Opening Day

31 03 2008

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I am officially pumped for today.  The new ESPN commercials put it so perfectly when they say that these two words have so much meaning and yet need so little explanation, “Play ball!”

Today is the day that no matter if your favorite team is the New York Yankees or the Kansas City Royals, you have hope today at least for one day.  “There’s always next year” is here today.  Whoever you are rooting for this year, I hope this year brings you lots of good times. 

At 12 noon central I will be at my house, sitting on my couch, wearing my Derek Jeter jersey, eating a Nathan’s famous beef hotdog, and watching the New York Yankees play their first regular season game verses the Toronto Blue Jays.  This will be the first of many games that I will watch in the marathon known as the MLB regular season.  Today is a special day because it is the last opening day in the historic Yankee Stadium.  The last opening in the house where baseball greats like Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Maris, Berra, Jackson, Dimaggio, Williams, Jeter, Munson, and Rodriguez all stood in the same batter’s box.  The place where Jeffrey Maier reached over the fence and interfered giving the Yankees an extra homerun in the 1996 ALCS, where Aaron Boone hit an 11th inning, game-winning homerunin the 2003 ALCS to send the Yankees to the World Series, where Lou Gehrig gave his famous, “Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth” speech, and where Sean Reneau reached down from the Right/Centerfield bleachers in July 2007 and grabbed a chunk of outfield grass that probably sits in his underwear drawer as I type this.

I think I have decided that I have to somehow get back to New York sometime this baseball season to catch a game.  It will be amazing to say that I was there the last season in the historic stadium.  Anybody want to go with me?  I am smelling a road trip.

Enjoy opening day!

_______________________________

After writing this and getting emotionally charged up for an afternoon of Yankees baseball, the game was rained out.  Unbelievable! 


Comments : 4 Comments »

Categories : Sports

Are you listening?

28 03 2008

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I was reading Exodus 3 & 4 earlier this week.  This is where Moses encounters the burning bush.  For the longest time I have been intrigued by this moment.  It has gone way beyond an entertaining VBS story in my life.  It amazes me.  It baffles me.

To be honest, I have struggled with this chunk of God’s Word – not with its reliability but with my personal encounters with God.  For the longest time I would read this and get frustrated because I wanted God to communicate to me like that.  I even prayed for it – to hear the audible voice of God.  I wanted so bad to wake up one morning, stumble out of bed, and find a burning bush on my way to the bathroom where God would audible tell me what to do with my life and give me specific instructions.  Have you ever wanted this?

As I have grown and matured more in my faith, I understand more why God did not answer my prayers.  Do I believe it is possible?  Absolutely, with God all things are possible.  However, I believe God was calling me to have more faith and broaden my horizon of how I listened to Him. 

I learned during that process that God does communicate to you and me on a consistent basis (probably more than we can ever realize).  I have learned to listen better.  I have learned that there are many “burning bushes” – instruments of God’s voice – in my life.  Here are four ways that I now listen to God’s voice:

  • Through people – I hear God’s voice through mentors who I trust, through my wife, through close friends who know me and love me, through the teens I work with, and even through strangers.  Some of you reading this right now have probably been used by God to speak a God-given, truth-filled word to me. 
  • Through doors opening & closing – God often communicates to us through Him opening and closing specific doors in my life.  I know God has called me to be the youth minister at the Shannon Oaks.  One of the reasons I know that is because He opened a door for me to do that.  God has not called me to be the starting right fielder for the New York Yankees because He has not opened that door in my life.
  • Through God’s Word- In my season of praying and being frustrated with not hearing God’s voice, I had a light-bulb moment where I finally understood that the book that too often sat on my bookshelf collecting dust had God-breathed words for me.  The Bible is one major way God communicates to us today.  It is not some old history book, but a divine book that gives light and speaks truth.
  • Through peace- I hear God’s voice through feeling peace – especially during times when I should not feel peace.  It is like He is gently whispering, “thata boy!”

How about you?  How do you listen to God’s voice?  What are the “burning bushes” in your life right now?  I would love to hear how you translate the voice of God in your life because I know I can learn from you.  Finally, if you are struggling right now – like I did and like so many others do – with not hearing God’s voice in your life, do not be discouraged.  He is there.  Maybe the problem is not that God is not talking, but maybe we are not really listening…


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Categories : Faith, Spirituality

Am I a “Real” Man?

27 03 2008

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Am I a real man?  That is the comical question I am bringing up for you to ponder.  The online urban dictionary defines a real man as “a true man can be best described as rugged and that does not have any fears.  A man has a good deal amount of knowledge about tools, cars, the outdoors, knows how to act around women by being a gentleman, but is not always serious and can have fun with them.  Men financially provide for others and themselves and are overall responsible.  Men are clean, well groomed, and can have a very short beard to portray that image of ruggedness.  True men do not think about themselves.  They do not always think about sex.  They stand up for what they believe, take responsibility for their actions, help others, they are self confident, physically strong and in shape, have a sense of humor, generous, honest, and are considerate.  They provide a sense of security.  Men are brave and do not need to show off for their friends nor do they sway their opinions because of their friends.  Now even if you are biologically a man, this does not mean you fit my definition of all the components of what a real man is.”

It follows that hilarious definition by saying, “A ‘Real Man’ would be like the Brawny paper towel mascot.  He has that image of outdoors, strength, confidence, and ruggedness, but what about his character?”

Hilarious.  Nothing screams strength, confidence, and ruggedness like a cartoon man plastered all over paper towels.  Honestly what man can live up to “cartoon-paper towel-guy”?  Well, here are some reasons why my manhood would be in question and then some reasons why my manhood is completely intact:

REASONS FOR ME NOT BEING A “REAL” MAN:

  • My lack of tools.  If you looked around my house for tools, you would be lucky to find a tiny screwdriver, a pathetic hammer, and well…that’s pretty much it.  I do have a power drill, but I think it is still in its original box.  Every tool I own was bought for me by my dad or my father-in-law when they were fixing something at my house and I obviously didn’t have what they needed.
  • I know nothing about cars.  I don’t change my own oil.  I don’t rotate my own tires.  I couldn’t fix anything on my car if it broke.  My check engine light is on right now in my car and I have no clue why.  I basically know how to put gas in, take it somewhere for oil changes and repairs, and how to install XM radio.
  • I own and wear three different pink shirts.  One t-shirt, one polo shirt, and one long sleeve button up. 
  • I don’t do the outdoors well.  I’ll be honest, I am kind of a divo (the guy equivalent of a girl who is a diva).  I don’t like to camp.  I like to shower and be clean.  I like to sleep in beds.  I don’t like getting bit by bugs.
  • I shave my armpits.  There is great logic to this though: it keeps me from having an obscene amount of underarm sweat.  Think about this, guys in the summer shave their heads to stay cool.  The same principle applies to your armpits.  You will have less sweat and heat bald rather than an afro down there.  No lady wants to feel a swamp whenever you put your arm around them.  Underarm hair is gross anyways.
  • 4 Words: Victoria Secret Lotion Daily
  • I use a loofah.  Heather got me hooked on using one a few months ago.

REASONS FOR ME BEING A “REAL” MAN:

  • I can grow a good beard.  Yes, during “No-shave November” I grew a mean beard for the first time.  That’s manly right?
  • I work out/exercise a lot.  6 days in a normal week.  Got to get swole.
  • I know a lot and can figure out most technology.  Where I can’t fix cars and house stuff, I do know technology.  I can now work on both PCs and Macs.  I’ve got lots of toys.
  • Good at Madden.
  • I know a lot about sports.  ESPN can be found on my televisions a good percentage of the day.  I can tell you too much about most every sport.  It’s pathetic really.  I also have played a lot of sports in my life too, including dunking a basketball and hitting a homerun.
  • I treat women right.  I’ve got to really because my house is full of women.
  • I carry a wallet.  No man-purse or (for those Seinfeld fans) European Carry-all.
  • I have a “man-room” in my house.  This room includes a border of framed memorable Sports Illustrated magazines, 2 marathon medals, Nolan Ryan signed bat and ball, Robinson Cano signed ball, Drew Bennett signed Haggards jersey and photo, a 3rd generation Cromer leather chair, and a big NY Yankees aluminated logo art.  Of coarse, my wife has the entire house and I have one room.
  • I can belch really loud.  I used to embarrass my mom even when nobody was around.
  • I use Brawny paper towels.

So what do you think?  Real man or not? 

(By the way, this was entirely written for entertainment.  I am not questioning my manhood.  I am have enough self confidence to laugh at myself.  Please don’t take this too seriously.  It was purely fun.  However, all the contents of this post are completely – and sadly – true.)


Comments : 9 Comments »

Categories : Funny, Life

Wal-Mart, Tiger, and Dominance

25 03 2008

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In Sulphur Springs, Texas we have three big grocery stores: Wal-Mart (yeah, it’s a Super Center), Brookshires, and Piggly Wiggly.  While all from time-to-time get customers, one dominates the grocery business in this town.  The Wal-Mart Super Center is constantly packed.  It has all the advantages: lower prices, more check out lines, ability to buy your kids superman pajamas and a plasma tv on the same trip, and open 24 hours everyday.  Sure Brookshires and ”the Pig” have business or they would close, but Wal-Mart consistently out-do them.  (Side note:  I try to avoid Wal-Mart as much as possible because of the obscene amount of florescent light and there is always a load of people there.)

I watched some of this week’s PGA golf tournament on TV.  One of the main reasons I watched was to see if Tiger Woods could continue his unbelievable winning streak.  Prior to this past weekend, Tiger had won every single golf tournament he played in so far this year.  Complete and utter dominance.  The golf announcers were talking that he was off his game this weekend and not playing well.  Do you realize that he still shot a -15, finished 5th, and lost by a mere two strokes?  He has become so dominant in professional golf that it is expected that he will win and be better than everyone else simply by showing up.  (Another side note:  I find it hilarious that people can’t figure out why Tiger is so dominant compared to the other golfers.  He is the only guy on tour that works out, that’s jacked, and that’s in shape.  All the other guys look like my Uncle Hal.  Think about it.  It makes sense.)

So what does Wal-Mart and Tiger Woods have in common?  They are dominant in what they do.  The question I ask myself: Is it a good thing for something/someone to be so much better than every single one of their competitors?  Is it a good thing for cities when Wal-Mart dominates sales?  Is it good for the PGA when Tiger dominates every tournament?  Is it a good thing that smaller, hometown grocery stores shut down or struggle month-to-month because Wal-Mart is down the street and they can’t compete?  Is it a good thing that when Tiger doesn’t play in a tournament many people (including myself) will not watch a second of their coverage.  Some say yes, others no.  This principle can be applied to anything that completely dominates their field.

Thoughts?


Comments : 5 Comments »

Categories : Life, Sports

Jesus, the Strainer of My Life

25 03 2008

All my life I have heard speakers and ministers call people to a relationship with Jesus.   One of the ways that ministers often communicate this relationship is by asking individuals if they want Jesus to be the “Lord” of their life. 

There are many times where I have run into what I like to call “church” words.  “Church” words are words that are often spoken in our churches that are never actually explained, but words that you are supposed to know.  In youth ministry I see this a lot with teenagers because I think they are way better at being honest when they do not understand something.  I have learned that ”Lord” is actually one of these “church” words. 

I have been calling and leading people to committ to making Jesus the Lord of their life.  However, this can be really dangerous if people do not fully understand what that Jesus being the Lord of their life actually looks like.  It is like when I committed to helping with a local fundraiser only to learn when I got there that I was going to have be in a dunk tank in low 50 degree weather.  We have to know what we are committing to.

I was really struggling with how I could communicate to teenagers what making Jesus the Lord of their life really meant.  We do not live in a country or time where Lords are culturally relevant or common.  Finally God revealed how to explain Jesus being my Lord to me while I was making Ramen noodles.  Get this…Jesus is the strainer of my life.  Let me explain:  

When you are making noodles a few things are essential:  noodles, a pot, boiling water, and a strainer.  Now without pretending to be Rachel Ray, you simply cook the noodles in the pot of boiling water.  When the noodles are ready, you pour the noodles and water out of the pot into the strainer and your noodles are ready to eat.

Now what/who determines what you actually eat in that process?  Do you?  Yes, by free will you pick out what you want to eat.  You put in the necessary work to prepare the food, but the strainer actually determines what you eat.  The moment you pour the water and noodles into the strainer, you are no longer in control.  You are trusting the strainer to do its job (separate what you need to eat and what you do not need to eat) and you eat what the strainer determines you should eat.

In the same way when you accept Jesus as your Lord, Jesus becomes the strainer in your life.  Everything you do should go through Him.  He is the one who decides things for you.  Every situation that you are in should go through the strainer of Jesus when you accept Him as your savior.  When you do that, Jesus (not you) is the one who decides what you do.  How should you parent your child?  Put it in the strainer.  What boundaries should I have in my dating relationships?  Put it in the strainer.  How should I treat the guy nobody likes?  Put it in the strainer.  How should I handle my finances?  Put it in the strainer.  How do I treat my spouse when we are in a big fight?  Put it in the strainer. 

Get the point yet?  Jesus is a good strainer.  When we get serious about dedicating our entire life to Him, our life should look different.  That happens by putting our entire life in the strainer of Jesus and let Him determine what is kept and what is taken away.  What a beautiful way to live!

After thinking about Lordship this way, I realized that many people have accepted Jesus as their savior, but not their lord.  Jesus wants and can handle both jobs. 

Is Jesus the strainer of your life?


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Categories : Faith, Spirituality

Favorites…

21 03 2008

This is a completely random post (just how I like it).  I thought it would slightly entertaining, light, and fun.  Here are a list of a lot of my favorites:

  • FAVORITE “FAST FOOD” RESTAURANT – Chick-Fil-A
  • FAVORITE “SIT-DOWN” RESTAURANT(s) – Saltgrass, PF Changs, & Champps
  • FAVORITE MLB TEAM – New York Yankees
  • FAVORITE NFL TEAM – Tennessee Titans
  • FAVORITE COLLEGE TEAM – University of Tennessee Volunteers
  • FAVORITE NBA TEAM – Whoever is playing the Lakers
  • FAVORITE TV DRAMA – 24 (Lost and Prison Break a close 2nd)
  • FAVORITE TV COMEDY – Tie between Seinfeld & The Office
  • FAVORITE REALITY TV SHOW – Nothing beats the Real World/Road Rules Challenges
  • FAVORITE NEWS PROGRAM – Baseball Tonight
  • FAVORITE MAGAZINE – Sports Illustrated
  • FAVORITE BOOK – Messy Spirituality (Yaconelli)
  • FAVORITE “NON-CHRISTIAN” BOOK – Is This a Great Game or What? (Kurkjan)
  • FAVORITE “CHRISTIAN” SONG – World’s Apart (Jars of Clay)
  • FAVORITE “SECULAR” SONG – Wonderwall (Oasis)
  • FAVORITE “ON MY IPOD WHILE WORKING OUT” SONG – Break Ya Neck (Busta Rhymes – WARNING: ear muffs)
  • FAVORITE “COUNTRY” SONG – Live Like You Were Dying (Tim McGraw – thanks Jeff)
  • FAVORITE “WORSHIP” SONG – Inside Out (Hillsong United)
  • FAVORITE ALBUM – Pages (Shane & Shane)
  • FAVORITE CHRISTIAN ARTIST/BAND – David Crowder*Band
  • FAVORITE RAP ARTIST – Puff Daddy/P.Diddy/Diddy/Sean Combs/whatever he calls himself these days
  • FAVORITE ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Oasis
  • FAVORITE COUNTRY ARTIST – Garth Brooks (surprised I could answer this one, aren’t you?)
  • FAVORITE BOOK IN THE NEW TESTAMENT – John
  • FAVORITE BOOK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT – Proverbs
  • FAVORITE FONT – Tahoma, 10pt & bold
  • FAVORITE ICE CREAM – Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked 
  • FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR – Opening Day
  • FAVORITE INSPIRATIONAL SPORTS MOVIE – The Rocky movies
  • FAVORITE M.NIGHT SHYAMALAN MOVIE – Signs
  • FAVORITE MOVIE TRILOGY – Star Wars IV-VI (the orginals)
  • FAVORITE 80s ACTION MOVIE – Cobra
  • FAVORITE COMEDY MOVIE – Anchorman
  • FAVORITE CHICK-ISH MOVIE – For Love of the Game
  • FAVORITE ARTIST – My wife, no contest
  • FAVORITE NAP TIME – Sunday afternoon after church
  • FAVORITE SOUND – When you make a jump shot and it doesn’t hit any rim.
  • FAVORITE GADGET – my iPhone
  • FAVORITE CONVENIENCE – TIVO
  • FAVORITE VIDEO GAME SYSTEM – Super Nintendo
  • FAVORITE VACATION SPOT – New York City

Those are just a few of my many favorites.  Any others you would like to know?


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Categories : Random

Sitting in a Starbucks

20 03 2008

Four years ago I was living in Atlanta, Georgia.  I loved living in Atlanta.  It is an amazing city.  When Heather and I got the call from God to move to Sulphur Springs, Texas to serve the Shannon Oaks Church as youth ministers, we knew we were sacrificing a lot of earthly/fleshy things.  I made a blog post in January 2006 on my myspace account that talked about three things I really missed about living in Atlanta.  

The number one thing on that list was my frequent stops at Starbucks.  As I sit here typing in a Starbucks near the DFW airport, I ask myself, “Why do you (and millions of other people around the world) like coming here so much?”  Is it the coffee?  While I love my grande caramel frappuccinos with no whip cream and extra caramel, I do not even like coffee.  I am not a coffee drinker.  Is it the free Internet access?  No, because I can get free Internet access a lot of places that are a lot closer to my house.  

So why?  Why did I get up earlier than I had to this morning, drive an hour and a half to Dallas, to simply sit at a Starbucks for over an hour before my friend landed at DFW?  Was it simply the excuse I tell myself and others that I wanted to make sure I beat Dallas traffic and get to the airport side of Dallas in plenty of time?  I don’t think that was the real reason.  It has everything to do with the experience at Starbucks.  

Yes, just like the postmodern movement that I am so drawn to in my Christian faith, that is exactly the reason why I am drawn to the experience of Starbucks.  It is the ambiance, the smell of coffee, the atmosphere, and the noises of coffee grinding, expresso machines, muffled intimate conversations, and business deals going down all around you.  It is magnetizing.  I love it.  I feel comfortable and almost a sense of being home.

Here’s the question I ask myself this morning:  how can the church become more like Starbucks?  When I say that I am not suggesting that the church sell lattes and tasty pastries.  On the other hand, how can the church become more inviting and more magnetizing?  How can the body of Christ become so appealing that people have to go check it out and experience something that will keep them coming back time and time again?  I want to figure that out.  It will be a lot cheaper than hanging out all the time in a Starbucks drinking $5 frappuccinos.    

SIDE NOTE:  I am working on a new post that should be up in a day or two that should be fun.  It is a list of a ton of my favorites.  Everything from music, sports, and much more.  Check back later. 


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Categories : Life, People, Spirituality

The Ministry of Presence

18 03 2008

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The New York Yankees today are playing another March spring training game.  However, this is not the typical Grapefruit League spring training game.  The Yankees have traveled to Blacksburg, Virginia to play an exhibition game against the Virginia Tech Hokies.  

It is hard to believe that it has almost been a full year since tragedy hit that campus.  In April 2007 a graduate student murdered 32 people while wounding 23 others.  I know that it is easy to let numbers and news like that fly in one ear and out the other without thinking too much about it.  We have become all too comfortable with tragedy like this.  Unless we are personally affected, we often are not driven to heartbreak (me being the first to admit that).  32 families were destroyed that day.  32 moms and dads lost their son or daughter that day.

For today’s seven inning exhibition game, the New York Yankees are dressing a full squad.  They have sent 28 players, the entire coaching staff, General Manager Brian Cashman, and Team President Randy Levine.  Out of those 28 players, all the Yankees star players will be there, including Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, among others.  They didn’t send all the scrubs and bench players.  They sent their stars.  Their varsity.  Their “A” team. 

The New York Yankees are helping affirm something that God has been teaching me lately.   They are a perfect example of the ministry of presence.  The ministry of presence is simply being there for somebody who is experiencing tragedy.  It isn’t fixing the tragedy or taking away the pain.  The Steinbrenners and other executives at the Yankees could have simply thrown some money at the campus or worn a Virginia Tech hat in one of their games as a tribute.  They could have had a special moment of silence at their other games.  While all of those honor VT and are good expressions of support, it is not as comforting as  being on campus, shaking hands with students, and hanging out with the players.  

In the book of Job, Job goes through tragedy.  He loses his family, his possessions, his wealth, his status, his health, and well, pretty much everything.  Job is right in the middle of his tragedy when we meet three of his friends: Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.  Now these three often get ripped for how they react to Job’s situation, but they also did something right that we can apply to our lives today.

Job 2:11-13 (NIV) says, “When Job’s three friends heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.  When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.  Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights.  No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.“

What an amazing picture of the ministry of presence!  They simply sat with him for seven days and nights without saying a word.  They knew that in the middle of Job’s storm their words would not resinate like they normally would.  Their actions of simply being there spoke loud enough.  They cried with him, sat with him, grieved with him, and gave a very precious gift to him…their presence.  

Whether you are a Yankees fan or not, you have to like and respect what they are doing simply because they didn’t have to do it.  Will their presence at Virginia Tech fix their situation?  No.  But does their presence mean a lot?  Absolutely. 

Next time somebody you know is in the middle of a tragedy, remember the ministry of presence.  


Comments : 2 Comments »

Categories : Faith, Ministry, Spirituality, Sports

Fantasy Baseball Draft Last Night

18 03 2008

Last night I had the privilege to sit down at my computer for 2 and 1/2 hours for a fantasy baseball draft.  I play fantasy sports with five of my best friends on this planet.  We are competitive but not too hardcore.  Anyways, I just thought I would share who I drafted.  Meet my fantasy baseball team, the Sons of Thunder:

  •  C – Jorge Posada
  • 1B – Mark Teixeira
  • 2B – Chase Utley
  • 3B – Miguel Cabrera
  • SS – Derek Jeter
  • OF – Ryan Braun
  • OF – Grady Sizemore
  • OF – Manny Rameriz
  • UTL – Alex Rios
  • UTL – Adam Dunn
  • BN – Rafael Furcal
  • BN – Matt Kemp
  • SP – Cole Hamels
  • SP – Aaron Harang
  • RP – Jose Valverde
  • RP – Manny Corpas
  • P – Carlos Zambrano
  • P – Brett Myers
  • P – Francisco Liriano
  • BN – Joba Chamberlain
  • BN – Chad Cordero
  • BN – BJ Ryan
  • BN – Rich Harden

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Categories : Random, Sports

The Biggest Loser – Gaby style

17 03 2008

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About a month ago, we took Gaby to our vet because she was having some foot problems.  We were hit with some news that all proud parents don’t want to hear:  Gaby, our awesome basset hound dog, was over-weight.  If I were to be completely honest, the vet said that she was obese. 

The good news is that obesity is fixable.  The biggest cause of her weight was not her food consumption, but the extremely fatty treats that we were feeding her on a consistent basis.  We immediately started taking some practical steps to slim her down a little.  For example, we substituted carrots and low-fat chicken treats for the normal fatty treats.  We also started taking her on walks a lot more consistently.

About a week after our initial visit with the vet, his office called back with an amazing offer.  They asked if we would be interested in putting Gaby on a new, trial dog diet.  It was totally free and it required giving her diet medicine everyday for four months (they provide the medicine).  We decided to do it.

This afternoon I am proud to announce to the world that after going for her first checkup after one month of the diet, she has lost SIX POUNDS.  Yes, the diet and lifestyle changes are working.  Let Gaby teach you a lesson today: with consistent diet, exercise, accountability, and discipline you can shed those pounds just like Gaby.


Comments : 2 Comments »

Categories : Family

Hotel Cromer

14 03 2008

The past month has been crazy at 900 Barbara.  It is has been so crazy that it is no longer the Cromer home; it is officially Hotel Cromer.  Heather has been out of town twice for work (one time to Orlando for 10 days and one to Las Vegas for 5 days).  Here is a rundown of our recent guests:

  • We recently had a great couple in our home, Luke and Lindsay Norsworthy.  Luke came down to speak at church and last weekend’s spring retreat.  Luke and Lindsay are good friends who enjoyed their stay at Hotel Cromer and left earlier this week.
  • Heather decided to check back in to Hotel Cromer yesterday which made me happy.  With how much she has been gone lately, I keep forgetting that she is a part-owner, not a guest.
  • James Howell is checking in tonight to Hotel Cromer.  James is going to be Shannon Oaks’ male summer intern this summer.  He will be staying throughout the weekend.
  • My parents are checking in tomorrow for almost a full week at Hotel Cromer.  I am really excited to get to see them and love on them a little.  They are staying through Thursday.
  • Finally, Ben and Lisa Vos are coming on Thursday (yes, the day my parents leave).  They are moving here in June to be part of the youth ministry staff at Shannon Oaks.  They will be here around 5 days.

We have rooms available in April if anybody is interested in a stay at Hotel Cromer.   It reminds me of the episode of The Office where we learn that Dwight uses Schrute Farms as a bed and breakfast.  However, we do not have an irrigation room. 


Comments : 1 Comment »

Categories : Family, Friends

Interesting Debate on ABC

13 03 2008

Is America addicted to porn?   That is the question ABC’s Nightline asked during a recent broadcast.  You can go to www.abcnews.go.com/Nightline/FaceOff/ and see a debate over that topic.  It is extremely interesting and insightful.  Note of caution:  this is over a national, secular broadcast so you never know their real agenda. 

Pornography is drastically affecting America and the church.  It is often the “dirty little secret” that is constantly being ignored and swept under the rug while it kills intimacy, marriages, and purity.  The porn business is a $14 billion dollar a year industry.  It is supposed to be designed for mature adults, but the reality is that it is killing America’s youth.  The average age of a porn viewer is between 12-17 years old.  The average age a person is first introduced to pornography is 11 years old.  The reason for these startling stats is because it is only a few clicks away now.  It’s not like 20 years ago, when you had to look under your dad’s mattress or go into the XXX store with a ballcap pulled down low to cover your face so nobody knew you were there.  Anybody with an Internet connection can have porn available in a matter of seconds without anybody knowing.

One of the best resources I have found that is fighting the fight against pornography and calling people back to God and holiness is www.xxxchurch.com.  I strongly support these guys (one of the guys, Craig Gross, is on the Nightline debate mentioned above).  Check them out.

Whether you have kids or not, we have to be proactive about protecting our purity and intimacy in marriage.  Here a couple of practical suggestions that I recommend you put into practice immediately in your home:

  1. Put your home computer in a public area.  This definitely applies if you have kids.  Don’t let your kid have a computer in their room at home.
  2. Put some sort of filter/accountability software on your computer that monitors what websites are being viewed.  XXXchurch.com has a FREE software for Mac and PC that is called X3 Watch.  That software is an accountability software that sends a weekly email to an accountability partner of what websites you are looking at.  The key is that your partner is somebody that will hold you accountable and you don’t want them to know you are looking at porn (I recommend your wife, your pastor, your mom, etc).

It’s time we stop sweeping this epidemic that is drastically affecting our churches, our marriages, our teenagers, and our culture under the rug.  Pursue holiness.  Pursue purity.


Comments : 1 Comment »

Categories : Life, Ministry, Spirituality, TV

Guilty Pleasures

12 03 2008

I strongly believe that there are two type of people in the world: (1) People who are geeks and know they are geeks.  (2) People who are geeks but don’t know they are geeks.  I definitely fit it group number 1.  I embrace my inner geek and my uncoolness. 

We all have guilty pleasures.  Whether you are a big burly guy that secretly has a cry every Sunday night watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition or you are a prim and proper lady who enjoys watching MMA.  I decided to share some of my guilty pleasures from my iPOD.  These are all songs that I actually have on my iPOD but songs that I normally wouldn’t brag about.

  • Boston – Augustana (if you know me, you know why this on that list)
  • My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
  • Bad Boy This, Bad Boy That – Da Band
  • How Do You Talk To An Angel – The Heights
  • What Is Love – Haddaway (the song from the SNL club skits)
  • Good Vibrations – Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
  • U Can’t Touch This – MC Hammer
  • On the Way Down – Ryan Cabrera
  • Pump Up the Jam – Technotronic
  • Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice

I laughed a lot looking over this list.  I hope you did too.  Feel free to take a few jabs or share your guilty pleasures on your iPOD.


Comments : 3 Comments »

Categories : Funny, Music, Uncategorized

Treading Water

11 03 2008

According to the Limca Book of World Records (it is similar to the Gluiness Book of World Records in India), the longest a human being has tread water is a total of 85 hours.  It also states that there is also a difference between treading water and “drown proofing”.  In treading water, the swimmer’s face must remain out of the water.  In drown proofing, the swimmer can lie face down in the water, and raises only to take a break to conserve energy.  

Think about that for a second.  85 straight hours of treading water.  That is a long stinkin’ time to keep your head above water.  However, I think that the Limca Book of World Records got it wrong.  I only say that because I have been treading since August.  Now I have not been treading in water; I have been treading in my ministry.  

The Shannon Oaks Church Student Ministries (SOC/SM) has grown a lot since last year.  We have grown spiritually.  We have grown numerically.  And we have grown a lot in each.  For the longest time, it seemed like we would have somebody new walking through our doors every time we met.  It was incredibly exciting but at the same time exhausting for me.  

You see for years I have based the student ministry here at Shannon Oaks around relationships.  It is to me the only true way to do ministry (all ministry, not just youth ministry).  The problem with relational youth ministry is your humanity.  What I mean by that is that a normal human being has a relational tank that can only hold and maintain so many relationships.  When I say relationships, I mean real relationships…not “high/bye” relationships.  When my relational tank filled up, I simply started treading water.  However, I knew this could only be temporary because I knew I would eventually drown.  I was simply surviving, not thriving.  The longer my treading water phase went, the more I realized I couldn’t be everywhere I needed to be.  I couldn’t be at the soccer game, the dance recital, the Jr High Bible study, sitting across the table talking about life at Chilis, on the phone with the student that hadn’t shown up in 3 weeks, while making sure I took care of my family at home.  I needed help and I needed help fast before the ministry plateaued.  

I went in one afternoon to talk with our shepherds (elders) here and they asked how the student ministry was going.  I decided to verbally throw-up on them my current situation.  I told them my need for help.  They stepped up and told me that help would be on its way.  

I am pleased to say that Ben Vos will be moving to Sulphur Springs in June to be another youth minister at the Shannon Oaks Church.  We will partner together and lead the SOC/SM.  I can’t think of a better guy to work with and live life with.  I am incredibly excited.  

I am definitely excited to stop treading water.  God is good.


Comments : 2 Comments »

Categories : Faith, Friends, Ministry

Starting to Blog

11 03 2008

Yes, I am going to attempt to start blogging.  I hope to share a little of my brain with world wide web from time to time.  I will try to write from time to time on a variety of subjects…life, faith, family, sports, random, etc.  If you know me, then you know that my brain is always going.  I think from the time I wake up till the time I go to bed.  Let’s see if I can get some of those thoughts out on the world wide web so the entire global civilization with a computer can see them.  What a brilliant idea!


Comments : 5 Comments »

Categories : Uncategorized