16 Nov 05 113215079181525556

It seems the people of this land, those who care about sports anyway, have a moral conscience. It is possible to cross the line and go too far. But it’s not the actions you might think which incur the wrath and scorn of the sporting public.

Father 11 illegitimate children? No problem welcome to the hall of fame. Hook up a friend with some drugs? Please, doing some time in the big house only increases your bad boy rep. Personally involved in murder and mayhem? Those are off-the-field antics and have no bearing on the field.

Take steroids (or a rogue B-12 injection) and you are out. Bet on baseball and you are out. Act like the spoiled, narcissistic person that professional sports expects and you are out.

Anyone else confused by the mixed messages?

15 Nov 05 113206461755700661

With two exceptions the boys lived it up as couch potatoes yesterday. The two exceptions are notable.

One of the nice things about our area, during this time of year, are the gorgeous trees. The leaves changing color (as I mentioned in an earlier post) is quite a sight. The downside is those leaves change color and fall in your yard. We have quite a few oak trees in our backyard and the leaves must be dealt with. I’m not sure why - it’s just something we have to do.

Raking leaves is not tops on my priority list. It’s one of those things I do because it is important to someone else in our house. So, ever the good sports, we set out to rake the leaves to the street. A big vacuum truck comes along and sucks up all the leaves. The raking chore went faster this year as both minority members of the house helped in the task. The thing about raking leaves in the backyard is that we will have to do it at least two more times in the next few weeks.

The second exception to our general laziness came in the form of a backyard football game. We almost made it through without any crying. To be fair, I was held. Actually, there was a slight collision between the wide receiver and the defensive back. Hey, they don’t call it a contact sport for nothing.

All in all it was a nice fall day - lazy streak and all. Of course any day a car doesn’t come crashing through your house or your truck doesn’t get hit could be considered a nice fall day.

14 Nov 05 113198405081723739

Yesterday a gaggle of us went to lunch at a fast food Greek place. It was excellent. The excitement happened before making it to the restaurant. We had invited a visitor to our assemblies and he rode with me to the restaurant.

We parked a block away and began to walk to the restaurant. We waited at the intersection and watched as a car was hit from behind while trying to turn left. The driver of the car who hit the car from behind made a split second decision and ran (or I should say drove) for it. See you later, out of here.

I stepped into the intersection (after the car had sped past) to be a good citizen and capture the license plate number. It was a temporary DMV tag. The kind that should be used to check vision instead of the eye charts. I couldn’t make out anything.

We made it safely across the intersection and approched the person who had been hit. I gave them my business card told them I was sorry I couldn’t get a license plate number. Two other people approached as well with the similar experience. A crime (hit and run) with three witnesses. And no one to which we can point the finger.

Feels like I’m living in Steve’s neighborhood.

11 Nov 05 113171745548901098

It’s just the way these things go. I’m sure you have been there. Those times you think God might be trying to tell you something?

As I mentioned yesterday I went to the DMV to practice the discipline of waiting. I waited patiently for an hour to renew my driver’s license. In September, I had renewed via the online “fast and convenient” way to renew your driver’s license. As of Yesterday morning when I went to the DMV I still had not received said license — even after two polite phone calls.

But I had just taught about using moments like these as opportunities to wait on God. So, true to my word, I went and waited.

I got my license and went back to work. I came home to have lunch with my neighbor just as the mail delivery specialist was leaving our house. I knew it would be there and I was right.

I went to retrieve the mail and there it was — my license — that had been renewed in September, promised delivery (two times) within five days and had yet to arrive. On this day, of all days, it was there in the mailbox.

Don’t tell me God doesn’t have a sense of humor!

10 Nov 05 113163849385047991

Like any of us could (or would want to) top what happened to Steve and family last night. Yikes! I hearby order a suspension for positive blog week!

Last night in our mid-week-tune-up we talked about waiting on God. Here’s a quote from John Ortberg:

When God leads his people, he does not move hastily. He is never in a hurry. It is one of this most irritating qualities. He is the God who takes his people to the Promised Land by way of the desert. One of the most significant things we can do when we’re in the wilderness is summed up in a single word: wait. Sometimes waiting is all you can do — and the best thing to do.

Seeking to put this concept to the test. I went this morning to the DMV. Where better to learn how to wait?

09 Nov 05 113154659573109268

Remember back when we were younger and could stay up all night studying for that test the next morning? We “study” through the night and be ready to go for a full day of classes and take the test.

Remember back when we regularly watched the late show or tonight show?

Remember back when we stayed awake long enough to watch the news?

So why is it that most of us can’t even make it to 9:00?

What has happened? We were once so young, so full of life. We once had no need for all this sleep.

Would you trade sleep for productivity?

08 Nov 05 These are a few of my favorite words . . .

There are many examples in the Bible, many instances of God speaking to someone. He spoke directly and indirectly to some. He spoke to and through some. He spoke for and against some.

There are some words I would not welcome hearing. There are some words my ears would open wide to embrace. Like these words spoken to Daniel:

“. . . don’t be afraid. God loves you very much. Peace be with you. Be strong now; be courageous.” (Daniel 10:19 NCV)

Think about your day today. As you do what you need to do on this day imagine these words personally directed to you.

“Don’t be afraid. God loves you very much. God’s peace is with you today. So, be strong now and be courageous.”

07 Nov 05 113137323980885422

I recently wrote about my favorite “there’s no way that’s possible” commercials. I have a new favorite. A clear winner in the “how stupid do you think we are” category. Have you seen the new 7 passenger Jeep? Kids are looking at and excitedly talking about their favorite shark as if they were at an aquarium. It turns out they are in the back seat of the Jeep with these built in sky lights. The commercial ends with the Jeep appearing to drive up onto a sandy beach from the depths of the ocean. And there it is. At the bottom of the screen are these words: “Not intended for underwater use.” Because that’s the first thing I was going to do.

I hope your weekend assemblies went better than ours. Our assembly was ok, our tech stuff was unbearable. Our computer was inhabitated by some foul demon of technology. I felt sorry for our operators. They looked like they were ready to leap from the balcony. Either that or throw the computer from the balcony. Among other things the fonts went wacko and our title slides and transition slides kept proclaiming “Arlington Church of Chris” in brilliant color.

Let me offer some advice that most of you probably already know. In those situations don’t embarass the people working the computer (or the sound board). It may or may not have been their fault. In this case it was not their fault. The last thing you want to do, by your actions, is to deflect the attention from the computer to them. They are volunteers and will refuse to help again. This is something that I’ve had to learn with great patience. The best way to deal with it, I think, is to laugh about it and move on. Much like budget meetings.

04 Nov 05 113111371170776653

The thing about living here is you get the full flavor of each season. Sometimes it’s a double shot of flavor but always different nonetheless. You can recognize fall, winter, spring, and summer. Mostly you try to survive the winter, run away from summer and live it up in the spring and fall. Those of you who live in Oregon and California have been climatically cheated. You only get two seasons. Those of you who live in Texas aren’t doing much better. You’ve got, what, 2 and 1/2? Forget about it Florida boy! Mr. living life in the Sunshine state.

The past few days have been spectacular. Crisp clear mornings with just a slight warming trend in the afternoon. I missed my day off last week so I decided to cash it in yesterday and baby did I choose a humdinger!

I’ve a had few fishing days in my life were everything was clicking. Forget being in the zone whilst preaching - I was in the pescatorial zone. I caught so many fish (and released them) that I stopped counting - though I believe it was around a bakers dozen.

Remember that 1980’s muscle head, weightlifting, pentecostal group known as the power team? They would prance around in spandex - during a time when men should not prance around in spandex - tearing phone books, breaking baseball bats and all other sorts of feats of strength. Right before they would rip a phone book they would yell “for every phone book I tear that’s another 1000 souls saved for Jesus.” Or, “for every bat I break over my head that’s another 100 souls for Jesus.” It’s the bat breaking over the head, by the way, that leads to public prancing in spandex.

That’s what I thought about yesterday. Yikes! In this context: “for every fish I catch that’s another 100 souls saved for Jesus!” I think I’m on to something here and better continue to hone my skill.

03 Nov 05 113102728325859243

Food for thought . . .

Three times the patience of the Lord was tested. Three times he had enough. Three times he pronounced judgment. Three times he communicated his intent to three different men. One man talked him out of it. One man talked him into adjusting the plan (if only for the sake of argument). And one man didn’t even argue just accepted.

Moses - Abraham - Noah

Ever wonder why Noah didn’t try to talk God out of it?

Ever wonder why Moses did?

We can deduce Abraham really loved Lot.

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One of our members and local reader of ye ol’ blog. Read my blog about giving money to someone who would just buy beer with it. She came up to me after mid-week tune-up last night with a mischevious smile and said: “I’ve got a proverb for you.”

So here it is:

Proverbs 31:6-7 (NCV) Give beer to people who are dying and wine to those who are sad. Let them drink and forget their need and remember their misery no more.

And that’s, as they say, the rest of the story!