Done with Number 10

Posted on: 07/11/12 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Put on some Lionel Ritchie… because it’s time to “party, carumba, fiesta…” (Come on… you remember the song!)

Celebrate with me; I just finished my 10th youth ministry book! And in celebration, I’m implementing two huge discounts THIS WEEK ONLY exclusively for my readers:

1. I’m putting all my books ON SALE UP TO 40% OFF!

2. I’m also upgrading all shipping to PRIORITY SHIPPING on ALL U.S. ORDERS! (You just choose the cheap “Media-Mail” and I’ll automatically upgrade it to PRIORITY this week! It won’t show the upgrade… but I will! I promise!)

SHOP NOW!

For those who have been following my blog, you know that the book I’ve been working on was MORE 10-MINUTE TALKS. I’m really excited about this book, because not only is it going to be a lot more of the same talks that youth workers loved from the first 10-MINUTE TALKS… but this one I co-wrote with my dad… who rocks!!!

The book will be coming out early 2013, so I’m told. I’m looking forward to it! Keep on eye on my blog and web sites. As always, I’ll offer an early release and special discount. You can sign up to receive that “RECOMMENDED BOOKS” email HERE.

Side note: for those anal-retentive, meticulous people who counted only 8 youth ministry books in the above picture, and then the one parenting book… you are correct. That’s because I didn’t post the pic of my one e-book, “What’s a Fo-Sheezy” which YS is relaunching in the YS Store soon. So that’s 9, and this new MORE 10-MINUTE TALKS is ten. I also didn’t count my Spanish book, because that’s just a Spanish version of Getting Students to Show Up. Happy? 🙂

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Can You Blow My Whistle Baby?

Posted on: 07/9/12 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Little Wayne wanted girls to lick his lollipop, now Flo Rida wants girls to “blow his whistle.” I’m talking about the new song, Whistle. I was sitting with a parent last week who said that his kids were asking about downloading this popular Flo Rida song. The parent asked me, “Is it clean?”

Well, the song is definitely in the ears of kids today. It is currently #3 on iTunes, and this week it just moved from #58 to #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 (Billboard is always catching up to iTunes). It’s another catchy little diddy from the guy who brought us “Apple Bottom jeans, boots with the fur…” The rapper Flo Rida is slowly but steadily releasing hits.

Here’s the chorus of Whistle: Continue reading “Can You Blow My Whistle Baby?”

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The Amazing Spiderman

Posted on: 07/5/12 3:01 AM | by Jonathan McKee

My son Alec went to see “The Amazing Spiderman” on opening day with his friends. Alec, a true Spidey fan, has been eagerly awaiting this release and was ecstatic to finally see this. So I asked him to give us his two cents on the film. Alec not only provides a fun teenage insight, but he also gives a glimpse from the perspective of someone who was bullied as a younger teen. Here’s his take:

“The Amazing Spiderman”

It was all I could do to keep from peeing myself when I was walking into the theater to see The Amazing Spiderman. I was so exited to see one of my childhood idols being portrayed in what I was sure to be an accurate representation of who he really is– a wise-cracking high-school nerd who was gifted with fantastic powers that allowed him to stand up for those who couldn’t stand up for themselves. For some reason, as a small social outcast, this idea was very appealing to me.

From the get-go my eyes were glued to the screen and my attention was firmly locked on the unfolding plot in the young life of Peter. The humor in the movie was Continue reading “The Amazing Spiderman”

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19-Year-Old Mentality

Posted on: 07/2/12 5:56 PM | by Jonathan McKee

My 19-year-old Alec and his friend Austin came home the other day sick and both holding their stomachs.

“What happened?” I asked.

Alec and Austin both managed a smile. “We tried blending a Happy Meal and drinking it… just for the heck of it!”

Ya gotta love teenage boys. They didn’t need a reason; they just thought it sounded fun. Alec had seen the game done at youth group, it’s a game idea on our web site called “The Happy Shake.” Kids always seem pretty confident Continue reading “19-Year-Old Mentality”

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A Painfully Empty House

Posted on: 07/1/12 9:52 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Wednesday I dropped off Lori, Alyssa and Ashley at the San Francisco airport with my parents where the 5 of them boarded a big bird headed to Europe where they will spend two weeks hitting Italy, France, Switzerland and Germany.

I’m torn.

Part of me is thrilled that they get to do this trip. It started when Ashley did a report for school, years ago, about Florence, Italy and some of its architecture. My dad told her that they would take her there some day. Last year, they booked it, and Alyssa and Lori wanted in! I had enough airline miles to send all three of them with my parents, so Alec and I decided to stay home.

I know Lori and the girls will have a blast touring Europe with my parents… but the house is so quiet! Alec works and hangs out with his friends a lot, so many days it’s been just me. Continue reading “A Painfully Empty House”

Posted in Family, Jonathan's Rant, Marriage, Parenting, Personal, Travel | | Leave A Comment

Since Sex is a Reality in College…

Posted on: 06/28/12 10:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Last month I attended too many graduation parties to count, high school seniors from our church saying goodbye to high school and hello to college. I wonder if their parents know what’s in store for them at Freshman orientation? The video, a YouTube video I tweeted about early this week, below provides an eye-opening glimpse.

I always find the discussion interesting comparing Christian colleges to secular universities. I’ve seen plenty of Christian kids go off to secular schools and live out their faith like “Daniel,” resolving not to get caught up in the culture. But are all our high school grads equipped for what they’ll hear?

Take the subject of sexual activity. The CDC just reported that 63.1% of high school seniors have already had sex by the time they walk across the stage and collect their diploma. In college, the pressure is on. If you aren’t having sex… you’re in the minority. Add drinking into the mix, and sex turns into sexual victimization (don’t believe me, check out this Rutgers study that I blogged about a little while back).

So what’s the world’s answer to this? Well.. check out this video, filmed by a student at a recent freshman orientation at a college. (Oh yeah… this isn’t a secular university)

What’s your reaction to this?

Posted in Parenting, Sexuality, Youth Culture | | Leave A Comment

The Messy Morality of Stripping

Posted on: 06/26/12 11:29 AM | by Jonathan McKee

He’s a stripper, but he’s a good stripper, so that’s okay. Actually, all these strippers are stripping for a cause. That’s good… right?

Pardon my alliteration, but teaching truth to today’s teenagers tends to be tricky! If young people are shaping their morality from the media… we’re all in big trouble. Let’s face it: the world’s standards aren’t good; but they aren’t all bad either. For a lack of a better term… they’re messy. And when young people soak in an average of 7.5 hours a day of entertainment media, that makes you wonder what kind of morality they’re developing.

Look at the messy morality surrounding the new movie Magic Mike coming out this Friday, June 29^th, a film loosely based on actor Channing Tatum’s former life as a 19-year-old stripper in Florida. The movie has been promoted heavily by MTV, the hub of youth culture. They’re promoting it with the following description: “A male stripper (Channing Tatum) takes a newcomer (Alex Pettyfer) under his wing and instructs him in the fine arts of partying, picking up women, and making plenty of money.”
Continue reading “The Messy Morality of Stripping”

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Top 10 Reasons Why Growing Up in the 80’s Ruled!

Posted on: 06/24/12 9:24 PM | by Jonathan McKee

Ever just feel like ranting? I’m in a ranting mood. And as a child of the 80’s (well… that’s when I was a teenager anyway), I miss those good ol’ days.

So here’s my top 10 list of why it was waaaaaaaaaaaaay better growing up in the 80’s!

10. Every morning I got up, opened the paper to the comics, and read a Far Side Tale.

9. I could go to a video arcade and play Mrs. Pac Man, Frogger, and Donkey Kong. What the heck is there now!!

8. Movies were $4.50

7. I had 4 TV channels, and there was way more on! (The Incredible Hulk, The Greatest American Hero, The A-Team, Magnum P.I., Remington Steele, The Fall Guy and The Cosby Show… need I go on?)

6. I walked home from school… and no one thought it was unsafe!

Continue reading “Top 10 Reasons Why Growing Up in the 80’s Ruled!”

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Easily Entertained

Posted on: 06/21/12 11:34 PM | by Jonathan McKee

Okay… I admit it, I’m easily entertained.

My son Alec was sitting in his room watching YouTube videos the other day, which catalysted a conversation between us where we were each sharing our favorites. Indeed, too many to list. But Alec was shocked that I had never seen this one.

That little girl’s facial expressions are truly intriguing. I can’t even put it to words.

Posted in Humor, Internet | | Leave A Comment

Daddy… Notice Me

Posted on: 06/20/12 1:10 PM | by Jonathan McKee

Last Sunday, on Father’s Day, I preached 4 services at a local church here in the Sacramento area. I gave a new talk for dads titled, “Daddy… Notice Me.”

My typical routine is to manuscript the entire talk, but then learn it well enough to do it extemporaneously without notes. That’s what I did on Sunday. Here’s a peek at the beginning of my manuscript, for those who are interested, and then a link to the audio on the church’s site if you wanna hear the talk online.

Daddy…Notice Me

It was about 7:25 AM on a Wednesday morning last January, and I said the coldest meanest cruelest thing you could say to a teenage girl. I said…

“Where is your coat?”

Yes. Those were my cruel words. That was my heinous crime. It’s 28 degrees outside, my daughter comes downstairs in jeans and a t-shirt and I ask her, “Where’s your coat.”

There’s Hitler, Osama Bin Laden… and me!

Ashley responded to my atrocious and brutal demands.

“What coat? I don’t need a coat!”

That’s how the argument started. Sounds innocent enough, right? It’s January. The cars are all covered with frost. The cat is frozen solid on the back lawn! Isn’t it logical for a dad to ask his 14-year-old daughter where her coat is?

That’s what I thought. Fast forward just two minutes and you would have witnessed a full-blown apocalypse—tears, yelling, backpacks getting airborne. Even the dog retreated to the other room.

Where is that sweet little girl that used to look up to me with her big blue eyes and call me Daddy?

Apparently I didn’t get the memo that there was a jacket shortage in the house. Strike that. Thirteen different girls’ jackets habitat our front closet, just no fashionable jackets, worthy of a stylish freshman girl. That’s why my coat mandate was met with such opposition.

I didn’t see it coming. Having no clue that this would forever be remembered in the McKee house as ‘the coat incident of 2012,’ I maintained my ground. “Sorry Ashley, it’s January. You can see your breath. Put on a jacket and let’s go!”

Houston, we have liftoff.

No need to tell you the rest of that story. If you have a teenage daughter you’ve lived that story.

What am I missing here? Am I that clueless? Does raising teenage girls require drama? Is this an MTV reality show or my house?

Being a dad is difficult. This kind of stuff makes us hesitant to intervene.

Sadly, some dads experience moments like this and withdraw. It’s a common male response. We say, “I’m not even going to try to understand.” Sometimes…that’s smart. But some dads take that a little too far, and in attempt to distance themselves from this kind of drama, they distance themselves from their kids totally….

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN/DOWNLOAD THIS TALK
FROM THE CHURCH WEBSITE- JUNE 17, 2012

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