Just thought you might want to know ...

Ok, now YOU go run back a fumble for a touchdown!

Yeah, just thought you guys might want to know the mighty UL offense managed 2 points today, and you can thank Mike Hartline's lame intentional grounding in the end zone for that.

27 - 2 ... that's all I'm saying.

Real Evangelicals of Genius 0:-D

That's a halo emoticon in the title, in case you didn't know,
and he's smiling so big because he has the joy of the Lord, just like Super
Christian here. Just FYI ...

It is with great pleasure and anticipation that I announce the beginning of a new series. If you've grown up in the church like me, you have no doubt noticed some select groups of people who exhibit unusual behavior in the church. These people mean well, for sure, but sometimes their thoughts and behavior betray something beneath the surface that may be less than desirable for believers. So in a light hearted, firmly tongue-in-cheek approach, I hope to describe some of these groups of people and offer some thoughts on their eccentricities.

This won't be a regular series, necessarily, and I'll have some random posts in between each one. In all reality, it will probably be something of an ongoing feature to break the routine occasionally. Hopefully you will enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed thinking about them. So stay tuned, the first installment will come later this week or early in the next!

DISCLAIMER: Please don't be offended by any of these posts, even if you might fall into one of the categories to some extent (I doubt any of these people exist in the extremity that I plan on describing them). The truth is, I know some of the people will describe me well ... uncomfortably well, at times. Please understand that my intention is only to have some fun in a satirical manner, and offer some legitimate thoughts underlying some of the ridiculousness.

The Investment of Time (2 of 2)

For the first part to this post, see "Nerds of America, meet your match ..."

The thing about triviality is this: if all you waste is valuable time that could be spent elsewhere, you get out pretty lucky. More often the things that mire us in wasted time have more devastating effects.

James 1:27 says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

While the first part of James’ definition is vitally important, it is this second aspect that I want to focus on today. “To keep oneself unstained by the world” is a vital part of living out faith in Christ, according to the apostle. It’s not hard to understand what he’s trying to say, and yet time and time again I could charge myself with having more than a few stains on my spirit.

It’s alarming how the infiltration of worldly ideas and images can stain your thinking. When I find myself rolling around in the mud of the world, the effects can be truly frightening. I start to look at sin differently – it’s not so bad, maybe it would be a lot of fun. I start to look at others differently – boy, they don’t really measure up to the people I see on TV/movies/internet. I start to think of morality differently – why am I leading this monkish existence, denying myself of what these people enjoy so much? I start to view humor differently – I can be a pretty mean-spirited punk if I’m not careful. I start to view God differently, relationships differently, my (future) career differently. Even the plausibility of my faith can come into serious contention.

This is why we, as believers, must be very careful what we feed our minds. Now, don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing inherently wrong with indulging in some mindless acts every now and again. It can be downright beneficial. Most people’s schedules are pretty hectic, and the healthy person knows when he needs to sit down and take it easy, without worrying about getting something accomplished. One of the smartest (and godliest) people I’ve met once said, “Sometimes the most godly thing I can do is to sit down and watch a football game.” My own sanity would behoove me to learn this lesson quickly.

However, this is most certainly a balance, and the consequences for indulging ourselves too often can be difficult to overcome. Think of it this way, if you really were motivated to spend 18 hours fighting an online monster in a fantasy game, on the surface you’ve just wasted a day of your life that you’ll never get back. But what were the relational sacrifices that were made? How many friends do these people have? How healthy are their relationships? If you’ve spent 18 hours in one sitting, my guess is you’ve spent an inordinate amount of time glued to a computer screen, taking in and immersing yourself in a reality that doesn’t exist. How dissatisfied would you be with the world if you spent most of your time plugged into an entirely different one? Could you even function? Not well, I would guess. While that's obviously the extreme, the same questions could be asked of the things I mentioned earlier, and I doubt the answers would be more comfortable.

I believe that the Christian who wants to be influential and disciplined must view time as an investment. If I plant myself in front of a computer screen and pour over my fantasy football team for hours on end, I have invested part of my life devoted to a fake game based on a real sport played by people I’ve never even seen in person before. In moderation, not so bad. In larger portions, kind of silly. If I spend all my time involved in the gossip scene of Hollywood, or filling my mind with the images that magazine photographers flood my senses with, I am training a part of me to become ingratiated with the world – a world that is antithetical to the kingdom of God and a world that is quickly passing away (1 John 2:17). What will I have to show for that at the judgment seat of Christ? Conversely, if I make an effort to invest my time in the Scriptures, to prayer, and the fellowship of believers, I am preparing myself to be the man that God has made me to be, and placing my treasure in a heavenly kingdom that will last into eternity.

Considering the market, I’d say that’s a pretty good return.

Nerds of America, meet your match ... (1 of 2)

I will be the first to admit that I've played some video games in my life. Especially as a younger kid, I played a LOT of video games. I've even played some pretty nerdy games in the past. My personality lends itself to games that are expansive and involved (read: dorky), and I have enjoyed the occasional RPG (role playing game), like the Final Fantasy series, in addition to the more standard shoot-'em-up and sports games. Now I rarely have the desire, much less the time, to turn on the ole PS2 and immerse myself in my inner nerd-dom.

So while I usually have sympathy for those that play some of these games, this is just ridiculous.

I encourage you to check out that article from yahoo, but let me hit the high points and offer some thoughts. Final Fantasy XI (yeah, there are eleven of them, actually more than that) is an online RPG, kind of like Everquest or World of Warcraft, if you're familiar with those. If not, here's the gist: you control a player, which you build up and equip through the game, which is played online with and against other players. Typically you team up with some other adventurers to advance the story line and make your characters stronger. There's much interaction and chatting between characters, and from what I understand, much of it is very much "in character." There's no talk of Tom Brady and his chances at an undefeated season; it's more about what spells you are fond of and which guilds you recommend.

Now, to quiet the snickering, I should say this: I have never played this game. I've already admitted to playing other such games (I really can't believe I'm typing this right now), but none of those involved this online component. Most are one player story line games -- one nerd limit. I have always restricted my nerd-dom from being shared with others in an online community. That's just a bit much for me. I liked to relish my nerdiness in isolation, to hide my shame from the world.

So anyway, the upside to an online game is that there are always updates that the developer can introduce: new bosses, side quests, equipment, etc. Square-Enix, developer of the series, recently introduced its latest addition -- a new super boss named, "Pandemonium Warden." Naturally, after hearing of its existence, some top level gamers ventured out to take it down. Only problem is, it's quite a resilient little bugger. In fact, these high-level characters blasted away at the monstrosity for over 18 hours straight, with no sign of weakening it. In fact, according to the yahoo article, leaders of the "player's guild" (go ahead, you can laugh at that) complained to Square-Enix that gamers were "passing out and getting physically ill." From a video game.

I'll give you a moment to take that in.

I'm pretty sure I couldn't (and wouldn't) do anything for 18 hours straight except breathe. Maybe not even that. But here's where this hits home: it's easy to make fun of people who would fight a ridiculously named online monster for the better part of a day if we weren't guilty of essentially the same thing.

See, in our culture we are awash in a sea of triviality. It is absolutely astounding how much time we devote to things that are completely meaningless, mindless, or both. Sure, you might not burn the midnight oil via online gaming, but how much time do you spend on Facebook every day? For what purpose? "Staying in touch with old friends?" Please. Rifling through hundreds of pictures in people's photo albums of people you've never met, scouring the news feed for gossip, and updating your status every 15 minutes is just as absurd as a prolonged battle with Pandemonium Warden. There are some legitimate uses to Facebook, I'll admit, (some even are useful in ministry) but if we're honest with ourselves, we exhaust ourselves of those uses pretty quickly.

Do you watch "The Hills"? I have a hard time believing you could convince me that there is one thing about that show that isn't completely meaningless. What about You Tube? How edified are you by watching that dumb skater kid fall and land on his daddy parts for the fourth time? Or that cute kid giggle at that bunny rabbit? What about sports? If you spend as much time as I have in the past pouring over statistics for your fantasy team or rumors of collegiate recruiting, you have wasted a good chunk of your life.

And yet we complain that we don't have enough time to spend in God's Word? To witness to our friends and family about our faith? To commune with our Lord in prayer? To read books to grow in our faith and knowledge? To invest in others lives in discipleship?

Sounds like a cop-out.

to be concluded ...

Back to school

It's mid-August, which can only mean a few things: college football, NFL football, fantasy football, and reading until I vomit. Yes, it's back to school time for me, so you likely won't be reading as many novel-posts, like several I've put up so far. I'll still be committed to posting something at least once a week, and hopefully it will be entertaining or enlightening for you.

I've always heard some things said in class or in my studies that I've wanted to use somehow, but never had much of an opportunity. So now I hope to be able to use this outlet to comment on some of the overflow of the flood of information I'll be gushed with this fall.

If you care, I'm taking the following classes: Old Testament Theology, Greek Exegesis of Romans, and Elementary Hebrew.

What I've learned so far: Hebrew is hard.

The quest for more (part 2)

For the first part to this post, see “King James? Or James El Rey?"

I feel like I should start by clarifying my problem. I’m not mad at Shaquille O’Neal for making more than Tuvalu. Ultimately, it’s not really his fault. I’m also not really concerned with whether European basketball threatens the NBA’s dominance on the world. I have opinions on the matter, and much more can be written, but that’s not really the point of these posts. (In fact, I’m not entirely sure where I’m going with this. I just know that something strikes me about this whole scenario, and I feel the need to express what seems like an all too familiar trend. After all, what good is a blog if you can’t write stuff like this? :-) These are not complete thoughts; they’re really more the start of a discussion. Feel free to chime in. But back to “the point.”)

The point lies beneath the surface, and the NBA is just one of the many areas where it manifests itself. It is a pervasive idea that undergirds almost every business model and personal financial plan in this country. It is the insatiable and inherently unattainable quest for one thing: more.

Everyone in America may like what they have, but what they really want is more. Sure, Donald Trump’s got a lot of cash. But why does he keep building hotels and casinos? He wants more. Maybe he has to take in a lot of cash to maintain that dying animal on his head he calls a haircut. Or maybe it’s just that he’s not satisfied with what he has. Maybe it’s not even money that he wants more of. Maybe it’s fame … prestige … power. It’s a rabbit trail that has no end.

This is the issue with these pro athletes. The guys I mentioned in the last post make PLENTY of money, and most have plenty of prestige and fame. They don’t need more money. They just want it. Sure, you get your taxes taken care of in Europe, and the team typically provides a house and a car. But come on. Are these guys really struggling to pay their mortgages? They don’t care about a house payment. They care about more. LeBron James isn’t thinking about playing in Europe cause he needs the cash. He’s said that he would entertain these offers in order to make a statement – to brand himself as a global icon. He’s already one of the most recognizable figures on the planet. But he wants more.

It’s not just in the billionaires, either. It’s right around the corner, in your own neighborhoods. People want more money so they can have bigger houses, nicer cars, more stuff. Why? They probably couldn’t tell you. They just want it. Sure, that stuff brings a level of comfort, but are they really uncomfortable where they are? And if so, isn’t it really due mostly to a comparison with people that have more? I know I’m not dissatisfied with my ’97 Nissan Maxima until I see one of my friends with a 2007 BMW. Then all of a sudden I’m not so “comfortable” anymore.

I just bought a new iPhone 3G about a month ago. Why? I have no idea. Steve Jobs told me to, I guess. It’s not that it’s not cool, or useful. It is. I love it. But why did I buy it? I really have no answer, other than to say that I wanted it. Which begs the question, why did I want it? The answer to that is probably a little less comfortable.

Please understand – there’s nothing inherently wrong with buying an iPhone, or wanting a nicer house or car. There are plenty of times when the Lord blesses us with financial benefits that can be used for our own pleasure and enjoyment. What I’m more concerned with is the attitude that underlies everything. So often we just want more for more’s sake. What sense does that make? Where is that in a biblical worldview? And more practically, where does it end?

God typically does not take kindly to those who squander wealth in frivolity and lavishness while people go hungry and lack basic human needs. Deuteronomy, for example, mandates several provisions for the people of Israel to take care of those in need in their community. The Lord saw this quest for more imbedded in human nature and expected his covenant people to rise above it. I believe he asks his new covenant people, the church, to do the same thing.

At this point I suppose I could go into a rant about how Jesus is the answer to our quest for more, and that he is the only one that truly satisfies. But I kinda hate that, to be honest. It’s not that there’s not an element of truth in it, it’s just that I hate trying to make Jesus fit in a Sprite commercial – like he’s the one that truly quenches your thirst for more toys. He doesn’t. If you are obsessed with a desire to have more on this earth and find true satisfaction and happiness in it, you will find Jesus fantastically disappointing. He won’t give you more, he’ll ask you to be content with less. It’s not that he wants to make you miserable, but he certainly doesn’t want you getting fat off your own blessing.

The truth is, true satisfaction really is found in Jesus, but it’s not the same satisfaction we search for. He won’t provide the answer to your quest for more, because there is no answer. It’s a bogus quest. In fact, in many ways, Jesus offers a respite from satisfaction itself. He offers a way out of the rat race for more by reorienting our focus. We no longer have to scramble to build and maintain our own kingdom out of the fool’s gold of this world, but instead we can follow him in building God’s kingdom on earth – a kingdom that is built on a sure foundation and will never fade.

Why Non-Americans Shouldn't Talk Crap Like Americans

Part 2 of my NBA/Europe post is coming later today or maybe tomorrow, but I have to stop and comment on the Olympic 4x100 meter freestyle relay last night. If you haven't seen it yet, you need to. Now. I have no idea where they're replaying it, but it's worth watching. I woke up yesterday at 4:30 AM CST in St. Louis, and stayed up to watch this come on at 11:30 PM EST. Probably not my smartest moment, but it was worth it.

What makes it so great is that the French decided to run their mouths. At the Olympics. Apparently Alain Bernard, the French anchor for the team, pre-emptively put his foot in his mouth last week with these words: "The Americans? We're going to smash them. That's what we came here to do."

Bad idea.

Nobody excels at beating other people and letting them know about it like Americans. It's one of the things that makes this country great. We don't just win. We win loudly. And last night, we showed that no one else should really try and take that mantle from us. Even though France was the odds-on favorite to win the event, I knew that you don't give us that kind of bulletin board material without paying for it.

Michael Phelps led off the relay, but failed to make a significant lead for the Americans. Garret Webber-Gale pulled out to a slight lead in the second leg, only for Cullen Jones to give it up in the third leg. Everything was going as France, and everyone else, expected. So when Bernard entered the water with a .6 second lead on Jason Lezak in the anchor leg, and proceeded to stretch it to nearly a full body length, I kinda thought we were screwed.

Then Lezak went all "American" on us and torched it. He didn't lead until the last tenth of a second, but the last 50 meters was epic, as he gained on Bernard each stroke, finally touching him out at the wall.

But as amazing as the race was (I've probably never been so excited about a swimming relay in my life, including 10 years of my own races), what I love is the interview afterward, the only place where Americans excel more than on the field, court, or wherever their sport is played. Michael Phelps referred to their competitors as "the Frenchies," and Webber-Gale admitted, "I was pounding on the block, saying the 'f-word.'"

I love America.

For further reading, I highly recommend Pat Forde's article on ESPN.com.

Oh, by the way, Bernard? Your dignity called. It misses you. It wanted to know when you guys could hang out again. My advice, dignity? Give it a couple of weeks.

King James? Or James El Rey? (Part 1)

Wow, two sports posts in one day? I know, call me one dimensional. Truth is, I was planning on posting this thought today, and when the Favre news hit, I just couldn’t resist. Rest assured, though I might mention sports every now and again, this is by no means an exclusive sports blog. Breathe easy, female readership (read: Mom).

I wanted to mention this, because it’s a fascinating story in the early stages of its development, and its implications are far beyond the realm of sports. It seems quite a few people are choosing to play ball in Europe rather than the NBA. For those of you new to the story, let me catch you up to date.

The craze started a few months ago when Brandon Jennings, one the top 5 high school recruits in the country (ranked #1 by some services), reneged on his commitment to Arizona to sign with an Italian team. Most people still expect him to declare for the NBA draft next year, but he has set a precedent for high school recruits looking to get around the one-and-done rule. Why go to college and make a mockery of an educational institution by labeling yourself a “student-athlete” (seriously?) for nine months when you can essentially take a year-long vacation, make some euros, and dunk on some Serbian fools? I’d certainly be tempted.

People have noticed this was an option ever since the one-and-done rule was put into effect, but Jennings is the only player (at least certainly the most notable) to actually take advantage of it. But the story doesn’t stop there. Ever since Jennings’ decision, several NBA players have left the league for the seemingly greener pastures of the Euro-league. Carlos Arroyo (formerly of the Orlando Magic) recently signed to play with a team in Tel-Aviv, and Earl Boykins (a 10-year veteran most recently with the Charlotte Bobcats) just became Italy’s Virtus Bologna’s (insert lunchmeat joke here) highest paid player, making around $3.5 million for the upcoming season.

So what’s the big deal? Is the league really mourning the loss of Carlos Arroyo and Earl Boykins? Not really. It’s part of a growing trend of parity on the global stage, though. Americans were shocked to discover that other countries actually had players on par with the USA’s best when the Americans were defeated in the 2004 Olympics twice, earning a bronze medal for their efforts, and bested again in the 2006 World Championships. That was one thing, but now to have players like Boykins, who’s never played outside the NBA in his career, be lured overseas is cause for a little concern.

But it gets worse. The biggest name to head overseas recently is ex-Atlanta Hawk’s forward Josh Childress. He’s not exactly a household name, but he was a solid contributor for the Hawks (who nearly upset the champion Boston Celtics this year in the playoffs), and was the 6th overall draft pick taken in the 2004 NBA draft. He’s no scrub. He’s no slouch, either, as he’s now making about $20 million over 3 years for Greek powerhouse Olympiacos.

But the biggest news of all is that reports have surface that LeBron James, the king himself, would entertain offers to play in Europe “for a year or two” when he becomes a free agent in 2010. In fact, he’s already talked to teams in Moscow and the aforementioned Olympiacos team in Greece. Now, his condition is that the offer is for $50 million per year, but still. Can you imagine the fallout if the NBA’s golden boy ditched the league to play in Europe? Commissioner David Stern would have a stroke.

See, lots of NBA players leave to play in Europe. This year alone, the following players have left for European pastures: Nenad Krstic, Juan Carlos Navarro, Jorge Garbajosa, Carlos Delfino, Bostjan Nachbar, and Primoz Brezec, in addition to the above named players. But even the casual observer will note a common thread in these guys: they ain’t from ‘round these parts. They all came from overseas, and played for professional squads over there. Their leaving isn’t that big of a concern, because it’s happened for years, and it makes sense. But Josh Childress played ball at Stanford, and grew up in California. LeBron James is from Akron, Ohio -- how less foreign can he be?

So why would these guys leave the greatest league on earth to play for such “lesser” teams? Well, it actually makes a lot of sense. For one, at the time of this writing, $1 is worth about 0.65 euros, and that’s the highest I’ve seen it in a while. Also, the money in Europe is essentially tax free, as teams usually pay their athletes’ taxes for them. Also typically in the deal is a free house and car. And to top it all off, there is no salary cap in Europe. Some team would actually be allowed to pay LeBron $50 mil, if they could afford it (and it’s not out of the question by any means). No NBA team can even hope to match that. For comparison, the salary cap last year was set at $55.63 million per team. Match a $50 million offer, and you couldn’t afford to pay me. OK, you could afford me, but not much else. And yes, I know there are salary cap exceptions, but my point still stands. No salary cap > salary cap.

Plus, if you were an athlete in the prime of your life, where would you rather live? Cleveland, Ohio or Athens, Greece (home of Olympiacos)? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

But here’s my point in all this: where does it end?

Undoubtedly, once the collective bargaining agreement is up in 2011, there will be an outcry from the players to boost the salary cap (or eliminate it) to compete with the money being offered overseas. But is that really the solution? Pay our professional athletes more money? I would imagine the average working man would balk at that, rightfully so. After all, increased salaries ultimately mean increased ticket prices, and a quick glance at the economy today suggests that isn’t exactly a change people would be welcome to.

Is catering to our athletes even more really what America needs? This is the problem inherent with America – indeed, with capitalism itself. There is no possible way to satisfy the greed of human beings. Every year athletes are whining and pouting that they’re not being paid enough when they’ve already seen more money than 99% of the world will ever see. In the 2007-2008 season, Shaquille O’Neal made about $21 million. The country of Tuvalu, a small nation in the Polynesian islands, posted a GDP in 2007 of $15 million. Think Tuvalu is insignificant? What about Zimbabwe? They’re only worth about 30 Shaqs. And they have more than 13 million people living there. 1.8 million of them live with HIV, and the life expectancy for females is 34 (males are 37).

Something is wrong here.

Favre to the Jets ... can we please shut up about it now?

This picture was on ESPN. The "Worldwide Leader In Sports," and the best picture they can manage of Favre is from a video game. Hilarious. Don't they have Photoshop or something up there in Bristol, CT?

Anyway, I was ecstatic to hear this news, only because it means that I don't have to hear any more Brett Favre news every 15 minutes. (BREAKING NEWS: Brett Favre just went to the bathroom! No word yet on whether it's #1 or 2. John Clayton is perched near his septic tank for an update once the deed is done.)

Have fun getting smoked by the Patriots, Brett. Cheers.

Breaking news: I have become "that guy" ...

Yes, folks, it is with great humility and sadness that I admit that I have become "that guy." I have started a blog. I didn't meant for it to turn out this way -- things just kinda happened. And before I knew it, there I was. A blogger. Sigh ...

Perhaps I should explain a bit. I kinda have a history of doing this. See, when MySpace first came out, I mocked. Why be friends with people on the internet when you can be friends in real life? Lame. But, in May of 2006, I was a not-so-proud member of MySpace. Then came Facebook. Yet again I mocked. Facebook is dumb -- you can't have cool songs on your profile. Plus, what's with the whole "poke" thing? Creepy ...

Yet again, in March (or so) 2007, I joined up. I at least had the self-respect to delete my MySpace profile, as I refused to be a part of two social networking sites at the same time. But I succumbed to the social expectations and listed all my hobbies and interests for anyone that wanted to be my "friend" could see.

And now, blogging. I've made fun of blogs for a long time now. I'm not completely anti-blog, because there are a lot of people who are smart and important enough to blog and have people care. Guys like Albert Mohler and many other evangelical leaders have stepped up and used this format to provide an intelligent and reasoned voice on a great many current events and hot topics, and I have gladly read and supported their efforts. Many others outside the Christian world have valuable insights and reports on blogs that are a great help to the masses. But that's just the thing: people actually care what they have to say. And let's be honest. The average blogger is not exactly on an intellectual or journalistic plane with the really useful blogs. It's often just a guy (or gal) who think he's a little better writer than he actually is, commenting on things he has little clue about. Or it's a guy that wants everyone to know what happened to him that day, with little regard for how interested anyone actually is. For them, perhaps that is helpful. For me, it just wasn't really my thing.

I doubt anyone is scouring the internet to get my input on the upcoming election, or the struggle in Iraq. I doubt even more seriously that anyone cares to get online and read a glorified version of my diary, detailing what I did today and who said what, and why I'm mad at so-and-so because she talked about me behind my back. Lucky for you, the reader (if there are any at all), I have no intention of venting about my emotional frustrations, nor do I have any delusion that what I have to say is so important that it demands its own corner of the web and your attention.

No, this isn't really about that at all. It's really nothing more than an echo of what the Lord is doing in and through me. I have no idea whether that's of interest to you or not, but it seems worth writing about to me. He's taken me on an amazing journey in the 24 (almost 25!) years of my life thus far, down many roads I never thought I'd see, and blessed me in some tremendous ways. It's not that my life is so important, but that his doings are worthy of reflection and recollection. That's why I've titled the blog, "lines on the road." It's a phrase from a Derek Webb song, "Faith My Eyes" (If you haven't heard it, stop immediately and go listen to it. Seriously. Do it.), as he reflects on where the Lord has led him. Similarly, as I'm led down the road to wherever it is I'm going, this is a place for me to document what it is I see and hear.

It certainly won't be all serious, and I surely hope they're not all this long. I'll be as likely to comment on a sports story or a funny picture as much as on a serious event or insight. Maybe it will be useful, entertaining, or insightful to you.

Or maybe you'll think I'm just being "that guy."