From the Inside Out

The countdown to the holiday has begun! Before you know it, the 4th of July will be here, and it will be time to scope out a place to watch the local fireworks shows and parades. Many festivals and firework celebrations start on Friday, which means you can celebrate twice. After all, what’s better than one fireworks show? Answer: two fireworks shows!

If you’re in Collin County, here is the list of the events near you:

Southfork Ranch: America’s Tea Party, 4th of July Fireworks Celebration

McKinney: Red, White and Boom

Heritage Park: Sachse’s Red, White & Blue Blast

Frisco Square: Frisco Freedom Fest

For those of you who want to watch one of the hometown parades, I highly recommend the McKinney 4th of July parade. Gary and I will be participating in it this year, representing the McKinney Repertory Theatre and promoting our upcoming show, Hartburn Hotel. So, come out and see us — then buy tickets for the show which opens the following weekend (July 10)!

The parade begins at Old Wysong Parking Lot (corner of Hunt St. and N. Tennessee St.) across from the McKinney Public Library in Historic Downtown McKinney on July 4 at 10:30 a.m. Download the parade route here.

After the parade, you can stick around to check out the local car show, Veteran’s Salute and 14th annual ice cream contest.

The 2009 World’s Ugliest Dog Champion was crowned on Friday at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in California. Pabst, a boxer-mix rescued from a shelter took top honors in a surprising victory over former champion, Rascal who had dominated the contest for more than seven years.

Pabst’s owner, Miles Egstad, was stunned at his dog’s win, “I don’t think he’s that ugly!” But Pabst’s under bite and sweet personality soon made him an audience favorite. He swept all three rounds of the competition and took home $1,600 in prize money along with pet supplies and a modeling contract. Not too bad for an ugly mutt with bad teeth, eh?

Another dog won the pedigree category — Miss Ellie, a blind 15-year-old Chinese Crested Hairless. Her tongue hanging out of her mouth (see pic below) cracks me up — it’s hilarious! Personally, I think Miss Ellie is much more hideous than Pabst, but I guess there’s truth to the saying that beauty (or ugliness) is in the eye of the beholder.

We lost two icons today — one was a music legend and the other a famous actress. Farrah Fawcett lost her three-year battle with anal cancer this morning.  She was 62. Her best-selling poster and “Charlie’s Angels” stardom made her one of the most famous faces in the world. Although her death was not surprising (her health had declined in recent months), it was sad to see another life snuffed out by cancer.

Today’s shocking news was the sudden death of Michael Jackson, the “king of pop.” At only 50 years old, he collapsed at his residence, suffering cardiac arrest. He died soon after at UCLA Medical Center. The exact cause of death is not yet known, but new sources are reporting that an autopsy will be conducted on Friday.

These deaths, along with the recent passing of Ed McMahon, serve as a not-so-subtle reminder that life is fragile, fleeting, and altogether precious. Every moment should be savored.

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. James 4:14 KJV

Times like these should force us stop and think about our priorities. There’s more to life than work, responsibilities, and duty — so much more! Take time to smell the flowers and gaze at the stars. Hug your family members and tell them you love them. You may not get another chance.

Life doesn’t come with guarantees. It’s a time limited offer — here today and gone tomorrow. Don’t miss out on its joys while you are still here. Try to make a difference, and be sure to develop a relationship with the first person you will meet when you pass to the other side. A friendship with Jesus not only makes this life amazing, but it continues onward through eternity. Don’t put it off. You never know what the next day may hold.

Because I got struck with a massive migraine on Saturday while supporting the Running with Scissors Marathon, I had to go home and crash without posting an update to the blog. But, don’t fear! If you want to learn more about the marathon, check out Gary’s post and pictures here: http://12×12marathon.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/running-with-scissors-marathon-has-begun/

Abundant Life Church is hosting a series of panel discussions on Wednesday nights covering a variety of controversial issues that affect Christians and the church in general. Last week, they discussed Sects (issues that divide) including politics, stem cell research, and modesty. I was scheduled to be on the panel last week, but due to my colonoscopy sickness issues, I had to cancel. I was disappointed, but Gary graciously agreed to fill in for me. I’m sure he was fabulous.

This week, the discussion topic was focused on Drugs (things that addict). Questions centered around:

• Does the church turn a blind eye to gluttony?
• Is gambling wrong? What about church raffles, wall street investing, and the lottery?
• Should a Christian participate in social drinking?

While no one really took the “devil’s advocate” stance or stirred up debate tonight, the conversation and views of the panelists were interesting. None of the answers were too surprising, but a few great points were brought up. One of the most memorable quotes for me was, “If you ask a recovering alcoholic whether social drinking is okay, how do you think he would respond?”

Social drinking is a controversial topic in many Christian circles because Jesus drank wine. Many felt it wasn’t a “heaven or hell” issue, but the risks from drinking are high — do you really want to take that gamble? Even if you think you can handle it, you should ask yourself whether it could cause someone else to fall. If so, then you shouldn’t do it.

One thing that did surprise me was how gluttony is almost always mentioned along with drunkenness in the Bible. All Christians will agree that drunkenness is frowned upon throughout the scriptures, but we all seem to forget that gluttony is just as bad. Our body is the temple of God, and it should be honored as such. Overeating or drowning your sorrow in Blue Bell ice cream is just as wrong as being drunk. In some ways, it might be more difficult to stop being gluttonous because you don’t need alcohol to survive, but you need food. I guess that’s where God comes into the picture. He wants us to turn to Him for help. Why is it that we always try to fix problems on our own or try to find a cheap substitute? He should be the source of our strength and our source of peace — not alcohol, not gambling and not even food. Philippians 4:19 states, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Instead of reaching for the wine or the cookies to relax, get on your knees and talk to Him. He won’t disappoint you.

Next Wednesday is “Rock N Roll (things that can affect)” and the last week of May is all about the “Afterparty (things that will happen).” If you’re interested in hearing more about what real people think about these issues, visit us in Plano at 2021 E. Park Blvd. at 7 pm and join the conversation.