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Showing posts from July, 2007

FCA Impact Play: "God's Playbook"

The FCA Impact Play is a almost daily devotional which is emailed to subscribers from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The FCA played a large role in helping me return to Christ. Receiving the Impact Play helped me to reignite my faith. I wanted to share today's with you. READY: "Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin ruleover me." -Psalm 119:133 SET : Most sports have a playbook or a set of rules to follow for their program. This book tells how things will be done on and off the fieldfor success in the system. As a player, if you follow theseguidelines, you should have success in the system. I recently heardone coach refert to his playbook as his "bible." Obviously, he highlyvalues the book. As we read through Psalm 119, we find many verses that reference God's word. The author of the Psalms repeated over and over that God's word guided him. He understood that God's word was the onlyplaybook he could follow that could giv

I'll be away for a little bit

I'm going to be moving to Gettysburg the next few days, so there won't be any positing for a few days. (Not anything earth shattering.) The next time I post, it shall be from my apartment. Before I go however, its time to empty the mental mailbag . I'm glad I didn't order the Big Brother feeds. I've been watching the shows and following the feeds and this year's housemates aren't that interesting. Maybe they're not interesting because there is a jerk/bully who's dominating the show. Dick (his real name) is a tyrant who seems to have a 3 year old's fit anytime someone has an opinion or does not follow his directives. I'll pay attention when I see someone has the spine to nominate and evict him. The Tigers (MY Tigers) are in a funk and can't seem to get out of their own way. But fortunately, the Tribe is right there blowing games along with them. I'd love to see them trade for a relief pitcher, but it doesn't look like it will happ

Lutheran Carnival LV

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Prepare Ye is proud to host the 55th Lutheran Carnival . As I'm preparing to pack up and move to Gettysburg to enter the Seminary there, I thought I'd volunteer to host the carnival and delay packing up the computer for one more weekend. Please ignore the mess, the assorted boxes and bubble wrap just laying around and enjoy the submissions. (Oh, if you carry any boxes - be sure to lift with your legs!) The posts are listed in submission order: The Tour Marm presents I Saw a Man Walk on the Moon , a touching look back on her memories and relationship with her stepfather. Write to right presents 3 Easy Steps On How To Create A Productive Life , an enlightening essay on how to do what's truly important. I wish I would have seen the "Strip Out the Useless" advice before I started packing! The Pistol Packin' Presbytera presents National Ice Cream Day: Passing On Family Traditions , a post which links the past and present as she describes family and friends

525,600

In daylights, in sunsets,in midnights and cups of coffee,In inches,in miles and laughter and strife. "Seasons of Love" from the motion picture " Rent " .

Pre-Game Talk

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and without Him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in Him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him; yet the world did not know Him. He came to what was His own, and His own people did not accept Him. But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen His glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. From His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. – John 1:1-5, 9-14, 16 When

Empty as a pocket with nothing to lose

Caedmon's Call covering Paul Simon's Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes

What Kind Of Day It's Been part deux

A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about God putting some of my old friends back in my life before I go. On Saturday, I got reacquainted with a lot of friends from college. On Monday, two of my best friends from college showed up at my office to capture me and take me on a road trip. We drove up to our old college, had some pizza, a few beers and swapped stories that for various personal and other reasons can not be shared. I am so thankful that God is putting people into, or back into, my life when I'm making this big change. Everyone has been so supportive, understanding and reassuring. It's great to know people see things in you that you don't, or aren't sure you have. God will not have you do anything you can not do, and He will give you whatever you need to complete the task. That includes renewing acquaintances.

Thanks to the blonde from Toledo

I took today off so I could run errands, and not have it eat into my packing time. But I slept in, and wound up running behind. I didn't hop into the shower until 10 am. I turned on the radio (tuned to Family Life Radio) and listened to a sermon that Dr. Charles Stanley was giving as a part of his In Touch program. I normally don't hear his program because the radio in my office doesn't get a good signal for Family Life Radio. His sermon was on " the Circle of Our Impact ." He spoke about how we do not know whose life we will effect. We do not know where the ripples we cause by dropping a pebble into the pond will go. He spoke about people who influenced some of the great evangelists of our time, and how we need to fulfill what God has in store for us, not what we think we should be doing. Stephen's cries to God while being stoned influenced Saul of Tarsus. Dwight Moody was led to Christ by Edwin Kimball. Dr. Stanley said we will not know the impact we had unt

Bloggers Entering The Final Frontier

When I first started thinking about my call to ministry and if the call was really for me or a wrong number, I spent a lot of time on the internet searching for information. One of the sources of information that was the most useful to me were blogs. Especially those of people who were in the seminary. Reading the thoughts of people who were doing what I was thinking about doing proved to be VERY helpful. They set aside some fears, raised some concerns, pointed out potential pitfalls and shared the joys. Although I've never met any of these people, they have helped me discern my call. In the past few months (and a couple in the past few days) some of them have finalized their calls, and are being/have been ordained. As I prepare to take my first steps, I want to give a cyberspace shout out to: Pastor Justin at FrontRowLutheran.com , Pastor Tracey at Tracey's Tidings and T at Praying on the Prarie . Thanks for the wise words even though you didn't know you were giving them.

Have you come to raise the dead?

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U2 - One (the rare buffalo video) My college roommate (back in the mid 80's) kept coming up with these weird music groups that he thought would be the "next big thing." He'd play a record or tape and tell me how great the band was. I shook my head, said "OK" and ignored him. But he would play it over, and over and eventually, it grew on me. Skronkle, thanks for introducing me to this album and this group. The music, lyrics and thoughts behind their music has helped me and lead me on my journey toward Christ. Then he kept playing this "reconstruction fables" tape by a group called Remmy or something. After college, he started listening to this "chili" group and some weird album . Instead of selling nuts, he should have been a record exec.

A Prayer for Today

How strange! Any plant knows to grow toward the light. Why then, Lord, do I so often pull the covers over my head? What am I afraid of? Faithlessness? Fraud? Naked old Adam weakness? Lord, bare your arm. Show your muscle and help me be part of your strong grace today. Lord, thank you for closing the distance between my stubborn heart and its deliverence. You know my heart says "mine, mine, mine, a little for you, then mine again for a long time." I am greedy and self-righteous about it. Make me yours, speaking Your Yes to the world: "Here, how can I help?" Amen. from Daily Text from the Moravian Church

Only Wanna Know

Anastacia from the 2007 Concert for Diana.

A Sampling from across the blog-iverse

While I'm busy packing and working on some writings, here are some fun & interesting posts from others. From Rebel Without A Pew , the Hogwart's Styles of Ministry. From "A difference that makes a difference," a great post about explaining exploring experiments. Or something like that. From the Crazy Lutheran , the bad news that we're all going to hell, except for the Roman Catholics. At least according to the Roman Catholics. BTW, I must officially be a seminary student. I have homework due for the first day of Summer Greek!

At Least There's Pretty Lights

from the tv series "Scrubs" featuring Colin Hay of Men at Work

LV damnit LV!

The little blog that could (the one you're reading right now) will be hosting the Lutheran Carnival LV. Links are due by July 27. Carnival up by July 29. Hopefully, this will get my readership into (dare I dream it?) double digits. Fame, GLORIOUS FAME!!!!!!

Love Song (for a Savior)

Jars of Clay is/are AWESOME!

What Kind Of Day It's Been

Actually, what a extended weekend. I've been feeling a little blue about leaving my hometown even though going to seminary is what I want to do, what I should do and what I am being called to do. One of the depressing things is leaving my family and friends behind and moving 10 hours away. What was piling on me was realizing that I have done a horrible job in keeping in touch with my high school friends and my college friends. I hadn't kept in touch and missed the people who were like brothers to me. I got a flyer in the mail a week or so ago about a reunion that my HS football coach was putting together for July 7th. He coached at my HS for over 15 years, and coached a number of sports and was inviting all of his former players to a picnic. I was debating if I should go and ultimately decided to go. When I walked into the picnic pavillion, I saw several people who I had not seen since graduation night 20+ years ago. It was just like we had only seen each other a few days ago.

Now THAT'S a RANT!

Keith Olbermann goes off on George W.!

My Theme Song

Hate to admit it, but there is more of this that is true than isn't. BTW, Donnie Osmond ROCKS!

Best of Reality TV starts tonight (maybe)

I am an unabashed fan of reality TV. Among my favorite shows are Survivor and American Idol . But the obsession causing king or reality tv starts tonight, Big Brother . I have been very obsessed by this show ( and it's British cousin ) in past seasons, but I'm just not feeling the compulsion this year. Maybe it's because of my move to Gettysburg in less than a month, or maybe its the twist this year . In previous years, I bought the Real Player feeds , but I'm not this year. So far. But I will be monitoring a bunch of the sites that update what's going on .Plus, I needed a backup for all my links. POST SHOW THOUGHTS I'm disapointed. Way too many over the top characters. Joe is a Marcellas wannabe. Jen is supposed to be Chill-town trained, and thinks she is too good for everyone. Evil Dick is just creepy. I'm not getting the feeds, and may wind up watching the tape, not making sure I'm there live. But, if the feeders make it seem interesting, I may change

God Bless the USA

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Happy Independence Day! Happy Birthday America. Be safe. Remember which hand has the chicken leg and which has the sparkler!

A Thought for Today

“What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call on the name of the Lord. I will take the cup of salvation and will call on the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.” - Psalm 116:12 - 19 These are the words of one of the offertory songs that we sing. What shall we give BACK to the Lord for everything that He has given to us? God has blessed us. How will we show our gratitude? How do we show our love for God and our love for one another? We do so by our offerings to Him. We give of ourselves and of our possessions, our talents, our time and our selves. Using your talents to serve and praise the Lord is the REASON that we were given these gifts. Just as Jesus gave us the gift of His sacrifice as atonement for our sins, we can give back to God the gifts he has given us as a thanksgiving. How do others show t

June 24 Sermon

Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me”— for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss. Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine