"Kill them homo's"

I was reading an article the other day about an ABC reality show that got cancelled. The liberals were concerned that while the end result of the series was a “happy” ending, the 6 weeks of gay bashing and racism that preceded it were unacceptable. Basically the show takes upper-class white families from Texas (sound familiar) and houses them next to “trailer trash”, “gay couples”, “black families from the projects”, and “boarder hopping Mexicans”, in your basic fish out of water formula.

Boy I’m glad that broadcasting companies aren’t doing anything to feed into the stereo type epidemic. A rich white family from Texas huh, I’m sorry did see Theresa Heinz on the Exec. Producer list. Here is thing that gets me the conservatives were afraid it would make them appear too prejudice. Excuse me for pointing out the obvious but when it comes to homosexuality they are! And usually they’re proud of it. Catch em’ mid sermon on Sunday morning and you’re sure to hear to Levitical quote.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am a Christian and I am not putting my seal of approval on alternate life styles. My quarrel is in the way these people (and they are people) are dealt with. And if you stand on a soap box and scream the end of the world don’t be afraid of being called names by the media after all your just standing up for your beliefs right.

So now that I have offended everyone, and your all wondering to yourselves, “What’s your solution Mr. Smartmouth?” I am so glad you asked. I am not asking that we “tolerate” sin, or even that we embrace it with “an open mind”. I am simply asking that we level the playing field and not glorify one sin over the other. Homosexuality is a habitual sin (lifestyle) like any other. It could be assimilated to alcoholism, addiction to pornography, drug abuse, or even compulsive lying.

Sin is sin in God’s eyes and yet some how in ours we have said that sin A is far greater than sin B. Because they commit sin A, but we just kind of fell into sin B. We must abhor all sin and love and respect all sinners. Because we are no better than they, only justified.

Would it be so bad to share your pew with a sinner for a few weeks, maybe even have one over for dinner? Maybe the holy spirit will touch their lives and that “dirty homo” will be the next Apostle Paul. So "kill them homo's" with kindness and love of Christ.

J. Churchill Morris

For such a time as this

All sin is rooted in selfeshness, that I will conceed. But I also believe good seed is often corrupted and thus brings forth bad fruit. Often times natural God given desires are spoiled by the allowence of sin in our life.

For example the God given desire to grow is often spoiled by disscontetnt bringing forth the fruit of bitterness for our current situation. Single people want a mate, couples want a family, families was independance, and so on. And while it is true that like Paul the Apostle we should learn to be content in whatever state we find ourselves in; there is a big difference between contentment and apathy.

We were created as creatures who mature, develop, and grow and should embrace our lives as such. We must realize that to be satisfied in one's current state is a good thing and to seek the Lords will as to what is next is essential. And while what we think we should be doing is not necesessarily the will of the Lord , it also not his will for us to be idle. He has given each of us a task and a calling to fulfil.

The grass may not be greener on the other side but you can never truly know until you walk over and check it out, or council with someone who has. The Lord wills none to perish but for all to have life and life more abundantly. If our lives were meant to be stagnant cloths on the masters workbench surely it would be greater to perish.

Our greatest call may be to the secret quiet palces in God, or like Enoch our call may be to simply know Him. But our call is never to just sit and wait for the will of the Lord to fall in our laps. Sometimes we will walk on the water and other times we will ride in the boat but we must alway head for the other shore.

j.

Short and Bitter Sweet

Fri. night I left work in rochester at 10 and arrived in the north country around 2 am. When I arrived I found the groom and some groomsmen deeply envovled in a game of texas holdem' (they were playing for bragging rights only of course). A few hours of sleep and I was up and ironing, ok so I got someone else to Iron for me, but it is not to often I have a capable female around or even an incapable one for that matter.

Off to quick lunch at my favorite little coffe shop before the wedding. Aparantly my tie didn't match my shirt very well so I went up to my old roomate's apartment but he had nothing to match my pink striped shirt either. I did however manage to steal a belt from him. (I forgot my black belt at home and as we all know you can't mix black and brown.)

The wedding was great, a good testimony of two great people unified into one unit and all that. At some point all the allure of a wedding gets lost in the "I wish I was getting married" part of your brain. At least for those of us who are still single. Not that we should take time to be concerned with such nothingness but it seems to happen reguardless.

On to the reception or maybe I should say the "fasion show". You can tell a lot about people's personalities by what they where to a wedding. Aparantly there was a blue shirt and yellow tie memmo sent to all the guys and I missed it. The ladies, on the other hand were stunning in their sea of summer dresses, TJ max definately had a 10% increase in market sales last week.

Then there was the after party for close family and friends. A time to reconnect with some people I love and so on. But we won't go into that because I am out of tissues. My only complaint was the lack of dancing and I am still trying to find the mini bar (JK). By 9 pm I was back in my car and headed from home to rochester.

J.

Top Gun gunned in London

Tom cruise was attending a screening of "War of the Worlds" a film adaptation of the H.G. Wells classic, in London on Tues. when he was "maliciously shot" by a reporter who was interviewing the actor. The actor survived the shooting but appeared to be a little upset saying,

"I'm here giving you an interview, answering your questions and you do something really nasty ... you're a jerk ... jerk ... you're a jerk," the actor told the shooter.

Cruise said it was "disgusting" that someone should act in such a way.

"I really work hard to make people feel good," he said as he toweled himself dry.

Dry? you ask. The shooter, a member of the "prankster" staff which is a local reality show, shot the actor with water from his fake microphone. Cruise eventually calmed down and dropped the charges.

Just yell at em and call em a jerk tom, whatever makes you and your 43 million dollar wallet feel good. I tell you to have Katie Holmes kiss your boo boo and make it all better but IT WAS WATER! I know a good counselor if your a hydrophobiac otherwise take your zanex and lighten up.

j.

7 min. max

min 1 ... excitement to hear from a friend
min 2 ... gaph
min 3 ... sudden realization she is speaking to a guy
min 4 ... unintentionally becomes distant
min 5 ... begins to feel uncomfortable
min 6 ... searches for excuse to get off the phone
min 7... click

this is how phone conversations with 2 of my female friends typically go, and that's on a good day.

Strange in the city

I walked out to my car the other night to get something I had forgotton earlier, when out of nowhere this strange not so cleanly man was in front of me. I politely listened for a moment as he feverishly babbled on about something or other. I asked him to repeat again slowly just what he was trying to communicate to me, and so he proceeded to tell me about his daughter who was in a car accident with her baby sitter. Aparantly they were both at the hospital waiting for him to sign his daughter out. He asked me for a ride and I hesitantly agreed to do what I could to help this man out. He kept insisting I call officer Monroe to verrify his story and that if I helped him out I would be compensated for my services. As we began driving I started to get a little nervous because the left and right turns I was taking were bringing us to a section of town I wasn't very comfortable with. Not to metion my passenger nearly hat a panic attack when we drove by an alley he aparently got mugged in a few weeks prior. He started asking if I would just give him 7 dollars for cab fair so I could go and not have to sit on that side of town. He assured me he would give me his wallet to hold until he could repay me three times over. I insisted I had no money to give him because my wallet was at home. He seemed dissapointed and hung his head. He asked me if I would leave him down town where he could find someone to help him. I headed for down town and prayed with him for his and his daughters safety and the let him out on main street in a well lit area. I finally arived back at the apartment and began relating the story to my roomate who snickered and replied, "That guy is crazy he did the same thing to me last week."

Happy Fathers Day

Dear Dad,
Thank you for all of your love and support over the last few months. I truly appreciate the way our relationship has grown as I have gotton older. I am grateful that when I need advice you share your wisdom with me not as a child but as an equal. I am thankful that when we have conversations they are not shallow but rather are full of content. I honor you for your entrepeneurial spirit and determination to succeed and fulfill your goals. I respect that you know when it is time to set things aside and move to something else. Thank you for your examples and your testimonies, teaching me what to be and not be. May God bless you today and in the days to come.
Love Son.

The Field of Fireflies and Dandilions

The following is based on a true story. Names and other facts have been changed to protect the identity of those involved. Any embelishment to the story is either for artistic purposes or becuause I forgot what really happened and just started making stuff up.

It all started a short time ago in a land nearby. I recieved a txt. msg. (that is short for message, not the stuff in chinese food) from a man I once had the pleasure of having as a roomate. I can not tell you what that message said for it would surely ruin the story. And as you know, "If you have your sticky bun before your steak your stomach will surely ache."

My former roomate, whom we will call "frank" (that's pronounced fronk), and his good friend "jane" (that's pronounced jane) were taking a mid summer nights stroll through "the field of fireflies and dandilions." Frank (that's pronounced fronk) began trying to catch the fireflies as they danced through air like shooting starts on a cloudless evening. "Ah hah!" fronk (that's pronounced ... just kidding) proclaimed. " I got one." "Let me see!" exclaimed jane. "Magical creatures, woulden't you agree, Frank?" "Indeed I would. Let me show you a trick I learned from my sister."

YANK! Frank carefully pulled the bulb from our little firey friend. (For the sake of the children's emotional stability we shall say the little bug quickly grew a new bulb and went floating on his way) He then grabbed a dandilion and removed its flowery head. (again for the sake of the children the dandilion is fine, he actually prefers to be headless. With the dandilion stem and the lightening bug bulb fronk made his friend a beautiful piece of enchanted jewelry, and slipped it on her finger. Jane was delighted, "Oh! its beautiful" she said with the excitement of a young girl on her birthday.

Frank (which is still pronounced fronk) and jane (which is now pronounced je' nay) continued to walk for some time more. Talking and pondering all the happenstances of life and so on. As they neared Frank's house he noticed jane seemed a bit glum. "Why the ill expression my good friend?" he asked. "This beautiful ring you gave is beginning to fade, I wish it would glow forever." she replied. "You will always have a memory won't you?" Frank asked. "Surely it is true but a memory is nothing more than an immagination that lingers a bit longer before fadeing." she said sorrowfully.

Frank then subtly reached his hand into his pocket to grab a treasure that would not fade nor soon be forgotton. "Jane" he said with a bit of a moist eye, "Will you not do me the honor of spending the rest of your life with me?" She was struck with awe (and bit of a light head) and before her mind had time to process logic and rationalle she blurted out a heart fealt "Yes! OH Yes!" "Well then let us replace this fading fire fly with something that is sure to shine for much much longer." And with that he slipped the beautiful jewel on to her finger as a symbol of his love and affection.

I would like to say that that is the end, but as anyone who has walked through the field of fireflies and dandilions knows it is only the begining. And by the way the message I recieved simply said "I'm Engaged!"

Congratulations to my two friends, may you be blessed in the days to come with a happily ever after and so much more.
j. morris

Vader called he want's his helment back.

In a news conference today the pope declared "jedi" the new religion of rome.
Aparantly the helmet was stolen by an aid to the pope from a storm trooper at the last star wars convention in cleveland oh. The aid was then asked to do to "hail yodas" and an "our vader" as penance for his theft.

Is seems this 29 century pope hat is really connecting with the younger generation. He aparantly is also trying to learn how to "cryp walk" as well as the dance moves seen in will smiths new video "switch". (or in this case we will call it the geriatric gig) That giany gold signate on his rigt hand is now being refered to as the "holy bling bling" or hb squared for short.

His first rap album "Hip hope pope" is due in early january and the single titled " pope n' ain't e-z" hits stores later this month. For updates and more info check out popebenedizzle.com
j.

Someone Had a Moon Walk Out of Jail Free Card.

Well that's it no more jackson case. Not Guilty on all 10 counts, its to bad I was really hoping they would nail him with a few charges and slap the parents with one or two counts of greed driven stupidity. Then they could all sit in a jail cell together and have a big freakin (and I mean freak) party. Plus I was really looking forward to Jackson and Martha Stuarty coming out with a prison craft book called "JUST BEAD IT". I hear Paul Reuben (pee wee hermon) and jackson are holding a golf turnament in july called "the lude act open". On a more encouraging note it seems jackson has joined the "Off Scots Free Presbyteryian Church of LA" other famous members of this congregation include OJ simpson and Robert Blake. Watch out for the upcomming Jackson Five reunion tour. Aparently none of the other ciblings will be on the tour it will just be Jackson, Gary Coleman, 2 back up dancers and a nine year old boy named kyle. The "I just love children" tour is coming to a ymca near you.

Meanwhile until the next big celebrity scandel is uncovered, rumor is the news networks are actuall going to start reporting on relevant stories. Uh oh, breaking news, aparantly paris hilton just did something somewhere and CNN caught it on camera. Never mind that while relevant stories thing, this is important.
j.

meeting mr hotdog

I was walking down lake ave on sunday after church ossolating between setting up my cart and calling it a rain day when I saw that our neighbour the hot dog cart guy had set up. I thought to myself, "self you should introduce your... well... um self." So I did. "Hi jason morris. I will be your neighbour this summer." The old man warmly replies, "oh, you got that there johnneys cart right?" "yes that's right, johny gelato" I replied.

All of the sudden the nice old man turned into some sort of gelato hating alien. And starts yelling at me about permits and location and how I need to me a block further away from beach if I am even supposed to be there at all. I continued to be gracious listening to his grumblings until finally he asked, "what is it exactly that you are selling?" I said we sell Itialian Gelato, it's kinda like ice cream. "

Bingo, talk about an instant countenance change. All of the sudden I wasn't a threat and this guy decides to become my new best friend. From night to day this guys attitude went from being ready to have me hauled off in a cruiser to what can I do to help me out. Now he says, "well as long as your not sellin anything I got you can set up here right next to me young man." I am pretty sure he saw dollar signs but what ever gets you ahead right.

"A smile can get you almost anything" anonomous
j.

And so it begins

Well yesterday was our first official day out with johny gelato. We finally got on the street around three pm. Unfortunately from 1-3 their were violent thunderstorms and the beaches wern't exactly hopping. Figures our firstday out and a 3 week drought decides to end. Business was slow but everyone who tried it was excited about it. Except for the one guy who was like "gelato what;s gelato? Does that mean it's healthy for you or something?" or the guy who paid me three bucks because he thought I was watching for cops while he got high in his car. "Hey man thanks for lookin out like that you want me to buy some of your cotton candy? Hey man here's some money ok." But it was a learning experience as the next week will be. Learning what flavors sell and what the peak times will be, what the perfect temp is, and the best way to scoup it. The good thing about being your own boss is that if you mess up the only one who can yell at you is you, and maybe a customer here and there.

Sometimes life is like a gelato stand, their isn't always an instruction manuel or a supervisor to train you for some situations and we learn from trial and error. God gives grace through the trial and mercy in the error and we move forward smarter than we were before. Other times we have his word as our training manuel and our fore-runners of the faith as "trainers" and we can learn from their wisdom and their own trial and error situations which inevetibly become testimonies.

If you live in the rochester area tell your friends about jhony gelato on lake ave by the fast ferry.
If you don't come on down and visit any way, "God wills it!"

j.

"Soulutions for your every day life."

Remeber McGuiver? I used to love that show when I was a kid. That guy could make a bomb out of bubblegum and a coke can, and a four course meal out of a tube of colgate. At any rate he was what you might call resourcefull. The last few days I my self have had to get pretty creative. When my boss said "design is all about solutions" I took it to heart.

Let me give you a few examples.
1. The other night I was sick of having my clothes all over the place but I had no closet to speak of. So I grabbed the left over pvc pipe from the gelato cart's umbrella holder and some networking cable (which I cut with a steak knife) and decided I was going to hang it from the pipe on the ceiling. The only problem is that the pipe was fifteen feet in the air. Two folding chairs and a stool later I was tetering on a self induced pyramid of death. It was barely tall enough but I got the network cable over the pipe and viola I have a place to hang my hat and my ties and my shirts...

2. Being clean cut is an important part of the business world. A couple of days ago I had a meeting down town with a potential client. I needed a shave but the mirror in the bathroom is gone and I didn't have time to go across town to the gym. And so the witch hunt for shiney objects began. Cd -no, knife -no, napkin dispenser-no. meat tray-bingo, perfect. Clean cut and ready to go. And by the way I got the contract and johny gelato is going to be at the second largest fair in rochester. Oh yeah.

It's all about in-jew-nuity.
j.

Not knowing

Not knowing your way around is a pain. I spent an hour looking for a wal mart That was only fifteen min away. When I finally got there I waited in line for fin min only to be sent to the other side of the store to find the item I was returning with a upc. Aparantly were not advanced to have that info in the computer. By the time I returned from my journey the return line was empty and I was passed of to the sweetest most unhelpful old lady ever. Once I finally got my $19.50 back it was off into the super wall*mart maze (the grocery section). Unfuortunately by the time I collected everything I wished to purchase I didn't have enough room in my hands. (You know you have to much if it can't fit in your arms) So I walked half a mile back to the front door to get myself a cart. I was also introduced to the self check out, a novel idea. Needless to say I won't have to run on the treadmill tonight, and after the car ride home I don't think I'll have to sit in the sauna either.
¿@$0N (blogger mobile)

Familiar Faces

Yesterday after church I got a phone call from some of my favorite people who happened to be in town. Strange how much a little lunch and a "stroll" in the park can make one's day if he is in good company.

I have come to the conclusion that "home" is not completely attached to location. Home, I have decided is wherever the things you associate with happiness are. You may feel home at work if accomplishment makes you happy. You may feel home on a plane if traveling makes you happy. You should always feel home in the presence of the Lord for his love gives is JOY. Sometimes all it takes is a familiar face in strange place to bring you home. Atleast for a little while.

So to my friends thanks for visiting and for bringing a cool breeze of "home" with you. And I still owe you five bucks for running through the sprinkler.

P.S. phone calls and letters are kinda homey too.
j.

TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Finished)

Friday night, the work whistle blew and it was time to start the weekend. First thing is first its time to take a nap. After about an hour I got up and got dressed, and headed down town for my one meal of the day. Mmmm "Garbage Plates" If your only going to eat one meal a day a GP is the way to go. 2 cheese burger paties, cold macaroni salad, homefries, special sauce, and a lot of franks red hott. After the EMS squad brought me out of cardiac arrest we headed down town to catch a flick. First of all it cost 25 dollars for 3 people, not exactly matine' prices. Secondly we got there a few min. early just in time to see the pre-preview previews. Thats right no sitting in a silent theater anxiously anticipating the movie you just took out a second morgage on your house to see. No we get to watch "The 20" which is 20 minuets of TV commercials and Previews for shows on TNT and USA, you know the networks no one ever watches because there is something more interesting on HGTV or The Michael Jackson Network (CNN). So at this point either the lights are getting dim or I'm loosing brain cells in at rapid pace and about to go into a convulsive coma of boardem. False alarm it was just the lights, oh and now we are on to the real previews, all 13 of them. I am not just being sanguine and exagerating, 13 previews. I saw the highlights from every movie that is coming out from now until 2021. At this point I have been their so long I forgot what movie I was their to see. Lords of Dogtown, an ok movie if you like 90 min of watching a bunch of potheads skate around in a swimming pool. It was decently written, the acting was a little stiff, the sets and cinematography was pretty good and the music was a trip. I give it a 7 over all but that is just because I appreciate the fact that is was an hour and a half commercial for ALVA skate boards. That was pretty much it a few of us sat around and talked "hung out" for a while but that was about it. Garbage Plates for dinner and a REELy bad movie. If this is any clue as to how the rest of the weekend will go, don't call me before noon on Sat.
j.

And if you check in your bulletin their will be a young men's meeting on Tues. nigt.

I used to think to myself, "What do people my age do all the time?". Most of my friends are conciederably older than me and the few that arn't are quite a bit younger. But what about young christian guys born in the early and mid 80's? Where are they at in life? I assumed they sat around all day watching MTV and playing X-Box. Then they magicly turn 29 and are responsible adults with spouses and children, a 9-5 job, and a white picket fence. Isn't that how it works? Aparantly not. On the roof of my apartment there is a patio and grill, and last night there was an informal steak and corn session on the roof. Five young men all from different churches eating steak and talking about how they were going to save the world. Two were fresh out of college and had just landed great jobs for up-coming companies, two were experienced in technologies and sales and then their was me, gellato boy. (all musicians on some level) The amazing thing was in their mind a "gellato cart" was just as legitiamate of a business endeavor as their new careers; which they should be starting day 1 just about now. The were tossing entrepeneural endeavors around like gatorade. "We should invent this, we should sell that. And the down to earth kingdom minded perspective was refreshing to say the least. My generation, like every generation previous will literally be running the world in 10-15 years. It is exciting to think of the impact and influence we could have as Christians by advising and being those key people. Oh and by the way I wasn't completely off about the MTV and X-box thing, but aparantly they do it in their nice houses and their swank apartments as opossed to in their mom's basement. And they talk about world missions and church government while they do it.