As I watched Brett Favre break Dan Marino’s touchdown record I couldn’t help but remember that he was fast approaching another record- most interceptions.

Then I thought, “Is that such a bad thing?” I can kind of see why John Madden has a little man-crush on him.

Favre is fun to watch. He’s taken lots of risks and thrown lots of interceptions. But then again, he’s taken lots of risks and scored lots of touchdowns. More than any other human being ever to play in the NFL.

When people talk about Favre, they talk about his enthusiasm, his passion, his touchdowns, and yes, his interceptions. But he will still go down as one of the best to ever play the game because he gives it his all.

It makes me think that maybe I should live my life a little more like Favre plays the game.

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Tags: BrettFavre, football, Risk

Filed under: Life, Sports | Post a comment

• Our son is sick and we have to cancel date night tonight. Bummer.
• Infant funerals are heart-wrenching and make you want to hug your own kids tighter.
• How do people get through the loss of a child without Jesus?
• There’s peace in purpose. There’s chaos in chance.
• I wonder what direction “The Office” will go this season? It seems like Ryan may turn into the boss from hell. I hope Jim and Pam don’t end up like Ross and Rachel. And Dwight did the right thing.
• My favorite newer blog? Vince Antonucci!
• My new Trainer started work for me this week. Wow! What a difference. It’s exciting to watch someone unleash their talent.
• The Eagles looked like contenders last week. Let’s hope for the same this week.
• Subscribe to this podcast- therevolution.tv. Gary Lamb is off the hook and breaks the mold of the typical pastor.
• My daughter and I love to have a “Carty.” These are “car parties” where we roll the windows down and crank the music up. She’s the coolest kindergartener around!
• I should be on “The Biggest Loser.” My word…

Filed under: Blogs, Cool People, Life | Post a comment

I’m pumped about the public release of YouVersion.com - a new online Bible that combines the pleasures of Web 2.0 with with the truth of Scripture. The gang at LifeChurch.tv absolutely rock!

I encourage you to check it out. I’ve had the pleasure of being in the testing group for this project and I love the customization, interactivity, and social networking opportunities the site provides.

When you log on the default translation is the King James Version (KJV). I would recommend changing your preference to the English Standard Version (ESV).

Enjoy it, play around with the features, and dig in along with me. Below is more information about YouVersion.com courtesy of the Swerve blog from LifeChurch.tv:

“Three months have quickly passed since we revealed the concept of YouVersion.com – a free online Bible that connects the interactivity of Web 2.0 with the timeless truths of scripture. After several stages of Alpha testing and one Private Beta release, we are excited to announce the Public Beta version is now LIVE and ready for you to explore!

Simply go to YouVersion.com to see how it works. Everything is free and will remain free, but to interact with some of the personalized features you’ll need to go through a simple registration process.

Here is what you can do with YouVersion in this release:

• Search for scripture, jump to a book/chapter/verse, or scroll through our Bible Reader
• Star verses and content
• Tag verses and content
• Contribute and/or associate images, videos, links, and text to verses or series of verses
• Start journaling in the “My Journal” feature
• See what others are sharing
• Email items to your friends and family
• Rate content
• And so much more…

Currently we have integrated the following Bible translations:

New King James Version (NKJV) - Thomas Nelson
New Century Version (NCV) - Thomas Nelson
English Standard Version (ESV) - Good News Publishers/Crossway
King James Version (KJV)
World English Bible
American Standard Version (ASV)
Smith and VanDyke Arabic Bible

We have signed license agreements and will very shortly be making available:

The Message (MSG) - Navpress
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) - Holman Bible Publishers/B&H

We also have a commitment from:

Contemporary English Version (CEV) - American Bible Society

At this point, default translation will be King James Version, but you can easily change that if you’d like by simply clicking on the title.

Our Digerati Team has been eating, sleeping, and dreaming all things YouVersion for the last three months and it is nothing short of incredible to see how their commitment has paid off as we are right on schedule. I’d also like to express our appreciation for the hundreds of Alpha and Private Beta testers who contributed their time and given feedback! Additionally, I’m very thankful for the publishers who have captured the vision of this project and been willing to allow us to use their translations. We certainly couldn’t have made it to this point alone.

This is just the beginning. Several more features will be rolling out in the coming weeks as we continue to develop this tool.

Now it’s your turn to discover YouVersion and help us make it better by giving us feedback during this beta release. For those of you that blog, we’d love to have your post your thoughts about it. I look forward to seeing what God has in store for this new community of people reading, reflecting, and sharing how God is moving in a brand new and exciting way. I’ll see you there!”

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Tags: YouVersion, Bible, LifeChurch.tv, Web2.0,

Filed under: Bible, Christianity, Cool Stuff, Technology, Websites | Post a comment

I love me some football.

During a commercial break I found myself singing along to a Coors ad playing in the background when I realized what I was singing:

“Changin’. Every thing’s changin’. I’m through with all this changing. I like the way I’m living and I’ve got my reasons why. And I’m not gonna go on changin’. I’m not gonna go changin’.”

Ah, yes. The everyman-anthem. What a bunch of bull-loni!

See how far you get in life without changing. That’s a great plan. Just stay right there in your easy chair. Oh no, man, don’t get up. Just keep drinking dude. Pretty soon your kids will grow up and they’ll have kids. They’ll come visit you and you’ll still be in that same easy chair. God knows what kind of germs will be in that nasty thing after all that time.

“…I like the way I’m living and I’ve got my reasons why. And I’m not gonna go on changin’. I’m not gonna go changin’.”

You’ll never get a new recliner. Nope, the cushion will pattern your fat butt and you can’t buy that kind of customization. That would require changing. You’ll tell everyone that you’d buy a new chair but you don’t make enough money. You’ll curse your employer because you’re underpaid and unappreciated. I’m sure it will have nothing to do with your refusal to change.

“…I like the way I’m living and I’ve got my reasons why. And I’m not gonna go on changin’. I’m not gonna go changin’.”

You may be fortunate enough to marry a woman who’ll actually put up with your refusal to change. After 20 years of marriage you’ll no longer be attracted to her because she’s about twice the woman you married. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the “leadership” you provided at home and the fact that you’re about two and half the man you were when you were married. Nope, four squares a day, four to five showers a week, and a one to two dates a year. That’s how you make it to twenty years. Forget the fact your wife has to get her romance from novels and soaps and you never talk.

“…I like the way I’m living and I got my reasons why. And I’m not gonna go on changin’. I’m not gonna go changin’.”

Sitting in that same La-Z-Boy watching the good ol’ game. When suddenly your left arms will feel funny. Your wife left for the store and you’re reaching for your chest. While you search for the phone to dial 9-1-1 you hear the Coors jingle on the television:

“…I like the way I’m living and I’ve got my reasons why. And I’m not gonna go on changin’. I’m not gonna go changin’.”

Please tell me life is more than that. Too many men have tapped out while life passes them by.

I know Coors just wants their customers to stick with their product but the moment we identify with a beer commercial jingle we know somethings wrong. Instead, let’s be men who evolve and grow. Let’s be men who woo our wives and actually love and train our children. Let’s be men who are known more for what we’ve done with our lives than our easy chair.

Let’s be real men!

Filed under: Family, Food and Drink, Life | 12 Comments

[Click image to enlarge]

While I have no intentions on ever canceling my relationship with my excellent wife, it seems that canceling a Facebook relationship is almost as difficult as filing for divorce.

It makes me wonder if there will be a time in the near future when filing for a divorce is as easy as visiting a website and clicking a mouse. Hmmm.

That will be a sad day.

Filed under: Family, Technology | Post a comment

I generally put together a playlist once a week to put on my handy dandy iPod.

One of the songs this week is “This Too Shall Be Made Right” by Derek Webb. The song is honest, raw, simple, and powerful. On YouTube I discovered a video someone put together to this song. Check it out.

1. This Too Shall Be Made Right - Derek Webb
2. Leave Out All the Rest - Linkin Park
3. Questions - Jack Johnson
4. Naive - The Kooks
5. The Unwinding Cable Car - Anberlin
6. Ordinary - The Alternate Routes
7. All I Have - John Reuben
8. Help! - The Beatles
9. Know - Half Past Forever (Chris Sligh and band)
10. Clocks - Coldplay
11. Opened Once - Jeff Buckley
12. Cheeseburger in Paradise - Jimmy Buffett
13. This Old Apartment - Barenaked Ladies
14. She’s Only Happy in the Sun - Ben Harper
15. E-Pro - Beck
16. Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) - Waylon Jennings
17. Precious Declaration - Collective Soul
18. Gravity - John Mayer
19. Isn’t She Lovely - Stevie Wonder
20. Shut Your Eyes - Snow Patrol
21. Hard to Get - Rich Mullins
22. Dakota - Stereophonics
23. Rain Down - Delerious?
24. The Dreaming Tree - Dave Matthews Band
25. The Take Over, the Breaks Over - Fall Out Boy

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Tags: DerekWebb, this too shall be made right, linkin park, john mayer, john reuben, waylon jennings, barenaked ladies, jimmy buffett, jack johnson, stereophonics, alternate routes, stevie wonder, dave matthews band, jeff buckley, collective soul, delirious?, beck, fall out boy, snow patrol, ben harper, anberlin, half past forever, chris sligh, the kooks, coldplay, the beatles, rich mullins, youtube

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Lots of things swimming in my head today.

• My son is now the President..of his 5th grade class. I don’t care who you are- when you’re voted president by your classmates it feels pretty good. He now has a bunch of friends he’s asked to be his secret service.
• I’m so proud of my daughter Regan. She’s in kindergarten and noticed a little girl who was sad everyday. The girl has difficulty hearing and my daughter has taken her under her wing. The little girl’s dad said that she talks about Regan at home. That’s cool. That’s what its all about.
• By the way, I have two great kids because they have an awesome mom! I love you babe!
• It seems there has been a lot of tragic news in the lives of people around me this week.
• I’m taking a business finance class and I can barely understand my teacher let alone the subject matter. Should be great.
• Will the Philadelphia Eagles finally pull off a win this week? I’m getting mocked and fingers pointed at me when I where my jersey in public.
• I’ve really enjoyed listening to the Pine Ridge Church podcast this week. Tadd Grandstaff is the lead pastor there and I’ve followed his church planting journey via his blog for a while now. It was sweet to hear him preach and see it actually happen. It’s encouraging for a would-be church planter like myself. Congrats to you and your team Tadd.
• I’m playing on two volleyball leagues with my wife right now. I just love competing with my wife and not against her.
• My buddy Chris Elrod has not blogged in a while. I miss his wit and raw honesty.
• Fact: We got the third season of “The Office” on DVD. Loving it. Question: When do new episodes begin? Answer: Next Thursday.

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Tags: Philadelphiaeagles, the office, prayer, church planting, family

Filed under: Blogs, Family, Life | 4 Comments

Let me keep it real today. My heart is heavy.

Very good friends of ours just lost their baby. This is a tragedy that hurts to the core. And as friends, it rocks us too. I want so badly to take the pain away and its all I can do to pray and be there.

In visiting with my buddy I wanted to give him an answer to the “why” question that lingers in his soul. But I don’t have the answer. Perhaps in time or maybe its a question for Heaven. I don’t know why- but I do know Who.

You see, I believe what Jeremiah 29:11 says,

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’.”

This isn’t just some verse you tack onto graduation cards. It’s God’s declaration that he’s sovereign and has a destiny for our lives. Even when it makes no sense to us. This verse is true in good times and in bad. This baby boy passed away for a purpose. His brief life had meaning and was planned long before he was a twinkle in his parents’ eyes.

The evil one likes to slip the lie in our head that suffering happens because of something we did or didn’t do. The truth is my friends didn’t lose their child because of anything other than God’s purposes. God was not punishing them. But at the same time, God did allow this. When heartache rolls we should acknowledge the hurt, pain, and anger. Jesus desires an honest, authentic relationship with us. It’s okay to tell Him you’re angry with him. Trust him enough to bear your heart. He’s the Lord- He can take it.

Trusting God is easy when the volume of our life is at a comfortable level. But trust is hard when our lives are “cranked to eleven” and He takes away someone we love- especially a child.

This experience has made me pause to ask questions. “Do I trust God with my children?” “If He took them away from me would I trust that His will was just and good even though it hurts so bad?” It’s easy to say but so hard to do.

Like most of you, I’ve gone through lots of difficult times. Peace is found believing that the pain and suffering in life is not meaningless, is not by accident, and is not beyond the hand of God. He’s in control. He loves us. He never says, “Oops.”

This is the intersection of faith and reality. Do we trust Him?

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Tags: God, pain, suffering, death, destiny, peace, faith, hope, love

Filed under: Christianity, Jesus, Life | Post a comment

“Oops! I Crapped My Pants” is more than an SNL skit (which you can watch below), it’s probably what I should title my biography or better yet, this blog.

You know how it is. Things are going hunky-doory and then all of a sudden you make a total mess of things. If that doesn’t happen to you then you’re freaking amazing. But if you’re like me, it happens too often. I’m reminded everyday that I still need my Savior to clean things up for me. From the pointless white lie I told last week to the kid I made fun of in 8th grade. It’s all just a “gallon of feces” that stinks real bad.

Thank God that I don’t have to clean myself up before I come to him. I’d just make it worse. He can handle the stench. Thank God that he loves me just as I am. Crappy pants and all. He gives me his Word which says to stop crapping on myself. He has people in my life who tell me when my crap stinks- even when I can’t smell it. When I pray, I find freedom when I admit I crapped my pants. And like a parent to an infant he takes a big ol’ baby wipe, cleans up all my crap, and gives me back that refreshing baby smell. That’s Jesus!

If he can clean up crap from an ass like me, I know he can do it for you.

Now, enjoy this crappy video:

Tags: SNL, crap, sin, Jesus, oops

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