Melinda Doolittle

Posted on May 17, 2007 by Jason


I’m not going to get on here say it’s a tragedy or an injustice that Melinda Doolittle was voted off American Idol last night. 9/11 was a tragedy. VT was a tragedy. Millions dying of hunger when I have a pantry full of food is an injustice. So I’m going to keep all of this in perspective. But I hate it when things don’t go the way they should. Melinda should be in the finals next week. She should be rewarded for being the most consistent performer among this season’s lackluster crop. The Nashville native and career back-up singer wooed the judges with her spot-on vocals and her performer’s savvy, drawing comparisons to Gladys Knight and Tina Turner. It’s unfortunate that her spot in the finals was given to beat-boxing dweeb, Blake Lewis. Cut his hair and he’d be nothing. It’s a shame.

But hey, this is America we’re talking about. What else can you expect from a nation of voters who subjected us to week after week of Sanjaya’s caterwauling antics? Melinda, you deserved better. But somehow I think you’ll be just fine.

Posted in Television | 5 Comments

A Helpful Tip

Posted on May 15, 2007 by Jason

Consider this a helpful tip from your friendly neighborhood minister.

If by some unfortunate circumstance you happen to find yourself attending the funeral service of someone you know and love dearly, AT LEAST HAVE THE COURTESY TO TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE SO IT DOESN’T RING DURING THE EULOGY! Trust me, you’re not that important.

I attended a funeral today where not one, but TWO different cell phones went off during the service. Is there anything more rude? Both phones were set to these sonic-shrill ring tones, the kind that make your ears bleed if you’re within a 100 yard radius when it goes off. After the first phone interrupted the service, I noticed several people reaching for their purses and belt clips to turn their phones off (thankfully, I remembered to do this in the parking lot). But not 5 minutes later, at one of the more tender and heartfelt moments of the eulogy, another dude’s phone goes off, this time blasting a deafening version of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. (For you uncultured readers, click here to listen. Try and imagine hearing this at 180 decibels in a small, confined chapel.)

And here’s another tip: when your phone does go off in public like that, at least have the decency to mute your phone as quickly as possible. Don’t be like this clown, who proceeded to hold the phone up to check the caller ID first! Turn your phone off! Like, what, you’re going to take the call if it’s reeeaallyy important? I actually wish he would’ve answered; at least then we wouldn’t be forced to listen to his ridiculously perky ring tone against our will. No joke, he let the entire song play. After it was over, I nearly stood up and applauded for an encore.

Nevertheless, the funeral was a beautiful one. I was especially moved by the memories shared by the deceased’s grandsons. They were truly beautiful, holy words. Too bad my ears were still ringing from Tchaikovsky.

Posted in Humor, Random | 9 Comments

My Life in Pictures

Posted on May 14, 2007 by Jason

I totally ripped this off from Lucy. But it was fun. You just answer each question and put the answer in the Google Image search. You’re supposed to use the first picture that comes up (which I did with almost every one!) to give you a mosaic of your life in pictures. Or something. Give it a shot. Here’s mine.

1. The city where you were born: Donelson, Tennessee.

This is some kind of old diary from the battle of Donelson or something. Boring.

2. The city and state you grew up in that you consider “home”: Lebanon, Tennesse.

I grew up about a mile or two from this church. I remember the nativity scene they’d put out each Christmas.

3. The city and state where you currently live: Huntsville, Alabama.

Rocket City, baby!

4. Your first and last name: Jason Bybee.

I think this is supposed to be me. I desperately need to get more pictures of my uploaded to Google.

5. Your grandmother’s name: Neale Armstrong.


Granny’s a lot purtier when she shaves…

6. Your favorite food: Pinto beans.

I don’t know who she is, but she must make some great pinto beans.

7. Your favorite drink: Mountain Dew.


Don’t ask me why it pulled up a Christmas tree…

8. Your favorite smell: assuming I actually had a sense of smell….for argument’s sake, I said lunch on Sunday.

9. Your favorite song: Deirdre Dances by Michael McDermott.

This is a great album. Buy it. Now.

10. Place you have lived: Nashville, Tennessee.

11. Place you have worked: Mayfair Church of Christ.

Kinda quaint, ain’t it?

12. Place you’d like to visit: Alaska.

I’d love to go on an Alaskan cruise someday with Sunny.

There you have it, folks. You should try this on your page. It’s fun.

Posted in Humor, Random | 8 Comments

And He Shall Be Called…???

Posted on May 9, 2007 by Jason

Last week, Sunny and I had our 33 week ultrasound. It was awesome! We got to see the little guy; he’s got these chubby little cheeks and a headful of hair already! The picture above is a side shot of his head. If you look closely, you can make out the outline of his lips and his nose. Sunny says he has a big mouth like his Dad. I can’t wait for him to get here and meet everybody!

Sunny and I are still racking our brains to come up with a name for the little guy. We had a few contenders early on, but we’ve changed our minds and now we’re back to square one. Any suggestions? We’ve got about 4 weeks before Junior shows up. What are we gonna call him?!?

Posted in Blessings, Kids | 26 Comments

Baseball Notes

Posted on May 9, 2007 by Jason

Well, we’re six weeks into the MLB season and I think we’re starting to get a feel for which teams are serious contenders. It’s time to compare the standings to my baseball predictions for this season.

The pick that’s made me look the smartest so far has been my pick for the Brewers to win the NL Central. With a solid rotation and a lights-out bullpen, the Brew Crew pitching staff has buoyed them to the best record in baseball. Two of my other NL picks are in the thick of things out West (SD & LA), but the pick that makes me look ridiculous was my choice of Philly as NL East champs. Looks like the Bravos and Metropolitans are for real. I might’ve missed this one.

In the AL, my Angels are tied for first in the West and the Tigers are only a half-game behind in the Central. I picked the Yanks in the East and I’m still sticking to that, but I never saw the Red Sox being this good. I still don’t think the Indians are for real.

As for my Cardinals, things look fairly bleak. At 13-18, the Cards have the second worst record in the National League. The offense is anemic, the pitching looks awful and it’s not getting better any time soon with Chris Carpenter staying on the shelf for another 3 months. Of course, the team is still grieving the loss of Josh Hancock a few weeks back. To add insult to injury, the Cubs reeled off a nice little run after my Cub-bashing post from a few weeks ago. No matter; we’re still the defending champs and I’ll say that every day until the regular season ends.

In other news, Barry Bonds is now 10 home runs away from breaking Hank Aaron’s all-time record. It’s a shame that the most hallowed record in sports will soon be held by one of the most despicable figures in the sports universe. I know Bonds has unfairly become the poster child for the steroid era, but America’s disdain for Bonds runs deeper in my opinion. His standoffish attitude toward fans, teammates and the media make him completely inaccessible. It’s just a shame that Hank Aaron — a figure of grace and perseverance and a true ambassador for the game– will have his name removed from the record book by such a colossal jerk. Here’s hoping ARod or Pujols will someday surpass Bonds as the all-time home run king.

Posted in Baseball, St. Louis Cardinals | 9 Comments

A Note From Truely

Posted on May 7, 2007 by Jason

I love going to the public library. I could literally spend hours there, just browsing all the books that I know I don’t have time to read. I went last week looking for a few books to help out with a practicum project I’ll be doing this summer. I didn’t find anything that was especially helpful, but I did stumble across a collection of sermons by Martin Luther King, Jr. As I opened it up, a brown sheet of paper fell from its pages…a handwritten note from a young lady. Here’s what the note said:

So, its getting nearer to my move to be with you. I am moving clear across the USA to be in a relationship with you, Spencer. In Chile, we (me) rationalized why this is a good plan either way because I already wanted to move yadaa yadaa yadaa 🙂 But the everyday rela reality of my decision will put us in a very serious relationship. When I think of this in relation to you, the guy I’m crazy about & want to be with & learn from & laugh with & sleep with & go all over the planet with, I am ready. When I think of it in relation to trusting myself, I get scared. The “trusting myself” issue comes from the fact that I’ve had my heart broken. It wasn’t too long ago either. Since I was 18, I was free to see other guys From 18-22 I described my status as single w/ a boyfriend. I know its dumb, but he called the shots – & I followed. So – I saw other guys even though on the condition that they knew I didn’t really care for them, only for the time being. Now I have to teach myself how to love you, truely love you. Not to be truely fond of you like the others. You are not like the others. You & I are creating something 100% true & positive, the relationship I’ve always wanted.

That’s it. No conclusion. No signature. I have no idea if Spencer ever got his letter. No idea if the author trusted herself enough to move across the country to be with him. And I have no idea if she ever figured out how to spell truly.

But after reading Truely’s note, I started thinking about my attempts to interpret her letter are so similar to our attempts to interpret Scripture sometimes. It’s dangerous to come to certain conclusions based on hearing / reading only one side of the correspondence. What if Spencer wasn’t interested in Truely anymore? What if he was leading her on? What if he found a girl who could actually spell? Thankfully, we have many more exegetical tools at our disposal when it comes to Scripture (unless I can find a Greek variant of Truely’s letter…maybe it’s stuck in the library’s copy of The Gospel of Thomas). But it’s not the attempt to interpret Scripture that’s so difficult; it’s the attempt to interpret the truth behind Scripture that’s difficult. Let’s face it; even our best words fall miserably short of articulating much about God. We claim that God is a holy God (and I believe this is our best word to describe Him), but what does that really mean? We’re forced to acknowledge the limits of language here. Holy is simply the best word available to us to describe a Being who fully transcends our comprehension. I can exegete Isaiah 6, but in my finitude can I really understand what I’m saying when I say God is infinitely holy?

Truely, I hope you found happiness either with Spencer or with someone else. Thanks for reminding me that our preaching and reading of texts must be done with great humility and patience.

Posted in Humor, Preaching, Random, Theology | 10 Comments

Prayer for Grandaddy

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Jason

My grandfather is 95 years old. I wrote about his influence in my life a few months ago in my Another Man series. To this day, he is the sweetest, most sincere person I think I’ve ever been around.

A few days ago, he fell and broke his hip. At his age, surgery is always a perilous option; there is concern about his heart and the possibility of blood clots and pneumonia. But choosing to not have the surgery carries the same risk of blood clots as he’d be forced to be bed-ridden for months while he recovers. Either way, the doctors can’t guarantee that he’ll ever walk again. This situation has been especially taxing on my aunt and uncle as they’ve tried to weigh all the options regarding Grandaddy’s health.

Ultimately, my aunt and uncle opted for the surgery which was set for 9AM this morning. I think it’s a good decision, but we’re all waiting to hear the outcome. If you don’t mind, please keep my grandfather in your prayers. Obviously I’d love to have him around, but at the same time, his quality of life will never be what it was. He’s lived a long, good life. I just pray that whatever time he has left here on earth will be as pain-free as possible. And when the time comes for him to go be with the Lord, we will remember the simple, God-honoring life of William Bybee.

Thanks for your prayers.

Posted in Prayer | 2 Comments

My DVR: Arrested Development

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Jason

One of the advantages to having a DVR is that I can automatically record some shows I’ve always wanted to see but was never able to. One of those shows is the short-lived FOX sitcom Arrested Development. I remember reading a glowing article about it a few years back in Entertainment Weekly. During its three-year run on FOX, Arrested Development was lauded as a critical darling. Sharp writing, fast humor and great acting were the hallmarks of this Ron Howard / Brian Grazer / Mitchell Hurwitz production. Sadly, it never pulled in the necessary ratings to survive. Let’s face it: not every show can be Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?

The critics were right: Arrested Development is a great show. The sibling rivalry, the miscommunication and the personal conflicts of the Bluth family are made palpable by the great ensemble cast. Jason Bateman’s Michael is the classic straight man to the show’s cast of kooky characters. Will Arnett’s Gob might be the funniest character in television history. Tony Hale and David Cross are equally exceptional. If that weren’t enough, the show features a revolving door of exceptional guest stars, several of whom appear in recurring roles.

If you’re a fan of The Office’s witty humor and unique presentation (no laugh track, etc.), you should check out Arrested Development.

Posted in Television | 6 Comments

Redneck Vampires & Tuques

Posted on May 1, 2007 by Jason

I made my weekly trek to Wal-Mart last night. I’m getting better…I was in and out in about 35 minutes. It helps that Sunny makes out the shopping list aisle by aisle. I’m telling you, she’s like a machine. Out of the approximately 50 or 60 items I bought last night, she only had one out of order on her list. Truly amazing.

I had quite a bit of time on my hands in the check-out line (85 check out registers; 4 were open), so I had plenty of time to think. Here are just a few nuggets from my stream of consciousness inner monologue:

  • The headline on the National Enquirer read: Redneck Vampire Attacked in Trailer Park. What kind of world are we living in when Redneck Vampires aren’t even safe in their own trailer parks? They had a picture of this supposed “Redneck Vampire”; he looked like Willie Nelson with fangs. I couldn’t tell if the picture was taken before or after the attack.
  • That reminds me, did I ever tell you I roomed with a vampire in college? If you haven’t heard it, it’s a great story.
  • Tom & Katie, I hope you guys work it out. If not for your sake, then for mine. I counted no fewer than 5 publications headlining the uber-couples marital troubles. Don’t get me wrong; I wish them well. But aren’t there other issues for the tabloids to discuss? Like a Gothic Werewolf getting mugged in his duplex or something?
  • For the life of me, I will never understand the fashion statement that is the wool toboggan in 80 degree weather. I grew up calling them toboggans, but did you know they’re also called tuques? Who knew?
  • Why do they “card” you when you walk in at Sam’s Club? It’s not like you can check out without the card. Why do I need to prove that I’m a Sam’s Club Member twice? Seriously?
  • This didn’t happen to me in the check-out line, but I had this Chevy Tahoe follow me from the front door to my car and wait for me to unload all my groceries, all so she could have my parking spot (which was pretty sweet, I must admit). But that leads me to ask you, intrepid readers, how long would you wait for a primo parking spot at Wal-Mart? I’m of the mind that if it’s not free when I drive by, I ain’t waiting. Seriously, I’ll bet Tahoe girl waited at least 5 minutes for me to walk to the car, unload my stuff and put my shopping cart up. In the time it took me to do all that, she could’ve already been inside reading about Redneck Vampires or something.
Posted in Humor | 7 Comments

Daddy’s Girl

Posted on April 30, 2007 by Jason

Last night after church, Abby Kate and I had a date. Joshua stayed home with Mommy (he had a pretty bad cough), so it was just the two of us at church. I let her pick the restaurant and, like any good red-blooded American kid, she chose McDonalds. It’s like it’s hardwired into their DNA or something. We had a sumptuous feast of chicken nuggets and french fries. Abby Kate was especially proud of the chocolate milk Daddy got her.

McDonald’s didn’t have any booster seats, so I let Abby Kate sit up in a regular chair. Come to find out, she didn’t even need it. She’s so much like her Mother; very methodically she would pick up her nugget, take a bite, put it down and take a sip of her drink. She followed the same procedure with her fries. Halfway through dinner, I looked at her and it hit me just how big she is getting. I still remember how tiny she was when the doctor handed her to me right after she was born. Her perfect little face was all scrunched up as she saw the light of the outside world for the first time. She still has those same cute little features, but it’s like BOOM, all of a sudden she’s a little girl. Man, time really does fly.

I looked at her and, halfway under my breath, I said, “Abby Kate, when did you get so big?”

She looked up at me with her big blue eyes and instantly replied, “No, Daddy. I’m still little.”

That’s right, baby. You’ll always be my little girl.

Posted in Kids | 9 Comments