The Blog of Matt MacDonald

Suffering is a topic that is seldom discussed but always talked about. Meaning: Lots of people talk about suffering…give verses on suffering…tell you how sorry they are about suffering…BUT rarely do we hear from people IN suffering ABOUT their suffering.
For those of you that know me well, you know that my Grandma (or Nana as I call her) has ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.” My Nana is an amazing woman.

<==Here is a picture of her holding Stella right after she was born. Go check out her blog HERE. God continues to be glorified in and through her and although she cannot talk, her heart speaks volumes to the grace and faithfulness of the Lord. Last week I had the opportunity to visit with her and I continue to be amazed at how she “suffers well.”

I read an article about the recent happenings in the life of Matt Chandler and his family.  Matt is the Teaching Pastor @ The Village Church, and is definitely a well-known teacher and leader within the Evangelical Church.  Check out this quote from the article…

“Chandler is trying to suffer well. He would never ask for such a trial, but in some ways he welcomes this cancer. He says he feels grateful that God has counted him worthy to endure it. He has always preached that God will bring both joy and suffering but is only recently learning to experience the latter.”

It makes me truly wonder how anyone…apart from God can “suffer well.” The overwhelming peace it Matt’s responses…the unexplainable joy in the face of my Nana…it comes from Jesus…nothing else. The craziest and most convicting part for me is this:

When I’m having a crappy day. When someone yells at me. When I’m feeling “off.” Praising God is not easy. How much MORE difficult is it to praise him when my life is REALLY off the tracks. The token question that naysayer’s always go to is “Why do bad things happen to good people..?” I understand now more than ever before. It’s not as much about God letting the bad things happen, but rather what He does in and through the “good people.”

Romans 8:16-17
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

1 Peter 4:12
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

Whether it’s the depravity in Haiti, a terminal illness, or just a bad say…STILL I will praise the Lord. God remind me of that truth when I forget.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Okay…so I only have one, so that doesn’t count..but she is pretty cool (just don’t tell her I said so).

Today she got baptized. I’m very proud of her…Firstly it’s a step of obedience as a public declaration of her love for Jesus and secondly…(see firstly).

Some people say that she’s like a female version of me…I guess two things come to mind when I hear that.

1) Yikes. Not sure that’s a compliment to her as I barely look good as a dude…let alone a girl
2) Sweet. Cuz if I’m like her it means that I have lots of friends, am super fun to be around and am one of the most unpredictable people in the world!

Must be number one, because I have no friends and am as dull as the knife in my kitchen drawer.

Anyway, back to baptism. Emma inspires me to live out who God has called me to be, and I am SURE that I’m not the only one. This day has been a long time coming and is a declaration and commitment to live out who God has called HER to be…So Emma…keep it up.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Popularity: 14% [?]

Tonight my brother-in-law Jordan and his girlfriend came over. We made homemade sushi. I’m definitely a FAKE sushi-lover. I like California Roll and stuff that FOR SURE isn’t really sushi…I haven’t made anything ridiculous like “hamburger sushi” but I walk the line with teriyaki chicken sushi…

Anyway, it’s cool to step-outside of the casserole box and eat something cool @ home.

Here’s hoping I don’t wake up in the night with food poisoning…

Popularity: 14% [?]

The Snuggie for Geeks…If you didn’t hate it before…you will now.

Popularity: 25% [?]

I have always loved Conan O’Brien. I believe he is one of the only “Late Night Guys” that isn’t crass and perverted. “Don’t Be Cynical”…something we could all apply to some degree!

So Conan…I’ll see you in September on FOX. In the meantime, enjoy the $32M NBC gave you as hush money

Popularity: 25% [?]

I read a post today by Seth Godin on his blog. I own pretty much every book he’s written, and believe, as an author he does a great job of mixing whit and humor with solid business principles.

In post discuss’ how things (inspite of what we try to tell ourselves) don’t always end up “okay.” The line “change, by definition, changes things” for sure resounded with me, especially in the context of working through a job change and such. The fact is, I/we try to tell ourselves that change is okay..change is good..and although both those things are true, the fact that change is difficult and/or sometimes makes you feel like crap gets tossed to the sidelines.

While I’m on the “Seth Godin Topic,” I found his take on the concept of invention/medium evolution to be very interesting. Although not original, the phrasing sheds new light on an aged old concept. Here’s how Seth said it:

1. Technicians who invented it, run it
2. Technicians with taste, leverage it
3. Artists take over from the technicians
4. MBAs take over from the artists
5. Bureaucrats drive the medium to banality

I’ve heard the “early innovators rarely get paid” before, but to stage-out the process of business/concept evolution like this helped me in framing the illustration and ideas of the concept itself.

Popularity: 24% [?]

I’m home.  Got it last night around 7pm.  The Jet Lag..it killer.  Apparently today and tomorrow will be the worst of it, but I am trusting the Lord for strength as “down time” is not something that I have the luxury of right now.  To compare this season in the Toy Business to something I’ve written about before SEE HERE.  It is go-go-go until the end of February, so I’m buckling down and get’n-er’-dun!

It is DEFINITELY good to be home with my two ladies! Expect to see an update and highlights psot very soon.

Popularity: 37% [?]

So I was out for lunch yesterday and asked for a Diet Coke.  The waitress had no clue what I meant.  I assumed it was a lanugage barrier thing…so I (like an idiot) phonetically pronounced…slowly…DIIIIEETTT COKKKEEE.

Still nothing.

Then one of the guys I’m travelling with says…”Oh, he means Coke light.”

3 minutes later…Coke Lite appeared.

Same great taste…Same zero calories…Different name.

I like it.

Popularity: 45% [?]

The answer…Hong Kong!  I am here for the annual Hong Kong Toy Fair.  After a 15 hour flight, I have arrived.  The time change is 13 hours difference (so 8am in Toronto is 9pm in Hong Kong).

So as I write this blog, my friends and family are preparing to get their Monday morning going and I am going to bed…Monday night.  Just for fun, I checked to see if Monday Night Football was one and unfortunately even MNF is bound by timezones…

I am excited for the stuff I’ll learn and new experiences I will have but DEFINATELY miss my wife and daughter.  It’s a weird feeling being this far away.  For sure one that forces me to remind myself that I am not in control and that God is soverign.

Pray for me as I adjust to the time change and struggle with missing life in Toronto..

Popularity: 49% [?]

Top 5 – Political Stories

1. President Obama Elected
2. HST Bill Passed for 2010 Roll-out
3. Sarah Palin and he grand-baby’s daddy
4. Quebec…enough said.
5. Healthcare Reform in the U.S

Top 5 – Darwin Award Nominee’s (people we’d be better off…without)

1. Jason Mesnick
2. Jon & Kate Gosselin
3. The cast of “Hitch It or Ditch It”
4. Nancy Grace
5. Kayne West

Popularity: 49% [?]