I believe that music…

I believe that music…

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In the Studio

We had some friends over a few nights ago.  We had wanted to have them over months beforehand, but one thing led to another, and before you know it, we’re nearly out of Chili season.  So, I got on the ball, and finally invited them over for some famous Bakerboy Chili.  We had a 5qt crockpot filled with special ingredients for the tasty meal and when they left it was nearly gone.  Point of order, there were just 4 adults, and no one was pregnant.  Yup…it was just that good.

Anyway, near the end of the meal my friend asked, “So…where’s the studio?”  You see, he is a financial supporter of The World Gone Mad, and is naturally interested in the ministry.  I direct him to the studio where for the next hour we just talk about life, stuff, and of course how the podcast ministry of the World Gone Mad is going thus far.  I explained that we have a lead on some new offices for the organization which already has a furnished conference/screening room, and a few extra offices for future ministers, but we were unsure as to where the money might derive when and all the sudden, his face lightened a little bit and it was like a light switch was flipped.  His response was that while he had some difficulty grasping the concept of donating money to fund a podcast ministry…real estate…on the other hand was much more tangible.  He went on to say that he would gladly give towards the office move.

I though to myself…wow!  You ask, God answers.  While it may not be in your timing…he answers.

Would you like to read the kicker part of the story?  7 days prior to that meeting, we met with another couple whom we were having over for some chicken fajitas and just some time to get to know them better…and they ask what I do for a living.  We wind up sitting in the studio talking about The World Gone Mad…and three days later he presented me with a check for the organization.

Again…wow!  For humor, I told Joyce we need to have more meetings in the studio!  Glory be to God.  For it was under HIS direction we invited them to our home.

The Nicky Fixers

There’s this great game we play.  My youngest son will act as if he has just gotten hit, or smacked, or boomed, or shot by the aliens or mean guys, or enemies…or whatever he chooses to call them at that moment in time.  He does this fantastic academy-award w

inning death scene where he bangs into the kitchen counter (laughing of course…for crying out loud the kid is only 5) t

hen he’ll nip the corner of the hallway, and then grabbing his injured arm/shoulder/stomach…he flops to the ground, laughing his head off, and awaits me to come to his rescue.  I shout and yell, “Uh-oh!  Gonna need the Nicky fixers”.  And if I don’t yell it in time, he’ll bell out, “Dad!  Where’s the Nicky Fixers!”

I reach behind me as if I am g

rabbing a couple of defibrillators, clap my fists together while making an electrical surge type of sound effect, and Nicky begins to smile…cuz’ he knows what’s comin’.  I increase the volume of the sound effect as I grow nearer to his belly, and

Nicky’s laugh quickly turns into giggles as he attempts with all his energy to hide his growing smile with one eye open in grand anticipation of the tickling which is quickly creeping upon him.  All the sudden the defribillators magically turn into 10 fingers furiously tickling this giggly young man, tickling him in every last crook and granny spot on his rib cage and belly as he enduringly tries to yell through all the laughing, “I’m alive!  I’m alive!”  I’ll place the imaginary

defr

ibillators behind my back and moments later the aliens attack once again…and there’s my son…lying on the ground with e grin the size of Brad’s mom waiting for me to come and revive him with the Nicky Fixers.

Do You Remember the story of David vs. Goliath?

I saw this come across my desk and it reminded me a little of the story in the Bible of David and Goliath.  This old gentlemen is radically surgical with slingshots which he makes himself out of dogwood, but doesn’t carve one once of dust.  He started mking them in mass quantities after the price of rubber dramatically dropped after WWII.

The coolest thing I heard throughout this interview is he doesn’t take aim, and hits the target every time!  Quarters, Walnuts…you name it.  See for your self:

RemedyFM Collaboration

The World Gone Mad has been recently featured in the local paper, The Hearald-Republican, as well as another ministry podcast, “ER Roundtable” produced by Clinton Faupel at RemedyFM which is an online internet radio station.  RemedyFM, much like The World Gone Mad has similar goals and objectives.  We both wish to reach millions of teens with the Life-changing message of Jesus Christ.  We both utilize the internet as a medium for getting the truth directly in front of as many teens as humanly possible.

ER Roundtable is a podcast which focuses on different and unique ministries, who they are, where they came from, what they do, how they do it, and what they plan to do in the future.  We recorded a hlaf-hour show with Clinton after which we adjourned to the Chick-fil-a for some good chicken and even better discussion.

Clinton is excited to work with us and our ministry as we network to reach 21 million teenagers who are online nearly everyday.  We currently have 700 madhatters who eat up the podcasts each and every time The World Gone mad produces a new show.  They are hungry for the truth and we are in a priveleged position to provide that to them through the grace of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

We are equally excited to be able to work with such a talented and Christ honoring person as Clinton Faupel and are encouraged by the crew he has on staff and their vigor for the ministry at hand.

We will keep you up to date on the developments of our network and what projects may come.

Christmas for us has certainly come and gone faster than my thinning hair.  We spent some time here in Indiana and a couple weeks down in Louisiana visiting my brother and sister-in-law and celebrated Christmas with them.  We were together for the Holidays for the first time in four years.  What an experience!  Maybe you read a little bit about it if you follow The World Gone Mad on Twitter.  If you are interested in the stories, I’ll allow you to take me out to dinner and I’ll tell you all about the exquisite memories of four different families together in one house for two weeks.
The New Year is here already?  Would it be safe to say that some of you may have made what they call, New Year’s Resolutions?  Lose weight?  Eat right/better?  More Black Forrest Gummy Bears?  The list goes on and on…I have resolved to spend more time with my wife and kids.  And when I am with them, to be with them.  Far too often I think we can easily be in their presence, but our mind is on work, or in my case, ministry.  That is not fair to the family.  And the strange thing is that because of the guilt I have felt of not REALLY being with them when I am with them, I’ll think of them while I am trying to work.  Boy, do I have that backwards.

Or at least I did, and will do my best to flip flop that in the right direction.

Now that I have shown some vulnerability with you, I ask this question to hit as close to home with you as personally possible:  How do you plan to invest your time and talent this year?  Every day above ground is a good day, right?  Since God hasn’t called us home or to HIS throne just yet, we must still have a reason for being here…what’s yours?  What are you gonna do with the short time you have left on this blessed planet called Earth?  I would like to share something with you which I normally do not get into, simply because it is rather personal, but after a recent visit to our family Doctor I was given some rather discouraging news…apparently I am dying and do not have much longer to live.  I know, it was rather shocking to me when I first heard it and have been dealing with it ever since.  What do you do with that?  What kind of news is that when you go in just expecting a wellness checkup and come to find out you have a disease which is uncurable and in other words have just been handed your death certificate…it has yet to be signed.  Your just never really prepared to hear that kind of news.  What do I do now?  Who do I see?  Where do I spend my time?  I have all these projects to finish and barely a legacy and all things things I wanted to accomplish before I go home…and now this.  The doctor has not given me much time…he said I have roughly 70 years before I kick the bucket.  70 years and “That’s  All Folks” as my friend Porky pig would say.  It sounds like a lot, and then it sounds like a few clicks in time.  Joyce and I have been married for 13 years now, and our oldest son just turned 12!  13 years goes by in a flash!  I am a mere 31 years of age; still just a kid, a punk; and the first 31 years went by in a blink.  I am told the remaining years go by even faster.

“Tomorrow is promise to no one” so what will you do today?  This week?  This year?

Interview with a Former Gangsta

Pastor Gona Calebu

I have been communicating back in forth with a Pastor, by one of those sheer God things…’cuz I am unsure as to how it all started, but they have been praying for us for a couple of months since we first started talking.  We are collaborating on ways in which we can partner and work together to help spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations.  Below are some pics of a recent baptismal service.  He and his crew are from India, doing God’s work in India.

Pastor Gona Calebu

Guard Duty

We decided to go chasing after Christmas lights last night.  It was a magnificent time and an excellent way to invest into the family.  We had some crispy chicken sandwiches, fries, frosties…listened to serious and humorous Christmas songs, and shared a lot of laughs…and a few scares.

You see, I’m the kind of guy who may not be able to find my way back to the lights of which we might have caught a glimpse.  There are certainly people out there who once they start down a certain road, will continue down that road, and be able to find their way back to that one house that their kids just had to see.  Me?  Not so much.  I gotta’ turn around right there and then…which means who could be hazardous to those oncoming cars, those behind us, and…us!  I got the impression that an entire host of Angels went pleading to the Lord against guard duty for me last night.  I can picture them in a huddle stating their case of how they must avoid guarding me tonight for fear they are not up to the task, or their too tired, or they can’t handle that amount of stress knowing what a large job it is to keep me and those around me safe considering my impressive history of accidents.

They would huddle in that circle and begin looking back at the new angel who doesn’t know his way around earth or its inhabitants very well.  He’s the new guy, so why not give him the tough jobs, right?  Kind of like the reindeer leaving Rudolph out of their games.  “Oh no, new guy…there’s really not a lot of room over here…why not go guard…oh, I don’t know…check out that crazy, white, fatman down there…I think his name his Toby Baker.  He’d be a great on for you to start on.”  And then God pipes up and says, “Now boys, be nice to the new angel.  It’s his first millennium.  He could use someone to show him the ropes, not show him to his ultimate death.

Then the angels would continue their argument to the Lord of how they saved me from chopping my finger off with a hand mixer, and keeping the old Ford Escort together while “Supposedly” driving over the “speed limit” and saving me from severing my head when I accidentally crashed into the road sign which would have never happened if someone didn’t put it right in the middle of the grass on the side of the road…I digress.

I would like to say a big thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for His provisions and protection, and a big shout out to whomever drew the short straw last night and protecting us from 3 sideswipes, two rear-enders, and a t-bone collision.  We had a great time, and getting into an accident would not have been a fun thing, especially since I had just picked up some Black Forrest Gummy Bears.  Merry Christmas!  And drive safe.

Innocence

My youngest son just came in about 5 minutes ago and asked, in a hush-silent manner, “Dad…can I come in your office and play?  I’ll be very quiet.”  Whatcha’ gonna say?  The thought of my own son wanting to be near me while he plays with his cars and little action figures…?  I had to loosen my tie and unbutton the top buttons while my head grew a couple sizes bigger.

A moment later he is explaining to me that the vampire is going to be hard to verse (vs.) while fighting the ghosts.  I couldn’t help but chuckle…for I had no idea where he gets this stuff.  We have no video games about vampires and ghosts…and what 5 year old walks around saying stuff like “The vampire vs. the ghost”?  Funny stuff if you ask me.  With respect to staying focused on the task and getting the job done?  I believe it is still very possible, if not more so knowing that your kids are right there by your side.  Yes, sometimes there is no substitute for silence…and it is extremely difficult in this world to find such a commodity, however I prefer without hesitation, the sounds of action figures battling…or in this case…versing imaginary ghosts in far away villages and the clash of cars with sound effects that only a 5 year old imagination can dream of….sing it, Louis!  What a Wonderful World