Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for Snow!

A blizzard hit the global warming conference in Copenhagen. The forecasters tell me I can expect 6-12 inches tomorrow. Will it stick around and give us a white Christmas? Thank God for snow!

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for the Washington Redskins

Today, I come to what this year is a painful confessions. The Washington Redskins are still my football team. They currently stand at 3-9 although if it weren't for late in the game collapses, they could be 6-6 at this point. It's so bad that when they game Shaun Suisham the boot earlier this week, he went wide right! But there are things to be thankful about regarding this team. The last several weeks, they've played some good football fighting to win - until some time in the fourth quarter... Despite losing starters in the offensive line, their top two running backs, and several key defensive players, they seem to be improving. Their .250 winning percentage at the moment mean that based on winning percentage, the Washington Nationals (59-103, .364) are not the worst pro team in Washington this year! This week the Redskins play the Raiders and I think the Redskins can win. Just like I thought the Redskins could beat the Saints last week. At least this week, the difference in the game won't be a missed Suisham field goal. So today, I thank God for the Washington Redskins!

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for Silence

Turn off the TV, the iPod, or whatever else is making noise. Listen for God's still, small, voice. Thank God for silence!

Thank God It's Friday: Day after Thanksgiving Edition

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and I certainly have a lot to be thankful for. Here's just a little:

• I am loved by God
• He sent His son to die on the cross so that I could have a relationship with him
• The Holy Spirit guides me day-by-day
• I am blessed with a good job that I have been at for almost fourteen years
• I have a wonderful wife to whom I have been married for over twelve years
• I have a nine year old son who has the heart of a servant
• I have a six year old son who has more energy than I know what to do with
• I've got two cars - both of which at the moment have almost full tanks of gas
• I own three electric guitars, two acoustic guitars, a five-string electric bass, an acoustic bass, a mandolin, a banjo, a mountain dulcimer (which I share with my wife), another acoustic guitar (which was bought for my wife but lives in my music room), a clarinet, and perhaps a few other musical instruments that are hiding around here (not to mention my wife's piano and the boys' guitars)
• I could go on, but I'm enjoying a movie with my family at the moment...

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for Elevators

It's true. Sometimes you don't appreciate what you have until it's gone. Well, today as I got to work there were a few things that seemed strange. One set of lights (leading from the garage to the walkway over to my building) were out even though it appeared that the building itself had power. Then I got to the elevator lobby and the elevators weren't working. A gentleman who was waiting in the elevator lobby said that the lights in the stairwell were out too. It seems that building had power but everything thing that would have been on emergency power was out. Ugh! So, as I climb five flights of stairs (from the second floor elevator lobby to my seventh floor office), with the only light coming from the flashlight app on my iPod Touch (yes, there's an app for that!), I want to say, "Thank God for elevators!"

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for Ryan Zimmerman

It was a good week for one of my favorite players. Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman won his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. The Gold Glove recognizes excellence on the field. Even though he had 17 errors (mostly throwing errors), Ryan covered more ground than most other third basemen and got to many balls that others wouldn't have gotten to and turned them into outs. The Silver Slugger is given to the best offensive player at each position. Zimmerman had a great season hitting for power, average, and producing runs. The tandem of Zimmerman and Dunn (though sometimes Dunn and Zimmerman) proved to be one of the highlights in a mostly unpleasant season for the Nationals. So, today I say "Thank God for Ryan Zimmerman."

Today's Google Doodle

The Sesame Street tribute is finished. It is appropriate that today's Google doodle celebrates Veterans Day. Thank you to all of the veterans who have served to keep our country safe!

Hail, Hail, the gang's all here!

In what is (IIRC) the final of the series of Sesame Street tribute logos on the Google home page, we find the entire gang (at least the primary Muppets) from Sesame Street.

I wasn't counting on this...

Today's Sesame Street themed Google logo: Count von Count!

Today's Google Sesame Street Logo: Elmo

The tribute to Sesame Street continues. Today's logo is Elmo.

Today's Google Sesame Street Logo

Today, I present to you... Oscar the Grouch!

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for Sesame Street

As the celebration of Sesame Street's 40th anniversary continues, I want to chime in and say "Thank God for Sesame Street." I have fond memories of watching Sesame Street when I was a kid and even some of watching it with my kids. The other night, I was watching some of the videos up for best clip of the '80s (after my time as a regular Sesame Street watcher) and my top choice was "Put Down The Ducky" featuring Ernie and his rubber ducky. My boys liked the making crayons and making peanut butter best. I am enjoying Google paying tribute with a new Sesame Street logo daily (through the 10th I hear). Who's my favorite Sesame Street character? It's hard to say. If I could choose three, I'd go for Cookie Monster, Grover, and Oscar the Grouch! To pick one favorite, I suppose it would depend on what mood I'm in. I'm a little bit hungry at the moment, so I might have to choose Cookie Monster...

But really, Sesame Street did have an impact on me. I can even remember regularly going over to a neighbor's house to watch it. The few fragments of Spanish that I know were probably learned on Sesame Street. If I could just figure out what the word abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz means, I'd be the smartest bird this world has ever seen. Thank God for Sesame Street.

More Google does Sesame Street

I'm really enjoying Google's tribute to Sesame Street. Today has me wanting cookies!

O is for Ooops

"Oops!" That's what I thought to myself this morning shortly after arriving at the office. What did I do? Well, let me begin back in August...

Prior to my birthday, my wife had placed order through a certain online mega-retailer for Big Country's Greatest 12" hits CD. I had a number of Big Country 12" records back in my college days and really enjoyed the extended remixes of these songs. The CD was not released here in the US, but was being sold as an import. After a short while, my wife got an emailer from the aforementioned mega-retailer that they would ship the CD some time in October (my birthday was in September). OK, whatever... As October puttered on, my wife got another email stating that they hoped to ship the CD sometime in November. OK, I'm getting a little impatient here... I went online to the Big Country official web site went to the contact us page and posted an question of how fast I could get the CD if I ordered through them. After getting a reply, I placed an order through their online store and my wife cancelled the mega-retailer order. Well, yesterday, my CD arrived (still ahead of the latest mega-retailer estimate)! I was excited. We listened to it on the way to (and then home from) Costco. I ripped the CD and created a playlist so that I could put it on my iPod and listen to it at work today. I got to work and was ready to crank up the extended remixes only to find that I had neglected to sync the new playlist to my iPod. OOPS

It's just cool... that's all

Today's Google logo is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street.

If you're in the UK and hitting Google (UK), they're celebrating the 20th anniversary of Wallace and Grommet.

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for the World Series

It's the end of October and the World Series is knotted up at one game a piece between the defending world champion Phillies and the most expensive team in baseball, the New York Yankees. I find myself more interested in the World Series than I have been in years past. Of course my favorite team the Washington Nationals secured the #1 draft choice a long while ago with the worst record in baseball. They weren't even in the same time zone as contending for the playoffs. Ditto for my #2 team the Baltimore Orioles. This World Series, I'm definitely pulling for the Phillies to win. Growing up, I was a Phillies fan and I used to go to a lot of games with my Pappy at the old Veterans Stadium. When I was too young to even understand, I had my picture taken with a young Mike Schmidt. Too bad that picture got lost while cleaning my room. Secondly, since I primarly grew up an Orioles fan, I've always believed in the motto "Anybody but the Yankees!" There's still plenty of baseball left to be played (at least three games) and I am excited to watch. So yes, today I thank God for the World Series!

N is for nap

Naps are good. Even if my six-year old doesn't agree with me. I don't know if I'm just exhausted or if I'm coming down with something, but I took a nap that lasted over an hour and it felt good. I'm still a bit tired and wonder if there's another nap in store...

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for Getting Away

Today it's Friday and it's the third straight Friday that I'm heading out of town and the first of those that I'm doing so without the family in tow. Two weeks ago we had a great visit with the in-laws - I still need to get some pictures off my phone and posted to Facebook. Last week, we went to a Cub Scout campout (we only camped out Friday Night) and the Cedar Creek Battle Reenactment (a few more pictures still on the phone). This week, after a quick stop by the church for potential carpooling, I'm off to the BCC Men's Offensive (otherwise known as a retreat, but we don't retreat). There will be times of worship, fellowship, hearing from Gen. Jerry Boykin (Ret.), planned activities, and some free time. I'm prayerfully expecting God to bless and refresh those who attend. So yes, I can say "Thank God for getting away."

M is for Mountain Dulcimer

While at the Cedar Creek Reenactment this weekend, my wife and I purchased a mountain dulcimer. It's intended to be an instrument we'll share, although if we both really get into playing it, I could see us picking up a second one. So far, I've already figured out how to play "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" and "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross" on it. It's great that I already know some hymns in the key of D!.

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for sleeping in

Today, since I'm working from home for part of the day as we get ready to go camping with the Cub Scouts, I had the rare pleasure of sleeping in. Now, my definition of sleeping in (I slept until after 6am) may be different from yours (come on, I normally get up in between 4:00 and 4:15am), but nevertheless, I slept in. It was great. I feel a bit more rested than I normally would have (which is good because I don't know how well I'll sleep tonight in a cold tent). So, today, I thank God for sleeping in!

L is for Love

I continue on with my alphabet posts (sorry that they are coming a little less than daily) and today I proclaim L is for Love.  I love God.  I love my wife.  I love my sons.  I love to play guitar.  I love to watch baseball.  But I wonder, do people know this things because I say so or because they see it in my life.  It's probably some of both, but which ones are there evidence of in my life?

K is for Krispy Kreme

Hot, fresh Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Yum yumm. Even buying them at the grocery store and putting them in the microwave - good stuff. Just writing about them is making me hungry.

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for Early Autumn

Ah, the weather is beautiful today. Cool, but not too cool. Crisp. Baseball playoffs are under way. Football season has started. And it's not yet time to start raking leaves. Thank God for early autumn!

J is for Jennifer

As I continue my trip through the alphabet, of course J has to be for Jennifer, my dear wife. You can get to know her through her her blog.

I is for Indeed

indeed = in fact, in reality, in truth.... A picture is worth a thousand words and today's In the Bleachers nails it.

H is for Hope

According to dictionary.com, the first listed definition of hope is "the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best." I definitely have hope in my life. Some of the things I have hope for are

• That God will daily cause me to become more and more Christlike
• That God will be glorified in my life, my marriage, and in my family
• That my sons will grow up to be godly men.
• That the 2009 Redskins will play a home game without being booed by the home fans.
• That the 2010 Washington Nationals will lose fewer games than the 2009 Nats
• That I'll be able to make it all the way to Z before becoming tired of my alphabet posts.

Sounds like my boys...

I had a good chuckle this morning as I read Drabble online. This sounds like my two boys.

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for 100+ Losses

Just a couple more days and the regular baseball season will be over. My favorite team, the Washington Nationals, are nearing the end of their second straight season with more than one hundred losses. Pitching coach got fired. Manager got fired. One of my favorite players, Nick Johnson, got traded. The starters didn't always make it throught the sixth inning. The bullpen found new and novel ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The defense at times was pretty offensive. Injuries seemed to curtail glimmers of hope. Still, there was still much to be enjoyed: Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Dunn, Nyjer Morgan, Jordan Zimmermann, the Stephen Strasbug signing, Bob, Rob, and Debbie, taking two out of three from the Yankees in New York, sweeping the Mets in the pentulimate series of the year - the last one coming on a walk-off grand slam by Justin Maxwell. I've got hope for next year. Maybe Teddy will win won next year. But the season is about over. In the spirit of Colossians 3:17 (And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.), I thank God for 100+ loss seasons.

G is for Grilling

I love to cook on the grill. I own a Weber Performer grill which is a gas ignited charcoal grill. I've had many proud moments as a griller. One was the Fourth of July a few years back. I had two grills going and we had about 30 people over. Someone offered to grill for a little while so that I could eat. I said "no thanks" and pointed to my half eaten hamburger to right of one of the grills "I've got everything under control." Another proud moment was when I managed to grill every Sunday for about five weeks in a row - in December and January! In fact, on of those Sundays, my boys and I cleared a path in the snow from the door to the grill. As I said, I love to cook on the grill.

F is for Foolish

1.Lacking or exhibiting a lack of good sense or judgment...

Foolish? Am I foolish? I hope not. For the last week and a half in our family Bible study, we've been studying Proverbs. We've been learning about wisdom and seeing the contrasts between wisdom and foolishness. Proverbs 1:7 says "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Fools despise discipline. Sometimes I bristle at discipline, but do I despise it. I'd better not. For it is far better to fear God and heed wisdom now than it is to try and find wisdom elsewhere when I need it...

E is for Eager

Today's word is eager. The number one definition from dictionary.com reads "keen or ardent in desire or feeling; impatiently longing." I'm not sure if people would describe me as being eager, but I've got a nine-year old son that certainly could be described as eager. He lately has been eager to help out around the house and can get disappointed if there's nothing he can do to help. He's been eager to eat the homemade fudge I made the other day (and he was also eager to help with that). It's good to be eager about worthwhile things (and no I'm not saying that being eager for fudge is a bad thing) and maybe I should be more eager about some things in my life.

D is for discursive

OK, discursive isn't a word I use regularly, but when I look at the first definition of it "passing aimlessly from one subject to another; digressive; rambling," I thought, gosh that sounds like my average work day. At times, I find it very easy to get distracted by some other "emergency" whether at work or at home. I know that I could stand to have a little more focus in my life. Hey, it's the ninth inning and it looks like the Nats are losing again.

C is for Chuck

I continue my trek through the alphabet. C is for Chuck - Chuck Bartowski, that is. Chuck is one of my favorite TV shows and I wish I didn't have to wait until spring for it to be back. I love the nerd action on the show and I love the spy action too. There's comedy, romance, nerds, spies, and JeffSter! Until Chuck comes back in the spring, I'll have to find something productive to do with my Monday nights!

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for those meddling kids

Today, I thank God for those meddling kids. You know: Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy. Of course, I can't forget Scooby Doo. I really enjoyed Scooby Doo as a kid and now it seems that my boys can't get enough. It's good to be able to revisit some of my childhood with my boys. So, thank God for those meddling kids!

B is for Banjo

Banjo, yep, I own one. It's hiding in a closet somewhere. I bought a used banjo many years ago because I thought it would be neat to try and play Cheap Trick songs on the banjo. I don't think I ever got very far with that. Oh, well, it seemed like a cool idea at the time. I used it once in church when we did a song from Jars of Clay's Redemption Songs. I honestly can't remember the last time I played it. Maybe I should pick it up one day soon...

A is for Apathetic

I admit it.  Sometimes I might be considered apathetic.  "Having or showing little or no emotion"  Yeah, that could be me.  "Not interested or concerned"  Yeah, I've worn that definition, too.  I just don't care (smirk).

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... Love your neighbor as yourself."  OK, that doesn't sound like apathy to me.  "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."  Oops, I'm guilty here.

"Heavenly Father, forgive me for not loving you as I should and not loving my neighbor.  Help me to be more like You because You are Love!"

Thus begins my journey through the alphabet picking out various words from the dictionary and finding the good and bad within me.  At least 25 more posts to come!

Learn to sing their songs

Wow, I wasn't expecting that when I checked out the comics (online) today that I would be inspired to blog. I was. Check out today's Cathy.

Now Cathy is not a strip from which I normally draw inspiration, but today there it is in the punchline. "Learn to sing their songs, and no one will care if you don't understand the lyrics." Here, it's referring to differences in the way men and women think, but doesn't it also apply in church? Suppose you see somebody at church singing along enthusiasticly. Do you assume that they're alright and know what's going on? Do you know if they're singing along only because the words are projected onto a big screen in front of them (or in a book in their hands if you've got hymnals)? Do they understand the lyrics ("Here I raise my Ebenezer?") or are they singing just to sing? Even worse, are they singing just so others will think they know it all and then nobody will bug them while they make a quick exit from the church after the service? Maybe they don't understand, maybe you do, or maybe you don't. Yes, God knows what's in their hearts as they sing, but the only way you'll ever get an inkling of it is through relationship. So, go out and build a relationship with the people singing around you in church. And don't forget to sing!

An Officer, a gentleman... and a Sargeant

In this post, I will attempt a magic trick, whereby I will combine three separate stories to make one point. Two of these stories are real and one is fictional - although I dare to say "It could happen." So without any further ado, pay no attention to the rabbit in the hat and let me begin with my act!

A year or two ago, with my wife and sons in the car with me, I got pulled over for failing to come to a complete stop before turning right on red. From my perspective, I stopped, saw that I was clear to make the turn and made the turn. The county police officer in the car behind me didn't quite see it that way. As the officer and I chatted, I asked him what constituted a complete stop. He told me "about two seconds." I don't know whether that is statutory or a matter of opinion, but he was the one with the badge and the ticket book and I wasn't. Thankfully, he only gave me a warning and we drove the remaining mile or so to get home. As I mentioned my two sons were in the car at the time. As a father, my primary purpose when with them is to train them up to be godly young men. One of the primary ways I do that is by trying to model a life I would want them to imitate. After all, they are both still at an age that wanting to be like Daddy is a good thing. With that in mind, since I got that warning, I've tried to be diligent at counting out "one Mississippi, two Mississippi" every time I've been making a right on red. I want my actions to be in keeping with my primary purpose.

A week ago Sunday, I played bass in the worship band at our church. After service, several people mentioned that I sounded good. After realizing that everyone who mentioned that was also a fellow musician and each of them count bass as one of the instruments they play, I at least was able to belay my concerns that my playing had been a little too conspicuous. But that did get me to reflect some on my purpose when up on the platform as part of the worship team. My purpose is not to draw attention to myself but to draw attention to Christ. Though I love to hear my fellow bass players when they play cool stuff, I'd hate for any of our bass playing to be the focus of the worship service. Now suppose someone had come up to me after the service and said "it sounded like you threw a little bit of 'Gonna Raise Hell' by Cheap Trick into one of those songs..." and then before I could grinning continued "... it was totally inappropriate." Ugh... Now, Cheap Trick at Budokan was what motivated me to play guitar in the first place and "Gonna Raise Hell" (from Dream Police) is what motivated me to play bass. If I had worked "Gonna Raise Hell" into the background of a worship song (I haven't) and somebody said something about it being appropriate (nobody has), I could have said "I'm just expressing who I am and God used that to help lead me into areas where I'm now serving Him. You may think it's inappropriate but I don't see it that way." (But officer, I came to what I thought was a complete stop!) When playing in the worship team, I need to keep my focus on the primary purpose of why I'm there: to glorify Christ and to draw attention to Him and not to me. So, if I can accomplish my primary purpose and still have fun with my playing, that's great, but if my playing gets in the way - not good.

It can be done. Sgt. Pepper tells me so. For my birthday, I got a copy of Sgt. Pepper Live DVD. Back in 2007 in Hollywood, Cheap Trick accompanied by a philharmonic orchestra and a few special guest stars performed the entire Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album live at the Hollywood Bowl to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the classic Beatle's albums release. Last year with a different orchestra and different guest stars they did it again in New York. The primary purpose of the performances was as a tribute to the Beatles - it wasn't intended as a normal Cheap Trick performance. Rick Nielsen played a custom guitar with pictures of the Beatles on it, Robin Zander effortlessly mimiced John Lennon and Ringo Starr's singing style (he didn't nail Paul McCartney but still sounded good), Tom Peterson nailed Paul's bass parts, and Bun E Carlos rocked Ringo's drum parts. The orchestra (and guest musicians) filled in the holes (or should I say they were fixing the holes?). Overall, it sounded phenomenal to me. Geoff Emerick, who had engineered the original Sgt. Pepper, co-produced the DVD. The first time I watched "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" I remember thinking Rick played a cool guitar lick as they were ending the song. The second time through, I paused and thought "wait a moment" and listened again to the end. Oh wow, I thought, they snuck in a bit of "Oh, Claire" to end the song. If you weren't familiar with the Cheap Trick track, you probably wouldn't have noticed it, but I did. It fit in perfectly and did not detract from "Lucy." Purpose of paying tribute to the Beatles, check, sneaking in a little bit for the CT fans, check! It's all good!

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for Krazy Glue

Thursday night as we were getting the boys ready for bed, my younger son was having a meltdown because his Jedi fighter model was broken. It's one of the snap-together models and the pegs that hold the wings to the body broke. I told him it wasn't time to complain about things it was time to do our ready and go to bed.

However, since I'm a loving father, as soon as I came downstairs after putting the boys to bed, I found the model and I found the Krazy Glue. A quick dab of Krazy Glue and a little while holding the wing in place - voila! - the wing is in place. What can I say but Thank God for Krazy Glue.

I'm not really in a rut...

As you may have noticed, it seems like I'm in a bit of a rut, only churning out Thank God It's Friday posts. I don't know that I'm in a rut, I've actually got a few topics that I'm contemplating for blog posts. I haven't finished anything because it seems like I've been busy lately. But maybe I can do more writing while watching baseball....

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God...

Where were you eight years ago today?

Today, I thank God that eight years ago

• I lived in Virginia
• I worked in Maryland
• That through multiple sources (the internet, phone, radio, etc.) I heard what was happening
• That I didn't work in the Pentagon (or in the WTC)
• That I didn't have to fly anywhere that day
• That as I was driving home when the roads were surreally empty, I could see smoke rising from the Pentagon
• That I got home to be with my family

Though I may not understand it, I know "...that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for lazy summer days

OK, I'm a little late getting this up, but since it's a lazy summer day, I hope you can forgive me.

I've taken the last few days off to care for my wife as she had minor surgery on Wednesday. Our kids were with Grandma and Grandpa for most of that time and it was really quiet around the house. I got some of the chores done early. Yesterday, my wife and I sat out on the deck sipping our drinks and enjoying the cool early September weather. It was wonderful. Even if my wife was sore from the surgery, we were enjoying each other's company on a beatiful day. So today, I want to thank God for lazy summer days.

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for Fog

It's Friday, and lately it seems that's about the only time I blog. I really should change that, but probably not next week... Anyway, today as I continue my Thank God It's Friday series, thanking God for some things that I might otherwise wouldn't think of thanking Him for, I thank God for fog. Fog, you know low hanging clouds...

Every so often, including once earlier this week, as I drive to work crossing over the Potomac River from Virginia into Maryland, I find the river and the bridge surrounded in fog. Usually right after I come around a curve in the Washington Beltway, I encounter the fog. I can't see the bridge ahead. When I'm on the bridge, I can't look over and see the monuments in DC or the river or much else. I briefly (and it must be briefly since I'm driving in early rush hour traffic) experience a feeling of mystery and feelings of wonder. Ever so briefly I wonder what God has in store for me that day. And then as I climb the hill into Maryland, the fog dissipates and the world becomes visible again. Soon enough I'm sitting at my desk in an office with no windows and wondering how to diplomatically respond to some of the emails I have waiting for me. The wonder is gone.

So today, I thank God for fog... and the sense of mystery and wonder that comes with it.

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for Pizza

It's Friday and that means it's time for my weekly Thank God It's Friday and I know that I can always rely on my loving wife to prompt me if I haven't put one up yet! Today, I thank God for pizza. It's Friday and our Friday dinner tradition is to make homemade pizza for dinner. We make the dough in the bread machine, my wife makes the sauce from scratch (usually in batches that last a couple of weeks), we add the cheese (mozzarella and monterrey jack), and put pepperoni on 3/4 of it (since 1/4 of our family doesn't care for pepperoni yet). Sometimes, we make two pizzas and get a little fancier with it. But if it's Friday and we're in town, it's pizza for dinner, no questions asked. And for that, I am truly thankful.

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God I'm A Country Boy

As I continue my "Thank God It's Friday" series, I must confess that I'm not really a country boy. But this week, I took my two boys to see the Athletics play the Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. I grew up an Oriole fan and went to many games at the old Memorial Stadium when I was younger as well as a number of games at OPCY after it opened. This was probably the first time I've been back to Baltimore for a game since the Nationals came to Washington. It was comfortable being back at a game in Baltimore - kind of like a favorite pair of shoes or a favorite pair of jeans. My six year-old asked "What just happened?" when the crowd shouted out "O" towards the end of the National Anthem. I smiled and explained that's how they do it in Baltimore. When the seventh inning stretch rolled around and they played "Thank God I'm A Country Boy," I felt like I was home. No offense to "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" or "God, Bless America," but I only want to hear John Denver during the seventh inning stretch. It was an enjoyable trip to Baltimore more for the game even if it will be a while before I head back again. But for now "Early to rise, early hit the sack, thank God I'm a country boy!"

Reflections on Worship God 09

Last week, I had the joy of attending the Worship God 09 conference put on by Sovereign Grace Ministries. This was the second Worship God conference I have attended, having previously attended in '06. Even though I arrived with high expectations, I was not disappointed! It was a wonderful conference and I feel that God used it to reawaken me and encourage me. Here's a few of my favorite things about the conference:

• Favorite main session speaker: They were all fantastic. I could easily pick any of them: John Piper, Thabiti Anyabwile, C.J. Mahaney, Bob Kauflin. But my favorite was probably Jeff Purswell speaking on the Biblical reasons we gather for worship.
• Favorite new (at least to me) song:
  • "Come, People of the Risen King" (Words and Music by Keith and Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townend) from Keith and Kristen Getty's Awaken the Dawn CD. I bought this CD for myself.
  • Runner-up "The Father's Love" (written by Joel Sczebel) from the Sovereign Grace Music Sons and Daughters CD.
  • Runner-up to the Runner-Up: "Gotta Wait" (Music and words by Rich Gunderlock, Ryan Baird, Jonathan Baird, and Eric Grover) from the Sovereign Grace Music To Be Like Jesus CD. I bought this CD for my kids. They love it!
• Favorite seminar: The acoustic guitar seminar led by Dave Campbell. Any seminar where I get to noodle on my guitar is a good one. It was fun and reminded me I need to practice more. Dave comes off as a guy who loves God and loves guitar. Sweet!

Thoughts on the other speakers:

• John Piper: Like drinking from a fire hydrant. I've downloaded all of the talks and will start listening to his talks today. I was greatly edified by his talks, but I'm still processing them.
• Thabiti Anyabwile: spoke on the importance of the local church. I heartily agree!
• C.J. Mahaney and Bob Kauflin (as "interviewed" by Jeff Purswell): "Mutually edifying" is how I would describe their interaction during this session. It was clear to me how much they both love the Savior, the Cross, the Gospel, and each other.
• Bob Kauflin (final session as well as conference host): He humbly exalted his Savior and edified all of us. Thank you Bob for your service to the Lord and to all of the conference attendees.

Thoughts on the other seminars I attended:

• Do You Thirst For God? - Don Whitney: I don't know that I got all I could have out of this seminar. Why? By the time I got to lunch, all of the caffeinated beverages (with the exception of a handful of Diet Cokes) were gone. This seminar was right after lunch and I was getting a wee bit sleepy. When the MP3 is available, I intend to go back and revisit it when I'm wide awake.
• Clean Hands and Pure Heart - Pat Sczebel: After lunch on Friday. But on Friday, I brought a Coke with me in case I didn't get one at lunch. Good move on my part. Great talk on Pat's part. Exposition of Psalm 73. I loved this talk.
• Reviving the Hymns - David Ward: David's love for the hymns and the rich content of them was clearly evident. When we all sang "Amazing Grace" a capella, it was beautiful and easily a highlight of the conference for me. It was one of David's updated hymns ("Praise Him") that I was grooving to on my drive home one night when I almost missed my turn because I was enjoying the music so much.

Finally, a few more loose ends:

• Kudos to Ticket Boy (aka Mark Altrogge). Although he didn't get to do announcements this year, he still kept us LOL (and I mean really LOUD) this year.
• It was great to meet the gang from OBC and Rebecca from Charlotteville and Steve from Charlotte and the choir director from Pennsylvania and... It was just great to be with so many people who love the Lord and serve Him.

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for easy drives home

I live in Virginia and work 32 miles away in Maryland. I work an early schedule, but my average commute home is about an hour. However, if there are any "incidents" whether they be accidents or even a little bit of rain, the drive home can take a whole lot longer - I think I've maxed out at 2 1/2 hours!. The last two nights have been easy drives home. Both days clocked in at about 45 minutes. OK, I wasn't leaving from work, I was leaving from the Worship God 09 conference in Gaithersburg. Plus, I wasn't leaving during the early part of rush hour, I was leaving well after rush hour (yes, it does end at some point), 10:30pm on Wednesday and 9:30pm Thursday. Despite the occasional lane closures for overnight road work, both nights made for easy drives home. So, I definitely want to thank God for easy drives home!

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for a bowl of cereal

As I continue my series of thanking God for a variety of things, today I thank God for a bowl of cereal.

At least during the week, a bowl of cereal is a pretty standard breakfast for me. It's a pretty simple breakfast and it doesn't take too much thought when you have to fix yourself breakfast and the sun's not even up yet. Lately my cereal of choice has been Cheerios (plain or honey nut). I usually will have the same cereal every day until we go grocery shopping again and get something new. And then it might be another box or bag of the same thing we just finished.

I have posted about a bowl of cereal before, back when I had a cast on my right ankle, and I am thankful that it's a bit easier for me to make a bowl of cereal nowadays.

But where's the deep spiritual significance that I often tie into these posts? Well, I suppose you can look at it a couple of different ways each of which reach the same point. You could compare my daily bowl of cereal to the Israelites daily manna as they wandered through the desert. Both might be described as a little bland and in both cases it was the same thing day after day. I could also point you to the Lord's prayer. Jesus taught his disciples to pray for their daily bread - not cereal. But like the manna, the daily bread testifies to God's provision. I am definitely thankful for God's provision. If I weren't sitting at the office right now, I might even go and have another bowl of cereal!

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for perfect games

Today I continue on in my series of posts thanking God for things that we sometimes may not think to thank God for. Today I am thanking God for perfect games.

Mark Buerhle of the Chicago White Sox pitched a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays. 27 batters up, 27 batters out. It was only the 18th time in Major League Baseball history that feat has been accomplished. The last time a Chicago White Sox pitcher threw a perfect game was in 1922! A perfect game is an amazing thing and an example of an incredible individual performance but it is not just an amazing performance by the pitcher. Buerhle pitched a great game, he avoided walking anybody even though he went to three balls on a few batters. Even if he struck out all 27 batters, there's still gotta be somebody behind the plate calling pitches and receiving the pitches and making sure they drop a third strike and then have to make the throw to first to get the batter out. Of course there were the ground outs which invovled one of the infielders and the first baseman and the fly outs - some of which required the outfielders to run, dive, catch the ball, crash to the ground, and still come up with the ball in their glove. Yes, a perfect game is an amazing performance by the pitcher, but there were also eight other guys on the field any one of whom could have made a mistake or been a step away from making a play and the perfect game would not have happened.

This week in our family devotions we've been looking at Christ as our redeemer. Last night we looked at Hebrews 4:14-15 and how Jesus can sympathize with us and had been tempted in all things but yet was without sin. No matter how greatly I may be "pitching," it takes a team for a perfect game. With Jesus on my team, I won't be waiting for a call from the president after the game is over. But with Jesus on my team, I hope to hear "well done my good and faithful servant" when my game is over.

So play ball and praise God. Thank God for perfect games!

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for little lies

OK, now I must be officially off the deep end. Thank God for little lies?!?! Maybe my title is a little off (and in fact, I'll probably suggest another one before I finish rambling), but be patient and bear me out.

So, one of my kids was told to do something the other day. He gave the appearance of having done it, but evidence quickly exposed that he didn't no it and had lied about it. So, my wife, being the graceful parent she is, gave him the opportunity to rectify his mistake. He again gave the appearance of having done what he was asked and at that point no evidence was found to the contrary. At least until a few minutes later and we got home. He lied again. Now at least it wasn't one of those big life-threatening lies, but it was a lie. As dutiful loving Dad, it fell to me to administer appropriate punishment. So, we talked. We talked about lies, we talked about sin, we talked about how we'd been reading about the consequences of sin in our family devotions time, and I punished him. As we talked, I found myself thinking "Come on son, don't you see that you're becoming a habitual liar and I am increasingly finding it hard to trust you? Don't you see that it breaks my heart to see you do so? Haven't we been teaching you to tell right from wrong?" and so on and so forth.

After we put the kids to bed and I began to reflect on the events of the evening, I was reminded that God has every reason to think the same thing of me and yet in his overwhelming love and grace, He sent His Son to redeem me and bring me in right relationship with Him. So, maybe it's not the little lies that I'm thankful for. Maybe I should have titled this post "Thank God how our children's sin reminds us of God's love for us."

⁸If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:8-9

Fired Up!

As we begin the All-Star Break, we find the Washington Nationals sans manager.  It seems that after last night's loss to the Houston Astros, manager Manny Acta was fired.  The formal announcement and presumably the announcement of his replacement is expected to come today.  It really doesn't come as much of a surprise since it's been expected for weeks now.  Acta may have bought himself a few extra weeks when the Nats took two out of three from the Yankees in the Bronx, but that momentum didn't carry on to many more wins since.  Sure we've had some highlights since them - some quality starting pitching, some tape measure homers from Adam Dunn, the addition of Nyjer Morgan - but we've still seen the bullpen repeatedly collapse and pull defeat from the jaws of victory as well as some defense that might be excused on a T-Ball field.  From reading the blogs and comments, the reaction ranges from he's a bad manager and it's about time to Acta did the best with the hand that was dealt him.  I'm not sure where I fall in that continuum (probably closer to the latter than the former), but as is common with me, I try to look at it and see how it reveals what's in my heart.

Psalm 14:3 says "All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one."  I'm a sinner.  I deserve to be fired, don't I?  It's about time isn't it.  Even if I were to say I've done the best with the hand I've been given, I am reminded by Isaiah 64:6 "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."  Though the firing of Manny Acta (and my daily life) may lead me to dwell on this, I rejoice as I am reminded from Ephesians 2:8-10 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  I have been saved.  Not by my filthy rags, but by the grace of God.  Though I may struggle daily with my inadequacies, I must remember that I am meant to do good works - not just meant to do, but created to do and prepared to do good works.

As Manny Acta finds himself with some free time on his hands, my hope for him is that he would find those good works that God has created him to do.

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for winning when you don't deserve to be in the game

Thank God for winning when you don't deserve to be in the game????  OK, you're wondering, what the heck is he talking about today?  Last night the Nationals won the completion of a game that had been suspended back in May.  The winning pitcher, Joel Hanrahan, was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates a week ago.  The runner who had been on first when the game was suspended, Elijah Dukes, was demoted to the minor leagues a week ago.  The Nationals had effectively given up on both players.  They weren't cutting it as part of the worst team in baseball!  (Yes, they're still the team I root for.  I rooted for the '88 Orioles and lived to tell about it!)  They were no longer part of the plan.  Yet, both players contributed to the win, even though neither was with the team at the completion of the game last night.

 

As an aside, I have been pondering, what would have happened if the game had been suspended prior to the Nationals taking the field in the bottom of the inning (in other words no runner on first) and Joel Hanrahan had been traded to the Astros (instead of Pirates) and the Astros sent him to the mound in the completion of the bottom of the inning and the Nationals had still won the game.  Would Hanrahan have both picked up a win (having been the pitcher of record when the game was suspended) and a loss (having given up the winning run)?  I suppose he might not have been allowed to enter the game since he had already been in the game with the Nats, but still I wonder.  [These are the kind of things that run through my mind when I'm waiting for a program to finish running that crashed overnight due to insufficient disk space at the time.]

 

Anyway, back to winning without deserving to be in the game.  Based on the way I live my life - I fail to do the good I should do as well as do things I shouldn't do - it's no use in trading me, I should be sent to the minors!  My righteousness is like filthy rags.  Heck, when it comes down to it, I'm a washed up never-was low-class-A minor leaguer who probably only made it out of Rookie league because management got tired of me there!  Yet, when my life is over and I stand before the throne, the Accuser will say "He's a washed up never was!  Send him down!"  But Jesus will say "I died for Him, He's mine!"  And I'll spend the rest of eternity rejoicing in the Victory though I didn't deserve to be in the game!

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God For Freedom

Tomorrow is July 4 - Independence Day. So today as I continue my Thank God It's Friday series, I must say "Thank God For Freedom." There are many things about the freedoms I possess here in tbe United States that I am thankful for.

I am thankful that my vote counts. Not everybody I voted for in the 2008 general elections won. Not everybody I voted for in the primaries before that won. But, I believe that the results of those elections were valid. I don't believe that anybody deliberately rigged the elections to get the result they wanted and I've never felt the need to protest in the streets because I didn't feel my vote counted. Yes, there are things here in the USA that aren't the way I'd like them to be but I know I have the freedom to speak up and protest as I feel appropriate. But the most important way I have my say is my vote. So, I cast my vote on election day and I am thankful that it counts.

I am thankful for the freedom to worship. In my lifetime, I have regularly attended Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Evangelical Free, and non-denominational churches. Nobody has ever tried to kill me because I switched from one church to another. Nobody has ever legislated and said that I must go to a certain type of church. Nobody (except for my parents as I was growing up, thanks!) has ever told me that I MUST go to church. My family and I go to a church that we have chosen and believe that God has led us to.

I'm thankful for God's Word. We read the Bible daily and in-house and on-line we have access to more different translations of the Bible than you can shake a stick at (not that I'm much of a stick shaker). When our senior pastor is preaching from the New American Standard translation, I've got that. When someone else is speaking from the NIV, I've got that. ESV, check. My younger son has NIrV. We've got KJV, NET, TEV and other sitting around the house. On-line there's great tools like BibleGateway and BlueLetterBible. I can read and study God's Word as much as I want.

I could go on and on, there are more freedoms we have in the USA that I am thankful for. But now I am "free" to go make breakfast and get ready to take the family to today's swim meet ;-)

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God For My In-Laws

Tomorrow, we will be gathering with my in-laws, family, and friends to celebrate my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary. It is a testimony of God's faithfulness that they are able to celebrate this significant milestone. So, thank God for my in-laws!

The Non-Waiver Trade Deadline

Although it is still weeks away, discussion abounds about the upcoming non-waiver trade deadline in baseball. The contenders are looking to see what pieces of the puzzle they need to push them over the top and make it to the playoffs while the teams at the bottom of the standings (that would be my favorite teams) are looking at what veteran players who are approaching free agency would be valuable additions to a contender who in turn has something to offer for the future of the cellar-dwellers. It is perhaps a chance to jettison some salary and acquire some prospects who will make the team better in the long run.

Now, I'm not a GM nor am I a veteran player in the last year of my contract, in fact, my name is not popping up in trade discussions at all. So, why do I bring this up?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Hebrews 12:1

Maybe my life can be reflected as a baseball team. God is the Owner, Jesus the President, the Holy Spirit is perhaps the Director of Baseball Operations and I'm the General Manager. I know that there's "The Plan" to build a successful team and that I need to act in such a way as to help build this team. So I need to ask myself these questions.

• What is "everything that hinders?"
• There may be beloved veteran "players" on my team that are hindering me from "making the playoffs." They may need to go.
• There may be exciting "prospects" on my team that aren't part of the long term picture. They may need to go too!
• What about "the sin that so easily entangles?"
• Have I as GM, chosen "players" who reflect badly on "the Plan?" I need get rid of them.
• Have I signed "bad contracts" that I need to suck up as a loss and move on?
• Now I need to "run with perseverence!"
• There are 162 games in the regular season in baseball. Even after the non-waiver trade deadline there's a lot of season left. I need to know that changes today may not mean that the team will gel tomorrow.
• Fans of perennial bottom-dwellers are always thinking that it can be better next year. It may take some time to see the benefits of the changes I make.

Fortunately, in life, there is no non-waiver trade deadline. The only deadline we have is one that we don't know. How many days do I have left? I don't know, but I know that today, I've got time to examine my life and see what is hindering me and what is entangling me and run the race before me!

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for my Dad

With Father's Day upon us this Sunday, I'd like to continue my Thank God It's Friday series by thanking God for my Dad!  I admit that the older I get the smarter my parents were!  There are many things about my Dad that I am thankful for.

• Regular church attendance - even before it mattered to me, we as a family were weekly church attenders.  Over the years, my Dad has served in a variety of volunteer positions in the church.  Since church became important to me, I've always been a weekly attender and my boys know that I've been a volunteer in a variety of ways at our church.
• Modeling marriage - My Mom and Dad have been married for 44 years.  My wife and I have a way to go before we hit that mark, but God-willing, we'll make it.
• Gadgets and stuff - My Dad is a retired electrical engineer.  Of course he had some cool gagdets over the years.  I used to love playing with his soldering iron.  Even though I owned a CD player before he did, his was better than mine.  My Dad had a large record collection that it took me years to match in terms of volume.  Comptuers: Before PCs and Macs, my Dad bought a Timex Sinclair computer.  My Dad still has a larger TV than I do.  I get my love of gadgets and stuff from my Dad.
• Country Ham and Sorghum - Not together (although why not?).  Two of my favorite foods which I learned to love from my Dad.
• My first Cheap Trick concert - Yes, my Dad took me to my first Cheap Trick concert.  I don't know if he enjoyed it, but that was the concert that made me want to be a bass player. 
• Sitting in the rain at Memorial Stadium during the 1979 World Series - Yes, the Orioles lost the series.  Yes, I still hate "We Are A Family."  But I can say that I was there because my Dad and I went!

So, let me summarize by saying "Thank God for my Dad!"

There's a song in here somewhere

Alright, I confess, I've started writing a lot of songs that I haven't finished writing. Sometimes I find a cool riff or chord progression and can't find any words to go with it. Other times, I've got what seems like a great lyric fragment and can't finish it. Heck, I've even got some titles for what are obviously going to be Grammy-winning songs but I haven't taken the time to sit down and write them. (Feel free to pause reading while you LOL.) Yesterday, I had occasion to read through Psalm 17. Verse 15 struck me as being a beautiful expression of the end result of the process of sanctification we are walking through. I need to set aside some time to meditate on this and then sit down with a guitar. Stay tuned!

I am innocent, LORD, and I will see your face! When I awake, all I want is to see you as you are.

Psalm 17:15 (Contemporary English Version)

In front of a firing squad

It has been reported (and reported and reported and reported...) that Washington Nationals manager Manny Acta is going to be fired any day now. As I type this, he hasn't been fired yet. Has it affected how he is managing the team? From prior interviews I've read/heard with him, I wouldn't think it has. Has it affected the way the team has played? Uh... no... It's been the same old same old.

How would I react if I knew I was going to be fired any day now? Would I give 110% (of course I wouldn't - I work with Ph.D. statisticians and know that's impossible) and do a great job or would I decide to stick it to the company and get all that I could before being shown the door? Regardless of what I would do, why would I do it? Would I do it out of selfish greed, out of pride wanting to prove myself, to please my employers while they are still my employers, or... to bring glory to God? I've been at my current job about 11 years longer than Manny Acta has been at his. Do I know what tomorrow will bring for either of us? Do I even know what today will bring?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

10 memories from the recent HEAV convention in Richmond

In no particular order... 

 

10. Being in Richmond with my wife while the kids were in Annapolis with my parents.
9. Quiet meals alone with my wife that we didn't have to cook.
8. Listening to "Bad Voddie"
7. Seeing friends old and new.
6. Seeing the hardcore shoppers working up a sweat in the Exhibit Hall.
5. Remembering that Home Education is discipleship.
4. Dining at Penny Lane Pub.
3. "If you can't say 'Amen' at least say 'Ouch'"
2. Did I mention being in Richmond with my wife while the kids were in Annapolis with my parents?
1. Loving my kids even more when it was all over.

 

Two Thieves

In my daily Bible reading, today I was reading through the crucifiction of Christ. I was reminded of a poem I wrote a long time ago.

Two Thieves

Two theives went to the cross that day
with a heretic condemned by the Jews
One thief went to paradise
This... is good news

Thank God It's Friday: Thank God for inquisitive children

This is the second of my Thank God It's Friday posts where I'm taking some time to thank God for things other than Friday. Today, I'd like to thank God for inquisitive kids. I've got two of them and I thank God everyday for them.

The older of my inquisitive ones is a man of a million questions. He's well known for asking questions. He has a hunger to learn and to figure out how things work. It serves him well. He's probably the one that will grow up to be an engineer or a scientist. My younger inquisitive one is a master of hypothetical questions. When he gets on a roll, almost every sentence he speaks begins with "What if..." Often times the questions get sillier as they go on, but it shows the depths of his imagination. He'll be the creative story teller.

Thank God it's Friday!

Yes, we've all said it at one time or another: "Thank God it's Friday!"  The work week is drawing to a close and the weekend is arriving.  But Friday's also just another day.  There are really so many other things that we can thank God for besides it being Friday.  I'm going to endeavor to blog about one thing to thank God for every Friday.

 

Today, I thank God for "I Want You... To Want... Me!"  One song changed my life.  I heard the single for "I Want You To Want Me" (from Cheap Trick at Budokan) on the radio (probably AM radio at that.... WYRE or WNAV).  I bought the single.  Loved it.  Loved the B-side "Clock Strikes Ten."  Wore out the grooves on the 45.  Bought the album.  Played it over and over and over and over.  I loved that lead guitarist Rick Nielsen had hundreds of guitars.  Decided that I wanted to play guitar too.

 

Fast forward 30 years... I am older and I still listen to Cheap Trick.  (New album coming out in time to make a great Father's Day gift!)  But more importantly, I play guitar and bass in the worship band at my church.  In fact, since the fall of 1983, I've been playing guitar (or bass) and leading worship in college groups, helping out with youth groups, and in the churches I've attended.  I've written songs that I've played and sung in church.  I am thankful that I've been able to play guitar for God's glory for so long.  Falling for "I Want You To Want Me" seems to be the marker at the beginning of the road I'm on.  So, thank God for "I Want You To Want Me."

 

I wonder what my life would be like if I instead had fallen for "Reunited" by Peaches and Herb.

The Examined Life

This past Sunday, the sermon at church was titled "The Examined Life" (click here to listen or download). It focussed on the need for and benefits of spiritual examination. (Thanks Mark, great sermon!) The first text looked at was from Psalm 139.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

Spiritual examination... Been there, done that. Yes, I need to keep on doing that. But hearing the sermon reminded me of a time in my life when I did some deep spiritual examination - which even though it was a painful time, ultimately resulted in good. Those who know me well (or were around me during August/September 2008) probably know what I'm talking about - when I broke my ankle!

To make a long story short(er), I was scrubbing green gunk off of the siding on the north side of my house. The ladder started to sway and I started to get off. In fact, I hit the ground before the ladder did. And by "hit" I mean fell off and hit the ground. I immediately knew an emergency room visit was in order and after my wife got the kids off to a neighbor's house, she drove me to the emergency room. X-rays were negative - "It's not broken" they said, just a bad sprain. I followed up with a doctor a couple of days later, she said to go see an orthopedist. Went to see the orthopedist, they took new x-rays. The X-rays didn't show anything broken. But, he said something to the effect of "I've been doing this for 30 years and I know that it's more serious than just a sprain. Go get an MRI." Well, I went to get an MRI and sure enough, the orthopedist was right. In fact, the radiologist called the orthopedist and said "You're not going to believe this." The orthopedist responded "Yes, I will!" Lots of little fractures in the bones around my ankle. Lucky me, I'd get to spend the next 10 weeks in a cast!

Sometimes sin is like my ankle. Someone might look at my life and say "He's a good guy. Nothing wrong with him." Then someone else might look again and reach the same conclusion. There may not be any big sins for all to see in my life just like there weren't any big obvious breaks in the x-rays. But examine me closely and I'm sure you'll see lots of little sins that, like the little fractures in my ankle, affect my walk.

It took a closer examination to see the fractures in my ankle, but that in turn is what led to the appropriate course of treatment. It sometimes takes close examination to see those "little sins" and lead us to the appropriate treatment - confession and repentence. We may outwardly look like we have a great walk, but in reality we're limping. I'm reminded of one of my favorite verses:

All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Isaiah 64:6

My righteous acts are like filthy rags. Now, if I were translating this verse, I might have said "our righteous acts are like my six year old son's socks." Now there's something filthy for you! Even after going through the wash, they still look dirty. (Yesterday was laundry day, does it show?) But fret not, two verses later we read:

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

We are the clay (which can be pretty dirty can't it?) and God is the potter. We are the work of His hands and He is molding us and making something out of us. Which in turn reminds me of the previous week's sermon (Good job Nace!).

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8-10

I'm not saved because of my works or because of my filthy rags. It is by grace. I don't deserve it, but yet it's given to me. I am God's workmanship. I was created to do good works! This is another of the benefits of spiritual examination. As Mark put it on Sunday "It helps us discover patterns of Christ at work in us." Do I see evidence of Christ at work in me? Yes, I do. I see plenty of evidence of how God is blessing me: A wonderful wife, two great sons, a great job, I get to play guitar and bass and serve the Lord at the same time. Praise God!

So if you give a quick glance at my walk and it looks okay to you, maybe that's real. If a closer examination reveals something wrong, that may be real too and it needs to be dealt with. If I'm the only one who knows there's something wrong, it still needs to be dealt with. Let the examination begin, er, I mean, continue! Let the potter have his way with me and make me into a work of art so that those around may see the art in me and want to know the Artist.

One final thought on examination...

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:22-25

Star Wars 6 x 6

Since my six year old accused my wife of not knowing her Star Wars episodes well enough, I thought I'd try and sum up the plots of each of the episodes - in six words each. Here goes:

• Episode I (The Phantom Menace) - Cute Kid and Jar Jar Binks
• Episode II (Attack of the Clones) - Things start to fall apart... oops!
• Episode III (Revenge of the Sith) - Anakin turns (and burns)... Obi-wan exits
• Episode IV (Star Wars aka A New Hope) - Feisty teen blows up Death Star
• Episode V (The Empire Strikes Back) - Luke, I am your father. No!
• Episode VI (Return of the Jedi) - Good wins; Darth not all bad.

How'd I do?