...places to go

I think that everyone has a place that they go to. I think that this place can be in the middle of a crowded area, or in the silence of a room, this place I believe can also exist in a realm that the eye cannot see…a dimension where only the imagination can take you.



I realized just the other day as I was sitting at my desk writing that I have neglected my place. This exposed a cord deep within my soul…a note that released anger and sadness. You see my place is my desk…it is where I am surrounded by my books…my old journals…my watches…and lots of pictures and photographs, that for me, carry deep meaning, and great stories. I guess you could say that a lot of my passions surround me as I sit at my desk. These passions are some of the sources that rejuvenate me, and breath new life in me when I am dry and empty.



One of my favorite things to do is to sit at my desk early in the morning. Sometimes I just sit there...while other times I will write and journal. One constant while I am at my desk is that I tend to listen to Album Leaf and disappear for while…I sometimes imagine my desk as my Wardrobe that leads me to Narnia.



So why the anger and sadness? Well, I noticed while in the middle of my semester at the seminary that I wasn’t spending enough time in my place. Instead I was lost in books that I had to read for class, and papers that I had to write, and please don’t get me wrong…these are good things, necessary things even…but my soul was taking a beating because of it. And it wasn’t the seminaries fault…it was mine. I wasn’t making time for my place. And the sweet irony of it all was that I would sit at my desk for hours working for my classes…sitting in the exact place that had the potential to rejuvenate me, and breath new life in me…but I didn’t think I had time.



[Silence]



So where is your place?...If you are so willing would you describe it to me?...I wish there was a way to post pictures when you comment on someone’s blog because then you could post a photograph along with you description.

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

heart.soul.mind.
kyle diroberts

christian radio

I once was teaching at a church and it was right around Christmas, and for whatever reason I told the people that I didn’t like Christmas music. If that wasn’t bad enough to say publicly (I spell checked this word like 5 times because I didn’t want to say pubicly), the only other thing that I could think of to say next was to compare Christmas music to what would be in my opinion K-Love on steroids. It was great. About half the people just sat there looking at me. Others shook their heads (left to right) and smiled at me, and yet I got one laugh all the way in the back, but that was from one of my closest friends. Overall, I think the joke was a hit…kinda. I will never forget my friends’ laugh...it was so loud! So K-Love…For those of you who might not know, K-Love is a Christian radio station. I’m not sure what station it is all over the place, but I do know that it is 105.5 in Phoenix.

K-Love is a radio station that I think that all Christians should listen to at least once in their life. I really think that it is a experience when you listen to it. I always get the feeling that everyone working there has never had a bad day. But luckily they are there to give the people listening verses to help them get through their bad days. I just wish that one day they would at least admit that they have had a bad day in their life, and that it sucked, and that the bible helped them, or some verse in particular helped them. Anyways, that was a bit of a side note. Probably the thing that I dislike the most about K-Love is their pledge drives. They are a commercial free station, and in order to be commercial free they have to raise support from their listeners. I don’t know how often they do these pledge drives, but I feel like every time I turn on that station they are asking for more money. I think that I would rather listen to commercials. I understand that this is their livelihood and so they need to raise support, but they do it in such a way that I feel as though they guilt their listening into giving money. Here is some examples that my friend Jim wrote down during their last pledge drive. These are quotes that were said on air:

“Worship is the most evangelical thing we can do give $32 a month”

“Set up the $32 a month on monthly withdrawal…it will make it easier for you”

“Imagine withdrawing $20 from the ATM and how quickly it goes to waste”

“You have 4 minutes to call in and make your donation, then we are doing our Power Pac giveaway”

“We had ___ people come to Christ last ____”
(Praise God that people made decisions to follow Christ, but they make it sound like it was K-Love that saved them and now God.)

“Help us tell someone about Jesus, call ___ or visit our website to make your donation”
(Caller called to say how much the station helped him) “You all heard how much this station means to him, give because you care.”

“If you’re one of those very special people who cares about others, call now”

Over and over again are quotes just like these. Often you will hear callers call in and talk about how great K-Love is, and then in passing say something about God, or Jesus, or the Bible. I really wonder sometimes who is more important. I mean we know the obvious answer, but it does get cloudy sometimes.

Okay, so I just sounded really critical. Honestly, that wasn’t my intension. If anything my intention was to make us aware of some of the things that are being said on this radio station. At times I laugh, but at other times I get really frustrated, and mad because when Christian radio stations say the things that K-Love says, it often times does more harm then good. Making someone feel bad, or making someone feel as though it is their evangelistic job to give money, or making people believe that K-Love is the main source of all these peoples salvation, so that they give money…I think that is wrong. Don’t you?

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Does it bother you the way that K-Love tries to get a Christians money?

heart.soul.mind.
kyle diroberts