MLS Cup 2008

I needed to put this pic on there... there's something funny about it though.

From left to right, you've got: Yours Truly, MLS Rookie and Champ Cory Elenio, Jason Pele (a groomsman from my wedding—he's Samoan), Eric Johnson, and George (I believe it's "Skylar") ________ (last name is a little foggy for me). We're all buddies from the University of Evansville. Cory, Eric, Pele and I played there a little bit and George was our trainer for a while. Isn't that special, now we're all, all grown up.

Cory just finished his first season with the Columbus Crew, and already has an MLS Championship Ring. Proud of that boy... I've got great memories of him watching Aqua Teen Hunger Force, making fun of me for not being good at soccer, singing Queen's Bicycle song (and that other freaky "Pin Ball Master" song), and most importantly, a precious moment coming back from Chic-fil-a entitled I Don't Remember the Dance.

Skipping Rocks WIth the Dinks

I just thought throwing in this video would be fun.

Mr. President

Well... I've let is sink in for these last 48 hours, and it's finally starting to settle: Barack Obama will be our Nation's 44th president.


Although I cannot say I was excited to watch Obama win the Election on Tuesday night, I can say that I certainly still have hope for our country—and for our next President. In a speech given after the announcing of the Election Results, Obama spoke openly to Republicans, stating that we all must work together, and we all must fight together to bring unity to a torn country. I respect what he said very much, and I will hold him to what was said.

Even though Barack Obama did not have my vote in this election, he has my full, 100% support as the Commander in Chief of this Blessed Nation. I am a patriot, and I love my country, and I will fully back Barack Obama. However, I say this because first I am a follower of Jesus Christ, and I trust that even though Obama will move into the White House come January, God is still firmly seated on His Throne above. May we never forget to seek God in all things, for the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15)—let us turn as a nation to God, who is Lord of All (Isaiah 6:1, 3; Revelation 4:8).

The king's heart is in
the hand of the Lord,
Like the rivers of water
He turns it wherever He wishes.

Proverbs 21:1

What A Servant Looks Like

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.
Colossians 3:23

A few days ago I mentioned that the "best servant" award for our ABF's building of the Box Maze was awarded to Danny and David Durham. Just to back up that decision, let me tell you a little about Danny.

The Fall Festival was on Sunday night from 6:00 pm to about 9:00 pm. After the Sunday Morning service, I stayed at the church all day in order to prepare for the event. Danny and David stayed with me as well. They were with me all day. Those guys are amazing. As I said, the event was officially finished around 9:00, but we had to stay behind and work on cleaning up the mess, and stomp down all those boxes, and roll up extension cords, etc.

After a while of cleaning up, I took a look at the time. It was 10:15 pm. I had hung out with Danny and David before on a Sunday night or weeknight, and typically they need to be home by 10:00 so that they can get in bed early enough to get up bright and early for work. Obviously, when I realized that it was after 10:00, and we still had (at least) a 10 minute drive to get Danny home, I was worried.

I ran over to Danny and put my hand on his shoulder and said, "Danny, it's after 10:00, we really need to get you home." He looked up at me with those awesome eyes and paused for just a second. I fully expected him to reply: "So, So... we should get going so that I can get in bed." Perhaps that would have been the "wise" thing for him to say, or at least the "comfortable" thing for him to say. But instead, after his pause, Danny looked up at me and said, "So, So... So what else is Deonna doing that we need to help her with?"

That night I saw Danny unhesitatingly carry large boxes of electrical cords from one end of the church to the other, I saw him clean an entire Men's Restroom—including a clever stunt standing on the counter and thoroughly scrubbing all the mirrors, I saw him comb the entire parking lot looking for and picking up loose pieces of trash that blew away during the event... and the only thing he had to say while I was driving him home was, "that was good... I clean a lot of bathrooms at my work."

I worked there all day because my wife works at the Church, and I was supposed to be there getting everything ready and cleaned up. Danny had no reason to be there—except to reflect the gentle heart of Christ to those who had eyes to see. I selfishly thought I had a servant-heart; my mundane efforts to serve others are nothing but a foil contrasted against Danny and David's selfless hearts.

Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality
with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing,
taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Philippians 2:6–7

Whoever humbles himself like this little child
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:4

Checking My Watch: Ramblings on Biblical Narrative

In the following post, What A Servant Looks Like, I mention that I "took a look at the time" and realized it was after 10:00 pm. My first draft of that post however, read something like this: "after looking down at my watch and realizing it was after 10:00..." When I had been writing out this story the first time, I lied. I wrote that I "looked at my watch." This is funny because I don't wear a watch. I vividly remember on Sunday night checking the time on my phone, not a watch. But, the watch seemed fitting to the story and just came out as I wrote down my thoughts. It wasn't necessarily a blatant lie, I was just telling the story. This "lie" had no meaning other than it was a detail to add to the story.

Does that make me a liar? Would that have made my story about Danny untrue? Certainly not. We all add elements when we tell stories that belong more accurately to our own ingenuity than to the actual events of reality. I didn't lie because I wanted to alter the truth, I simply was telling a story, and my details would have added to the appeal of the story—nothing more. This is also true with Scripture. When it comes to Biblical Narrative, we are not supposed to read ever single little word and arrogantly profess that every single thing exactly as it happen. Though the Word of God is inspired and inerrant, it also was written by human authors—creative, unique, and limited, human authors. Thus, when we read the two different accounts* of how Peter first met Jesus in the Gospels (Matthew & Mark vs. John), we should not conclude that these stories contradict each other; instead we must simply realize that each account of this meeting is told through the perspective of a unique third party—be it Matthew, Mark, or John. All of whom, throughout their detailed Gospel accounts of the life of Christ, will often describe the times when they look down and "check their watch," all by means to better illuminate the wonderful story of our Redeemer's life on earth, our Immanuel.

*(1) Matthew 4:18–20 and Mark 1:16–18
(2) John 1:35–42

Box Maze

Micah 2 Chart (Updated)

Here is my attempt to create another chart of Micah 2 to help clarify my thoughts. The gray shaded parts are those portions associated with "evildoers" or "wickedness," whereas the green shaded parts reflect "justice," and "righteousness" and "goodness." As you can see (a little more clearly than the last chart), the chapter is divided into two sections pivoting around v. 7 and then the mirrored verses build upon an analogous theme. Check it out... let me know what you think (click on the image to larger).




The themes per verse-pairs are:

• vv. 1 and 13: "Who is doing the LEADING?"

• vv.2 and 12: "GATHERING"

• vv.3 and 11: "RESPONSE to What God is Saying"

• vv.4 and 10: "God's WRATH"

• vv.5 and 9: "Having no DIRECTION"

• vv.6 and 8: "Things of God which Evildoers CORRUPT"
  

"...do not My words do good
to him who walks uprightly?"

Micah 2:7b

A.Mazing.:Get Pumped!

Here is the official design for our ABF (Bible Fellowship Class) at Lake Pointe Church! The design is for a "BOX MAZE" that will be a major attraction for the October 26 Fall Festival! I will be putting some pictures up as we document the construction and final project! .... I don't think you all realize how pumped I am!

(click on image for full size)