Today is Global Food Crisis day.  That’s sad that we even need a day like that.  I’m sure there are a hundred people blogging about it today, but I think there’s room for 100 more.

The food crisis has been ignored because so many more things are making the airwaves of our news. (like what kind of dog the Obama’s are getting…)  People are calling it things like the silent tsunami, because its affecting more and more people every day.  It’s predicted that the current food crisis is the worst we’ve ever seen in the history of our world.  wow.

Shaun Groves from Compassion International wrote this.

The cost of food staples have roughly doubled in many countries where Compassion serves. Some of the original factors that turned this trend into a world calamity recently include unstable oil prices, increased meat consumption in countries like India and China, droughts in major crop-producing countries, and increased production of biofuels.

So.  What can we do to help?  There are a few things we can do.  Obviously continue to support children around the world through the Compassion program, here.  To give directly to the food crisis fund, click here.

You might be saying, “The economy is bad, and I just can’t afford to give anything extra, is there anything else I can do?”  YES.  If you are a blogger, myspacer, facebooker, or whatever other social networking tool you use, you can spread the word.  Give these links.  You can even add a sidebar.

Ladies and Gents.  I don’t need to go in to how hungry people are these days.  You don’t have to cross a border to see it.  Odds are good, you see it daily.  What little bit we can give, helps.  Anything you can do to spread awareness, and let people know how they can help, helps.  So, do everyone a favor, and blog about this day.  Post links, click links, even give a couple of bucks.

Let’s make a difference.

So, I’ve heard the statement, “Twitter killed my blog.”  I have to say, it confuses me a little bit.  Twitter is killing a lot of things, including Facebook, but I don’t think it’s killing the blog.

To me, it’s opened my eyes a little bit.  I see now, everything is becoming micro or instant.  If the seemingly 3 minute laser show at Stone Mountain wasn’t a clue for me, there are hints everywhere.  The new monopoly game, designed to be played in 20 minutes and instant grits. (don’t get me started) Things are changing to fit the trend of micro, or instant. If you don’t believe me, have you been on Facebook lately?  Things are changing, and there is nothing we can do about it…. is there?

As a Christ Follower should this concern me?  Does this speak about not only what our generation is looking for, but is it a sign of what’s to come?  How do we tell people that being a Christ Follower is more than a 20 minute decision.  How do we tell people that witnessing, or sharing faith is going to take more than 140 characters? I don’t believe that His Love needs to be made (buzz word alert) ‘relevant’, but do we need to adapt to fit culture, or does the basis of what we believe show that change is part of believing, and we have to live that purposefully?  What, as the body of Christ, can we do to slow people down?  To make people not look for that instant gratification?

In a world of Twitter, 20 minute Monopoly, and instant grits, how do we show people that there is reward in anything else?  How do we show people The Way, if it will require a lifelong change?

I don’t know if any of this will make sense, I’m just thinking outloud here.

It sure has been a while since I’ve written. Heck for that matter, it had been a while since I had opened my twitter app.  Yesterday, I felt a sense of OK with opening it, so I opened it, and boom!  Within fifteen minutes I was really annoyed.  At what?  I don’t even know for sure, I just got annoyed. Something is not right with that.

That pretty much sums up the reason for time without this stuff.  It seemed like every time I got on, there was noise.  A blog fight about which sin is the best, someone talking about how awesome Obama is, or GASP how horrible he is.  Finger pointing, and no real collaboration to work together as any form of ‘community’ to talk about the real problems.  I even participated in some of this stuff, and it chilled my bones.  When did this thing become less about Him?

I took last week to focus on my wife, quitting smoking, and Him.  It wasn’t an intentional week.  It could have been shorter or longer. It still might be.  I may post every day.  I may post once every couple of days.  What’s important to me, is I post what I feel God is putting on my heart.  I want to focus on non judgement, and love.  Why this whole thing started.  I want to talk about forgiveness and salvation.  I want you guys to read with, and comment.

This wasn’t ‘time of from the internet’ or ‘time off from blogging’.  This was silence.  because I felt that, I heard it.  Silence.

For those who are wondering, I have quit smoking for over a week.  I’m doing ok, and I am pretty sure the worst part is over.  I have been praying alot about redemption, salvation, and everything that He has done for ALL of us.

1 O GIVE thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! 2 Let the redemmed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary, 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the [Red] Sea in the south. 4 Some wandered in the wilderness in a solitary desert track; they found no city for habitation. 5 Hungry and thirsty, they fainted; their lives were near to being extinguished. 6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.

Man, isn’t he just awesome?

shhhh.

So, last Monday I made my quit date the 24th.  I’m not quite sure why.  Anyway, Today is the 23rd, and I’m quitting smoking.  Honestly, I will need all the prayers I can get.  From everything I’ve ever quit, smoking is by far the most difficult.

I’ll try to keep everyone up to date, even if I stumble.  But, as of right now, just a few prayers here and there, or whenever you have time would be great.

Thanks.