Bartman...

I haven't had much time to watch a lot of TV lately. I am way behind on Top Chef and haven't seen an episode of The Office on Thursday nights since it started back up. (Not that I am missing a lot...R.I.P. Michael Scott.) But I did find myself watching E.S.P.N.'s E60 this week on Steve Bartman. Know him? You may not. But if you followed the Chicago Cubs back in 2003 or just baseball for that matter, then you know that on one fateful night in October 2003 an incident happened that has defined the Chicago Cubs and baseball for that matter since then. In the eighth inning of Game 6 of the National League Championship Series, with Chicago ahead 3–0 and holding a 3 games to 2 lead in the best of 7 series, several spectators attempted to catch a foul ball off the bat of Marlins' second baseman Luis Castillo. One of the fans, Steve Bartman, reached for the ball, disrupting a potential catch by Cubs outfielder Moisés Alou. If Alou had caught the ball, it would have been the second out in the inning, and the Cubs would have been just four outs away from winning the National League pennant. Instead, the Cubs ended up surrendering eight runs in the inning, giving up the lead. They went on to lose the game. When they were eliminated in the seventh game the next day, the "Steve Bartman incident" was seen as the turning point of the series.

Now, I don't wanna be overly dramatic, but seriously. Chicago...you went on to give up 8 runs. Was this incident a momentum killer. Probably not. Did maybe you all leave the pitcher in too long? At the time it was Mark Prior was on the top of his game. He was an all-star that year and finished 3rd in the voting for the Cy Young award and even finished 9 for National League MVP. So more than likely he had enough gas. Did he maybe get rattled? I don't think so. Here's why. No one even really knew that it was a catchable ball until fan's outside the stadium kept showing the play on TV's and then the crowd lost it. It was just a routine foul ball. Bartman did nothing more than anyone else would have done.

What happened after that? To me, this is the very reason why the Chicago Cubs should never win a World Series. The needed a scapegoat. The blamed the entire loss on a man that went for a foul ball. Shouting "we're gonna kill you!!!" and calling him all kinds of unmentionable names. Throwing brats and hotdogs on a him. Spilling and throwing beer on him. Seriously. I mean this, I felt like crying for this man even when I watched it live. The Cub's fan's needed someone to beat down for a loss, but it was gonna be a guy that went for a foul ball. What about Dusty Baker who is notorious for leaving pitchers in too long? What about the error on the shortstop on the next pitch?

A man was threatened to the point of death. Over what? Chicago...I had inadvertently forgotten just how bad you treated this man, who is STILL in hiding, until the other night watching it on E60. The Cub's don't ever deserve to win a World Series. At least until they give the key to the city to Steve Bartman and a huge apology!!!

This goes deeper though and should hurt much more than just this one incident. Father's fighting father's over foul balls. Coaches yelling at 15 year old umpires over ball's and strike's. Kid's standing over players when they make a good play or chest bumping each other after making a good play. We have gotten to a point where we need to get some perspective.

What is love...baby don't hurt me!!!!

I have been very bad. I have to let you know a little secret about me. I put everything in my phone. As a matter of fact, if it isn't in my phone, then it probably doesn't get remembered unless it is a routine event that happens or my beautiful wife remembers it for me. As a matter of fact...every week I get an update that says, "UPDATE BLOG". I mean every week! And yet this is my first blog in months!!! I am very ashamed. (Though I am not sure anyone is listening anyway.) So, my first order of business is to say, "I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while." Confession is good for the soul...

I work with some amazing families at church. I mean totally amazing. I have experienced families come around each other in time of need, in times of celebration, and times of sorrow. That is what it's all about. Love. Loving one another. Now I am basing this on the John 13 kinda love. The love that means I will help my brother when they need it. That means giving them conversations when they need to be changed a bit or an "iron sharpening iron" position. The problem we get hung up with from time to time is that we don't truly "love" the way we need too. There are some out there that have their own opinions on how to "love" each other. They do it by chastising in the name of the Lord without any dose of love. For me to love my daughter the way I need to, I must correct her bad behavior. I need make sure she knows what she did wrong, why it is wrong, and how does she not fall back into that again. Because I love her and care about her future...this is a non-negotiable.

Love doesn't mean that we let someone off the hook, but it also doesn't mean we "discipline" or correct out of anger or to make someone look less then they are in God's eyes. I think what would help us with "loving one another" would be to check the scope in which we want to discuss behaviors or issues with someone. Questions like, "Is this person ready for my comments?" This can be tricky, because, I am sure there isn't a great time to be disciplined, but if I were to discipline my baby girl in the midst of a tantrum, she isn't going to understand what it is I have to say. Typically, I remove her from the situation...let her calm down...and then I will talk to her. We have a tendency to try to drop correction or rebuke when the other person is having a difficult time with something. Or they are hurting over something else. Let me be clear, this doesn't mean we don't talk at all, this just means we frame the conversation with all that in mind. Questions like, "What's been going on lately?" can help defuse things before they go to far.

Love also doesn't mean I am rebuking someone to make them look bad so that I look good. Many times I feel like we have believers on different levels with their faith. Maybe they are stunted in one spot, or maybe they are just starting to get it. Either way, correcting someone that may not understand something needs to be scoped with that in mind. Or what if they aren't a believer at all? What if they are being rebuked and they aren't a believer. Listen to what the Gospel of John records in chapter 8, "

2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

What I see in this passage is a man who wants to make a long standing impact as upposed to a threat that won't mean anything. Now we don't know what happened to this lady, but we do know that God has used this verse to help shape us with other situations. I coach football and am around players all the time that use less then perfect language. Now, I could go off and thump them with my Bible or I can walk to them and ask them not to use that language around me. If they aren't a believer, what is going to make more of an impact? Me chastising them for something that is tolerated even in their own home, or coming along side of them and actually have a basis for why I am saying what I am? I think I have made more connections with kids that way then any other way.

Love is a tricky thing. Love can't just be a feeling...it has to be a desire to honestly want what's best for the other person. Good and the bad.

I'm just sayin'!

You had me at the "rudest"

I was listening to a podcast recently and the speaker digressed for a quick moment that took me way off track. He said that this generation of kids, 12-22 is the "rudest" of all generations. I was shocked when I heard this. Not surprised as I had been yelled at my some students recently, questioned by some kids as I officiated a volleyball game, and watched a kid completely shut a door on an old lady at a store. I mean, I have seen it around, but to be called the rudest generation in history? Man...that's kinda harsh. So, I decided to do some research on my own. In a recent article on MSNBC I read this, "...their kids are, well, rude. It may be that today’s parents are so fixated on their children's emotional well-being that they’re teaching them that the well-being of others is comparatively unimportant...”

Is this true? I asked some kids recently if that surprised them and they mainly said "no". They also said that they didn't like it. But I think students now-a-day's just are too afraid to make a difference.

I can remember sitting down by our little pond on the farm throwing anything I could in that oversized puddle. I can remember just tossing things in an watching the ripple. I am sure I was secretly trying to knock a duck over or something, but what I remember is the smallest of objects could cause a ripple all the way across the pond. That's what kids should wanna be remembered for...not being the rudest kids EVER!!!

Ouch...now that hurts!!!

Check this passage out...

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments. For the LORD had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’” So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.” Exodus 33:1-6

A little background if I may...WE have been going through a series within the Student Ministry here at Mt. Carmel called, "Are We There Yet?" It has chronicled the journey of the Israelites as they were freed from Egypt and all that has followed to this point in Exodus 33. What have they seen? Oh, not much.

1. Freedom. NO biggie. They were an oppressed people that God took from slavery to being made free.

2. The RED Sea being parted. Big deal...I would think so, but they forgot about that quickly.

3. Food Delivered to their Door. That's right, manna from Heaven. Food for them to have.

4. Various crazy situations with their leader Moses. Rod turning into a snake, hitting a stone and getting water, so on and so on.

You get the point. Very cool stuff. Oh, yeah...where was I. Aghh...telling you about all these things happening. Well, the passage listed above came out of even more doubt from the Israelites as they, after being left alone for a time, (40 days-ish) they made an idol out of gold. Is it any wonder that God reacted this way?

How bad do you have to get for God be that disappointed in you. I remember hurting my dad's feelings when I was a kid. Often times I would get spanked...I called it the BackSide Olympics...anyway, the swats never really stuck with me. What stuck with me was my dad saying how hurt and disappointed he was in me.

Our heavenly father has to be the same way. How disappointed is He in our actions now? Are we that far off from the Israelites? WE are just fortunate to have a gift in Jesus that, we too often, will take advantage of. What a tough realization!!!

To thine own self...

Consider it pure joy?

Constant movement...fast, slow, up, down, upside down, downside up, you name it I have been through it. Listen, we all have. Life is a constant battle of ups and downs. You are either coming out of something, in something, or on your way into something. That's life right? We had staff meeting today and Didi Bacon, our Sr. Minister, mentioned James 1:2-4. Not familiar, let me remind you, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." As I sat there I began to ponder what it means to consider something joy? This doesn't come to us very easily as human beings. In the midst of a loss of a loved one, losing a job, fighting with a spouse, it doesn't even sound remotely appealing. But lets think about this. In our journey of life's ups and downs what makes those events bearable? It's knowing our perspective. If you are a believer and you are "considering it pure joy" then you know that what is on the other side will be what can carry you through. If you have gone through those events then you know that you have been made stronger as a result of them. The word that stick out is "finish". In a time where houses goes unfinished, work projects in the basement go unfinished, contracts by pro athletes aren't seen to their finish, etc., finishing seems like a big issue. We are noncommittal. But we have to finish...it's a part of being mature. I want my life to be a reflection of a desire to grow in a way that will show others what life can be if you push through. So...fight for your marriage, push through those issues in life, etc. God will use us when we allow Him.

Still smiling...after all these years!

My wife and I started a new game where we, sneakily, access each others Facebook account and we post random things on the status. Childish...maybe. Funny...yes. Stressful...always. I am always on the lookout. I am always keeping my guard up. Though, she is very good. She is a very cunning person. Dare I say I have met my match? (Never!!!!)

The whole point here is I am crazy in love with my bride after all these years. She has made my life so happy here on Earth. We still play. We still have fun with each other. I think that is important to any relationship. Keep it fun. Aside from love, honor and cherish, I think having fun with each other is important.

So...if you are married, getting ready to or looking for someone, remember to have fun with one another. Keep love, honor and cherish in front of it all, but remember to have fun!!!

Love you lovey!!!

On the edge of...

I think most of my close friends know that I am a huge OSU Buckeyes fan. One of my baby girls first memories will be watching OSU football with her Daddy. Though she might not remember the first one as she was only 11 day's old, but I have the memory to share with her. At any rate, I was watching my Bucks play this past week in the Sugar Bowl. Needless to say the first half was awesome, the second half it became more of a game than I had hoped for. Not to do an entire play by play of the last 6 minutes just know, if you didn't see it, that the end Razorbacks blocked a punt with nearly no time left in the game. Up by 5 the Buckeyes had to bear down one more time and come up with something to stop this high-powered offense. The defense forced the quarterback to make a bad pass and the ball was intercepted by OSU and the rest is history.

The point is I was on the edge of my seat the entire second half. I was sick to my stomach, nerves had set in, and I was going grayer by the moment. It was a tense moment. Partially because it's my team...we want to see the team make it. Partially because I told one of the boys in my student ministry that if OSU lost I would wear his Florida Gators shirt, and I can't stand that program. On the edge...

Life is full of situations that make us feel like we are on the edge. It's how you respond. How will you carry yourself through the "on the edge" times? How will you respond to hostility? How will you respond to adversity?

As a football coach we tell our team that when things go wrong, there is a "sudden change" that can happen. We coach our team to come out and make a bad situation turn into a good one.

I think God asks us to worship Him through the good and the bad in life. Isaiah 25:9 says, " “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” No matter what is going on in life, our worship, true devotion, truly living bold for Him, means that no matter how bad it gets, or on the edge we are, we rely on a power that only God can give.

My goal for this year is to live through the "on the edge" situations and come out knowing that God will have my back the entire time.