Grief and Celebration

I've noticed something awkward about the way that I'm wired (maybe that should read: "something else")...I feel more comfortable with my role in grief than I do in celebration.

What I mean by that isn't that I enjoy it more, for myself or other people, but that I'm comfortable with understanding what is an appropriate response.

If I hear that someone started a new relationship...I don't know what kind or level of celebration is appropriate.
If I hear that someone's relationship ended...I generally know how to walk through that process.

Similar things are true about death and healing, miscarriage and pregnancy, job acquiring and job losing, etc...

I tend to understand how to respond in times of grief but rarely in times of celebration.  I know better what to say to the family that has lost someone than to the family whose daughter or son just got married.

This might be strange, particularly as I've lived a life with far more to celebrate than to grieve, but sometimes celebration is hard for me.

Grief on the other hand, gives me a clear role to play.

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning has always looked a certain way in my head.  Family, food, gifts.

This year, for the first time, I'll add, preaching a sermon to that list.

We'll only be having one service (instead of our normal two) at Grace this year and I'll be preaching at it.

Suppose I'll have to get in the Christmas Spirit at some point now.

Helpful Movie Man

Having worked at a video store and remained a movie enjoyer myself, I tend to answer most people's movie questions from my experiences.

Today, I was asked to name a movie I had never seen.  One which I was told no actors who were in it.

Just "a skinny guy" and "it was a christmas movie" and "it had a snow globe" and "it wasn't recent" (as in from his childhood. 

While my experience couldn't answer, my research could. 

It took me about 3 minutes to find the answer.  It helped make his day.  It was fun.

Congress gets something right!

Many of you have ridiculed me as I have argued that pop (soda for those of you out of the midwest) is a vegetable because "corn" is the first word listed on its ingredients.

I get looked at like I'm using some sort of ridiculous logic.

Well, the government is joining my side (that isn't an argument against ridiculousness, just authority) as they have labeled pizza a vegetable.

Don't take my word for it, read the article yourself:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45306416/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/pizza-vegetable-congress-says-yes/#.TsiZ-sMk6nA

This is the best thing any person on Congress has done on their watch!

Go Big Blue

I was too consumed last night with actually getting sleep after watching the game to comment on the great start (as it pertains to wins) for the Wildcats.

Beating KU with that young of a squad this early in the season wasn't a gimme.

C-A-T-S, CATS, CATS, CATS!

What if Design is the Problem....?

I find myself in constant tension wondering if I should help broken processes.  When asked to be a part of something, knowing it won't come to pass the way those in charge hope, I often wonder my role.

What if the design of the project is off?

What if someone is trying to build a house, and the problem isn't the tools, the equipment, even the cost, it is the blueprints?  Being asked to help at that stage, where time is important and the blueprints can't/won't be redrawn, but the final product also won't meet it's goal is frustrating.

Do I just do my hammering and nailing?  Do I speak up and stop the work completely, knowing nothing will be accomplished?  Do I smile and hope for the best?

How can the tension be navigated so that the end result isn't as snobby as "i told you so" or the confirmation of my under-the-breath statements or unspoken thoughts?  How is it addressed that doesn't make me sound like an expert (i'm not) critiquing something I don't want to be a part of (i do want to be part of it) if the successful outcome isn't even on my radar?

A Whole Lot of Bus

The week in Flordia was relaxing.

The two 30 hour bus rides, not so much.

Thankfully, I have the spiritual gift of sleep and can find a way to fall asleep in almost any circumstance.  This proved valuable during those bus trips.  On seats, floors, against windows, whatever the position may have been, I found sleep.

On another note, both teams came back finishing one spot higher than they were seeded to finish (every time I have gone with a team we've finished better than expected) so we were pretty happy with the outcome of the trip.

I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things around here now, and normalizing my work schedule to not include practice in the middle of the day.

After this week's adjustment, I might actually start getting productive again.

I'm Away

Within the day I'll be leaving for Florida.  I'll be gone for a week, and won't be updating this while I'm gone.

My mind will be too busy with coralling 40 college students, enjoying the sunshine, and eating Chick-Fil-A.

See you in a week.

More Free Wear

Looks like the plane tickets to Florida are ridiculously expensive this late. 

So we'll be taking a 30 hour bus ride each way to Florida for the tournament.  Will add time for our travel but to soften the blow, we'll also be making more free shirts for the students (and by association, the coaches). 

Looking forward to adding more free stuff to the wardrobe via coaching.

The Baggage We Bring

I'm amazed sometimes at the baggage we bring as we long to understand.  This week, our church is looking at part of the sermon on the mount where Jesus addresses "divorce." 

Just the word has so much baggage. 

We don't know how to treat the subject.   Many people walk on eggshells as they begin talking about it, something that wasn't as much of a problem when we talked about murder/anger, or lust/adultery.

Crazy, how Jesus longs to free us of baggage, to take his yoke instead of bringing our own...yet we insist and bring plenty with us. 

Hoping for Grace in my words and in many people's lives as I teach on it this week as well.