Happy Former Decoration Day

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the Civil War), it was expanded after World War I.  Thank you to all those who have fought to defend our freedoms.  Taken from Wikipedia.

One of my favorite parts of Memorial Day is BBQ.  I am a BBQ fanatic.  Every time I travel I am always keeping my eye out for good coffee and BBQ.  So here are some fun facts for you on this Memorial Day.  Taken from yumsugar.com.

• In the US, North-Easterners are the biggest barbequers, followed by those who inhabit the North-Central, the South, and the West.
• Hamburgers are the most popular food to grill at 87%, followed by steak 83%, chicken 78%, and hot dogs 76%.
• The 4th of July is the largest barbeque holiday, followed by Memorial Day and Labor Day.
• American presidents have openly expressed their love for grilling by hosting barbeques dating all the way back to Thomas Jefferson.
• The most commonly grilled side dish is corn, followed by other vegetables, and potatoes.
• Hickory barbeque sauce is favored, then mesquite, honey, and tomato based.
• In homemade barbeque sauces, garlic is almost always found in the recipe, as is brown sugar.
• After aluminum foil, the preferred barbeque tools are long handed tongs, clean brushes, and spatulas.
• To check the propane level of your barbeque’s gas tank, weigh on your normal bathroom scale. An empty tank weighs between 17 and 19 pounds. The difference between that and what your tank weighs is how much gas you have left.
• The origin of the word barbeque is debatable. Some believe it’s from the Spanish word barbacoa which was a framework of green wood that held cooking food over hot coals. Others think the word is French because of the term they gave to the cooking technique of pirates who cooked meats from whiskers to tail or de barbe a queue.
• Both Memphis and Kansas City claim that they are the barbeque capital of the United States.

Journey To Unite

I love movies.  One of the best movies that I have seen in a very long time is Invictus which is the true story of Nelson Mandela and his journey to unite a country as he became the president of South Africa after spending 27 years in prison for sabotage and other charges.  Mandela claimed that the poem Invictus written by William Ernest Henley, hence the name of the movie, gave him strength in the darkest of times.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

At one point Mandela sat Francois Pienaar down who was the captain of the South African Springboks to challenge him to win the World Cup of Rugby and Mandela said this, “How do we inspire ourselves to greatness when nothing less will do?  How do we inspire everyone around us?”  Mandela’s dream was to unite the whites and blacks of South Africa by inspiring them through rugby.  Francois took the challenge and inspired a mediocre team to greatness and for a moment inspired a nation to greatness.

Andy Stanley has said this quote before, “What do you do when you realize you are the most powerful person in the room?”  Both Mandela and Francois leveraged their power together in their respective areas of influence.  The word Invictus is Latin meaning, unconquer, unconquerable or undefeated.  Towards the end of the movie Francois commented that, “We’ve become more than just a rugby team.”

I wonder in our lives when do we realize that we were created for more than what we are doing currently?  When do we realize that we are more than just a Christ-follower but we are part the Kingdom of God?  When do we realize that we are more than just a neighbor or a co-worker but we are a link between them and an eternity with the Creator?  Romans 8:37 says, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” We are more than Invictus in Christ.

Do You Know Greyson Chance?

Do you know Greyson Chance?  No, you soon will as his rendition of Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi on YouTube has had over 15 million hits.  He was on the Ellen show recently and his web popularity is increasing quickly.  Potentially the next Justin Bieber?  Maybe, the kid has the stereotypical hair and he has great vocals and unlike other artists he writes his own music as well.

Two observations. One, this kid is about to get a lot of attention, he must stay humble, it will fade fast if the right people are not in his inner circle.  Two, when you watch the video, some girls just looked bored and disinterested. Just a reminder, be careful what you do or the facial expressions you make because 15 million people just may watch it on YouTube.