Faith in Action

Hey Family. Apologies are in order. The blog was down over the weekend due to upgrades with my web hosting company. I got an email from Angie, then Common Sense, and then from Leti (Thanks!) letting me know that Faith in Action was pointing people to my old site - Young Clergy for Social Change. When the problem wasn’t resolved quickly, I began to have conspiracy thoughts like, “Perhaps someone hacked my system because they knew I was in the running to get a Black Weblog Award!” Then I came to my senses and said, “Heb, it’s not that serious.” Blog was down. Blog is now up. Speaking of the 2008 Black Weblog Awards, here are the finalist in all of the categories. Voting has closed and the winners will be announced on Sept. 4th. Kudos to all of the finalist and the many many blogs that didn’t make the list, but still offer great blog content to the world.
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Hey family. It’s been verified. We are finalist in the Black Weblog Awards 2008 process. There are some really amazing blogs in the runnings to receive an award and of course, I’m extremely honored that we are listed among them. My greatest reward, however, comes from knowing that every day hundreds of people visit this blog and read the words of some guy from Baltimore. Thanks for making this the type of community that I initially envisioned and let’s continue to agree, disagree, speak truth, opinions, and perspectives in this virtual sanctuary (safe place).

If you have not already, please consider voting for Faith in Action as the best Faith-based blog in the year of our Lord 2008. (I gotta use real holy phrases now while the judges are checking out the site. LOL)

The final round of voting ends August 31 and the winners will be announced Sept. 4.

I know this may be a bit odd to do especially when you’re sorta in a competition to win an award, but I wanted you to see the other Faith-based blog finalists that Faith in Action is up against….some very interesting sites by the way:

(Loving this guy’s layout and content)

Check them out and see what you think.

While we’re still trying to verify this, a very reliable source (doesn’t that sound really “journalistic”?), indicates that Faith in Action is in the running to receive a 2008 Black Weblog Award.

Now is the next stage. People from all over the world can vote for the finalist. Check it out and if you feel led, click the button for the FIA family. Thanks.

On Sunday, August 10, 2008 the Faith in Action family reached a significant milestone. At approximately 6:00PM EST, this blog welcomed it’s 100,000th visitor!

For the past 3 years and five months, a very important community has developed around this site. Never in a million years could I have imagined all that this blog would grow to become.

So many fascinating people - so many pertinent perspectives - so many passionate conversations. This space has become more than just something I do in my downtime. FIA has become a very close friend and a daily source of information, encouragement, and challenge.

100,000 visitors is nothing to sneeze at in a world where people have an infinite number of options to visit while surfing the world wide web. I must thank all of you who visit here - whether you jump in and let your voice be heard or stand on the sidelines and watch the fireworks - I thank you. This is YOUR blog. YOUR space and as much YOUR journal as it is mine.

In addition, I’m extremely excited by the fact that there are 168 subscribers to this blog. People from all over the country with various religious beliefs, a myriad of political stances, and a plethora of life experiences subscribe to this site to listen in or chip in.

To top this all off, a good brother of mine - Chip - serendipitously sent me an email yesterday saying that he was nominating Faith In Action for a 2008 Black Weblog Award.

Now when a few of my other brothers put my name up to replace Tavis as the commentator on Tom Joyner’s Radio Show I went along with it, but kind of brushed it off. Being on nationally syndicated radio isn’t that big of a deal to me and really I believe that my local voice is my most powerful one. (I’d much rather be an inch wide and a mile deep than the reverse.)

But when Chip sent me the email about the Black Weblog Award I got a bit excited. Not so much because I think that I write amazing, life-changing articles that the world must read, but because I really do believe that a very unique community has grown here and while blogs tend to be about the blogger her/him self, this blog I believe is more about “Us” and our passionate exchange on the issues. (However, I confess - I’m biased…and extremely so.)

So if you have a moment and you feel led, I invite you to send in a nomination for Faith in Action on the 2008 Black Weblog Awards Website. I think that “Best Faith-based” blog would be the most appropriate category. (Let me know if you think another category fits better.)

NOTE: While you’re there please consider nominating these fascinating blogs for some much deserved recognition.

Thanks and again - Congratulations. See you at 200,000!

People find my blog in some of the strangest ways. I received a visitor today after he/she searched google for an answer to the question above. (How do you vote a pastor out of a church in DC anyway?)
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Also - for those wondering how to comment on my blog, the COMMENTS link is right under the title of each post and after the categories list.

Back in October 2007 I bought an Adobe Bundle of Photoshop Elements 6.0 and Premiere Elements 4.0 for $119.99. For those unfamiliar, Photoshop is for picture editing and Premiere is for video editing. Upon purchasing this product I immediately had problems downloading it from the internet and then I had problems launching it on my computer.

I called back in early November seeking assistance and I was bounced around to like 3 people before someone eventually told me that basically my computer was too old and that I needed to upgrade in order to download and use my software.

As you know, I recently converted to Mac so problem solved right? Wrong!

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I was so excited when I got my IMac because I knew that I could begin taping interesting programs on TV with my VCR/DVD recorder and then upload them for public consumption. I have so many DVDs lined up and ready to be uploaded to my youtube page. One of the programs that I was excited about getting online was the BET Interview with presidential hopeful - Barack Obama. The show was entitled “What’s in it for us?”

I burned it, uploaded it, and in a matter of 2 days I had hundreds of viewers to the show and one request that I upload part two of the program. I did and then it happened.

YouTube got a tap on the shoulder from Viacom and sent me the following email:

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Sorry I have been away for a minute folks. Usually January is a slow blogging month for me given my hectic work schedule. Things should calm down soon and I should be back in the saddle consistently before you know it. Lord knows there is a lot to talk about.

One of the things that has me excited these days is the fact that I have converted from PC to Mac….finally!! I’ve been looking at trying to get a Mac for years now. I’ve always admired these machines from afar. Now I can admire one up close and personal. I picked up the imac earlier this week.

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