Retirement: Greg Maddux

Greg Maddux is expected to retire from baseball today.  

After and incredible career of out-thinking and out-preforming hitters for more than two decades Maddux is sure to challenge Tom Seaver's Hall-of-Fame first place votes record.  With a record 18 Gold Gloves and what he did along side Gavine and Smoltz in Atlanta for over a decade, this is the kinda of ball player fathers should point their children towards.  

I read somewhere over the last couple days that Maddux may be the greatest pitcher of his generation (said in light of Roger Clemon's association with the Mitchell Report, which has diminished his reputation and career).  And with the current direction of baseball we just may never see another like him.  

Thanks Greg for all the memories.  And if you think you still want to be involved in the game, would you please come teach the Rangers' rotation how to throw?

Gender Confusion

So according to the website GenderAnalyzer, my blog has a 95% probability that it was written by a woman.  

Um.  

I'm not sure what to do with information like this.  I get that these things are searching for keywords and stuff, and I assumed that there was going to be some percentage of woman factor in my blog, maybe in the 35% range.  But 95%?!  Well that's just ridiculous.  

In order to offset this incredibly inaccurate number I am going to spend the rest of the year talking about farts, football, and hot chicks!

I Am Second

This is a great website.  I Am Second.  Personal stories told thru video testimonies of people and their struggles.  Varies individuals share their victories of their struggles by declaring they are second because Jesus is first. 

Check it out.

Prop 8 Thoughts?

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Clearly the church has been unable to communicate it's stance on homosexuality with conviction and grace.  Possibly because so many in the church are unsure of the answers themselves.  And with some in society calling this the Civil Rights issue of our times we are surely going to be seeing tension between the two current sides of the issue for a while.  

My small group recent shared some of struggles and frustrations with this issue.  What should we accept?  Where does the Bible draw the line?  Who does marriage belong to, the church or the state?  To what degree do we believe in separation of church and state?  How does the church guide the culture in regards to the issue, and not allow the culture to direct the church as it has so often done in the past?  And a dozen other questions and senarios.

We concluded the evening by agree that we as individuals were not the solution in and of it ourselves.  And without having engaged someone who is struggling with their homosexuality in the culture and church, we were outside the issue. 

Instead we prayed for wisdom and opportunities to know and interact with a gay, lesbian, transgender, etc, and to demonstrate first everyday grace.  Maybe our everyday grace can lead to discussion about His uncommon grace.

We were confident in one thing as an absolute; that the love of Christ working the through the Spirit within us can resolve the tension and turmoil that has seperated the homosexual community from the Church, so that grace can be demonstrated and God glorified.  

God cares and God can...

How about you?  Any quick thoughts?

Recent Sermons I've Heard...

What sermons have you been listening to?  What preachers/sermons would you recommend.

 

Mark Moore

-          Viva La Vida: Do the Word (James 1:19-27) Click HERE

-          David: A Man After God’s Heart Click HERE

-          David as a Father Click HERE

-          Men David Need in His Life Click HERE

-          David in Worship Click HERE

-          1 Peter 1 A Click HERE

-          1 Peter 1 B Click HERE

-          1 Peter 2 Click HERE

-          1 Peter 3 Click HERE

-          1 Peter 4 Click HERE

-          1 Peter 5 Click HERE

Jon McClarnon

-          Certain Truths For Uncertain Times, Part 2 Click HERE

-          Certain Truths For Uncertain Times, Part 1 Click HERE

-          When A Man Loves A Woman: You’re the One that I Want Click HERE

-          When A Man Loves A Woman: Truly, Madly, Deeply Click HERE

-          When A Man Loves A Woman: Gimme All Your Lovin Click HERE

-          When A Man Loves A Woman: We Can Work It Out Click HERE

-          When A Man Loves A Woman: Still the One Click HERE

-          Tattoo: Marked by Life Click HERE

-          Tattoo: Marked by God Click HERE

-          Tattoo: Marked by Jesus Click HERE

Jon Weece

-          Abolition – Too Small To Ignore Click HERE

-          Living the Dream – I Know the Plans I Have for You… Click HERE

-          Living the Dream – Plans to Give You a Hope and a Future Click HERE

Dave Smith

-          Viva La Vida: Love Your Neighbor (James 2:8) Click HERE

Robin Sigars

-          Viva La Vida: Watch Your Speech (James 3) Click HERE

Nonato Silva

-          Viva La Vida: Submit to God (James 4:1-12) Click HERE

Matt Proctor

-          Viva La Vida: Give Your Wealth (James 5:1-6) Click HERE

Mike Breaux

-          Jonah – On The Run Click HERE

Klye Idleman

-          H2O: Vapor Click HERE

-          H2O: Source Click HERE

-          H20: Thirsty Click HERE

-          Journey to Deep: From Attendance to Worship Click HERE

-          Journey to Deep: From Sitting to Service Click HERE

-          Journey to Deep: From Shallow Teaching to Doctrinal Purity Click HERE

Dave Stone

-          Journey to Deep: From Sitting to Service Click HERE

-          Journey to Deep: From Superficial to Genuine Click HERE

-          Journey to Deep: From Self-Interest to Edification Click HERE

Rob Bell

-          Shine Like Stars Click HERE

Perry Noble

-          You Asked For It…: Let’s Talk About Sex Click HERE

-          You Asked For It…: Can I Lose My Salvation? Click HERE

-          You Asked For It…: How Do I Know God’s Will? Click HERE

-          You Asked For It…: Is It OK For a Christian to Drink Alcohol? Click HERE

-          You Asked For It…: Can I Enjoy Movies & Culture & Still be a Christian Click HERE

 

And of course Randy Frazee (my pastor), at Oak Hills Church here in San Antonio.  You can catch his recent series at www.thestorynow.net.

 

Soap

Tonight I made soap with my friend Talia.  The picture is some of what was leftover in the bowl that I molded into a heart.  The picture was washed out a bit and doesn't show off the blue dye in the soap.  We added the fragrance Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana.  This is going to be some Christmas presents.  For the ladies of course...wink...cause apparently they love this fragrance. Actually it smells really good right now...and it will only get better as the soap firms.

And it was really easy to do too...

Quote: GK Chesterton

"Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies because they become fashions."

- G.K. Chesterton

New Year's Goals: Help Wanted

I'm been reflecting on the goals I had set for myself this year and am trying to decide what goals I should set for myself for the year 2009. I've done okay with last year's resolutions.

#1 Dr. Pepper Fast. I haven't had a Dr. Pepper since Dec. 31st of
last year. And since the beginning of September I haven't had any
caffeine, but that is for another reason.

#2 Memorize Colossians. I memorize the first chapter early in the
year, but honestly I haven't done well since then. Think I could finish
this in one month?

#3 Read 40 books. This is a goal I should finish and possibly
surpass. If I were to redo this goal for next year I don't think I would
add or subtract to this. 40 seemed like a good goal. Need to be able
to accomplish this one more time before pushing that number higher.

#4 Map out TV show idea and make two contacts in order to sell
it. I haven't completely mapped it out. In my mind it makes sense
and I can picture it. Also I am toying around with another idea for a
story. But as far as contacts I did meet someone who knows someone who
knows someone. But that was about it. This has potential for getting
recycled.

#5 See a doctor and get my asthma under control. I have an
appointment today. We'll see how it goes. I visited a clinic about a
week ago and I have been feeling really good lately. I have gone several
days without even using my emergency inhaler.

#6 Organize and minimize my closet. Done. But I feel that
this is something that should be done once if not every year.

Now, there is only one month left in this year. And I need to start making decisions on next year's goals. The Dr. Pepper goal wouldn't have been a success (so far) had I not given myself sometime to mentally prepare for it.

So, here is where I need some help. I'm am not the best self-evaluator, so I would like your help in setting some personal goals for next year. What is something tangible that I could do within the next calendar year?

Recently some girls saw me playing with a couple of children and suggested that I should get married and kids of my own. (By the way ladies, you look silly when you goosh all over that kinda stuff...mainly because it can be so manipulated...just saying) While that might be a good life goal, it has some difficult end of the year measurable objectives. So when submitting your suggestions please don't include that, unless you have an actual way of making that happen.

Rather choice a goal that I can set, evaluate and achieve all on my own accord.

Thanks for your

Trek vs. Wars

I feel guilty whenever I post a video. I had a goal for myself this year to attempt to post daily. This hasn't always been the case, but often I have found myself posting a video, just to appease this goal.
That is going to have to change for next year. I'm already working on my goals for next year. I've done pretty well for the goals I set for myself this year and think that this blog could certainly improve with some stronger goals next year.
That being said....
This is a very humorous video:

Quote: GK Chesterton

"I don't deny that there should be priests to remind men that they will one day die. I only say it is necessary to have another kind of priest, called a poet, to remind men that they are not dead yet."

- G.K. Chesterton

"turkey for me, turkey for you"...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Adam Sandler |MTV Music

Quote: CS Lewis

"Our business is to present that which is timeless in the particular language of our own age. The bad preacher does exactly the opposite: he takes the ideas of our own age and tricks them out in the traditional language of Christianity."

-  C.S. Lewis

I can think of two questions for myself in response to this quote.  The first one I think I know the answer to. 

#1 What is the language of our age?  I would answer Story; particularly one's personal story

....which leads to question...

#2  What timeless truth(s) is God telling through my story?

Quote: Benjamin Franklin

"If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing." 

- Benjamin Franklin

This is my occasional goal. - T

Up All Night

I’m often trying to figure out the balance of self-revelation and privacy when it comes to what I post on this blog.  It was this balance that I had on my mind last night laying in bed.  Should I or should I not post this blog.

I found myself falling asleep rather early for my standards, somewhere around 11:30.  Yet somewhere in the middle of the night…terror struck.  Both my stomach and right thigh began to cramp up.  Which, by the way, are two entirely different cramps; something I had not ever thought about until last night when I experienced them simultaneously.

Now neither cramp is something you want to deal in the middle of a deep sleep, because with their powers combined they have the ability to cripple the mightiest man.  And since I am not even close to being defined as mighty (I’m more of a “surprising able”), I was in serious trouble.

The problem is this; when treating a debilitating leg cramp one might find it difficult to do the necessary running needed to care for a debilitating stomach cramp. 

My solution was simple; mind over matter.  I distracted myself by weighing the pros and cons on whether or not such a post as this was actually appropriate. 

 

 

Half-Blood Prince: awesome!

Links You Should Check Out

I find tons of links throughout the week that I think are interesting, but don't know what to do with. Maybe I should start gathering them together and posting them for you. What do you think?

1. The Mosquito Tone Test.  Test your earing with this blog post.  I swear I heard them all, but somehow I can't ever hear my alarm clock in the morning.  Go figure.

2. Strange Public Art.  I'm not the greatest at "getting" art, but seriously, how in the world do you interrupt some of these?

3. One mean sounding carrot.  Surely if this man can learn to play a carrot then surely I could learn to play an instrument too.  

4. Urkel-Os.  Would anyone admit to have ever eaten these.  I really hope I know someone who did.

5. Famous Fours.  Here's an interesting little test...see how you do?

6. Star Wars car.  I'm not a huge Star Wars geek, but honestly, this is way cool!

7. I'm considering calling this ad.  

8.  The Monty Python YouTube channel.  One word: awesome!

9.  

10.  Muggle Quidditch?  

11.  

12.  34 Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas.  I think I'm going to actually do a couple of these.  I'm really excited about these gifts ideas.

Support the Money Hole!

In The Know: Should The Government Stop Dumping Money Into A Giant Hole?

Funniest moment on my day...

was watching this:

Thanks Los.

The odd thing is that I think these kids are awesome.

Introducing....

Keaton Michael Richardson!

Keaton is my sister Chelsy's brand new baby boy.  We were expecting a girl, but my prayers were answered!  Although I was planning of teaching the love of baseball to whomever came out.

This is my third nephew.  The nephews now out number the nieces 3-2.  

I've already begun making a list of every character in Michael Keaton's career in order to find the most perfect nickname.

Doctor Visit

Today I caved and visited a doctor.  The first time in about 3 and 1/2 years.  That's not necessarily something I'm proud of, just an honest statement.  I've meant to go earlier, but why go when you're not sick?  Although I can't honestly say I've been healthy either.  Just never made it a priority.  

But after visiting my sister and her new baby boy this weekend I was really hurting.  My sister has two cats in her home.  And despite the possibility of her going home the day I visited I assumed that after only two days from a C-section surely they weren't sending her home.  But the certainly did.  And those cats hit my asthma hard.  

After two tough nights of sleep I woke up this morning and went to see a doctor.  Now I've been dealing with asthma all my life and generally I know what to expect on a doctor's visiting concerning my breathing.  But today had it's twist.

Today was the first day I had to drop trow and get a steroid shot in my right hip.  I'm not a big fan of needles, my parent's never had to worry about me becoming a heroin addict, and I apologized first to the nurse in case I started to cry.  I didn't cry.  

Anyways...

Got me some new perscriptions and I have another appointment Dec. 1st with an Allergy and Asthma specialist. 

As a military brat I've lived and visited a lot of places, but this has been one of the toughest places to live in my life, in regards to my allergies triggering my asthma.

This weekend I made a decision.

I decided it's time to get a handle on my asthma here in San Antonio.