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.