Facebook Live

Well, as many of you - at least those who are my Facebook friends - know, I recently discovered Facebook's new tool. (At least, it's new to me.) It seems like a great way to discuss how the gospel applies to life. I have done three videos so far: One on the nature of truth, one with some thoughts from Batman vs. Superman, and one about what it means to have single mindedness.

My friend BJ has referred to what I've done as a "vlog." I've got to admit it's a pretty cool way to communicate. Not only do I get observations out there quicker than with a written blog, but there also seems to be a bigger audience.

(This is actually a concern for me, because I never want to publish or post for pride. I want to influence as many people as possible to live life as it was meant to be lived, in fellowship with our Creator, and have some dialogue about how to do it. Motives are a funny thing; I pray that mine would be as pure as possible.)

If it's going to be worth doing, a lot of viewers/readers is a good thing. So, unless and until it gets old, I think I'm going to keep that up. But...

There's nothing that replaces writing, is there? It requires thought, style, and the ability to organize information in an interesting way. And it's easy to save for future reference, and thus is a good way to create a legacy.

So, the writing is not done. I will continue this blog as long as I think it can make a difference. Sometimes I will write about the same topic as a video. Sometimes it will be something completely different. But it will always be based in what the Lord is teaching me, both through life and the Scriptures.

Let me know your thoughts...

"donniemanis.com"

Starting today, it will be much easier to get here.

Get where?

Here. This blog site.

Up until now, you probably found this site by searching for a topic or following a link I left on facebook or twitter. I hope that continues. But it recently occurred to me that it was pretty hard to find this place on your own. I mean, yeah, I thought I was pretty clever with the name "bubsbanter." but it's not easy to remember, and then when you have to add the blogspot part, it can be pretty daunting to find.

So now, if you can remember my name, you can remember the site. donniemanis.com. As simple as that.

Why did I decide to make it easier? Well, I think I first considered it when our teaching pastor Patrick Quinn was sharing last week. He was teaching about John the Baptist and made the point that every person on earth needed to find their voice. Each of us has a sweet spot where life is really humming along in tune.

So I realized I've been trying out the idea for about three years that part of my voice is using this blog to share my life with friends, family, and anyone else who will join in. Am I right about that? Who knows, other than God. But if I'm going to try to see, I'd like to make it easier for you to join in.

So come by often. Leave comments - let's have some dialogue.* And maybe together we can find our voice and become all God intended us to.

donniemanis.com

Y'all come back.



* - I'll respond to comments if it looks like you want me to. Answering a comment like "I enjoyed this" would just be feeding my obsession about closure. :)

What is praise?

It's all through the Psalms…in fact, it's all the the Bible. Praise the Lord. Over and over, there are not only expressions of praise toward God, but exhortations to praise him? Why? Is it an obligation? Another rule we're supposed to follow if we want to please our Creator? Or maybe something else?

On a seemingly unrelated question, why do we post what we post on Facebook? What compels us to share certain things with our friends?

For some awesome thoughts that I think apply to both questions, check out this link (and then come back):

Praise: The Consummation of Joy

So, condensing and paraphrasing, God wants our praise not because he needs our approval, but because it is the expression of the fact that we get it. We understand just how awesome he is and how much he's done for us, and so of course it spills out. If it is not my natural inclination to praise him, it's a sign that I really don't understand.

So, it's natural for us to say things like

• That was the best movie ever!
• I couldn't put that book down!
• Did you see that game yesterday? It was amazing!
• You've got to try the new Thai restaurant!

And, if you're really experienced it,

• God is so awesome!

And that's the essence of true praise. Not something we do because we're supposed to. But something we do because it spills out.

Oh….Facebook.

This also helped me understand why social media blows up when something happens that fills a lot of people with joy at one time. It could be a TV show that captures the imagination. Or a movie that a lot of people have been waiting for. Or, yes, a spectacular football game.

It's natural to want to share joy; it's not natural to keep it to yourself. And so now there is a place where we go and share it. I think it's cool.

So when the Lord blesses me - when I see his handiwork in nature, when he shows me something in his Word, when I think of how Jesus came to bring me life - it's natural to share it. And so, the Psalmist would say, go ahead.

Share it.

Long and loud.

Praise the LORD, all you nations,

extol him, al you peoples.

For great is his love toward us,

and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.

Praise the LORD.  (Psalm 117)

The speed of twitter

I came across this tweet today:

Joe Schad ‏@schadjoe

RT @LanternSports: Ohio St. confirms the Twitter policy @ Buckeyes press conferences has been lifted

I found it remarkable for a couple of reasons. First, I saw that something had been lifted that had only been announced a short time earlier. Basically, reporters assembled for the Urban Meyer press conference and were told that they would not be allowed to tweet while it was in progress. Before Twitter could even blow up over it, tweets were out that the ban had been lifted!

Such is the speed of today's news cycles. Last week the social media was hit with news that a local Tuscaloosa area (Northport actually) bakery had been told to cease and desist from making treats with Alabama's script A. Twitter and Facebook blew up over it, and an apology was issued by the end of the day. Such a thing would not have been heard of a few years ago.

So keep up people! THe world is changing. Unless it stopped changing while I wrote this.