… but be safe, readers!