Blackberry Tour Update

I’ve had my Blackberry Tour since early August, and am very satisfied with the quality and features. It’s a great phone which allows me to do a lot of things I find very helpful. For those who have never owned a smart phone, I can tell you, this is a wonderful device. There is a learning curve, but help is easily found if you run into problems or need some information.

Like Linux, the looks are highly customizable; you can make it suit your personal needs or leave it stock. Personally, I enjoy adding new themes and tweaking things for that “just right” look. I don’t have it yet, but it’s almost there. I’m looking for a free Florida Gators theme – does anyone know of one for the Tour?

There are literally hundreds of free ringtones available for the Tour and other phones, too. It’s hard to pick just the right one, though. I have found a great feature on this phone: you can turn any song you have loaded into a ringtone. Some of my favorite genres are Contemporary Christian, Big Band, and Swing. I had “Minnie the Moocher” as a ringtone last week for several days. It was a hoot!

I love the Bible app called “YouVersion” and use it often. If you’re interested, there’s a link on the right side of my blog; drop by the site and see if it suits your needs. There are about 40 bible versions you can choose from, and a host of other features you will enjoy using.

Last week my wife and I were looking for a particular place and the only information we had was the phone number and a road name. No one was home to answer the phone, so we took off trying to find the place. We looked for a while and decided to head back home. Well, my wife was driving and I thought about an app called “poynt”; I fired it up and began looking for the house. It wasn’t long before I had the street address and a map showing directions how to get to the destination. That was a great find.

Text messaging blocked as I don’t use that feature. I would probably do the occasional text, but really see no need for it. There are many people who spend most of their time sending and receiving text messages, but that is something which has no appeal to me.

Anyway, following are a couple of screenshots of my Tour. I’m using an app called ZonaSnap to take pictures of my screen. Hope you enjoy.

BBampd Silver Theme

This is my current theme just installed today.

BBampd with Aqua Spidey

Priority Fonts Media Theme

I really like this one, too.

Bible Study Questions – August 26

We had another great bible study tonight at Liberty Lighthouse Church of God. There was some very good discussion, and we learned some new things, too. It’s good to see people getting involved in these studies; everyone has something to add and no one knows it all. We can certainly learn from each other.

The questions we discussed tonight were not particularly difficult, but they did gender lots of interaction. I really like to dig into the background to get details. It’s important to read more than just the answer so we can determine why we’re there in the first place.

Ready? Here are the questions:

1. What is our reward when we keep our mind stayed on the Lord?
2. Where is the story of a man lame for 38 years?
3. Where is the tongue compared to a fire?

Okay, let’s put up the answers. Please don’t hold back answering because someone else did. You might have more to add to the discussion or might look at it from a different angle.

How Good Will the Gators be This Year?

Florida Gators logo

Anyone following this blog knows this author is a Gator fan. There are probably plenty of people who disagree with me on my choice of schools, but that is perfectly okay with me. Choice is not necessarily a bad thing here. Personally, I can’t understand why anyone would beg to differ with me on this matter, but it does happen.

Along with scores of other collegiate fans, I am patiently awaiting the start of the football season, and especially SEC play. There just is no other conference that can match the intensity, strength, speed and power of the teams which make up the Southeastern Conference of Division 1 football. Sure, there are lots of conferences which have powerful, high-quality teams, but when the entire conference is examined together, I would have to declare the SEC a definite winner.

It certainly looks like the Florida Gators will be a strong contender for another shot at the BCS National Title; the offense is truly impressive and the defense has come back practically intact from last year. There are several new players to watch out for this year on both sides of the ball – players who have shown great progress during the summer and who will definitely be able to make positive contributions to the team effort.

There is one question mark that definitely needs to be answered, and I believe Gator fans are ready to see the results. What will this team do without Percy Harvin? The talented play maker is no longer wearing orange and blue with his former team mates as he opted to turn pro. I wish him much success in this endeavor. Many will tell you they wish he would have stayed for another year, but that didn’t happen and we must move on.

According to Orlando Sentinel Staff Reporter Jeremy Fowler, Jeff Demps and Andre Debose have big shoes to fill, but by all accounts, that task is looking pretty good. These two guys are not only speedy, but have working hard to learn the Gator system and are being coached to carry out a variety of roles. It’s not about individual brilliance, but it is about how well these guys can can help the team win.

One more thing, then I’ll go for now. We do have a pretty good quarterback in the person of Tim Tebow. While talking with a Penn State fan today, I heard the typical remark about Tebow’s shortcomings and how he’s not a great quarterback. Watch out everyone, the man is healthy for the first time in a long while. Tebow is a great leader who knows how to work and get his team mates on the same page with him.

With all that’s going on at Florida, it looks like a good year. Are there any Florida Gator fans out there?

Bible Study Questions – August 19

Image from ChristianArt.com

I’m one week late getting these questions into my blog post, but there is a very good reason for the delay. The pastor was out of town last week on some very important business, and was unable to post these until tonight. Anyway, it’s time to get your bibles and whatever study aids you use so we answer the questions. Are you ready?

As always, I want to see some background information when you leave your comments. Let me know the scripture reference(s), main characters and why we are there. Give as much detail as you possibly can, as others will be reading your comments, and this is a time of instruction and learning.

In my opinion, this is a great way to study the scriptures; it is certainly not the only method. Let me so bold as to recommend a book to you in case you would like additional instruction regarding the subject of bible study. Learn to Study the Bible is an excellent resource, and you would do well to take a look for yourselves. There are more books to look at here.

1. Where is the story of 300 men fighting with trumpets & pitchers in their hands?
2. What is the whole duty of man?
3. Where is the story of four men tearing a roof up to get to Jesus?

Okay, you have the questions, so it’s time to get the answers.

Please don’t answer because someone else did. You just might have a different perspective and can add more details. Thanks.

My New Blackberry Tour Smartphone

From engadget Mobile

After much deliberation and shopping around, I finally bought a Blackberry smartphone. With so many to choose from, it wasn’t an easy task, but in the end, my wife and both got new phones from the carrier we’ve been with for several years – Verizon. We have had good customer service with them and it is a large carrier with an enormous presence.

These devices are pocket computers and can do so many things. You can send and receive e-mails, post on your blog, surf the net, shop on-line, pay bills, and the list goes on. I like technology.

My clerk told me a story today about a man who has nearly 4,000 contacts on Twitter (I don’t have that and have never used the app). A short while ago, while sitting in his church, as the pastor was preaching this man was on his mobile device. After the service, the pastor asked about it and the man replied “Pastor, what you said was so good and I wanted all my contacts to hear about it, so I typed and sent it. Another friend did the same thing for about 3,000 contacts. In the church, your message was heard by about 135 people, but in a matter of a couple of minutes, about 7,000 people were able to read about what you spoke.” That’s good enough for me!

Some of you may know of my disdain for Apple products, and I wasn’t about to put money into their coffers again. Admittedly, the iPhone has a certain appeal, and there are scores of apps to choose from. The people I know who own them say nothing but good about quality and ease of use. Those aspects of the Apple design are probably very true, but Apple turned me away some time ago. Their choosing to purposely break the iTunes database so it wouldn’t work in Linux was the clincher for me.

Anyway, after researching for a while, my list came down to the Blackberry 8900 from T-Mobile, the Palm Pre from Sprint or the Blackberry Tour from Verizon or Sprint. Having never used any one of the devices very much, I had to rely on research, and occasionally, users who had similar devices. One of the pastors at our recent PCG Facilitator’s Retreat had the Pre, and it certainly looked nice. The video features alone had me nearly convinced to go with Sprint, but it didn’t happen. I actually got to look at the Tour a few days before it went on sale. I was pretty convinced when that happened.

The folks at the local Verizon store have been very helpful and patient with me as I let the questions fly. After a little over a week, I’m getting the hang of it and am even being productive. There’s lots to learn and new apps to try out. Actually, the salesman I spoke with today at the store was impressed I had so many apps installed; he said most new users take a long time to get the full potential out of their mobile devices. I am no expert, and that’s verifiable.

Here’s what I’ve got installed now in no particular order:

• Bolt – a fast browser
• Slacker Radio – internet radio
• Facebook – you know what this is
• Blackberry App World
• Opera Mini – another browser
• AP News – news from the Associated Press
• Google Sync – Syncs my Google Address Book and Calendar to Blackberry
• WeatherBug – gets weather for cities you assign
• QuickPull – Simulates a battery pull in order to reset the device – very handy
• Google Maps – free maps that uses the GPS function of the Blackberry
• Viigo – RSS, Weather, Sports, and tons more. Very nice app.
• Bible – This is from YouVersion and is an extremely versatile Bible app. Lots of helpful resources.
• BuzzMe – Buzz and ring together
• Poynt – GPS enabled app including Yellow Pages, White Pages and Movies. Excellent.

Here’s something I’ll be installing shortly: LifeInPocket

Do you use a Blackberry? Which one? What are some of your favorite apps and why?

This Week’s Featured Blog – CindyBeall.com

One of my favorite things to do is write about blogs which have affected my life in a positive way. There are so many writers out there who do not interest me, some who have disappointed me, and others who have spoken wonderful things into my spirit. We bloggers don’t mind testifying about friends and acquaintances we’ve met along the way.

One blog I have enjoyed and interacted with many times is CindyBeall.com. Cindy has an amazing story to tell, and you will find real life on the pages of her blog. She and her husband Chris have been in ministry for several years and now reside in Oklahoma with their three boys.

Cindy writes about ministry, children, motherhood, mentoring and writes from a heart of compassion. Cindy is a great writer who won’t overwhelm you with word pictures you can’t understand, and that is of great worth. I won’t say more; you’ll just have to read her excellent blog to find out what I’m writing about. There is real ministry going on here, and you would do well to visit and spend some time reading her words of wisdom.

Before closing, I would just like to tweak your interest regarding Chris and Cindy’s unique ministry. They came through great fires in their lives and Cindy has written much about the subject. According to her posts and comments others have left, God has taken a situation the enemy meant for harm, turned it around, and made this incredible couple able ministers of the grace of God. Go and see for yourselves.

This Week’s Featured Blog – my life as ecclesiastic bohemian

Now that the title is out of the way, it’s time to describe this week’s featured blog. I’ve not always known about the term ecclesiastic bohemian, and probably for good reason. In just a bit, I’ll lead you to the reason for the naming of this incredible blog; hold on for a little while longer and you’ll see why the title is what it is. Let’s review: my life as ecclesiastic bohemian (EB)

My wife and I personally know the owner of this blog; we are acquainted with her family through ministerial ties in central Florida. Before really getting to know them as much as we would have liked, off they went to another part of our wonderful state (home of the Florida Gators, BTW) to continue their ministry. We miss them, but know they are working hard to bring the gospel of Christ to that part of the world, and I am grateful to know them.

Here’s what she says about her blog:

So there you have it. I’m not an avant-garde artist who is totally unconventional and out there, but I am not exactly like any other pastor’s wives around here. I’m a little bit different. I’m churchy for an artist, I’m arty and a little weird for a minister’s wife.

The rest of the story here.

This blog is a compilation of many subjects. You’ll find practical ways to dry your laundry outside, laugh at funny cartoons, be thrilled with photos of adventures as she and her “Big Daddy” fly in an airplane and a host of other rich topics. EB doesn’t post as often as she wants, but when she does, it’s always a gem. Please drop by and visit for a while; you’ll be so glad you did.