Today the new iPhone from Apple was released to the public. For months now we have been subjected to advertisements on tv, radio and other venues trying to get our attention about the new phone. Apple claims that this is the best iPod that they have ever made, they also claim that it is the best wireless phone on the market today. At this time it is only available on the AT&T network, which is supposed to help AT&T surge ahead of the competition hands down. The question is --- Do you want one?

In this day of keeping up with the Jones's, it is hard not to want one of these new gadgets. I use my wireless phone a lot, and I also get frustrated with it a lot. My wireless company claims to have the least dropped calls of any network. This may be a true statement, but let me tell you -- my phone drops a lot of calls! I cannot use my wireless phone inside the church building, or some grocery stores, and many other places. I drive down 12th street to go to and from the church. Everytime I get to Sippo Lake, my phone dies for several minutes. My phone is a SLIVER (last years latest technology craze). Maybe it's my phone and not the network. I also have NO COVERAGE in Holmes County and Carroll County.

What I really want is a wireless phone that works when I need it. Yes, I would love to have the iPhone. I would love to beat all my friends to the punch. If I had my way, I would have a new wireless phone every year but my budget tells me otherwise. The iPhone starts at $500.00 for the 4GB version and is $600.00 for the 8GB version. The monthly service ranges from $60.00 per month up to $100.00 per month. Today there were people waiting in lines for 10 hours or more to purchase one of these phones. Apple and AT&T is limiting each customer to two phones at this time.

I wonder who will be the first of my friends to get one? Perhaps they will let me play with it a bit.

Hayden planetarium in New York City ran an advertisement in New York newspapers inviting those who would like to make the first journey to another planet to submit an application. Within a matter of days, over 18,000 people applied. These applications were then given to a panel of psychologists, who upon reviewing them concluded that the vast majority of those who had applied wanted to start a new life on another planet because they were so discouraged by life on this one.

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Often we hear about religion in the news, in the paper, online, really all over the place. Many people think they find "religion" when they start to attend church, or join a religious group and start to attend its meetings regularly. I often find people who place themselves into bondage because of religious rules that they place upon themselves. John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came so that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly. I will never be convinced that this abundant life is through rules and regulations. On Sunday mornings at 9:00 A.M. HeBrews Coffee House is studying Henry Cloud's Book, Boundaries. While we should all have boundaries in our lives, these boundaries should have gates in them so that we can let the good inside and put the bad outside of our lives. Religion is bondage. Religion is boundaries with no gates. (more)

So, what is a blog anyway? It seems that everyone is doing it these days. Many of my friends have blogs, some of the latest church periodicals say that churches who are "in the know" have blogs. Why am I doing a blog?

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about blogs: "A blog (a portmanteau of web log) is a website where entries are written in chronological order and displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog), sketchblog, videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog), or audio (podcasting), and are part of a wider network of social media.

In May 2007, blog search engine Technorati was tracking more than 71 million blogs.

So, with all of that being said, why am I doing a blog? The answer is -- I don't know really. I was just curious to see if anyone would read it. With 71 million blogs -- why would anyone read mine? I have a friend in North Carolina who has had a blog for two years and has only had one comment submitted and it was negative. I am full of thoughts, and am as opinionated as the next guy. So, maybe we can call this the great experiment -- or it's just a way to say what is on my mind without having to bother someone else directly. We'll see. Maybe I'll just delete it one day. But for now -- I have entered the blogosphere!!!!!!