Friday, May 30th, 2008
Here’s something that makes me so annoyed I yell at my TV- athletes and sports broadcasters that start to take themselves “just a little too seriously”. They put on a suit and become overly critical and humorless…spouting statistics and “formulas”…start to use phrases like “the pageantry of the sport”…spend their time pointing out what other athletes are doing “wrong” and forget that their job is (at it’s core) to talk about games that children play at recess in grade school. I know sports has become “big business” but I still find myself yelling , “Dude, lighten up…you get to hit a baseball for a living, talk about a game for a living, strap on skis and go really fast down a mountain for a living, drive a race car, or for God Sakes pedal a freakin’ child’s BMX bike down a ramp for a living! Shouldn’t that be just a little bit fun? Shouldn’t you remember just a little bit how lucky you are to “play the game”?
I get that same frustrated feeling when I hear Christians…both Pastors and “Pew Sitters” start to take themselves too seriously. When they become overly critical and humorless…spouting creeds and “systems”…start to think that their duty is to judge whether others are “correct in their doctrine”…somehow forget that our best theological ideas are like knock knock jokes to the Almighty!… I know eternity is “serious business” but shouldn’t there be a little joy in being forgiven? Joy in being allowed to be part of God’s kingdom plan for earth…whether we “understand it all” or not? Shouldn’t there be a little humility and humor in realizing that God actually takes pleasure and pride in using flawed men and women to carry out his flawless plan? Shouldn’t we feel just a little happy just to be able to “play the game”?
Maybe that’s why Jesus said if we wanted to be part of the kingdom we need to be like little children. Otherwise, we “grow up” and forget the joy of the game…
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Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 18:3 (New Living Translation)
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Thursday, May 29th, 2008
I keep reading in the gospels that Jesus “went up the mountain to pray”. I know that we can (and should) pray throughout our day to day lives…but there are special places that just seem to “click” for us. For Jesus it was the mountains… Do you have a “inspirational place”? A place that just naturally leads to a conversation with God? A place where the “muddled” becomes clearer..and the tension just kind of fades away?
My “inspirational place” is being behind the wheel of my old truck. Maybe it’s the oil fumes…maybe it’s the fact that I am hurtling along the interstate in a rusty old box that is only 3 inches off the ground…maybe I feel “closer to God” because every moment on the Capitol Beltway in my old truck is a “near death experience”…I’m not sure. I just know that my “mountain” was made in Germany in 1965…where’s yours?
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Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
Relay for life info:
- The Relay starts at 4pm on Friday the 13th…hope you’re not superstitious…and runs through 4pm on Saturday the 14th.
- Michele is making a sign up sheet for people to walk/help at different time. We want to have someone walking the entire time. You are also welcome at anytime to come and hang out and make a few laps and hang out.
- We will need everyone’s donations and sponsor stuff on Sunday the 8th…we have less than two weeks now.
- I have been invited to speak at the Sunrise Church Service on Saturday Morning at Relay… Speaking at 6am after not sleeping for 24 hours should turn out fine…seriously… I am really looking forward to this opportunity to say a few words to some of the most generous and compassionate people in York… Lord I hope I don’t “say something awful“
- We will be providing a “carnival size” bounce house on Saturday for the kids that come to relay…I think it’s a huge fire truck…should be cool. We are signing up volunteers to staff it.
- If anyone wants to donate online for the Relay for Life just hit the online giving button and designate the donation for “Relay”.
- We still have T-shirts available $12/each and between now and the June 13th it all goes to Relay. Thanks to all the generous people of actionchurch we raised $400 Sunday from T-shirt sales. Way to go!
- Michele and I are looking forward to being at the Relay for the full 24 hours (I know someone else is planning to WALK most of the 24 hours…Yikes) It should be a great opportunity to get to know people from actionchurch much better…I’m looking forward to doing a “lap or two” with you all!
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Here’s something that makes me so annoyed I yell at my TV- athletes and sports broadcasters that start to take themselves “just a little too seriously”. They put on a suit and become overly critical and humorless…spouting statistics and “formulas”…start to use phrases like “the pageantry of the sport”…spend their time pointing out what other athletes are doing “wrong” and forget that their job is (at it’s core) to talk about games that children play at recess in grade school. I know sports has become “big business” but I still find myself yelling , “Dude, lighten up…you get to hit a baseball for a living, talk about a game for a living, strap on skis and go really fast down a mountain for a living, drive a race car, or for God Sakes pedal a freakin’ child’s BMX bike down a ramp for a living! Shouldn’t that be just a little bit fun? Shouldn’t you remember just a little bit how lucky you are to “play the game”?
