An Irrational Fear

This is incredible stupid.
It's not a secret to most people who know me that I love baseball.  And of those who know of my love of baseball, most know that I root for those Lone Star State teams; the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers.
But like I've said before (somewhere at sometime - maybe on this blog) I think it's wrong to like both the Rangers and Astros.  You shouldn't like two teams from the relative same location.  For instance you can't be a Yankee and a Met fan.  And you can't be a Cubs and a White Sox fan.  And you can't be Royals and Cardinals fan.  And you can't...oh, I think you get it.  
So I think you see my dilemma.  I'm breaking the moral sports law that I often call others out on.  I'm a hypocrite.  
Here's how it happened.  The earliest little league team I can remember being a part of was the Cardinals; we had those iconic uniforms with the two red birds on the baseball bat.  I still have an affection for those uniforms.  
But my first baseball game was at the 8th wonder of the world, the Astrodome, to see the Houston Astros play the Los Angeles Dodgers.  If my memory serves me right Mike Scott out dueled Fernando Valenzuela, thanks to the home run by Jose Cru-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-z!  It was awesome.  Also my dad paid to have the scoreboard say happy birthday to me and my brothers.  
During the 80s Nolan Ryan was a dominate pitcher for the Astros and I was always a pitcher in little league.  At some point I began to idolize Ryan and tried to pitch just like him.  I emulated his high kick and well placed fastball.   I tried to always stare down my opposing batter.  
But in 1989 Nolan explored free agency and landed up the road from Houston in the Dallas area to pitch for the Texas Rangers.  Well of course I could not not root for him and his team.  So I became a fan of the Rangers in addition to the Astros.  Hence the beginning of my dilemma.
So to solve this problem I made a personal commitment: I would continue to cheer for both teams until one actually won the World Series.  In case you don't know, neither team has ever won the World Series.  And until recently when the Astros lost the White Sox in four games neither team had never even been to the World Series.  


I share all that to share this:
Here is my current irrational fear.  Last night the Rangers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to win their very first post season series ever.  And I think they have, at least, a chance to beat the Yankees to win the American League Championship.  If they could somehow win that series and then somehow overcome the Phillies (because let's be honest, there is no way the Giants beat the Phillies) then I would have to drop the Rangers from my list of teams to root for.  
But I love cheering for both teams.  I am nervous that I won't be able to anymore.  


Like I said; this is stupid.

Smell Like A Monster

That Grover is brilliant.

Playoffs!

I believe I made the prediction before the season started that the Texas Rangers would make the playoffs this year.  But if I was honest I wasn't sure I entirely believed that; I made the prediction more out of faith and hope than head knowledge.  If I had were to have picked a team based on what my head was telling me and not my heart I thought the Rangers were going to have a good season, but fall short because the Angels or Mariners just had better seasons.
But that just never happened.  In fact Texas lead most of the season, despite some injuries and stretches of "not their best baseball". Around the All-Star game it really did look like Rangers were going to coast into the post season.  However, I have been saying that, while in full support of my team and a belief that anything can happen, more than likely the Rangers were not a World Series team.
Some days I just have trouble getting my head and heart to agree.  But I'll be rooting along with all my heart tomorrow night as the Rangers open up their series against Tampa Bay.  I will say that I don't think we have seen the Rangers playing their best baseball in the past few months, as they weren't really pressured in their division.  I'm hoping they come into the playoffs rested and full of energy.
I will also admit that this being Bobby Cox's final year in Atlanta I am rooting for them as well (but not if they face Rangers in the WS).
Here are my MLB Play-off Predictions:

Wild Card Round
Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays = Rays (in four)
New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins = Yankees (in five)
Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies = Phillies (in four)
San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves = Braves (in four)

League Championship Series
Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees = Rays (in six)
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves = Phillies (in seven)

World Series
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Tampa Bay Rays = Phillies (in six)

Video: Fallon & Timberlake Rap History

If I was asked which late night show I think is the best I would quickly answer "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon". Here's an example of why I think so:

Video: CIY 2010 - Behind the Scenes

Those friends over at CIY (Christ In Youth) pulled off a great Move Conference this past summer, which included several amazing videos and worship visuals.  Here is a quick peak (5:43) into the production of those elements.

NFL 2010 Picks: Week 2

Buffalo @ Green Bay = Packers
Baltimore @ Cincinnati = Ravens
Tampa Bay @ Carolina = Panthers
Kansas City @ Cleveland = Chiefs
Pittsburgh @ Tennessee = Titans
Chicago @ Dallas = Cowboys
Arizona @ Atlanta = Falcons
Philadelphia @ Detroit = Eagles
Miami @ Minnesota = Vikings
Seattle @ Denver = Broncos
St. Louis @ Oakland = Raiders
Houston @ Washington = Texans
New England @ New York Jets = Patriots
Jacksonville @ San Diego = Chargers
New York Giants @ Indianapolis = Colts
New Orleans @ San Francisco = Saints

Last Week's Record: 8-8
2010 Weekly Record: 8-8

Video: Time Lapse - Meadowland Transformation

Just in case you didn't know; The Jets and Giants share a stadium known as the Meadowlands.  This season they are in a newer Meadowlands stadium, right next to the old Meadowlands.  Actually I think the new stadium is referred to as New Meadowlands.
I share that because this video is a time lapse recording of the past weekend when both teams played home games. Enjoy.

New Meadowlands Stadium Change Over Time-Lapse from Ken Friberg and Daniel Life on Vimeo.

NFL 2010 Picks: Week 1

It's that time again!  Time for you to endure my weekly blog posts of bad NFL picks.  (I hope no one uses my picks as research for your Vegas bets - if you're using my picks for gambling research, please get help!, you have a problem).
Minnesota @ New Orleans = Saints
Cleveland @ Tampa Bay = Buccaneers
Miami @ Buffalo = Dolphins
Cincinnati @ New England = Patriots
Indianapolis @ Houston = Colts
Denver @ Jacksonville = Broncos
Atlanta @ Pittsburgh = Falcons
Oakland @ Tennessee = Titans
Carolina @ New York Giants = Giants
Detroit @ Chicago = Chicago
Arizona @ St Louis = Rams
Green Bay @ Philadelphia = Packers
San Francisco @ Seattle = 49ers
Dallas @ Washington = Cowboys
Baltimore @ New York Jets = Jets
San Diego @ Kansas City = Chargers

Video: Yo Gabba Gabba on Late Night

Yo Gabba Gabba with The Roots preforming Kool and the Gang's Spirit of the Boogie on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon = quite possibly the greatest thing on late night TV ever!

Video: Reality Meets Gaming

This video is wicked fun.  I'd be more inclined to learn a real instrument if this is how you played it.  But taking the time to master Rock Band seems like a waste of time.

My Girl Friday (#3)

 “Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.”

- Albert Einstein

I bet Einstein once used gravitation as an excuse for his many affairs, but it didn't work.  But if gravitation isn't the cause of love, then I cannot blame it for the lack of either.

Which is helpful for me to remember for these four reasons:

      #1  Every time I think I'm falling in love, I'm probably just tripping things up.

      #2  Apparently love is not that easy.

      #3  I thought I was a zero gravitation guy living under the gravitational pull...but apparently it doesn't matter...so...

      #4  If I believe you're out there, I'd better just get up, dust myself off, and keep on searching...

I'm attempting to defy gravity.  Wanna meet at a moon bounce?

Video: Lady Trashes Cat

I don't like cats.  And it's not just because I'm highly allergic to them and they can trigger my asthma and kill me...oh wait...yeah that's exactly why I don't like cats.  Well more accurately I don't like housecats, because lions, panthers, bobcats, tigers and lynxes are awesome!
But no matter how much I dislike housecats, or tabbycats, or alleycats, etc I still could never do this:

I feel I should also say I don't care for most house dogs.  I don't care for pet hair all around the house.  Goldfish are a perfect family pet, because they don't make messes and if you forget to feed them you just wish them farewell down the toilet.

Fare Thee Well: Bobby Thomson

The Shot Heard Round the World

October 25, 1923 - August 16, 2010

"Now it is done. Now the story ends. And there is no way to tell it. The art of fiction is dead. Reality has strangled invention. Only the utterly impossible, the inexpressibly fantastic, can ever be plausible again."

Believe 2011

If you know me you know I love CIY (Christ In Youth).  I choose the Bible college I attended largely because of it's proximity to CIY's headquarters.  One of my main college goals, over graduating even mind you, was to have an internship with CIY.
Not only do I absolutely love their summer conference MOVE, but I believe they have the best middle school event in the nation: Believe.  Believe is an incredibly powerful 2 day event that tours the nation specifically for middle school students.  A Believe event is high energy, meeting students at their emotional, social and cognitive levels, which can impact the lives of middle schoolers for years to come.
I remember my first Believe event over 10 years ago, being stunned about the vision some had for a middle school program.  The following year I took my first group of middle schoolers; one of many more.  I'm looking forward to this coming spring and taking a gang of students to the Atlanta conference for a weekend.

The Sadness of Fearing Failure

"I'm here to tell you that the fear of failure is the engine that has driven me throughout my entire life. It flies in the faces of all these sports psychologists who say you have to let go of your fears to be successful and that negative thoughts will diminish performance. But not wanting to disappoint my parents, and later my coaches, teammates and fans, is what pushed me to be successful ... The reason nobody caught me from behind is because I ran scared. People are always surprised how insecure I was. But I was always in search of that perfect game, and I never got it. Even if I caught 10 of 12 passes, or two or three touchdowns in the Super Bowl, I would dwell on the one pass I dropped ... If I have one single regret about my career standing here today, it's that I never took the time to enjoy it.''

-- Jerry Rice, in his Hall of Fame speech Saturday night.

As a 49er fan Jerry Rice is one of my favorite NFL players of all time.  I was sad having to see him toward the end of his career in the uniform of a Raider and Seahawk.  But I find this quote from his NFL Hall of Fame acceptance speech even more sad.  

I think everyone has experienced this kind of 'motivating' fear before, and it never brings real life.  The greatest NFL wide receiver to ever play the game never enjoyed what so many would do for free because he was constantly afraid to disappoint someone.  If I was being really honest, I would say that I live this way fairly often.  

I'm constantly evaluating most of everything I do under the lens of "what will [insert name] think".  I'm afraid of disappointing people with the clothes I wear, the lessons I teach, trash in my car, and on and on and on; even down to what I'm typing up on this here blog post.  It's exhausting to keep up with. 

I really want to live a life where I don't look back and regret having missed out of real life.  So I'm going to try and make it through the next hour...& morning...& day...& week...& year...& life...believing I'm defined by a God who already loves me and not my fears.

Video: Dancing In The Minefields

Just in case you've been living under a rock...or...you just don't know who Andrew Peterson is...I thought I should remind you that his new album Counting Stars is now out.  I'm a big fan of his.  And I learned recently Donald Miller is too.
Below is Andrew's first video, entitled Dancing In The Minefields about the messiness and danger of living in relationships.  I love the lyrical depth in Andrew's writings; he is always able to communicate truth to me.

Truck Stop

Last night I drag my bald headed friend Gabe with me to a Durham Bulls.  We were hoping to meet Tony Gwynn who was there signing autographs.  However when we arrived the line for Tony was about 2 and a half hours.  Unfortunately Tony was only going to be there for 2 hours.  So we said forget it and just watched the game.  

Gabe plays baseball, but didn't know who Tony Gwynn is; so not only do I share Jesus with the students in my church I get to share baseball.  I love my job.  

One Bull player blasted a home run which hit (actually it just went over) the scoreboard bull.  Which, of course, means that he earned himself a free steak.  I don't know where he gets his steak, or if comes with a salad, but I assume the appropriate people will tell him.  

After the 7th inning I moved up to the empty seats right behind home plate.  Meaning I moved up 20 rows.  I couldn't see 20 seats back so I had to move forward.  No one stopped me.  So I took the above photo.  Which is the scoreboard bull smoking, not from the homerun hit, but at the end of the game.  However, when the previous mentioned player hit his homer the bull did the same thing.  

 This photo was take from my original seat, Section 207 Row W Seat 3.  I wanted to share with you how pretty of a stadium for this Triple-A team is, ta da!  If you look just to the right of the middle lights you'll see the full moon.  No not some kid dropping trow in the outfield stands, but the actual moon in all it's green cheesiness.

So on the way home a rapid 18-wheeler attacked my car.  It was my fault, I should have seen the vibration in the cup of water sitting in the cup holder.  Okay, that's not true.  We were stuck in some slow going traffic, due to the construction work in the left lanes (on the left side of the photo).  Apparently at such high volumes of speed, 10-15 mph, the truck driver could no longer control the hurling mass of metal.  So he parked it on my backside.
So you can see the damage to my Suzuki above.  And below you can see the damage done to the tracker trailer.  Ironically (or not, Alanis Morissette really messed with my ability to distinguish what's ironic) I drove away and he didn't.  Yep, my Suzuki took down the Semi.

Also it should be noted that the truck driver's name is Dimmie.  I've never heard that name before.  Have you?

So Proud Of...

I got these amazing friends...

Stepping Up to the Challenge

Last week I took several high school students from my church to a Christ In Youth (CIY) conference in Cleveland TN. It was a fantastic week. We laughed. We danced. We cried...or at least I did, what can I say, I'm a crier.

I love life change. I especially love when that life change is spurred by an encounter with Jesus. And even more so when that life change occurs in students. I think my students had that moment. And it's amazing, because if you were to ask my on the last night of the conference I would have said that hadn't really, and that the week was more about the fun and games. But these kids have come back and after a few days they haven't crashed from their conference high...yet?...and are busy making plans to complete challenges and raise money for an organization called Active Water.

For instance, one student was challenged to organize a carnival in a 'under privileged neighbor'. He's formulating plans with others in the group.

Another two accepted a challenge to help some younger children learn to read. Tomorrow they

 already start volunteering at the local library.

One was asked to lead a weekly Bible study with his family. And I'm so proud to have read the following on Facebook this evening.

RePost: Eric Epperson

I thought I'd repost this blog post by Eric Epperson.  Eric is on staff at Christ In Youth (CIY) as a program director for their summer conferences called Move.  Specifically Eric lead the event I attended last week.  I have to give him some serious kudos, especially after one of the speakers went down sick and he filled in at the last minute with a great message.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Serving the Church Kool-Aid

I just witnessed one of the loudest MOVE sessions I have ever seen. When the night came to a close and Caleb Rowden and his band struck the final chord, the crowd noise alone rivaled a jet engine. It was the type of noise that rattles your eardrums, causing a swishing noise that sounds like something between wind and a banshee on ecstacy.

What I witnessed tonight was a moment... no, an experience. I'll put tonight, for those 1,400 people, up against any concert or sporting event in the country. It was that solid. The experience was happening right in front of us. It wasn't fake. We were all creating it. As a creative programmer, I couldn't be more excited about what our team pulled off. As a revolutionary, I was filled with expectations.

At MOVE, we love lights, guitar solos, film, and crowd noise that breaks 100 dB. But to say that we do all of those things for the sake of doing those things would be a lie. We crank up the speakers (this one goes to 11) because we desire to create moments that will propel students to do big things with their lives. Boil it all down and you see that we call Kingdom Workers.

But you ask, aren't you just brainwashing high school students? It's all crowd mentality stuff, right? Get them all worked up and serve them the Kool-Aid?

Maybe you can call it brainwashing. But I know better. I've walked the high schools were they live. I know what their home life is like. Life is too hard to live out the things we teach unless you are committed.

No, we don't serve Kool-Aid but we do serve vision. And plenty of it. I'm not ashamed to admit that I believe the students I worshiped with tonight can solve some of the big problems we face. $40K towards rescuing young girls from sex-trafficking? They did it. Feeding families Thanksgiving dinner by the hundreds? I've seen the newspaper clippings. They did that too. Putting a huge dent in the water crisis in Zambia? Give them time and they'll check it off the list as well.

I recently read a book by Allen Hertzke, a political science professor I know at the University of Oklahoma. The book, entitled "Freeing God's Children", is about religious persecution around the world. Dr. Hertzke states that there is no better network in the country better equipped to tackle the big political issues than... get this... the local church. Change won't come from major corporations or the political parties. The vision, and the mobilization, for change comes from the church.

That's why we do lights and loud music. Experience leads to change and change leads to action.

Please don't read this and thing I am bragging. It's not about MOVE. We're not the ones going out and making the big changes in communities all across the country. Dr. Hertzke is right. The church is doing that. All we are doing is providing the experience that points them in the right direction.

Is that forcing them to drink the Kool-Aid? I don't think so. But if it is... we'll be handing out refills tomorrow.