From The Hills of Athens

World champion skipper Tony LaRussa was on Mike and Mike this morning and a big deal was made that he and Bill Parcells and Bobby Knight are good friends.  (Personally the thought of dinner with these three ranks just higher than an all-night marathon of Trading Spaces and The View)  Greenberg played a clip of Bill Parcells saying that he wasn’t having fun during last weekend’s MNF loss to the Giants, and the conversation turned to how all three of these tremendously successful coaches all suffer loss more than they celebrate wins.  The losses in their career have always hung over them much more than the wins ever validated them.

I almost careened in to the meth-lab house at Cayuga and Highland in this ultimate AHA moment (if only "Take on Me" had come on the radio).  It all made sense.  These guys were proven winners, but their losses always loomed larger than their wins.  The roller coaster that is my life feels so much like that.  Every time I totally stink something up, it is always a much bigger deal than when I do something well.  I can do nine things right, but the one thing I do wrong cancels out everything else.

Anyone else feeling me on this?

I heard these two statements recently:

"The reason we’re in this situation is because Christians haven’t been voting."

"Voting is our God-given right."

Quite interesting.  I’ve never caught the mention in the Bible where God gives us the voting right, and it’s puzzling to me that someone would think that "this situation" is because Christians haven’t invested enough time and energy into a human form of government.

A few months ago, I broke out my Hot Sauce And1 Jersey at the Friday O’ Fun.  Before that, I can’t even remember the last time I wore it in public (thanks in part to my threats from my wife if I left the house with it on).  That same weekend, two things happened.  Matt Caffey’s parents came into town (we had dinner with them) and Emma started puking all over the place.
Last night, I pulled out the Hot Sauce jersey for the first time since that fateful weekend.  A few footnotes: 1-Emma has felt completely normal and 10000% percent not sick, 2) Matt Caffey’s parents are coming into town this weekend.  All seemed fine in our world, until about an hour ago when Emma started puking.  We thought maybe it was a crazy 1 time thing, but 10 minutes ago, we had the major-puking.  Apparently, the combination of my And1 jersey and Matt Caffey’s parents is way too much for Emma’s poor little stomach to take.
I’m not making this up, I couldn’t make this up.

Almost forgot: here’s a new term - to "McAllister" a person means to completely overlook someone that you definitely know and pretend like you never saw them.  In two separate instances this very fine week, it happened to my crew or another crew that I roll with (me trying to sound ghetto).  I doubt that this occurrence is limited to McAllister’s but that is the establishment where everything transpired.  So use the term, enjoy the term.

I’m reading Bill Simmons’ book about the rise of the Boston Red Sox.  I think Simmons is one of the most astute sportswriters in America (and you know I’m an expert).  I love that he combines sports with pop culture and he always writes from the perspective of a fan.

That said, I’m frustrated with his book.  I’m 96 pages in and I’ve found 4 typos.  4!!!  That’s about 20 more than any published book should have.  And the worst thing is that this book isn’t even "new."  I mean that in 2 ways.  It’s a collection of articles written between 1998 and 2004.  All he had to do is cut and paste a bunch of articles that should have had some editor reading them the first time they were written.  The book is also in paperback, which means they could have fixed the errors between printings.

The book is pretty interesting, definitely worth the read.  I’m just curious why the Sports Guy (or his editors) put out an imperfect product.

That’s my formal plea for my wife to return from visiting her family.  You would think that having the house all to myself, I would sleep well and enjoy the peace.  But laying in a dark room at night with no noise at all is so unnerving.  I’m ready for Erin and Emma to bring back the ruckus.

I am journeying to Deep Ellum tonite to see the very fine band Mute Math at the Gypsy Tea Room.  My brain is seriously starting to go into overload right now.  After all of the great music I heard at the NYWC (Crowder, Shane&Shane, Leeland) and now a Mute Math concert, I don’t know what to do.  I’ve got a new song playing in my head every few minutes.

Jim Gaffigan was on Conan last night.  If you are ever scrolling through the guide and you see Jim’s name on Conan, TiVo that show.  Jim always brings these cartoons called "Pale Force" where he and Conan fight crime using their paleness.

It is officially cold.  It doesn’t even matter what the temperature is.  It is officially cold because I had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks last night.  I always treat myself to this seasonal delight right as fall/winter starts rolling around.  It wouldn’t be good in the heat of summer or the downpours of spring.  But it is perfect on a cool, crisp night.

And last of all, Roy Clay says that Hall & Oates is (are) terrible.  I completely disagree based on three arguments: 3) Maneater, 2) Private Eyes, and 1) Sara Smile.  These are terrific songs that have only added to the collective good that is pop music.  And as an added bonus, Sara and Erin both have 2 syllables, so I can easily insert my wife’s name into Sara Smile, thereby turning a great song into an even better, personalized song of love and devotion.

i’m out, peace.

I’ve got this theory working.  My excitement about learning in any seminar session is conversely related to the amount of time I have been at a conference.  I’m sure the last seminar I went to had the potential to be amazing, but I was so drained that I could hardly keep my head aloft.

Marko’s session did something I never thought possible - it gave me great excitement about teaching middle schoolers.  It’s not that I don’t like middle schoolers (I do), but I’ve never had the inner fire you need to have when you stand in front of a bunch of them.

You ask, what’s wrong with the dallas cowboys?  I wish I had a more elaborate answer, but here’s my guess: Drew Bledsoe.  Three picks, a fumble, and a ton of bad decisions will not necessarily lose the game for you.  When you are playing a team hell-bent on revenge on their home field, it will always lose the game for you.

The Austin Stone was a neat experience.  Matt Carter can bring it.  Erin and I were a little bummed that Tomlin wasn’t there, but Andy Melvin did a good job.

I might have only been in San Antonio for three hours, but I was still able to enjoy the finest Chinese food ever from Taipei.  I know PF Chang’s and Pei Wei are all the rage, but Taipei is where it’s at. Get the #17 with no mushrooms.

The flight home was alright.  I’m pretty sure I sat next to someone I went to high school with, but (and this is spoken like a true introvert) I decided to read my book instead of ask her.

Good weekend.  It’s raining in Athens.  It’s going to get cold in t-minus 40-something hours.

peace.

Question of the day: Are we setting students up for failure when we expect them to be deep disciples of Christ?  Can teenagers make genuine committments?  Mike Yaconelli (founder of Youth Specialties) and Gordon MacDonald (president of InterVarsity) have both written articles saying that No, teenagers cannot make genuine committments.
Enjoyed my seminar yesterday on "Crafting Messages that Matter" with Doug Fields.  I have gone to a few seminars on teaching thus far, and each time I am convicted about the complete lack of planning that goes into my teaching.  When I get home, it’s time to get a little more organized.
I enjoyed some fine Gingerbread Pancakes at Kerbey Lane (thanks Erin H).  Each pancake literally weighed 17 pounds, and there were 3 of them on my plate.  I ate the South Wing of the pancake building, before my stomach exploded.
Shane and Shane are not David Crowder*Band.  End of story.
I may like Donald Miller more as a speaker than a writer, and I love his writing.  He is so dry and soft-spoken and deliberate when he speaks.  Kind of like his writing.  Maybe I like him a whole bunch both ways.
Erin and I hit a Starbucks last night and had a nice chat.  Could be one of the best moments of the trip so far.
And this morning, Duffy Robbins posed the above questions about teenage spirituality.  I think we have to remember the messiness of nurturing teenagers and how it is a slow process and that we shouldn’t give up.
I’m excited about the Austin Stone tonite.  I’ll update this evening.

peace.

In case you are late to the party, Erin and I are in Austin right now for the National Youth Worker’s Convention put on by the fine people of Youth Specialties.  At this exact moment, we are in one of the general sessions listening to Rowdy Roddy Piper’s band tear through the finest music ever to come out of Scotland. I don’t know about you, but I love me some Scottish music!  (i thought I could do it, but there’s no way I can say that with a straight face)   WIthout further ado, here are the highlights
First and foremost: David Crowder*Band.  They are unbelievable!  They have led at two sessions now, and because Erin and I are so hip and well-informed, we went to a book signing they did at a  South Austin Borders.  I got my book signed.  I got a picture.  I teared up.  It was wonderful.
We had late-late-late dinner with illusionist jared hall.  Nothing is finer than an Austin IHOP at 1:00 am on a Friday night.  Getcha some.
Whilst at said late-late-late dinner, I got to experience something that dreams are made of (no, not the fantasy french toast).  I looked in the sky to see a police chopper with a spotlight shining somewhere a few blocks away.  I heard the sirens.  My pulse began to race.  I turned towards the highway underpass, when I saw a Suburban driving with 5 police cars chasing it.  That’s right, I was 200 feet from a high-speed chase!  That’s worth the price of admission right there!
The SpringHill Suites by Marriott is a fine hotel.  USA Today outside your door each morning, hot waffles for breakfast, and ultra-soft blankets.
Ryan Hall (Carpenter’s Way in Lufkin) and Lori Hatfield (FBC Round Rock) are both here.  It’s nice to see some Camp 121 folk.  Erin and I also ran into Jade Guerra-Payne and her crew.  Always good to see the ghosts of Zephyr-past!
I took Erin to see the Congress Bridge Bats.  How exciting can bats be, right?  Rabies infested rodents flying around just waiting to poop on your unsuspecting head.  You couldn’t be more wrong!  There are millions of these flying dudes roaming Town Lake at dusk doing their part to keep Austin bug-less.
Erin has found her favorite enchilada of the past few years.  The chicken-sour cream-cilantro enchilada at Chuy’s on Barton Springs Road had her breaking out in prayer and song.  Meanwhile, my cheesy-ranchero enchilada found me wishing I had gotten fajitas.  Oh well.
And last but not least…LEELAND.  Baytown-based-band rocked up the late-night concert on Thursday.  I was hooked from the first note.  You’ll be hearing them in a Refuge near you soon!
We are having a great time.  I’ll post more later today and tomorrow now that I know the Convention Center has the free WiFi.  Miss everyone!

peace.

The other day, I was confronted.  I might have been accosted.  I definitely know that I was part of an intervention.  Basically, someone that I am acquaintances with got all serious and said this: "Alright, I’m going to pick on you for a second.  Is everything alright?  Are you having some serious problems?  I just sense that you are feeling pensive lately."  I’ve got a ton of issues with this, so come on an adventure with me as we discover the issues together!

A :: I don’t know why this question was asked.  The questioner said that I just seem upset.  I countered with the fact that I have introverted tendencies and so sometimes I’m quiet.  Why does quiet imply upset?  Just for the record, I’m not upset.  Well, I’m kind of upset about the incident, but before that I wasn’t upset.  And I’m not really upset right now.

B :: Pensive is a poor word choice.  If you are going to throw down a rarely used word, pick a good one.  Pensive means "thoughtful reflection, meditative, contemplating."  The only poor connotation of the word is that it can "include some sadness."  But other than that, I am delighted to be called pensive.  There are far too many times I’m not thoughtful or reflective, and I speak too quickly.  Again, I think there is a misunderstanding that being quiet equals being upset.  But here’s my real beef…

C :: You gotta earn the right to ask this question.  Even if I was having "big problems," I wasn’t going to tell this guy.  Don’t get me wrong, I like him, but the "big problem" conversation is reserved for people that I know and trust and have shared some life experience together.  It’s not for the guy you share a cubicle with or the person who bags your groceries. 
Earning the right to ask questions is an important concept to grasp.  As a minister, I would be a fool to think that I just have automatic credibility in people’s lives.  Those days are over.  If I want to be an influence, I’m going to need to be present and available.  I don’t need to march in with all of my knowledge and make people let me care for them.  Hasn’t someone said "People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care"
Before I got all Hallmark Card, I did have a point.  Not only do we need to earn the right to ask big questions with other people around us, I think we need to earn the right to ask our Creator big questions.  If you look at the story of Job, you see Job suffer and question and plead and suffer some more.  Only after he has suffered and endured and remained faithful does God respond to Job.
Our church has begun the WHY> study, a 40-day campaign about asking life’s biggest questions.  It’s good to ask these questions, but sometimes we are like kids at Christmas.  Forget about waiting, we want the present now.  The answers to questions like "Why is the world messed up" and "What does God want me to do with my life" take time.  You don’t get those in a day.  In fact, those answers may take a lifetime.

peace.