AMAZING...

That's all I can say after last night's game. I was there as the history books were being written, and the energy in that stadium was unimaginable. I can't say enough to express how awesome it was. But I can say this... USF 21 - West Virginia 13. It was a blast. In case you haven't heard, you can read more about it here.

Because...

I'm going to the USF-West Virginia game. USF is ranked #18 and West Virginia, who has two Heisman candidates on offense, is ranked #5. Ray-Ja is sold out (65,700 seats) and USF is calling all fans to wear green shirts to "green out" the game. Also, Tampa's mayor, Pam Iorio, has declared today "Green and Gold" day in honor of tonight's historic game. This game can set USF into new heights and solidify them as a top 3 contender in the Big East, which as most know, has a BCS bowl bid. If they can pull this off tonight, it will be HUGE for the school. I can't wait to hear the crowd. 67 thousand fans screaming, it will be awesome. Also, can't wait to see if George Selvie gets anymore sacks tonight against Pat White. Selvie leads the nation this year so far in sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (15.) He will need many to slow down West Virginia's spread offense. They did it last year, so I'm hoping for the best! I can't wait. Got to go get a green USF shirt for the game, so I'm out, but I'll post tomorrow, hopefully about USF winning. We will see! Until then, buckle up!

Devil Rays-Yankee Game...

A friend of mine called me Wednesday and told me that she had a free ticket to the Rays' last home game on Thursday. So her and a few of her friends and I loaded up and went. It was fun, the Rays lost as usual, but what stunk most about it was the fact that 6 of the regular Yankee starters were not playing. So basically, the Rays lost to a second-string team. But on the bright side, Scott Kazmir struck out 10 batters to take the lead for most strikeouts this year in the MLB. Also, Carlos Pena hit his 44th homer. So there were some bright spots. But for me, the best part was seeing Dick Vitale in attendance. That was pretty awesome. At the end of the 7th, he got up and left, but not before sitting and talking for about 10 minutes with a handy-cap kid in a wheel chair and his dad. That was even better to see. Dick seemed to really enjoy the time (it was spontaneous, not planned,) and the kid did too, even got a few autographs out of it. So I had a good time. But tonight will be even better...

My fifteen minutes of fame...

Yesterday, Team Pyro (a pretty high viewed blog) referenced me on one of their post about the whole driscoll-bell feud. Anyways, my views yesterday was over 150, so I guess that's it. Anyways, you can check out the article here.

Mrs. Mary Johnson...

She was the most godly, amazing woman I've ever met. For those who knew here, and those who didn't, God took home another great one Sunday afternoon. I can't wait for the day to she her again. Oh, what a joyous day that be!

I've had a lot of fun
Using this gift God gave me,
Praising His name in verse,
Because He loved and saved me.

If you've not trusted Jesus
And spent time in His Word,
I hope these lines will help you
to accept Him as Your Lord.

Then love the Lord completely
And live for Him each day,
It is the way of joy;
There is no other way.

Wherever I've listed a scripture
Please read each line.
God's Word's so much more important
Than any word of mine.

Mary Johnson - "Preface" from her book of poetry Praising Him.

She undoubtedly loved the Lord completely, and lived for Him each day. For her, there was no other way. Her joy is mine, and she will not soon be out of mine and many others hearts. Till I see you again, Mrs. Mary. Enjoy!

Mike Gundy Lectures the Oklahoma Media

This is what a high school/college coach should be like. I think he's got it nailed. And get this, this is after Okla. St won the game. Wow.

Oh, and somehow, Tim Tebow is # 3 in Heisman rankings right now. Black Horse anyone? I don't know, we'll find out next Saturday against LSU.

Cleveland Rocks!!!

Yes, that was a reference to the "Drew Carey Show," but this post is about my beloved Cleveland Indians. Last night,, they won the AL Central Title with a home win over The Oakland A's 6-2. We are now at 92 wins for the season, and the win guaranteed us a spot in the playoffs. Also last night, the Angel secured a playoff spot and division title. Now all that is left is the Redsox and the Yanks battle for division, There are still 6 games left, so it could be anybody. I dont really care, both are getting in the playoffs. I really hope this is our year finally, after two W.S. losses in '95 and '97. If we can just get to the W.S. I know we can win it, the N.L. is a weaker league. If we beat the red hot Yankees, or the Red Sox, and Angels, we can beat anybody. I just hope our offense shows up to support Cy Young front-runner Sabathia, and Carmona. Oh here we go October! Amen!

What a day today has been...

I woke up with some devilish sinus cold, and it would not go away. I went to Journey to try and help out, but ended up leaving by 10:50. I could feel it wearing on me, and sure enough it did. I wanted to go see Kaitlyn in her play "Bridge to Teribithia, " so instead of taking some medicine and going to sleep, I went at 200 to see her last showing. I was so dead by that time, I ended up staying long enough to see this cute dog make its appearance (Kaitlyn did an amazing job though, and the girl in the main part had an amazing voice.) So I left and went home, took some medicine and went to bed, but not before I checked my blogroll. And what did I find, (one of my favorites) Rob Bell being labeled a heretic by another favorite of mine, Mark Driscoll while speaking at the Convergence Conference. From what I've heard, Mark lambasted him, and went into an hour plus teaching on how he is a heretic. So of course I couldn't wait for the audio to be made public. And so I went to sleep with visions of sugarplums dancing in my head (plus a weird tunnel effect and my equilibrium out of wack. So a few hours pass, and I wake feeling much better (like I could run a mile, if of coarse I did not have a broken leg.) I go and check my fantasy football to see how I'm doing, and it appears like I will lose to Adam's team the Rob Bells (very funny how just last week he changed his team's name to the Rob Bells, a reference to our league being called the Heretics.) After checking that, I jump on over to the blogs, and find that the Driscoll sermon has posted, and so I download it, and here I am now, typing this, about ready to listen to him blast on the the other great pastors in America. For the record, I don't agree with everything Bell says, but I still believe he is pointing many to Christ. Anyways, you can check out the audio here, and the responses from people who heard it first hand here. Enjoy, and Goodnight!

By the way, if post has seemed a bit loose and scattered, its because my head feels the same.
Also, Claritin D is THE BEST stuff on the market. If you are down with a sinus cold, go get some yesterday! It's amazing!

Matchbox Twenty - How Far We've Come (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Here's the official video.

Matchbox 20

Man, this song is rocking my world right now. You always hear about how good we humans are, how much we have civilized and advanced in our thinking, and our humanity. But its all an illusion. Be aware, some of the pics in this video are graphic, but then again the world is graphic. I will post the lyrics next so you can follow along. I cant tell you this for sure, we will see how far we've come soon.

How Far We've Come...

Here are the lyrics:

Waking up at the start of the end of the world,
but its feeling just like every morning before,
now I wonder what my life is going to mean if its gone,
the cars are moving like a half a mile an hour if that
I started staring at the passengers waving goodbye
can you tell me what was ever really special about me all this time

but I believe the world is burning to the ground
oh well I guess we're gonna find out
let's see how far we've come
let's see how far we've come

Well I, believe, its all, coming to an end
oh well, I guess, we're gonna pretend,
let's see how far we've come
let's see how far we've come

I think its turning to a crock but I don't really know
I can't remember caring for an hour or so
started crying and I couldn't stop myself
I started running but there was no where to run to
I sat down on the street and took a look at myself
said where you going you know the world is heading for hell
say your goodbyes if you've got someone you can say goodbye to

I believe the world is burning to the ground
oh well I guess we're gonna find out
let's see how far we've come
let's see how far we've come

Well I, believe, its all, coming to an end
oh well, I guess, we're gonna pretend,
let's see how far we've come
let's see how far we've come

its gone gone baby its all gone
there is no one on the corner and there's no one at home
it was cool cool, it was just all cool
now it's over for me and it's over for you
well its gone gone baby its all gone
there is no one on the corner and there's no one at home
well it was cool cool, it was just all cool
now it's over for me and it's over for you

but I believe the world is burning to the ground
oh well I guess we're gonna find out
let's see how far we've come
let's see how far we've come
Well I, believe, its all, coming to an end
oh well, I guess, we're gonna pretend,
let's see how far we've come
let's see how far we've come


I've got to say, this next video I post is a bit more political, I like the first one the best. But the next one is the official video to the song. Rob Thomas sings with so much passion.

This song kinda makes me what to get out there and change the world, make it so it doesn't go to hell, as Thomas would say. I love how, and I know some people would have disagree with this, God uses the "secular" world and it's expressions to talk about Him. Anyways, great song!

Unequally Yoked (Part 2d and final post.)

So I was talking with a couple the other night, and this idea of “unequally yoke” came up. As it so happens, this couple have the story where the wife claims she was a Christian when she meet the husband, and the husband was not. After some courtship, they fell in love and decided to get married. Many years pass, and the husband finally accepts Christ. Now, this Christian husband says to me that if it weren’t for his wife accepting him, and loving him, and marrying him, he would have moved on, and possibly never found Christ. So he asks me, how is it that this story can be bad? And so I thought about it, already knowing the basic simple answer, but wanted to express it better to them. Now, I must admit, I forgot most of the points made during our conversation, but I remember the major premise, and that is grace. Is this story bad? This answer is no, but not because it was good from the beginning. The story is good because God has redeemed it. Mirroring the entire Bible and the history of Creation, this story and ones similar to it, are beautiful stories of God’s redemptive grace and boundless love. Allow me to elaborate just a bit. When God called His people out of Egypt and into the Promise Land, what is the beauty of the story? Is it when Moses, face to face with a burning bush, argues that God has chosen the wrong person, that he is not qualified to do the task that God has called him? Or is it when Moses and the Hebrews, standing next to the Red Sea, the people begin questioning Moses, asking him if he brought them out of Egypt just to die at the hands of the army at the sea? Or is it when, after crossing the sea on a dry seabed, begin questioning Moses again, asking him did he bring them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? No, the beauty wasn’t in those acts, but the beauty was when God used Moses despite his insecurities. The story was made beautiful when God parted the sea (after they lacked faith and questioned,) and when He made bread fall out of the sky and water flow from rocks (after, again, they lacked faith and questioned.) The story was not made beautiful by the Hebrews’ decision to not go into the Promise Land (after God had told them to,) but when God even after this rejection of God’s guidance, He still loves them, leads them, and blesses them with bread from the sky and water from rocks. God takes our decisions, good or bad, and makes them work for His good. Look again at the story of the Hebrews: what was beautiful, their lack of faith and rejection of Him, or His continued love and grace that he lavishes on them? What is beautiful, Adam and Eve choosing an idol over God, or God using their descendents to further His Kingdom, and to bring more glory to His name? What is more beautiful, Creation continuously rejecting its Creator, or the Creator continuing to work in Creation and, in the end, glorifying His name even more by taking it from a garden to a city? Or what is more beautiful, a wife, whether out of ignorance or a known knowledge, decides to go against God’s will, or when God seeing this decision, says “I love you still, and I will still bless you, and I am going to work this situation for my glory. I am going to take this act that was not intended for my glory, and work it for my glory in the end. That’s how much I love you.” I say what’s more beautiful in all of these stories are obvious. So when I’m asked, “well what about my story, how come my spouse ended up being saved? Doesn’t that show that it was a good thing for me to do to start with?” I’ll say no, it still was going against God’s will, but God loves you and His creation so much, that He is willing to redeem your story from bad decisions, and to work it toward His greater glory.
John Piper says it this way, “God takes the very sins of the destroyers and makes it the means of their salvation. God turns things on their heads. It’s all over the Bible; He does it this way. Job, Esther, Joseph, Jesus.”

I hope these past few post have at least help you open your hearts, minds, and Bibles, and let God speak to you. I still encourage any feedback and comments. Again I say that this is what I have found to be what God wanted me to learn and heed. I do not claim to be a Bible scholar or to be stating absolute fact. I merely have spoken from the heart, and told what I feel God was prompting me to write. I pray that, as you are reading this, you allow God to speak into your life, and that you may follow where He leads you.

Unequally Yoked (Part 2c)...

New Testament – Obviously, it would be real convenient to see how Jesus addressed the issue by who he married, but as you know, he didn’t. So what do His teaching say? As far as I can find, concerning this subject, nothing. He gives instructions about divorce and such but not to whom not to marry. So now we move on to Paul. The obvious, most quoted verse is 1 Cor. 6:14-15. The idea is also simple, do not be closely “yoked” with those who do not share your same faith. Paul borrows the idea from the O.T. commandment to not yoke an ox with a mule when plowing (Deut. 22:10.) The idea is that the lack of support from the mule will tire out the ox. So does, goes the argument, being married to a non-Christian. Pretty simple concept, but as I have said before, many people have “succeeded” in having their companion come to Christ. That I will more fully address with another post coming.

Other passages include 1 Cor. 7:39, where Paul instruct that it is ok for widows to marry again, but only “in the Lord.” That phrase is shrouded in some grammatical controversy, over whether it means “with the Lord’s guidance,” or “only someone who is ‘in the Lord.” So I leave it to English majors to tell me. But one that does solidify it pretty good for me is 1 Cor. 9:5, where Paul says that, like Peter, the Apostles and other brothers in Christ have the right to take along “a believing wife.” So this would mean that such a high calling would mean that it would be the best scenario, or the one that God desires for us to follow. Paul says that it is good to aspire to have the “higher gifts,” (1 Cor. 12:31) and so, in my book, if it’s good enough for the Apostles, it’s good enough for me. And on a final note, the idea of a believer and unbeliever being joined together is so foreign to Paul's thought that he has to go back and specifically tell those who are currently unequally yoked to stay together (1 Corinthians 7:12-13). He does this because so many who where converting, where apparently under the understanding that it wasn’t good to be married to a non-believer. So when their spouses didn’t convert, Paul tells them to not get a divorce, but to continue to love the other, and that maybe they might come to Christ as well.

Unequally Yoked (Part 2b)...

Old Testament – inter-faith marriages were prohibited throughout the O.T. This was not based on race, but strictly different faiths. With that law came the rational that “they” would draw the Hebrews away from their faith. This would naturally include those who had no faith, but in those days, people groups who did not look to some higher power were few and far between. The Greeks had yet to enlighten the world. One of many examples of this law can be found in Deut. 7:3-4. There were a few exceptions to the rule, such as with the prophet Hosea, but this was by way of a clear calling of the Lord.

Unequally Yoked (Part 2a)...

Ok, I’ll be honest. I thought I could find quick pat answers to this question. I thought that with a bit of background, and a few days of studying, I would have it formulated. But I don’t. So I’m going to give you, over 3 posts, what I have found and been told, with my ideas and comments and understandings, and that will be it. With God’s guidance may you draw your own conclusions. I know that’s sort of what I did with the last post, but this should be easier to read, more concise. Hopefully. Again, feel free to comment, or re-comment. So here it is…

Adam and Eve – They were created in the image of God. From the start, they were married. From the start they were one flesh, with the purpose of glorifying God in what ever they did. This is in the purest, most perfect state; the way God intended marriage to be. I can’t find anywhere else where it is so black and white, where the answer seems to be clearer than here. God created marriage and intended it to be: 1) between man and woman, 2) where two become “one flesh” and 3) with this one flesh, they share one purpose and goal, to glorify God and follow Him.

"Unequally Yoked" (Part 1 maybe?)

Ok, so I have some of it down. The following is, I think, the basic underlining principle to the whole issue. I don't have it all completed, but it should be enough to chew on for now. I hope you can understand it. I just typed as I thought. Also, please feel free to comment and dialogue to anything I say here. If you think I have erred, make mention of it. Or if you agree, likewise. But most importantly, please read to the end. I know its long, but it will help me out if you can check me, to hold me accountable. Thanks.
Alright, so with what I have so far, and with out further ado, here it goes...


First off the bat, I think it would be good to address what a Godly marriage should look like. Now I’m no expert on marriage, nor am I married, but this is what I have observed:

- When man and women marry and consummate, they become one flesh (Gen. 2:24.) God created Adam from dirt, in His image. Then He created woman from Adam’s flesh (not dirt), in His image, and then He tasked them, TOGEATHER, to go and take care of the rest of Creation and to multiply and to go forth. They were created to do two things, first and foremost bring glory to God, and to go about accomplishing that task by working together, taking care of God’s creation here in Earth. They were on the same page physically, mentally, emotionally, and most of all, spiritually. So this begs the question, can this original concept of marriage be duplicated today? Can this truest, most pure example of love and marriage be mirrored today, and if so, how? First off, no we will not be perfect (as they were at first) of course, so how then can we get as close as possible to this example? Can we live for God, and for His glory with someone who is not on the same page as us spiritually? Can a couple that are “one flesh” each go their own separate directions, one to follow their own wishes, and the other following their Creator’s? The answer is no. The idea of a Godly marriage, of what love truly is, is described in the Hebrew with three words, Raya, Ahava, and Dod. Many might think that this can be found outside a Godly marriage, but I do not believe it can be in its truest sense. Now this is where it gets hard and complicated. Can a couple get married, have kids, and live out a happy life together and not be Christians, of course. It happens everyday. But the question must be asked, why are we here, what is our purpose? What is the purpose of marriage? As seen above, it is to glorify God in all that we do, whether single or married. But it goes further than that. Paul starts to paint another picture by saying that an earthly marriage is a metaphor of sorts to the way that Christ is to the Church (Eph. 5:29-32.) Now think about this for a minute. What is the purpose of Christ? To redeem the lost and invite them into a better life. What is the purpose of the Church? To redeem the lost and invite them into a better life. It’s the same purpose, the same goal. Does the idea of us being the Body of Christ take on new significance or what? We (the church) are the Body of Christ, yet the Church is Christ’s bride. Jesus and the Church are a whole! They share the same goals, and the same substance, us! So now, going even further and deeper, Jesus says that He dwells in us, that we are His temple (1 Cor. 6:17 & 19.) Again, one flesh. And since we are his temple, we are to keep holy, and to cling to our righteousness that is given us by Him. When Paul asks the question in 2 Cor. 7:14 “what partnership does righteousness have with lawlessness,” he is pointing to the fact that we, as the Body of Christ and the Church together (one flesh,) live out this faith here on earth, we are moving toward a different direction than those who do not follow Christ. The concept of this passage is that Christians are moving in a direction of holiness. Non-Christians are not. The Hebrew word “separated” has a double meaning, it means to be separated from evil and dedicated to the service of God. How can someone do this in an “unequally yoked relationship” and still glorify God the way that He intended? So when we attempt to in our own lives, partner with those who do not seek Light, then we at the heart of the partnership, find no common ground, and are pulling each other in two different directions. Paul again addresses the issue of us being temples of Christ in 1 Corinthians 6:15. He is not talking about the physical; he is talking about the spiritual. When we unite with Christ, we become one with Him in Spirit. And so when we then bring into that oneness someone who is not a Christian, we pollute the unity. And so with this verse and the last verse in 2 Corinthians, we can see that God intends us to be one in marriage, and when we marry a non-Christian, we throw the whole system out of wack.

Now, I have met many couples that have the story that they married being “unequally yoked” and that the one who wasn’t a Christian is now a Christ follower (my parents being one such story.) It is an apparent God story, and some think that because it turned out good, there is no wrong in it in the first place. However, this is not so. As shown above, God never intends for a Christian to marry a non-Christian. It was not apart of the original creation plan (and that is what we all are supposed to be working toward. For a good idea of what I’m talking about, watch Rob Bell’s Nooma video “Trees.”) But here’s the deal, God is a gracious and loving God, and he works all things for His good, and for His will. So let’s say you have this Christian girl, and she decides (for what ever reason,) to marry a non-Christian, and they have a few kids, and everything is going good. Except one thing: her husband is not a Christian, and she desires, and knows that God desires as well, for him to be one. So she prays, and after a certain amount of given time, he finally turns to Christ. It’s a joyous moment no doubt, but the question is, was that God’s plan? Is that the way He intended it to be? No, he intended it to be like Genesis 2. And so God shows us the way the journey should go, the things He likes us to do. And sometimes we do it, and sometimes we don’t. And so God continues to work in sin-laden Creation, and together with the Church, goes about restoring Creation. But if you look ahead to that Day, you see we end up in a city with a tree in the middle, when we started out with a garden with a tree in the middle. God is working all of Creation for His good, for His glory.


So let me summarize what the picture looks like so far. You have God create Adam in His image and breath life into him. Then you have Him take out of Adam a rib and make Eve (bone of bone, flesh of flesh.) Then God tasks them with the purpose of glorifying God with whatever they do. Two equals that become one. The one working toward one purpose, the glorification of God. So we are to try to duplicate this example in our lives. Then you have Jesus and His Bride (the Church) which are one in spirit. We are apart of that Body, so we cannot defile it (as 1 Cor. 6:15-17 says.) So marrying someone who does not have the same basic, and most important (Rom. 12:1 & 1 Cor. 10:31,) common purpose does no good to the Body, and therefore is sin.


(On a side note, He created Adam and Eve in His image. Adam was created and life was breathed into him, but Eve was taken from something that was already there, and then together they work toward a common shared goal, glorifying God. Remember now, “created in their image.” Now think about how that mirrors God? God is there, and then out of God, part of God, Jesus comes into Earth to go about the purpose of God. They are working on the same goal. Jesus wasn’t created; He was there to begin with. The same with Eve, she was apart of Adam, there from the beginning, is “of man.” Meaning the same substance of man. Jesus is God, He is of God. And Adam and Eve were one from the start, and always were one. They then started working to glorify God. The same goes for God and Jesus, God is working to glorify Himself, and Jesus is sent “from God” to help work with God here on earth to glorify Himself. Also the Spirit, which is Jesus’ spirit sent to us after His earthly death, guides us toward Jesus. What is the Church suppose to do? Guide others toward Jesus. Who is the Church? A body of Christians. What is the Church? The Body of Christ. What guides the Body of Christ? The Holy Spirit. There is oneness between The Spirit and Christ and God. There is oneness with Adam and Eve and the Church. “Made in the Likeness of God.” How much were the two originally created to look alike? Help me out here guys (and girls). Is this biblically sound, or am I stretching it to thin?)

Great Time...

Tonight, I got a chance to hang out with some friends that I haven't seen in a while to celebrate Jenn's birthday. It was a great time filled with some great karaoke songs. I'm sure Jenn had a great time, I did. I love watching people make a complete fool of themselves. She is currently going through some job issues with the school board, so pray for her and that situation. She's an awesome person, and Bryan is blessed to have her as a wife. Check out her blog when you get a chance, maybe she will post sometime in the next year. Just kidding Jenn! Love you guys! God Bless!

To Question, or Not To Question...

Before I post my study on the whole “yoked” issue, I thought I might take a few lines here and address another small issue that has since arisen out of me asking the original question. Some have asked, in a gracious manner, how is it that I would ask a question about a philosophy that seems to be so well formulated. I acknowledge, that on the surface level, it may seem to some like a waste of time or dumb, that I would ask such a question. I could imagine some think it is as pointless to study the Trinity, to ask how is it possible that after hundreds of thousands of years of Judaic “monotheism,” Christians come along and say that there are (in some minds) three Gods. I was raised in a traditional protestant Bible-Belt church for most of my school years, and I always got the impression that questioning orthodoxy or doctrine was viewed as bucking the system, and to be frowned upon. I was told not to have sex outside marriage because it was sin, and to run away from even the possibility of temptation to lust. Not to recognize that we are sexual creatures, and to address the problem. Instead of taking the opportunity to learn about my Creator, I was taught how to obey the rules (or at least try to most of the time.)

But I have since come to realize (thanks in large part to a book called The Gospel According to Moses by Athol Dickson,) that questioning God is not always a bad thing. In fact, God even seems to reward the act, and seems to bring about a closer relationship with the questioner and God. So anyways, I will give a few points as to why I think it is ok to question God, or some of His apparent ways (not to mention our own doctrines and orthodoxies.) As far as to when I will post my study on the matter, hopefully this weekend, we shall see. No promises though.

I start off with the phrase “Asking is not doubting. It is trusting.” When one inquires about something concerning a spiritual matter, it should be done with a teachable and humble spirit, not one of pride and certainty. That is where the flaw comes into the picture. Some might think I pose a question because I believe I have the answer, when in reality, I want to know the truth personally, or to learn more about it, or to discuss some concerns I might have. Not that I am throwing the whole idea down the drain. If a little girl asks her dad why the sky is blue, she is not questioning her dad’s capacity to know such knowledge, she is of the understanding that he comprehends and knows the answer to such a question. God is the same way. When we come to Him with an open teachable humble spirit and mind, He is willing to work with us. On the other hand, when we come to Him with our hands and minds closed over some issues, that is when He gets upset.

Peter, in 1 Pet. 3:15, instructs us to have a good understanding of and be able to teach our beliefs. In order for us to do this, we can either just memorize all the right answers or we can know them in our hearts, and have such a passion for them that they own our every deed and word. This is where asking questions come into play. You are saying to God, “teach me Lord; show me yourself.” If you claim to know all the answers, you are in essence claiming to have the same fullness of God’s knowledge and therefore claiming to be God. Now some of those who have a good bit of knowledge of the Bible will be able to recall many times where Paul and other writers claim that some have full knowledge, and to have all the right answers (such as Romans 15:14.) But if you look further, you see another picture. Not only in this passage is Paul instructing them on further matters of doctrines (Romans is one of the weightiest books in the Bible,) but later on in 1 Cor. 8:1-3, Paul says that those who claim to have knowledge are fools, and that those who love know God. It’s a paradigm shift. If you claim you know, you are a fool, but if you just claim to love, to look to God to direct you in your life, then you know God. This is the deal; the Spirit and the Word directs and teaches us, not a set of doctrines. Anytime we look to learn a doctrine we do just that, learn a doctrine. But if we, in love, with humbleness, sincerity, and a teachable spirit, look to God to teach us, then He does, and in the process we draw closer to God, not a set of doctrines.

I know this post is getting long, so I will wrap it up. Below are two passages that are more entertaining to read than it will be to watch the new Office season premiere. They also happen to be two stories dealing with two different people of the Bible, who fought all night long with God, and dined and bargained with God. Read them and enjoy! So I end with two quotes, one by a Rabbi who lived around the turn of the century, and another by another Rabbi from the 21st century.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." - Jesus in Matthew 7:7-8.

“Good questions have a legitimacy of their own. They add to our understanding even before we can come up with the answer- and sometimes we glean insights precisely because we can’t supply an answer. In such cases the significance of the knotty question derives not from cutting the knot, but instead from the annoying fact that no analytic knife seems adequate to the task.” - Avigdor Bonchek

The two passages are found in Genesis 18, and 32:24-32.

Remember: God loves an honest question!

Pay Kids to Learn...

Watch the video first...




For my friends up in NYC. Mandy, this is your boss I guess? I like the idea. I know it might not go over well with my conservative friends (who like the pull your self up with your own bootstraps philosophy,) but I still like it. Like the guy says, it worked in Dallas, which is more than can be said of the "No Child Left Behind" program from Bush's brain. Why didn't they have this around when I went to school? Am I wrong, or does every teacher hate that program?

(This was not intended to be a political post, just thought that this Kline guy might be on to something, that's all.)

Oh Yea...

And the intro to Too Much and "Too Much" its self was probably the highlight of the night for me. Then again "Warehouse" and "Tripping Billies" back to back for the end sent me into a state of complete ecstasy. I wonder if they have counseling for Dave Matthews addicts?

They Rocked the House...

Dave and Co. were amazing. They put on the best show I've been to, and maybe the third best I've heard (behind Red Rocks and Central Park.) A massive thunderstorm was lighting up the sky, and the sheets of rain was drenching even those (like me) under the covering. But that just added to the mix. It was amazing. He played "Satellite" (he never plays Satellite,) and "Crash Into Me", as well as my fav "Two Step". "Tripping Billies" and "Warehouse" were awesome as usual, and he also played "Dreaming Tree", which I have never heard in concert. And he ended it with an encore of "Stay" like he did last year (although last year he played "Spoon" right before it, which made me want another song in the encore this year, but oh well.) Oh, and the much anticipated "Eh Hee" was played as expected. Saw some friends, and made a few new ones. I'm already looking forward to next year. When I get some pics from the night, I'll put a few up here. It was just amazing!

Set list for the night:

A Dream So Real
Two Step
Satellite
#27
You Might Die Trying
Dream Girl
Lie In Our Graves
Eh Hee
Lie In Our Graves [reprise]
Anyone Seen The Bridge
Too Much
Louisiana Bayou
Crash Into Me
Corn Bread
Dreaming Tree
Warehouse
Tripping Billies

__________________

Stay (Wasting Time)

Dave Matthews Band...

I'm heading that way now. I've had a few people say they wanted to go, and so for next year, if you want to go. Let me know, I'll get the tickets, you can pay me back. They're $65. Till then, I'm out. Can't wait. "Life is short, but sweet for certain." Dave. Peace!

Saturday...

brings more upsets.

Some notable ones being:

USF over #17 Auburn 26-23 in OT in Jordan-O'Hare.

UNLV almost showed up yet another Big Ten school # 5 Wisconsin, losing 20-13.

Meanwhile Michigan continues to look like a team in shambles, loosing to Oregon 39-7. The Big House isn't looking so big right now. Carr looks like a dead man walking with this loss.

# 7 Texas looses to # 19 TCU solidly, 34-13.

# 13 UCLA, who might be the most overrated team in America, nearly lost to BYU, 27-17.

# 16 Nebraska also nearly lost to Wake, 20-17.
And # 20 Hawaii nearly lost to Louisiana Tech, 45-44 in OT.

#22 Boise St lost to Washington, who is looking good this year. Maybe they can be the one who can upset USC.

It sure won't be Notre Dame, who lost to JoPa and # 14 Penn St. 31-10.

#23 Texas A&M slips past Fresno St. in OT, 47-45.

And The Ole Ball Coach beat # 11 Georgia, 16-12.

Also, congrats to # 24 Tennessee, who finished strong over Southern Mississippi, 39-19.

And so the wait begins. 7 days to go till we find out how good we are, and if Tebow can stand the heat. Can't wait!

Rob Bell Nooma 17 and some thoughts...

Watch the clip below from Rob Bell's latest Nooma video "Today."

The lines that get me are:

"would they go back there if they could?"

"do they believe that there best days are past them?"

"there's a certain kind of despair that sets in."

"our arms aren't free to embrace today."

These are some of my problems. I think about the real posibility of me being able to run like I did, to play soccer and football, and not so much on a personal level, for I'm ok with that, but being able to show my kids someday. Being able to race my son or daughter, or to play soccer with them. I can't help but think, "My best days are 8 months behind me." And I hear Rob's point "how much energy do people spend wishing things were how they were?" I can see how much I've wasted. But it just pulls you down. Like Chandler says (and the reason I named my blog what its named,) the weight of the journey just kinda pulls at you.

It's funny, I just had a myspace conversation with a friend of mine. She mentioned that I seemed kind of down in my writing to her. I told her it wasn't intentional, and I explained a bit. It isn't intentional. It just naturally pulls at you.

Anyways, so here's my real issue (I think.) I have a hard time believing that my best days are ahead, that God has a future that is better than January 10th was (lunch with Brannen and Adam at Taco Bell.) Why is it I can't grasp that. It's like I can hear, and have been hearing God calling me to something better, but I find the past to hard to lay down. "But God, I might not be able to run a mile again, or to show my daughter or son how to pass the ball, or show them some cool tricks with it, or help train them if they want to run track." And he's there saying "I have something better." I there I am saying again, "better than playing with my kids." I don't know, I'm just kinda a mess right now. Sorry for this rambling, but then again you didn't have to read all this. You could have stopped at the video.

So I just pray, God thank you for saving me, thank you for showing me what I have to live for, thank you for showing me that its ok if I can't run, or if I can't pass the soccer ball. Even if I haven't bought in to it all yet, Your still there loving me, leading me. Why do You keep on messing with this "dishonorable" piece of clay? Oh well, You know what Your doing, so I'll let you at it.

Ha, "our arms aren't free to embrace today." Rob's wisdom is proven right, huh?

God, help me to embrace today.

For those who are still reading this, feel free to bring me back down to earth, if you wish. I'm sure I can use it.

Nooma | Today | Preview

Excited...

Am I a weirdo for being excited when I received in the mail my latest issue of GQ (the fiftieth year issue) and on the cover was the above image? I don't think so, but maybe!

Christopher McGuire

There is this kid at the daycare that I use to work at, and that I'm currently working at now. His name is Chris, he has a twin sister named Jennifer, and two younger siblings. But he is truly unique. I love the kid, truly. I know that might seem weird, but I do. Most of the kids thinks he is weird, and I will admit, he does have his quirks, but he is incredibly intelligent. He scored a perfect 5 on his FCAT last year, can read at a 6th grade level (he is failed 4th grade last year,) and has a amazing imagination. All that to say this: I think, in honor of him, I am going to post here some random things that he might say. I've got two for this post. Hope you enjoy them. It would help if you knew him, but oh well.

While writing sentences for his spelling words, he wrote the following, "After Shawn was broken by a stock broker, he was moving to a oasis." I helped him correct the grammar on this one.

When he began to erase some instructions in his agenda, I asked him why he was erasing it,he said, "I don't want to look suspicious, You wouldn't want to look suspicious with your underwear on your head would you?" He didnt look up, or smile or anything, just kept erasing. I love it, he makes me laugh more than anyone I've known.

Mike Hart Audio

I found this site that has the audio of Mike Hart from the post game interview. If you want to hear a team player and a gentleman, then listen. He stunned me when I heard it.

May the Dark Horse Ride...

It's been a crazy day for college football today. So here's my run-down of the day:

Michigan 32, Appalachian St. 34. Enough said, see my previous posts or any front page of the newspaper tomorrow for more.

Texas struggled against an Arkansas St team that went 4-3 last year in that powerhouse of a conference, the Sun Belt. Final: Texas 21, Ark. St. 13.

Speaking of powerhouse conferences, I was going to brag about how the SEC is a media consensus pick for the hardest conference, something I've said since the inception of the BCS. But after today, I am going to be quiet for a while. Why? Because...
Tenn. 31, Cal 45 - I'm sorry Adam, but Tennessee didn't seem to have a very potent pass game. But I'm not talking yet, not till the 15th.
Auburn 23, Wash. St. 13 - This game was sloppier than it looks. Auburn was loosing till late in the 4th.
Georgia did look good though, taking care of Oklahoma St. 35-14.
Then again, Florida didn't lose to W. Kentucky, so I guess it could be worse.

The ACC showed that their teams could compete for the National Championship:

Virgina Tech 17, East Carolina 7 - the #9 Hokies looked horrible. And they are predicted to win the ACC championship this year.
NC State 23, UCF 25
Duke 14, UConn 45
Virginia 3, Wyoming 23
Last year's ACC Champ. Wake Forest 28, Boston College 38
But props to Georgia Tech for their killing of Weis' Notre Dame, 33-3.
And the Bowden Bowl still has to be played on Monday.

Anyways, so this year is shaping out to be a sloppy one. There doesnt seem to be a good solid team out there, except (and I hate to say it) USC. I'm not sure who can compete with them this year. Then again, that's what they said about Ohio St last year, and some team ended up beating them in the Championship game. Who was that again?

To top off the whole day, Sportscenter started off their show tonight, not with the Michigan loss, which is the greatest college football upset ever, but with this 23 year old kid for the Boston Red Sox in his 2nd career game who pitched a no-hitter against Baltimore. Congrats to Buchholz.

Sorry if this was too long, I won't do this every Saturday. I just couldn't get over how today panned out. So till next weekend, be safe and buckle up!

Oh, and Tebow does have an arm.

Man, Mike Hart is a stand up man...

I feel bad for Mike Hart. I just watched him talking at the podium for post game conference, and he was saying some amazing things. He sounds like the real deal. He did have a great day running, but wasn't enough for the win. I will look for the clip when it surfaces, but he would be a top pick for me, even with this loss.

Unbelievable...College Football is Here!!!

The Biggest Upset that I have ever seen. No 1-AA team has EVER beat a ranked 1-A team, much less a #5 rake. This is what makes college football great! And you have to feel for Hart, he ran his heart out trying to win, but to no avail. Appalachian St. 34, #5 Michigan 32. Such heart and passion. In the Big House, I am a Appalachian St. fan right now. Wow, I cant even fully comprehend this yet. This will haunt Michigan for years, and could very well cost Coach Carr his job. Amazing, this is the stuff legends are made of! Check out ESPN for more on the story.