Doug Van Pelt

Passion Retraction

Saw the movie last night. Thought it was excellent. I'm afraid I set myself up for a letdown, though, as nothing amazing happened inside my soul. I guess I was expecting too much. While the high quality of this movie will certainly put audiences in a place to ask the right questions and get involved in the right discussions (the "Who is Jesus?" discussion), but I don't think it will single-handedly lead the masses to Christ. Who knows, though? God uses the foolish things to confound the wise and He's used lesser things to draw men to Himself.

I was most touched by the mother losing her son emotions that were so well done. Seeing Satan wisp through the crowd was a telltale calling card from the Braveheart movie (where Mrs. William Wallace did the same). I'm still so very glad that Gibson made this fine film. Bravo.

A Test & A Trust

Chapter 5 of the Purpose Driven Life has some good things to say and ponder. I love the quote about our perspective at the beginning:

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." (Anais Nin)

It's funny how perspectives change. I experienced what could be called a test last fall, when our ad sales hit a real low point. I had to lay off an employee, cut expenses, get rid of extra phone lines, cut my salary, my wife got a job, we went with smaller magazine page counts, and it looked like all that still wasn't enough. In leaning on God and staying in prayer, I found that even when I didn't know the answers or the future, that He was still trustworthy and a strong tower that I could run to for comfort and security. Even though I didn't apply for the job, there was mention of a new position at my church that I could pursue. That seemed like an unexpected show of provision from the Lord, as the question of, "How could I survive?" seemed like a simple task from God.

I also like the question, "What is your life metaphor? Is life a race? A journey? An adventure? What?" The answer does seem to explain a lot of behavior (or it should).

The Hard Music Sampler CD that we're doing for this next issue is almost full, which is nice; and the ad sales are looking good from this vantage point. This is the issue that we've broken sales records in the past with, which is probably because it's the "GMA Issue," which is present at the annual convention, and a lot of labels have big new titles to promote. The articles are coming together well. We're working on finally giving Ronnie Martin his props as a punk-like pioneer of a genre that often gets overlooked. We're talking to Zao, who as you know have had a dramatic history. And David's "On The Road" story with Underoath is sure to be great. He had a lot of good things to say about those young guys when he got back. And David also saw what he described as probably the best MxPx show he's ever seen -- and he's seen a ton over the years.

Have You Seen It?

I know what you're thinking, 'I can't go ANYwhere without seeing mentions of the movie The Passion of the Christ.' Well, uh, sorry! Major news.

Here's my thoughts:
I think this movie is going to be a cultural phenomenon and a catalyst for renewal/revival in the Western world. People will be cut to the quick, I'm thinking, as they were during some of the apostle's preaching. I hope so. That'd be cool. A lot will depend on us, the body of Christ. How will we handle people, whom we thought to be unbelievers, who ask us questions about how to believe in Christ, how to be forgiven, etc. If revival spreads like a flood or a fire, then I hope we respond the right way.

I have tickets to a 7pm showing tomorrow night. I am so looking forward to this. I'm thinking of actually bringing a big box of kleenex brand tissues with me to the theater, but then again I don't want to be noticed (so I'll just stuff my pockets with a few).

"The toothbrush doesn't matter! Be quiet!" That's what I just told my daughter, who is trying to think of excuses not to go to sleep. There's my lame parallel to thinking in light of eternity, which was today's point in the Purpose Driven Life book. Our lives here are just a blink and eternity is so much greater. Our live's here should be lived with eternity in mind. I love the concept of, "If you're not going to bow the knee to God, then live unbridled. Go hog wild after sin. If there is no God, don't worry about consequences, the repercussions of selfish living, just go for it all -- all the time. Of course, parents would hate for youth pastors to teach this to their kids; but it's a "get real" and "get serious" message. People who play games with God or pretend to be something they're not are really just wasting everyone's time. Let your love be full-on (according to your definition, not everyone else's) or let your rebellion be full-on. That's the major part of today's chapter. Then it ends with a flip to: "Instead of living your life like 'Today is the first day of the rest of your life,' you should live like 'Today is the last day of your life,' as in preparing for the end. That's a great focus, because it puts purpose into your daily, weekly, monthly, annual plans and actions. If you want people to remember you as someone who loved them, then you'd better get busy loving them! Makes sense to me.

This Could Get Intense

Saw a good half dozen huge deer with antlers about as large as I've seen. They were all standing around by the fence as I drove by this morning. That was special. I'm sure some hunters would salivate over that site (but maybe not, since don't most hunter's licenses allow for only one deer per season?). I'm okay with hunting, but I'd prefer to shoot animals with a camera. I'd love to go on a safari and catch some lions or other big animals on film.

This PDL study is getting active now. Wow. I understand both points in yesterday's comments. After walking with Jesus for the past 21 years, it takes a lot to get me excited and juiced about a new study. The ones that do it the most for me are the ones that are hidden slightly, like the types or pictures of Jesus and/or the New Testament church that can be found in the Old Testament. I'm hoping to start one soon about the different rooms and chambers and instruments in the Tabernacle of Moses and how they could possibly relate to the believer and his/her heart.

Anyway, my initial guess is that this book is fairly basic. Basic can be boring when, like me, you consider yourself an "expert." Now, of course, that kind of admission is an admission of pride. But let's be honest, it's easy to get caught up in pride and a "been there, done that" mentality. And it's also easy to neglect the simple things, like the daily reading of God's Word and prayer. When's the last time I had a good quiet time? (shhh, don't tell. It's been a while.) I see a problem with where I'm at. Getting back to basics with a book like PDL will be good for me. Like any discipline, it won't always be fun (thus the "boring" tag), but if I plow through it and apply the principles, then it'll be good for me. I can see this as a blueprint for life.

Today's chapter touched on "What is my purpose?" I feel very fortunate in that my main vocation is a vision I believe the Lord gave me (there's that "vision" word again... I'm not too thrilled with that word, as it gets abused a bit, but I think it's accurate). By the grace of God, I am able to work on a magazine that has lofty goals and is kingdom-based. I can look at my 8-5 activities as something that helps people, edifying them in their faith. That's a real privilege and something that I think definitely drives me. It was certainly like having a light turned on and a path set before me. I didn't "figure this out" or start this magazine until my senior year in college (the summer before that last year, to be exact), so on one hand I felt like I was getting into it a little late, but I also knew that many people went through college and many years into a career or two before they figure out what they want to do (and it could be said "are supposed to do") with their life. I am indeed thankful for this. While running a magazine that's faith-based has had its challenges and frustrations, it is fulfilling and a dream coming true all the time.

I laughed and was wowed by the mention in the book today of James Dobson's goal to be the school's tennis champion. He was so proud of when they put his trophy in their display case. (Reminds me of our high school display case. A motocross racer named Terry Decker has a trophy in their for some school motocross race -- how cool is that?) Well, Mr. Dobson received this trophy a few years later, as someone mailed it to him. Seems they found it in a school trashcan after they remodeled. Ha! Wow! Talk about perspective! Makes you think about what's really important.

I hope that my pursuit of the goal/vision/purpose of HM Magazine doesn't crowd out my calling to be a husband and father and friend. I would hope that people feel loved by me. While I feel like my job is "important," I hope that it never shoves aside someone else's feelings or puts them down in pursuit of what I'm doing. I see movies like Cheaper By The Dozen and see Coach Steve Martin (ha!) tell his kids, "Can we get to this later?" and other various blow-offs that really devastate the kids who just want a little time and attention to their situation. I hope I can learn and act from seeing such examples. Thank God for movies and stories. I always need to keep learning lessons and growing. While PDL may not be a miracle or monumental growth area for me, I think it will be life and life is measured in growth (among other things). I think of plants...

--#81 (never caught a pass or scored a touchdown)

The Passion of the Cross

I was at a retreat for a college fellowship way back when and during a worship time I had a vivid picture in my head of Jesus on the cross. He was in agony. I'd heard that He perhaps had to dislocate His shoulders to take a breath (not sure if that's true), at worst having to push up on His feet (and that spike) in order to inhale a breath, which led to eventual suffocation (more reasonable explanation). His back was full of open wounds, pouring blood, pus, and bits of flesh being rubbed raw by the coarse wood of the cross. Pure agony. Well, I was lifting my hands in praise, just worshiping Him and praising Him for what He was doing and He looked down at me . . . and smiled.

I related this to the group after worship time and everyone looked at me with very unimpressed looks on their faces, almost a patronizing look of, 'That's nice, Doug,' and carry on. I was somewhat bummed that no one else seemed to get it. In my naiveity I prefaced what I saw with the line, "I had this impression in my imagination, where I saw..." I wasn't spiritual astute enough to call it a vision (and whenever I share this, I hear a Scripture rebuking those who "boast about visions seen," and it's hard to even share a vision, somehow in my mind I falsely equate sharing with boasting. Whatever.). Anyway, the main impact to me of the whole thing was how, in the midst of that pain -- that sheer agony -- Jesus was able to see forward about 2,000 years and see my worship, my redemption, and it made Him forget about the pain for a second and smile.

Sure, maybe it was just one of those moments in my mind that was just for me (probably the case, cuz I've never shared this with anyone that got anything out of it...oh well), but that burned an impression in me that I'm important to God. Of course, I am just one of billions of people that He created that are equally as important to Him, but that personal connection (I think) means so much to each of us. And that little "vision" sure brought that point home to me.

I've been trying to get a head start on some of my reviews (DVDs and CDs), as well as some "Hard News" gathering; all the while making sure I'm doing what I can to make this issue's ad sales plentiful. Tomorrow night is my oldest daughter's birthday. She'll be 8. It's also the P.O.D./Linkin Park show in San Antonio. That'd be a show I'd love to see. I heard one report today that a show in Oklahoma was solid -- a great "rock show."

The second chapter in The Purpose Driven Life reinforces the concept that God created you and that you were no accident. The memory verse (let's see if I can remember) says: "I am your creator. You were in my care even before you were born." (Isaiah 44:2) Whew! It helps to repeat it right after reading/memorizing it. I wonder how long it'll stay in my head...

This is almost impossible to fathom -- the concept of pre-destination. I haven't had much of a problem with it, because understanding that God is outside of time and doesn't experience it from the same perspective as us kinda helps me get my brain wrapped around it. The trouble I have is the part in the book that talks about every detail, even the moment of our death is planned out. My brain wants to protest and say, 'Wait a minute! I have the ability to crash my car with the flick of a wrist here.' I think I can make choices that are out of His will. I think the consequences of those choices have to be dealt with and, of course, someone outside of time could see that coming... Definitely a tangent and not what the author here is emphasizing, which is really probably the framework and foundation that God has a purpose and a will for our lives. We are no accident (even if our parents didn't plan for us). We are formed in the womb by the hand of God -- that's another one hard to fathom. I agree with the book, but am already thinking, 'Yeah, yeah, show me something I don't know already.'

--#81

A Purpose Driven Start

I was having a conversation with a friend last week, who was talking about the lack of hunger a lot of believers have for the Word. "...they're caught up in the latest fad, Purpose Driven This, Prayer of Jabez that, WWJD..." (a loose paraphrase) And my thought was, "Gosh, just because it's popular doesn't mean it's bad.

I also have a few friends that roll their eyes and moan out loud when anyone near them takes on such a "fad" or cultural phase, as if it somehow loses all validity once it is mass marketed and sold. It does sound a little crass when I'm made aware of all the companion tools I can buy to go along with this book (Scripture Keeper kit, a Journal, etc)... Granted, both friends' viewpoints are valid, but they also both sometimes miss something cool due to a high standard and/or elite attitude.

Like many other things in life, sometimes you do something without caring a "tinker's cuss" about what your friends may think.

An old friend from high school (our star running back) recently rededicated his life and brought up the idea of going through the book A Purpose Driven Lifetogether. This kind of thing can be fun and deepen friendships over common shared experiences, plus I'd heard hints of how powerful this book was impacting people, so I decided to say "yes." Yesterday, a good 4 weeks after my invitation, I purchased the book and am ready to begin.

Anyone else that wants to join along could use the comments field of this blog to do so. Lord willing, the next 40 days of posts won't get boring or steer too far away from the going-ons at HM Magazine, as those will surely show up here, too. My daughter's "I have the digital camera for 30 minutes in an ice cream shop" photographic gallery is just about used up (today's post is the last one), so I'm not sure what visuals I may or may not use.

Am listening to and ocassionally watching Opeth's DVD, Lamentations, in consideration of doing a "So & So Says" interview with them.

Day 1:
Okay, I've just read chapter 1.
I'm wondering how I'm going to start doing less (as my schedule and workload is incredibly busy) in my life, but I'm excited to try to find out how. To simplify my life a little bit would be awesome. I leave my job almost every day thinking, "Dang! If I only had 3 more hours to get more of this stuff done." I take that attitude home with me and it's hard to check it at the door, so to speak. If I could accomplish that with this book, I'd be stoked.

Memory verse: "God created all things, and they all find their purpose in Him." (Col 1:16b)

Bummer! I missed it:
"Everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him."

I was close!

Joke Etiquette

Yesterday I displayed what I call "bad joke etiquette." That is, I told a joke that a friend had told me to someone else, within 30 minutes of first hearing it and in the presence of the friend who told it. To help others keep from making the same mistake, I will post the Rules of Joke Etiquette here.

Rule 1: When you hear a good joke, whether it be a line from an Adam Sandler movie or whatever, you must not tell the joke in front of the person who told you (you might mess up the delivery and become "a joke" yourself).

Rule 2: Rehearse the joke in front of the mirror in the bathroom, practicing your delivery. Don't get caught, especially by the original joke teller, or you will become "a joke" yourself.

Rule 3: Never tell a joke in front of a crowd (more than 2 people) until you've first told the joke in front of one other person successfully. Make sure the person you told the joke in front of is not in this crowd (otherwise, see end of Rule 1).

Rule 4: Always know your audience. "Aggie" jokes, for instance, don't go over to well in College Station, TX. Certain audiences have certain standards of humor. Learn those standards. Otherwise, you could turn out worse than "a joke." You could be "a smoke," and that's in past tense, bud.

Rule 4.5: Always have audience appropriate material handy. Impressing your mother in law or distant family can earn major points (these points can make you much more beloved, believe it or not...).

Rule 5: Never use jokes to "one-up" on another joke teller (unless you are prepared to deal with the consequences of humiliating someone else in a crowd (see end of rule 4).

Rule 6: Once you've elevated yourself through joke-telling experience, never follow Rule #2 again (you are bound to get caught).

Rule 7: In a crowd, when the jokes start going around, resist the temptation to jump in and tell that joke that you're really not prepared to deliver. There's nothing worse than fouling up the punch line or stopping just short of it and saying, "oh, I forgot the punch line." This is worse than being a "joke," and almost as bad as being a "smoke." This person is just a sad bloke. People will be apt to come up to you later, pat you on the back, and say, "Sorry about the joke, man. Anything I can do for you?" (resist the temptation to lash out here. Just take your lumps and learn)

Rule 8: The power of the "inside joke" only works in the inner circle. Having to explain your joke to people is like holding up a sign that says "Loser."

Rule 9: Leave jokes that make fun of people for their gender (or race, income-level, beauty (or perceived lack of it), faith, weight, and sense of fashion) at home or tucked inside that place where you stuff inappropriate thoughts. Don't let it out or you'll get labelled a "poke" and stand a good chance of enacting what we like to call "a little church discipline" (this is especially important to avoid if there are weightlifters and professional boxers in your circle of friends.

Rule 10: Remember who you've told what jokes to, and don't repeat the joke to anyone who's already heard it (we're back to the end of Rule 1 here).

Perhaps we can keep adding to this list with our handy "comments" function.

That Sick Feeling...

I was conversing with a photographer who helped us out with the last issue -- getting us a photo for a last-minute article we ran. He was following up and we were talking about the future together... And then I noticed.

The article where we used his picture... Well, it was missing something...
That something was his photo credit!

sigh.

The ensuing feeling was one of a heavy heart. The feeling of utter failure and letting someone that depended on you just a bit -- letting them down stinks. Smelly stink. Not a good feeling.

Well, as much of a drag as this is, we will try to make it right and work things out with this guy.

Moving on is so much easier said than done. God is good, however, and focusing on that makes our cares seem smaller.

Ahh, relief from the misery! It makes any consequences face-able and smaller, too.

It's Sleeting in Austin

It's cold outside! It's too warm for the sleet to stick, but it's coming down in little tiny ice particles. Should be meeting up with Lonny and Lee today for lunch for an old-time reunion. Michael Bloodgood and his wife may come along, too. That should be fun.

We're going to do a "status check" on the May/June issue today, to make sure all the stories are moving along as they should be.

Found an interesting verse today:

"Now Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph..."

Interesting way of putting that, huh? (From Luke 3:23) I love the way the narrative is so honest and personal, offering little details like that.

Sweet Fingers

Oh my!
I feel like I have a hold of the very best album in the entire world tonight. As I was on my way to the office tonight (so I can try to catch up and get some stuff done, as I'll take some hours off tomorrow to hang out with Michael Bloodgood, who is in town), I popped in that CD that Fernando Hernandez promised me. Man, I'm not sure how many copies of these songs have been burned, but I guess it's only a small handful of friends, and oh my gosh, does it sing. He starts off track one with some loud and crying volume swells (that's what it sounds like to me, at least) and goes into the Bread song "If." That has long been one of my favorite ballads ("...if a picture paints a thousand words, then why can't I paint you..."). This instrumental version has that guitar singing like the most melodic vocalist anywhere. I bet I'm the only one in the whole world enjoying this piece of musical beauty tonight. I feel like "King of the world!"

:?)

The other tracks are quite impressive, with big fat tones and melodic playing a la Trower, Uli, and a lil Hendrix. The high point thus far (I'm only on track 5, and I think there's five tracks...) is that beautiful "If." I'm so happy for Fern. If I was Mike Varney, I'd be getting a contract printed immediately. With a little cleaning up (maybe replacing what's gotta be a drum machine with a real player), this could be mass produced and sold to an appreciative public. If I could play like that, I'd keep a constant smile on my face. Wow.

Well, I better get to work here. Organizing some files that haven't been looked at in years.

PRAYER REQUEST:
A dear friend of mine called tonight: "...your friend Colin called me about advertising..." and mentioned that their daughter, Arwyn, is in intensive care. If you could lift that girl up (by name) in prayer, please do. Thanks. What's weird is I don't have anyone by the name of Colin making advertising calls for me (I hope).

In 3-D

No Glasses Needed.

Today I've been sorting and answering and sorting.
Saw an old letter from Sean Sellers. He was a satanist who killed his parents in cold blood as an homage to the devil. In prison he came to Christ. He wrote me a letter back in the day, offering to write an article for Heaven's Metal Magazine and/or write an article on satanism for us. I never took him up on it, and now I regret it (since he was executed a few years ago).

I've got some fun articles I'm going to post on the site, which have been sent to us over the years. We've got a million photos to file and go through (and throw away some we probably won't ever use).

Oh, I saw copies of the new issue of HM yesterday. It really looks different. Kinda shocking, actually. A great layout from start to finish, I must say.

Gotta go.

Spontaneous Combustion

My friend Fernando Hernandez, a guitarist from San Antonio, called me this morning to ask if I received the cd he made for me. He said he wrote a blues song on the spot that recalls Frank Marino, Uli Roth, Robin Trower, and Jimi Hendrix. He called it "Spontaneous Combustion." He's really a world class player. He used to be in a melodic power metal band in the 80s called Paradox. He is truly jaw-dropping good. The last time I saw him, he bent the vibrato bar with his elbow in a high speed jam solo.

Frank Marino, a believer, by the way, has an "audio trailer" of his new double live cd on his website (link above).

While The Cat's Away...

...and play I have!

Our Managing Editor, David Allen, is taking a well deserved vacation in Florida (and actually sneaking in some work, visiting Underoath in the studio to balance out his cover story with some studio time to complement the 3 shows he spent with them on the road last month), and I am enjoying having some of the little tiny responsibilities being absent, like making sure I set a good example and arrive on time for work in the morning, and stuff like that. Not that I'm perfect, but I do try to do good in that area, because it subtly promotes consistency on other levels.

Anyway, this morning I was able to spend some time with my wife and casually get to work around 9 am, rather than the rush to be here at 8am. Plus my wife and I went out to lunch together at the oh-so Texan Sonic drive-in today, as we made a trip to the local landfill to dump off an old and crappy desk and filing cabinets. Can you believe the landfill charged us $5 to dump off that trash? I understand the reasoning behind it, but it's like paying an annoying toll on a stupid toll road (I should be able to drive for free, not shell out coins to travel down the asphalt!). Back when I was in high school out in the Mojave Desert, we could go scavenge at the local landfill ... as well as experiment with the aerodynamics of vinyl albums across the canyon. Nice memories.

Should I interview Opeth for "What Opeth Says?" Who else should I talk to? Anyone heard anything about the new Tesla single having spiritual overtones?

Oh, my latest guilty pleasure: For my birthday I received Greatest Hits CDs by REO Speedwagon, Styx, Foreigner, David Bowie, and Robert Plant (even though this Sixty Six To Timbuktu is more a "rarities" album...). In the fade out to the first track on Mr. Plant's latest 2-disc album, "Tie Die On The Highway," there's the repeated lines of "3 days, 3 days ... Jesus loves ya, Jesus loves ya..." Interesting. I once had 3rd row tickets to the Austin date on his first solo tour, and before the encore I held up a sign that said, "Jesus loves you." He looked right at me and silently said with his lips, "I know." A few people around me made sure I saw his response. I wonder how much of his response was spontaneous and how much was said just to get me to put the sign down. :?)

Mark Salomon's book, Simplicity, is a great read -- tons of good stories. Check it out at www.Skeypub.com

Have a great day. It's cold and rainy here outside. Not a great day to get muddy at a landfill. But those tator tots at Sonic are awesome.

Maroon Rascals 12 : Blue Team 14

Man, it was that close! I am the gametime coach of my 5-year old's "Little Dribblers" basketball team. We just got back from easily the best game of the season. Miles, Kobe, and Junior all scored points and them Rascals almost pulled out an upset.

That was fun. David and his bride are off to Disney World this weekend, which should be a ton of fun for them. I'm so excited for them, having a chance at some fun in the sun. While there David is going to touch base with Underoath, who will be in the studio. The cover story for the next issue is shaping up to be great. I can't wait to read it.

What else is new...? Hmmm, we're working on stories on Pedro, Zao, Pillar, and Cannibal Corpse Says, to name a few. What else? My wife found a contest called "Families That Rock," which I applied for. We got a phone call the next day and were asked to film a video interview to send in. We chose our "rival family," who are good friends of ours and the worship leaders at our church (Calvary Chapel, Austin). Their daughters are good friends with ours and the same age. That would be bizarre and fun if we end up participating more in that. Besides that, boring stuff like helping in cleaning up the house.

Encouragement Helps Tenfold

It could even help 100-fold. It's pretty near impossible to measure these things.

Case in point: I played football in high school. I was not a standout player. I got my name in the paper a couple times for some good plays, but I certainly wasn't a star on our team by any stretch. Anyway, my senior year I had hurt my back (motocrossing in the desert the weekend between the first "hell week" -- meaning two-a-day practices -- of conditioning and the second "hell week" in pads. Real smart.), and I was in the locker room with our trainer during PE class. I was sitting in the whirlpool as our trainer, Orbin Love, Senior was applying that heat generating muscle relaxer jelly to my back (made me smell like Bengay the entire rest of the day!). I complained to him about my lack of size for my position. At linebacker, I was a small 5' 10" and 165 lb. slow guy (5.3 40 yard dash time). He replied, "that doesn't matter ... you can be a tiger out there." That little bit of encouragement gave me SO much confidence. It really meant the world to me that someone else could see me succeeding at my position, and he gave me a heck of a visual picture to motivate me.

Our coaches used to say, "In football, it's 90% confidence, and 10% talent." I so believe that at the high school level. If I was to somehow take my brain and put it in my young body through some sort of time travel, I believe I could be a standout player -- or at least make a lot of standout plays in the course of a game. I believe this foremost because I have the confidence now that I lacked as a timid 17-year old. It helps that I have a better understanding of the game.

This is true in so many areas beyond sports. Encouragement builds confidence and it also strokes us in a place that for some reason desperately needs it. I hope I can remember that so I can somehow help others in this way. Sometimes the right word of encouragement spoken at the right time can unleash or somehow boost or trigger someone's potential to go for it. And that is very cool.

PS> Oh yeah, we have a new Intern! And that means a new installment of "The Intern Diaries," found under "online exclusives" (Colin Hobbs is at the top of the list). Check it out.