Fun with my Scanner: At the Beach with Dad

I am about at the lowest level novice on Photoshop Elements. I can work some basic stuff, but I am very limited. A few weeks ago I was messing around with an old photo of my Dad and I and I thought it the end result was pretty cool.

Here was the first one:

Obviously the color was awful, and while it's a nice photo, the more I looked at it the more unsightly I found that pole on the right. Although I am quite sure I used the wrong and harder method, I finally removed it and this is how it came out: 

I also zoomed in because that kid's head was giving me issues. I really like how that sailboat now sticks out a little more and adds a splash of color to the photo. 

Today, I found out a childhood friend's father died unexpectedly this morning. He was a few years older than my dad but he wasn't obese or obviously unhealthy. He was a gruff guy and my most lasting memory of him was that he would eat shrimp tales, just cause.  I lost touch with my friend during high school, so it's not like I was close to him or his dad. 

Even still it got me thinking about my parents and especially my dad. My dad and I don't always see eye to eye on a lot of things (what father and son do?) but he's my dad and I love him. I would like to think we're more different than similar but I don't know how true that really is. We share the same laugh, the same charming sarcasm (just enough but not too much) and the same laid back approach to  life. He was the template on which I built the first version of me. So, here's to my dad. I hope he doesn't die anytime soon. 

Also, the shirt he has on in this photo is awesome. 

Missing the Point on Church

I was talking on the phone with my dad tonight. He was telling me about the youth minister at his church being "too liberal". I asked for an example and he said he was a "tree-hugger". He said something about how it's okay, they still like him, etc, etc.

Worse still, I'm not raising a tree hugger but a tree kisser!

I said, "If you go to a church that just tells you everything you want to hear, you're probably going to the wrong church.". My parents (who were on speaker phone) both laughed. They didn't get it.  I was a little puzzled for a second, as I thought this was an honest and agreeable position any Christian should have.

My dad said something about how sometimes people have "agendas" (at this point I should have mentioned to him that well, that's the whole point of a sermon, but I didn't).

I go to a church that I hate to admit, is conservative. It is a challenge - I sometimes feel like I'm trying to run under-water. I'm trying to move fast but seemingly not making any real progress.  I would rather work to change things then just attend a church that will make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

There are limits to this mindset.  At some point, you have to draw a line in the sand. There might be a day when enough is enough and a change is needed.  

Anyway, my point isn't that we have to attend churches that we disagree with the theology or the pastor's political positions. It's just that sermons shouldn't be about being comfortable or preaching to appeal to most people (I'm looking at you, Joel Osteen). Rather, preaching the gospel shouldn't be an "easy" sell at all. It's about challenging your fellow sisters and brothers to take up the cross and bomb Iran (oops that was a little Hagee slip). I meant taking up the cross and living a sacrificial and servant life. 

God may be Love, but take it from Hagee, Fear and Sensationalism Sell!

I'm tired of the complacency of Christianity here in the good ol' US of A. I know all religions are just reflections of their society and culture but we need constant reminders to be people of action and not just people of faith.