The inevitable downfall of Facebook

Facebook can be undeniably described as a juggernaut. USA Today reported that as of the end of June 2011, there are more than 750 million users. That's a lot of a people. Comparing apples to apples, MySpace has only 20 million. Everyone has a Facebook account. I mean, my freaking dog has one. You can do just about anything via Facebook. From the simple status updates and pictures uploads to extensive gaming and other application usage. For a new user to first log on to Facebook, it is quite impossible to fathom every tool, every gadget, and every app available to use. Actually, it's just as impossible for a veteran Facebook user.

I happen to be one of those veterans. Facebook was originally just open to college students. Plus, not every college was even part of it, but my alma mater, UB, was. Facebook came out in 2004, which is when I started using it, in my freshman year. It was awesome. It was a great way, as I was a new student not knowing many people, for me to connect with my classmates, as well as to stay in touch with my high school friends.

I'd say that the first milestone that caused FB to become huge, but also to lose some of its uniqueness and charm, was when FB administrators allowed everyone to use it, not just college students. The floodgates were open. The next thing you know, FB adds millions of features, allows people to build apps and publish them, introduces games (curse you, Zynga!), and now here we are today. And I hear rumors that they are far from over in the whole, "let's do more!" business model. Fantastic.

It's just that it's all way too much. Wouldn't you agree? I mean, of all the people you know, how many are actually using FB for more than the standard status updates, commenting, and picture sharing? Oh sure, there's that one really annoying friend that posts on your wall that they "answered a question about you" and if you "allow" their app, you can "read it." Oh joy! I totally want some 30-something lady I met randomly at a social function of some sort five years to tell me if she thinks I'm cute! I'm dying to know!

Or the whole "poke" function. Really???? I mean, come on. It is a lot more creepy than anything else.

The bottom line, Facebook went too far. They didn't know when to stop. They didn't quit while they were ahead. Shall I continue? I have a lot more of those sayings to use.

I feel like those old people that complain about cell phones and computers and how life was better when there were only 10 channels on TV and the operator knew everyone's phone number. Oh, how I long for the simpler life of a Facebook from another era....an era that was merely five or so years ago. 

If you had to be really honest with yourself, how many of you would complain if FB just axed everything but the basics of the site? How many of you would experience a great loss and pain for not being able to plant crops, kill mafia, instant message like it's 2001, and play family feud? I feel like all of our lives would be infinitely better...

But that won't happen. Facebook is just too greedy. They'll crash and burn before they ever dial things back, a la MySpace.

Want my solution? It's one word. Twitter.

The Top 10 Christian Songs Of All Time

I've been a Christian virtually my entire life. My parents became Christians when I was two years old and so, as far back as I remember, I've been going to church, living in a Christian house, and the like. My parents have always been awesome. But they did have some pretty firm rules while growing up (of which I am grateful). For instance, I wasn't allowed to watch PG-13 movies until I was 15 and every other TV channel was blocked. Included in that was what kind of music I was allowed to listen to. To give you an idea, I though the rapper Eminem spelled his name "M & M".

Consequently, the only music I listened to was Christian music. And I've always loved music and so naturally, I listened to a lot of Christian music. Truth be told, compared to all of the music out there in the world, Christian music represents of very small percentage. Furthermore, most Christians were like me and only listened to that kind of music. So it comes to no surprise that we'd all gravitate to a few songs that really appealed to us. Additionally, because of the relatively low output of songs year after year, some of these songs we loved remain our favorites today. Almost to the point of obsession.

I now have the great privilege of listing what I believe to be the top 10 Christian songs of all time. And boy, was it fun writing this up. This is mostly subjective, but I am doubtful that anyone will dispute that any of these songs deserves to be up here, just maybe in a different order.

I had a couple of issues to address in writing this, however. The first dealt with the inclusion of some straight-up worship songs. Do they deserve immunity from getting roasted (however lightly)? Maybe yes, maybe no. I decided to compromise and limit the worship songs to only a few. The other issue I came across was selecting songs that were written in the early 1980s or earlier. I'm sure there were some great ones from those days, but none that I can think of (besides #2 on this list) that have lived on as much as these have and as powerfully.

So sit back and enjoy the show!

THE LIST

10. He Reigns - Newsboys 

In the 1990s and early 2000s, I don't think there was a more popular Christian band than the Newsboys. They were phenomenal musicians and songwriters, and their live shows were epic. It was no surprise that when they released their first worship album, Adoration, in 2003, the world freaked out. People were hoping for the Newsboys to do this for a long time. And the best song on the album was titled "He Reigns." It was a solid song; classic Peter Furler singing about people all over the world declaring that God reigns. It was rocky enough to make the radio airwaves and worshipful enough to find its way into churches, albeit for a short time.

Listen/Watch here. P.S. I love Phil Joel's hair.

9. Christmas Shoes - Newsong

I'm sorry, but I just HAD to put this song on the list. I couldn't resist. Most of you know this song as the super sappy, depressing, Christmas song about a poor boy, his dying mother, and a pair of shoes. Newsong even had the audacity to have little kids sing the ending refrains of the song. It pulled at everyone's heartstrings, including the mainstream media, and became a sensation. On local radio, it was played every fifth song on Star 102.5 during the Christmas season. It became movies (starring Rob Lowe!), plays, and more. It came out in 2000 and is still going strong today. I don't believe we'll ever escape its omnipresence. Or its cheesiness.

Listen/Watch here.

8. Voice of Truth - Casting Crowns

Casting Crowns came out of nowhere. One minute they're a no-name youth band from a small church, the next thing you know, they're playing to sold-out crowds across the country. And it all started with their first, self-titled album. Voice of Truth was a solid track. Appealing to people of all ages. It was cool sounding enough, but had deep enough lyrics that made it popular with just about everyone. I thought it was awesome when I was 16. And my parents thought it was awesome in their 40s. That song and that album cemented Casting Crowns' place in the Christian music community as a powerhouse not long after its release.

Listen/Watch here.

7. Shout to the Lord - Hillsong/Darlene Zschech
Quite honestly, I'm a little nervous to be talking about this song. I'm afraid if I make fun of it, I will become a pariah in the Christian circles. I'm not entirely sure why people are absolutely crazy about this song, but they are. A little background first: the song came out in Hillsong's prime. Unfortunately, Hillsong has been overshadowed by their little brother, Hillsong United, for a few years now, and they have yet to come out with a solid album like they did in the mid- to late 90s. But those mid-90s songs were super popular. Not only "Shout to the Lord," but also "All Things Are Possible" and "This is How We Overcome," to name a few. Ah, fond memories. But "Shout to the Lord", I'm convinced, will never die. The song came out in 1994 and is still in CCLI's top 25 list, at number 14, no less. That's impressive. Plus, the American Idol contestants did it only a few years ago and it made iTunes' top 10 list for a few weeks. Personally, I think it's a bit dated, but one can't discount its influence and popularity.
Listen/Watch Hillsong's version here.
Listen/Watch American Idol's version here. I apologize that the first person you see in the video is Ryan Seacrest.

6. Jesus Freak - dcTalk
Now this is my kind of music. I was a HUGE fan of dcTalk in their heyday. If they ever came back, I would jump back on that bandwagon. And this song, I believe, is their best ever. Or at least in the top 3. The song represented the rebellious side of Christians (if there is one). It was challenging, loud, and fun. It was one of my first cassette tapes when it came out in 1995 and I still have it to this day (plus on CD). Plus, the whole album was amazing. I guarantee I still have the whole album memorized.
Listen/Watch here.

5. Breakfast - Newsboys
Speaking of epic, classic, Christian songs, how can you forget the Breakfast song by the Newsboys? I don't think people realize how influential this song is. For hundreds of years, people have viewed Christians as stuffy, prudish, holier-than-thou snobs. And then the Newsboys come out with a hilarious, catchy tune that shows the world that Christians can be fun too. All while teaching that they don't serve breakfast in hell. What a great lesson for kids and adults alike. It also did a good job loosening up those Christians that truly were a bit stuffy.
Listen here.

4. You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban
I have to be straight with you all. I hate this song. I never liked it. But for some reason, everyone else did. Let the record show that Josh Groban didn't write this. A guy named Rolf Lovland did. But it was Groban's version that made it such a hit. The girls liked it for Josh Groban (he's so dreamy), my choir teacher in high school liked it because it made for a good concert tune, and Christians, I believe, liked it because the whole world liked it. There's nothing like a Christian song getting validation from the secular world for it to suddenly become popular (see #1). I read reports that said it was one of the most covered songs of all time. Good for Josh, the only one-hit wonder on the list.
Listen/Watch here.

3. Here I Am to Worship - Tim Hughes
This worship song can be roped in there right alongside number 7 on the list, "Shout to the Lord." - a worship song that will never die. For whatever reason, this song really hit home for millions of Christians. It even sounds good in Spanish. A little more recent than "Shout to the Lord", coming out in 2001, but yet another song that has power behind it that will move people for years to come. And I have to admit, I haven't heard it in a while and then at the DC*B show I went to last year, they played it and it sounded incredible. I guess all a song like that needs is a little touching up and it will just keep on playing. It also introduced Tim Hughes to the world as another excellent British worship leader like Matt Redman or Martin Smith.
Listen here.

2. Amazing Grace - Traditional Hymn
It was tough not making this song number 1, but it certainly deserves the number 2 slot. Can you think of a more popular worship song? The song is truly immortal. It's the one worship song that will be accepted by super conservative Methodists and crazy Pentacostals alike. Old people adore it, and young people graciously accept it (especially since Chris Tomlin did a remake of it). Nevertheless, everything about the song is incredibly awesome. The story behind it, the words of it, etc. There's something about it that, even though it is almost 250 years old, it still resonates in the hearts of Christians across the globe. On top of that, the song's history was made into a major motion picture.
Listen/Watch Chris Tomlin's version here.
Watch the Amazing Grace movie trailer here. It stars Mr. Fantastic and Albus Dumbledore

1. I Can Only Imagine - MercyMe

No question that this song is number one. The main reason? It's the only Christian song to be downloaded more than 1 million times. Plus, everyone was obsessed with this song. I remember being at a MercyMe concert and as soon as the opening notes on the piano started playing, the reaction was deafening. It was the loudest I've ever heard a crowd at a Christian concert. I'll never forget when this song went viral in mainstream circles. It's sad that it happened under extremely tragic circumstances. Major radio stations across the nation played this after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occured on February 1, 2003. It became a bigger hit than ever before. But for good reason. It is truly an amazing song. I get chills to this day listening to it. Don't deny it, you do too.

Listen/Watch here.

Honorable Mentions

Shine - Newsboys

Who Am I - Casting Crowns

Dare You to Move - Switchfoot

Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman

Colored People - dcTalk

How Great is Our God - Chris Tomlin

So there you have it. The list. I'd appreciate any comments. Let me know if I missed something. I'm sure I did. But it sure was fun. It brought back a lot of fond, sometimes cheesy, always wonderful memories.

References:

CCLI

YouTube

Wikipedia

As an aside, in my research for this post, I came across this website. It was incredibly entertaining. The author believes that "Imagine" by John Lennon and "Fix You" by Coldplay are both worship songs. I encourage you to visit the site and laugh along with me at its ridiculousness.

Stuff My Dad Says

I saw an ad for a show a while back starring William Shatner titled "$#*! My Dad Says." It looked god-awful. And go figure, it was promptly canceled. Apparently, it was based on book that was written about the author's father (surprise) and what it was like living with him. That's about all I know about it. But it gave me an idea.

I once wrote a blog post about my dad and how freakin' awesome he is. He's taught me a lot and has shaped me into the man I am. He truly is my hero (cliche alert). Thinking about that terrible show with Shatner made me think about everything my dad has said over the years. There's been one topic that he's always talked about that, at this point in my life, has more of an impact than anything else. Diligence.

My dad is the hardest worker I know. He never stops. He's always working on something, always taking care of something, etc. Not only does he work 60+ hours a week at his regular job week in and week out, but when he gets home, he just keeps on going. He thrives off his "honey do" list. He looks forward to his many "projects."

Older men have a knack for ranting and raving about how things were when they were my age. My dad is as guilty as anyone with this. He'll bring up how he had multiple jobs when he was my age. About how in his first apartment, he only had a mattress for a bed, a cooler for a fridge, and a Coleman stove for a heating source. Simply put, he's always done what he had to. He sacrificed what needed to be sacrificed. And now he's reaping the benefits. He has more time, more funds, and more freedom to do the things he loves.

What a reality check. Here I am griping about my one little job when I don't have a mortgage, a wife, or kids to worry about. How often I struggle with finances when my expenses pale in comparison to my parents. I want to reap the benefits from the hard work I've never done. What's wrong? What am I missing?

I am lacking diligence. To dumb it way down, diligence equals hard work. But it's so much more than that. It's taking a second job to pay the bills. It's saving every penny to reach a goal. It's sacrificing your own dreams for the sake of your loved ones. It's being selfless. It's being focused. It's being driven.

My dad has always had focus and drive. He sees what he wants and he goes for it. He wants a car, so he saves every penny to pay for it. He wants a family, so he works as hard as possible to support them. He wants the best for his kids, so he forgoes his own desires to make real the desires of his children.

What an amazing example! It makes me want to do an about-face with my own selfish habits and get my life straight. My father has always understood what's important and understood what it took to obtain what's important. Regardless what the term "important" means to you, if it truly is important, you'll have the determination to get it.

And that's my life lesson for the day. I tell myself that I want this or I want that. But how badly do I want them? How hard am I truly working for them? Your character is revealed by your actions. What do your actions say about you?




P.S. Happy birthday, Pops!

Letter to a 6-year Old Girl from God (Sort of...)

A six-year-old Scottish girl named Lulu wrote a letter to God. It was brief but to the point:


“To God, How did you get invented?”

Lulu's father is not a believer, but sends Lulu to a Scottish Church primary ("elementary") school. Rather than ignoring her letter or choosing to answer it himself, Lulu's father sent her letter to various church leaders-- the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Presbyterians, who sent no reply;and the Scottish Catholics, who sent a theologically complex reply. Thankfully, he also sent it to the Archbishop of Canterbury (Anglican), Rowan Williams, who sent this sweet letter in reply:

"Dear Lulu,

Your dad has sent on your letter and asked if I have any answers. It’s a difficult one! But I think God might reply a bit like this –

‘Dear Lulu – Nobody invented me – but lots of people discovered me and were quite surprised. They discovered me when they looked round at the world and thought it was really beautiful or really mysterious and wondered where it came from. They discovered me when they were very very quiet on their own and felt a sort of peace and love they hadn’t expected.

Then they invented ideas about me – some of them sensible and some of them not very sensible. From time to time I sent them some hints – specially in the life of Jesus – to help them get closer to what I’m really like.

But there was nothing and nobody around before me to invent me. Rather like somebody who writes a story in a book, I started making up the story of the world and eventually invented human beings like you who could ask me awkward questions!’

And then he’d send you lots of love and sign off. I know he doesn’t usually write letters, so I have to do the best I can on his behalf. Lots of love from me too.

+Archbishop Rowan"

If you're looking for a complex, tightly put-together apologetic, this is certainly not it. If you're looking for a theologically comprehensive exposition of the Gospel complete with atonement theories, this is not it. This is written to a 6-year old. It is simple and humble and filled with tenderness. It is warm and personal not abstract and argumentative. There is no shaming of the girl for her question or the phrasing of it or the presupposition behind it. The Archbishop "sees" the little girl and writes of a God who "sees" her too.
Maybe there is something to learn from this approach...

Story courtesy of http://www.glennpackiam.typepad.com/

Life's Little Lessons (I love alliteration)

I've wanted to come back on and blog a bit for awhile, but I couldn't bring myself to. So many things going on, so much "upheaval" (for lack of a better word) in my life, I probably would of just ranted and raved on this things for 3 hours. So maybe now, I'll be more succint.

I've been learning a lot over the past couple of months. There are two ways of learning - the easy way and the hard way. Unfortunately for me, all of my learning lately has been the hard way. But if you think you can get away with not learning the "hard way" for your entire life, you're in for a surprise, because that's what I thought. Or at least what I was banking on.

Sorry for being vague.

I think the most important thing I learned is that truth is paramount.

Truth.

What a crazy, complex word in only one syllable. Yet, it is this word that will either make your life the most rewarding, blessed life imaginable, or the most miserable, pathetic life possible. Jesus once said that the truth will set you free. Very cliche, I know. But He couldn't have been more accurate. It's insane to believe how deceptive and betraying secrets, lies, and falsities are to one's livelihood. It can destroy you. And while some things can destroy your from the outside in, and others from the inside out, dishonesty destroys you from all directions. And you won't see it coming.

So how does one live a life of truth and transparency? It's easy, actually. Here's a simple Truth for Idiots, step-by-step guide in making your life awesome.

1) Baby steps.
In honor of Bill Murray, start simple. Choose to be straightforward about the most mundane of things. If you can be honest about little stuff, it will develop a habit of being honest about the big stuff

2) Realize how insignificant and inadequate you are.
This probably should have been #1. Pride is a real truth killer. If you're in the mindset that you can handle everything on your own and you don't need help, you're screwed. As soon as you realize you need help - from God, your mom, your rabbi, your pen pal - then you have a good shot.

3) Man up.
You have to own up to your mistakes. Take responsibility. Admit you messed up. Ask for forgiveness. And if you ask for forgiveness, guess what? You'll get it. Want to know why? Because #4 is as important as the rest.

4) Realize that the people around you are on your side.
Whether it's your folks, your significant other, or your goldfish, they actually care about you and want the best for you. These are the people that, (here comes a Bruno Mars reference) would catch a grenade for you, or (and some Mat Kearney) would take a bullet for you. They will always be there to help, support, and encourage; never hinder or discourage. Just understand that if you push them away too much, you'll wake up one day and they'll all be gone.


That's it. Pretty easy, right? I sure hope so, because I need to abide by this more than anyone. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.


Fin.

I miss blogging

Wow, I missed this. Blogging is genius. It enables people. It provides an opportunity. Many times no one will ever read their blog, because there are a lot more blogs than interested readers (plus a lot of bloggers aren't that interesting), but that sometimes makes for a better blog because they'll have no restraint in their opinions.

I don't think I utilize this platform enough. But to prevent rambling on, I'll keep this brief. Below is a synopsis of what's been going in my life.

1) New job - I now work selling Verizon FiOS. You should buy it, it's awesome (only if you live in Tonawanda, Amherst, Williamsville, Kenmore, West Seneca, Orchard Park, or Hamburg).

2) Worship team sabbatical - It started and soon it will be ending. It was a lovely break but I'm ready to get back on the horse.

3) Holidays - Came and went. They were good. Food, family, fun.

4) New year - 2011 baby!

-GH

Hate the hate

In case you haven't figured it out, I'm a Christian. One of those born-again evangelicals. And if you're not one like me, you're probably immediately thinking up all sorts of assumptions about me. Unfortunately, we too often deserve it. It hasn't been easy for those living on the wrong side of Christians in the past. From the beginning vestiges of the Catholic Church to present day, a huge pall on the image of Christianity is the belief that Christians can be "intolerant", "bigoted", and "hateful." And it's true a lot of times.

It's frustrating because Jesus called Christians to be the opposite of hateful. In fact, he was more respectful and welcoming of people that had a different lifestyle than him than anyone else I have ever known. The word "love" is very common in the Bible for a reason. When will we Christians realize that we're never going to be an influence on others if we're constantly condemning and disrespecting others?

I am filled with disgust for what happened to Tyler Clement at Rutgers University. Tyler was caught on camera kissing another guy.  The two people who recorded then posted it for the world to see. Tyler was so ashamed and embarrassed that he killed himself. I doubt those two students were Christians, I think they were just trying to get attention. Christians are more known for the quiet, avoid the gays, thump the Bible, whisper and gossip kind of people. 

Whether it's popular or not, I am firm in what I believe in. I like to call myself a respectful, caring, and intolerant guy. I will never bash gays, I will never hate them, I will never refuse to talk, hang out, be friends with, fill in the blank here, with gays. It's horribly wrong and stupid. I'm no better than them. I'm not an angel, I'm not perfect, I'll never have all the answers, so why treat them as though I'm better. 

But I will also never support or condone homosexuality. I believe it's against what God has called us to do and to be. And while I don't support homosexuality, I DO support the fight against bigotry and hate. And so, on October 20th, "Wear Purple Day," I come against Christians and non-Christians alike who think that the answer is to ridicule and demean homosexuals. It's not. Jesus called us to do the opposite. Let's step up, push our homophobia aside, and become more like Him.