Why You're Not Happy

Yahoo ran this article yesterday, it's title being used for this blog post as well.

Its funny, my boy Adam and I had this discussion over the holidays.

Maybe we're not happy because we are pursuing the wrong things to make us happy?

In other words, happiness is attainable, but you have to change the ends of happiness and the means to attain that.

"He who seeks to lose his life for my sake will find it."

My sister is engaged!!!!

Kelly and Doug, freshly betrothed.

Mustoe Christmas #3

Me, the Mrs. and my Grandma

A Mustoe Christmas Dont Stop

Christmas morn

After four Christmas eve services last night, Sarah and I have
completed our first Christmas morning together! She got me an Iron
Man bobble head, who we see paying his respects at the manger.

"The Greatest Gift"

Here's a video we made for Sunday. Big ups to my boy Loggy (who is pictured below).If you'd like to see the others click here

"Dirty Santa"

At our staff Christmas party we have a "White Elephant" gift exchange, or what some may call "Dirty Santa". My boy Loggy and I decided to wrap up some pictures of us in some different sized frames/felt ornaments/a snowglobe. May they spread Christmas joy to you and yours:

"You're going to make fun of me on the internet aren't you"

So, there Sarah and I are at Michael's looking for various things. And she can't figure out why the "E" in mouse is missing.....The blog title was her response.

Christmas Music Update

My friends all know that I'm nuts about Christmas music. Last year my sister and I came up with a pretty sweet compilation. So this year, I have some additions to recommend:

Glory in the Highest | Shane and Shane I listen to this from top to bottom all the time. Now, if you don't like S&S you definitely won't enjoy this. Their harmonies and guitar parts are ridiculous. But sometimes they can get a little like Boyz II Men at the end of their songs when they're really goin after it... "Although we've come, to the EEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNDDDD OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOF THE ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDD". This is my favorite new Christmas music this year.

Other Noteworthy Additions:
Winter Song | Sara Bareilles This song is very pretty. "December has seemed so long, you're not where you belong, inside my arms." Whew! Not cheesy when you listen to it, promise.

Jingle All the Way | Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Yule tide Banjo.

Feliz Navidad | Los Lonely Boys I'll admit, most of the reason I like this song it because it makes me think of Taco Johns Nachos Navidad

Finally, check out this powerful rendition of O Holy Night. This was sent to me by my friend Dan who is a Vocal Performance/Sacred Music grad-student at UMKC. It defies further description.

Its Happening

So I'm hanging out with Middle Schoolers on their half day today.

We're playing some Christmas jams, and one of my favorites "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" by Nsync comes up.

The kids don't even know Nsync ever existed. They have no idea who they are.

I'm getting old.

Rude Awakening

So I'm getting ready this morning, and being winterish outside I had a bit of dry skin on the ol' noggin. I get out Sarah's moisterizing face lotion to remedy my "shkin" situation, and it explodes all over me.

The future is here

When my buddy krueger end to Japan a couple years ago he told me about
the vending machines there. You could enter your cell phone number,
select a drink, and they'd bill it to your cell. This isn't quite as
cool, but at chesterfield mall they now have a coke machine that
accepts credit cards! Pretty cool.

What in the World is Going On?

So I'm on Amazon snoopin around for some books to put on the ol' Christmas list, and I see this:

What In the World Is Going On? Ten Propehtic Clues You Cannot Afford to Ignore

Ah yes, no better subject for ranting than Christian literature.

To be fair, I haven't read the book. And I won't. I know all I need to know from the description:

It is hard to piece together all this information in a way that gives a comprehensive picture of what the end times will look like. That's why so many theories abound. And that's why Dr. David Jeremiah has written What In the World Is Going On?, a unique book that cuts through the hundreds of books and numerous theories to identify the essential 10 most important bible prophecies.

AKA "Yeah, we know theres a ton of other books like this out there, but they all suck and this one is right."

Also, note that they are trying to compell you to purchase the book by relying on fear. "Clues you cannot afford to ignore." Right. This is the same tactic the local news uses right before the commercial before they tell you about the dangers of salmonella tracings on your child's lunch tray.

The book offers scriptural enlightenment on the following subjects:
- The oil crisis
- The resurgence of Russia
- The new axis of evil
- The importance of Israel
- The new powers of the European Union

Now, we all know its easy just to rip on stuff and never really offer anything yourself. So here's my take: Whats wrong with the world can be seen when a Wal-Mart clerk is crushed beneath a mob of blood, er, bargain thirsty shoppers. When a man who is clearly dying, being treated by emergency response crews is casually passed by because BluRay DVD players are 10% off, we can see what is wrong with the world. I don't think scripture is meant to be twisted into an ethnocentric magic 8 Ball and I don't think we need to see another Christian prophecy book. Rant on!

Back in the saddle

Hello friends. I've been absent as of late. I didn't think any one really noticed, but I received a couple of comments within a short span that reminded me that sometimes people do check this thing, and think of me as a bum when the posts have been so infrequent.

So, today I resolved myself to resurrect my electronic presence. Both on here and Facebook; plus Brad and Adam have both posted. So I gotta keep up with them.

Here's the Rundown:
-Election
-Quantum of Solace
-Holidays
-Funny Stories

Election So I put up a post from my phone the night of the election. It was a neat event to witness for sure. I watched the quarter million people at that park in Chicago and I just don't have that much hope that all of a sudden everything is going to be awesome. BUT many people a two generations ago would've laughed you out of the room if you told them there would be a black president. I just hope we don't lose the urgency for alternative fuel with gas prices falling, although I'm not exactly complaining. It was $1.49 in St. Louis today! I almost offered to fill a strangers tank up.

Quantum of Solace This movie was awesome. Daniel Craig is a man, baby! Sure, some of the scenes were over the top; the plane chase in particular. But isn't that why we saw the movie in the first place? There were about 19-23 times that I said "that was awesome" under my breath.

Holidays Sarah and I are having our first go around with Thanksgiving and Christmas as a married couple. Christmas is something I take very seriously, and I've got some fresh recommendations for the sounds of the season for later on. The Mrs. and I went and bought some decorations. Including the search for the perfect Mustoe Family Christmas Tree: a 4.5 foot pre-lit beauty. It is beyond my ability to describe how great it was to put it up. We're going to KC Wednesday night thru Sunday. For Thanksgiving i'm smoking a turkey! So I'll try and have some progress updates with that adventure.

Funny Stories I had a "you know you're married now" moment at last week. Sarah and I were at the grocery last week:

Me: "Hey, you want to get some of that pulled pork again?"
Sarah: "No! You remember how that made me sick last time?"
Me: "...ya, but thats because you got the spicy kind."

Also, last Saturday I bought a new holiday sweater. We have church directory pictures coming up, and its always good to be festive right? So I get one from Target and wear it to church last Sunday. Jordan, one of my students says "Hey, Justin (his brother) bought that sweater too. He wore it to our church pictures." I tell him to call his brother in order to alert him to not wear his sweater. Jordan says "Got it, I'll call him."

Sure enough Jordan called his brother. Only he said: "Hey, Adam wants to see your new sweater." Well played Jordan, well played.We thought it was a bit like a before and after weight loss shot.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody, I'm back!

Speech

Just watched Obama's speech in Chicago. What blows my mind are all the
people that have voted today that coudnt when they were my age because
of their skin color, and yet a man who couldn't have ridden in the
front of a bus in the 1960s is the president elect. I think Jesse
Jackson says and does many, many stupid things. But when I see his
reaction it's a peak at the significance of this election. More later
this week.

Sent from my phone

Sent from my phone

I Got Served

So after last Sunday's loss in our Fantasy Football League
my fellow staff member and fantasy victor Michael has the entire staff sign a grief card for me. Nice. Here are some highlights:

"Adam, thinking of you in this difficult time"
"Adam, you're a winner just for playing"
"Adam, you suck"
and my personal favorite-
"Adam, I will be lifting you up in this time of loss and despair. But you know- I just have to believe that at this point in your life you should be pretty used to losing."

Just thought I'd share.

MISSOURI FINALLY GETS SOME DAP

The Yahoo headline: Will Missouri voters decide who will be President?

RESPECT!

Bell's New Book

Picked this up today: "Jesus Wants to Save Christians" by Rob Bell and Don Golden.

Should be interesting. From the back cover: "It's about what it means to be a part of the church of Jesus in a world where some people fly planes into buildings while others pick up groceries in Hummers."

Snap!

The Imitation of Christ

Tonight at worship we're beginning a series based on The Imitation of Christ. Here is some more information:

About the author, Thomas 'a Kempis

More on the book here, here, and a free ebook here.

Buy it here or here.

roflrazzi.com

more lol celebs!

Here's a pretty funny site, from the creators of LOLCats. I liked this one, even though I don't understand anything about bailouts or deficits.